NYC Diaries: Five Ways To Relive Your Childhood (Like a Grown-Up)

Ah, autumn. ‘Tis the season that makes me most nostalgic for the old days when I used to wear matching sweaters with my little sister and go pumpkin-picking with my family. As the weather starts to cool and the leaves grow colorful, I can’t help wishing there were a sliver of childhood I could still hold onto. As a mature and (mostly) responsible adult with a job and bills to pay, this fantasy of retreating to my youth seems more impossible than ever. But luckily, there are a few ways to rediscover the magic of childhood as a grown-up…

Make your workout fun
One of my favorite things to do after an early-morning run is head over to the local playground and swing on a swing set for a good five minutes. Local parks open early, but there are never any people around until long after I’m at work. So it’s safe to assume no one’s judging you for your little moment of nostalgia. Also, swinging burns serious calories. A number of playground activities — from riding a bike to hula-hooping to jumping rope — all count as exercise, even if you’re over the age of 10.

Color!
This was one of my favorite activities when rainy days forced me to stay indoors as a kid. It was stress-relieving back then, and I must say that it has the same effect now. I had a friend in college who kept a stash of coloring books she’d take out when she was feeling emotionally overwhelmed or anxious. Coloring is an easy way to relax and feel seven years old again…in a good way.

Eat like a kid
It’s the little things that count in life, right? And there’s something so fun about drinking out of juice boxes and eating Lunchables instead of adult food. But it doesn’t end there. I have an entire shelf in my pantry dedicated to fun foods that remind me of being a kid. And I’ll occasionally treat myself to a bowl of Lucky Charms cereal or a pack of Marshmallow Peeps for a sugary pick-me-up on a bad day.

Wear your favorite characters
It may be extremely dorky, but nothing makes me happier than covering all my nicks and cuts with Hello Kitty and Mickey Mouse Band-Aids. I also have quite a few superhero T-shirts and a Batman onesie pajamas. Don’t judge.

Have a kid-movie marathon
I grew up knowing every line and lyric in every Disney film, and I could still watch those movies a million times without getting bored. Watching kids’ movies as an adult is also fun because now you understand all the jokes that went over your head years ago. Bet you didn’t think cartoon movies could be so suggestive, huh? Oh, Disney.

Enjoy your little moments of childhood…

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–By Caitlin from Stream of Caitlinness


[Photos via We Heart It]

NYC Diaries: 10 Dumb Questions/Comments I’ve Heard About My Disability

As a girl who has lived her whole life with a physical disability, I’ve heard my fair share of interesting questions and comments about my lack of a left arm below the elbow. It’s a good thing I’m not easily offended, because some of the things people have said are a bit of a doozy. So, I’ve compiled a list of the 10 best and most memorable things I’ve heard to date…

“Do you tilt to one side when you swim?”
Before I joined the local swim team when I was 10, the mother of two other little girls taking swimming lessons asked me this question. First of all, rude. Secondly, I don’t tilt. And I don’t swim in circles. I swim just fine, thank you.

“How do you write?”
I’m assuming people are referring to the physical act of putting pen to paper. But seriously, how many hands do YOU use to hold a pencil?

“Here, take my seat.”
People on the subway are always eager to offer up their seat for me when they notice my arm. I can appreciate this nice gesture, but it’s not like there’s anything wrong with my legs. So I’m fine standing.

“Does it hurt?”
I get this question a lot, actually. And the answer is, “No, my arm doesn’t hurt.” I’m not walking around in excruciating pain, so don’t worry about that.

“Don’t worry — you’ll find someone to love you just as you are.”
Now this is just insulting. It implies that you somehow see me as less worthy of love or a relationship because of my disability. And that’s not the case. I’m currently with someone (who’s awesome, by the way), but I’ve never really had trouble getting a date.

“I heard about this new bionic arm they’re building….”
That’s great! Now call me when it’s available to the public and won’t set me back $2 million.

“I heard about this athlete/model/actor who did something really amazing….”
This is nice because it means someone is thinking about me, but I never know how to respond to it. So I just nod my head and smile awkwardly.

“Can you have sex?”
I’m pretty sure EVERYONE with a disability has heard this question at some point in his/her life. And I’m not even going to dignify it with an answer.

“You’re so inspirational.”
Ouch. I’m not an after-school special. My life is pretty fantastic. When you find me “inspirational” for no other reason than the fact that I have one hand, it comes off as pitying and condescending. Calling someone inspirational is tricky because it’s not always a bad thing. The rule of thumb: If you are inspired by something a person with a disability does, don’t say anything unless you would be just as inspired if the person didn’t have a disability.

“What happened to you?”
While this is a totally valid question, the way it’s phrased often sounds negative. Nothing happened to me, technically. I was just born without the hand. That’s it. End of story.

So the moral of this blog post? Don’t be afraid to ask questions about a person’s disability, but make sure you think about how your questions will sound. Curiosity is totally acceptable, but awkward/weird comments will probably just end up in a post like this one.

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–By Caitlin from Stream of Caitlinness


P.S. More disability misconceptions.


[First photo via Pinterest, second photo taken from Caitlin’s Facebook page]

NYC Diaries: How To Make The Dullest Days of Autumn Awesome

Happy Fall! Labor Day is officially over, marking the end of Summer 2013 and all the fun activities and events associated with the season. Schools are now opening up their doors, malls are stocking up on pretty boots and sweaters and Starbucks is selling their iconic pumpkin spice latte again. Life is good, right? As much as I enjoy the autumn weather and the gorgeous colors as the leaves start to change, I’ve always felt that this season brings some bad moments too. There are three types of awful days I find particularly stressful. And I’m almost certain I’m not the only one who struggles with these things. Luckily, I’m prepared for them this year and can take precautionary measures to avoid any issues. So without further ado, I present to you my autumn problems and their (hopefully successful) solutions…

Fat days
After watching my weight all summer so as to look decent in bathing suits and cutoffs, I welcome the more covered-up clothing options of fall. But that doesn’t mean I want to gorge myself on a ton of high-calorie meals and lose the muscles I’ve been working on for the past three months. And autumn brings with it the no-holds-barred candy binge that is Halloween, closely followed by the eating marathon we call Thanksgiving. Holidays like these often add some VERY unwelcome pounds.


The solution: Make workouts and healthy eating a higher priority. I’m upping the number of reps I do of each exercise at the gym, and I’m working in more cardio on weekday-morning runs. I’ve also started keeping a food diary so that I know exactly how many calories and nutrients I’m putting into my body. My Fitness Pal is the website I use to keep track of everything.

Shorter days
You’re not imagining it — the hours of sunlight per day are already starting to dwindle. Once we’re forced to turn our clocks forward an hour, it’ll be even more noticeable. There’s less sunshine all around, and I’m really sensitive to the weather so that tends to make me a bit depressed.

The solution: Get up at dawn to enjoy as much daylight as possible. That also means you’ll need to adjust to an earlier bedtime, but how great is it to wake up with the sun and relish those extra moments of sunlight? I think it’s worth it.

Busier days
Some of us are going back to school and others are just getting back to a new work week. In either case, I find autumn to be one of the busiest seasons of the year. As the year slowly begins to end, new projects arise and new responsibilities come with them. Stress is usually the result, and we all know that is no fun at all.

The solution: Take time to meditate and/or try a new hobby. I just downloaded a few new mindfulness apps on my iPhone so that I can learn to relax and keep calm. I’ve also taken to baking recently. I find it keeps my mind focused on something fun and creative. Plus, there’s a reward at the end — who doesn’t love cupcakes?

Let me know what you think of these not-so-fun types of autumn days and if any of the solutions I suggested work for you too.

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–By Caitlin from Stream of Caitlinness


[Photos via Pinterest]

NYC Diaries: 5 Tips on Moving To The Big Apple

There comes a time in every girl’s life when she decides that she needs to break free from her childhood self and assert her independence. After 20-plus years of living at home, I’m putting on my big-girl panties and moving into my own place. It’s not very far from where I grew up, but it’s a big step for me in the sense that I’m going it on my own for the first time. And as I embarked on a search for my perfect new place of residence, I learned a few things about moving to the great wide world of New York City…

Don’t move to NYC
This is my #1 piece of advice. New York is extremely pricey, no matter where you go. The sort of place that would go for $500 per month in the Midwest would set you back a couple thousand dollars monthly in the Big Apple. So what do you do if you want to reap all the benefits of the city without (literally) paying the price? Find an apartment on the other side of the river. Jersey might get a lot of flack for, well, for being Jersey, but don’t knock it ’til you try it. You’re probably not going to find something super cheap there either, but I can assure you that it’ll cost a lot less than anything in Manhattan.

Know when to save and when to splurge

In addition to paying a steep rent, you’re going to need to dish out some money for furniture. I suggest you buy your mattress and couches — basically anything that’s soft or fluffy — brand new, unless you want to risk bedbugs. As for the less-personal pieces like your dresser and dining table and chairs, you can feel safe buying them used. Don’t worry too much about whether or not the piece matches your décor or personal taste — there’s always Pinterest and paint to help you turn it into something completely different and awesome. And sometimes, thrifting is the way to go. I tried to find a very inexpensive bookcase for my apartment and ended up with cardboard-backed shelves that are pretty flimsy. Don’t make that mistake — you’ll want your furniture to last long and be sturdy.

Always consider your surroundings
If you’re going to be living somewhere for any amount of time, you’ll want to get to know the area. Is your place near a supermarket? Are you close to a gym or fitness center? Are you within walking distance of a laundromat or doctor’s office? Are you close to a train or a bus stop or any other form of public transportation, just in case your car ever breaks down? These are all things to consider when finding an apartment that suits your lifestyle. One of my good friends used to live right above a nightclub, and it was the worst (and most headache-filled) time of her life. So before you sign that lease, think about where your place is located and decide if that’s a dealbreaker or not.

Make it your own

I’ve turned into such a little decorating diva over the past month or so. This is my first apartment, so I’ve put a lot of pressure on myself to make it look as perfect and as personalized as possible. But I’m definitely not the one who has the final say on what I can do to my new place in terms of decorating and designing. Different landlords have different restrictions and rules for their apartments, so it’s best to ask before you settle on a design strategy. I was told that the walls in my place have to remain painted white, so I’m making the best of that in other ways. I bought wall stickers with inspiring and funny messages (my living room greets you with a big old “Hakuna Matata” when you first walk in) to put up on my otherwise bare walls. I also wanted to make the apartment seem very comfy and homey, so I bought some really neat throw pillows for my couch.

Stock up during sales

I can’t say I ever noticed or cared about the price of toilet paper before, but now it’s a huge deal. You don’t realize how expensive simple necessities are until you have to pay for everything yourself. So scour your local grocery stores’ pamphlets for sales and price drops. Your wallet will thank you later. And always keep a steady supply of canned beans, Ramen noodles and pre-made mashed potatoes in your pantry at all times because they’re easy to make and you never know if/when they’ll come in handy!

What advice would you add? What was your first place like? What’s your decorating style? Be sure to share your story in the comments! xoxo

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–By Caitlin from Stream of Caitlinness

[Apartment building photo via We Heart It; other photos are of Caitlin’s bachelorette pad, taken from her Instagram]

NYC Diaries: 5 Things You’ll See at a Taylor Swift Concert

This weekend, I unleashed my inner 11-year-old and went with a couple of my closest friends to see Taylor Swift. I’ve been a fan of her music since I was 14, so I feel no shame in admitting that I’ll give up a Saturday night any day to sing along (at the top of my lungs) to some of the best breakup songs ever written. And I thought I’d prepare you for what you’re getting yourself into if YOU ever attend the famous Red tour. So without further ado, here are a few things you’re guaranteed to see if you decide to see Taylor live…

Costume changes
Taylor’s known for her sense of style, and she doesn’t disappoint at her concert. Be ready to see lots of preppy polka dots and stripes on her more casual outfits. As for the gowns, think fairytale princess, and that’ll give you a pretty good idea of her fashion choices. Swift is the queen of girl sparkles and glitter, and she always looks perfect in them. As an added bonus, the area just inside the stadium had a museum display of some of Taylor’s most memorable outfits, including the outfit above.

Crazy outfits
People really get into the spirit of the tour and dress up to support their favorite country-pop artist. Many of those who attended on Saturday draped LED lights over their clothes, donned over-the-top themed costumes (there were a few bridal outfits in the audience, which I didn’t really understand), and Sharpied their favorite Swift lyrics onto their skin. Among my favorite costumes were a boy covered from head to toe in red solo cups and a man dressed as a Teletubby.

Creative signs
As with the costumes, people go all out for this concert. So be prepared to see cute slogans like “Cray cray for Tay Tay” and huge posters with the number “22” written on them. There were also a few trios who each held up a letter of “red” and then lowered the “r” when Ed Sheeran took the stage.

Red
Yes, it’s the name of the tour as well as a prominent motif throughout the show. From red dresses to red fireworks to red instruments, you’ll be seeing a lot of this color. And you’ll be feeling all of the emotions — from bitter resentment over tough breakups to fiery joy over falling in love — right along with Taylor.

Talent
If you’re going to the concert for Taylor, you won’t be disappointed. She’s at the top of her game singing and dancing high-energy numbers across the stage. (It was super hot and muggy outside, so I kind of felt bad for all the performers sweating under the many stage lights). But Swift’s not the only one who shines under the spotlight. Opening act Ed Sheeran is AMAZING. I’ll admit that I’d only heard of his song “The A-Team” when I first saw him perform. But right after the concert, I added all his songs to my favorites playlist. If you haven’t heard “Lego House,” go listen to it RIGHT NOW!

Read my blog, LIKE me on Facebook and FOLLOW me on Twitter for more! 

–By Caitlin from Stream of Caitlinness


[Top photo via We Heart It]