#YALLFest2014 - Recap

It's been two weeks since YALLFest. I meant to post this sooner, but two weeks turned out to be perfect. So here is my post about my experience at YALLFest.



Friday after my French class I headed over to Blue Bicycle Books. There was a buzz already in that area. The store was so full and busy, but it was neat to see! I felt into the hustle and bustle and started helping with set up. The most exciting part was that I escorted Laini Taylor (Daughter of Smoke and Bone) and her family to the library where she was going to be signing.

When I returned, I had a little bit of a break so I went down to the train museum to get Sarah Dessen to sign my copy of Truth About Forever. I did get it signed and my life was so perfect at that moment!

Afterwards, I went back to the bookstore and there I helped set up books for authors to sign. I helped Morgan Rhodes, Ally Condie and Lauren Myracle. Morgan Rhodes travelled all the way from Canada, Ally Condie was super sweet and has a beautiful signature, and Lauren Myracle is the craziest and has this energy that surrounds her! After I helped the authors, I helped prepare for the panels the next day.

The most exciting part of the evening was going to a beautiful, old Charleston house for a party. All the authors were there! It's every reader's dream to be in a room with their favorite authors! My goal for the weekend was to get Sarah Dessen's autograph and a picture with her. That dream came true! My life was so complete that night!

Saturday came around and it was busy! I worked the merchandise and information table during the morning and we were constantly busy! There were so many people and everyone had stacks of books. It was so cool to see. When I was done at the table I moved on to the Charleston Music Hall where some of the panels were being held. I spent the rest of the evening helping out there. I was able to listen to some really interesting and hilarious panels!  My favorite panels were the Incurable Romantics and Hollywood Stories.

I saw the closing keynote and the YA Smackdown Feat. Tiger Beat. It was an amazing experience and I hope to do it all again next year! I'm not sure whether I'll be interning, volunteering or just enjoying it as a reader.

#YALLFEST2014

Today is the first day of YALLFEST 2014 and I'm excited! Check out my awesome swag! I hope to gain more before the end of the weekend!

My YALLFEST Swag

You may be wondering what YALLFEST is. YALLFEST is a Young Adult literary festival held in Charleston, SC. This year we have 60 amazing authors and twenty different panels, plus book signings! This weekend will be so much fun! I'm excited to see many of my favorite YA authors. Here are my top choices: 

1. Sarah Dessen

2. Stephanie Perkins 

3. Gayle Foreman

4. Veronica Roth

5. Jennifer E. Smith

Check out my Twitter and Instagram for highlights from this weekend! Don't forget to follow YALLFEST as well! 

Have a great weekend! 

Now Listening: #TS1989

Today is the release of Taylor Swift's fifth album 1989! 

I headed over to Target to pick up the Deluxe edition as soon as possible! 

They also had these adorable cards. *HINT - I want a Taylor Swift Birthday Card- HINT*

*Cue Crazy Dancing*



Here are all my feels from the first listen and the secret messages:

• “Welcome to New York”: We begin our story in New York. SHE'S LIVING THE DREAM! It has a cute 1980s beat. 
• “Blank Space”: There once was a girl known by everyone and no one. I like the beat to this song. It's a relatable song. The relationship is a high, but they still go through with it. 
• “Style”: Her heart belonged to someone who couldn’t stay. Another relationship that you just can't say no to. Catchy. 
• “Out of the Woods”: They loved each other recklessly. This whole section is a crazy, whirlwind relationship. 
• “All You Had to Do Was Stay”: They paid the price. It's simple, he just had to stay. Almost everyone has felt this way, wishing it has worked out. 
• “Shake It Off”: She danced to forget him. This is totally going to become the anthem to 2014. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Taylor!! 
• “I Wish You Would”: He drove past her street each night. This is kinda upbeat for a remorseful song. That's what makes it amazing. We all regret and wish for another chance. Sometimes we get it. 
• “Bad Blood”: She made friends and enemies. ROAR! Cat fight. Heavy beat and I like it. Totally about a girlfriend/best friend, but it could also be about a boyfriend too. 
• “Wildest Dreams”: He only saw her in his dreams. Totally having enchanted flashbacks, but more urgent and older. LOVE IT! "He's so tall and handsome as hell". Totally one of my top faves, I already have it memorized. 
• “How You Get the Girl”: Then one day he came back. This is upbeat. I'm having Disney flashbacks. I love a cute simple love song like Kiss The Girl, Beauty and the Beast or I Won't Say I'm In Love. This is like that, but a little more real. 
• “This Love”: Timing is a funny thing. This is the only song written solely by Taylor on the album. All I think of is the old quote "If you love something let it go. If it comes back to you then it's yours". 
• “I Know Places”: And everyone was watching. Co-wrote with Ryan Tedder. It has his feel. Love the rushed feel of the song. It's an US against THEM song. Good choice.
• “Clean”: She lost him but she found herself and somehow that was everything. The hardest part is feeling like you're fully washed from a previous relationship. It takes a good rain to wash away the overwhelming part. 

This GIF sums up my feelings so well.

Now Watching: Fall Hits

Today is October 2nd! The best part is that it's closer to truly feeling like fall here in Charleston! This also means that almost every new or returning show has had their premiere. Here is a list of my top hits!

New Favorites: 

How To Get Away With Murder (ABC) - Thursday, Sep. 25 at 10/9c
This show was pretty good! A little bit more intense than I thought, but still good. It's more a mix of Scandal and Castle. Scandal's intense stories and intrigue and Castle's murders. 

The Mysteries of Laura (NBC) - Wednesday, Sep. 17 at 10/9c
Great show! Murder and comedy! Plus is has Debra Messing and Josh Lucas (Sweet Home Alabama Hottie!) leading the cast. 

Old Favorites:

Bones (Fox) - Thursday, Sep. 25 at 8/7c
Bones and Booth are back together! The opening episode of Season 10 was as crazy as the Season 9 finale was. We lost a beloved member of the team. This season will be intense. 

Castle (ABC) - Monday, Sep. 29 at 10/9c
Like Bones, Castle started out by picking up quickly from the end of last season. Since we finally tied up the loose ends with the murder of Beckett's mother, it made sense that we needed a deeper storyline to hold up this season. We also have the hope of a marriage! Bones is proof that the main characters can be in love, married and have kids while still solving murders and catching criminals.

Nashville (ABC) - Wednesday, Sep. 24 at 10/9c
Love this show! I binge-watched the second half of season 1 and season 2 in about a week. Country music, soap opera-esque story lines and characters you love or love to hate!

Soon To Be Favorites (Haven't Watched or Haven't Premired): 

A-Z (NBC) - Thursday, Oct. 2 at 9/8c
This show is supposed to be similar to How I Met Your Mother and also stars the Mother, Cristin Milioti. It will follow the love story of Andrew and Zelda (Now the title gained about 10 more cute points)!

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D (ABC) - Tuesday, Sep. 23 at 9/8c
I know, I know. I'm late to this party, but I'm trying to catch up on the 1st season. I really don't think it'll matter since I saw Captain America 2 and Hydra has infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. I figure I'll just jump into season 2 and go from there.  

Forever (ABC) - Monday, Sep. 22 at 10/9c
My mom has watched this show and she said it was good. I have it on my list to check out this weekend! 

Gotham (Fox) - Monday, Sep. 22 at 8/7c
My dad texted me to tell me I had to watch this one. I knew I would, as Batman has always been one of my top superheroes. I also love backstories! 

Gracepoint (Fox) - Thursday, Oct. 2 at 9/8c
Totally psyched about it! I love miniseries. Harper's Island was a fave of mine. I think Gracepoint will be great and hopefully without the serial killer angle. 

Reign (CW) - Thursday, Oct. 2 at 9/8c
I really wanted to watched the first season, but I never got to and Hulu only has a few of the end episodes. I'm just gonna jump into season 2. I love historical story lines. 

Tech Talk: Apple's iPad Smart Case

I've had my iPad 3 for over a year, and I love it! I love my Macbook Pro and my iPhone 5s, but some things are easier and more enjoyable on my iPad. Today I'm going to talk about why I love my new case for my iPad.

A few weeks ago I was going through the electronics section of Wal-Mart and I saw a clearance bin full of iPad and tablet cases. I was in a rush that day so I didn't stop to browse. Saturday I had to make a run to Wal-Mart and on my mind was checking out that clearance bin. I'm glad I did!

I found a Targus Versavu case and an Apple Smart Case. I took both cases to the register for a price check and the Targus case was over $50, and my heart sank a bit. I wanted a new case, but I didn't want to spend that much. The cashier scanned the Apple Smart Case and it rang up for a little over $30. Perfect! I spend less than $40 on a lovely grey Apple Smart Case.

I love it! The case is nice and slim, and it makes sliding it in and out of my purse or book bag easy! Plus the cover is great because it wakes and puts my iPad to sleep! Helpful when you're in a rush and are always forgetting to turn the screen off. I love how the cover folds into a stand. It's the perfect angle to tilt it up and use it to type, scroll through Pinterest or watch movies and shows. I love it at school too. I use it mostly in my English class because we have many online reading we have to reference in class.

If you are thinking of buying a case for your iPad or even getting a new one like I did, then I definitely recommend the Apple Smart Case!

Side Note: For older model iPads like the iPad 2-4, you may have to look at stores such as Wal-Mart, Best Buy or even Amazon. Apple doesn't sell these case online through their store.

Odds & Ends

I was going to call my posts that are about events, links, news and other things I found cool or interesting Laney's Roundup, but I decided to change it to Odds and Ends.

Today is Monday and I have loads to talk about!

One: http://www.taylorswift.com

After weeks of trying to figure out the clues, Taylor Swift finally answers all of our burning questions with a LiveStream on Yahoo! Her fifth album, 1989, will be in stores and online on October 27th, 2014. I already made an event in my calendar!

Two: Taylor Swift's newest single "Shake It Off"

"Shake It Off" is AMAZING! Taylor has definitely moved from her country roots and gone to the pop side! She still is an amazing singer and performer, so this move isn't all too surprising. Check it out! You'll instantly be addicted!


Three: Sophie Simmons Wearing Her Dad's Iconic KISS Makeup 

I'm a huge KISS fan and have been since I was 14. I loved watching Gene Simmons on The Celebrity Apprentice. Then I got hooked on his reality show, Gene Simmons Family Jewels on A&E. This was so much fun to watch!

Four: Jimmy Fallon says Ew! with Taylor Swift

I love Jimmy Fallon. I love Taylor Swift. I LOVE Ew! This is a perfect combination!

Five: Hilary Duff - All About You

More new music from Hilary Duff! It just keeps getting me excited to buy a new cd from her!


Six: Tribute to Robin Williams

It has been a week since Robin Williams passed away. Death is always sad, and I think everyone feels the sting from Robin Williams' passing because he brought joy and light to our lives, and it was a shame that he didn't have the same feeling. My favorite of his movies are Mrs. Doubtfire, Bird Cage & Jack. Honestly, all of his movies are amazing because he brings something special to them. Here links related to Robin Williams that I enjoyed.

5 Facts You Didn't Know About Robin Williams

Jimmy Fallon's Tribute to Robin Williams

Organized Chaos: Makeup Mania

This is the first post of my continuous series, Organized Chaos. 

Last night I decided to organize my makeup, which is no small feat. I went through makeup phases as a teenager. I had the phase wear I wore tons of lip gloss, dark lipstick, heavy eyeliner, bright colored eye shadow and more.

I haven't really gone through my makeup in a long time. I just kept buying more and throwing the older stuff in a box. I just wasn't ready to part with anything, because as I mentioned, I go through makeup phases.

To organize my makeup I gathered all of it. I keep a three drawer organizer in my bathroom, another box under my bed and I keep my current faves in a Clinique makeup bag in my purse. I also grabbed my box of hair supplies, but I haven't tackled it just yet.

My form of cleaning/organizing tends to be gathering and piling. I put all my makeup on my desk and started dumping makeup bags out. I sorted it into eyes, lips and face. I even experimented with some of it, because what fun is makeup if you don't try out new looks?

Avon Lip Glosses

For many years the most makeup I wore was bright lip glosses. My favorites were the Avon Glazewear Lip Glosses. I don't think Avon makes this king anymore, but these were my faves because they look good and have pretty colors. They also lasted longer and didn't wear as fast as lipstick does. Avon had five different type of lip glosses, Intense, Sparkle, Shine and Dazzle. Intense and shine were my top choices. Unfortunately, I haven't worn these in years and I figured it was time to part with them. Bad lip glosses are not something I want on my lips.

As I've gotten older I have come to love lipstick. The colors and the way it makes me feel. I always feel like a new person when I put lipstick on. My favorite lipsticks come from Avon or Clinique. Most of my colors are light pinks or corals and a few always classic reds. I also have this amazing bright hot pink one and a lovely darker reddish brown! Those are the ones I wear when I want to stand out!

Victoria's Secret Pink & Taylor Swift's Wonderstruck

 I like perfume, but I am extremely picky about what I wear. I love Victoria's Secret Pink perfume because it is vibrant, flirty and packs a kick that makes it hard to forget! I also wear Taylor Swift's Wonderstruck, which has a lighter flowery smell. I have the big bottle and travel sized bottle which were in a gift set I got for my high school graduation. Yes, that was two years ago. I'm good at making my makeup products last. My final perfume staple is Vera Wang's Princess. It's light and sweet, and truly makes me feel like a princess.

This is my three drawer makeup organizer. I think it'll soon be replaced by an open makeup organizer. I want to keep my main staples out and move the rest to another location. My mother is always complaining about how crowded my bathroom counter is with all my hair and makeup products. I'm finally starting to agree with her (Shhhh! Don't tell her that!).

I'm planning to buy bathroom organizer rack that stands over the toilet soon, so I think that's where I'll store my current makeup organizer, as well as my blow dryer and hair supplies.

I realized I didn't take any pictures of my eye makeup. I use Avon eye shadows and eye liners, mostly. I especially like eye shadow quads because of the color choices. For mascara I use Clinique and Loreal.

How do you store and organize your makeup? Do you have a favorite brand for your makeup or do you use a little of everything?

Cougar Pride: Preparing For A New Semester

I start my junior year of college in 16 days. When I think about it only being 16 days from now I get this nervous excited feeling. Nervous, because new semester means joining a sorority, new classes, new professors, new friends, new opportunities and responsibilities. Excited for all the exact same reasons, hence nervous and excited.

This semester I'm taking French 201, which means my required language courses are almost over! Geology 103, which is environmental geology. I'm also taking Intro to English Studies, which I'm guessing is English Theory (that's a thing?) and techniques for writing papers. I'm also taking my first creative writing course at College of Charleston, and I can't wait! Finally, I have my internship with Blue Bicycle Books, which I'm receiving credit for.

A few of my textbooks

On top of my schoolwork and internship, I still have my supervisor duties. I'm trying to get as much of the little stuff done now, so that when school starts it'll be smooth sailing. Somehow, things will get crazy, but I'm prepared for it! Soon I'll post about my life as a supervisor.

For now, I'll leave you with two awesome college related links!

I have this app on my iPhone and iPad. I love it! I use it with my summer classes and it was helpful! I imagine with a full load this semester it'll be even better! -  http://istudentpro.com

A great blog that's full of idea for college students is Organized Charm! I have gotten many ideas and tips from this blog! - http://organizedcharm.blogspot.com

Laney's Roundup!

This post is the first in a series, which I'm calling Laney's Roundup!

Yes, it is like Woody's Roundup, which is the part my brother stuck on and wouldn't let go when I mentioned it to him.

Aside from the endless Toy Story references, I like my little clip art design and my series title! It took me forever to come up with on I liked that is original and unique. 

It's hard to believe tomorrow is the last day of July! Where has the summer gone? To school and work mostly, but tomorrow I'm going to have a little fun at the beach! On that note, here's my roundup! 

Chasing The Sun

Hilary Duff is back! Her new single, which is the first one since 2008 (it's been TOO long!), Chasing The Sun sticks to her sweet, pop sound, while also covering adult territory such as working all the time and wishing for an escape. The music video is adorable! 

One of the writer's of the song is Colbie Caillat, and if you've listen to Colbie Caillat's earlier music you can feel her vibe. Certain writer/songwriters always have a certain musical vibe, even when they aren't singing the song. 

This song will be my anthem for the rest of the summer! 

I showed the video to my mom, and she said after the second time she listened to it, it grew on her. I told her how excited I am for a new cd from Hilary Duff and hopefully a new one from Taylor Swift! We reminisced about how the first concert she took me to was Hilary Duff's Most Wanted Tour. 

Hilary Duff is and always will be my idol! I feel like Disney tried to copy the Hilary Duff formula with Miley Cyrus, but it went all wrong. No one will ever be as amazing as Hilary Duff. She's managed to age into adulthood, get married, have a baby, write a series of books and still be as amazing a lovable as she was during the Lizzie McGuire days. 

Laney Logic: New Opportunities

Hello all!

Many great things have happened to me recently!

Here's a list of the awesome things:

1) I applied for a internship on Tuesday morning, and a few hours later I was approved! The internship is with Blue Bicycle Books, an independent bookstore in Downtown Charleston. They are also the sponsor of YALLFest, Charleston's Young Adult Literature Festival. This November will be the third year YALLFest has been held in Charleston. It's an amazing opportunity, and the chance to be a part of it is beyond belief!

2) I got business cards for the rink. I love them! It makes me feel special to have business cards and it has proved really helpful!

3) The closer we get to school starting the more excited I get! New classes, new books and new friends! Also, rush is coming up! I'm excited for Greek Life!

I hope to blog more, read more and write more this fall. We'll see how that goes!

Have a super day!

Let It Go Day

Today is Let It Go Day and in 2014 this is a day of great awesomeness and irony.

*CUE FROZEN GIF*


Now, on to the more serious side of this post.

I will admit that I have a hard time letting go. It's my need to process everything thus I make it into something reasonable and understandable.

What do I want to let go of? That's easy, the past four years. The past four years have been a mix of craziness and changes. People change, grow, and move on. Sometimes I feel like I haven't changed, and I'm still the same person, just older.

Letting go of the past is the hardest thing to do. While I was unhappy about how things turned out, someone told me that I can't judge the past based on how things turned out. So when things went sour I can't look back at my memories and see them all as sour because things didn't work out the way I wanted.

Things didn't turn out exactly as I imagined, and that's life. In another four years I imagine things will be very different from how I plan and want them to be.

“I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.” ~ Marilyn Monroe

Tech Talk: iPhone 5S

I am the happy owner of an iPhone 5S. It was a crazy experience and weekend, but I'm glad how it turned out. After going three hours with a black screened iPhone 4, anything was an improvement.

It was a roller coaster experience, first I was going to get a 5S, but Verizon couldn't get me the discount I needed, and then I almost settled on a 5C, before we finally got my iPhone 4 to respond to a soft reset.

Sunday when I walked into Verizon to look at the 5C I wasn't sure what would happen. I'll admit to being a tech snob, and I don't like the 5C. I feel it's was meant to be a starter phone to introduce people to iPhones or for markets in countries in Asia and Europe that can't sell the iPhone 5S easily because it is an expensive phone.

Happily, I walked out with an iPhone 5S in gold. I was in the story all of 2 minutes when the amazing sales accosiate told me I was eligible to upgrade early(I was due until August for an upgrade) AND get a 5S.



I was definitely like this in the store and for the whole rest of the day.

I bought a gold iPhone 5S for me and my mom got the silver 5S. She also got the pink Otterbox, which made a little said, but then I went to Best Buy and bought a teal one. Everyone is happy now!

I'm still learning some of the small changes, but it is amazing how fast this phone is! I love it! I'm also super excited for IOS 8. I have been addicted to reading all the new updates from Macworld. Check out their coverage of WWDC 2014 here. Apple has some great updates in store for us!

My love for Apple products grows with every gadget I get. I'm the proud owner of a Macbook Pro with Retina Display, an iPad 3 (soon to be either an iPad Air or iPad Mini with Retina), an iPod Nano 5th Generation and now an iPhone 5S. Will I continue to buy more product from Apple? Probably, I've never been impressed by anything that makes me want to switch and the ability to have my information linked and accessible on all my devices is a big selling point.

Another factor is that Apple improves a lot with IOS and OS updates. I'm excited for IOS 8 and OS Yosemite. Both with offer more to the basic Apple user and to the advanced user.

Check back for another post on how I feel about Apple's Customer Service.

Celebrate Life For It Doesn't Last Long Enough

This week has been so hectic and exciting! So many great things have happened and so many decisions have been made.

I think the best part of this week was Wednesday. Wednesday was World Autism Awareness Day, and for my Women and Gender Studies class my group partners and I set up a table where we passed out cupcakes and other sweet treats to students and faculty in a way to help raise awareness about Autism. Everything was blue, because there is a campaign known as Light It Up Blue, which is meant to "Help shine a light on Autism". It was great to be a part of this event and to organize it at school.

After we closed down our booth I had to go to English class. My mom decided to wait for me in the hallway outside class. My professor saw her sitting there waiting and invited her to sit in class. Yes, I am that person who is absolutely chill with the idea of dragging my mom with me through college. She goes to pretty much every event I attend, she eats with me on campus, goes with me to the library or to meet partners in group projects and now she has gone to a class with me. It's crazy that people see her and automatically recognize her because she is my mom.

Later on, when my mom and I were on our way home she mentioned that Wednesday was April 2nd, the day that 18 years ago my GaGa passed away. I felt bad because I had forgotten, but my mom said not to worry because GaGa would've been proud of me for working hard in school and being so involved and passionate about it.

This got me to the thinking. April 2nd is the anniversary of her death and also World Autism Awareness Day. Two very important things in my life. It's a coincidence that these two events occur on the same day, but for me it's more than just a coincidence. To me it is a sign, maybe she is watching over us and that instead of being sad she is gone, she wants us to be happy and work hard to improve the world for Ethan, and other children like him.

While working the table for my group, a guy came up, and I instantly knew. It's hard to explain but after years of basically being immersed in a group of children you know when someone is different. Being different isn't bad, sometimes it's actually the best thing ever. This guy came up and asked if we were for inclusion not separation of those who were on the spectrum. My answer: Of course. He smiled and then began to talk to my mom about how he had gone to DC to talk with them about why there should be more inclusion. It is so wonderful the work he is doing.

This past week has had me thinking a lot about life and I have come to this conclusion. Life should be celebrated and enjoyed because a lifetime is not very long at all.

Picture collage of my family

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Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Spoleto, Italy, the sister city of Charleston. My soul yearns to visit. To enjoy a month of Italian food, history, art, architecture, and maybe some Italian guys (Or at least fantasize about Italian boys and write tons of short stories about them).

There's more to Italy than all of that. There is the experience of being in another country and best of all having nothing to do but write. I have the opportunity to go on a month long study abroad trip to Spoleto in May of 2015. I would be writing and studying, and enjoying the sights of Italy. How amazing would that be?

It would be probably the most amazing thing I've ever done in my life thus far.

But then reality sets in, and it's a heavy one. The trip comes in at about $7,554.00, that's the trip and tuition for the classes I'll be taking. Plus about $500 for fun money. That's a lot! It's gonna take a lot of work, but I could do it.

The problem I struggle with is that there are a about a million other things I could do with about $8000.00 dollars. Buy a car, go to Disney World, pay off all of my credit cards, or some other practical thing.

But I don't want to be "realistic" or "practical". I want to be frivolous and adventurous. I want to soak up the sun in another country. I want to breathe the air filled with history. I was to walk on the ground where one of the greatest civilizations stood.

That's why I have finally made up my mind. I'm going to Spoleto, Italy in May 2015. I'll never have another chance in my life to spend a month just writing in another country. Once I come back I will have to face the reality of the world outside of college coming closer as I enter my senior year. I'll have classes to finish, graduation to plan for, apply to Master's programs, study and take the GRE, and worry about getting a car.

To prepare for the financial part of Spoleto, I've been looking up scholarships and crunching the numbers furiously. It's gonna be close, but it is doable.

Also, in preparation I have been Pinning furiously every tip for traveling. I've also make a wish list on Amazon to keep up with the stack of things I will need or want for the trip.

Ciao! Buon viaggio! (This means goodbye, have a good trip in Italian).

Ten Reasons Being Single is the Best

Today is Valentine's Day, which literally means that I'm consuming about 4 times the normal amount of chocolate today. It also means that every radio station is playing sappy love songs or those breakup songs that remind you how awful and pathetic your love life is.

As usual I'm surfing Facebook and an article from Cosmo pops up in my newsfeed. I've reached that stage in life where I only learn current events from Twitter, Cosmo and my mother. Otherwise, I am blissfully ignorant to the world.

This article was about being single on Valentine's Day, and I got to thinking that being single isn't too bad. Cosmo's Single on Valentine's Day article made some decent points, but I have my own.

Here are my Top 10 reasons why being single is amazing.

1. You can buy your own candy. No worries about seeming like a bitch when you mention that you only eat Hershey Hugs, and that Hershey Kisses are okay, but it better be Hershey Hugs or you'll throw the bag at them.

2. You pick how much candy you get. None of those tiny little heart boxes that cost $5.00 for the tiniest and most disgusting piece of candy you have ever been forced to consume.

3. You don't have to go overboard looking pretty. Let's be honest, they aren't concerned if you spent 2 hours shaving, waxing and primping. They're just gonna take you to a cheesy restaurant where every other cheesy couple is, and you'll smile and post it all over the Internet. *Grimaces at the camera for the millionth time*

4. You don't have to compare your date and relationship to your friends. Her boyfriend bought her the biggest flowers, or her boyfriend took her to the nicest restaurant. Guess what? My boyfriend is soft and cuddly. He also has claws which he digs in my feet at night (my cat, Artemus).

5. You don't have to take off from work. I work Friday nights and it would be hell to take off for Valentine's Day, or to go out after work when I have to open at 7:30am tomorrow. I like my sleep, and if I had a boyfriend he would understand that without sleep I am the worst person on earth. Just give me my damn bag of Hershey Hugs put Clue! or Winnie the Pooh on for the millionth time this week and let me sleep.

6. Never worry about going overboard. I had a boyfriend for two Valentine's Days. The first one we celebrated almost a week late, but it was nice. The second one I went all out and he didn't even send a stupid card. I feels it's kinda important to be sorta equal. Damn, if all you get me is a card and candy (again, Hershey Hugs) then that's cool.  But get me something!

7. Benefits of Singledom are pretty nice. I have more money to spend on myself, which at twenty is nice. Hello to that sweet Lane Bryant dress.

8. I don't have to listen to a guy complain about how overrated Valentine's Day is. Yeah, I'm single and I'm always complaining that if you love somebody you don't need a specific day to do it. Of course, being a girl when I'm in a relationship I except that my boyfriend acknowledges the day, no matter how stupid he feels it is.

9. I can continue my love affair with Netflix. Angel, Spike, Booth, Mulder, and Castle are the best kind of guys. Cute, sweet, smart, quirky, hot and best of all, fictional. When I'm bored I just turn the TV off.

10. I CAN BE ME. If that's bitchy, loud, snarky, sarcastic then cool. If I wanna be sweet, silly and smart, even better. But I don't have to stress myself out trying to impress some guy.

Tomorrow I'm gonna stock up on chocolate and continue to enjoy being single.

I'm a Headless Chicken and I'm Okay With This

How do you handle a crisis?

I handle a crisis in one of two ways. The first, going off the deep end and running around like a chicken with my head cut off. The second, much calmer but still with the slight feeling of running around like a chicken with its head cut off.

No matter what, I'm a chicken without a head. Does that say something about my state of mind that I identify with a headless chicken?

Over the past month or so I have been extremely concerned by my flaws. Now that I've become a supervisor I have to take a lot more responsibility and that can be hard at times. I also have to work on my communication skills. For me, it's easy to come across as bossy or a know-it-all, when really I'm just trying to be productive.

I can easily list a few of my flaws. Here's my Top 5:

1. I'm bossy
2. I'm loud
3. I have a hard time seeing the big picture.
4. I can be distracted easily, sometimes. I try to do multiple things at once.
5. I like to do things my way.

I believe that flaws are only flaws if you don't take the time to cultivate them and turn them into strengths. That's what I've been trying to do for the past month. It's hard to make a flaw into a strength, but it's worth it. So here is my attempt to turn my flaws into strengths.

1. I'm a supervisor of five (soon to be six) girls. All between the ages of 16 and 20. Gotta be a little bossy to make things run smoothly.
2. I used to be a skate guard. When you have to clear the ice of over 50 people (sometimes almost 200), it helps to be able to shout. Plus my lungs are strong from blowing my whistle so much, cause no matter how many times you blow the whistle, yell or wave your arms like an air traffic controller, there are always people who look at you like you should be in the circus.
3. I'm good with details. I focus in on the tiny problems and fix those. My logic is that tiny problems will just stack up until you have this HUGE pile of problems. Plus, I make some pretty awesome signs and sheets. In the past 2 months I've made almost twenty different signs, brochures and sheets for work. Details do matter.
4. I can multi-task, when needed. Try sitting in a box, with four open walls. You have a person on your left with questions about birthdays who is trying to book a party. In front of you there is a line of you with people wanting to pay to skate. Behind you there are coaches and parents wanting keys for locker rooms. To the right of you people want to also know what locker rooms or where the restrooms are.
5. Sometimes, my way is the right way. Just not as often as I would like.

It's all about perspective. What looks like a flaw is just a personality trait, and sometimes your strengths are what bring you down.

I don't always handle situations well at the time (statistically, I'd say 65% of the time I do), but it's all about learning. Some things are avoidable, other things are not. You just have to roll with the punches and realize tomorrow is another day.

New Year Resolutions - 21 Things Before I Turn 21

Happy New Year!

It's been 2014 for fourteen days. I've spent the past three weeks thinking of what I want to accomplish in the next year. Some are simple goals, others not so simple. I did decide that I want to accomplish 21 different things before I turn 21. I've been contemplating what things I want to accomplish, some are ridiculous and highly unlikely, others quick and easy.

Here's my 21 before 21:

1. Finish Southern Charm
2. Do something all by myself. Whether it be going to a movie, a concert or dinner at Olive Garden. I gotta do it by myself. Don't ask why, it's just a weird thing I gotta do. 
3. Go away for a weekend. 
4. See the sunrise or set at the beach.
5. Go on a road trip. 
6. Volunteer to help others. 
7. Lose weight. A Lot. 
8. Get back into ice skating. 
9. Land a loop and flip jump. 
10. Compete in two skating competitions. 
11. Save $500.00 for my trip to Spoleto, Italy. 
12. Plan a trip to Disney World.
13. Read 21 full books. 
14. See a concert. 
15. Complete 3 full series. 
16. Do an internship.
17. Pay off my Macbook Pro (I have until October 31st to pay it off in full, or it will no longer be interest free). 
18. Learn a skill. Whether mechanical, crafty or other. I will learn a skill. 
19. Make a real effort towards deciding what I wanna do after graduation. 
20. Keep up with this blog. 
21. Fall in love. 

The last one is a bit misleading. I don't mean to fall in love with another person, not that it wouldn't be nice to be in love again. I mean that I want to fall in love with myself. I want to be happy with who I am as a person. It's hard work, but I've come to the conclusion that to be able to love others, I must be able to love myself completely. This is a psychologically sound theory.

From Pinterest.