All I can do is be me, whoever that is.

Disconnect.

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 17:09:35 -0700

What a weird feeling. Spending 45 minutes “disconnected” from technology. Honestly, it is sad that in this day and age, 45 minutes away from computers, cell phones, iPads, what have you, seems like the longest. time. ever. At the beginning of the activity, I said something along the lines of “This might be the longest time I’ve ever been away from my phone.”By the end of it, I couldn’t believe that 45 minutes had already passed.

Spending time outside, in the middle of all this chaos, was probably one of the most relaxing things I’ve done in a long time. It was an interesting de-stresser that I truly enjoyed and appreciated. Downfall - I just don’t have time to do that in my day-to-day life. If I’m not working at Black Rock, or sitting in class, or planning the social media for Hapa Yoga, or nannying, or creating PowerPoints for class (yeah, THAT busy!)… then I’m probably sleeping. And at the end of all of those things, sleep is a very cherished, very minimal activity. Last night, for example, I was able to sleep for about four hours. Healthy right?

My point is, it is hard to “disconnect” from technology for extended periods of time because so much of what we do on a day to day basis requires the internet. Take this blogging “debrief” for example. Couldn’t do it if it weren’t for the Internet.

Fun day with my best friend at Knotts Berry Farm! (Taken with...

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 22:04:13 -0700

Fun day with my best friend at Knotts Berry Farm! (Taken with Instagram)

It’s not goodbye, it’s I’ll see you later!...

Mon, 28 May 2012 13:12:46 -0700

It’s not goodbye, it’s I’ll see you later! I’m going to miss you two more than anything :) life has some pretty amazing things in store for us. Can’t wait to be reunited in 3 months 💜💛💙 @frances_appleton @madisondanielle (Taken with instagram)

Good morning espresso! #brcb #xproii #instagramlove (Taken with...

Sat, 26 May 2012 05:38:10 -0700

Good morning espresso! #brcb #xproii #instagramlove (Taken with instagram)

Words of wisdom… Thank you @taylorsterling! I knew I loved...

Sun, 13 May 2012 19:34:43 -0700

Words of wisdom… Thank you @taylorsterling! I knew I loved IG for some reason :) follow her. She’s amazing! (Taken with instagram)

I love this woman with all of my heart :) Happy Mother’s...

Sun, 13 May 2012 09:25:32 -0700

I love this woman with all of my heart :) Happy Mother’s Day to the best momma I know! (Taken with instagram)

In College...

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:57:13 -0700

I learned more about myself than I ever thought possible. And that the person you were in high school was a very limited version. In college, you get to be the person you’ve always dreamed of becoming.

Something I Promise Myself.

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:55:46 -0700

I promise myself that no matter what my life looks like in the next five years, I will be happy and surround myself with people I love - whether that means physically or virtually.

One Thing I Know For Sure

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:54:18 -0700

One thing I know for sure is that I will always encounter obstacles. But I also know that regardless of the situation, I will always overcome them.

There is so much to look forward to in this crazy, beautiful...

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 09:28:40 -0700

There is so much to look forward to in this crazy, beautiful life. Why let one boy get you down?

Meet my friends, The Harm.

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:35:29 -0700

Meet my friends, The Harm. :

I had the chance to sit down with an awesome new band based out of Portland, OR - more specifically from the University of Portland campus. Check out an interview I did with them for HerCampus UP!

I’m pretty sure I’m starting to feature the most...

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 10:19:12 -0700

I’m pretty sure I’m starting to feature the most over-played songs on the radio right now, but I don’t listen to the radio, so I’m in love with this song. What’s not to love with lyrics like, “I’ve decided you look well on me,” and “The sun goes down, the stars come out. And all that counts is here and now. My universe will never be the same. I’m glad you came”?! It’s a great song. And it makes me think of something happy :)

There is something so captivating about this song. And if you...

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 20:02:33 -0700

There is something so captivating about this song. And if you haven’t checked out the Hyper Crush remix, you should probably do so. Like, now.

"This is what the world should be like."

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 16:54:27 -0800

Kony 2012. What an amazing example of the powers of social media. Almost 8 million views in less than 48 hours?! Insanity. In the best way possible. While I had already watched this 30 minute film about what Invisible Children is doing to stop Joseph Kony, we just finished watching it in my Social Capital in a Digital Age class. Social capital - I’d say!

First and foremost, Jason Russell talks about the beginnings of IC: “We started something - a community.” What an interesting idea. When I have thought of community in the past, I had always thought of the neighborhood or town I grew up in - not an organization that reaches people worldwide. But after learning the definition of community (a group with common interests), I couldn’t think of a better way to describe what IC has created.

Kony 2012 does a great job inspiring people to use their networks to create awareness. This video is emotion-evoking, powerful and worthy of every minute it takes to watch this film. After watching it twice now, I have felt nothing but inspired to make a change. I was involved with IC in high school, but when I got to college, I found myself caught up in so many other things that it was hard to remain focused. I used to want to help people, to make a difference, but lately I have been more worried about my own future rather than the future of others. After watching Kony 2012, I realized that nothing else matters. Helping Other People Everywhere (HOPE). That is what I hope to do.

“Hey I just met you. And this is crazy. But here’s...

Sun, 04 Mar 2012 23:39:30 -0800

“Hey I just met you. And this is crazy. But here’s my number, so call me maybe…” <3

Kind of obsessed with this song lately. There’s just something about it. First, it’s justso catchy -one can’t help but bob along to the beat. 2) It reminds me of last weekend in Vegas when I met a cute boy. Listen to the words. You’ll know how it went… we’re still texting if that helps make the picture clearer :)

The Powers of Social Media

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:52:21 -0800

Social Capital in a Digital Age… Honestly, what does that mean? Over the past several weeks, my class (the above lengthy title) has been examining this concept in depth. But what have I personally taken away from this. First and foremost, I love social media. My friends all think I’m crazy - my phone is literally always by my side with Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, all running simultaneously. Yeah, it may seem like I’m obsessed, but really, it is just the way I see the future. I think that I would be ignorant to think that social media is going away. It is the opposite, rather. Social media is here to stay, and each and every day I am more and more impressed with its impact.

Over the past few weeks, we have seen many presentations from “local” companies (Democracy Lab, Mercy Corps, and Nike) that are meant to show us how they use media, both digital and social, to make an impact. I think so far I have been most impressed with Nike’s presentation (shocking, right?!). The reason? Nike has found a way to tap into each and every form of social media I can think of. My personal favorite: the challenges they pose to consumers to continue this steady stream of consumer interaction. Not only are they tweeting back to consumers, they are posting video responses from athletes to individuals, printing tweets and Instagrams to their office walls, essentially creating a community that EVERYONE wants to be a part of. And why wouldn’t you? It’s Nike! I’ve always been a big Nike fan, mostly because I am Oregon born and raised. Beyond that, I’ve never been much of an athlete. I do however find what they do and are continuing to do ever-powerful!

As I wrap up these thoughts about social media, I wonder how the world will change in the next 10 years digitally. Shoot, what about the next 5 years? 1 year? 6 months? All I know is that things are changing. Things are moving - and fast. Gotta keep up I suppose…

The Corporation

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:44:13 -0800

In class, we watched a documentary entitled “The Corporation.” While I’ve heard about the controversies surrounding corporations, I have never really put too much effort into thinking about what they are and how important, or unimportant, they are in my life.

Take Apple for example. I am currently typing this blog post from a very nice, very new Mac desktop computer, my iPhone is sitting in my lap, and I am awaiting the iPad 3’s arrival before making my purchase. All of this consumption leads to waste and disposal as well. But I have never given much though into where it goes, OR where it came from. Lately, in the news there have been many articles about Apple and their production. One case discussed a factory where iPads are manufactured and a fire that broke out during production. This not only injured many, but I’m pretty sure a few were left in critical condition and may have passed away. While I see this as a terrible occurrence, it does not change the way I feel about Apple. Is that sad? Sure, I want to make sure that the money I work hard to earn, and in turn, spend, is being spent with companies that are aware of both their environmental and social impact on society. But that gets time consuming.

Think of all of the brands you are wearing, carrying and supporting at any given time. How am I supposed to be responsible for the actions of each and every company, each and every consumer, each and every purchase? It has to be the responsibility of the company, or “corporation,” to ensure the safety of its employees, consumers, the world as a whole. I suppose I could limit my purchases to companies that focus on being more sustainable and ethical, but in a fashion heavy world, how is that possible?

Ideas? Reflections? I’d be delighted to hear :)

How to Fake Being in a Good Mood and other tales of the girl world.

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:26:31 -0800

Ever find yourself feeling down? Better yet, ever find yourself feeling down when you are supposed to be hanging out with your friends? That’s probably one of the worst situations to be in. I experienced this tonight, and thankfully, things turned out in my favor. I was mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted after 7 hours at work. Most would want to be with their friends but the thought of being anywhere but my bed was so unappealing.

So how, then, do you pretend like everything is okay? Like you don’t miss your best friend as much as you do? That you aren’t still crazy about a guy who doesn’t feel the same? Like school and work aren’t kicking your ass? Well, the truth of the matter is… You don’t. Unless you’re fortunate like I happened to be this evening and upon arrival are greeted with such love that your bad mood suddenly disappears.

Maybe it was my friends love and approval that helped. Or maybe it was the decision I made as I approached the front door. My decision was to no longer let the actions of today or this weekend or this past week get me down, but rather snap into a good mood. I want to be the person that people gravitate toward because of the welcoming heart and friendliness I exude. All of that starts with a smile and a good attitude. (as cheesy as that sounds)

Moral of the story: you’re only in a bad mood if you want to be. Or at least that’s what I’m going to keep telling myself. It worked tonight, why couldn’t it work elsewhere?

XO Kaleigh

Let Me Down.

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:52:02 -0800

NOTE: All ideas in this post came to me at the moment I wrote them. It is a lot more scattered brained than my regular posts. Forgive me. Just a lot on my mind that I want to get “on paper” so to speak.

People let you down every day. And the hardest part about that is getting past it, moving forward, not letting their actions get you down. I’m finding myself struggling with this all of the time. More so lately, which is disappointing and frustrating. I give all of myself to others - my time, my emotions, me. And sometimes I get nothing back in return. That isn’t the point. The point is that I get so caught up in pleasing other people that I forget to help myself find happiness too. I sometimes forget to be who I am and let others bring me down with them. Nothing is more frustrating than feeling lost in a sea full of people. People who love you, care about you, wish great things for you.

I guess this leads me to my next item on the imaginary blog post checklist. I’m feeling so lost lately. Part of it has to do with not really feeling wanted lately, in the least dramatic way that can be read. I feel like the people who I care about most, and who I thought cared about me are slowly drifting away. Is it my fault? Am I doing something wrong or different that is causing this to happen? No one knows the answer. Music has really helped me the past couple weeks. Sara Bareilles hits so many key points of my life in her music. I discovered one of her older tracks, City, while listening to Pandora the other day. This line really resonates with my life right now: “I’m finding every reason to be gone, there’s nothing here to hold on to.” I have a little over a year left of college and so badly I want to be done. I want to move. I feel like there is nothing left here for me. Growing up, change scared the living daylights out of me. Now, it is something I crave. “Sometimes its hard to follow your heart. Tears don’t mean you’re losing, everybody’s bruising.” Jessie J sure as hell got that right. It is hard to follow your heart. And I’ve been crying a lot lately. I’m not normally an emotional person, but working towards your dream creates a lot of stress and tension sometimes.

All bad things happen at once. That has to be a saying from some crazy philosopher somewhere. And if it’s not, then I’m saying it now. But I’d end it by saying, “All bad things happen at once, that way we know how far we can be pushed and how strong we have to become to get through it all.” And maybe that isn’t true, but it’s what I am going to believe for now.

Until the next time I’m feeling inspired…

In a state of constant wonder...

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 12:36:20 -0800

Do you ever just find yourself feeling so lost and out of place in this crazy world? I’m writing this post not to complain about life, but really to wonder where each move might be taking me. The best thing about this blog is how real I can be - I never have to worry who might be watching, reading, taking notes. If I post a status to Facebook or Twitter, my friends might later poke fun at what I am saying. Sometimes, it’s really hard to be in the “public” eye in so many ways.

Lately, I have found myself struggling to know who my true friends are. I am constantly thinking, “What is it that I see in this person or group of people that I like so much?” I tend to put a lot of effort into my friendships, to barely get anything back in return. Take my guy friends, for example. Something so simple, so innocent, such as Sunday Night dinners - a tradition for our group of friends - means so much to me. It seems silly, really, but to me, it’s a symbol of our friendship. It sucks though, when they don’t make it as important as it is to me. When friends flake on plans, especially a weekly event, it hurts. Does that make me a weakling in this crazy world? Should I care that one or two of our friends didn’t care to make a dinner important to them? The answer - probably not. What I should do is appreciate those who do make it important and not worry about the ones who don’t. Alright, that’s enough of that. I said this wasn’t about complaining.

Wonder. What a beautiful word! A pure state of excitement if you ask me. How many great things are there in the world to wonder about. First of all, my future. So many great things lie ahead. With all of the daily nonsense that takes place, it is my future that keeps me going. It is knowing that one day, I will be a powerful, successful, happier woman, if I only just keep moving forward, moving in that direction.

A wise person once said, “Sometimes on the way to the dream you get lost and find a better one.” Here’s to journeys and dreams and new destinations!