Showing posts with label How to be successful. Show all posts
Showing posts with label How to be successful. Show all posts
3/23/14
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| [Photo via @digitalfootprint] |
Every now and then on Dusk & Rubies we post about how to be successful in life, Whether it be how to succeed at taking an online course, discussing wine or becoming a long distance runner we want to help you succeed at whatever goals you set for yourself. For me, learning and discovering new things is like breathing, not that it's easy or something that I do without thought, but rather something that is necessary in my life.
I am currently enrolled in a fascinating and helpful course called Modern Communications: Technology Systems and I am learning and gaining the resources necessary to create a positive online presence. This week's lesson is about a topic that I feel everyone should be knowledgeable about. Why? Well because this week's lesson is about something everyone has but is invisible to the naked eye. It is something that can work for us and aid us in our careers, or it can work against us and cause us career devastation. Need to know what it is? Alright, alright, this week we are discussing our digital footprints. So what is a digital footprint? What does yours look like? And how can we make sure they're working for us?
I am currently enrolled in a fascinating and helpful course called Modern Communications: Technology Systems and I am learning and gaining the resources necessary to create a positive online presence. This week's lesson is about a topic that I feel everyone should be knowledgeable about. Why? Well because this week's lesson is about something everyone has but is invisible to the naked eye. It is something that can work for us and aid us in our careers, or it can work against us and cause us career devastation. Need to know what it is? Alright, alright, this week we are discussing our digital footprints. So what is a digital footprint? What does yours look like? And how can we make sure they're working for us?
CONTINUE READING
2/27/14
Sometimes we need a redo, a fresh start, a clean slate, and other times we are forced to start new. Whether we choose to begin again, or other factors play a part in the change, it is important to acknowledge the fact that change is the only constant in our lives. Some people deal with change better than others. Whether it's transferring to a new place, starting a new job, or embarking on a weight loss journey we are in charge of how we approach change. As someone who was afraid of change, I have learned ways to not only deal, but also thrive in the face of the unfamiliar. So here are my tips and tricks to embrace change.
CONTINUE READING
9/1/13
Being at that age where wedding invites start piling up like junk mail, and receptions start reminding you of glamorized sweet 16s, and dare we say this- one reception starts blending into another we can start to understand a new meaning behind that idiom, "the old ball and chain".
I know this sounds like the worst possible fate for both the guests and the bride and groom to be. Well, I am ready to intervene on fate's terrifying plans with today's post: How to make your wedding day memorable. Forget those fears ladies and gents, because I have recently attended a wedding that left all of its guests inspired by the magic that is true love, and showed us exactly how to create the perfect memorable event.
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| Venue: Crooked Willow Farms Larkspur, CO |
Tip #1: Do Go Venue Voyaging:
When close friends of mine created the most perfect moment in time I knew I had to share it with my readers. Behold Crooked Willow Farm the perfect backdrop for any wedding, but most importantly it is the perfect venue for this couple. A great venue does a couple of things for your wedding: firstly, the perfect venue is reflective of the couple themselves. It makes the guests feel at home to party and have a good time! Secondly, a great venue allows party goers their space to dance and socialize while also space to relax and drink their cocktails. And finally, your venue will serve as the perfect backdrop, or canvas for your event. In the case of Crooked Willow Farms, this venue achieved all three. Take a look below:
Tip #2: Do Sweat The Small Stuff
The bride and groom were very hands on with every minuscule detail from designing their invitations, (they're artists), to hand writing each and every place card, and from using their calligraphy skills to write a pristine yet funky looking jumbo chalk board dinner menu, to putting their expertise to work with creating paper folders for wooden utensils. As a guest, and good friend I felt everywhere I looked there was something to see, and something created with love by the couple for their friends and family. This helped their event feel personable and warm just like this couple.
Tip #3: Do Have A Theme
Having a theme or a reoccurring motif really makes a wedding memorable for its guests, and it also allows for the wedding to have a cohesive feel. Colors, fabrics, designs, decor, and even a well-planned menu and bar menu can help to create a theme. Whether you want your wedding to give off vibes of old school elegance, or inspire your guests with the vibrancy of your Indian heritage have the confidence to set this theme in motion.
If the guests didn't know by the horse shoe crested cake, the mason jar water glasses, or the bar menu which included specialty beers such as The Reverend that smelled of sweet molasses and brown sugar, then they had to piece it all together the moment the bride showed up riding side saddle on her champion black stallion. Yes, we were in for a beautiful home & country kind of wedding.
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Keeping these three tips in mind will definitely aid you in crafting a memorable night, but don't forget the most important tip which is to have fun while planning your event. If you're having fun, then it guarantees that your excitement will pass on to your guests. Remember your wedding is your special day to spend with family and friends.
Have you been to a memorable wedding? We would love to hear from you! E-mail us pictures, descriptions, or anything else to get us in the wedding spirit and we may post it to our blog.
Like always Stay Lovely,
D.R
Editor and Curator of
Dusk & Rubies
CONTINUE READING
8/11/13
Whoever said you can't have your metaphorical cake, and eat it too may be correct, but when it comes to Guinness I'll speak from experience: a girl can definitely have her Guinness and drink it too!
Two Mondays ago I had a really awesome, once in a lifetime experience playing around on the set of a Guinness commercial. While on set I met some new people, and hung around with some old buds, with no Buds or Bud Lite Limes in site- this was a promotional shoot for Guinness for goodness sakes! Not only did I really enjoy the experience (I equate it to I Love Lucy's Vitameatavegimen episode), I also learned a lot about extra work. Here are some tips, things to do. not to do, and other information that might prove helpful for you!
Reasons to become an extra:
1. If you're interested in pursuing a career in entertainment, then you have to start building up your resume. A great place to start is by being an extra, especially if it is your first time in front of a camera. (I've been a camera before at two live tapings of Tyra Bank's talk show- I even had a few lines to say/ few reaction shots highlighted. I have also had to sign a waiver to be an extra in a live action sequence on Disney's Hollywood Studios Lot.) I found this experience just as fun, but completely different.
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| Circa 2007. This always makes me laugh. |
2. If you're off from work, or looking for a side job to make extra money, then this is a great gig because you can create your own schedule.
3. If you are just interested in the whole movie magic process than you will definitely learn a lot by being involved, even if it is just as an extra. I learned a lot on set, and I'm a bit of a nerd so I absolutely loved learning about something new to me!
Reasons to NOT become an extra:
2. If you have a problem with working over time, or waiting around for lengths at a time while lighting is being set up, then being an extra is not for you. I took the time to get to know the people I was working with, so waiting did not bother me at all.
3. If you're not the type of person who can follow directions then extra work is not for you. The director and producer are always setting, and resetting, telling the extras to "go back to 1", giving direction, and making sure your pint glass (in our case) is facing towards the camera so the logo could be seen. You need to have your eyes and ears open at all times.
Some cool facts I learned on set at the Guinness commercial:
1. Yes, those people in the bar scenes are actually enjoying a nice cold beverage.
2. No, when they are all cheering for their favorite team the television was not even on...too much noise.
3. Unfortunately, to my boyfriend's dismay, you cannot just repeat the words "peas and carrots" again and again. It does not look natural what-so-ever.
4. It is really hard to act like you are having a conversation while you are pantomiming with another person, because in actuality there are two separate conversations going on at once.
5. Probably the most fascinating facts I learned was that Nigeria is one of the top three countries to sell more Guinness than the United States. Guinness for 200 please!
Here are some more photos from my glamorous day as an extra:
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| Waiting to be brought down to set! |
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| Guinness themed bar called The Perfect Pint in NYC. |
Stay Lovely,
D.R
Editor and Curator of
Dusk & Rubies
CONTINUE READING
5/23/13
It was back in 2007 when I first decided I was going to try to start running. I wasn't a stranger to exercise by any means. Prior to running, I would work out at the gym by: lifting light weights, and trying different classes. My machine of choice for cardio was the elliptical.
Even after considerable time spent inside the gym, and outside participating in activities like: swimming, biking, and hiking for some reason I was still never happy with the outcome. I blame it on dance and tennis. As a dancer, I always had muscular thighs, and no matter how I worked them out they would never (to me at least) look slender like I wanted them too. Tennis didn't help either. The constant stop and go, lunges, and sprints up and down the court for hours was bound to build up some muscles. (I wish I had a picture of how jacked I looked after coming home from a Nike Tennis Camp where all players were scheduled to play 9 hours of tennis every day. Yikes.)
Anyway, I can't remember how the idea ignited within, or how I decided to do it, but on Easter after eating buckets of candy I realized I needed an exercise evolution. I had heard about the multiple benefits of running from so many people. How running can:
- Slenderize your entire body, because it works many muscles at a time.
- That it helps to break down bulky muscles into lean muscles.
- Burn tons of calories. (About 100 every ten minutes for a 150 lb person)
- Is great for reducing stress.
- It can, over time, really impair your joints (especially your knees) because of the constant impact with the pavement or treadmill.
- If you don't have the correct shoes, or the correct stride it could also cause complications in ones joints.
There was still another obstacle I had to overcome. From the time I was 8 until I was about 18 I had been prescribed inhalers for my asthma. My asthma was brought on by severe allergies, but as I grew up I also grew out of my allergies, and out of my asthma. And although I no longer suffered from the asthmatics cough I still had never exercised my lungs from cardio like many other kids.
So, with some semi-terrible knees, and the lung capacity of an asthmatic I set out to run my first mile. Great start right?
Now, I am not going to sugar coat it. After my first run I was panting like a dog left out in the sun for too long, and my chest felt like it was on fire-burning from the unfamiliarity of it all, but I did it. I completed my first mile. From those humble beginnings I am now able to run up to 17 miles in one run- the most I have ever attained. Many people ask how I do it because they want to start to run (Or, they just think I am nuts).
But if you want to be a successful long distance runner here are some tips that have worked for me:
1. Start slow. I started with one mile, every day, for one week. Then for my second week I ran one mile and a half. For my third: two miles, For my fourth: three miles. I stayed at each interval long enough, and only upped my mileage when I felt comfortable to do so.
2. Don't force it. Yes, you can force yourself to run four miles the first day, but truth be told the people that I see who do that won't run the next day. What helped me condition myself was that I ran small amounts three, then four, then up to six times a week. Then, I incrementally upped my mileage.
3. Distance first, then time. If you want to be a long distance runner don't worry so much on how fast you are going at first. You can always condition yourself to be faster. There are a lot of people who can run a 6 minute mile...for one mile, but not so many who could run 6 miles total. If you want to run more than one mile, and it's your first time slow down your speed. Try running at a speed of a 10 minute mile and see how many miles you can run.
4. Once you can run 4 miles you can run 6. I know it sounds strange, and you may say "6 miles no way". But many runners will tell you they have a mile they struggle to reach, but once they reach it they can attain more miles. For me, when I was first starting out and had been running for about two months the third mile was always the toughest, but then the following three always flew by.
The main reason why I run now? I love it. It is a great way to relax, and escape. When I put on my music and run my tension or any anxiety I had been feeling gets left on the pavement. I hope these helpful tips, and my story has helped any of you interested in trying to run feel empowered to do so.
Like always stay lovely,
D.R
Editor and Curator of
Dusk & Rubies
CONTINUE READING
4/30/13
Positive Energy Looks Good On You!
You know that moment when you're driving, or going about your day and you realize today is a good day? Or, you think about how things are finally going your way and you have this feeling of contentment, of satisfaction? When I have those moments, those days, or those self-realizations I take a moment to honor them and smile. Sometimes I wonder why I can't just bottle that feeling up and use it whenever I want to. And then the answer hits me, if I were to be on that constant high all the time I wouldn't be aware that it existed, and it wouldn't be as enjoyable.
Still, I think there are ways that we can ensure that those moments of pure bliss happen to us more often. I know we deserve it. I've compiled a list that has always worked for me:
1. Try new things. It is exciting for me to try new things, or go to new places. The discovery, the experience, it is as if I am a small child again and I am experiencing the world's wonders for the first time.
2. Set achievable goals. If you set achievable goals, then you are more likely to meet them. Whenever I meet a goal I feel good about myself; I feel as if I am moving forward with my life.
3. Know your truth. I watched an interview with Oprah Winfrey by Steve Harvey last week and she said that we should "know our truth" and that among other things is a major key to success. Knowing your truth is knowing what you want to stand for, what you want to represent, and who you are.
4. Laugh everyday. Laugh at yourself; laugh at absurdity; laugh at awkward situations; just laugh.
5. Do something just for yourself. It could be as simple as listening to your favorite song for two minutes, or as extravagant as scheduling a massage on your tropical vacation. Find some part of your day that you can claim as your own.
6. Celebrate the little things. Hey, you did a good thing? Celebrate! You saved up enough money to go to Paris? Celebrate! You got along with your in laws? Celebrate! You helped someone in need? Celebrate! Have a glass of wine as you relax at night; go out with friends; take a hot yoga class; go for a cleansing hike; the ways in which to celebrate are endless!
7. Get your charity face on. Giving time to whatever cause, whatever charity you choose is so important. Not only are you helping others, but knowing that you have helped someone in need is extremely rewarding. You can do anything from help build a house for Habitat for Humanity, to donating your prom dress to someone who can't afford one. Any small act of charity, is in reality, never small.
8. Spend the day with someone you love. There is nothing better than sharing some time with someone who supports you and whom you support. If it's mom, or your sister, or a girlfriend have a girl's getaway day. I do this all the time!
9. Don't forget to give yourself a pat on the back. Sometimes we focus too much on if others are proud of what we have accomplished, but what would make us all happier people was if we could be proud of ourselves. Make sure you know that you're are proud of yourself everyday.
10. Compliment others. I will never forget the advice my mother gave me when I was in Middle School. She told me to try, everyday, to compliment at least five people. I can't begin to express how that one action changed my life. I began to compliment more than five people; I began to compliment people I didn't know. People remember compliments. They become more open to you, and they want to spend time with positive energies. If you put positivity out into the universe, you will have positivity returned to you.
And if you still want to bottle up that pure bliss feeling:
Here is an adorable DIY I came up with, so you can see your joy, your pure bliss, your oh so happy day kept in a jar, and reminded of its power. Put the jar on your desk at work, or on your bedside table!
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| Supplies: Mod Podge for puzzles, Dollar Tree Candle in a scent you prefer, stock paper, and a brush (but I used my fingers). |
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| Step 1: Carefully peel off the sticker in one piece. |
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| Step 2: To make your own label- place sticker on a piece of paper so that you can cut it out, and then use it to trace. |
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| Step 3: Trace the label on a piece of card stock you would like to use. |
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| Step 4: Adhere your handmade label with a healthy amount of Mod Podge on both front and back of label. |
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| Step 5: Voila! My Essence of Joy bottled for any day! |
D.R
Editor & Curator
Dusk & Rubies
CONTINUE READING
4/15/13
How to Pack An (Organized, & Lightweight) Suitcase.
If I had a picture for every single time a girlfriend of mine over packed her louis vuitton luggage, or she couldn't find something, because it looked like her suitcase had exploded this page would be miles long. Our goal today is to conquer our fears of: not having that perfect skirt with us, so we pack four, not having the right necklace, so we throw in our entire jewlery box, not having the right pair of shoes (the terror!) so we pack three of the same, identical, black-peep-toe-pumps. I know the anxiety of leaving something behind is terrifying but together, and with the tips I have listed below, we are going to find success.
I hit rock bottom when this moment happened: Three years ago, the night before one of my trips, I was stepping on the scale without
my luggage to see what I was weighing those days, then stepping off the scale, running back to my bedroom,
grabbing my luggage, and weighing myself with the luggage in my arms, praying it weighed less than fifty pounds. I refused to give the
airlines another dime of my hard earned money. I was both elated and relieved when the scale said less than fifty pounds. Then I recognized that I was sweating. Sweating while packing a suitcase! Packing a suitcase does not
qualify as an Olympic sport! Something had to change.
So what to do? What to do? Well, through some
research and some application I have come up with a
few quick bulleted tips listed below to make us successful at yet another thing.
- Pack items based on a color scheme. If you pack based on a color scheme, or hue you are more likely to pack less, and only what you need.
- Pack an outfit for each day. If you pack an outfit for each day, this eliminates the grasping and grabbing of unnecessary items at the last minute.
- Pack shoes that could match multiple outfits. Shoes are bulky and weigh more than clothes, so find the perfect pair with dual purposes.
- Pack one pair of pajamas. There's no need for more than one good matching pair.
- Place faux accessories in small plastic bags. Fake and costume jewelry easily becomes tangled so putting them in small zip lock bags keep them ready to wear without the hastel. Place bracelets you plan to wear with necklace with matching earrings all in one small bag. (perfect bags I found at Michaels):
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| Buy Bead Bags Here |
- Place makeup in padded makeup bag. Many makeup bags are lined but I have had pressed eyeshadow crack and crumble before, what worked for me is to buy a padded makeup bag, and place it between clothing for extra cushion. Try these cute padded makeup bags from pottery barn pictures shown below:
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| Buy PB Makeup Bags Here |
- Wear expensive jewelry on the plane. You never want to chance losing expensive family heirlooms, so wear any expensive jewelry on your person.
- Check the weather. If you know what the weather will be like you'll be less likely to pack two sweatshirts if it's going to be 98 degrees in the middle of August.
- Place socks in shoes. Free up more space by rolling matching socks into shoes, and placing under garments.
- Roll belts and place into shoes. Another great idea if you don't roll socks and underwear into shoes is to roll up belt into shoes. This also helps belts to keep their shape. Otherwise you can take extra pony tail holders and use them as rubber bands to secure belts. (Who doesn't need the extra pony tail holder?)
- Don't roll stack. If your packing a lot of shirts, don't roll them. This actually takes up more space.
- Place bulky items in zippered off part or on top of clothes. This excludes sneakers. I always place sneakers at the bottom of the bag, but hair dryers, straighters- that type of bulk needs to be cushioned and supported by your clothes so place those items on top, therefore; pack those last.
- Make sure all shampoo bottles are in secured bottles then place in large secured plastic bags. Spillage! This has happened to me before, ruined my clothes, or gotten all over my suitcase. The best way to secure your shampoos and conditioners (really any liquid product) is to place in large produce plastic bags. You'll be glad you did!
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| This was from a Girlfriend's Getaway Trip to NYC: I packed according to the color purple. Black Blazer from Forever 21, Black Chiffon Dress from Old Navy, Purple Pashmina from Pier 1, Ring from Banana Republic. |
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| Even early in the AM grabbing gourmet coffees with the girlfriends I don't forget to incorporate purple. Oh, and if you think my besty looks familiar that is @Ohheychrisi from the ohheychrisi blog! Isn't she fabulous? Earrings: Forever 21 |
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| Outside The Plaza NY wearing: Dress Forever 21, Brown Leggings: Forever 21, Bag: Michael Kohrs, and Pashmina: Pier 1 |
& like always Stay Lovely,
D.R
Editor and Curator
CONTINUE READING
4/11/13
Mindful Musing: How to talk about wine with the best of them.
"...good company, good wine, good welcome, can make good people." -William Shakespeare
You've read my spiel on what I think it means to be successful. I've expressed that to be successful means that you have attained a certain favorable or desirable outcome. That success is simply goal oriented, and if you set a goal, and then attain it you may call yourself successful!
Today's Goal ladies: to be able to "talk good wine"
Why is it helpful to learn how to discuss wine?
A couple of older lovelies, who were drinking Chardonnay (another white wine), asked me how it tasted. I gave it my best go:
"It has bite; it's crisp, and has an aftertaste of green apple"
The woman responded:
"Oh that sounds lovely, yours looks much grainier than ours. I have never tried it."
Grainy? Should I take offense to that? Not knowing what else to say I smiled politely and excused myself. She then called me back over and asked which wine I chose again, forcing me to practice pronouncing Sacerre Cuvee Chavignol.
Today, I lucked out. I used the little knowledge of wine I have to choose one I really enjoyed, but I have had the experience of choosing a wine which tasted horrible. Hopefully it never happens to you! Below is a glossary of terms to use when describing the taste of wine.
Glossary of Terms
Acidic: The sour or tart taste of wine. Acidity contribute to the keeping ability of fine wines.
Astringent: A wine whose taste is bitter, mouth-drying, or puckery.
Bitter: If the bitter component of a wine is most dominant it is considered a fault.
Briary: A term used to describe a wine that has an aggressive "peppery" taste.
Buttery: A term used to describe a good white wine, especially Chardonnay.
Coarse: A wine-tasting term that refers to a rough or crude wine that is difficult to drink.
Corky: Unpleasant aroma and flavor of a moldy cork.
Creamy: Silk-like quality, the opposite of a crisp wine.
Crisp: A term used to describe a wine that has a pleasing tartness and acidity without excessive sweetness.
Dry: A tasting term used to describe the complete absence of sugar in wine. If it has slight sugar taste then you would say it tastes "off dry"
Earthy: Taste or smell suggests soil, mushrooms, or mustiness.
Flabby: Tasting term for a wine that is too low in acidity.
Flat: Similar to flabby, it lacks in both acidity and crispness.
Flowery: A tasting term to describe an aroma of fresh flowers.
Foxy: A tasting term used to describe the unique musky smell and taste of Concord grapes.
Green: A tasting term that refers to wines made with under-ripe fruit.
Oaky: Excessive oak flavors in wine.
Peppery: Term used to describe spicy wines reminiscent of anise or cinnamon.
Ripe: Well balanced fruity and sweet wine.
Sharp: Excessively acidic
Smoky: A tasting term used to describe a wine that has clearly been oak-aged.
Sour: Similar to acidic
Tobacco: A tasting term used to describe red wines whose flavors resembled the taste of raw tobacco leaves.
Warm: Used to describe wine with high flavor of alcohol.
Weighty: A tasting term to describe a wine that is well-structured, and balanced but excessive in flavor.
Oh and before I forget...
Grainy: The deposits sometimes found in wine bottles, most often with older wines. Sediment is not a bad sign but in fact may indicate a superior wine. Grainy does not have to do with describing taste but the "Mouth" of the wine, in other words how it feels in one's mouth.
Using the new terminology I would describe the wine below as:
"Crisp-acidic, but not sharp, and well-balanced." Oh, and I learned grainy is a good thing!
Now all you have to do is the 4 S's
See,
Swirl ,
Sniff,
Sip!
Stay Lovely,
D.R
Editor and Curator
"...good company, good wine, good welcome, can make good people." -William Shakespeare
You've read my spiel on what I think it means to be successful. I've expressed that to be successful means that you have attained a certain favorable or desirable outcome. That success is simply goal oriented, and if you set a goal, and then attain it you may call yourself successful!
Today's Goal ladies: to be able to "talk good wine"
Why is it helpful to learn how to discuss wine?
- Well, notably, many people perceive those who are educated about wine to be worldly, and cultured. (Cue Christian Grey)
- Many people gift wines for engagement parties, showers, weddings, or even as a simple hostess gift.
- Also, knowing how to describe what you like using proper wine terminology may aid your server in helping you choose a wine that is best suited for you; therefore, bettering your wine experience.
- It will help you save money too. The last thing you want to do is spend $50 dollars on a bottle of wine, and you find it tastes just like the $6 boxed one, or worse you don't even like it.
A couple of older lovelies, who were drinking Chardonnay (another white wine), asked me how it tasted. I gave it my best go:
"It has bite; it's crisp, and has an aftertaste of green apple"
The woman responded:
"Oh that sounds lovely, yours looks much grainier than ours. I have never tried it."
Grainy? Should I take offense to that? Not knowing what else to say I smiled politely and excused myself. She then called me back over and asked which wine I chose again, forcing me to practice pronouncing Sacerre Cuvee Chavignol.
Today, I lucked out. I used the little knowledge of wine I have to choose one I really enjoyed, but I have had the experience of choosing a wine which tasted horrible. Hopefully it never happens to you! Below is a glossary of terms to use when describing the taste of wine.
Glossary of Terms
Acidic: The sour or tart taste of wine. Acidity contribute to the keeping ability of fine wines.
Astringent: A wine whose taste is bitter, mouth-drying, or puckery.
Bitter: If the bitter component of a wine is most dominant it is considered a fault.
Briary: A term used to describe a wine that has an aggressive "peppery" taste.
Buttery: A term used to describe a good white wine, especially Chardonnay.
Coarse: A wine-tasting term that refers to a rough or crude wine that is difficult to drink.
Corky: Unpleasant aroma and flavor of a moldy cork.
Creamy: Silk-like quality, the opposite of a crisp wine.
Crisp: A term used to describe a wine that has a pleasing tartness and acidity without excessive sweetness.
Dry: A tasting term used to describe the complete absence of sugar in wine. If it has slight sugar taste then you would say it tastes "off dry"
Earthy: Taste or smell suggests soil, mushrooms, or mustiness.
Flabby: Tasting term for a wine that is too low in acidity.
Flat: Similar to flabby, it lacks in both acidity and crispness.
Flowery: A tasting term to describe an aroma of fresh flowers.
Foxy: A tasting term used to describe the unique musky smell and taste of Concord grapes.
Green: A tasting term that refers to wines made with under-ripe fruit.
Oaky: Excessive oak flavors in wine.
Peppery: Term used to describe spicy wines reminiscent of anise or cinnamon.
Ripe: Well balanced fruity and sweet wine.
Sharp: Excessively acidic
Smoky: A tasting term used to describe a wine that has clearly been oak-aged.
Sour: Similar to acidic
Tobacco: A tasting term used to describe red wines whose flavors resembled the taste of raw tobacco leaves.
Warm: Used to describe wine with high flavor of alcohol.
Weighty: A tasting term to describe a wine that is well-structured, and balanced but excessive in flavor.
Oh and before I forget...
Grainy: The deposits sometimes found in wine bottles, most often with older wines. Sediment is not a bad sign but in fact may indicate a superior wine. Grainy does not have to do with describing taste but the "Mouth" of the wine, in other words how it feels in one's mouth.
Using the new terminology I would describe the wine below as:
"Crisp-acidic, but not sharp, and well-balanced." Oh, and I learned grainy is a good thing!
See,
Swirl ,
Sniff,
Sip!
Stay Lovely,
D.R
Editor and Curator
CONTINUE READING
4/7/13
Mindful Musing: Success
It has been said, about success, that its meaning is very different to different people. I would like to first off write that I disagree. Success, as defined by Webster's Dictionary, means an outcome, or result that is either favored or desired. What you choose to be successful at, now that can be different. And how successful one can be, well their are varying degrees, but the term Success is very simply goal oriented. If you set a goal, and you reach it, then my lovelies you may call yourself successful.
Now, what happens if you do not reach the goal you set out for yourself? Well, that is an entirely different post all together, but I do have some experience where my goals simply changed along the way. When that happens it doesn't mean we were unsuccessful it just means we have learned something about ourselves and where we are meant to go.
I have just finished my first online semester at Stony Brook University, and I had heard mixed reviews about online courses in general. I have heard people say they love them, and I have also heard people say they hate them. Here are some of the reasons I have learned, and often heard from other: colleagues, friends, peers, and students about online courses.
Reasons to take an online course:
1.) There is no commute! Gas is expensive, and if your school is a drive away you can save money, and then of course use it to buy...shoes!
2.) You have a full time job, a part time job, or an occupation and you need to be able to
go to class at any time you please.
3.) Classes are usually shortened periods of time such as 8 weeks long instead of 10 weeks.
Reasons not to take an online course:
1.) If you are terrible at managing your time, then online courses are not for you. Although this is also a positive, that the class has the flexibility to be organized by you, there are set due dates, and assignments you need to accomplish within the week. And if you forget to post an assignment, paper, or add to the discussion then you lose points towards your average.
2.) If you do not like teaching yourself, then online courses are not for you. You will have all the responsibility of understanding the material, finding the answers, and doing the reading.
3.) The course is usually a shortened period. (Yes this is a positive for most) But, this also means you are required to do more work in less time. So be wary of the amount of work that is required of you.
Overall, I found that online courses to earn my Masters was something I could be successful at. My final grades for both my classes were a 97, and 100 (keeping my 4.0 GPA in tact).
Hope you find success too
Like always stay Lovely
D.R
Editor and Curator
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