I absolutely love winter. I love the cold, the drearyness in the mornings, and most of all, the way cuter clothing. I have an affinity for coats and am really getting into boots. I have my share of Northface Denali jackets (3 to be exact; 4 if you count the one from high school I still have) which keep me warm walking to class and on weekends. I'm not a sweatshirt kind of girl, so I invest in coats. My houndstooth pea coat from Express made my winter last year, so I've been searching for a new love for this coming winter. Voila, off-white pea coat from Old Navy. I found one of these at Express for $200, but couldn't justify buying this. But buying a coat from Old Navy, especially when it was HALF OFF...now that I can justify. Take a look; you can get it in green, red, black, or off-white. Coat.
Now, onto boots. I have a pair of Uggs that I love, but I can't just wear those now can I? I bought some brown boots last year at Rack Room Shoes and I loved them so much that I went back this year and bought them in gray. They look great with my skinny jeans tucked into them and I literally wear both of them anywhere. Plus, Rack Room usually has a buy one, get one 50% off, so I was able to get another pair that make me drool just as much.
Now, all I need is for the cold water to stay so I can actually wear this stuff more often.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
Being a Girl can be Hard.
Being a woman is very difficult. With all of the zillions of products out there, it can be hard to figure out what is best for YOU. Yes, you. Not the entire population of woman, because face it, no one product is going to be great for the entire population. Makeup does different things for everyone, as well as shampoo, conditioner, hair products, and everything that goes along with it. And let's not even get started on clothes. Oy vey. It can be a long and tedious process in order to find what works best. I've come up with my top ten personal products that I have found that work for me and most of my friends. I'm going to attach my favorite clothing with my next blog post. (Also, these are in no particular order).
1. Skincare is extremely important. I have combination-to-oily skin, and have finally found a product that works for me and my blackhead issue. I use Clarin's three step process, and it's amazing. No water, no rubbing.
-Facial Milk.
-Toner.
-Lotion.
2. I love shampoo and conditioner. I have tons of bottles in my shower, and rotate on a regular basis. I have really thick hair, so getting my hair clean is very difficult. My favorite cheap product is an organic shampoo made by Organix, which is a company who makes sulfate free products, which is better for hair.
-Shampoo.
-Conditioner.
3. Everyone should use a deep conditioner at least once a week. I was a fan of a product from Pantene, but have recently discovered a product made by Keune that does wonders for my colored hair. Plus, it smells so yummy, I can't help but use it.
-Deep Conditioner.
4. I love Bath and Body Works. I've always been obsessed with Wild Honeysuckle, but have recently gotten into a brand new scent, Sensual Amber. I bought the body cream, and have used no other lotion since the day I bought it.
-Lotion.
5. I'm really picky on perfume, but my old roommate had this perfume (Amor Amor) when we lived together, and I can't get enough of it. You can usually find it on clearance at TJ Maxx, which is so amazing to pay less money for this.
-Perfume.
6. I'm a fan of makeup, but never wear very much when I'm going to class. One thing I never go without is mascara. I bought Urban Decay simply because I thought the bottle looked neat, but love the way it makes my lashes big. It also never runs on me, which is good since I wear contacts, and tend to rub my eyes a lot.
-Mascara.
7. Another thing I never go without is eyeliner. I have very blue eyes and very pale skin, so without eyeliner, I tend to look very sad, even more pale, and unfresh. One of my best friends used this at work one day, and I loved how easy it was to put on, which is great for me because I'm not the best at putting makeup on. Covergirl can be found anywhere, so it's an awesome inexpensive product.
-Eyeliner.
8. Since I have really pale skin, bronzer is a must. I hate lipstick and rarely remember to put on lip gloss, so I have to use bronzer to avoid looking like a ghost. I got a makeover from the Too Faced rep at Sephora and fell in love with the bronzer. It looks great on any skin tone, including one of my friends who has very dark skin.
-Bronzer.
9. I have crazy hair. It is a mixture of curly, wavy, and straight. It never does what I want it to do, and I have two left hands when it comes to styling. But one of the best purchase I ever made for my hair was a Chi hair straightener. I thought it was the biggest waste of money, but it was on clearance (still for $100) and I'm so glad I bought it. It saves me in the morning with my crazy bed head.
-Hair straightener.
10. I know it's important to exfoliate, but I love this soap because it's cheap, easy, smells amazing, and helps exfoliate. Dove also has a campaign to help make younger girls feel beautiful about their own skin, and I love to help a great cause.
-Dove Soap.
These are simply the products that I currently cannot live without. I plan on doing a list like this with my clothing basics soon. Let me know if you use any of these products, or if you have any of your own that you can't live without. I'm up for trying any new product!
1. Skincare is extremely important. I have combination-to-oily skin, and have finally found a product that works for me and my blackhead issue. I use Clarin's three step process, and it's amazing. No water, no rubbing.
-Facial Milk.
-Toner.
-Lotion.
2. I love shampoo and conditioner. I have tons of bottles in my shower, and rotate on a regular basis. I have really thick hair, so getting my hair clean is very difficult. My favorite cheap product is an organic shampoo made by Organix, which is a company who makes sulfate free products, which is better for hair.
-Shampoo.
-Conditioner.
3. Everyone should use a deep conditioner at least once a week. I was a fan of a product from Pantene, but have recently discovered a product made by Keune that does wonders for my colored hair. Plus, it smells so yummy, I can't help but use it.
-Deep Conditioner.
4. I love Bath and Body Works. I've always been obsessed with Wild Honeysuckle, but have recently gotten into a brand new scent, Sensual Amber. I bought the body cream, and have used no other lotion since the day I bought it.
-Lotion.
5. I'm really picky on perfume, but my old roommate had this perfume (Amor Amor) when we lived together, and I can't get enough of it. You can usually find it on clearance at TJ Maxx, which is so amazing to pay less money for this.
-Perfume.
6. I'm a fan of makeup, but never wear very much when I'm going to class. One thing I never go without is mascara. I bought Urban Decay simply because I thought the bottle looked neat, but love the way it makes my lashes big. It also never runs on me, which is good since I wear contacts, and tend to rub my eyes a lot.
-Mascara.
7. Another thing I never go without is eyeliner. I have very blue eyes and very pale skin, so without eyeliner, I tend to look very sad, even more pale, and unfresh. One of my best friends used this at work one day, and I loved how easy it was to put on, which is great for me because I'm not the best at putting makeup on. Covergirl can be found anywhere, so it's an awesome inexpensive product.
-Eyeliner.
8. Since I have really pale skin, bronzer is a must. I hate lipstick and rarely remember to put on lip gloss, so I have to use bronzer to avoid looking like a ghost. I got a makeover from the Too Faced rep at Sephora and fell in love with the bronzer. It looks great on any skin tone, including one of my friends who has very dark skin.
-Bronzer.
9. I have crazy hair. It is a mixture of curly, wavy, and straight. It never does what I want it to do, and I have two left hands when it comes to styling. But one of the best purchase I ever made for my hair was a Chi hair straightener. I thought it was the biggest waste of money, but it was on clearance (still for $100) and I'm so glad I bought it. It saves me in the morning with my crazy bed head.
-Hair straightener.
10. I know it's important to exfoliate, but I love this soap because it's cheap, easy, smells amazing, and helps exfoliate. Dove also has a campaign to help make younger girls feel beautiful about their own skin, and I love to help a great cause.
-Dove Soap.
These are simply the products that I currently cannot live without. I plan on doing a list like this with my clothing basics soon. Let me know if you use any of these products, or if you have any of your own that you can't live without. I'm up for trying any new product!
Monday, November 2, 2009
Life...with Dogs
A friend of mine, whom I'll call LT for short, has a blog about her life and commonly mentions her chocolate lab, Dixon. Now, as a lover for dogs, but with a soft spot on my heart for Lab's (first dog ever...still have her), I started reading her blog, mainly for laughs and entertainment, but also for what she would mention about her lab's crazy activities. Check out her blog here: Life with a Lab.
I always wanted a dog growing up. Practically, it was the only thing I wanted. I had a puppy when I was little named Zipper, but he was too much for our family with two kids under the age of 10 and two parents having never had a dog before. We ended up giving Zipper back to the Humane Society, where he ended up getting adopted by a family who owned a huge farm.
As I got older, I continuously asked for a dog for every major holiday. I kept being told no, and then was told that once we bought a house we could get a dog. So that glorious day in June of 2000, where my sister, mother, and I drove to the Atlanta Humane Society and picked out Misty. What a perfect day in the life of a 12 year old.
I threw myself into taking care of Misty. Now, as an almost 12 year old yellow lab, she still has a special place in my heart, despite my own two babies. When I go home to my parents house, the first thing I do is have a good romping with Misty and her squeaky newspaper. My dogs get a little jealous. I adopted Annie from the Southern Humane Society in Roswell, GA in 2007 and Bridget in 2008 from the Atlanta Humane Society. I spoil these dogs rotten, buying them the best food and toys that are possible. Bridget has a $17 toy (did I mention that she's small and eats toy to death?) that she can't live without and had to order off of Amazon because I could no longer find it in any store. Problem? Not hardly. Annie has eaten her way through five stuffed hedgehogs and only likes laying on the best blankets possible. She won't lay on fleece. Why? Go figure.
Yes, I dressed up my dogs for Halloween. Yes, I have a coat for Bridget (Annie had one, but refused to go outside). Yes, I bought them snuggies to keep warm (shut up). But my dogs are my babies. I fully believe that dogs are the gateway to a person's heart. They make me get up in the morning to take them out, when all I really want is to stay in bed. When I'm upset, they lay with me or bring me a bone. Even when they pee on the floor, I know it's not on purpose (although sometimes with Bridget it is).
Life without a dog is not worth it. Try it and see.
I always wanted a dog growing up. Practically, it was the only thing I wanted. I had a puppy when I was little named Zipper, but he was too much for our family with two kids under the age of 10 and two parents having never had a dog before. We ended up giving Zipper back to the Humane Society, where he ended up getting adopted by a family who owned a huge farm.
As I got older, I continuously asked for a dog for every major holiday. I kept being told no, and then was told that once we bought a house we could get a dog. So that glorious day in June of 2000, where my sister, mother, and I drove to the Atlanta Humane Society and picked out Misty. What a perfect day in the life of a 12 year old.
I threw myself into taking care of Misty. Now, as an almost 12 year old yellow lab, she still has a special place in my heart, despite my own two babies. When I go home to my parents house, the first thing I do is have a good romping with Misty and her squeaky newspaper. My dogs get a little jealous. I adopted Annie from the Southern Humane Society in Roswell, GA in 2007 and Bridget in 2008 from the Atlanta Humane Society. I spoil these dogs rotten, buying them the best food and toys that are possible. Bridget has a $17 toy (did I mention that she's small and eats toy to death?) that she can't live without and had to order off of Amazon because I could no longer find it in any store. Problem? Not hardly. Annie has eaten her way through five stuffed hedgehogs and only likes laying on the best blankets possible. She won't lay on fleece. Why? Go figure.
Yes, I dressed up my dogs for Halloween. Yes, I have a coat for Bridget (Annie had one, but refused to go outside). Yes, I bought them snuggies to keep warm (shut up). But my dogs are my babies. I fully believe that dogs are the gateway to a person's heart. They make me get up in the morning to take them out, when all I really want is to stay in bed. When I'm upset, they lay with me or bring me a bone. Even when they pee on the floor, I know it's not on purpose (although sometimes with Bridget it is).
Life without a dog is not worth it. Try it and see.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Dance Away the Night
If anyone knows me well, they know that I am absolutely obsessed with sports. I watch football, baseball, basketball, hockey, and tons of others. I play in two fantasy football leagues, one fantasy baseball league, and a hockey fantasy league. I always have ESPN on, unless one of my other few shows is on, like Grey's Anatomy (I'm a sap), Project Runway (LOVE LOVE LOVE), and my overall favorite, Dancing with the Stars (more on this below).
I love watching 1st and 10, because I think Skip Bayless is amazing (yeah yeah, I know everyone hates him). Around the Horn totally makes my day, because I always hope that Jay Mariotti and Woody Paige will face off for face time. Nothing makes my night like PTI. I hate when they have guest hosts on PTI, because I think it ruins the brilliance of the show. Chris Berman and Steve Levy rock my world.
As I mentioned above, Dancing with the Stars has been my obsession for many seasons. I watch every season, every episode, follow blogs, twitter, and stalk Wikipedia for all fo the information I can get. Not only have I fallen in love with certain pros (Louis Van Amstel can do no wrong), but I love the costumes and progression.
What a great way to workout. Not only is it a fun way to lose weight, but you get to learn so many cool dances. As much as doing the Soulja Boy or the Macarena is cool in bars, seeing couples swing dance or jive is way more exciting. My parents took a dance class two years ago to learn certain ballroom dances, and I've probably never seen my parents have so much fun.
UGA offers a ballroom class, but it fills up on the first day of registration. I believe that ballroom dancing is one of the most interesting sports to learn about, and it most certainly is a sport. These men and women have tighter bodies than most gymnasts and basketball players. They are way beyond the most flexible of athletes and put hours and hours of each day into perfecting their routines. Certain dances allow for lifts, so they must be agile enough to hold a woman or or to be able to perform a difficult maneuver in the air.
I would probably do anything to be able to perform these dances. It's nice to dream, but who wouldn't? I live vicariously through the show and don't miss anything. I guess it's just a
nother dirty pleasure.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Are breasts only for men? They affect men.
I tend to be a bit of a news junkie. I love reading about what is going on locally and nationally, whether it is bad or good. So many people in this world have absolutely no idea what is going on int heir own home town, much less the world.
I love CNN and I ran across a story about the original KISS drummer surviving breast cancer. Breast cancer is something that we see women struggle with every day, but we hardly ever give it a thought that it might actually affect men as well.
Breasts have become a taboo subject in this country, mainly because of the media's extreme exposure and obsession with the human body. Rarely anymore do we see a magazine article with a woman in it that does not have a focus on some part of her body. Models are supposed to model clothing, yet the eye that we use through the camera hardly sees these objects that they are supposed to be displaying. There are many media outlets that allow people to view breasts as a whole, such as Playboy or Penthouse.
Many men probably do not know that they can also be stricken with the scary disease of breast cancer. Less than 1% of breast cancer cases affect men, but it can happen to anyone. Obviously, if a musician from one of the most memorable rock bands in history can be stricken with breast cancer, any normal "healthy" man could.
I think that the Susan B. Komen Foundation is a great service to provide information on breast cancer for women, but what about the men? I know that women are constantly fighting for equality to men, but what about medical equality for men? Don't men need information about important cancers as much as women do? Would women be given more information if we had prostates as well? I don't know.
Now, every time I put on a shirt, I wonder if men worry about how their "chest" looks in the shirt the same way that I do. I have no idea if I will ever be diagnosed with breast cancer, but I know that I have decades of information about women's breast cancer to help me through it. Will men ever feel that confident about a cancer? Probably not.
Kiss Drummer Story
I love CNN and I ran across a story about the original KISS drummer surviving breast cancer. Breast cancer is something that we see women struggle with every day, but we hardly ever give it a thought that it might actually affect men as well.
Breasts have become a taboo subject in this country, mainly because of the media's extreme exposure and obsession with the human body. Rarely anymore do we see a magazine article with a woman in it that does not have a focus on some part of her body. Models are supposed to model clothing, yet the eye that we use through the camera hardly sees these objects that they are supposed to be displaying. There are many media outlets that allow people to view breasts as a whole, such as Playboy or Penthouse.
Many men probably do not know that they can also be stricken with the scary disease of breast cancer. Less than 1% of breast cancer cases affect men, but it can happen to anyone. Obviously, if a musician from one of the most memorable rock bands in history can be stricken with breast cancer, any normal "healthy" man could.
I think that the Susan B. Komen Foundation is a great service to provide information on breast cancer for women, but what about the men? I know that women are constantly fighting for equality to men, but what about medical equality for men? Don't men need information about important cancers as much as women do? Would women be given more information if we had prostates as well? I don't know.
Now, every time I put on a shirt, I wonder if men worry about how their "chest" looks in the shirt the same way that I do. I have no idea if I will ever be diagnosed with breast cancer, but I know that I have decades of information about women's breast cancer to help me through it. Will men ever feel that confident about a cancer? Probably not.
Kiss Drummer Story
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