Time Tricked Me

A little over a year ago I wrote my last blog post saying that I was back from my blogging hiatus and ready to share some inspirational thoughts and quotes with you. Well...obviously that never happened! When I look back on the past year I am seriously shocked at how quickly time has passed. Not only that, so many life-changing events have taken place in this period. I am now with the guy of my dreams, and my career and entire life trajectory is entirely different from what it used to be. I couldn't be happier though!

To ring in a fresh new start to this blog, I feel like I should reintroduce myself and my writing focus.

I am currently in my third year of college at the University of Georgia studying anthropology and geography. My focus is on the cultures of South Asia, particularly India. It's my absolute favorite thing in the world to travel and learn about the small, intimate aspects of other cultures. Other than that, I have three main passions— all of the creative arts, the organic/local/healthy food movement, and women's rights around the world.

On this blog, I plan to write about all of these subjects and share with you things that deeply inspire me. I hope you enjoy the new content, and I can't wait to get your input!

I'm so glad to be back!

XOXO, Caylee


Photo credit: [heart spirit mind, The Only Night*]

She's Alive!

Hello lovelies! As you could tell, for the last month and a half I've completely dropped off the face of the earth. Several changes have taken place in my life recently, the biggest of which is that I ended the relationship with my long-term boyfriend. Lately, I've just been trying to meet new friends and spend time doing things I love that I never had time for previously. Anyways, I'm alive and well, and I'm back from my blogging hiatus now! For this first new post, I'm going to share two quotations that I love with you, one of which I find very thought-provoking and the other, inspiring.

"Most of us spend many hours each week watching celebrated athletes playing in enormous stadiums. Instead of making music, we listen to platinum records cut by millionaire musicians. Instead of making art, we go to admire paintings that brought in the highest bids at the latest auction. We do not run risks acting on our beliefs, but occupy hours each day watching actors who pretend to have adventures, engaged in mock-meaningful action.

This vicarious participation is able to mask, at least temporarily, the underlying emptiness of wasted time. But it is a very pale substitute for attention invested in real challenges. The flow experience that results from the use of skills leads to growth; passive entertainment leads nowhere. Collectively we are wasting each year the equivalent of millions of years of human consciousness. The energy that could be used to focus on complex goals, to provide enjoyable growth, is squandered on patterns of stimulation that only mimic reality."

-- Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

"So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun."

-- Chris McCandless

Hope you all have been doing wonderfully! Let me know your thoughts on these two quotes, 

and tell me what you've been up to! 

XOXO, Caylee

 Photo credit: here and here

Befriending your Inner Child

When was the last time you played?

I'm not talking about going downtown to a bar with your girlfriends and stressing about guys the whole night. I'm talking about carefree, unadulterated, joyous playing. When you are concentrating on the true fun you're having and nothing else. For some of us, the last time we had a memory of a time like this is around when we first became a teenager. When I was ten, my friends and I would all run around playing hide and seek for hours in the woods surrounding my house, even after it got dark. In the pool, we would all giggle as we made up creative and funny new ways to jump in the pool. It was so great!

Around the teen years though, most people got stressed from more difficult schoolwork, became infatuated with their first loves, and get involved in more mature past times which makes it easy to forget about the pure happiness of our past. One day, years later, some of us may wake up and realize with regret that we haven't been enjoying life as much as we should be. I am calling on everyone to change that. Befriend your inner child, and give it the attention it wants!

I dare you to...

- Get a big sheet of white paper and finger paint!
- Go outside and blow bubbles!
- Make a gingerbread house!
- Take a friend to a playground and swing!
- Enjoy some chocolate milk (I do this everyday!)
- Fly a kite!
- Make a sandcastle!
- Color in a coloring book! (I find this very nice and soothing)
- Run around in the summer rain!
- Visit my new blog about living the good life! (x)
- Take silly pictures with a friend!
- Watch your favorite childhood movies!
- Make cupcakes!
- Take an energizing dance class!
- Create a "secret" space for reading and imagining! (x)
- Go rollerskating!

Double dog dare: Paint or draw on one of your walls to make your own personal mural!

The point is, just let it all hang out and have an awesome time! One of the greatest traits in most children, aside from their carefree happiness, is how curious they are about everything in the world. There are so many amazing things to discover, so while you're at it, embrace this quality of your inner kid too! If you have any other fun ideas or opinions, let me know!


Learn, explore, and play,
Caylee xoxo


Pictures found on We Heart It.

Once in a Blue Moon

Hello! I'm back, and I hope you all had a lovely Christmas, just as I did. Tonight is New Year's Eve, and it's even more of a special event than just that for several reasons. Not only is it a full moon, but it is a "blue moon," and there will be a lunar eclipse as well... all on the eve of a brand new decade! To me, this signifies a rare and special event, one that I will not take for granted.

A full moon is supposed to be a time for taking action and giving thanks, while a blue moon is good for setting new goals for yourself, no matter how lofty they are. Most of us make New Years resolutions anyway, so what better time to make wishes for the upcoming year than tonight under the strong energy and silver light of the moon? I plan on driving to my hometown's beach and sitting in the sand with a friend, basking in the beautiful light of the evening and contemplating the past year and future. Here are some of the wishes I have in mind to begin 2010 with:

- To be given a sign for what I should pursue in my future, whether it is art, filmmaking, journalism, or something entirely different.
- To be put on the proper path towards whatever career is best for me and would make me happy.
- To befriend new, kind and sincere people.
- To be surrounded with positivity and joy in my love life and life in general.
- To excel in school and enjoy the process of learning without being stressed out.
- To be given time to live and eat more healthily.
- For good luck and wonderful opportunities to surround my friends, family, and I.

Do you have any New Year's resolutions or wishes? Any special plans? Please share them with me... I am so curious! I can't wait to see what this new decade will bring, but it's crazy how fast the past one has gone by. Anyways, I hope you all have a meaningful New Year's Eve and a love-filled and prosperous year to come! I will be back up at school soon (which makes me sad because I love being home in Florida at the beach) and writing regular blog posts again (which makes me smile).

                    Until then, au revoir!
                    Caylee

Oh, aren't the moon pictures amazing? Created by a Russian designer. Find more pictures at Your Personal Moon.

Happy Happy Holidays!

Hey everyone! It's been so long... or at least it feels like it has been! I haven't written in a while because I've been dealing with finals and driving back to my hometown in Florida for Christmas break, not to mention my mom's house doesn't have internet now! So I'm currently sitting on the floor of Barnes and Noble trying to type out a quick update and hello to you all, because I've really missed writing on my blog!

This sounds really lame, but B&N is closing in 5 minutes, so I don't even have time to write out a proper post. I am so writing deprived right now! Anyways, what I really wish to say is that I hope you all have the Merriest Christmas (because I won't have the internet to tell you on the actual day) and a great New Years too! Let me know if you all have anything special planned, I'd love to know. I can't wait to get back to writing in my blog soon, and I hope you all are doing well!

Photo credit: i.Anton