Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Looking Forward to 2013!

2011 and 2012 were years of focusing on bad health. I focused on my "former" life of being a healthy social worker. I focused on what I used to do and what I no longer couldn't. I can say, those two years were the worst of my life. Having to leave my job because of health was one of the most depressing moments of my life. But there's nothing I can do to go back in time and change it. These are the cards I've been dealt and I'm at peace with who I am.

I feel really great about 2013. I am looking forward to acceptance and focusing on the positive things in life. I'm ready to move forward.

Truth is, we're all dealing with something. Whether it's health, financial, mental, etc. we all have some challenge and burden in our life. But, we don't have to be defined by it. Focus on that which we can do something about.

Happy 2013 everyone!

Monday, December 17, 2012

My Latest Affirmation

My latest affirmation: I am not my illness, I am me, I am exactly as I am to be. Yes, I have fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis disease, depression and migraines, but I am much more than that. I remember a time where that's all that I identified with. I focused on the daily yuck of living with chronic illness versus focusing on the positive things in life. For anyone to believe that they don't have anything positive to say, they're wrong. The mere fact that you're breathing is positive, so focus on that, versus the level 8 pain, the constant throbbing and aching, and the other disabling symptoms that we've grown accustomed to. Of course we hurt, we have fibro, arthritis etc., but we don't have to let that be our definition.

I also know that it's easier for me to focus on the positive because I'm a very private person. I really don't like sharing how I feel, especially if it's negative. I honestly don't think people want to know about it and it does me no good to focus on that which I cannot change. I know it's very easy to get in the habit of being negative and focusing on the daily suck that life with chronic illness can bring. I get it, life can be really crappy sometimes, all the time, if you let it. I am also not polly anna and think that just by having a positive attitude will make you better. I hate when people profess that a positive outlook will "cure" you. Being positive  doesn't cure, but it sure as hell is a better way to live than complaining all the time. I am often amazed, and saddened, when I see people complain all the time. I honestly think those people would complain if they won a million dollars; complain that it wasn't two million!

I also realize we all deal with life differently. Maybe some feel relief when they complain? I know some people don't have much of a support system at home so they may feel complaining online is a way to vent and release some tension. I suppose however you feel relief, go with it. But I feel better when I'm positive. I feel like these are the cards I've been dealt and I will manage it the best I can.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Favorite Cookie Recipe



I've been baking several batches of chocolate chip cookies and have decidedly found my most favorite recipe! You can find the recipe by going to Plain Chicken; why a vegan is searching around a website with that name, I'm not sure. Truth is, I was googling away and came across a Bisquick recipe and have since made the cookies and wow, yummy!

Here is the recipe, cut and pasted from the Plain Chicken, which I slightly tweaked:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 egg (I didn't have an egg replacer/substitute, so I used water and oil)
2 3/4 cups Bisquick baking mix
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (6 oz)
1/2 cup nuts, chopped, if desired (optional)

Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, mix butter, sugar, vanilla and egg. Stir in Bisquick mix, chocolate chips and nuts. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet, drop about 2 inches apart; flatten slightly. Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.

They're incredibly easy to make and even easier to eat! Warning, these cookies are amazingly addictive. So, for all you ladies looking to gain weight this holiday season, you're welcome! 

Thursday, November 22, 2012

My Thankful List

Today is Thanksgiving, so I want to focus on those things that I am grateful and thankful for. Here are my top ten:

1. I am very thankful for having a supportive husband. Since my diagnosis of fibro, and other chronic illnesses, he has been 100% supportive and caring to me.

2. I am very thankful for the love from my family. I know many people who have fibro, or a chronic illness, receive negativity from their family. I am very grateful I have not experienced that.

3. I am very thankful for the love of my three furbabies. I don't have human children, but my cats melt my heart. I am very grateful to have them in my life.

4. I am very thankful for having wonderful and supportive doctors. Everyone, regardless of a health issue, should have compassionate doctors.

5. I am very thankful for my online support community, specifically on twitter. Since I no longer work, it's become a savior for social outreach.



6. I am very thankful for having a nice apartment with some great amenities. Even before I stopped working, I was a homebody. I much prefer to stay at home and watch a movie or TV shows, than to go to a bar.

7. I am very thankful for living in a city where there are lots of food options, specifically because being a vegan can be challenging. I live within minutes of grocery stores, including Whole Foods.

8. I am very thankful for my hobbies that keep my mind active, including cooking, being the "tv lady", and reading, to name a few.

9. I am very thankful to God for giving me love and strength. God keeps me positive and the closer I am to God, the better I feel about life.

10. I am very thankful for the health that I do have. I tend to not focus on the negative and what's wrong with me. Of course, I have bad days, lots of them, but I could be so much worse. I am very grateful that my illnesses will not kill me, I have much to look forward to in life.

I think we all need to focus on what we are grateful and thankful for every day of the year, not just Thanksgiving. But, it's a great day to focus on that which makes us happy.

Happy Thanksgiving all!

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Woodrow, The Love Bug


Woodrow, the Love Bug

9NOV
A week ago today, my sweet 15 year old cat, Woodrow, was diagnosed with lymphoma. He was being very lethargic, losing a lot of weight and overall, not eating or enjoying the things he used to. Woodrow, or as we call him Woody, has been in my life for roughly 13 years now. I was single at the time and wanted to find a black kitten, so I went searching. I finally came to this feline rescue center that had about 15 cats in cages. Woody was at the very end of the aisle and had a blanket draped over his cage, I still don’t understand why. When they removed the curtain, I saw my baby. As you can see, he is not black. He is a pretty shade of orange, almost like a little creamcicle color. He was rubbing the cage with his face and they asked if I wanted to hold him, of course I said yes! He immediately purred and smelled me and I knew he was mine. I quickly realized that Woody was a little love bug, in fact, the vet that the rescue place used nicknamed him as love bug. He grooms not only himself, but other cats and people. The entire night he would lick my leg, although it felt weird, I knew he was just being a sweetheart.
Anyone that meets Woody knows he’s a sweet heart, love bug. Oddly enough, about 3 months after Woody came home with me, we heard a cry at our door and it was a black kitten! He is all black with a little patch of white on his neck, so he’s named Tux. Tux is also a love bug, but very shy. Woody groomed him from the first day he arrived. They have been great brothers since. We also now have Chase, our little adorable tuxedo short hair bully, sigh.
Woody has been taking prednisone for a week now and he’s doing awesome! I admit, when I heard that he had lymphoma, my heart was devastated, it still is. But I told him that if he was in any pain to let go. I don’t want him in pain and staying here just for his mommy. But since he’s been on the pred, he’s back to his old self. He’s purring, playful, and eating much more. I am cautiously optimistic that he is going to stay this way, but I know he’s getting older and my role as a mom is to make his life peaceful and happy.
I love you Woody with all my heart.
*Previously posted on my former wordpress blog. 

Monday, October 22, 2012

Fun Saturday with Family



This weekend I visited my family who lives two hours south of where I currently live. I had a great day hanging with my mom, sister, nephews and their girlfriends. I had a rough week prior, so it was nice getting away and visiting. Where I live now, I don't have any family near me. In fact, I don't really have any friends here either. I am pretty isolated since I don't work and rarely get out of my apartment. I see my doctors routinely, but other than that, my husband and I will go out to eat on occasion, otherwise I'm home. It has nothing to do with being agoraphobic or being afraid of crowds; which is farthest from the truth. In fact, Saturday was the annual homecoming parade in my hometown and the girls always get together to watch. If I were afraid of crowds, you certainly wouldn't find me there!
photo.JPG
Mississippi River, near the new casino. 
After the parade, we went to lunch and it was delicious! We had mexican, which is probably my favorite food, I had their homemade guacamole and salsa. I could eat that every single day! After lunch we went to several antique and clothing stores. I didn't buy anything, but found a cute window screen that I was going to buy, it was only $5, however the store didn't allow debits under $25, so I didn't get it. I rarely carry cash. After the stores, we drove to where the new casino was being built, in fact, it's going to open next month. We decided that we would all dress up in fancy dresses and have a night on the town and go there. That would be a lot of fun. Afterwards, we returned to my mom's house and looked through some old photos. Overall, it was a great day. The weather and company were just perfect. When the day was over, I told my mom that it was days like this that I really think about moving back home. There is really nothing keeping me where I'm at now. Later that night, my sister texted me saying she wishes I would move back, before I had even mentioned my thoughts to do so. I have to work on my husband to see how he feels. I think, overall, we both would enjoy it. We would have family support and there would be more reason for me to get out of the apartment more. We're currently in a lease until August, so there's plenty of time to make the decision. Like any decision, there are pros and cons to consider. We have lots of time to figure it out.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

6 Writing Tips From John Steinbeck - The Atlantic

6 Writing Tips From John Steinbeck - The Atlantic


If this is indeed the year of reading more and writing better, we've been right on course with David Ogilvy's 10 no-bullshit tips, Henry Miller's 11 commandments, and various invaluable advice fromother great writers. Now comes John Steinbeck—Pulitzer Prize-winner, Nobel laureate, love guru—with six tips on writing, culled from his altogether excellent interview it the Fall 1975 issue of The Paris Review.
1. Abandon the idea that you are ever going to finish. Lose track of the 400 pages and write just one page for each day, it helps. Then when it gets finished, you are always surprised.
2. Write freely and as rapidly as possible and throw the whole thing on paper. Never correct or rewrite until the whole thing is down. Rewrite in process is usually found to be an excuse for not going on. It also interferes with flow and rhythm which can only come from a kind of unconscious association with the material.
3. Forget your generalized audience. In the first place, the nameless, faceless audience will scare you to death and in the second place, unlike the theater, it doesn't exist. In writing, your audience is one single reader. I have found that sometimes it helps to pick out one person—a real person you know, or an imagined person and write to that one.
4. If a scene or a section gets the better of you and you still think you want it—bypass it and go on. When you have finished the whole you can come back to it and then you may find that the reason it gave trouble is because it didn't belong there.
5. Beware of a scene that becomes too dear to you, dearer than the rest. It will usually be found that it is out of drawing.
6. If you are using dialogue—say it aloud as you write it. Only then will it have the sound of speech.
But perhaps most paradoxically yet poetically, 12 years prior—in 1963, immediately after receiving the Nobel Prize in Literature "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humour and keen social perception"—Steinbeck issued a thoughtful disclaimer to all such advice:
"If there is a magic in story writing, and I am convinced there is, no one has ever been able to reduce it to a recipe that can be passed from one person to another. The formula seems to lie solely in the aching urge of the writer to convey something he feels important to the reader. If the writer has that urge, he may sometimes, but by no means always, find the way to do it. You must perceive the excellence that makes a good story good or the errors that makes a bad story. For a bad story is only an ineffective story."
If you feel bold enough to discount Steinbeck's anti-advice advice, you can do so with these 9 essential books on more and writing. Find more such gems in this collection of priceless interviewswith literary icons from half a century of The Paris Review archives.
 Open Culture

Monday, August 13, 2012

8.13.12 #NaBloPoMo

Today's writing prompt: "Who in your world is made of sugar and spice and everything nice?" 

This is very easy for me to answer, my mom! My mom and I are like best friends. We can share anything with each other and are very similar in our personalities. There is something wonderful about not having to explain yourself or what you mean to others; it's a blessing that she just gets it. There's hardly a day that we don't go without texting each other, she lives nearly two hours away, so we don't see each other really often. But when we do get together, we're often doing fun things, like shopping, getting coffee, eating, or on occasion, gambling. 

I remember growing up, my mom and I had a strained relationship. I think this happens to many mom's and daughter's, as we butt heads. My mom was a hard worker, still is. She always worked and often worked weekends and long hours. She still works two jobs and has always focused on her career. She wanted me to set my goals high and never let me consider not attending and graduating from college. My mom has always believed in me, even when I didn't. 

We all need the support of a mom like I have. She's full of sugar and spice and everything nice! 

Friday, August 10, 2012

Back to School


My favorite time of year is Autumn. I love everything about it, including, the weather, holidays, the clothing, colors and smells. I also feel invigorated during this time of year. My depression seems to improve and overall, I feel more content. I have some ideas on how I’m going to be spending this Fall, which has me pretty excited.
First off, I am going to start taking some online classes. I’m looking at free classes that may be an online seminar or a format where there are questions and answers. The classes I want to take will be in writing, art history, literature and religion. Those are a few of the interests that I have and would love to learn more about; I want to become engrossed in knowledge. It’s odd because I never enjoyed school and certainly not college. However, I now feel a longing for knowledge. I think it has to do with my no longer working, due to disability. I now have all the time in the world to focus on areas of interest.
I’m also a huge TV fan. Yes, I know it’s not cool to watch TV. I watch a ton of TV and I’m not embarrassed to admit it! I find it a great distraction during the day and if you think about it, a writer wrote the episode, so I’m supporting my fellow writers. I’m not sure why watching TV is taboo, at least I’ve heard a few comments related to that. There’s nothing wrong with my TV viewing. I have a laptop with me the entire time and get a lot of writing done while I’m watching TV. I suppose I can multi-task without any issue. Therefore, this Fall, I’m really looking forward to watching some new TV series, including Revolution, Elementary and Nashville. I have a blog devoted strictly to TV, at TheTVLady.
I’m also going to start keeping up with blog reading. I use BlogLovin, which you can find a link to on the right side of this blog.  I faithfully add blogs routinely, well over 40 right now, but I’m not so great at reading them. Some of the bloggers I follow do a great job in updating, therefore, there are 100′s of blog posts that I need to read. Another favorite media format that I’ve become enamored with, are podcasts. I have added several podcasts, including NPR and other varied topic related podcasts.
I’m giving myself time off until “school” starts, so I have some type of routine to my studies and reviews. Please let me know if you are aware of any classes, blogs or podcasts I should be keeping up with!

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Lauren Walks the Dog

Lauren Walks the Dog


Pinko halter neck top
£219 - farfetch.com


Mother jeans
$355 - mytheresa.com


TOMS ballet flat shoes
$74 - toms.com


Blue Nile sterling silver jewelry
$600 - bluenile.com



VIcenza teardrop jewelry
£8 - debenhams.com


Illamasqua matte lipstick
$28 - asos.com

Blogging Challenge Day 2 #NaBloPoMo

Today's topic is to write about a strong memory at recess.

Oddly enough, this is easy to remember. I was in the 2nd grade, I believe. I was a student at St. Mary's Catholic School, yes I was a Catholic school girl, only until the 4th grade. As all Catholic schools are set up, we had our school building and then the church next door. Between the church and school was a large playground that was chained off. The chained off areas were put up during the school day and after school were opened up as this was how parents drove through to pick up their kids. The younger students, myself included, played on the side of the building which had a merry go round and a large area marked by yellow lines, which many of the boys used for soccer and kick ball.

I remember a large crowd gathering around one of the students in my class, Nathan, who I could see laying on the ground. He wasn't moving and I wasn't exactly sure what had happened, but I noticed he was near one of the chained off areas. The students were escorted inside while the teachers and nuns attended to him. When we got back to class, my teacher was gone for quite a while, but when she returned, she informed us that Nathan had been in an accident. Apparently he went running after a kick ball and didn't see the rope/chain and ran right into it. Because we are 2nd graders, the chain hit him, at arms length. I can't remember my teachers' name, but she proceeded to draw a diagram of what an arm bone looked like, then drew one with a crack in it, to demonstrate what happens when one breaks their arm. I immediately felt hot and sick; such a precursor to my lack of ability to deal with blood or emergency situations. It did turn out that Nathan broke his arm. He returned to class the next day with a cast and from that point on, there were orange cones next to all of the chains; to alert rambunctious children.

Who knew a 2nd grader and chains could be so dangerous!

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Blogging Challenge Day 1 #NaBloPoMo

Today's blogging challenge from Blogher, is "Who did you play with as a child"?

I am the middle child of three; my older sister is seven years older and my brother is two years younger. I remember wanting to hang out with my sisters' friends when they would have slumber parties or get together's at our house. I loved being with my sister, I looked up to her. My sister and I are nearly complete opposites. She's fun and likes to have parties, at least she was that way in school. She always had a boyfriend and hung with a large group of people. I was painfully shy and serious; still am to an extent. Having her as my sister was great because in many ways, she helped me come out of my shell, a bit. She was always willing to let me hang with her and her friends, likely because I was quiet and didn't pose any problems for her.
My younger brother and I are also opposites. He was always outgoing and never knew a stranger. He had some problems with his behavior; both at home and in school. Because we were close in age, we went to the same school and by default, played together. There are both good and bad memories, as anyone has with their sibling. But, when you have a sibling with behaviors, sometimes violent, there tend to be a lot of negative memories. Your siblings help form your character and are your original playmates, which makes a lot of sense to me, as I'm guarded with allowing people into my life. Because of my extreme differences with my siblings, I think it's carried with me throughout adulthood and I've only had very few close friendships.

Some of my best memories of playing as a child was on our large back porch. I loved to play "office", where I sat behind a desk and organized papers. Another "game" I enjoyed was playing church. We had an organ and I remember pretending, with my brother, that we were at mass. Yes, I suppose I was a weird child! I cannot forget some of my best playmates as a child, animals! We always had cats and I cannot imagine my life without them. I care so much for all of the "pets" we've had throughout my life, that they are more like family, and definitely like close friends.
I definitely learned to play alone and to enjoy my own company too. That is a valuable lesson that I carry with me today.

Monday, April 30, 2012

NaBloPoMo in May

Some of you may see the hashtag, #NaBloPoMo, on twitter and I'm going to participate in May. The theme for May is "PLAY". This will be a challenge for me, I must admit. Even as a child I was quite serious, but I'm going to do my best to have fun with it. This is a monthly challenge run by BlogHer that helps bloggers to write everyday by giving them a theme and question. It's a great way to get out of writers block or just to get yourself into the routine of blogging more routinely.
So, I hope you join me starting tomorrow!




Thursday, April 26, 2012

Safety in Social Media

There are many social networking sites that keep us connected to our friends from around the world. Some of my favorites include twitter, facebook, instagram, pinterest, tumblr, and my newly found tv apps, viggle and getglue. These sites are great, when people treat them with respect, but, as we all know, there are people out there that seek negativity and are up to no good! I became a "victim" of this when someone became interested in my health issues. It was friendly at first, but then he started to flirt with me, even though my bio on twitter says I'm happily married; but to many this means nothing. He wanted to know where to send me gifts and commented on my blog. I blocked him and deleted that old account, but I know nothing is 100% safe on the internet.

I also used to use foursquare, which is a social tool where you "check-in" to various stores and restaurants where you attend, in order to earn a badge, or become the mayor. I think the idea is very fun, but I really don't want anyone knowing where I'm at. I always cringe when I see the posts come across twitter because I think how easy it is for a stalker to see where you're at. Some even check-in to their own home; which makes no sense to me.


The following are the top ten ways to keep yourself safe on twitter, or other social media sites; the source of this information can be found here.

1. Never Share Personal Information
2. Review applications that use your twitter account.
3. Regularly change your password.
4. Preview URL's before sending.
5. Beware of unsolicited DM's.
6. Use Private twitter accounts (when sharing with family).
7. Block and Report Spam.
8. Respect Twitter limits to avoid Account Disruption.
9. Avoid Being Impersonated.
10. Use an anti-virus and firewall.

The truth is, most of us are here for fun and to connect with others' with similar issues/like-mindedness. However, there are those that will do anything to create drama. It's best to avoid those people and surround yourself with positive people; much like you would do in real life.

Stay safe!

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Help Find the Missing

I am extremely interested in true crime, perhaps because my own family has been hit with a murder; my brother in law was murdered after a botched robbery at his job. I love reading Anne Rule, who worked along side Ted Bundy in a crisis hotline center. I love watching true crime shows like 48 Hours Mystery and Discovery ID; sadly many of the shows do not have a happy ending. I cannot imagine the pain that loved ones have not knowing what happened to their child, sister, friend, etc. I've included a new widget to help locate the missing; it can be found at the far right/bottom of this page. You can embed the same widget on your blog by clicking on the widget link found below or entering this html code:
"<script type="text/javascript" src="http://cdn.widgetserver.com/syndication/subscriber/InsertWidget.js"></script><script type="text/javascript">if (WIDGETBOX) WIDGETBOX.renderWidget('40b2548b-4191-4edb-b588-be7f54e5a07c');</script>
<noscript>Get the <a href="http://www.widgetbox.com/widget/lostnmissing">LostNMissing, Inc</a> widget and many other <a href="http://www.widgetbox.com/">great free widgets</a> at <a href="http://www.widgetbox.com">Widgetbox</a>! Not seeing a widget? (<a href="http://support.widgetbox.com/">More info</a>)</noscript>"

My prayers are with the friends and family of those missing. May God answer their prayers. 

Sunday, April 22, 2012

That's Lady Sofa Dweller To You

As you may know, or assume just by looking at my blog, I love everything to do with pop culture, especially TV! Since I am no longer working, I have made an art out of TV watching. I often call myself a Lady Sofa Dweller vs. Couch Potato; it's a more refined description. As you may also know, I type up a daily, nightly, TV lineup based on the new episodes of shows that I watch. There's a link on the header of this blog, with the tab titled Nightly TV lineup. It's my tumblr blog in which I go through the TV guide/lineup and set up various shows to record based on their being new episodes. I know that I leave some shows off the lineup, but I only type the ones that I watch. So, if you see it mentioned on the lineup, then you know it's a new episode! I often joke that my DVR smokes because of all of the shows that I watch. I've recently downsized a bit by getting rid of a few shows that I just don't care for, including Grimm and Awake. Both shows are good, but they just didn't hold my interest like others. I would definitely agree that both Sunday and Tuesday nights are loaded. I currently have just over 100 episodes of various shows on my DVR, a few at risk of being deleted due to their age; so I need to get busy!

As you can see on the right side of my blog, I have a widget for my GetGlue account. It's a great sight where you can earn stickers for checking in to some of your favorite shows, and the specified shows that will award you with a limited sticker. You must check-in while the show airs, otherwise you risk not getting your sticker. You can also have the actual stickers mailed to you; I've not done this as I've no interest in having stickers, but I do like to earn them. My newest, favorite app is from Viggle. Viggle is an amazing app, where you check-in by tapping your screen for it to "listen" to what you're watching in hopes that it recognizes it. Once the app recognizes what you're watching, it will post it on your phone; the app is currently with iPhone only, however, Android phones are soon to get the app. Once it recognizes what you're watching, it will then allow you to check in to the show. Once you check in, you can also share it to your twitter or facebook feed. Each show and each share gives you reward points that can be redeemed for actual rewards. I have already redeemed $15 worth of gift cards from Barnes and Noble. It was simple, I clicked redeem and I received an email with the e-card number. I ordered the book I wanted using the e-card information and presto, simple! All of that took less than 10 minutes! Oh, I forgot to mention, the app is free! I am currently working my way up to 375,000 pts to get an iPod Touch; they also offer gifts such as a Kindle Fire or Apple TV!

With both of these apps, I know I feel much, much better about my love of TV. I feel like my being a lady sofa dweller is really paying off. If you're a TV addict, like myself, you must have these two apps to keep you company. They're really a no-brainer.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Time to Organize

Most of us have that eyesore area of our home that we keep putting off, day after day, on getting organized. Today I decided to tackle my area, which happens to be my closet. It's not too bad; I admit to being a bit of an organized person. I do pretty good at purging through clothes that I don't wear anymore or haven't worn in years. But it got to the point where I couldn't find a shirt and knew it had to be in this mess, somewhere!

                                                       



If you can't make out the pictures, the top of my closet is a mess! No, I don't have a walk-in closet, but I have twin closets, which one side are tops and the other are bottoms. So, it's a nice trade off than a walk-in. On a side note, I've become enamored with a new show called, The Amandas. It's a great show on Style that follows Amanda, with her high-heeled wearing crew, who are called in to homes to help people get organized. There's not any better feeling than having a clean and organized home, in my opinion. So here are the after pictures. I'm quite proud of myself!


                                                                  

I feel so accomplished. Next time I need to tackle the "bottoms" closet. That will be easier, I admit. Shirts are just harder to keep organized, in my opinion. 
Happy organizing!                               

Friday, March 16, 2012

Looking for a few good blogs

Yes, that's right. I love to blog, but I also love to read what others' are writing. I tend to follow blogs that pertain to one of the following: discussion on veganism, fashion, art, writing, and health. If you have a blog that falls under one of these topics, please leave a comment. I'd love to follow you.
I'm currently using bloglovin, which I just love! I have a link to follow my blogs via bloglovin on the right side; it's the flashing Eiffel tower. I also installed the chrome extension for bloglovin, so once I add your blog to follow, it will give me a number update indicating how many new posts are ready to read.
I think that anyone starting off as a newbie blogger, should first and foremost, start commenting and reading other blogs. That's typically how one starts to develop their own follower base and it's a great way to connect with what others' are talking about.
Again, let me know if you have a blog worth reading and loving! :)

Monday, March 5, 2012

Female Writer's Style



What does a female writer wear? Is she concerned with fashion or is it more about comfort while honing her craft? Does she consider her muse and what they would wear while she's writing? I'm taking a look back at a few of the more famous authors of our time and what appearance they showed to the world.
The first writer I'm reviewing is Emily Dickinson. You can tell she was pretty simple in both her dress and hair style. I think this look was pretty prevalent among many woman of that era. Women were hard workers, whether it was inside or outside of the home, so they didn't focus so much on appearance. Of course, Emily spent many of her years in seclusion, so she likely was not a fashionista of her day.

The next author I wanted to check out is Harper Lee, "To Kill a Mockingbird", is her most famous novel. As you can tell, she's very similar to Emily, very plain and not a fashionista by any stretch of the imagination. She was very comfortable and somewhat of a tomboy in appearance. From the looks of it, she did not wear makeup and is obviously a smoker. Hey, writers need a vice, some of our muses tend to stress us out! 

                                                      
The third author, is Joyce Carol Oates. She has penned numerous books, including an Oprah Book Club Selection, "We Were the Mulvaney's". Joyce has an understated look, simple with minimal makeup. Her attire seems that of comfort, long flowy skirts, pullover shirt and jacket. In many of her pictures, she can be seen wearing her large, over sized glasses; but she must have got contacts in later years. 
                                                          
None of these women would be considered fashionistas, not that a writer is usually concerned with that. They focus on their craft of writing, which could care less about their appearance. Granted, I have only looked at three great female authors, but I tend to think that many writers are this way. The desire and urge to write can come at all hours, who cares how your hair looks!? 
Besides, most of us are much more concerned with what's inside the book versus the picture on the back. 

Monday, February 27, 2012

My Oscar Picks



Last night was the 84th Annual Academy Awards. I personally enjoy that Billy Crystal returned as the host; I enjoy the song and dance and comfort he brings to the show. Yes, it might be a tad boring, but I prefer it! I am eager to watch the Fashion Police, who will pick their best and worst, but I'm going to choose my own now.
One of my favorites, and I rarely think she goes wrong, is Michelle Williams. I love that she wore red!
Getty Images
I also loved Viola Davis who went natural with her hair and wore green. I love the look!
Celebuzz
Another favorite was Giulianna Rancic. She is a reporter for E! news and this was her second look of the show. Very pretty; loved the makeup!

Giuliana Rancic 2012 Oscars
                                                             Celebuzz
We always have to look at the misses of the night...Rooney Mara. I love her unique qualities, just not a fan of this dress.
Just Jared
Ellie Kemper...well, I don't think you need to match your hair color with the dress...
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26:  Actress Ellie Kemper arrives at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.  (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images) Photo: Jason Merritt, Getty Images / SF
Getty Images
Lastly, Kate Mara...well, I think her face says it all...
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26:  Actress Kate Mara arrives at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.  (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images) Photo: Michael Buckner, Getty Images / SF
Getty Images