That Will Be All For Tonight

Good evening, all. Tonight I have something a tad different for you all. I try to keep things on here generally light and unbiased. But tonight, you won't be reading more study tips, or listening to a new playlist, or be reading make up reviews. Tonight, I'm going to say my peace, and if you're still with me after that, then thank you. 

I have always been independent. As a child, as an adolescent, and as a young adult. Along with being independence comes being a strong person. I am also have my opinions. I am intelligent and I can back up my opinions with more than "because that's what I think." Earlier tonight I had typed up this entire post, which will be shared later. But then, I read the whole thing and thought, that's kind of heavy, should I really post this? Or should I just rewrite it without the substance and let my blog keep its norm. 

So, here's my peace: I will say what I please. I will express my opinion when I feel. And if I want to write a post about the best way to decorate for the current season, then I will. If I want to post about the upcoming primary presidential elections and the campaigning that will accompany it, then I will. Not because this is my blog, even though it is, but because that is who I am. I am a person. I have many facets. I am not going to shut down some of those facets just to fit a certain outline of how my blog should be written. 

So, with that you have a choice: continue to join me when I post, or never visit my page again. But from my little corner of the internet, I can say that I hope you continue to join me. I promise I will try to keep my opinions in check and I will not alway post heavy-handed topics. In the future, please expect more organization tips, more posts about how in love I am with college, but also, my opinions on some topics that you may not agree with. Again, I hope you continue to join me. 

With that, I bid you good night. Until next time, my lovelies...

WARNING: Under Construction

Warning: Today is a construction day. If you happen to stumble on my little corner of the internet, don't mind if everything is mis-matched. That's just me working on a new look. Check back later today for the finished product :)

Confessions of A Retail Employee

Good evening, my sugar plum fairies! Now that finals are over, I can get back to you lovely people. Now that finals are over, I can say that I am finished with 1/8th of my undergraduate career. Of course, after undergrad I have another 6 or so years. But hey, as Oscar Wilde says, "You can never be overdressed or overeducated." 

Anyway, since I am home, I have returned to work. If you don't know, I work at a music and movie store in the mall. Holiday season in retail is the most dreaded season ever. So, here I present to you, Confessions of a retail employee. The holiday season is stressful and we get tired and frustrated and you annoying customer do not make it any easier. As you might not guess, most of us who work in retail, we don't actually like people. Someone of the best may love their job, but have a grand distaste for people. I make this list sitting in Panera after a long day of work, so it might have more of a bite to it than if I had gotten off work a few hours ago.

Dear Customers,

We try the best we can... No really, unless you get a sucky employee, chances are, we are just trying to keep you happy. Because when you get grump, we get grumpy and that ruins our day. So please, be patient with us.

No, I cannot make an exception for you. This is especially relevant if you are talking to a basic store associate. If your goal is to skirt around the rules, then talk to a manager and maybe you'll get the nice one. But if you're talking to a seasonal employee, chances are they haven't worked there long and they aren't going to bend the rules for you because A. they don't know how and B. they want to keep their job.

DO NOT YELL AT ME. If you yell at me it will do nothing but piss me off and then I will get VERY sassy and then I will hand you over to my manager and she does not like it when customers yell at her people. With that, do not yell at my manager. She will ask you to leave. 

Lines are long everywhere, we apologize for the inconvenience and we appreciate you patience, but LINES ARE LONG EVERYWHERE. It sucks and its annoying, but no matter where you go, lines are long. So, do not think complaining will do anything but make me roll my eyes.

Please say thank you. Like I said, we are trying the best we can and we are working hard. Please be courteous and say thank you. It is polite and it makes us happy. When we are happy, we are nicer to you.

When our computers crash, it is not our fault. I am sorry that you are annoyed  but trust me, it is a much worse for us. Again, I repeat, it is not our fault. 

As you think that your life is so bad, please remember that we have to deal with at least 10 of you in an hour that think your life is so bad. Trust me when I say, its not as terrible as you think it is.

And lastly, oh please, piss me off. Take your best shot. Because I promise you, I will still have a smile on my face when I tell you that if you have that big of a problem, then you can shop somewhere else.

Sincerely, 
A Retail Employee

Its Time: Welcome to Finals

Good morning my lovelies. I hope all of your Turkey Days were all good and well. But now that that break is over, finals week is looming over. So, I thought I would take the time to build on my last two posts and explain a little bit of how I get organized and study for finals. But first, I have to share this because this scene is what I thought of when I realized what was to come. If any of you don't watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer, then you won't really understand it, but it will still be funny. For those of you who do watch Buffy, you're welcome. 

source

So, first things first. Know where you can study. It helps me to not study in the same exact spot every time. But, make sure you study spot it well-lit and quiet. We talked about contextual learning in psychology yesterday; and since you will most likely take your exam in a quiet, well-lit room, then studying in such an environment will help you recall the information better. I like to study either in my room (if it isn't messy), in the study room located in the basement of my hall, in the library, or in a quiet campus restaurant. Find the place that works best for you, then find at least one more. Having multiple places to study really helps keep you from feeling like you're stuck doing the same thing every day. And sometimes you just want to get away from your roommate's loud typing habits. (Sorry Lex) 

Secondly, make some sort of schedule. On a normal week, I will make a rough schedule of how I'll spend my free time, and as long as I'm not behind, I usually deviate from it a little bit. But during this next week and a half, I will make a strict schedule and stick to it pretty well. But please be smart enough to schedule yourself some down-time. Schedule dinner with a friend or an hour to watch Netflix. But, make some sort of schedule, even if it is a rough outline of when and what you study.

Next, and this one is kind of 2-in-1, but start studying at least a week early (if not two weeks). If you do this, you will be able to study and still get some semblence of sleep. I cannot say this enough, SLEEP IS IMPORTANT. Yeah, I get it. We are college students, sleep isn't really a priority and Red Bull is our best friend. But really guys, study early and get some sleep. If I could tell you only one thing it would be this.

Other than that, just use your study skills. In my two pervious posts, About Time for a Study Tips Post and How I Study, I talk about general study tips and how I go about my studying. If you need some help or just a nudge in the right direction, take a look at these and hopefully they'll help. 

So, since I will be entering my finals hibernation period today, you guys probably won't hear from me until its over. So, until next time...

How I Study

Hello! Last week I published a post on my top 8 study tips. So, I thought I would follow that up with a post about how I personally study. As I said last week, what works for my may not work for you. But, for those of you who never studied in high school and need some ideas to get them kick-started in their college studying endeavors, look no further! So, I now present how I study:

• I got to class. What a shock! I put a lot of emphasis on this in my study tips post, but yes, I do practice what I preach. 
• I print out the power points. Especially for my bio class where its practically required, I print out the power point before class so I can spend more time listening and not furiously writing down everything on the slide. This also gives me the opportunity to write comments on diagrams and such. 
• I listen to classical music while I study. Personally, I cannot stand silence, especially while I'm studying. If I am studying, and my dorm is quite, it actually distracts me. So, heres what I do: I listen to the "Intense Studying" playlist on Spotify. It is 14 and a half hours of instrumental, classical music. While I feel a bit like I'm sitting in Panera, it does help me concentrate and focus.
• I keep a planner. Again, I put some focus on this last week, but seriously guys, I cannot tell you how much my planner helps me. I will easily forget about a 10-point assignment for english, or about a 1-page paper for psychology, but when I look at my planner, I am constantly reminded. I have developed a great system that works so well for me.
• I write my big due dates in the month view and the week view. ie. exams, big papers, big group projects, etc.
• I write everything down. Easy 10-point assignment not due until next week? Write it down. 25-point biology assignment that requires a trip to the museum? Write it down. Ballet class? Write it down. Study date with my lab partner? Write it down. 
• I schedule study time. For example, tomorrow after my last class, I am scheduled to work on my bio lab report for an hour and this weekend I am scheduled to start studying for my chemistry lab final for an hour.
• I color code with highlighters. Any time I am scheduling to work on psych or have a psych deadline, I highlight it in purple. Any time I am working on whatever English paper I have due next, I highlight it in orange. Every class has a color. Everything gets highlights in the right color.

A semi-blurry pic of a week in my Lilly Pulitzer planner. 

• I keep my desk organized. I'm a big organization person, so this is a big one for me. Everything has a place. Everything is in that place. I have desk organizers that I use to organize my supplies and I have magazine holder that organize my notebooks, lab books, and the textbooks that fit. I try to keep my desk cleaned off at all times, but sometimes I slack. Overall, my desk is kept pretty clean, neat and organized.

My clean, for now, desk. 

• I take notes. Again, this is something I highlighted last week. But taking good notes is important. My note-taking method changes depending on the class. In psych, I take notes on my computer. In bio, I print off the power points. In chem, I take a notebook and many colored pens to class. 
• I review my notes. For my bio notes, I review them on tuesday and thursdays (the days I don't have that class). I review my psych notes on the weekends and before quizzes. When I'm studying for my psych exams, I write out my notes and highlight the most important parts. When I'm studying for my bio exams, I turn the power points into written note form. 
• I have found what works best when studying for exams. For each subject, I have a routine when I study for that exam.
• Psych: I write out my typed notes and go over them with a highlighter. I use blue for definitions, green for important ideas and purple for other important ideas that have lists. I also have my book open while I'm doing this just incase there's something that I don't completely understand. Then I type up an outline for each chapter. Then I make notecards for the important definitions. 
• Biology: I write out the power points and go over them with the same high lighter system. I type of the notes. I type up an outline. I make flashcards of the important definitions and ideas. I make sure that I understand and can replicate all of the diagrams and figures. 
• Chem: I re-write my notes into a different notebook. I re-work the example problems the professor did in class. I work the extra example problems he gives us. I work the problems from last year's exam.
• I study in advance. Or rather, I try. Sometimes I get busy and don't start studying for my Wednesday exam until Sunday, but I've only had to pull 1 all-nighter this year, so it seems to be going smoothly. 

So, that's about it. If you have any questions about how I do things, feel free to ask below :) Until next time, my lovelies...

November Ipsy Bag Review

Happy Thursday my lovelies! We are almost done with the week AND one week from today, I will be stuffing my face with delicious food surrounded by my favorite members of my family. 

So, here is what I have for you today: my November Ipsy bag review. For those of you who don't know Ipsy is a great beauty subscription website where you pay $10 a month and get a goody bag of beauty products. They have a general sample of items each month, but they personalize each bag. For example, my first month (Sept 2014) I got this AH-MA-ZING Avon Big & Daring volumizing mascara. I LOVE it! But my best friend's roommate didn't get that in her Ipsy bag. Plus, each month you get a super cute little bag. 

This November bag is my third bag, and so far, the products have been pretty hit-and-miss. My first month I got the wonderful Avon mascara I mentioned, and I also got a finishing powder from Be A Bombshell Cosmetics, and I use that every day. It is a godsend! I love it so much! But there was a hand cream in that one that I think smells like old ladies. My second bag went over a little better, I got this absolutely wonderful Ayres body butter with jasmine and rosemary oil. It smells absolutely wonderful and is so nice to my hands. And the liquid eye liner I got that month is pretty great. 

So, finally, this month. This month's bag is super cute. Its all glitter with a pink zipper. However, I was a little disappointed with the contents of this month's bag.

Product 1: Marc Anthony True Professionals Oil of Morocco Argon Oil Hair Spray.
This is a sulfate free, fast drying, extra hold, volume hair spray. I love it! It doesn't have that hair spray smell and it doesn't come out super liquid-y like a lot of there hair sprays do, it feels more like air. But it does its job as a hair spray. I would recommend it to anyone who doesn't need like a super strong hold, but a more relaxed hold. It's fairly inexpensive. A can is on;y $8.99 from Walgreens, (find it here) And for good hair spray, I don't think that's too pricey.

Product 2: Birchsap Moisturizing Lotion by SeaRx
Okay, I love this! It has a super great, fresh smell. I love the formula, its thin but not oily. (Sorry guys, not a lot to say about this one other than I like it.) Brand wise, its a little pricey for me, so I probably won't be purchasing it in the future, but I loved the sample and you can get it here.

P.S. My feet are dead asleep. Agh!!

Product 3: Bye Bye Under Eye (R) Concealer by it Cosmetics
This is a full coverage, anti-aging, waterproof concealer. And is stamped as one of their Best Sellers on their website and I don't doubt that it is, but I have a very mixed review. When I first put it on, I thought, "Oh my god. What am I putting on my poor face?" It was super cake-y and thick almost hard to blend. After working with it a little bit, it got easier to move around and blend. And once it dried, it didn't feel heavy on my face and it actually did a really good job of concealing my under-eye circles. A small amount does go a very long way. And maybe by the time i've gone through the ravel-size tube I was given I can decide if I want to purchase it. (which you can do here) For now, I'm still not sure how I feel about it.

Product 4: Ultra Olive Pencil Eyeliner by Starlooks
Okay, I am not much of an eye liner person in the first place, mostly because I kind of suck at it, and partly because it just doesn't look uber awesome on me. I'm more of a mascara girl. And truthfully, I'm super unlikely to ever use this guy because he is not only olive green, but sparkly. But for the sake of my review, I have used him once. It glided on pretty smoothly for a pencil, however, it also came right off with a q-tip, leaving nothing behind. So, if you're looking for a long-wearing pencil, I would not recommend this. Other, than that, I don't have much to say. If you're interested, you can find it here.

Product 5: Wonder Lip Paint in Mad Splatter by J. Cats Beauty
Looking at the shade, I was a little excited to try this out. And one thing I love about Ipsy is that you fill out your skin type information and thats one way they personalize your stuff. And I have no idea how to pick out lip colors for myself, so I feel like Ipsy does that for me. So, I was super excited for this. It ended up being the only product I was disappointed by. As a stain it works really well, so well that I advise you to be careful! But I was very disappointed with the shade. In the tube its a raspberry color, but when applied, its a strawberry color. There is just too much of a difference if you ask me. And I don't think it looked very good on. So, I would not recommend this. But, if you are interested, you can get it here. 

Thats all I have for you today. Let me know what you guys think of your November Ipsy bags. We're almost through the week guys. We can do it! Everything should be linked above, if its not, just let me know and I will fix it! I highly recommend Ipsy if you like subscription boxes. And plus, every month, it comes in a bright, shiny pink envelope. Who doesn't love getting that in the mail? Have a good weekend guys! Until next time, my lovelies...

About Time for a Study Tips Post

Good morning, my lovely snow flakes. The beautiful Oxford campus of Miami University got its first layer of snow yesterday, and it is absolutely picturesque. For those of you who have snow, I hope you can enjoy it and aren't too bitter about it. And for those of you who do not, your time will come (unless you live in Florida, or something) 

But anyway, I don't know about you guys, but in the months before college, I combed Pinterest for any kind of useful college pin. Whether it was dorm decorating tips, or studying tips, or dorm organization hacks, or a what to pack/buy checklist, or just funny jokes about college, if it was a descent pin, it made it onto my college board. My board has now accumulated something like 230 pins. So, I thought I would make a pin-worthy (hopefully) college post of my own. Here it is: Study Tips As Told By Shelby.

Study Tip #1: Get a planner/agenda.
What ever you want to call it, get one. I sincerely do not know what I would do without my Lilly Pulitzer planner. I have the size large, and I absolutely love it. It goes everywhere with me, even to ballet. I use it to remind myself of study dates, of due dates and to schedule specific study time. I also color code with highlighters for each class. This thing is my child! Without it, I would be a hot mess.

Study Tip #2: Go to class.
Go to class. Plain and simple. Undoubtedly, you are paying a good chunk of change to attend your chosen university, so don't be a bone head. Go to class. Not going to class is the same thing as throwing your money at nothing. If you don't go to class, you miss important information. When you miss important information, you can't study properly. When you can't study properly, you can't pass your exams. When you can't pass you exams, you can't pass you classes. When you can't pass your class, you fail out of college. When you fail out of college, you end up living at home and working at McDonalds. When you live at home and work at McDonalds then you end up hating your life. And then I will say, "see, don't you wish you went to class back in college." So, go to class.

Study Tip #3: Notes.
NOTES! NOTES! NOTES! Can you guess what this one is about? (Chuckles quietly) But seriously, guys, notes are so important. This goes hand in hand with going to class. Please go to class. Go to class and take notes. More times than not, professors will say things in class that will be on the exam, but aren't in your textbook. If you don't take good notes, learn. Look online, ask a friend, ask you professor. Do whatever you need to do to take the best notes for you. (Side bar: The best notes for your neighbor are not always the best notes for you.) point: Notes are important. Take them. Review them. Love them.

Study Tip #4: Make use of your time.
This one is important. You aren't in high school anymore, you can't just get up, go to classes and not do anything until you're completely done for the day. That 35 minutes in-between two classes? Use it to go over notes. That pesky 2 hours in-between chem and bio (a personal example) I use it to be productive. Sometimes I clean, sometimes I study, sometimes I eat, sometimes I do all three. And don't think you have to go back to your dorm when you have a gap. If the library is closer than your dorm, then go study at the library, they aren't as busy in the middle of the day anyway. If your library isn't that close. Go to a dinning hall, find a table, grab some food and study. The point? Use your in-between time wisely. Don't just sit on your computer watching Netflix waiting for your next class to start.

Study Tip #5: Find a study buddy.
This is something that I just discovered this past week, and I'm grateful I did, but I wish I had found it out a few months ago. But hey, learning process, right? Anyways, find someone to study with. Your roommate, your lab partner, the girl who you chit-chat with in class, someone, anyone. People are resources. You'll be better off learning this as early as possible. So, book a study room or find a quiet corner of a restaurant, grab your study buddy and make use of each other. 

Study Tip #6: Know how YOU study.
As I said earlier, the best notes for you aren't always the best notes for someone else. This goes for study methods too. The best way that you study for your exams isn't always the best way someone else does. So, learn what works best for you. If its rewriting your notes multiple times, if its reading every word of the text book, if its teaching an imaginary person your material, if its flashcards, whatever it is, find it. 

Study Tip #7: Download SelfControl (Macs only)
Sorry, PC users, this one is only for Macs. the SelfControl App is a wonderful tool. Its free and super easy to use. It keeps you from flipping onto Facebook or perusing Pinterest or wandering around twitter. Just download it, its such a help!

Study Tip #8: Study in advance.
Read: "Study in moderation." I'm sure you've all heard that all nighters are bad for you. While they do work occasionally, an all-nighter is not the best way to get things done. So, here's the best way:
1. Review a little at a time. Read over your notes every night. 
2. Make sure you understand things. When you go over things early, it gives you the chance to ask questions. Don't understand something? Thats okay, just ask. 
3. Review in chunks. On the weekends, go over everything you learned that week. Again, make sure you understand everything.
The point? You will remember things better if you look at them every day. so: Review. Review. Review.

Alright, my darlings. That's all I have for you today. Got some great study tips of your own? Comment them below for others to see and use! Until next time, my lovelies...

10 Commandments of Being A Lady

Happy November, my lovelies! Wow! It is cold! And it snowed last night (here in Oxford). If that's not the mark of a going to be cold winter, then I don't know what is. Well, the reasoning behind tonight's post: I was scrolling through Tumblr and saw 2 different posts and thought I would combine their ideas. So I give you the 10 Commandments of Being A Lady.

1. Make peace with your past. This is important. It is something that you have to just do. Your past is always going to be there. Realize that you can't change it and learn from it. Because otherwise, you're always going to be tripping on what's behind you and you'll never be able to see what's right in front of you.

2. Call your family members, especially on their birthdays. Take the time out of your day to remind them that you do love them because they are your family. It may be annoying, they may talk your ear off about things that don't matter, like the neighbors new lawn mower, but suck it up because it is polite.

3. Learn to be a big girl and get over it. This one is a biggy and kind of fits in with number 1. Sometimes waiting for an apology is just a waste of time and energy. So, learn to accept the apology you never got. Learn to just let things go. It will make your life easier.

4. Learn to say you're sorry. When you've make a mistake, own up to it. However, don't apologize for things that you shouldn't. Like being you. But when it is something that deserves an apology, deal with the consequences and say it.

5. Learn to make at least 1 signature dish. And the same goes with drinks. Have at least 1 dinner dish that you can make. No matter if you are hosting or asked to bring a dish somewhere, you shouldn't have to pick up something pre-made if you can help it. And for drinks, know how to make your favorite drink. You should know how to mix you're own drinks. (Now, I'm not suggesting you all go to bar tending school, just don't have to rely on other people)

6. Never disparage another women for her life choices. This is important because it is all about respect. Never, ever discourage or put down a women because she chose her family over her career or visa vera. That is her choice and you need to respect it, as she should respect yours. 

7. Have at least one business/professional outfit. You can never go wrong with have a universal blazer and pencil skirt. You never know when you'll need it. 

8. Learn to wear a smile. When you don't feel well, when you're falling apart inside, when you didn't get enough sleep, have a smile on your face. There is a time and a place to break down or to sit on the couch with sweats and a tub of ice cream. There are times when you all you want to do is stay home, but you have to go to work or you have to go to class. When those time hit, walk with a smile. And on the other hand, no one likes a resting bitch face.

9. Say "please" and "thank you." This should be a universal rule for everyone, no matter what. Don't be that girl that asks someone to do something without saying "please." Or has someone do them a favor and not say "thank you." It's polite. It shows that you have manners. It shows that you care about people.

10. Wear your heels with a smile. You chose to wear them, do not complain. Plain and simple.

Dear John Green,

UGH! It has been too long, I'm sorry, my dears. But, if you're in college, you understand how hectic it can get. And when I get a free moment, I enjoy the quiet. So, for today's rant, a bit of pop culture. 

Let's start with Taylor Swift's new CD. Being someone who works with, in and around music, I understand the significance of the weekly new release date being moved from Tuesday to Monday. And a good point someone brought up was the amount of celebrities that she had hyping this CD was ridiculous. And while I haven't listened to it yet, can it really be better than Red? Isn't that equivalent to Maroon 5 thinking they'll make a better CD than Songs About Jane. Or Three Days Grace thinking they'll do just as well without Adam? But, the one review that I have heard, that I actually trust, is that of Blink-182's Mark Hoppus. I was surprised to see this pop up on my twitter feed. (see left) Now, I love Mark. He has a great line of merchandise, I love his tweets and his instagram feed. I've met him, he has a great personality. So, truthfully, anything Mark says about music, I trust. So, I will give the new T-Swift album a try. Let me know what you guys think of it.



Now, let's move on to some movie news. If you follow John Green on... well on anything, you'll see that pre-production of Paper Towns has begun. Now, I absolutely LOVED the book Paper Towns. I may have liked it more than TFIOS. Partially, because it wasn't the classic boy+girl=love. (not that I don't devour those books shamelessly) Now only was Paper Towns written from the perspective of a boy, Quentin Jacobson, but the character of Margo Roth Spiegelman was the kind of daring, adventurous, spit-fire girl we all wish we were brave enough to be. And let's not forget Q's best friend Radar and his parent's obsession with the Black Santas. While I do realize that John Green is not the casting director, what is with the actors chosen for Margo and Radar?! Nat Wolfe, yes! Good choice! But the actor picked for Radar looks like he's 12, and these are supposed to be high school seniors. And Margo is not at all how I imagined her. She should be... I don't know, softer? The actress chosen to play Margo is Cara Delevingne (is that spelled right?) who is pretty, yes. But almost a harsh kind of pretty. And oh girl! Those eyebrows! So, John and casting director (whose name I could not find) I'm sure Cara is a nice person and an adequate actress, but as someone who read the book, I am slightly disappointed in your casting choices. 

Until next time, my lovelies... xoxo

A Peek Into My New Life

Well, hello there my sugar plums! Thanks for staying with me.
As I have not informed you very well (again, sorry), I am now a college student. And holy shit is college different! You high schoolers who think you know what you're walking into are sorely mistaken. Let me preface the rest of this update by saying that I fully recognize that I am a mere freshman have have learned only a fraction of what college is like, but that doesn't mean I don't know something... Stop laughing ass holes. For those of you who don't know, which I'm guessing is all of you, I am a student at Miami University in Oxford, Oh. And somewhere among the ivy covered brick buildings, many tress and even more frat houses, you'll find me. (Not that you'd ever find me in a frat house, I prefer band boys.)

So here's what I've learned, and yes, I'm going to number, because I am a strong, independent black woman who don't need no man! (That was just too good to not stick in there.)

1. You learn to love your sleep. Before college, I almost never took naps. Now, I take naps at least every Thursday (after that pesky 8 am lab). So yes, you will nap, something my roommate is an expert in. Even if you aren't up late studying, you will be up late. This I promise. College really screws up you're normal schedule (at least it did for me. I've never been a night owl.) So here's what I advise, GET USED TO IT. Because, honey, it isn't going to change any time soon.

2. Do not schedule anything before 10:00 if you are not a morning person. This is a big one, gals and gents. I, am a morning person, so I can handle my 8:30's pretty well. But, if you are not a person who can handle the crisp morning air, do yourself a favor and schedule wisely. Because, you may think that you're a morning person because you had to get up early for high school, but there is a difference between knowing that you can handle your mornings and thinking you can.

3. If you're dumb enough to schedule 8:30 classes, take it like a man. And this can be applied to many other things, but seriously. Don't be the little bitch that does nothing but complain about their 8:30 classes. Either shut up, stop complaining and go to class. So stay in bed and figure out how to pass anyway.

4. Speaking of going to class, get to know your classes. Now, this one has parts. So, let's continue the outline form.
     a. When I say get to know your class, I mean, get a feeling for the course. For example, my M/W/F chem lecture is a class that if I absolutely have to, I can skip. As long as I get the notes from someone and make sure that I understand the notes. Also, he doesn't take attendance because it's pretty hard to keep track of 200 people. However, my M/T/R/F psych lecture is a terrible idea to skip. A, because I actually like the professor and the class. B, because he takes attendance. and C, because I'm a psych major so if I start off wanting to skip my Intro to Psych class, I'm off to a bad start.
    b. However, I also mean get to know your class mates, or at least a few. For multiply reasons. 1. Because study groups make things easier. and 2. When you do skip class, you'll need someone to get the notes from. 3. And finally, sitting in a class where you know absolutely no one, is no fun. Make some friends! Or at least say hi!

5. As surprising as it might be, yes, partying actually happens in college! *gasp* Okay, so this one is pretty sarcastic, but its mostly geared towards you people who choose to stay sober.
    a. If you don't want to drink, that's fine. Don't drink. But don't make a big deal about it because I'll tell you right now, no one cares. Don't flaunt it around like you're morally superior. Simply enjoy never having to deal with a hangover and keep your trap shut.
   b. If you do stay sober and have friends that don't, please be nice enough to keep an eye on that friend. Just, don't be that asshole that absolutely refuses to even be around alcohol and in turn leaves their friend metaphorically, or literally, out in the cold.

6. If your college has Yik Yak, download it. It is a wonderful source of amusement and can make your day so much better.

23 Things About Me, Reprise

Hello, my dearies! While it is Monday and not Thursday, we're going to go on a little flash back trip, to my first post, 23 Things About Me. So, here are another 23 things about me that you may (but probably do not know) about me.

1. I drop my phone at least once a day.
2. I attend Miami University in Oxford, Oh.
3. I love to lose myself in a book.
4. I love mob movies. My two favorites are The Boondock Saints and The Departed. 
5. It pisses me off when Leo Dicaprio complains about his lack of an academy award. Really, just shut up. Johnny Depp doesn't have one either, and that man is wonderful.
6. My music ALWAYS matches my mood. 
7. I have broken the same toe twice.
8. I love post-it notes. 
9. When I'm in my dorm, if my bed isn't made, then I can't study. 
10. I didn't like the musical episode of Grey's Anatomy.
11. I collect shot glasses, but what college student doesn't.
12. I always have a lighter in my purse, but I don't smoke.
13. It is not difficult to annoy me.
14. It seriously disappoints me when people talk in colloquialisms and write the same way.
15. I have never heard the entirety of Bohemian Rhapsody.
16. When I want to relax or let off steam, I go to dance class.
17. I am a psychology major.
18. I will never switch back to a PC after recently getting a mac. 
19. I used to be obsessed with Windows Movie Maker.
20. I have 3,176 pins on Pinterest... and counting.
21. I have found the venue for my best friend's wedding, but she hasn't actually gotten engaged yet, so I can't book it yet. 
22. Seeing Joan Jett in concert was one of the coolest things ever.
23. I actually really love video games, but only when I know how to play them.

So, there it is. Another tad bit about me. Until next time, my lovelies...

Playlist: Happy Tuesday!

Hello, my lovely darlings! 

If you ask me, (and since you're reading this, I can assume you would) today is a wonderful day! In general Tuesday's are my favorite day, but recently, fall has taken over campus. And if there is one place you want to be when fall descends, it is Oxford, Oh. Between the red brick and the tree-lines quads, it is absolutely beautiful! 

Like I said, Tuesdays are my favorite day of the week! Mostly because I only have 1 class, it is my most enjoyable class and it isn't until 1 o'clock in the afternoon! Now, that is what I call a good Tuesday schedule! I even have a special playlist on Spotify specifically for Tuesdays, which is the topic of today's post! 

(Click on the photo to see it without the annoying side bar in the way.)

Until next time, my lovelies...

Photo

A Public Apology

Okay, I admit it, I am a terrible human being. I am neglectful and need to gain some consistency. I say this because I have abandoned you, my lovely readers (if you're even still there.) I can promise that I will blog more, but in all reality, I'm a little busy and my blog falls by the wayside pretty easily. So instead of empty promises, I will simply tell you that I will make an attempt (to which I will possibly fail) to pay more attention to you. And also, as the title indicates, I am sorry, dear readers. I will do my best to make it up to you. But similarly to my father, I will probably disappoint you. (Was that mean? Oh, well.) Stay tuned for updated from the lovely Oxford campus.

Until next time, loves...

Public Service Announcement: Happily Ever After...

Once upon a time, in a far off kingdom, a princess was in terrible distress. After overcoming tretcherous obstacles, the handsome prince finally came to the princess's rescue. And they lived happily ever after.

Okay, let's get real here. These stories we've heard out entire lives are absolute crap. They instill a since of black-and-white hope that leads to nothing but trouble. *que Ray LaMontange* (if you don't get that reference than visit your local music store) Hearing these stories growing up not only gave us (in this case I am not being gender specific) an unrealistic sense of love, but also of life. 

Fairy Tales, while entertaining and distracting, teach us that  life can fit into the metaphorical black and white pages of a children's book. Life is messy, kitties. Boys are dumb, good education isn't free, people are judgmental and life. is. messy. Things are almost never going to go the way you want them to. And even if they do, the end result is never as good as you thought it would be. Take it from a seasoned party planner. Something always happens, you never start decorating on time and things just don't look as good as you want them to. Life, growing up in particular, is about being able to deal with the party that you manage to throw together. Because if you ask me, you're grown up when you realize that while it contributes to the atmosphere, the greatness of the party depends on the people who are there. (Party is a metaphor. Keep up people.) 

Life is about learning to focus on what is important and realize that when the little things are good, they contribute. But when the little things are crap, it really doesn't matter. Put your big girl/boy pants on and suck it up. Because people, life can be pretty great. And never when you expect it to be. Live for those moments. Realize that life happens when you least expect it. So quit waiting for the paint to dry, and enjoy what you're given. Because otherwise, you'll be looking back and feel like crap because you didn't take advantage of every thing you should have. 

My Attempt At A Novel: Part 1

WOW! Hello, my lovelies! I've been gone for quite some time, yeah? (in my head, that was said in a Fargo accent.) I hereby apologize for how long I have been gone. And if I actually had any loyal readers, I'm sure you're all gone by now. However, I am going to make some sort of effort to blog regularly. (and if it makes you feel any better, I just discovered that my right thumb nail has a cut in it a little too far down.)

This post will be the beginning of a series in which I share my experiences in writing what will probably never end up being a novel. I started writing when I was a freshman in high school, and looking back now that isn't even something I would consider actual pieces of writing. Since then, I have filled somewhere between 4 and 10 word documents with stories that my best friend, M, has dutifully read through. Each time, my writing got a little better and a little better. In about the past year, I have become good enough at writing that I enjoy it. About two years ago, one of my other best friends was asked to read one of my stories. Since then, not a single other person has seen my stories. And perhaps, one day many, many of you will be reading my stories. But until then, the population of the island of readers of my stories will stay at 2.

Technically, I am currently working on a story that is currently a little over 90 pages thick. I say technically because I haven't touched the story in a few months. And this post is the beginning of a series of me describing the process of starting a new novel.

So here is how I start. Generally an idea will hit me and the first thing I do is come up with names. (Now, in the interest of mostly full disclosure, I generally write the classic y.a.-novel. boy + girl = romance = blah blah blah. Probably the biggest reason I don't let people read my stories is because I am convinced that there is nothing that sets my stories apart from the next y.a. romance novel.) After I come up with names (which very often get changed many times during the course of the writing process), I sit down at my computer, open up a word document and start typing.

*reporter voice* ladies and gentleman, that is all I have for tonight. But stay tuned for more information on this story.    *normal voice* Well, I will be back later. Especially since it is summer and I have very little to do. Until next time, my lovelies...

Weirdest Thing To Ever Happen To Me

Why hello there, my little sugar plum faries! I haven't seen you in a while! (Sorry about that) I may have been gone for a while, but I am back now!

First, let's talk about the little changes to my blog. I removed the "daily quote feature" (again, sorry!) I started to neglect it and I didn't want my "daily quote" to become the "every-few-days quote". So, say goodbye to that. I also added a handy dandy (okay not really "handy") new little permanent quote. You will find this to your right and maybe up a little bit. Seriously guys, I know its long but take the time to read it. Its pretty awesome.

Secondly, I am going to say this and I promise that I am not exaggerating or using hyperbole or a colloquialism or anything like that. I. Am. Dead. Serious. And with that in mind:

Okay, so the weirdest thing happened to me the other day. And I mean the weirdest thing that has ever happened to me in my entire life. So my best friend (M) and her boyfriend (N) were sitting behind me on the bus on the way back from post prom (kings island) and they were talking about how M was going to meet N's mo when we got back into town (we had to drive 2 hours to KI.) N made a joke that M should call N's mom "Mrs. Insert Last Name Here" since she was recently divorced and N would find it funny. Since he suggested M call her by her married name, I (me--don't want you to get confused with all these initials) asked if she went back to her maiden name. And then for some reason which I don't remember (maybe because I barely had 5 hours of sleep the night before) I asked what her maiden name was. Turns out her maiden name is the same as my mom's maiden name. All three of us immediately freak out that N and I are somehow related. But after further inspection, we brushed it off because my mom grew up in Michigan, and his didn't. 

Yesterday, M texts me and says that N and I are distant cousins. One of N's cousin's(A) (whom my mom grew up with) is one of my cousins. A's grandpa and my mom's grandpa were brothers. Now, I have no idea how that translates. 2nd cousin, 3 times removed? 1st cousin, 5 times removed? 3rd cousin? I have no clue. I just know that N and I are related. Now, may I remind you that before a month ago, I have never met N in my life (that I know of.) And N and M CERTAINLY did not meet through me. 

So there you have it, the weirdest thing that has ever happened to me. Think you can top it? Until next time, my lovelies...

The Audiophile in Me.

Not too long ago, someone asked me why I listen to music. What the point was of listening to music.

Let me just preface my answer with a quick anecdote. Recently I met my best friends new boyfriend. She was telling me all about him. And then she started her sentence with "there is one thing about him that I know you won't like." (Or something along those lines.) and my first  thought was uh oh! So what does she tell me? She informs me that her boyfriend does not like music. Let me clarify. THE MAN DOES. NOT. LIKE. MUSIC. When I finally met this guy, I had to ask why. And according to him, "it just goes in one ear and out the other." Now if you ask me, this guy is either extremely empty inside and hasn't yet admitted it. Or he is unnaturally happy and fulfilled in his life. 

So, let's return to the regularly scheduled programming: why do I listen to music? Music to me is everything. Music fills the void. Every void can be filled by music. When there is an unnecessary silence, music fills that.

But most of all, music fills the void inside of me. In my opinion, every person is missing something. No one has the perfect life. And I'm not really sure what I'm missing, but music fills the space left by what is missing. Very few things in this world are perfect, music is one of the few things that is. If you ask me, music is a band-aid. (BAND-aid, tehe) It puts a temporary fix on the things that are wrong. The things that can't be fixed by a simple apology. The things that can't be fixed with a simple action. The things that can't be fixed with a pint of ice cream. Music makes you forget.

In my opinion, people who say they don't like music just haven't heard the right kind of music. The right kind of music will make you feel everything you want to. If it's the right kind of music, you'll be standing at the concert, and feel complete. Because even though you are standing in a crowd of hundreds or thousands of strangers, you all have something in common. And for just a little while, you're all family.

That why I listen to music.

For bits and pieces of some of my favorite music and some songs I just think are good, check out my playlists. All My Favorite Things. My Own Little World.  A Little Bit of Sunshine.  Music For A Rainy Day.

Until next time, my lovelies...

Playlist: All My Favorite Things

Good afternoon, my lovelies! Here I present you with another playlist.

This is a mix of some of my favorite songs. I don't have much to say about this one since it's pretty self explanatory. It's a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but they're all songs that I turn all the way up and dance around to. Enjoy!

The End is Near

For most of you: I hope you had a splendid time over spring break. For the rest of you: I hope you got herpes. But for all, spring break is over. (really? already?) And what comes with the end of spring break? The worst months of our lives! So, let's just embrace the inevitable and find a comfy seat on the struggle bus.

But aside from scraping our way through the last few months (EVER!!) of high school, comes many other things. College decision deadlines are coming up next month. If you have decided, then it's orientation-scheduling-time. I don't know about the rest of you, but I have already seen some prom pictures on Insta. And if it isn't quite prom time for you yet, I certainly hope you already have your dress.(For my adventures in finding my dress, see here.) Otherwise, guuurl you better get your butt in gear! And then there are the parties! Graduation parties. End-of-the-year parties. End-of-high-school parties. Which brings the question of: What do I buy my friends for graduation? But fear not, because isn't that what Google is for? 

So, regarding your many upcoming adventures and big decisions, have fun! (But really though, try to throw a little bit of fun in there. We are finishing high school after all.) And I hope you chose the right seat on the bus, because the next two months are going to be rough.

Until next time, my lovelies...

Only For Now

My fellow bloggers,
Please do not expect much activity from me for the next week. I will be hiding out in the middle of nowhere Indiana. But do not fret, I will return.
Until next time my lovelies.

Let Your Fangirl Flag Fly

Okay, I'm going to let my fangirl show. So, no judging! One of my biggest ships (even though I'm still not exactly sure what that means. thanks tumblr) is Logan and Veronica from Veronica Mars (I've made a reference or two in previous posts: That Weird Thing We Call Family) A C.W. television show about a tough, snarky, resourceful, teenage private detective. For those of you who don't know, VMars throws herself into the murder case of her best friend in the coastal, materialistic, movie-star filled town of Neptune, California. During the 3 seasons of the show, VMars finds herself in cases ranging from dog napping and parent info-digging to missing persons to multiple homicide. The show is filled with a stellar character rapport and the quick wit of writer/director Rob Thomas.

So the point of my babbling... With the release of the movie (it was killer by the by!!) my mom changed her computer background to one of Logan and Veronica. It was a simple picture. Now, I, a photo-edit-internet junkie knew I could find something a little more mentally fulfilling. So I got on Google and started looking through the images for "Logan and Veronica." I wasn't exactly sure what I was looking for, but I knew I wanted some sort of edited collage of the best LoVe moments. Finding nothing I decided to make my own, thinking it would be a simply process. Holy Cow was wrong! (and I don't usually admit that).

I had to find the pictures I wanted. THEN crop out the certain sections of each pic that I wanted. THEN I had to actually design the edit. Like where I wanted each pic to be and how I wanted them to fit together. THEN I had to make it look good, not like a basic elementary collage. THEN I had to find some sort of quote or lyric that fit the whole relationship. and even worse than that was finding a text color that blended with the picture.

So, I now share with you my edit. Now, please don't be mean with your thoughts. This was my first edit like this. I had no idea how it was going to turn out and hoped for the best. I think it turned out quite well and it is now the wallpaper for my computer. So, once again, no mean thoughts!

Until next time my lovelies, enjoy the pretty picture!

New Renovations

Just a quick p.s.a.
If any of you have noticed, there have been some cosmetic changes in the land of blog. Today was a day of some plastic surgery. A nip here, a tuck there. A few color scheme changes and Viola! An (almost) brand new page. So, hopefully it is a positive change that is well liked. And if you don't like it... well then good for you. And for those of you who do like it, explore my blog and my links and enjoy! until next time my lovelies!

My Bloglovin'

Hello, my lovelies! As you can see, we've had a little bit of a makeover here in blog land. And here is just another factor of that.

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/11951131/?claim=b2qntgtms87">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

My Own Little World Playlist

Well, my lovelies, I think it is time for another playlist. So here is another. My own little mix of alternative music. Enjoy!

That Weird Thing We Call Family

fam·i·ly

Family: a word we all know. Latin in origin. Noun. Adjective. As much as you analyze it, nothing about the word itself can tell you how complicated the actual definition and application of the word in real life are.

Google.com:
1. A group consisting of parents and children living together in a household.

2. All the descendants of a common ancestor. 

UrbanDictionary.com:
1. A bunch of people who hate each other and eat dinner together.

2. The close relationship among a body of human beings through blood. Usually are annoying and invasive around the holidays.

But my favorite definition was the third one:

3. People you love and who love you back, not necessarily blood or biological, but you trust them and they trust you, and they take care of you and you take care of them. 

Family is something of a mystery to me, and probably to you. We all have at least two sets of family: the family you're born with and the family you choose. Sometimes they're the same. Sometimes they're a mix. Sometimes they're a completely different set of people. But most of the time, we find our own family. Family that we can actually tolerate. And sometimes, just sometimes, we are lucky enough to find people who love us unconditionally just because they want to. 

People like that are what keep us going. It seems to be a fact, one that many find inconvenient. But we need human contact. We need people to love us. We need people to care about us. We need people to lean on when things suck. But on the other end of the stick, we need to be those people. We all know that it makes us feel good when someone complains to us. Because it means that they care, or at least, they think we care. Sometimes, we need to know that we are important to people. Important enough that they lean on us. Now granted, sometimes they lean a little too far and they fall off your shoulder and its funny. But nevertheless, family is important. 

The formal definition of the word 'family' includes something about blood and DNA and all that crap. But to take a line from my favorite snarky private dick VMars, "Can a lab-tech really see the shape of my soul?" And yes, I am aware that it sounds a little corny. Get over it people. Who we are, fundamentally, is shaped by the people we love. The people we allow ourselves to associate with. And if we're lucky, these people, crazy people that they are, love us unconditionally. No matter if they have a genetic obligation to or not. Sometimes the genetic obligation may require nothing more than the yearly Christmas card and a chit chat at the occasional family wedding. But sometimes, that light obligation can turn into a strong bond. 

So, let's all just take a minute and think about some people. People who love you because you are you. People who lend an ear when you want to complain. People whose complaining you've endured. People who you eat dinner with, no matter how much you love them at that moment. People who will always be there for you, no matter how badly you screw up. People who will be there for you even when they aren't really in the mood. 

So, here is my order. STOP!! Stop what ever it is you are doing, pick up the phone. Call or text or message or email. I don't really care. But remind someone how much they mean to you. Because even thought, deep down they know, it gets easy to forget.

And also, think about this quote. (Another page from the book of VMars). "Faith. You Give it to the ones you love, but the people who really deserve it, are the ones who come through even when you don't love them enough." Until next time my lovelies, ponder what I said.

The Preparation That Goes Into Perfection

PROM! Limos. Dresses. Tuxedos. Taffeta. Corsages. Shoes. Jewelry. Dinner. Lipstick.

We all know the drill. We all know the dream. What every freshman girl dreams of. And the lucky ones even get to go their Freshman or Sophomore year. But the rest of us get to wait. And when Junior year finally rolls around and it's time to find that special dress, the panic ensues. The dress. The shoes. The jewelry. The makeup. The hair. Suddenly, everything matters. And if you're like me, a serious control freak, everything needs to be perfect. And maybe the first time around everything seems easy. Considering we ladies have almost a blank slate when it comes to the kind of dress you can pick, its way easy the first time. So let me say, you "lucky" girls that get to go all four, or even three years, I do not envy you. I get to go to prom twice and looking for a dress for senior prom was a pain in my butt! Finding a dress for Junior prom was seemingly easy. But this year, no black, no high-lo (all qualities of last years dress.)

 So this year I needed to find a not black dress that was full length. And with my red hair, I was really hoping that I would find a green dress and fall in love with it (especially if it was olive green). Much to my surprise, I did find a green dress that was just the right shade of Olive, but boy was it ugly! So I had to change my mind up a little bit. And yes, I was secretly wanting the big poofy princess dress (who doesn't?), but I was actually aiming towards a mermaid style dress for this year. Don't ask me why.

So I kept looking, and looking, and looking. I looked through probably every prom dress pin on Pinterest and wasn't finding anything that I liked. So I looked through the Seventeen Prom edition, which I have found inspirational in the past. And only found 2, yes i said TWO, dresses that I would actually wear. Which was pretty disheartening. And at this point, I'm beginning to contemplate not even going. So I'm looking through WANELO, just for kicks and giggles, and I found a beautiful dress that should have been probably $300, but instead it was $97. Yeah NINETY-SEVEN US DOLLARS. So I clicked on the link, not that I wanted that dress in particular, but I was bored. And what I found was a shop on Etsy (a weakness of mine) of a women who custom makes prom dresses for way cheap. So I started looking at the reviews. And she has raving customers. So I take a look at her dresses, somewhere around 200 of them, and fell in love with this particular one. It is a simple blue ball gown with a beaded bodice, sash, and sweetheart neckline. I fell in love! (with the price two) and the real kicker, she custom makes the dress, to your measurement!

After looking and searching, I finally found the perfect shoes today! EEK! And snatched them up! Now that I have my shoes, I can send my measurements and order my dress. Prom 2014, here I come! (You juniors better not screw it up!)

Now, for you girls who haven't found you dress yet. Don't worry it will happen! Have faith! And look EVERYWHERE! Trust me, I know how scary it is, starring the looming big date right in the face and having no clue what you even want for a dress. My two best friends still haven't found their dresses yet and are waiting for me to visit over spring break to go shopping (we have a long distance relationship). So I fell like I will be a magic key to helping them find their dress, eek! That's a lot of pressure! But I'm up for the challenge! Jessica, I helped you find your dress last year, I can help you find it again this year. Even with your crazy demands! 

Until next time, my lovelies...

And if you're wondering what my shoes and dress look like:

Playlist: A Little Bit of Sunshine

Alright, my lovelies! Here is playlist number two!

It seems to be that the opinion on country music is hit or miss: you either LOVE country music or you HATE country music. I am one of those people who love country music. I'm not a crazy die hard fan, but I do love it. And as much as I do, even I realize that country music finds its place mostly in the summer time. So here is playlist number two, A Little Bit of Sunshine, my mix of the newer, up-beat country songs. So roll down the windows, enjoy the summer air and turn up the radio.

My Adventures in Online School Part One

Good evening my lovelies!

So, I have moved, many, many times. Switching schools just as many times. The most relevant was when I moved to Indiana the summer before 8th grade. Then I moved to Cincinnati most of the way through my Junior year. After deciding that we didn't like Cincy, we moved to Columbus. Now, I don't know what the rest of you would do in my situation, and I had a SERIOUS case of senoritis(the same case I've had since winter final freshman year). (But really, who doesn't?) And I DID NOT want to switch schools again since I was so close to graduation. So I decided that I was going to finish my year online.

And let me tell you, it has been a pain in the butt!! We started with Connections Academy, but they made enrollment VERY difficult, put everything on us, and offered no help. We were quickly approaching the deadline and we were staring a huge problem in the face. So we looked at ECOT. And they made everything pretty easy. Yesterday I set up my classes and today I actually got to start!

Now I am well aware that being excited about school makes me weird. Well, then I will embrace the weirdness! Because, I have always been one of those people who loved school. And I will admit that school its self is not fun. The getting up early and the crappy food and the pointless socialization rituals. It all seems pretty pointless to me. But the learning. That's what I love. I am one of those people who has always craved knowledge. I love the learn new things. One of the reasons I have looked forward to college my entire life is because you can learn anything you want, anything in the world is right there in front of you. (But excuse me, I'm rambling) 

It has been a strange experience and I look forward to getting up every morning, sans the annoying 6 am alarm, and taking my time to get around in the morning. Then wandering into my room to sit down at my desk and doing work as quickly or as slowly as I need to. So, my lovelies. While you are crawling out of bed before the sun is up and clawing for your coffee, I will be enjoying my nice, warm, comfy bed. Not that I'm bragging, or anything. 

To be continued...

Where do you go?

Good evening my lovelies. (by the by, the time stamps on all of my posts are three hours behind. So even though my computer says that right now it is 5:36, it is actually 8:36. So yes, it is evening.)

So, I have this book, "642 Things to Write About: Young Writers Edition" It's a pretty cool book. It gives you a bunch, 642 to be exact, of prompts and you just write. Which is good, because lately I seem to be suffering from writers block, so this helps to knock down that very annoying wall.  ANYWAY, every couple of pages there is a page of 2 by 2 squares, each having its own prompt. And I look at some of these prompts and think "There is no way I can fit any good amount of writing in these little squares." And then there are the prompts that I think "psh! I won't even need half the square." So, I though that I would share with you one of the prompts and my answer.

"Tomorrow you will be dropped off at the airport with a suitcase filled with money. You're told to go anywhere you want. Where do you go?" (Okay, seriously I could write a senior-thesis length response on this one if I really wanted to.)

I live in nowhere Ohio, where we have been battling sub-freezing weather for three months, so the first thing I do is go to California. But, even before that, you will find me making a quick (psh! more like day-long) shopping stop at the Mall of America. *que the scary music* (Now most girls would probably say shopping in New York or London or Rodeo Dr. but I'm not one for Prada and Chanel. I think I'll stick with my PAC Sun t-shirts and my low-top Converse.) I would probably have to hire someone to carry all of my bags, or push a cart full of them. But hey, suitcase full of money! And oh! the shoes I would buy! Converse in every color! Vans in every print! Every pair of cute flip flops I could find! Because, after all, who doesn't love shoes?

After picking up a new wardrobe, complete with new EVERYTHING, in Minysoda (yes, I am aware of how to correctly spell Minnesota) I am jumping on a plane to California! Where I would live, until I could pick up my passport from the post office. Then I am off to the Caribbean, where the sun shines all day and the water is so clear you look like you're floating on air. (oh yeah! and somewhere in there, I'll stop and grab my 3 best friends so I have some company.) 

We would live in some beautiful Caribbean resort, letting the cute male staff members wait on us, until we had run the suitcase filled with money to emptiness and then we'd all go home. Hopefully by then, winter will have passed and we won't be coming home to an ice box.

Let's just all take a minute to imagine how great this vacation would be: