An Artist's Words

Hello.
It's been a little while since my last post. Well, I know I did some posts about Disney World, but to me those don't count as part of my regularly scheduled program. They were a special set of posts. So now we are back to our scheduled program!
I thought I'd share with you a piece I wrote recently, about being creative. It's almost a letter to myself, where I talk about being creative, and how that feels.
So here it is.

Here's the thing about creative minds: they never shut down. They are constantly going, taking in all of the world around them. They see the world in motion, observing from a distance. It constantly moves around them. Yet, sometime the world moves too fast for them.
They see everything as inspiration. From the beauty of a dandelion, to the most colorful sunset; from the lovely stars in the sky, to the tiniest firefly; the dewy grass after a rainstorm, to the beetle on the side of the road. The world is so beautiful, maybe even too beautiful.
Sometimes it's hard to take it all in. Maybe because it is too much information, or because of the wandering mind in general. For example, take the beautiful clouds in the sky. There are many things you could take away from that. You could think of all the shapes and images you see in the sky, which leads you to a happy memory that you start vividly replaying. Or you could think about the vastness of the clouds and how big the world is, which leads you to start mentally writing a poem or a song about it. Or you could think about what the clouds would look like if the sky was green, which leads you to mentally start creating a world where that is so.
When I say that this is too much, I do not mean that something is inherently wrong. I mean that the mind of a creative person works differently. I mean that the creative person's mind wanders aimlessly. They tend to dream out loud, letting reality fade into the background.
But is this really such a bad thing? Without these types of people we would have no artists, no writers, no musicians, and no dreamers in general.
So maybe it's okay to dream this way. Because the stories in our heads are much better than the reality we live in.

So that's my inspiration for the week. I wanted to share this, not because I needed to, but because I wanted to. I'm called Paleo's Starving ARTIST, so why shouldn't I share what being an artist is like? And this may seem like a personal note, but I wrote this in light of how most creative people tend to feel. I hope this helps someone who feels lost because they live in their own world. Because that's okay.

Disney World Part 2: The Food

So Disney World isn't exactly known for it's food.
Yet, I think it should be. They have amazing options for those with dietary needs. Since I have to stay away from dairy and gluten (we made an exception for the corn and rice) it seemed like it would be a hard task to accomplish. Well, it wasn't hard at all.
They had everything from chicken tenders to rotisserie chicken for the quick service lunch, and dinner, oh dinner, was amazing.
A few of my favorites:
The ice cream at the parlor on main street. They have either rice or soy ice cream. I chose to try the soy, which they let me sample first. It was incredible! The vanilla is better than the chocolate, but if you get the vanilla, trust me you'll love it. Even my friend- who isn't doing the paleo diet- got it and said it was delicious.
Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge has a lot of dairy and gluten free options. If you tell the waiter you have a food allergy, the chef will walk you through the buffet and tell you everything you can and can't eat. The best thing there period is the stew. It is to die for! Make sure you get it if you go there. If you don't have a sensitivity to rice, make sure to put some in the bowl with your stew, it tastes wonderful. Even without the rice though, it is fantastic.

Other honorable mentions:
Chef Mickey's has a great buffet that has a ton of gluten and dairy free options, but steer clear of the dessert bar. They will offer you plenty of other options instead.
Coral Reef has an amazing mahi dinner. You do have to ask about it, but it is gluten and dairy free. The only downside is you can't get dessert there.

Hope my recommendations are helpful and that if you go to Disney you have a wonderful time!

Disney World part 1: The Rides

The happiest place on earth... 
I wouldn't take it that far. But Disney World is a pretty cool place to visit. I got to go this year with some very awesome people. I thought I'd share some of the awesome things I got to experience. I thought a good place to start would be the rides.
I got to ride a variety of rides while I was down there. A few highlights include Space Mountain, Everest Expedition, and Rockin' Roller Coaster.
Let's start with the mountains. I rode all of them, of course, but Space mountain was special this year. It was the first time I got to ride it in two years! The reason was because they were having technical difficulties with the ride. So I was expecting the same for this time. I was wrong, and I got to ride it! I forgot how much I enjoyed that ride!

Next on my list is Everest Expedition, which is one of my favorite rides there. Again, I haven't gotten to ride it in a while, due to either rain or the shortness of our trip. This time though, I was able to ride it. It was so much fun! Yet again I forgot how much I enjoyed it. This ride is insane though. One minute everything seems fine. But then it goes backwards as a yeti "chases" you. It is an amazing ride.
Last on the list is Rockin' Roller Coaster. I love this ride. I have loved it since the first time I rode it. So when I found out it was closed for technical difficulties, I was crushed. Yet, I had not lost hope. We went back to see if it was still closed. It wasn't, and I got to ride it!

So those are my top three rides. A few honorable mentions are Toy Story Midway Mania, Splash Mountain, Monsters Inc The Laugh Floor, and Test Track.

Book review: Lois Lane Fallout

So, I just finished this book.
It's called Lois Lane Fallout, by Gwenda Bond. I don't want to spoil anything, but it's really good.
Here's a summary:
Lois Lane just moved to Metropolis, and is trying to get settled in. Her new school is, well, interesting. There's the principal, who doesn't seem to care about what happens at the school, and these kids called The Warheads, who are bullying this girl named Anavi. On the first day at school, she is introduced to Perry White, who gives her a job at the Scoop, a segment on the Daily Planet. She is also chatting online with her friend Smallvilleguy.
Things get complicated from there. Very complicated.
The only problem I have with it is that everything gets resolved in the last chapter. Which shouldn't bother me, but it was a very rapid conclusion.
Most of the characters were developed pretty well. Some could of been developed a little better.
Overall, it was a really good book, and I will definitely read it again.

On a completely different note, I just started The Fault In Our Stars. I am IN LOVE with Augustus Waters. I also completely feel for Isaac. It's just so good, and I'm only on chapter five.
I'm looking forward to seeing what happens.

What's your favorite book right now?

Music Update And Watercolors

Have you heard of Kodaline? 
There a more recent band. Apparently they've been around for about four years- and I'm just now hearing about them.
They are an Irish band classified as alternative and their music is definitely unique. I haven't heard anyone that sounds like them. It's interesting and refreshing to listen to. Although I will admit, there first album is better than their second. My favorite song of theirs is All I Want.
I thought I'd also share with you one of the ways I cure boredom. I'm pretty sure this one was on the list, maybe a generalization, but if not, it should be added- watercoloring. 
Watercoloring is a great way to express yourself. All you need is some water, paper, a paint brush, and your paints. The great thing is even if you get a cheap set (like mine) you can still achieve amazing results. Another thing is it doesn't necessarily have to be in the lines. In fact, I think it looks better that way.
I took a few photos to illustrate. (ha ha unintended pun)
If you check out the band, Kodaline, let me know what you think of them. Until next time...

My Top 5: Music Artists

One of my favorite things in life is music.
I love listening to it, playing it, and writing it. I also love sharing music with others. So I thought I would share my top 5 favorite artists at the moment. Keep in mind that this is in no order, though.

1. Imagine Dragons.
I love their versatility in sound. Everyone song seems to have a different sound to it. The lyrics are amazing too. A few songs to check out: Shots, Fallen, Thief, It Comes Back To You, and Working Man.
2. Coldplay.
They are legends. I know every single song of theirs. (Of course I could say that about most of these artists). They have an ever changing sound, but it gets better with each album. A few songs to check out: God Put A Smile Upon Your Face, Shiver, Midnight, Major Minus, and Up & Up.
3. Taylor Swift.
Her lyrics never fail to amaze me. My favorite lyric right now is "Darling I'm a nightmare dressed like a daydream." A few songs to check out: Blank Space, Untouchable, Enchanted, Never Grow Up, I Know Places, and Everything Has Changed.
4. SafetySuit.
I love this underrated band. Their sound has changed a lot too, but I like it a lot. A few songs to check out: Looking Up, Anywhere But Here, These Times, Never Stop, and Someone Like You.
5. OneRepublic.
I can't wait until they release their new album. They have a cool sound, almost like a certain swagger to their songs. They combine a rich chello with electric guitars and synths. A few songs to check out: Fear, Missing Persons 1 & 2., Counting Stars, Something I Need, and Everybody Loves Me.

I'd love it if you'd check out some of the songs or artists. That'd be awesome.

Ultimate List of Boredom Busters

Life can get boring.
Especially if you have nothing to do. I've had that happen many times. In fact, it's happening right now! That's why I compiled the ultimate list of boredom busters. Do you want to know what's on it? Well then keep reading because here is the list!

The Ultimate List of Boredom Busters:
1. Color in a coloring book (which is very relaxing)
2. Write in a journal
3. Doodle randomly
4. Compose a song on GarageBand or another similar program
5. Learn something new by looking up a random fact
6. Read a book you have yet to complete
7. Watch a TV show or a movie
8. Write a random letter
9. Play a video game (my favorite one right now is Lego Jurassic World)
10. Make a gift for someone
11. Write a poem
12. Do a writing prompt
13. Complete a goal
14. Make a collage or start a scrapbook
15. Do an art and/or craft project
16. Make a quote book
17. Make a movie
18. Take a random quiz
19. Do a puzzle
20. Dance around your room
21. Create a new game
22. Bake something delicious
23. Start a chalenge
24. Go outside and smell the roses

I hope that was helpful. I'll try and show how you can complete some of these.