New Years Eve Prep

New Years Eve: The closing of one eventful year and the eve of another.

What does your perfect night consist of?Attending the perfect party? Having the perfect date? Sharing the perfect kiss? Looking fabulous in the perfect outfit?

The majority of us expect that Hollywood romance, red carpet status, life is a movie type of night, is that too much to ask? Never. Forget the past years of miserable NYE dates and no plans. This year, lets make it happen!

 

Plan to spend it with people you actually like.

There is nothing worse than inviting the ‘Karen‘ of the group to ruin your good time. That friend that always complains, always has something to say.. Not this year! You may think that you have to invite this person because they are your friend.. Honestly, it may be nice and all, but it’s not worth it if  you will have a miserable night because of this person. Think of yourself first for a change.

Make your midnight kiss worth-while!

Pick your date wisely! If you chose to bring a date with you this NYE, rather than attempt to find a date while your out, make sure you enjoy being around this person for more than five minutes. Go on a pre-date before NYE arrives for a ‘test drive’ if you will. Once you test out your compatibility (and tolerance rate) for this person, then you can decide whether or not you would like to fully commit to the anticipated New Years Eve festivities with them.

Don’t stress about the dress.

Finding the perfect outfit for any special occasion is tough, but for NYE the pressure is definitely turned up a notch. Yes, finding that adorable sequins top or that snug fit party dress is a priority, but you shouldn’t have to spend a whole paycheck in order to afford it, or lose your hair stressing about finding it.

A helpful hint: My plan of action for this year consists of sprucing up a old gem with some new accessories. You don’t have to actually spend a whole paycheck, just make it look like you did.

        +             =      

Don’t go crazy with the resolution.

How long did you stick with last years resolution to lose that muffin top, stop drinking soda and fit into those old skinny jeans? A month? A week? A day?? Yeah, thought so… Don’t expect so much! I understand, you want results and you want them now. But, success doesn’t form over night. Start with something small as this year’s resolution and work your way up with every week you stick with it. Your body and mind will thank you later.
This year their will be no cancelled plans, no bad hair days, no messy drunk friends, and no annoying dates. Plan ahead to make sure this NYE is one for the books.

What are your NYE plans? Comment below about your anticipated night!

So your in a relationship, huh?

You know that horrible relationship that, for some reason, never ends? The ones that break up and get back together every other week, fight every day, but for some reason, always end up back together?

Yepp, we’ve all been there. And still it seems that when we witness these awful relationships we can point out their mistakes just like that, yet when it comes to our own relationships, were blind.

In hopes of ending these blind spells of misjudgment, I have compiled a list of things that you should look for, appreciate and be aware of while in a relationship.

**WARNING: I by no means deem myself a relationship expert. I have had very few worthwhile relationships, and of those, all have been dysfunctional. But none the less, we all believe we give the best advice, so here is some of mine.

1. SWEAT the small stuff.

I know, I know, the real saying is “Don’t sweat the small stuff” but when it comes to relationships, I believe this saying to be a piece of bad advice. The small things (actions, events, gestures) in a relationship are generally the things that mean the most.

Anyone can make a reservation at a fancy restaurant and buy a bouquet of roses, but sometimes an expensive night out just can’t compare to a cheap spaghetti dinner you cooked at home. Those small, unplanned moments are just so much more fun!

That night you two spend in the rain together after he got a flat tire.. Or the time you both stayed up all night just laying next to each other in the dark sharing embarrassing stories.. The time he introduced you to his family and unexpectedly held your hand because he could tell you were nervous.. Those unplanned moments are just so much more meaningful.

Okay I know our lives aren’t like The Notebook, but in real life, a little work goes a long way.

2. Trust your intuition.

Lets face it, you know the kind of person you’re dating. You know what kind of guy he is. And according to Justin Long, we are the rule, not the exception.

Now ladies, there is a line to be drawn here. You need to find a happy medium between stage-5 clinger and completely uninterested.

I am not saying make a mountain out of a mole hill every time your guy goes out alone, but I am saying that you should be cautious of your man’s questionable actions. Don’t let anyone make you be their back-burner chick.

3. Don’t be a helicopter.

Helicopters hovering, good. Girlfriends hovering, bad.

Don’t suffocate your guy. Let him have guys night, go to the gym alone, do whatever he needs to do to get some solo time in.

When you worry about your man’s every move (what he’s doing, where he’s going, who he’s with, why he’s not responding to your texts) he will feel smothered and will later resent you for being ‘too clingly’. When you give your guy freedom, he ends up respecting you more.

4. Cut the cord.

Although the two of you are in a relationship, that doesn’t mean you can’t still lead separate lives. Your man doesn’t need to go get mani pedi’s with you, and you don’t need to need to be at poker night with him.

SPACE IS GOOD!

In a healthy relationship, you want to be with each other every second of every day, but you don’t need to be. Distance truly does make the heart grow fonder, but you have to be apart for more than five minutes to realize it.

5. Keep your friends.

God forbid you and your “Prince Charming” break up in three months. Do you really think the girlfriends you abandoned those three months ago are going to be waiting home alone for your return?

Keep those people in your life that were around before Mr. Right showed up. Keep your wine night Wednesdays and other traditions with your old friends. Try incorporating your guy into the group so everyone can feel included.

___

Do you have any relationship advice for those in dysfunctional relationships? Share them below!

Good vs. Bad: Ideas for date night

Dating: While often times a dreadful experience filled with mind-games, cyber-stalking and bad dates, dating can (from time to time) be worth the hassle. With a fun partner and the right night planned out, a bad date night can be changed into a good date with only a few adjustments. Here are a list of date-night alternatives that are a little more fun!

Good:

Do something active 

Let me rephrase that.. find a competitive activity that is not too active. [Generally, if a girl took the time to get all fancy and ready for a nice date, she is not going to want to get all hot and sweaty within the first five minutes.]

Instead of the same old dinner and a movie routine, try something new to show your date your playful side.

Stick to activities like putt putt, bowling, or even arcade games at Dave & Busters. With his competitive side and her love for winning, this would be the perfect date to flirt, laugh and even be a little touchy-feely.

Bad

Doing something too active

Chances are you will be able to tell upon first impression of your future date if your partner would be up for a game of one on one on the basketball court. Unless you are already in a close relationship with this person, save the bike trails and batting cages for Hollywood (we all know it doesn’t really happen like that).

Good

Think outside the box

Go to the local county fair, visit an aquarium for the day, or take a cooking class with your partner. Doing something a little more out of the ordinary will tell your partner that you are adventurous and really planned ahead for the date. Pigging out on junk food, playing with animals or getting your hands dirty will let your personalities shine through on your date, even if your nerves are getting the best of you at first.

Bad

Too much too soon

Taking an intense hiking adventure, spending your day screaming in terror at an amusement park or making her bare-all at a water park are dates that are meant for later in the relationship. You want to learn about your partner’s likes and dislikes before you pay $30 to get in an amusement park and find out that they are terrified of roller coasters.

Good

Go for drinks and music

Whether it is a classy jazz bar or an 80’s cover band at a local sports bar, going to see live music while enjoying a couple of drinks is a relaxing yet fun way to get to know someone.

Live bands generally have diverse music so it will be a fun change of pace, and they also take breaks every couple songs so you will still have plenty of time to talk to one another. Having alcohol there to loosen you up will also help those first date jitters.

Bad

Going to a rock concert

The key is to avoid any situation that will not allow you and your date alone time. [You generally go on a date to get to know someone.]

Something like a rock concert will force you to only pay attention to the band and will not allow you to enjoy the company of your date.

The key to a perfect date is simply having fun! The conversation, the partner and the atmosphere all come together to make the experience something new and exciting.

If all of these ideas are too busy for your style, stick to the oldie but goodies! Put a twist on an old favorite; instead of doing the classic dinner and a movie, find a drive in and bring snacks to share. Switching up old date ideas will keep your partner enticed.

Let me know what your ideal date would be like! Or share a horror story of a date gone wrong!

I <3 Wordle

Just a little wordle about me 🙂 

 

A few of my favorite things.

Things that make me smile, scenarios that encourage me, people that inspire me. Anything and everything can influence a person, here are a few things that influence me.

  

 

 

 

Adventure.

 

Stay strong.

 

 

What does my future hold?

 

 

 

 

What is beauty?

 

Images from imgfave.com

What inspires you?

Why beer is better than boys

Every girl has had guy troubles. He forgets to call, lies about anything and everything, checks out some other girl right in front of you, the list is endless. But what I have recently discovered is that (while we often think they aren’t) boys ARE replaceable. Sorry to break it to you boys but I have found something that wont leave a girl waiting by the phone, wont make her self conscious about her body, and wont ditch her for his friends. This miraculous replacement goes by many names, but is most commonly referred to as the one and only: beer.

So here are the 7 top reasons why beer is better than boys.

1. A good beer is easy to find

Unlike boys, beer has a label and is upfront with you about what it is. Beer tells you what it is, what it will taste like, how many calories are in it, a beer doesn’t lie.

2. Beer doesn’t forget to call

You can have a beer whenever you want, wherever you want. You don’t have to wait around for one or think that beer will ditch you to hang out with other beers.

3. Beer lasts longer than 15 seconds

The taste, its affect, even the calories you get from it, they all lasts longer than 15 seconds.

4. Beer wont ask you to make it a sandwich

Does this lo0k like Subway to you? No I do not want to make you a damn sandwich.

5. Beer doesn’t play video games

With beer, you will never hear “yeah, give me five minutes” or “wait I just have to kill this last guy!” And you also don’t have to let beer win.

6. Beer doesn’t leave the toilet seat up

Since beer doesn’t use the toilet, you wont fall into the dirty toilet water after it forgets to put the seat down. #win

7. Beer is ready when you are

Beer wont bitch about you not being ready on time, or get mad at you when you decide not to drink beer that night.

If you have any other reasons as to why beer is better than boys please comment and share your ideas!

My journey: A college reflection

After stumbling across the article “The opposite of loneliness” I couldn’t help but join the Keegan revolution and write down some of my feelings about the last few weeks I am spending at OU. As the day of graduation draws closer and closer, and the stress of finals grows, all my feelings are flooding my body. I think about leaving the people I love at OU and the combined anxiety of no current career plan available after move out day as I debate on whether pulling my hair out will be a suitable look for me.

In my four years I have met some amazing people, met some not-so amazing people, made a fool of myself more times than I would like to admit, and had unforgettable nights with unforgettable friends. Keegan’s story truly touched me as I thought about my own experiences in college and how necessary all of my those experiences were for me to grow as a person.

It breaks my heart to think that a tragic accident could end my time here on earth because what I have come to realize is that, while I am scared to death to leave this campus and enter into the world of the unknown, I am not done with my epic life journey. Not even close. I intend to have more all-nighters than anticipated, countless late-night experiences (that I may or may not regret), endless awkward encounters with strangers, and plenty more unnecessary indulgences of calories I do not need.

And so as my eyes fill with tears of sadness, and I reflect on the amazing time I have spend here, the awesome people I have met and the rewarding experiences I have encountered, I realize I am not done yet. There is still plenty of time for me to change the ‘shoulda’ ‘woulda’ ‘coulda’ into been there, done that.

My journey is far from over, in fact, I think its just beginning.

Guilty Pleasure

[Content came from one of my other blogs]

In light of the recent passing of the ‘chocolate holiday’ as I like to refer to it, I would like to discuss with you my guilty pleasure: chocolate.

My love of chocolate does not end with bite size pieces and candies, I love anything chocolate. Chocolate cake, chocolate cupcakes, chocolate brownies, chocolate with caramel in it, chocolate with nuts in it, anything and everything, chocolate.

Valentine’s Day tends to taunt my chocolate obsession.  The 14^th taunts me with its endless boxes of chocolates and tasty treats on display for weeks and sometimes months, in advance. The decorative boxes covered with ribbons and bows just makes the chocolate even that much more appealing to me! The chocolate roses, five-pound Hershey bars and over-sized chocolate kisses appeal to my sweet tooth ever so much.

But then, after spending all this time resisting the urge, WEEKS resisting the temptation of mouthwatering chocolate pieces and bars, they do the unthinkable.

They sell all chocolate items for half price!

Am I mistaken? Is this a cruel joke? Are the chocolate gods taunting me with all of these delicious chocolate treats? Why no, they are serious. While the different types of chocolates are in red heart-shaped boxes and displayed in lovey dovey objects, I do not care what the chocolate comes in, it’s chocolate either way to me.

So thank you to this chocolate holiday for fulfilling my sweet tooth and stocking me with chocolate treats that could last months, but I will not thank you for expanding my waistline after all of my chocolate consumption. See you again next year!

Girls Night! Cheap and easy ways to have a fun night in with the girls!

A girls night is often thought to be an expensive night of dinner, a $12 movie, and drinks at the bar to follow. This fun night will happen once a month if your lucky, since each of you have to save at least $50 to pay for all the nights activities. But, how about instead of dishing out the dough to have a girls night, you use these money saving tricks to have a night at home that will be just as memorable as a night at the bars.

1. A Redbox movie!

A simple movie night can still be accomplished with your girlfriends without paying $12 to sit in a crowded theater with your shoes sticking to a soda stained floor. Redbox has new releases along with oldies and the movies are only a dollar! Yeah, ONE DOLLAR!! You can come across a Redbox at your local supermarket and the only trouble it will cause you is turning it back in the next day to avoid late fees! A tearjerker with a bowl of popcorn is perfect for cuddling up on the couch with your girlfriends and a box of Kleenex.

2. A DIY Facial

Why spend money for an expensive spa day when you can make your own facial at home! There are plenty of recipes available online that simply use household items to exfoliate your skin. Women’s Day gives a number of facial options that vary from simply brightening your skin, to cleansing it. A no make-up night with the girls is just what you need to detox from your daily stressors.

3. Paint your nails!

Every one of your girlfriends has a drawer filled with a rainbow of nail polishes. So, make the call! Get everyone to bring their collection to mix and match with each others and pamper one another. Painting each others toes and fingers while you gossip is a great way to talk about your problems.

4. Enjoy a glass! Or, box.

Who are you trying to impress? These are your girlfriends, not your in-laws. So instead of indulging in an expensive bottle of Cristal, try a bottle of Andre’s Pink Champagne or simply a box of Franzia? Twice the amount for less than half the price! And lets face it, it tastes just as good!

Rulebook to making friends with benefits work! 7 ways to make it work with your sex friend, no strings attached!

The time and energy put into a romantic relationship is often exhausting; when you have a busy schedule, the last thing you have time for is romance. But when you have a hectic schedule and romance is out of the question, your sexual needs don’t disappear! Sometimes those needs simply need to be met and the only way to get this satisfaction (without hiring a prostitute) is finding a person to be your friend with benefits.

This growing fad requires no date nights, no daily communication, and no jealousy attached! Simply sex whenever it’s convenient for two friends.

The idea of having a friend with benefits has always been a popular idea, although its possibility for success has been thought to be impossible. Surprisingly this sought-after relationship can be achieved, if you both understand a follow a few guidelines.

1. Make sure that the relationship is mutually beneficial to both parties. Evaluate the situation even before the sex starts; if you know your potential friend with benefits has feelings for your even before adding sex into the equation, getting intimate with this person will simply lead them on. Once one person becomes more interested than the other, things are getting complicated; you both need to get what you want out of the relationship.
2. Set some ground rules. If rules are laid out from day one, you both will know what is and is not appropriate for your relationship. (Maybe texting each other everyday is a no, no, but a call on a Friday night after the bars is perfect).
3. No cuddling! Snuggling with your friend before and/or after sex is an intimate experience that helps you feel closer to your partner. Psychology Today explained that “not only can touch promote the release of oxytocin (the sometimes-called “bonding hormone” or “feel good hormone”) but psychologically touch can be a way to help someone feel love, cared for, reassured or desired,”. This is NOT what you want with your sex friend! So after the deed is done, gather your shit and run.
4. Make hanging out specifically for sexual purposes. Once you start making play dates to catch up on your favorite shows together, things have gotten to be more than ‘just sex’.
5. Hang out with other people! Don’t let your friend with benefits be the only guy/girl you’re hanging out with; you need distractions. If your sex friend is the main, or only, person you are hanging out with, you are more likely to become dependent upon them for things other than just sex.
6. Don’t become territorial. Your friend with benefits is simply that, a sex friend, nothing more. So if they decide to hook up with someone else, that’s fine! Sex friends are supposed to stay fun and impersonal. Maintaining a ‘friends with benefits’ relationship is not for everyone; if you are the jealous type or you can’t stand to be single, keeping an impersonal sex relationship may be too hard for you.
7. If one of you starts to develop feelings for the other, STOP! Re-evaluate the situation; if one of you isn’t happy with the impersonal relationship, it’s time to call it quits.

The exciting feeling of ‘being bad’ every once in a while is one of the thrills attached to a friends with benefits relationship and one of the reasons it has gained its popularity. If you had the chance to be naughty for a night, would you?