15 Ways to Get Out of a Funk

I often find myself in a rut. Sometimes it lasts an hour or two, and sometimes it lasts a week or two. If you find yourself down in the dumps, just remember that it will pass. Here are some of the things that I do to help cheer me up and lift my spirits.

1. Have a nice bath before bed. And crawl into clean sheets. It's the best feeling! And you just feel so relaxed.

2. Get dressed up. I'm not saying put on a ball gown here. But do your make up or your hair, put on something other than sweat pants. It'll make you feel like doing more than sitting on the couch all day.

3. Call up a friend! Hang out with someone that you can have fun with. This is probably the best way to make yourself feel better.

4. Write. Get out your journal or, start a journal, and write what you're feeling. It is a great way to release some tension.

5. Have an early night. Go to bed early and get a solid nights sleep! You will feel so much better in the morning.

6. Listen to music. Get out your mp3 player and turn on your favourite song, and dance too!

7. Exercise! This is probably the hardest thing to do when you're feeling down, but one of the most important. Even if it's just a 15 minute walk, it will help.

8. Clean. It's amazing how our environment effects our mood. If you are sitting in a mess of a room than you are not going to be very motivated to do anything. Take 10 or 15 minutes and to a quick tidy. You'll feel a lot better.

9. Read some inspirational quotes. These always help me, here are some of my favourites.

10. Meditate. You'd be amazed at how much meditation can help. Give it a try!

11. Try something new. A change in routine might be exactly what you need to get you out of this rut.

12. Take it one day at a time. Realize that, chances are, nothing is going to come along and magically make you feel better. You have to get yourself out of this one.

13. Stay positive! I know it can be difficult to stay positive in these situations, but if you let yourself become pessimistic you will become even more destructive.

14. Focus on the present. Don't obsess over what you did or didn't do yesterday and don't put things off until tomorrow. There's no time like the present.

15. Laugh! Laughter truly is the best medicine. Start laughing and will feel better in no time!

10 Uses for Wood Pallets - Upcycling!

Pallet

The term "Upcycle" is totally new to me. In fact, I only just discovered what upcycling was about an hour ago. I've always known how to upcycle and been very fond of it, but I didn't know it had it's own term, I would have just called it recycling.

Anyways, for those of you who are unaware - as I was an hour ago - upcycling is taking some kind of material that is junk or something deemed useless and turning it into something awesome!

So here is 10 different ideas to upcycle and help out the planet, while having an awesome and interesting piece of furniture.

Enjoy!

1) Coffee Table 

    

  

2) Garden

3) Chair 

    

4) Coat Rack

5) Shelves

 

6) Sofa

7) Bed

8) Cabinet

9)Shed/Fort

10) Swing

I worked so hard to get all the pictures to align and all be the same size, but for some reason when I publish it to blogger it gets all messed up. So I apologize for that! 

Zombie Survival Guide

From the TV series The Walking Dead

So I've been reading a lot of zombie books and watching zombie movies lately. Not really sure why, but that's what I've been doing. And I happen to think that I am extremely prepared for the inevitable zombie apocalypse that is to come.

So I came up with the brilliant idea to share the knowledge of that will be needed in order to survive the zombie takeover.

First the zombie assumptions:

1. They eat humans and only humans. Not animals.
2. They are fairly slow. Taking on one of them wouldn't be too big of a deal, you could definitely outrun it, but more than a few and you're in trouble!
3. In order to kill them you need to smash their heads in. 

The Survival List:

• Food

• Start by getting a lot of canned food, and I mean a lot! You're going to need it. 
• But canned food just isn't going to cut it, you're going to want some kind of plant that grows easily and doesn't take a lot of maintenance. Just to stay on the healthy side of things I would recommend getting some wheat grass seeds. Once they sprout the grass is ready to eat in a matter of days and it just keeps on growing! Tip: I think a greenhouse might come in handy. 
• I think getting a chicken or a few would also be a good plan. They can lay some eggs and then if you're desperate you can eat them for meat. 
• Water, water, and more water. 

• Land/Location.  

• You are going to need somewhere to live. As tempting as it is to stay in your own house, that could be dangerous. Unless you live somewhere remote, and with a lot of land. You need to live somewhere where there's wild life. 
• This location also needs to be somewhere close to running water, possibly a river or stream? Bonus: If fish live in the water you can eat them! 

• Mode of transportation. 

• Cars are awesome, yes.  But let's be honest, do you really want to get stranded in the middle of nowhere with nothing but an empty tank while zombies are coming at you from all angles? Didn't think so. I'd say it's best to invest in a good bike. Maybe grab some extra tires and what not while you're at it. 
• I also recommend getting an RV. That's what you are going to want to live in once you find your new living location.

• Weapons.

Pickaxe

• Now I know guns are awesome and easy. But let's face it, guns are dangerous, they run out of bullets, and accidents happen - some people can be a little trigger happy. Not good. 
• Knives are the way to go. Big ones. And you really can't have too many. Just make you separate your cooking knives from your killing knives. You don't want to go getting yourself infected now. Wouldn't you feel silly?
• Bats and clubs are also handy.
• My choice weapon: Pickaxe. Second runner up: Shovel.

• Defense.

• In order to properly protect yourself there is a few things that you are going to need. First, fencing. Once you've found that piece of that land that you are about to call your own, you are going to want to build a big fence around it. And i mean big. A tall, thick, and sturdy one. You don't want those zombies getting through now do you?
• Second, gloves and goggles. Possibly even a face mask of some kind? If you're bashing in those zombie skulls you don't want the blood to come back at you and have it get in your eyes. All that hard work will have been for nothing, because you are headed for zombie life. Gloves will be good since little cuts on your hands are likely to occur.

Matches. Bonus: They're waterproof!

• Supplies.  

• Hope you are ready to do some work around the house! Things are going to break down and need fixing. So I sure hope you brought your toolbox and are a quick learner! 
• It's going to get cold during those winter months! So you better prepare yourself and bring some extra blankets and towels. Pens, pencils, and paper would also come in handy. 
• Think of anything you use on a daily basis. Can't live without it? Bring it along. I just hope it's not your cellphone. 
• Matches and/or lighter. I really don't think this one needs an explanation.
• Medical supplies. Expect injuries. 

• Books.  

• Now as much as I love reading, and I would love to spend my days reading cheesy teen girl novels that's not really what I mean by bring books. I mean educational books. Gardening books - maybe a book on edible wild plants in you area. Books about building stuff. Anything that you can think of that might come in handy. 

• Power.  

• Now this one is a little tricky, but if you've got any solar panels or something maybe a little wind turbine, I suggest you bring it if you can, because chances are a little electricity is really going to help. 
• It would be really helpful if one of those books that you decided to bring was about alternate sources of energy, then you'd be golden.
  
  

Hope you enjoyed my survival guide. And I hope that one day, it will save your life!
Got anything to add? Post your suggestions in the comment box! 

Still from The Walking Dead

Bored? 100 Things to do...

I love making lists. It helps me destress sometimes. I also find it helps me open up my mind and creativity.

For those of you looking for something to do... Here is a list of 100 things to do when you're bored! I'm determined to think only of things that do not involve a television or computer!

1. Read
2. Go for a walk. (Wear a pedometer to see how many steps you take each day. Aim for 10 000 per day.)
3. Call up a friend
4. Bake
5. Go shopping
6. Teach yourself something new
7. Do some gardening
8. Go for a run
   
9. Go to the gym or join a gym
10. Draw
    
    
11. Paint
12. Go somewhere new and explore
13. Take pictures
14. Take a class
15. Go swimming
16. Find a new recipe and try it (your local library should have cook books)
17. Listen to music
18. Play cards
19. Play a board game
20. Write (anything from a journal entry or poem to a whole book!) 
21. Walk your dog, if you don't have a dog call up a friend and ask if they want to walk their dog, or offer to walk a neighbour's
22. Make a mini movie! Get some friends together and make a script. It sounds juvenile, but it is actually a lot of fun! When you watch it again some time later you won't be able to stop laughing! 
23. Do a puzzle
24. People watch at the park
25. Clean!
26. Make a scavenger/treasure hunt. Give it to some friends to try. Give the winner a prize.
27. Learn crochet
28. Learn to knit
29. Prepare a picnic. Share it with a friend!
30. Hot out? Water fight!!
31. Write yourself a letter, put it away and read it again in a year, 5 years, or even 10 years from now!
32. Make a fruit smoothie
33. Is it snowing? Have a snowball fight, go sledding.
34. Design your dream home
35. Challenge yourself, write for 5 minutes straight. Don't stop, and don't erase or correct anything you write.  
36. Play sudoku
37. Play kakuro
38. Do some push ups or sit ups. 
39. Call, text, or write a letter to someone you've lost touch with. They'll be happy to hear from you!
40. Do some laundry
41. Sing at the top of your lungs and dance like a crazy person! You'll feel so much better after.
42. Clean your fridge
43. Try a new restaurant
44. Go grocery shopping. Buy a food that you don't normally try. 
45. Volunteer
46. Make a shopping list
47. Give yourself a makeover
48. Make a collage
49. Meditate. It'll clear your mind. 
50. Do Yoga, you can find poses on the internet and on youtube
51. Do a crossword
52. Make some tea and relax
53. Make your own pizza! 
54. Fill a box of things to give away or to sell at a garage sale
55. Plan your next vacation
56. Make a to do list for the next week
57. Go for a bike ride
58. Make a bucket list
59. Play a prank on someone 
60. Join a club or new acitivity
61. Make a scrapbook
62. Go to a museum
63. Go camping!
64. Learn to sew. Make a blanket or something!
65. Prepare this weeks meals in advance
66. Get some friends, have a paper airplane contest. Bet on it. 
67. Start composting
68. Learn a new language
69. Toss a frisbee with a friend. Or football. 
70. Make a list of things to get people for Christmas
71. Make a wish list for Christmas
72. Learn to play an instrument
73. Plan a road trip with your friends
74. Read the newspaper. Get up to date on current events.
75. Join a book club
76. Buy a new magazine
77. Build a fort!
78. Stargaze
79. Go to your local theater and watch a play
80. Go skating or rollerblading
81. Go to a pool hall and play some pool
82. Go kayaking
83. Help someone out
84. Make your own puzzle
85. Put pictures in frames and decorate your place
86. Go play laser tag!
87. Jump rope! It's really good exercise, and really good for a healthy heart!
88. Pamper yourself, give yourself a manicure and facial or, even better, go get it done!
89. Study! If you're a student , study for school. If you aren't you should then study something new. 
90. Go to the used book store, pick up a bunch of books. You can find some real jems there, for really cheap.
91. Sit outside and enjoy the fresh air. If it's cold up, bundle up and make a cup of hot chocolate!
92. Say hi and start talking to someone new.
93. Try fencing! It's fun!
94. Start a business plan
95. Try martial arts
96. Do Qi Gong or Tai Chi. You can find videos on youtube. 
97. Listen to an audio book (You can do this while you do a number of other thing,eg. cleaning, going for a walk, pampering yourself...)
98. Make a recipe book full of your favourite recipes
99. Bob-It! Best game ever! You can play it alone, or with someone. Warning: It's very
    addicting. 
100. Write your own list of 100!