The Avocado and Me

Do you remember the good old days of preschool? They stand out especially vividly in my mind - all of those years of ice cream for snack and catching frogs on the playground are impossible to forget. An additional element of preschool that I loved were the Lazy Lizard Yoga Classes. I remember always trying to claim the pink yoga mat before my friend Grace. The pose my four-year-old self looked forward to every class was sitting criss-cross applesauce and going 'Hmmmmmmmmmm.' This is also known as Easy Pose, or Sukhasana, which I didn't know back then. I felt like a super cool master of martial arts, like Master Shifu in Kung Fu Panda. It made me feel dignified, and also a little bit giggly. While I didn't know it then, those classes perched on a pink yoga mat (or sometimes green, if Grace got the pink one first) were my first attempts at meditation. Meditation is becoming very popular in my neck of the woods, and rightfully so. In fact, there is a mediation club in ...

A shout out to alliteration! It just so happens to be my very favorite literary device. Okay. So this post isn't really  in honor of alliteration, but of the soldiers who died to protect my country. Happy Memorial Day, folks! When I was little, Memorial Day meant that the pool was FINALLY open after a long winter. Now, however, I am more appreciative of the holiday.  My great-granddad's name was Russell E. Bickford, and he was in the United States Air Force during World War II. Of course, it wasn't called the Air Force back then, but you get the idea. He enlisted to fight for his country, leaving his wife and young son at home. Here is the letter my great-grandma, Lois Bickford, received: Dear Mrs. Bickford, Since your husband, First Lieutenant Russell E. Bickford, 0750497, Air Corps was reported missing in Action May 6, 1945, the War Department has entertained the hope that he survived and that information would be revealed dispelling the uncertainty surrounding his ...

I woke up this morning with the sun streaming through the blinds, the smell of coffee, and a feeling somewhere along the lines of "everything hurts and I'm absolutely exhausted." Last night, I had a few of my friends over to celebrate the end of school; we ate Paleo Pizza, played games, and watched The Greatest Showman . It was an absolute blast! However, I was up until eleven, so I didn't get as much beauty sleep as I may have liked. I paid dearly for it today. Tired and aching everywhere, I didn't have an appetite. My back hurt. I didn't really want to do anything. Most unfortunately, my stomach just wasn't up for the sumptuous, sizzling sausages my mom cooked up for dinner - therefore, I turned my tired body to the freezer and whipped up one of my comfort foods. My little sister just finished up health class at school. During the nutrition unit, each student was asked to name their comfort food. According to Abby, these ranged from French crueler do...

The school year is officially over. Three months of freedom are ahead, and holy cow, I can't wait! I have big plans for this summer; lots of explorations at the farmers' market, meeting fitness goals, inventing new recipes... but this summer, the summer of 2018, is also a bittersweet one for me. It is bridging the gap between the known and the exotic. You see, next school year I am attending a different school than all of my friends. And to be completely truthful, I'm downright terrified. I have never  been the new kid, except for that first day of preschool. And everyone is a new kid in preschool, so that doesn't really count. Apart from being nervous, I'm also going to miss my friends. So . Much . It takes me a bit of time to let others in. Because of this, I'm essentially jumping into the deep end of the ocean. I am stepping out of my comfort zone. But there is good in change, reader. I'm also super duper excited! The school I am transferring to puts...

I look into the mirror at least  five times a day. When I'm washing my hands. When I'm flossing my teeth. Perhaps while I'm brushing my hair. And these are just the times when looking in the mirror is almost a necessity. Don't even mention the instances when I glance in the mirror at school, whether it's in the smelly east hallway bathroom or on my phone screen (selfie mode, am I right?). Some of my friends are constantly  gazing at themselves in the mirror, fixing a strand of hair or polishing up their make-up. Make-up isn't bad; if that's how you choose to express yourself, then the more power to you. And I have nothing against mirrors. They are useful inventions, so cahoots to whoever thought to create reflective glass. But they can also be extraordinarily damaging. In said smelly east hallway bathroom, there just so happens to be a mirror. It hangs across from the hand dryers, perfectly positioned for a quick outfit check on the way out of the door. S...

First and foremost: my favorite stock photo site, Unsplash, has no pictures I like of cucumbers OR tuna. Sure, there was one of seared ahi, which is no doubt delicious, but is never  at my local grocery store. Also, it probably shouldn't be paired with cucumbers. Ahi is too sophisticated to be on top of those. (No offense, cucumbers. I still love you!) Hence, the random cutting board. So I have a new goal. I should learn to take my very own pictures for The Avocado and Me. Well, I suppose there is a whole summer of freedom ahead to figure it out! Anyway. Tuna Cucumber Boats. Yes. These are a lunch time favorite, among my parents and myself. They are delicious, convenient, and a little bit unique. We like unique, don't we? The refreshing cucumber paired with a creamy tuna salad makes for a fantastic meal indeed. I have this at least once a week; I don't think I will ever be tired of them! Tuna does have a decent amount of mercury, though, so don't have them every...

Life is a stressful thing. Beautiful, yes, but stressful . Some of my friends are really into team sports. They pretty much have volleyball practice for the school team, and then rush off to practice at the competitive club (cough, cough... Emma). Perhaps they have a whole eight soccer games in a weekend, like Daniela or Dylan. Others are into theatre (that'd be me, folks!), or art, or viola lessons, or whatever. My parental units are busy from dawn 'till dusk with work, and oh my gosh can I please just not grow up? As we mature, it is evident that our stress levels tend to sky rocket. So how does one remain healthy? How do you make sure to eat well when that cafeteria food is so convenient? And what about exercise? Here are my tips for staying in tip top shape while you're trying to balance an INSANE schedule: 1. Workout Quick, Workout Early. "I really regret doing that workout," said no one, ever. I find that when I exercise pronto every morning, I not only ...

Today's Guest Post was written by one of my best friends, Orezi. As you will soon learn by reading her piece, she is both hilarious, relatable, and completely honest. But she is also extraordinarily confident and comfortable in her own skin. Orezi is beautiful, but that doesn't  stop her from believing that the woman in the picture to the left or the person across the street is, too. So many of us aspire to be that one person who just radiates self-assurance, with that crazy warrior princess save-the-world type of vibe. Orezi is that description in human form. She does amazing things. She also trips over microphone wires in drama club. She eats pizza, but she also eats her greens. I firmly believe that Orezi is the imperfectly perfect picture of balance, hence the title of this post. I hope you enjoy her message on body acceptance as much as I do! "This body is a proud sponsor of self-esteem" Wow. Who would've thought that I would ever write a post for a he...