I am DISCOURAGED! I mean not a whole lot but enough to bruise my ego.
A week into my “Biggest Winner” competition at work and my training for Sparta I felt like I was doing things right. I was, most importantly, excited for my workouts. They were going good. And I ate pretty damn good all week. Always staying under my calories. But I weighed in today 2 pounds heavier. Instant demotivation.
However, I will not let it get me down. I’m having a lot of fun doing the training. It’s great having an email group where we discuss the daily workouts and modifications and where we struggled with it. That is definitely keeping me motivated. Plus its the excitement of trying new routines. I’d have never done 5 pushups a minute for 22 minutes had it not been for the Workout of the Day. And I wouldn’t have tried to run a mile after doing 100 lunges (it felt like 10000000) lol.
Ok. I am off to the gym now to try todays Workout of the day. #keephopealive
I realized while talking to someone over the weekend, I have been holding out! I have not been sharing in my nail journey with my blog. I mean I LOVE my nails. Designs are so fun and actually having healthy nails is a task. The ultimate compliment I got was when my nails were plain and someone said, “wow your nails look so healthy!” * cheese *
So here are some nail designs I have done myself over the last year or so. Many of them are inspired by looks I’ve found online. I read and watch tutorials. I also am obsessed with buying nail polish and nail care things. I also practice. As you can see from some of the pics. One thing I wanted to try but never got around to was the tribal nail. Maybe next summer.
Some of my fav designs here. You have the mood changing polish, depending on if you’re body temp is hot or cold it can be pink or purple. That was my most recent birthday. The nails I literally JUST did are the baby doll pink with black matte leopard accent nail. I was inspired by some photos of black and gold matte leopard nails and wanted to try to recreate. Right before those was the terracotta color, which is Zoya Natalie (the pink was Zoya Flora). Zoya is an all natural polish and I stocked up on some great colors due to their buy 2 and only pay shipping sales! #WIN. I love the neon yellow. I did that using a tip from diynails.tumblr.com, which was to apply coat(s) of white underneath the yellow to make it stand out because when I first did it, you couldn’t even see it. It made my nails look like jaundiced yellow “/
In one corner you have my blood splatter design from Halloween. I got that idea from reading www.refinery29.com They have great DIY nail blogs, especially for holidays. I also love the nude with polka dots. The nude is Zoya Shay (FREEE) and that was in November. I did the white with orange polka dots when I went to ATL in May for PhDubb’s graduation. I also love the teal color at the bottom and a similar color is on my nails in the top corner.. the bottom is Mattese Elite, which is exclusive to Ricky’s in NYC. Buy with ME had a sale, spend $20 and get $40 for use at Rickys. I bought 5 bottles of Nail polish. There are some designs I didn’t talk about but if you have questions on them, I will gladly answer. As you can see I am passionate about nails! My coworker swears I’m in the wrong profession.
My nail polish habit is sick. I had more bottles but discarded a few. Last I counted I had about 31 and I bought more after that. That’s not including top coats and base coats.
Nail Care ::
My nails were in pretty bad shape at one point. I didn’t really know to file in one direction only. I would file with damp nails. I would bite. Use my nails as a tool. All the things you shouldn’t do. My friend introduced me to Nailtiques, which is a nail protein and my nails, while not extra long, have grown to be extremely healthy and flexible due to the use of that and better technique. It retails for about $20 bucks a bottle but lasts for at least 1-2 months. Nailtiques can be used as a base and top coat, but when I use it I typically just do it bare nailed and go hard for 2weeks or more depending.
For a base coat, I’ve recently been using the Seche Vite
Ridge filling base coat. I also use their quick dry top coat, which if you google, gets AWESOME reviews. It reallllly is quick dry. That came as a bday gift from the same friend who introduced me to Nailtiques.
Lastly, for cutiles. Essie Disappear Trick. NO trimming. Just 15 second application. push back with orange stick and you’re hands look ah-maz-ing.
I recently watch a Deborah Lippman video on manicures and took away some great tips that I’m working into my routine. I also want to splurge on either some Deborah Lippman or Chanel Polish.
I’m super excited and super nervous and want to finish in good time. Not be the last fat ass across the finish line. I’m doing the June 2nd Spartan Sprint. Find out more info here: http://www.spartanrace.com/index.html
This really was a spur of the moment decision to sign up. I literally had never heard of the Spartan race before and by the end of the day not only had I signed up but it went viral in my small world! LOL. I had known two people who did mud runs last year but after talking about this, I discovered there were people around me who had done the ToughMudder run.. I’m now in an email group, trying to do the Workout of the Day’s that are sent… It’s exciting. Wish me Luck. I’ll keep you posted
I finally, finally completed my Dream Board. I don’t even want to tell you when I started it, but just know that it was stalled for so long because I put so much pressure on myself to make it “perfect.” But what is a perfect dream? Why do I have to have on dream? I remembered, “Yo, this is NOT permanent…Change as necessary.” This board is reflective of where I am now, what desires I have, the goals I want. Because because ultimately I want to be near a beach where I reside. The book and pen reflect my desire to get back to creativity, stretching my imagination. The fitness? self explanatory right?
I think this board is awesome. It’s my desktop saver. I wrote, what’s more important in lipstick on my bathroom mirror (I wonder how long it will last *shrug*).
I think this year is going to shape up so well. I think I might be optimistic again!!!
Pardon me as I’m still on this New Year Resolution thing and the concept of “RESOLVE”. What does it mean to make and keep a resolution, especially one rooted in change in oneself?
The other day I was sitting home being very self deprecating because I had already slipped up on one of my resolutions …
Left Brain: You suck. You couldn’t even stick it out for 2 full weeks? 8 days? 8 days is all you lasted, seriously?
Right Brain: Relax. Things happen. Take it easy. No Harm. You had a good time, no?
Heart: You really messed up. You know what you want, but you aren’t taking the steps to get there. What are you scared of?
Left Brain: You just don’t know what will power is. You don’t know how to stick to any goals. You really failed. SMH at you…
Right Brain: Life is Love. -Rev. Run
Well, you get the idea right? At some point in the night, I gave up and went to sleep. I said this isn’t good. I woke up, renewed and ready to face the challenge. Resolutions do NOT mean cold turkey. They do not mean if you slip up you can’t get back on the wagon. It’s like the age-old diet mentality, just because you have a bad day doesn’t mean you give up on eating healthy all together. You slip. You fall. You Try again. I resolved to give something up, it doesn’t mean that you give it up ON New Years Day or else. I really had to reconcile this idea of what it means to make a resolution. So of course I, being the firm student I am and believer that things need to be backed up, of course googled the definition of resolution. Among those found:
resolution: a resolve or determination: to make a firm resolution to do something. b) the act of resolving or determining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure, etc. c) the mental state or quality of being resolved or resolute; firmness of purpose.
Never does it state to GIVE up something or that it is immediate. Notice words like course of action. method. procedure. determination! I was flawed in my thinking. I was putting myself into personal turmoil. I also read some other relevant articles to what I was going though and realized I was half assing. I was not being commited to the resolutions I was making. I was saying I wanted something but not putting the actions into place. I was saying I want to give up something but putting myself in environments to be easily tempted. I was not treating myself the way I should have. Again. I was flawed. So I did begin to ease up on myself. To take a step back and ask what I would tell someone else who wasn’t me. Plan your Change. Take Action. Don’t say one thing and do another. If you want to be more organized, BE more organized. By the organizers. Take the time to use them. Make habits.
Perfection is not just about control. It’s also about letting go. Surprise yourself so you can surprise the audience. Transcendence! Very few have it in them … The only person standing in your way is you. It’s time to let her go. Lose yourself.
I read this on Jess’s blog and it stood out to me. Mostly because yesterday we had the conversation where I revealed that I guess sometimes I’m scared to be myself. Myself being slightly neurotic and a complete over thinker. Most people don’t know that about me, because I always appear cool, calm and collected. And I tend to try to be. But inside my mind, things replay over and over and over. And I do like to typically think about things before I say or do them. But why don’t I want people to know I mull over things? I mean, that just makes me human right?
Then I was talking to Man on the Moon and I revealed that often the thing that we want the most is also the thing that we fear, and that was also applying to my life. I love talking to people where I’m really just talking and as I talk I’m coming to my own revelations. Friends are therapists indeed. I was telling him that I really want love. To be in a relationship. A real one. Getting to know someone, wanting to be engrossed in them as a person.. the fall. the friendship. the passion. But I also fear the experience. Being vulnerable, being open. Being hurt. Falling for someone and them not falling back.
All of this relates back to the quote in the fact that, no one told me I was neurotic or insane or hated me for it. I thought those things and think (thought) that people would dislike me for them, or judge me for them. I fear that I will fail at the thing I want or that the person won’t want it back. Has that happened to me in the past? Not in a way that I can strongly remember. I need to lose myself. Its a new way of saying what I’ve said before, “Don’t take yourself so seriousy…”
Random thoughts … that keep repeating. time to put the lesson to work. I think that is what my 2012 is meant to be about. Putting into action the lessons I’ve learned over the past 2 years. What is a lesson if you don’t apply it to life?
So .. I ‘ve always had an affinity for crossbody bags. I LOVE them. But then they were hard to find for awhile, or at least nice ones in my price range. but my love has rekindled after the purchase of my Lauren cross body bag this summer. I love the bag I had for the summer, the Lauren by Ralph Lauren Java Bag (picture). I like this bag because it contours with your body. I remember seeing my coworker with it (in a diffrent print) and being in AWE, like OMG where did you get it! I stalked this bag. It was regularly priced at $248. I paid $78 when I purchased just by waiting a few weeks and stalking the Bloomingdales website. Then free shipping to my house? Say word? My friend was soo jealous when I told her my steal since she paid full price! #SCORE! I LOVE it. I feel sooo chic yet comfy when I adorn it. It’s also VERY VERY VERY roomy. I’ve fit so much inside. I do hope to find another bag, preferably in solid color though. So I was browsing online looking at some and her are the ones I enjoy! I would love each and everyone one of these equally
Coach Madison Leather Hailey. First off, its purple!!! * swoons * I am not a purple fanatic, but it does have a certain air of regalness to it. And its on sale! Sale is my BFF for LIFE. Our bond can never be severed! I don’t care what ANYONE says about Coach, a nice bag is a nice bag. I do hate when Coach bags have the label all over them or are that weird sateen material. But I guess I hate that with any brand. This is a nice moderately price bag. Its reg priced at 228 and on sale for 171 at Macys. BOOM! I am on a search to find this at my local Macys. Lucky for me, I live near two Macys !! It also comes in black/silver and a nice brown walnut color.
I like the next bag because of the flap. This is the Tory Burch Amanda crossbody. I like the fact that it folds over, so no worry about spillage. Usually I have an aversion to flaps (in all senses * wink * ) however, too often it happens to me that I throw my bag in the passenger seat and the contents spill onto the seat and/or floor. Booo!! That’s also why zippers and pockets are important in a bag! that is my one complaint about LongChamp Le Pliage bags, there are no pockets inside. And the one pocket it does have doesn’t button or zip shut, so whatever you put in there ends up with the various items in the bottom of the bag. While a great, versatile bag, its definitely an openspace for all my items to forage together. Anywho, back to this bag. I don’t like the size of this bag though. There are certain things I need in life, and a large bag is one. I always need to be able to throw in my Ipad, my to-go cosmetics bag, possibly a folder full of papers for my mentees, and who knows what else. I’m definitely a bag lady. I have tried working on this, but I always fail. My compromise was to put things inside my bag into little bags (i.e. cosmetic bags and a ziploc bag full of pens) but it always gets disorganized again eventually.
Now we have a Marc Jacobs bag reporting for duty! Isn’t it adorable!!! OMG LOVE LOVE LVOE LOVE LVOE LVEO. OK. you get the point right? I like that this bag is convertable and that the shoulder strap isn’t atrocious! I love that it comes in multiple colors on the Bloomingdales’ site. I can’t remember the name of teh bag right now, but I love that its so BIG! Seeing where this bag falls on the hip I like it even more. I hate when a crossbody bag doesn’t hit just right. This bag This bag is also around $400 (same as Tory Burch) but its larger, so I probably wouldn’t feel as guilty about it. Decisions, Decisions.
I don’t know, 400 would be the most I’d have spent on a bag, EVER in life. I just came to terms with spending $200-300. Quality over quantity has been my motto in life. I remember being younger and having several cheap bags vs. 1-3 nice ones. I’ve had cheap faux leather bags from H&M, New York & Company and even Target. You use heavily for a few weeks and they start to peel. Not so cool as an adult with a whole full-time job.
Also, the Michael Kors Jet Set Bag. I saw this bag in the MK store around Christmas time and my friend wanted it as a gift. I love it! It was reasonable priced, has nice gold accents such as chains in the handles. Aand it also converts. However, it isn’t available on the MK website. It was back ordered. I also confused it for the Hamilton bag. And what does that say about a bag if I get it confused with another? Things that make you go hmmm. I do love the MK gold accessories, they give it some pizazz. But it is a little boxier than I normall would go for.
I feel like every year, like hoards of other people I’m making a resolution to lose weight … Then I fail, and six months later I’m making another vow to lose weight. It’s depressing frankly. So, this year I’ve decided to take a new route. I’ve stolen the Alcholics Anonymous mantra of ‘One day at a time’. (No, I do not say a serenity prayer before or after meals!!!).
I am the queen of slipping up and saying “I’ll make it up tomorrow by _______” and that starts a downward spiral of bad eating and workout habits. I also cannot get complacent with hearing “Oh you look slimmer now…” I have to be commited to the goals I have. I thought of using the ‘One day at a time” mantra because when you think that tomorrow is promised you tend to not take things serious! I need to be serious about this. I’ve been on a perpetual diet since I was 16!!!! I’ve felt bad about my size, my clothes, my body, everytyhing for too long. If I can commit to all these other goals, why is this one so hard to reach? I just want to feel a certain pride about myself, because it is OK to be vain and take pride in your physical appearance. I’m proud about my mind, my spirit, my humor but if I’m honest I am not proud of my body. There I’ve said the thing that most girls fear saying or are too ashamed to say. I rebuke you fear and I’m willing to admit I want to change it. but I also admit its hard and I don’t have or know the proper tools. (Shuttup you people who just say eat less, excercise more… while true, its NOT EASY!!!).
I have to also stop being overly harsh on myself. My weight doesn’t prevent me from doing things (except wearing a two piece) and stop being so quickly to laugh it off or make a joke out of it. I sometimes have a defeatist attitude when it comes to the scale, but yet I’m completely obsessed with it. And honestly, I’m more concerned about jean size than what the scale says. So I pray that I can just get into a size 8 jeans in a year. Size 8. That’s all I ask and want to work for. And a little booty.
As we approach the new year I think a lot about what I’ve accomplished both personally and professionally each year. And I think about what I hope to tackle in the next year, I believe that I’m at an age where resolutions don’t hold too much merit .. and I think of what it means to make a resolution and maybe we’re doing it wrong. I watched the movie, New Year’s Eve and I thought about Michelle Phiffer’s character and how she set those goals and had to get them done before midnight (the New Year). They weren’t things like “Lose Weight” or “Save more Money” They were more tangible. More memorable. This is a little off topic for what I wanted to write, but not completely. Anyway. I don’t resolve to do anything for 2012, but I resolve to have a plan to make tangible changes, I think *bbm squiggly face*
This thought comes to me because for so long I’ve been trying to find the balance between work, school, and play. All three equally important things in my life at the current moment and hopefully they will all be there as 2012 continues. As I struggle to find the balance I don’t know what to proritize first. I mean, its a no brainer right. Work. School. Play right? or is it School. Work. Play? And when I say play I include everything from gym, to reading, to TV time, to ladies night out with the girls.
As I was trying to figure out a schedule for the upcoming semester for my gym life around my work and school schedule I was faced with a dilemna. Mostly because of my place of employments alternating 12-8 with 8-4pm days. GGGGRRR to working til 8 (But I have to be thankful for a job, right? *bbm eye roll* I am. No lie. I reallllly am. ) Anywho, I really would like to switch some of my days around to make time for some classes at the gym in addition to going to my brick and mortar classroom learning… But my boss is meeting me with resistance. Why? Because it would mean he has to work alone on some evenings and some morning. * sigh *
*Jan. 3*
So I started this post days ago, but I’m just coming back to it.. and I can’t remember my original train of thought, so I’m just going to post it.
Whenever I have a strong reaction to something, I try to figure out why.. I usually find that whenever I’m upset with something it stems from some major issue I probably haven’t gotten over in life. . So why would I care to write about this. Yesterday was my buildings Secret Santa exchange .. rather than type up a full summar I’m going to take pieces from GChat to show my true reaction of what happened::
OMG i am bout to sound so ungrateful
but we did our office secret santa today and like everyone had to write down 3 things they wanted i wrote down nail polish, sephora gift card, and ipad charger … do u know what i got?
a snowflake votive candle
it was a 15 dollar limit thing
like from the dollar store
i got my person a amazon gift card from amazon Person :: A votive candle :-/ me: one
a t that
not even a whole fucking set Person: Well maybe your person had fallen on hard times. me: um
and it was optional
you didn’t have to be in it
so if you on hard times maybe you should have declined participation Person: Well…I tried. She forgot lol me: im annoyed man
we work across the street from walgreens
u coulda ran over and got any kinda gc
this is why i don’t get in the Xmas spirit
when i try to
someone comes along and just fucks shit up Person: Don’t be like thaaaaat
Its just office ppl, not real ppl me: woo sah
i k now
but i mean
we are reall people
like wtf is the point of a list if ur not going to follow it
they make us do lists to avoid shit like this Person: Calm down J.
OK .. so later on .. I was still fuming about it .. and then I thought why did this bother me so much .. and this is probably going to make me sound like such a loser or w hatever .. but I was kinda excited for my small little thing because I’m not going to have any other Christmas gifts .. or because there isn’t another realll expression of Christmas going on for me .. I think I teared up a little bit typing that .. Like, I don’t expect anything from my grandmother because she’s not financially able and my grandfather isn’t a Christmas person .. in the past I always had the BF who exhanged gifts with me.. and I mean, I’m not saying Xmas is all about the gifts ..because its not .. but idk.. Chirstmas Day for me is going to kinda just be another day. Wake up. Pack. Have dinner with some family. I guess I got myself a little excited about seeing someone excited from something I got them that I’d want someone to bring me that kind of small excitement.
But I won’t let it steal my spirit. I’m excited to see my coworkers reaction to my small tokens of appreciation for them tomorrow. And just be over it .. but now I know why I reacted so strongly .. * sigh * I had my bratty moment . It also probably didn’t help that the person isn’t someone who’s my favorite person in the building. But next time, please stick my list bitch.
I read a lot about Geminis. I’m born on the cusp on Gemini/ Taurus but I’ve always identified as a Gemini.. I’ve learned that your perception of yourself is largely shaped by how you identify yourself. Anybodiessign, so much of the literature on Geminis focuses on their need for mental stimulation, and I definitely have that trait. If there is one muscle in my body that gets used, its my brain. I love to read, observe, and do all types of things that give me new knowledge. It’s probably why when I do learn something new I can obsess over it. It’s why I need not only an emotional partner in life but an intellectual one.
Before Thanksgiving I met up with THEE ex, and I could have sat there talking for hours. I mean we talked about everything: Music (can you name 3 T.I albums?), family, the falsehood of the American home ownership dream, everything. We didn’t always see eye to eye but the sport of debate and conversation was thrilling. It felt good to exercise my mental prowess. I’m still thinking of points to things we talked about. Its tough missing that. In this dating world that I’m in, its hard to find someone who may not be turned off my all my “intellectual” talk. I was once discouraged from putting it upfront that I work, go to school, and volunteer because it can be intimidating. HUH?!? But I’m proud of these things, and this is my day to day life, how can I avoid talking about it. Its tough. So I loved that I had that stimulating experience to remind me that I can’t live without it.
What’s one of the biggest ways to constantly challenge your mind? Change. If there is one thing in life that is constant, its change. That’s the saying right? I thirst for change. Not the radical dye my hair pink kind of change (well maybe in some ways but that’s another story..) But the kind of change that causes you to grow and challenges your psyche.
My desire for change and my quality for fixating on ideas have brought back to the forefront of my mind the challenge of moving to California. This is something I WANT. I can’t explain enough how I’d be disappointed if my whole life centered around a narrow experience. I look up jobs, condos, apartments and all those things periodically to see what opportunities exist in CA that I see myself in. Despite the dismal fiscal outlook for CA right now I still think I”l find a job in my field. I can’t explain the pull of Cali on me.. Something about it draws me, appeals to me. They say go with your gut – and I want to. However, I have to remind myself now isn’t the time, but I’m working on a plan. I want to finish my degree here at NYU and have my tuition reimbursed from my job (which takes 2 years after degree competition). It seems so far away but can it be done by 2015 (also known as the year I turn 30-WOW)? I wonder if its worth waiting for my job to reimburse my tuition 100%. I mean is the cost of higher loan payments worth putting dreams on hold? On the other hand (another gemini trait-indecisiveness) isn’t it the adult thing to wait until things are RIGHT? What is RIGHT? What does that mean? And why do I feel the need to finish at NYU? Its not about the credentialing, however I do feel that its important given my background and desire for growth.. I want to move and not be in a pay check to paycheck situation. Now is the time to begin saving, planning & minimizing. I’m working on shedding my attachment to THINGS! things will hold you back, trust me. By things I mean – cars, bags, shoes- alleged american status symbols, feel me?
Ok, let me bring this back. In spite of everything I have currently going on, my desire for change and learning causes me to become bored, how is that possible? Is it due to the over activity of my gemini mind or just a real feel of outgrowing where I’m at now?
Yesterday I read this very thought provoking article called, “You Can’t Marry a Hot Vampire”. The article starts with saying how there was another article that made the assertion that romance novels are to women what as pornography is to men, that they work the same because they are rooted in illusion. Interesting right? But WTF does that have to do with Vampires?
So, the author then talks about how Twilight is the penultimate in romantic / emotional porn for women because of what it stands for. You have a woman who has two different archetypes of the embodiment of the type of man women want. You have Edward, the “Prince Charming”- he’s well-bred, polite and sensitive with an air of danger (to quote the article). Then you have Jacob (the HOT Taylor Lautner) who is the “Barbarian Prince” -He’s wild, passionate, fun loving, adventurous – uncivlized yet alluring. Two men who are anything a girl could ever want, right? What the articles central point was is that
“In the same way that pornography creates false expectations for physical intimacy, Twilight creates false expectations for relational intimacy. It tells girls it is not unreasonable for them to expect to be hotly pursued by the two most desirable guys they know. It tells them their relationships should be defined by all-consuming passion from Day One. And it tells them their future boyfriends/husbands need not necessarily be “human,” but rather anthropomorphized checklists of masculine ideals.”
He pretty much asserts that women have traded marriage for myth … I think this is interesting.
I will be the first to admit that I romanticize things, in my head. However, to the world I’m always sort of waiting for the other shoe to drop. But the article is kind of true. It’s like that episode of Sex and the City where they call Charlotte out about her “urban relationship myths” and how it’s always a friend of a friend of a friend, whose man came to his senses, left his wife and they moved to the suburbs and lived happily ever after. But does that stop us from dealing with the emotionally unavailable guy in hopes that he’ll realize that with us his world will change? But is Twilight and its romantic ideals any different from the millions of movies we watch? I am not alone if loving a great romantic comedy, and don’t we almost always finish it up with, “I wish I could find a love like that.” We all wish we could be shopaholics who find a millionaire who loves us despite the fact that we pretty much lied about who we were for our whole courtship (or whatever you call it in 2011).
What’s wrong with fantasy? Is romance as foreign as a wizard academy? What does Harry Potter stand for? Are we telling people that all these movies about triump and discovery are bullshit too? Aren’t we encouraged to have imagination and to live our wildest dreams? In The Last Lecture Randy Pausch talks about not letting go of your childhood and how imagination gets your everywhere. I refuse to give up romantic ideals and settle in reality. I have to believe that my “Prince” is out there or else I have to resolve to the fear that it might be a long lonely life!
Bubbly, Nail Polish, Jewelry and Treats were abundant at the Kitty Bradshaw Meet N’ Tweet event Tuesday. And what’s NOT to love about such things? What is a Meet N’ Tweet? It’s an opportunity to get together in one room with various bloggers and vendors to view items and discuss and network. What’s the one thing that benefits you in every field, NETWORKING!!! I was able to meet for the first time @mysdee and the ladies @shoshi and @OsoChic again.
I love events where people can come showcase their talents without trying to sell you items, and that’s exactly what this was. Kitty did a great job bringing together a variety of bloggers to experience different brands and/or services. So this event was great for me.
Why was this great you ask? So, as you guys know I’ve been a bit of a slacker for longer than I’d like to admit with blogging, and this kind of gave me some extra motivation of why I started doing it to begin with. No, not the meeting and the tweeting, but the following your passions! So many of the speakers were small business owners who were doing what they loved; making jewelry ( @Accessoryremix) spa services (www.bbraxton.com) baking ( @tasty_morsels) and technology ( @nrelate). Writing was/ is my passion and I need to get back to basics!
Now, onto the stuff! OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG So… I had heard recently of Squeem ( @Squeem) and that they were the Who’s Who among shapewear, so needless to say I was thrilled to see it in the gift bag. I received the perfect waist shapewear and wore it yesterday. OMG LOVE IT. It feels weird at first to the touch. Before reading closely I said, “hhmmm this feels like a rubber tire.” Lo and Behold Rubber is one of the materials used, but not in an offensive way. Awesomeness. I wore my Squeem with my Hanes Hosiery. FYI I live for tights and dresses and boots in autumn and winter. Black opaque tights are a hot commodity and very hard to find good quality #score! They were so warm yesterday! If you know nothing else about me, you know that I LOVE nail polish and nail art. It seriously is a hobby and passion. My nail polish colletion has grown exponentionaly over the past year or so. Soooo imagine my delight when there were CND Nail polishes! CND is known for their Shellac manicure and pedicure services but of course you need special equipment for that. I immediatelly went home and tried on the polish and it was amazing. The last thing I’ve tried so far was the CoverGirl Queen Collection Lipstick. While the color I received looks awful on me (IMO) the formula was very smooth and I liked it. Some lipgloss is very matte but this had shine and made my lips look luscious and kissable!
So that’s all the beauty products. I also went and added the Nrelate plug in to my site. I’m excited to see how that works out. I wasn’t able to mention everyone because I wanted to talk about the things I actually tried out. But I am looking forward to trying out my eyeliner from Pencil Me in Cosmetics as well as the Emergen-C. I also recommended the B Braxton salon to a student who wanted to do something nice for her husband!
The holidays are upon us again. I think I’ve made it no secret that the holidays are a tough time of year for me. Why?
This concept of FAMILY. What does it mean? Most would lead you to believe family is blood. Family are the genial relatives who make you feel worse about yourself sometimes before you feel better. But think of SATC. Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte were a family, no? Were they not there for each other through good, bad, up, down, left, right and upside down? The Holidays always force me to face the reality of what I define as my family and make me choose between spending time with my “family” and my FAMILY.
The other day I worked myself into a tizzy thinking about my Thanksgiving plans. I started thinking about myself and my grandmother and how my aunt or any of my cousins hadn’t reached out to me to see if I had Thanksgiving plans. For those new hear, I am an only child. I grew up pretty close to my cousins and my aunt. But I lived with my grandmother. I’m from small 1.2 sq mile town where nothing is far from anything. Ever since I “got grown” and started my life away from that small town, I feel like an outsider around these people I grew up with.
Anywho.. Yeah.. I got mad! Why didn’t I reach out to her? Well I had no contacts! And I also think its kind of rude to call someone and say, “hey, what are you cooking so I can come over? And oh, what should I bring?”But it wasn’t just the fact that it was her. It was NO ONE hit me up. Even my grandmother got a little out the holiday spirit when I told her I wasn’t going to Virginia to spend with her and her siblings. Instead I’ll be spending the holiday with some of my long time friends and feeling more at home with them than with my own family. However, the super domesticated part of me would rather be in the kitchen cooking with loved ones vs. just showing up. Next year I’m hosting dinner at my house. I’ve decided. With people who I hold true and dear to me. NO more being a passenger on this holiday ride, time to shape my own destiny and create my own traditions, right?
Dope. Crazy. Perfectly Imperfect. I'm not the best writer and probably not the worst either, but I am happy while doing it. Stick with me and you'll never be bored! I mean, maybe you won't and maybe you will....
Pardon me as I’m still on this New Year Resolution thing and the concept of “RESOLVE”. What does it mean to make and keep a resolution, especially one rooted in change in oneself?
So .. I ‘ve always had an affinity for crossbody bags. I LOVE them. But then they were hard to find for awhile, or at least nice ones in my price range. but my love has rekindled after the purchase of my Lauren cross body bag this summer. I love the bag I had for the summer, the Lauren by Ralph Lauren Java Bag (picture). I like this bag because it contours with your body. I remember seeing my coworker with it (in a diffrent print) and being in AWE, like OMG where did you get it! I stalked this bag. It was regularly priced at $248. I paid $78 when I purchased just by waiting a few weeks and stalking the Bloomingdales website. Then free shipping to my house? Say word? My friend was soo jealous when I told her my steal since she paid full price! #SCORE! I LOVE it. I feel sooo chic yet comfy when I adorn it. It’s also VERY VERY VERY roomy. I’ve fit so much inside. I do hope to find another bag, preferably in solid color though. So I was browsing online looking at some and her are the ones I enjoy! I would love each and everyone one of these equally 
I like the next bag because of the flap. This is the Tory Burch Amanda crossbody. I like the fact that it folds over, so no worry about spillage. Usually I have an aversion to flaps (in all senses * wink * ) however, too often it happens to me that I throw my bag in the passenger seat and the contents spill onto the seat and/or floor. Booo!! That’s also why zippers and pockets are important in a bag! that is my one complaint about LongChamp Le Pliage bags, there are no pockets inside. And the one pocket it does have doesn’t button or zip shut, so whatever you put in there ends up with the various items in the bottom of the bag. While a great, versatile bag, its definitely an openspace for all my items to forage together. Anywho, back to this bag. I don’t like the size of this bag though. There are certain things I need in life, and a large bag is one. I always need to be able to throw in my Ipad, my to-go cosmetics bag, possibly a folder full of papers for my mentees, and who knows what else. I’m definitely a bag lady. I have tried working on this, but I always fail. My compromise was to put things inside my bag into little bags (i.e. cosmetic bags and a ziploc bag full of pens) but it always gets disorganized again eventually. 
convertable and that the shoulder strap isn’t atrocious! I love that it comes in multiple colors on the Bloomingdales’ site. I can’t remember the name of teh bag right now, but I love that its so BIG! Seeing where this bag falls on the hip I like it even more. I hate when a crossbody bag doesn’t hit just right. This bag This bag is also around $400 (same as Tory Burch) but its larger, so I probably wouldn’t feel as guilty about it. Decisions, Decisions.
