Be Happy About The Littlest Things

Project 36Smile!

It's the little things that made me smile the past couple of days.

Thursday

The smell of freshly cut grass and sweet aroma of orchids as I was out walking my dog. Summer is definitely here!

Friday 

Sticking with smells: the simple, enticing and scintillating smell of coffee. Yum. 

It's those smells that bring you back to a different place of your life. I love when certain smells, songs, cars, landscapes or pictures bring you back to a very specific point in your life. 

Smell away and relish the way it makes you feel.


I also dropped off some applications and resumes and feel very confident about these prospects!

I networked with a great contact at CRAVE Seattle, Nicole Shema. Thanks for the informative chat!

Looking forward to a dinner date with my husband.

Soak up the smells that bring you back, reach out to an old contact, plan a dinner date or happy hour with a friend. And remember: it's OK to be happy about the littlest things. That's what life's about.

36Smile! is blog where Sabrina will be writing about, sharing memories, anecdotes and much more that make her smile 365 days of this year! Too often, we are wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of this crazy little thing called life. We should take time out to enjoy the little things that make us smile and celebrate it! The "S" in 36Smile resembles the "5" in 365 days a year. 

Girls Will Be Girls

Project 36Smile!

I love watching a new show that's been getting a lot of buzz. So I was excited to come across Girls on HBO. It is created by and starring Lena Dunham ("Tiny Furniture"), the show is a comic look at the assorted humiliations and rare triumphs of a group of girls in their early 20s.

To me, it's a nitter, grittier version of the beloved, and cult-following favorite Sex and the City. Here are my funny comparisons to one of my favorite series of all time.

Hannah (Lena Dunham) is of course who the show is based around, so she's my Carrie. She's not fashion-forward at all, unlike Carrie. She's actually the complete opposite, but she narrates it in her own eclectic way like SJP did and over-analyzes everything.

Shoshana is the naive, virgin and she's my Charlotte. Her character bio even describes her as having "Sex and the City" dreams. She's shy but has wisdom on the weirdest topics and not afraid to lend her advice on subjects she knows.

Jessa is def the sex-crazed Samantha. She's the British cousin of Shoshana. Lusting after the father of the kids she babysits, has had many boyfriends and is very outspoken about having sex and everything it involves.

Marnie is my studious Miranda. She is the only one who has a stable job, is very put together and has an off-and-on again relationship with her serious boyfriend. Kind of like Miranda and Steve. Her relationship with her boyfriend is described as a "smothering kind of love" but she doesn't want to let go of him. 

No show likes to be compared to another show. They always want to be on the brink of something new. But when you have a show with four girls as your main characters and the entirety of the show revolves on them and their sex conquests, work problems and life in general, then of course you will be compared to the show that did it the best: Sex and the City. 

It actually is a great show with a fresh perspective and it appeals to both sexes: my husband likes watching it as well.  You will also recognize Brian Williams daughter as Marnie. She's one of my favorite characters. A definite must watch.

36Smile! is blog where Sabrina will be writing about, sharing memories, anecdotes and much more that make her smile 365 days of this year! Too often, we are wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of this crazy little thing called life. We should take time out to enjoy the little things that make us smile and celebrate it! The "S" in 36Smile resembles the "5" in 365 days a year. 

Hanging Onto Hope

Project 36Smile!

Tuesday found me going to my weekly dermatology appointment for my psoriasis treatment. 

About a month ago, I started a new Pharos Light Therapy treatment for my scalp psoriasis. It is going on 10 + years with my battle with this incurable disease. You can read about my struggle here. 

The dermatologist at the Dermatology Associates here in Seattle are amazing! I honestly had a lost a some hope in finding a treatment that would work to at least manage my psoriasis. After he saw me, he diagnosed it as severe on my scalp and started on the Pharos light therapy. 

A little background on light therapy treatment:

Present in natural sunlight, UVB is an effective treatment for psoriasis. UVB penetrates the skin and slows the growth of affected skin cells. Treatment involves exposing the skin to an artificial UVB light source for a set length of time on a regular schedule. 

Gradually, I had started to see improvement. But it wasn't until I was on a date with my husband and wore my favorite black blazer that I actually saw the proof. I wasn't flaking—at all! And of course the itchiness has subsided. This is such a huge weight lifted off my shoulders, literally. I actually smile now when I reach for a piece of black clothing, instead of shying away from it. 

Only those with psoriasis will truly understand the day-to-day struggles I have gone through and continue to go through. Finding relief in the littlest things have the hugest impact on the quality of life someone living with psoriasis can experience. I never lose hope either. It's OK to have your bad days. No one is perfect. But understanding the disease is a big part of coming to terms with it as well. That's what I tell my NPF mentees. Knowledge and hope are two things that making living with this disease, just a little easier. 

Like I said, there is no cure for psoriasis. For now, I am excited that I have found a treatment that has basically sent my psoriasis into remission. 

Here's to hoping it lasts and hoping it just kind of goes away like it did with my mother. *Crossing my fingers!*

36Smile! is blog where Sabrina will be writing about, sharing memories, anecdotes and much more that make her smile 365 days of this year! Too often, we are wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of this crazy little thing called life. We should take time out to enjoy the little things that make us smile and celebrate it! The "S" in 36Smile resembles the "5" in 365 days a year. 

You Have How Many Taste Buds?

Project 36Smile!

What follows this post is proof that your 9,000 taste buds really can change from wanting fried food and salty, junk food to actually craving fresh and healthy food.

Please continue.....

It's no surprise I like to cook. You will find me in the kitchen every day cooking up something: whether it be dinner every night—and yes, I said every night—or breakfast on the weekends, I'm all about easy recipes that you can make your own.

When I first started cooking, I felt I had to follow the recipe to a T. I got so mad at myself if I didn't have a specific ingredient, I felt the recipe just wouldn't taste right with out that one ingredient. But learning from my mom and grandma, who hardly ever used recipes, I started to improvise. I don't think I have a followed a recipe to the exact ingredient list since then—and I love it.

Monday found me going to one of my favorite recipes, that Chris likes too. It comes from Woman's Day magazine and their 75th anniversary issue. They had a whole four-page spread on different pasta dishes, entitled Oodles of Noodles. I hit the jackpot! Yes, I do get that excited about cooking.

I tore it out and got to work.

When choosing a pasta dish, a tomato-based pasta dish is always the healthier choice. The white sauces are cream and butter based which are full of fat and calories. Not to mention, tomatoes are full of the cancer-fighting antioxidant lycopene. So, eat away!

Click here for the recipe.

I cooked this up with a side of steamed veggies and a plateful of fruits.

Let me just mentioned something here: when I first met Chris about five years ago, he was eating Taco Bell and canned Chili for dinner. There were no veggies or fruit for this bachelor's meal intake. So, what happens when you start dating some one who cooks all the time and eats fruits and veggies on a reg basis? You start to eat them too. And there was no more Taco Hell. Plus, he has said my homemade Texas Chili is better than anything out of a can. Well, duh!

At dinner, he now has a balanced plate and even eats fruit at lunch. You may be rolling your eyes at this "mushy, gushy stuff" but there is a reason why I mention this. Because Chris is real-life proof that your taste buds do change over time. And if you allow them to. You have approximately 9,000 taste buds that are constantly changing. If you have eaten a certain way—say fast food and junk food—your entire life, don't expect a rapid change. Once you allow your taste buds—and you—to appreciate the taste of fruits and veggies and baked fish and chicken. I promise. If my husband can change, then you definitely can too.

Whenever I fix meals like this, I appreciate the fact that he always tells me that my cooking is great and loves it. Makes my Project 36Smile! an easy thing to write about on days like Monday.


36Smile! is blog where Sabrina will be writing about, sharing memories, anecdotes and much more that make her smile 365 days of this year! Too often, we are wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of this crazy little thing called life. We should take time out to enjoy the little things that make us smile and celebrate it! The "S" in 36Smile resembles the "5" in 365 days a year.