The Road Not Taken (& The One That Will Be)

Apologies for my absence - I have been in a self-inflicted funk. It's really all my fault.

People might think the internal battles we face result in decisions. That we fight different thoughts, feelings, emotions (some of these, our own), & ultimately we make a choice. Though the choice may connote finality, it is not. Maybe now it seems obvious, but after you have determined your intended direction, the struggle is far from over.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could...

If you know me, you know that I LOVE my job. Like, in a weird, abnormal way previously thought only possible in 30 minute sitcoms, & strange B-grade movies with no emotional depth. I love my team, I love the rest of the team (well, mostly), & I love coming every day. I forget what day of the week it is, it doesn't really feel like work. As content as I have been here, I suppose that there is always some part of the human race that wants more. Then, I had this amazing carrot dangled in front of me. Or maybe rather, just dropped in my lap. If carrots could talk, it would have said "you will have to actively express a lot of disinterest to get rid of me".

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

I am, personally, of the persuasion that believes, you should never ignore carrots. So, I jumped (yes, I know, I told you it was in my lap). Hook. Line. Sinker. Now, I'm standing at the edge of what is not just comfortable, but amazing, & looking out at this giant question mark that I willingly chose. 

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

Logic tells me that right now, I'm being emotional. I'm sad to leave people & a place that I love, that has loved me back, & given me a lot. I'm truly, deeply sad. It's hard to express this to people adequately without the blank stare, (sometimes evident) slight look of disgust "Well then, don't leave."Like it's this DUH-moment that I just haven't had yet. A part of me (part A, let's call it) knows, that I could stay here forever & be completely content. That part of me screams at the part (part B) that thought a new challenge sounded necessary. WHAT is WRONG with part B of me? WHAT am I thinking? If you're happy, what-in-the-masochist am I trying to pull here?

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by...

And here is what I know. I know life is about experiences. A long string of them, some make sense, some seem like a strange after thought in a Fitzgerald novel, some suck, & some are incredible. This is another experience. Another thing, a lot of other things. It's a new path. It doesn't make it any less valid. It doesn't mean it will be any less important to me, when some day, another day, I again look at 2 paths. It's simply new. It's unknown, un-walked. It's scary, it's hard. It's uncomfortable for reasons, but the largest one being because it isn't comfortable. 

I've heard before that you should do the thing that scares you most, the thing that terrifies you. The only thing to fear, is fear itself right? I might be shaking, but next Friday will come no matter what. I can try & pretend I'm just going on a long vacation, deny until the end, until I have more easily transitioned & it's obvious that I am not returning to this cluttered desk, but pretending I'm organized & interesting at a new one. It's strange to leave a thing you love before you feel your time has passed. Strange & probably very uncommon. I look to the future with high hopes, & the knowledge that the things I have learned & the people I now love will not leave me. 

I suppose it's on to the next adventure. & a secret girls club podcast. And only time will tell what makes all the differences.

The Anatomy of an Outfit

Often times, I find myself wanting new things, as I'm sure most of you do. It's pretty much ingrained in our DNA. I have this genetic predisposition to NEED to spend money. I also have this sad, symbiotic predisposition of never having enough of it. Luckily, I find as I get older, I also slowly get wiser (even more slowly in some areas - see: personal finance). I have found recently, working with what I already have can lead to some pretty stellar results. I really need to remember this more.

Invest in the basics, work with what you have, & do laundry (I'm also not so good at the latter).

This brings me to, (drum roll please)

1. GAP utility jacket (long gone but similar here) - forever21 gold necklaces (see below for purchase info) - fluXus gray tee (similar fluXus option here, american apparel tri-blend = great substitute) - ray-ban aviators. 2. leigh elena rose gold & skin cuff (similar online here, purchased at amazing local boutique Aquarius) - ASOS skull charm bracelet (extremely similar here). 3. classic elevator shot - 7 for all mankind black gummy skinnies (great sale find - gone, but similar here). 4. kitty socks were only fitting for bigger kitty boots - cat socks from $ section at target - sam edelman petty booties in snow leopard (all gone, but same pair here, in "new nude leopard"). 5. delicate gold jewelry, forever21 (diamond cutout here, similar small spike charm here, studs in set here, wish I had seen these guys here)

The cardinal rule: Find what works for you. 

I like skinny pants or serious wide legs (I tend to go for extremes). I like black. I love white. I never met a gray I didn't want to take home (hey-o). I also love pattern, & adventurous color combinations. I love a great statement piece, but I'm also starting to lean towards extremely delicate pieces, like the skull charm bracelet from ASOS above. This utility jacket came into my closet YEARS ago from GAP, but I'm still wearing it. I've also been wanting black leather pants since the dawn of time. IF you are looking to invest in a legit pair of leather pants, make sure you read this. If like me, leather pants are equal parts out of your price range & completely impractical for your climate (leather pants in south Texas? no thanks), you should try coated or waxed denim. The waxed Hudsons that appeared this past fall in krista & smoke (cognac/neutral brown colors) are my JAM - these black 7's are great so far too. The inside is soft like a cotton fabric would be, they have the stretch element that's so important for flattering skinnies, but the outside has that beautiful sheen. AND though I'm not keen to do laundry, I can actually wash them myself (no, not handwash - in the machine!).

Plus, recycling your outfits is totally "green", right?

'til next time,

Gee Willikers

It's nice to be back. 

After a longgggggg long period of too much to do, I finally find myself with some time on my hands. I'm sure it won't last.

But while we're on the subject, I thought I would take some of this strange, new "free" time to share a few of the projects I've been working on.

For our annual company-wide meeting, Summit, the Marketing Department has an insane amount of work to do behind the scenes. Along with the Summit Committee, we took on extra work way outside of our day-jobs' purview. From place cards to t-shirts, & silly putty packaging to tablescapes, we add all kinds of fun to our portfolios & a depth of understanding for a much MUCH wider range of projects. Did I mention the 6-foot tall sheet metal cut out?

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

The Summit Committee & volunteers rolled, tied, & tagged 300 t-shirts the Thursday night before the event. The back of the shirt was designed to utilize the space to thank sponsors. For a close-up of the front of the design, click here.

Aint nobody got time for that.

I always thought (God-willing) someday, I'll do my own wedding shit. Thankfully, I learned with this event EARLY (like, years before engagement early) that there's no way in hell I'll be making my own tissue paper garland or arranging my own flowers (hellooo allergies!). For centerpieces, we collected recycled wine bottles from fellow employees. Committee members & volunteers soaked & cleaned the old labels off so that we could add our own custom labels. 6 different labels were created overall (see bottom left image above). We also designed 5 different commemorative coasters to add a cheeky element to the table. These were printed front & back. For closeups, click here. These were printed on cotton paper & took on a unique, vintage feel. The place cards had a fun backgammon-esque pattern & used 2 different typefaces. The overall effect was charming, retro, & perfectly on theme.

Everyone loves swag.

This is just a glimpse into the goodie boxes that were at every seat Saturday morning as the day began. The black boxes were 7 by 7 inches & the perfect size to hold all of the event swag we got to design! There were 2 different square notepads (see bottom right image with orange outline), an alien stress-squeeze (Take me to your Provider), a boogie-bot (see him in action in the video below), some obviously sweet stunner shades (yes, you can see through them), a color-changing cup that reacts to temperatures, silver silly putty, branded headphones, & more. We even utilized a mixture of silver tinsel, blue crinkle paper, & recycled, shredded old collateral to stuff the boxes with (we're so green). They were extremely cute & full of fun. A great way to start off Summit 2013!

Last but not least

We had a lot of amazing things at Summit 2013, but the agenda (bottom left images, turquoise outlines) was definitely an innovative piece showcasing a message from our CEO, a QR code that led to a surprise (more on that another day), & the outline for the weekend. As you can see, it also utilized a FOIL STAMP (see also: designer's wildest dreams). The Summit badges (bottom right, orange outline) were a fun identifier that also encouraged social media interaction. Bonus: my new & improved title "Artist, Ruler of Social Media + Space Cats". The top right image was a series of easel backs created to educate employees about our new social media initiatives, & also give a brief overview of each medium (Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, & Twitter) for those select few who are still somehow in the dark. To get the full program experience, check out my vine video below:

& here's co-worker // partner in crime (JazzFest here we come!) Sarah & I with the giant robot!

Thanks for hanging around in my absence & stay tuned for more fun things to come! (DIY embellished festival shorts anyone!?)

One time..

One time, I had a blog. 

I started it & updated it for about... oh, say 2 weeks. Then my life became a hell-hole of overtime & work (though, a very fun hell-hole, explanation coming below).

Not that I'm self-delusional enough to think anyone besides my boyfriend is reading at this point (& well alright, a few others) BUT I wanted to keep myself accountable & let you all know of the exciting things that are currently in the works.

- More recipe fun: I tend to try at least one or two new things a week, but as of late I've been really into microwavable & frozen foods. Thank God for Trader Joe's.

- A blinged out denim cutoffs DIY - inspired by the ever-popular Rosie Huntington-Whitely Coachella pic

image via www.modelsblog.inf

- Pictures of what I've been up to (which, as a graphic designer, have been SO amazingly fun & challenging) including promo items GALORE, paper goods (letterpress coasters, anyone?) & even apparel (no shocker there, yes I did a t-shirt) BUT all in a kitschy-fun, retro-future space theme. No, I couldn't have added any more adjectives to that sentence if I tried. But great color scheme. Great fonts. Literally, any designer's wet dream (sorry, I'm so graphic in nature.. also sorry for that awful pun). 

So please, if you're out there, don't despair, or give up hope. Things are happening, & I vow to return very soon with some very fabulous things up my sleeves.

As always,

El Tiablo

original image here

This week was truly apocalyptic as I was treated to not ONE, but TWO nights of television bliss when ABC & Team Bachelor surprised 'Merica with .. Bachelor Tuesday! It only seems fitting to title this post 'El Tiablo' (props to Mary-Alice for that one) because just when I thought American Horror Story was over, God gave us Tierra.

via tubetopix 

The internet has EXPLODED with how much it hates Tierra. She was even trending on Twitter last night. Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water after Ben's season with of Courtney, ABC hands us this little gem ball of hellfire, Tierra LiCausi. She makes Courtney's edit seem like a DREAM. And I submit to you, no matter how tierrable I thought Courtney was, this girl gives the word both new meaning & new spelling. At least Courtney was smart (& albeit mean, but also very funny... if we're being honest)

via crushable.com

In this week's offerings (as in life's), the devil goes by many names, Tierrable, Tierrarist, Emotional Tierrarist, El Tiablo, Tiny T, Slore (don't ask - because REALLY, ladies, we've reduced ourselves to slut shaming?) but she only has one game. If you thought you knew someone who could play victim better than Meryl in Sophie's Choice, think again. Although I just have to say, no, Tierra, it's not pity shit, it's PETTY shit. And nothing gets under my skin more than a botox job gone wrong, a grating whiny voice, & a girl who can't even trash talk with proper sentence structure &/or grammatical skills.

I'm sure I could write a novel on how I'm not impressed with her manipulation skills, but for another day, dear readers (all 4 of you), for another day.

M O N D A Y

Lindsay gets the first one on one in our new location, Whitefish, Montana. Lindsay, I just don't like her (but who do I really like, ever?) She's okay. And so is their date. He seems really into her, but I just keep thinking, if what you're "connecting" on is that you both want to someday have a family, get married, only be married once, and have a stable relationship.. then I'd say you've found like 80% of all living people. I just don't see it. Plus, my boyfriend literally yells at the television when she's on, he finds her so annoying (which is, in fact, very comical, I'm sure you were wondering). She gets the rose though, and then literally the entire town of Whitefish comes out to listen to a private concert. Sean & Lindsay dance on a platform that places their feet at eye-level for all bystanders, right in the center of the crowd. Seems very awkward & pagan-ritual-esque to me, but what do I know? I'm just from Texas.

Group date - this involves 8 girls, Selma, Robyn, Lesley, AshLee, Catherine, Des, Sarah, & Daniella (which leaves Jackie & Tiablo to duel head to head in the famed & dreaded 2 on 1 date!!) The group date involves a competition including a kayak (canoe?! are they the same!? help me I have no idea), bales of hay, 2 giant saws (bad idea ABC), and some goats waiting to be milked. Also, someone has to drink the hot, unpasteurized creamy goat bi-product before their team can win. Apparently, these extreme competition dates are a new thing, but I'm just confused because I thought I was watching The Bachelor, not The Amazing Race Fear Factor Big Brother.. In a strange twist, my boyfriend wins. Because he volunteers to drink ALL of the goat's milk.

But really, it doesn't matter who wins because they all get to come to the party any way, which ruffles some very particularly preened feathers. And what do you know, Tierra shows up. Because apparently she does whatever the fuck she wants and no one cares. Seriously, I know these girls are "trying" to confront the issues, but she's about 4 feet tall & they drink a LOT of adult beverages on this show. It's quite frankly a miracle, divine or otherwise decidedly NON divine intervention that keeps this woman alive. But in a truly shocking twist, Daniella gets the rose.

THE TWO ON ONE - in the wise words of Chris Harrison, Two Women, One Rose. One Stays, One Goes. We all wait for this like those capitol freaks at the reaping and now it's here.. You can't look away, it's a train wreck. Let's reflect on the Blakeley scrapbooking fiasco of '12 (said in Old Hollywood voice) .. it almost hurts to watch, but we do, and we love it. Was anyone really shocked that Tierra gets the rose and Jackie, who we've literally seen about 4 times, goes home. Kudos to Jackie, who I feel like I know less than the people I spend time with in the elevator on the way up 3 floors to work each day. You are one of the 7 individuals with experience on reality television who has maintained the veil of mystery. Who are you? We will probably never know. Unless you come out swinging at the Women Tell All.. Only time will tell.

Rose Ceremony: Super uncomfortable, but I always become giddily excited when women invoke their astrology signs as rationale for their behavior and how they will or will not react in any given situation. Thank you Tierra, again, you never fail to disappoint. Robyn leaves, which is sad because I'm thinking she got the axe because Sean mistook the "drama person in the house" (which, Tierra, I'm pretty sure is NOT a real term) for her, not her nemesis the world's nemesis, Tierra. And then they were all white (just kidding, Selma only looks white, and Catherine is some sort of racially ambiguous).

T U E S D A Y

Catherine gets the first one on one during Bachelor Tuesday. She's cute, she's still not wowing me with her clothing choices (but I did really dig the black knee-high/over the knee boots - hard to tell with all those layers, the Frye Melissa or Jackie? Currently on my want list) but any ways, Sean operates seriously heavy machinery (is he licensed to drive a snow-bus, I'm thinking no..) they ride in a horse-drawn carriage (I thought those were really awful for animal rights, no?) to a castle made of glass much like these relationships ice. Apparently, this kicks off the tell-your-sob-story portion of the season, as this seemed to be the week all the ladies brought their worst skeletons out to play in order to establish a "stronger connection" with Sean. Maybe it's just the editing, but these always seem like such an insincere, non-genuine ploy. They truly make my skin crawl. It could also be poor communication skills & all the alcohol, but please. Doesn't alcohol make us ALL better communicators? Amiright?

Catherine gets the rose. And, really, I like her. In the way you like a college freshman when you're a senior, as she giggles nervously at everything you say. I'm truly a tierrable person. But she's cute, she grows on you, I'm hoping that as we see more of her, she continues to not disappoint.

More group date fun this week with Tierra, AshLee, Lesley, Daniella, Lindsay, Selma, & Sarah. They're going to canoe (I'm sure I'm right this time) across Lake Louise (oh, we've moved the Canada, no biggie, we jump locations all the time in this show). SURPRISE "ladies", we're doing the Polar Bear Plunge - Sean says "YOLO" (I wish I was kidding.. actually, no I don't) & then the medics come out to explain, it's true, you DO only live once, and here are all of the medical & health-related risks to submerging yourself fully in water that's temperatures are just below freezing. Princess Selma opts out in a wild streak of rationale (I know immediately, this means, SEE YA SELMA), but all the rest strip down reluctantly (stripping is never reluctant on this show) and run right in. Lesley, CUTE bikini. Girl, where's that from? (I'd guess VIX. Love the leather detailing).

via ew.com

This is the part we've all been waiting for, Tierra gets hypothermia & dies. Sean actually says there's pretty much nothing I can do, so I'll leave it to the experts, & pays almost no mind until he visits her in her hotel room later. She's conveniently JUST plugged herself back into the oxygen tank. Their exchange is, as always, annoying, and horizontal. Men are SO hard to predict, right? He says, hey girl, take it easy, no need to come to the night portion of our group date tonight. Which he should know means she'll be there with bells on AT ALL COSTS. But too bad, so sad, Tiablo, because Lesley gets the group date rose (That's 1 for God & America, if we're keeping score).

Later, something is just not sitting right with Sean. He heads to surprise his harem with news of what's up. To quote a fellow (though, eons more established) recapper, "Yep rose-lovers, the time we all knew was coming has arrived: The one-armed girl is being sent home."

... Sarah leaves. And it's sad. She's got GREAT style (I've said it before) and a great job, and I know all of America wishes her the best. See you at the Women Tell All. & on Twitter. & on Instagram. Apparently, I'm girl-crushin' hard.

Des goes on the next date, her SECOND one-on-one (everyone's all aflutter with this). They repel down a giant steep cliff, have a picnic, climb a tree, totally normal stuff. Then they hang out in a teepee (which is totally a new life goal - specifically this teepee, thanks Allie for the knowledge!). And we learn Des was homeless & SUPER poor. But, she shrugs it off, never tears up, articulates her miserable fairly normal life circumstance well, and re-wins my Sean's heart in the process. Love that Des. It's too bad ABC hinted that she had a secret boyfriend early on in the season... guess we'll see how that one pans out later friends.

P.S. I'm totally on TEAM DES.

Rose ceremony YET again... Who will leave tonight? I'm callin' Selma & Daniella early... Selma cashes in her good girl "I can't kiss on national television" chips and plants an awkwardly long close-mouthed kiss on Sean. She wouldn't get half-naked and jump in subzero temps though, so I'm still fairly certain I'm right. Daniella, who literally always appears AND seems she's just walked off the set of Clueless, gets virtually no one-on-one time, so I feel fairly safe in this assumption as well. That doesn't mean I don't hope that Tierrable the Tiny isn't getting the boot, I just know better (since ABC showed her fighting with AshLee in a tropical locale). Also, WHAT is Tierra wearing you guys? This strange white high-low chiffon concoction complete with fake strip of fur around her shoulders (like a vest, but not!?)... Can't wait to read Possessionista's thoughts on that one. 

Selma & Daniella head home... & the rest of us head to St. Croix & the US Virgin Islands! Here's hoping this is the last stop on the "Where in the World is Man-Eating Tierra" tour.

A few of my favorite things...

Dark Chocolate + Avocado ??

Certainly raises a few eyebrows. BUT if you're looking for an easy (& I seriously mean easy) & healthy dessert option, may I suggest this Dark Chocolate Avocado Mousse recipe via Refinery29?

1. All 3 ingredients, ready to mix. 2. After mixed/mashed with fork 3. Loaded up & ready to go
4. Fresh pomegranate seeds YUM 5. Another favorite, raspberries 6. Delicious. Pure heaven.

Recipe:

- 2 avocados (fairly ripe - but obviously, not overripe)
- 5 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (recommended 60% cacao or more - in my opinion, the darker the better when it comes to chocolate, also helps to mask "avocado" taste)
- 4 Tbsp agave syrup (I used some organic, raw blue agave syrup found at Trader Joe's)

Ready? You may need to take notes. This is fairly complex.

Peel, & dice avocado. Add cocoa powder & agave syrup. Mash with a fork until all lumps are gone & ingredients are evenly blended.

If you really wanna get picky, you could do this with a mixer & it would be even smoother & creamier. Serve with fresh berries (I added raspberries & pomegranate seeds - YUM). This recipe is seriously THAT easy, probably impossible to screw up, AND I can think of a million ways to modify depending on how you like your chocolate. [insertjokeshere] . . .

- Throw in some peanut butter
- Throw in some hazelnuts, or even better, hazelnuts AND nutella. Or just nutella
- Go crazy with fruit, add blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, all berries.
- Dark Chocolate and orange pair nicely - throw in some mandarins if you're feeling adventurous. Citrus also helps to keep avocado from getting weird as quickly, so toss in some fresh orange juice if you don't plan to eat within a day or two.
- Top with your favorite fro-yo, ice cream, sprinkles, etc. & enjoy a variation on a sundae.

Avocado is a healthy fat, great for skin, hair, nails, among other things. So, while this is not necessarily a guilt-free indulgence, you should certainly feel good about getting your dessert kicks in with a fat that's good for you.


cheers, happy weekending -

Pep Talk Thursday

This is the single most precious thing. Ever.

"I'm on your team, be on my team."

So, what's your space jam?

-a

Kitchen Ambitions

Maybe Hump Day's not the most exciting day of the week, it's definitely not typically a day for me to strive for many accomplishments. Since this is a week of firsts for me, I ambitiously planned not one, but TWO culinary extravaganzas. Here I will outline the first.

Much to my boyfriend's dismay, I planned a healthy dessert (well, a healthy FAT dessert - see, avocado) to follow a healthy dish (here comes the bigger shocker . . .) & then, I actually made both of them. Though, I will say, I had to stop at the grocery store on the way home to pick up a pasta just in case. He was fully resigned to hating it.

Juan feigning excitement over his plate of squash

He loved it. 

Here's the recipe (please note: I modified the recipe a bit, but the link to the original is on the Trader Joe's website) & a step by step in pictures below (because, I'm admittedly a spaghetti squash newbie).

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara via Trader Joe's (with my modifications, serves 4-6)

- Large Spaghetti Squash
- 6 slices TJ's Applewood Smoked Bacon, chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 cup of light cream cheese, cubed
- 1 cup Fresh English Peas
- 1 1/2 cups of Low-fat Milk
- 1/3 cup of grated fresh Parmesan Reggiano

Cook the squash: Use a sharp knife to cut squash in half lengthwise. Use a large table spoon to scrape out the seeds and string (this had that old pumpkin smell to it, I put it down the disposal rather quickly). Season with salt and pepper, place cut side up in a microwave safe dish and add about an inch of water to the bottom of the dish. Cover dish with cling wrap and microwave on high for 8-10 minutes. (I had to do each half of the squash separately) Allow to cool enough to handle before unwrapping. Use a table fork to scrape squash from top to bottom to separate flesh into strands of "spaghetti." Prepare Sauce: Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Remove from skillet with slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Pour off bacon drippings. Add garlic to pan and sauté until opaque, about 1 minute. Add milk, cream cheese and peas; simmer over very low heat until cream cheese is melted and mixture is well blended and heated through (you can add more milk if too thick). Add squash and bacon; toss to coat. Sprinkle on Parmesan cheese and serve right away.

1. Milk, english peas, light cream cheese, & parmesan 2. Slicing that squash was not easy, but all my digits are intact
 3. You can really scrape all the way out to the skin, so waste not! 4. Spaghetti Squash is no longer daunting, it practically falls apart with no pressure. 5. BACON 6. The sauce with peas, great thickness to it that I wasn't expecting 7. Finished product 8. Happy (Empty) Plate! 

Verdict: Absolutely delicious. I can't wait to try more spaghetti squash as a substitute for pasta. Obviously, it's much healthier, & I would be lying to you if I felt good about myself while saying "I couldn't even tell the difference". Because really, what kind of asshole who can't tell the difference between a squash and a delicious carb? Well, I promise you, I couldn't (or didn't) notice.

Now, onto dessert! But, that's a post for another day!

-a

Monday is the new Friday

See what happened there? I decided to write formally (see: capitalization). Nothing to distract you from my pure & unadulterated thoughts. If you're concerned that what is probably my first "real" post is about a reality television show journey, then you would be human. I solemnly swear that I am up to no good & will post something at least 4 other human beings find interesting before the week's end.

Monday is definitely the new Friday, except I still have to wake up & come to work on Tuesdays, so there's that. There are (sadly) truly few things I enjoy more than ABC's Bachelor Nation franchise. Welcome to my weekly round-up of all things Bachelor / recap of sorts of episode 3.

Selma gets the first date, & I'm pretty sure she is as close to perfectly beautiful as humanly possible.

(via wetpaint.com)

Please note: I'm immediately confused & distracted by the GIANT bump in her pony.. Is that a bump-it? Do people really use those? Surely someone as beautiful as she is can manage hair + clothing from this decade... but I digress. Thoughts about this date:
- This ish is straight out of the Parent Trap & there ARE certainly some twins present, though not our    good friend LiLo..
- We quickly learn she's Iraqi & from a Muslim family, kudos to ABC, because they really brought the diversity this season. I'm excited to see what I hope is a positive representation of herself & her culture in a reality television show (because I'm a nerd like that).
- We then learn she's not allowed to kiss. Which I'm not thinking does much to make Muslims seem any more normal to the 90% of Americans who don't understand much outside of their 3 foot radius.
- Sean is somehow super into this.. & I quote from his weekly People.com blog:

"The no-kissing thing made our relationship more exciting because I had something to look forward to."

Clearly Sean has never seen the Virgin Diaries on TLC ... BUT, Selma gets the rose & we move onto the group date! Sean informs his lovely ladies they'll be roller-derbying, which doesn't at all seem like a major liability / awful idea for women about to claw each other's eyes out anyways.

- The Amanda-Tierra pact of evil, manipulative, roller derby queens is terrifying.

- Karma strikes and sadly Amanda breaks her jaw hurts her face on the ground & is taken to the hospital. Was anyone else eerily squeamish when the only words she can muster are "I'll be back" as the mini-van pulls away (sidenote: ABC, mini-vans, REALLY? what's up this season? I'll now be including a mini-van count each week)

- Roller Derby cancelled, so we all put on our best hooker heals & head to the rooftop pool.

- Amanda reappears like a vision in a full J.Crew ensemble... & "milks" her injury for all it's worth, until ..

- She is out-milked by Tierra's mini meltdown, which earns our resident Tierra-rist the rose. Doesn't Sean know not to reward bad behavior?

THEN we come to the prostitute, I mean Pretty Woman themed date ..

- I really disliked ALL the dress choices (though I usually love Badgley Mischka, what gives?), but I'm pretty sure Leslie H. chose THE WORST.

(via @RachTrue_ on Twitter)

- Then, none of her accessories matched.. That she chose. Immediately after choosing the dress..

- She's a super fun girl, but as soon as Sean said he was hoping something WOULD click, I knew she was going home, because nothing had clicked yet.

- Leslie leaves, but she seems relatively normal & pretty awesome, so I'm sure she'll do well for herself out in the world.

Rose Ceremony highlights:

- Sarah Herron has pretty amazing style & I'm SO into her fishtail braid, I'm rocking one today!! She (as always) looks absolutely stunning & flawless.

(via Possessionista - Blog I LOVE)

- Amanda's lookin' about as cray as I usually think her smile makes her seem.. Now, I do love a vampy lip, but what's happening with her hair? Also the dark, dark lipstick is not doing much for the dark bruise you can see on her chin (I actually feel really bad for her for having to try & cover that bad boy up on national television & simultaneously going home)

- We finally see more of Catherine, BUT I'm pretty sure she is actually in hooker heels.. are those clear plastic acrylic bottoms on your coral shoes? She is very endearing though, so I'll let it slide.

- I hope I NEVER hear another come-on involving chocolate EVER again. Ever.

- I still don't know who Daniella or the red-headed cosmetics girl are.. maybe next week?

So, our casualties this week are Amanda & Leslie H. To the rest of the ladies, may the odds be ever in your favor, or at least they've brought you into next week's double feature (that's right, 2 episodes in 2 nights, in ONE week).. which I'm wayyy too creepily excited about. 

-a

hello there

well hello. please know, i'm aware i will only be blogging for myself until (if any) readership grows. i also know i should be consistent with punctuation, capitalization, etc. i really can't promise that. shout out to a new partner in crime, sarah, who came up with this hilarious idea for a blog title.

this is probably my only resolution for 2013 i may actually keep (at least for a few weeks). so when i got to share yesterday, elated i had finally put the finishing touches on the time & effort for this personal project, i couldn't wait to show off what i had done. surprise, surprise, my boyfriend had blank stares & then asked, "what's the point of a blog again?". . .

thus, i will outline the point (for now) of THIS blog - i'm very aware it can & probably will change, but it's original intent is to

- keep me sane
- keep me better organized
- keep me on budget
- keep me on my creative toes
- keep me excited about living & doing new things

posts will most likely range from

- monthly clothing/accessories budget & what i purchased & why
- travel (i plan to do much more of this, which is why i'm trying to better budget the aforementioned)
- food (both found & made)
- creative projects & their journey (i set up an etsy store last fall - still nothing in it..) eventually i'd like it to have throw pillows, paintings, jewelry, prints, & other home goods
- television musings + recaps (i'll try not to bore you with these, but i do love my TV)

so follow along with me, check back occasionally to make sure i'm doing something (or anything at all) & if you're interested, hopefully watch this grow into something bigger than a "new year, temporary me" thing.

always love,
-a