New Music (to me) Saturday: The Mowgli's

This may be a misleading title, because technically The Mowgli's, 'Waiting for the Dawn' was released last year, but they're new to me, so maybe the band will be new to you too.

I am seriously digging this band this week. Their music, alternative and easy-listening, just soothes the soul. That's the best way I can put it. This isn't exactly studying music, because you're going to want to get up and just jam to some of these numbers, but they are the perfect music to listen to just about any other time.

"San Francisco" makes me want to dance around like a fool, especially when they hit those harmonies about a minute in, but then you're instantly snappin' your fingers together and singing along. The band is huge - seven members! - but man, does it pay off big time.

I implore you to listen to their album, embedded below. Notice how, even after their most popular song "San Francisco" (4 million+ plays on Spotify), every song is a friggin' knock-out. 'Slowly, Slowly' has this moment at around 2:45 where all the vocals build and they hit that crescendo at 3:10 and you're off to the races with them.

And I could go on, evaluating every song like this but instead I'll leave you with the following recommendations:

• San Francisco
• Slowly, Slowly
• Emily
• Say It, Just Say It 
• Leave It Up To Me - (Try not singing along to the 'woah-oh's on this track. Impossible!) 

Also, I may or may not just kinda walk around town singing "Hi, Hey There, Hello" to myself. Folksy and happy - my kinda song.

Sadly it doesn't look like I'll be getting to see them live anytime soon, their tour doesn't take them through Pennsylvania or Maryland. But seriously guys - when are we gonna get some new music? I've already got 'Waiting for the Dawn' memorized.

Why I think #100HappyDays is an important project

A few weeks ago, my Instagram feed was bombarded by pictures of my friends, gorgeous sunsets, and food. Nothing too out of the ordinary, except they were all hashtagged (hashtag-ed?) #100HappyDays.

After doing some digging (googling), I was directed to 100happydays.com and read up about it. Basically, the premise is that you post a picture of something that makes you happy on a social media site everyday for 100 days.

The premise of #100happydays

You 'sign up' to keep track of your photos, but it's not like you get a big prize if you complete the challenge, nor are you penalized if you don't. Honor system, folks.

Now, life can be hard sometimes. You have really crappy days that require more than the serving size printed on a pint of Ben & Jerry's. It's those times that you need to remember the Happy Days more than ever. That's why I signed up. Because, even if it's something as simple as comfort food or playing my favorite song, that can pass as my day's photo.

It's hard to photograph 'happy.' It's like how you can't see 'success,' but you can see evidence of it: the nice watch, expensive clothes, material objects.

I've been participating for just about four weeks and have posted a myriad of photos on my Instagram. Cups of fro yo I got with friends, the program from The Book of Mormon which I finally saw last week in Baltimore, my NBC pillow, a my haircut, a sunrise from my morning run... like I said, it ranges.

So, can I be happy for 100 days? Sure. 90% of my day might be sad, but I can find something to make me happy, to make me smile. And that's why it's important to participate in this project, to remind ourselves that life isn't always bad.

What music gets you moving?

Everyone has their preference when it comes to exercise music. Some people only listen to Top 40 pop, others prefer hip-hop, rock, or even Broadway (don't knock it till you tired it - listen to a sample of American Idiot's broadway recording to really get your heart beating.)

Me? I prefer something to the match the rhythm of my running steps, but also something that consumes me and takes my mind of the mundane running. At school, and because it's been hardly 10 degrees outside, I hit the treadmill for 20 minutes with my playlist. At home, where it is now a brisk 40 degrees, I can do three miles within my neighborhood, easy - but it takes a particular type of music to get me going.

So, because I'm a little nosey and fairly curious, I'm wondering: what music do you run to? And because this is a two-way street, I'm offering a complete look into my Spotify playlist at the bottom of this post. As you can see, it's kind of a smorgasbord.

This playlist will eventually fall into disuse. I'll get tired of the songs, I'll begin exercising to newer/different music and in a few months, I will make a new workout playlist. The circle of life.

What do you like to work out to? I'm always looking for suggestions!

60 of my 1001 days are done - how'd I do?

Happy March! It's crazy to think that 60 days ago, we were all aglow in the light of the new year.

Welp, January and February have come and gone, dumped a ton of snow on us in the meantime, and then high-tailed it out of here. I'm always happy February is the shortest month.

Anyways - if you may recall, I published my 101 Things in 1001 Days list the first week I started this blog and since time is just flying by, I decided to do a 60-day checkin with it.

Here are the few things I have completed:

2. Inspire someone else to write their own 101 in 1001 list. This actually happened a few days after I posted it originally, but I never got a chance to make a comment about it. So, yay! One down.
20. Figure out what my go-to 'I can make that!' food dish is. I call it 'chicken marsala lite' and I love it. 
26. Run a 7 minute mile. Getting there! Currently at a 9 minute mile.
42. Not stress over the little things as much. This is a big one for me. I'm getting better at dividing stress between what I can control (like, studying for an exam - want to not worry about a big test? Study for it.) and what I can't (my grade once I turn that exam in.) There comes a point you just have to succumb to the possibility you cannot fix everything. 
78. Befriend strangers on the floor of my building. Fire alarms can really bring people together. 
93. Create a header image for this website. I'm in love with the one I have now! It was so easy to make but I went through like, ten different fonts before settling on this one.

Alright, six down, 95 to go! And 1005 days to it. Looking back down, I'm realizing lots of these events will be determined on my location for the summer, where I end up after graduating in December, etc. But I'm excited about the progress - maybe I'll make a post every 3 months or so updated everyone (read: me) on what I've accomplished.

Thinking back too, I've done a lot that isn't on this list, like, kick boxing, or, go to the hospital for the stupidest reason ever (did you know ring cutters are very handy tools to have if you ever get a ring stuck on your finger at 2AM? Me neither. But, luckily hospitals do!)

Once again, thanks to Mackenzie Horan for the inspiration for the 101/1001 list! I can just tell it's going to be a lot of fun to complete.