Beach in a bottle

So I've been digging wavy hair recently, especially wavy hair that takes essentially no time to do. That being said, I wanted to find a way to make my hair a wee bit wavier in the mornings without having to shower and wait for it to dry (mama needs her sleep). Of course, the best wavy hair comes after a day at the beach, so I decided to try and capture the beach from my humble abode in a landlocked state.

First, I found a spray bottle and rinsed it out a few times. I have sea salt sitting proudly on top of my fridge so I grabbed that and poured a healthy amount into said bottle. Then, squeezed some moisturizing conditioner for good measure and filled the rest with warm water. A little shake, shake, shake and then I began spritzing. And yes, I went a little overboard because I figured, why not essentially soak my hair for the best results and yes, I'm still waiting on it to dry but I can already see the curls and I am a happy camper.

Here's my hair after, in all its sea sprayed glory

I should put out there that my hair was slightly wavy before but no where near what it is now. And it was slightly dirty, as in rinsed last night after washing yesterday. I wanted to put those both out there so if you try this and it doesn't work, at all, you don't blame me. And if I try this on Monday morning and just get crunchy hair before work, well, sorry co-workers!

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"Maybe our mistakes are what make our fate."
--Carrie Bradshaw

Life is great and frankly, has never been better. It makes me realize that everything really does happen for a reason and coming to that happy conclusion is the best feeling. I've always told myself (and you readers) that the low points will lead to another high, you just have to get there. And if you're in a low point right now, keep going. The past 10 months of my life felt like running the obstacle course on Wipeout. I'd get through one hurdle only to be presented with another. After it beat me up a few times, I'd clear that one and have to jump on the big, red balls. But I did it. And I'm so much better for it.

Like I've written before, I love looking back and thinking, 'Had this not happened, that wouldn't have come to pass, then I wouldn't have met that person,' so on and so forth. So all the crud you're going through right now is for a reason. Maybe it's teaching you a skill you didn't realize would be beneficial, maybe it's to introduce you to someone who will end up changing your life in a way you never thought. Regardless, there is a reason for it and if you don't know it now, you will eventually. Just keep reminding yourself that when you're questioning everything.

The new job is amazing, the people and place are incredible and I'm so happy. I go to sleep excited to go to work, which is something I've never experienced. I know people don't like to call past experiences mistakes but I think the biggest thing is to not regret these mistakes. You make 'em, you live, you learn. Each mistake is another piece that helps define the puzzle and put it all together, so I say make that life altering decision and go for it. If anything, it'll be an experience that helps define you and your future.

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The First Date Paradox

We've all been on those dates with someone that don't turn out like you're expecting. Maybe the restaurant is a mecca for vegetarians but all you want it is a hunk of steak, maybe your date expects you do to all the talking. Regardless, the date is awkwardly uncomfortable and the end can't come fast enough. Then there are times when the date ends and all you can think is, Where did the time go? That being said, I decided to dive into the minds and experiences of my friends and myself and uncover what it is that makes (or breaks) a first date.

Let me start by pointing out that I'm a girl. I have never asked anyone on a date nor have I had to plan one for myself. Sure, I've been incredibly forward (especially so this past year) and practically asked guys out, but luckily they've caught on before I ask and do it themselves. And, being a girl, I can only offer one view on an activity that involves two. Of course, I am only one girl so don't take my word as the end all be all (because I know you do already) and blame me later if your date goes poorly. Clear? And we're off.

The perfect first date, especially when I don't know the other guy that well, is to go somewhere casual and talk. A nice bar with good food (I promise, they exist) where I can get a beer instead of wine and be comfortable chatting. Where there might be a TV on the wall to offer some topics for conversation should it ever lag. After talking with friends, I find I might be alone in this opinion. Sure, if we continue to date I'll want you to take me somewhere nice, but not from the get go. First dates are nerve wracking enough, let's not add a super classy dinner to the list of things to think about. For me, first dates are about getting to know you and vice versa and I will never really be myself in a restaurant where appetizers cost more than I would normally spend on a meal.

I asked some guy friends why a fancy dinner has become the norm and they said they want to impress the girl. I countered with, "Sure it's nice but I'd be more impressed if you were comfortable enough with me to go to a casual place." Of course, a bar yields a potential problem - what if your date doesn't drink? A sporting event seemed to be a preferred date by the guys which raised the issue that your date might not like the sport you're watching. This led to more discussion and I began to realize that yes, planning a first date is indeed difficult. But if you don't know if you're date likes to drink or if s/he hates baseball, you should probably hang out with her more in a group setting before diving into the date. Am I alone in this opinion? Probably, but I'm the kind of person who wants to know more than your name before we're alone together.

All this post and its research did was encourage my curiosity about first dates. I can't really be the only person who wants a chill first date, right? And if I'm not, when did the fancy first date become the norm? If it's expected for guys to spend a ton of money on a girl who may or may not lead to anything, I'm surprised guys still ask girls out.

So I ask you - what is your perfect first date?

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Try This Thursday

Homemade Alfredo Pizza

So my best friends and roommates in college made this pizza when I was studying abroad, introduced it (and basil and orgegano) to me when I got back, and ever since I've made this at least once a week. Because I'm cheap, I buy generic brand ingredients and still find the end result to be incredibly delicious. That being said, here's an easy/cheap/yummy recipe for Try This Thursday. Ready?

1) Preheat oven to 475. Pour pizza crust mix (Walmart brand, 47 cents) into bowl and add 1/2 cup hot water. Mix until dough forms a ball, cover with a towel and let sit for 5 minutes.

2)After spraying the pan you are going to use with some Pam or non-stick spray, throw that ball of dough on the pan and start spreading it out, Mario style. I have found that the ball of dough is pretty sticky, so I put a little vegetable oil over the top of it to make it easier (you can also use flour).

3) Once the dough is spread out to the thickness and size that you want, time to add the sauce. I use Great Value: Alfredo Sauce ($1.23). Spread around the pizza until you get as little or as much as you want, before adding the mozzarella cheese.

4) This is where it gets fun. My usual toppings consist of basil, oregano and garlic salt (so not really toppings but spices) and sometimes pieces of chicken if I'm feeling crazy. You can add whatever you want (or whatever you have) before sliding the bad boy into the oven.

5) Cook it for 8-10 minutes, depending on how crunchy you want the crust to be and bazinga! You've got yourself a pretty darn easy meal that takes approximately 25 minutes to put together (including waiting/cook time).


Ingredient breakdown
- 1 package pizza crust mix
- Alfredo sauce
- Mozzarella cheese
- Basil
- Oregano
- Any other topping your heart desires


I highly encourage you to try making this. I'm not a big fan of cooking and if I can do this, so can you. If you make it, lemme know your thoughts!

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Why do guys wear their pants like this? At first I thought it was a phase, something every male felt the need to do during their prepubescent years of junior high. As if their "cool" factor in school rose for every inch their pants were down from their hips. Initially, just a little bit of the boxers (or briefs, if that's your style) peeked out from under those jeans. But, as time went on and guys began to feel even more compelled to reveal their backside, the pants got lower. And lower. And lower still.

Then, as I got older and the guys around me did too, something magical happened. The pants suddenly covered more, or they finally found shirts that didn't end at their belt buckle. I was now confronted with the challenge of guessing if you were a boxers or briefs guy and I loved every second of it. Some people would say it's a style choice. Some guys want to wear their pants around their knees and struggle to walk. And you know what? That's fine. Just don't be surprised when I, or anyone who shares this opinion, cock my head to the side and look at you through squinted, confused eyes.

I hate not wearing a belt, even if I don't need one, mainly because I hate when my pants slink down. No one wants to see the view that a trendy top (see here https://www.gettrendytop.com) is made to cover. You don't want to see granny panties riding up to cover my bum and you don't want to see just what those pants are covering. So why do I have to see your underwear or suffer the experience of seeing that dividing line?

Take my advice, pull up your pants. You can be a "thug" or "teen heartthrob" (I'm looking at you, Justin Bieber) just the same with your pants up. And you know what? You'll be better for it. You can run (heck, even walk) faster or dance around that stage better. So please, do all the women of America (and the world) over the age of seventeen a favor and pull up your pants.

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The Cuddling Conundrum

Happy Sunday (or whatever day of the week you are reading this on) to you, dear reader. I woke up this morning from dream in which it was Monday. I was incredibly excited as I am eager to hear if I got the job I interviewed for on Friday, which I will hopefully find out tomorrow (did that make sense?). Needless to say, I was disappointed it was Sunday and I chuckled; that was the first, and probably the last, time I wished it was the workweek.

Moving on, this blog post is dedicated to cuddling. Or spooning. Or laying there holding your significant other in a way that is not comfortable for either party while growing increasingly hot. Whatever you like to call it. I was thinking about this act the other day as I was laying on the couch holding my dog. What is it about cuddling that we enjoy so much? And why is it females prefer it so much more than males? To address the first question, I started thinking scientifically (maybe?) and going back to the time when we were all the same (sort of). Yes, back when we were fetuses nesting in our mother's womb. I thought, surely this is why we enjoy spooning so much. We are essentially in the fetal position, with the warmth of another person's body combined with the placement of their arms cocooning us.

But this answer only increased my curiosity to the second question - why do women like it so much more than men? I'm not saying guys don't enjoy holding that special someone in their arms, but let's be real. Guys can have one session of cuddling and be good for the month. Women (not all, grant you but a lot of us) want to cuddle every night before bed. A friend said it's because women want to be protected, that they want to feel safe but let me tell you, I feel pretty darn safe on my bed with the front door locked. And when I'm in a situation that threatens my safety, my immediate thought isn't going to be 'Quick! Hold me!' but exactly how I'm going to kick ass and take names.

I've thought long and hard (not really, that's a lie) about this and could not come up with an answer. Sure I could have googled it to see what scientists and researchers say about this (surely they want to know too) but that's no fun. What I do know is this: I like to cuddle less than the "typical woman" but more than the "typical man" and I like to cuddle because it's freezing in my apartment, I'm too cheap to turn the heat on and I want to steal your warmth. What I don't know is: why is it human nature to cuddle? Why do guys dislike cuddling so much?

Soon to be added to the "things I don't know list" with its own blog post, why do we enjoy kissing so much? It's just two people swapping spit, which, when you think about it, is really disgusting...

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Here's the thing...I can't (with regards to the above picture). I have a very steady, back and forth relationship with texting. I like it, then I get really annoyed with it, then we fall in love, have a huge fight and break up, only to get back together again because everyone else in this world won't phone, they'll text.

Keep in mind, this is the girl who didn't have text messaging until spring semester of her freshman year. At college. I never really saw the point - I could call you on the same phone, get all of my questions answered and go back to my business in less than a minute. With texting, there is/was all that 'hey' 'hey' 'what's up' 'not much you?'. Come on, this isn't AIM for your phones (and don't get me started on the 'what's up' question...what kind of question is that, anyways? Is there even a real response besides 'not much'? I don't think so). Plus, texting has this unwritten rule that when you say something saracastic or slightly mean, you have to add 'haha' or 'lol' because without it, you just look like an ass. Then, after a conversation you look like an idiot because every single one of your texts has one, or both, of those (or is that just me and my very sarcastic nature?).

Regardless, texting has this insane ability to annoy me more than most people, so to all those people who have texted me and not gotten a timely, or any, response, now you know why. And frankly, if it was really important, you would have called me.

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Great.

Rainbow road was always the hardest.

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"All growth is a leap in the dark, a spontaneous unpremeditated act without benefit of experience." --Henry Miller

I officially think the decade between 18 and 28 is the most challenging one in a person's life, filled with so many changes and new experiences it's terrifying. Then again, considering I'm over the middle hump of said decade, I'm a little biased and have no experience to state otherwise. But think about it - you graduate high school and move on to higher learning, and if you don't pursue a college degree you enter the real world. You are given the right to vote, to purchase and consume alcohol and defend your country. You graduate college and are suddenly thrust into the working world of 8-5 jobs and living for the weekend, thinking about long term leases and even marriage. It's a turbulent decade, filled with more firsts than I can count, which makes it incredibly daunting.

I found the quote from Henry Miller after searching for 'leap of faith' and chose his because it really rang true to me. We all have those moments when we know the decision will have a huge, and I mean huge, affect on life as you know it and you become paralyzed, terrified of making the wrong choice. I just went through this and made a life altering decision, and the more I think about it, the more I know I made the right choice. I think those leap of faith moments are the best ones. They make you think and come to grips with who you are and what's important to you. Those are the moments when the most growth occurs, when you don't know what's going to happen and you have to throw caution to the wind.

I've realized that the only way to step over the edge and take that leap is to go with your gut. Your head will always over think but your heart will tell you what is best for you, and in those situations, I can guarantee your heart will be sitting in the pit of your stomach, surrounded by anxiety and fear. But go for it. You'll be happier and a lot better off than you were before.

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"Maybe this world is another planet's Hell."
--Aldous Huxley

Let me start this post by saying, I don't find the above quote to be true (all the time), I just find it entertaining. Wouldn't it be interesting, though, if Earth really was another planet's hell? Wrap your mind around that one.

I found the above quote after searching for 'funny quotes about working' and found that there essentially was no such thing. I suppose philosophers and savants are similar to myself in that there is no funny way to describe working. It's either "Work hard and you'll prosper" or "Find a job that makes you happy." Trust me, I get that - it's the getting part of the equation that's proving to be the most difficult.

And yes, I understand that it's a terrible economy right now and unemployment is at its highest. But I hear reports all the time about how many thousand more jobs are being created daily or how this and that is going to boost the job market (clearly I pay attention). So why is it that the unemployed are remaining unemployed? The infamous Catch 22. We've all heard the phrase and I'm sure most of my fellow college graduates have used it multiple times in this same context. Apparently, companies don't want to hire someone with zero experience. And how does one get said experience? Bazinga! By getting a job (or an internship). It stings a little, doesn't it?

It appears to me that those being hired are the ones who have already have a job or who have been unemployed for a brief period of time, while the true unemployed just sink deeper and deeper into the hiring pool. Will this trend only continue as more and more people pursue higher degrees of education? Will a PHD become the new norm? I loved college but I sincerely hope that isn't the case...

Let me end this post by saying I had no means for this to get so preachy, it just seems that, without the right connections doing everything they can to get you a job, the odds of getting into most companies are slim to none. And if you did so on your own, job well done! Tell me all about your job search and hiring experience so I can take notes. Otherwise, have a cookie for getting through this and have a wonderful weekend.

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Try This Thursday

"Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new." --Brian Tracy

I have to be honest. The lack of a new 'try this thursday' is due to my lack of anything to recommend you try. I'm sure I could tell you about a restaurant or bar I frequent, a movie to see or album to listen to, but frankly I wanted to discuss something different for my next Thursday discussion. And lucky you, I have decided on such a topic. The dreaded comfort zone. Yes, we all have them and I'm sure we all love them, but let's be real. A comfort zone is just a way to rest on your laurels.

As any reader of this blog will know, I'm not a fan of change. Mainly because I hate not being in control of everything in my life but also because I, much like everyone else, hates not knowing. However, as I look back on my short life, I realize that my best and most memorable, not to say most beneficial, moments come from those times when I was extremely uncomfortable. Living in Paris for a semester, barely speaking the language when I got there, and coming back to America an incredibly independent woman is something for which I will be forever grateful. Knowing that, with the help of a handy map and my two girlfriends, we could navigate cities across the continent that spoke German or Czech and still find our hostel was pretty incredible.

That's not to say it wasn't filled with anxiety. I got my first stress rash post spring break, after constantly worrying that we wouldn't find where we needed to go. But it was one hell of an experience that I wouldn't trade for anything. Moving to a new-ish city to start my working, adult life was another one of those times that I left the comfort zone. It would have been easy to stay in Houston, live at home and save money while working in the city I grew up in. But I knew I wanted a challenge and a change so I knew but had never lived in. It's definitely been interesting and has made me transition to adulthood that much faster.

Too often I see people sticking inside the safe, secure walls of their box. Get out of it and do something that you've never done before. You can start off easy - talk to a stranger the next time you're out or go see a movie alone, and soon enough you'll be pushing the boundaries of your box farther than you ever thought you could. Not all experiences might be pleasant, but you don't learn from comfortable situations. It's the other ones that stick out and stick in your brain.

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"Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength." --Betty Friedan

I've been 24 for 10 days now, which has allowed me time to reflect on the past year. If I had to sum it up in one word, it would be change. Now, I'll be the first to admit that word has made more appearances in this blog than any other, but that's just the point. In the past year, I've graduated college, fallen in love, moved to a new city and started a new job, made new friends and lost others, had crushes and been crushed.

There were some days this past year that I never thought would end. I experienced some incredibly low lows and can only hope the highs are on their way. It was a year of learning, necessary if only to mark my real entrance into adulthood. I paid my first electric bill and signed my first lease, sans co-signer. These past few years, I've hated the idea of getting older. 23 would lead to 27 which would soon become 35 and before you know it, you're over the hill. But now, I think I'm much more able to embrace it. It's not like I'm counting down until the days I'm 65 but I know now that each year will bring more experiences, opportunities and life lessons.

Looking back on the past year, there were a lot of things I enjoyed, some I didn't and a few I wish I could change. But I think part of aging is knowing that, even the hardships and unpleasant experiences will lead to something better. That every low point will end soon enough and, while you might have a mountain to climb, looking down from the top will be worth the struggle.

So, with a fresh, new year ahead of me, it seems only fitting to come up with a list of to-do's (and maybe a few to-don'ts).

1) Run the OKC Memorial Half in April
2) Edit my novel and try to get it published
3) Spend 365 days with my dog
4) Be in Houston for my nephew's first birthday
5) Don't live according to my (or someone else's) timeline
6) Spread happiness

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