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Friday, February 27, 2015

5 Ways to Grow in Your Relationship.

At 23 (and a half) years old, I've had approximately six boyfriends, each of which lasted between one month and two years. I've dumped and I've been dumped; I've had my ups and I've bottomed out. I've learned what I can handle and what I can't handle in relationships (that's a whole other post in itself). It hasn't always been easy. If I'm being honest, a lot of the time, dating was just plain hard.

Fast forward to my sixth and what I hope will be my last - my relationship with Ryan is completely different than anything I've ever experienced. Why? Because it's easy. Always. Even when life isn't easy, our relationship is easy. I'm not saying it's perfect, because that's far from the truth. But I can say that most days, I'm effortlessly happy, and I think that's because rather than growing out of my relationship, I'm growing up and into it. Does that make sense?

Let's get real, I'm no expert on love. I'm pretty sure I dropped out of the only psychology class I ever took in college. I could have absolutely zero idea as to what I'm talking about. But I'm in a happy relationship, and these are my personal guidelines as to how you can be, too:


  1. Fight less, discuss more. Figure out what's worth fighting about. Ask yourself, "will this matter to me in an hour? Tomorrow? Next week?" If the answer is no, then drop it. If the answer is yes, take a deep breath and calmly explain to your partner how you're feeling and why you're frustrated. Ryan and I rarely fight, but when we do, I want to make sure we both learn something from it. Ignoring your feelings to avoid a fight isn't the point; it's learning to work through your problems instead of screaming about them that causes you both to grow.
  2. Talk about the future, but live in the present. Ryan and I talk about the future quite a bit - where we want to settle down, what we won't have at our wedding, who we'll invite to our wedding (fun fact: we're not engaged). It's important to have conversations about the future. After all, isn't that the point of dating? But it's also easy to get caught up in the excitement of the 'what might be's, which takes away the fun of the 'right now's. Plus, too much talk about the future can lead to unnecessary expectations and stress. Point of this particular rambling: keep your future in mind, but remember to enjoy the journey.
  3. Understand that being comfortable does not mean boring. After you've been dating for awhile, that "spark" fades. I don't care what your Nicholas Sparks novels tell you, I don't care what your rom-coms tell you - being in love does not mean forever butterflies, passionate make out sessions and 50 Shades of Grey style freak shows in the bedroom. Sometimes being in love means staying in on a Saturday night, sitting on separate ends of the couch, watching four episodes of Homeland in a row, scrolling through handheld technology and only using your vocal chords to ask, "more wine?" 
  4. Don't go looking for problems. Don't go through Facebook messages, don't go through text messages, don't check call logs. Trust your partner. If you're looking for something to be upset about, you'll probably find it if you're looking hard enough. Fight the urge.
  5. Be each other's best friend. When Ryan and I first started dating, he said something to me that really stuck. He told me, "I don't want a girlfriend...I want a best friend." At the end of the day, your partner should be the person you can tell your darkest secrets to, free of judgement; the person you can confide in when it feels like your world is falling apart; the person you can be your silliest self in front of. 

Anything to add to the list? What works for you? 

Happy weekend! XO









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Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Just Say Yes.



Working Monday through Friday, it's really easy to get caught up in the idea that I have "too much to do" to have fun during the work week. Getting off work around 5:30-sometimes 6ish doesn't leave a lot of time at night to check errands and chores off of my to-do list. Even writing up a blog post can feel daunting if I only have a few hours to walk the dog, cook dinner, and squeeze a work out in. Factor in showering, making lunch for the next day and you know, actually relaxing, there isn't a whole lot of time for much else, unless I want to compromise my sleep. And compromising my sleep is not an option.

This kind of lifestyle can get really frustrating, and to be honest, boring. Having a routine keeps me motivated and gets me into my groove throughout the week, but if I'm being honest, my "routine" isn't even remotely as productive as I make it sound. Most nights I come home, lounge about doing absolutely nothing for 20 minutes before taking Einstein for a walk or run and lazily making dinner, followed by sitting on the couch catching up on my television shows, scrolling through Pinterest, and thinking about how I really should be reading my book. Every. Single. Night. LAME.

So believe it or not, when a couple of my friends randomly asked me to go out to dinner last night, I was hesitant. 

"I could really use the time to write up a few blog posts."

"I should really spend time with Einstein."

"I've been meaning to clean out my closet."

I spent a good chunk of the day thinking up excuses before realizing, in a nutshell, that I was wasting away my life. Okay, not really, but seriously - passing up margaritas and girl time with my friends because I've been meaning to clean out my closet? I've been meaning to do that for weeks...what exactly was it about this particular Tuesday that was going to be any different? You guessed it - not a damn thing. So I went, and I had a great time, and I was even able to take Einstein for a 30 minute run beforehand, knocking out quality time with him and a work out in one fell swoop. 

A million paragraphs of rambling later, I guess I'm just trying to say that a routine does not make an exciting life. I understand sometimes we have to say "no" to group outings or dinners for other responsibilities, or lack of money, or whatever. But if you can say yes, why don't you? Life is too short to say no. Unless, of course, you have no desire to do something...then definitely say no. Because in the words of Hannah from Girls, "I find it really liberating to say no to shit I hate." 






















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Monday, February 23, 2015

One Sunday in Tampa, Round Two.

This past week, Florida decided to throw us for a loop. Temperatures dropped down to the low 40's Thursday night, and by Friday morning we woke up to high 20's. To say I was shaking in my boots, quite literally, would be an understatement. Sweet, sweet Florida, why do you insist on torturing me with freezing temperatures in February? I only accept this type of behavior around Christmas time, and you're about two months behind on that.

So color me pumped up when I woke up Sunday morning to sunshine and 80 degrees. I took Einstein to the apartment's dog park in cut off shorts and a t-shirt. I walked by one of my neighbors loading up their boat for a day on the bay. I thought about going to the beach just a little too late, as timing just wasn't on my side. As an alternative, Ryan suggested we take Einstein to the dock just a few steps away from my apartment. I figured it'd be a perfect time to play with my new toy:


Isn't she pretty? It's a Nikon D7000 with an 18-140 mm lens, and I got it on a fantastic sale at Best Buy over President's Day weekend. It's been something I've been wanting to pull the trigger on for a couple of years now, so I figured if not now, when? 

So, I spent 20 minutes trying to figure out how to attach my camera strap, threw on a bra (ugh, the struggle), and walked all of four minutes to the bay, where I proceeded to take 32948398 pictures of my dog. Are you really surprised? I mean, look at him. He is handsome. Oh and, Ryan, too.











[Ryan even managed to catch a photo of jumping mullet! Those buggers were quick.]

It's supposed to cool down a couple more days this week, and in true Florida fashion, I'm sure our winter 'spurts' won't be officially dunzo until April-ish, but this was the taste of summer I've been craving. Now that Valentine's Day is over, I'm ready for summer holidays. Bring on Cinco de Drinko (ahem...Mayo), Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day...just give me an excuse to be in the sun with a margarita. And my new camera.

Did anyone else have a warm weekend? Is anyone else crying that it's Monday? Just me? Okay, great. XO

























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Friday, February 20, 2015

When you're busy making other plans.


My roommate, Kaylee, is semi-recently engaged, and set to be married in October of this year. Since I work Monday through Friday during the day and she's a night shift nurse, we don't really have a lot of quality-in-person-best-friend-kinda conversations. Last night was the first night in what feels like forever that we were both home at the same time, sans boyfriends/fiances, so we finally got to squeeze in some girl talk. We started to get into "deep stuff," if you will, so I immediately suggested we continue this conversation over salsa and guac. Like any good friend, she agreed.

Like any typical twenty-somethings, we started talking about the future. From weddings, to eventual children, to money, we talked about our ideal set up; essentially, the picture we've painted of our life paths. We talked about how much our "plans" have changed as we've grown up, as plans so often do.

Back in my sorority days, I remember going to our on-campus Beef O' Brady's with a few of my sisters and one in particular starting writing down her life plan on a napkin. No lie, she said she wanted to graduate by 22, be married by 24, kids by 26, be done having kids by 30. Boom, boom, and boom. I realize now that, to an extent, she was probably joking. Because let's get real, you can't really plan your life out on a napkin, can you? How can you predict something like that? Don't you realize how your entire life can change in an instant?

So I put together what I imagined would have been me and Kaylee's "napkin plans," prior to figuring out that life doesn't really care what you planned.

Kaylee's Napkin Plan: 

  1. Graduate with a BSN.
  2. Get a nursing job.
  3. Go to grad school to become a nurse practitioner.
  4. Pay off student loans.
  5. Get married.
Sam's Napkin Plan:
  1. Graduate from college with my bachelor's.
  2. Move to California, or Chicago, or NYC.
  3. Try to "make it big" - work at a magazine, or a PR agency or, you know, become a wildly famous actress. Or something. 
  4. Date around, play the field.
  5. Get married eventually.
Clearly my plan was a little less goal-oriented than Kaylee's, a bit more far-fetched, and...well...naive. Oh, and embarrassing. From falling madly in love for what I believe will be the last time at 23, to realizing that I'm not cut out for the cut-throat L.A. type of lifestyle, it's safe to say that a lot has changed since I came up with my 17 year old pipe dream. And Kaylee met the man of her dreams, and got engaged before going to grad school and paying off all of her student loans. Surprise, surprise...a curveball!

The conclusion we both came to while rubbing our full bellies at the dining room table was that it's literally impossible to know what's next, and there will never be a "right time." It will never be the "right time" to get engaged, to break up, to move in, to move on. While it's important to have goals and ideas of how you'd like your life to pan out - it's even more important to be flexible. To realize that while it might not be the right time, it might be a good time. Does that make sense? Am I rambling? Is it Friday yet?

Do you have a napkin plan? How drastically have your plans for the future changed in the last few years? I'd love to know!

Happy weekend, guys! XO






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Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Currently, Pt. 3.

In case you're new around here, I snagged this idea from one of my favorite blogs, The Daily Tay. If you're extra interested in my past currentlys (lolz) you can check in here and here.

Currently

Listening to: Someone Else by Miley Cyrus. After her Grammy nom, I tried to re-listen to Bangerz to see if there was something I maybe missed about this album, aside from lame lyrics and off beats. Aside from Wrecking Ball and Maybe You're Right, this was pretty much the only song that stood out to me. But it's been on repeat!

Learning: About all things blogging! If you follow me on Pinterest, you probably noticed I've been pinning away on to my BLOG board. For me, my blog is just a place to post my thoughts, ideas, experiences, advice, etc. I can't even imagine turning it into a job the way a lot of my favorite bloggers have...but if I could, let's get real, that'd be the bomb dot com. If I'm being honest, at the end of the day, I just want my readers to get excited about checking my blog in the mornings. But hey, I may as well learn up! I love feeling passionate about something. 

Buying: A Nikon D7000! I bit the bullet and took advantage of Best Buy's President's Day sales, and managed to get the camera body, an 18-140 mm lens, camera case and memory card at an unreal discount. Am I a real blogger now, or what? I also snuck into good ol' Abercrombie and Fitch and bought this sequin cardigan. I've been looking for one for what feels like forever, and this was the closest thing I've found to perfection thus far. And it was on sale. Boom.

Watching: Don't make me say it. I'm really embarrassed right now. I've been watching Dance Moms. I don't know how, and I don't know why. To be honest, I'm losing interest already but there's just something about it that has had me hooked for the last three episodes. You can go ahead and unfollow me now...I understand. 

Enjoying: Godiva chocolates and roses from my favorite Valentine. Ryan and I went to a wedding Valentine's Day night, but I woke up to goodies on the counter and he took me to another Tampa favorite, Lodge, for brunch. Clearly, he's a man who knows the way to my heart. Mimosas and banana french toast? Yes. Yes, please.



XO












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Monday, February 16, 2015

5 Things No One Tells You About Having a "Real World" Job.

Up to my college graduation, I couldn't wait for the "real world" to begin. I'd been working in the service industry for the last five years, and for anyone who's ever served or worked in a restaurant, you know that means working nights, weekends, and holidays. And dealing with shitty people, AKA the general public. I yearned for a life of Monday through Friday 9-5s, lunch breaks, and weekends off. I desperately wanted that structure. Strangely enough, lack of structure was one of the first things I started to miss once I finally landed my first "big girl job."

Having been in the work force for over a year now, I've come to realize a few thaaangs that no one really tells you in college. Or, if you're anything like me, maybe someone did tell you these things, and you chose not to listen. You'll notice a good chunk of these have to do with weekends. Can you tell I have a love/hate relationship with my friends Saturday and Sunday? I mean, how hard would it be to throw in an extra day in between? I'm not bitter or anything...Anyway. I give you:



  1. You will value your sleep more than ever before. I don't care how many all nighters you successfully pulled off in college. I was the queen of passing exams on three hours of sleep, and I can't even imagine going into work on only five. Even if you're just sitting in a cubicle a good chunk of your day, you will be exhausted come five o'clock. If you didn't clock enough hours of sleep the night before, you'll be struggling well before the two o'clock lag...and you will cry.
  2. You will live for the weekends. There's a reason for Thursday night "ladies nights" and Monday through Wednesday happy hours: it's because during the work week, everyone is trying to forget that it isn't the weekend. Once Friday rolls around, there's an unmistakable buzz around the work place. Fridays bring the promise of date nights, sleeping in, and an opportunity to finally decompress. Until, of course, Monday rears its ugly head just two short days later. Having a "Case of the Mondays" is an actual thing, and the struggle is so real. 
  3. You will realize that the weekends are not enough. Seriously, who thought two days was enough to recuperate after five stressful days of work? WHO? I desperately want to know. 
  4. Sunday Fundays are actually Sunday Catch Up days. Go on my Instagram and my weekends probably look like a lot more fun than they actually are. You know that whole "people only post what they want you to see" or whatever? That whole "Instagram isn't real life" speech? Insert brunette pinked shirted hands up they're playin' my song emoji: that is the case. Okay, not really, but seriously. Sometimes I get to drink mimosas and go out with my friends and have date nights with my boyfriend, but most weekends I'm just trying to catch up on sleep, TV shows, grocery shopping, errands, laundry. Scintillating things of that nature.
  5. Your performance really matters. In high school and college, grades are the be all and end all of your life. You study for a good grade on an exam for a higher GPA for a shot at a scholarship or a spot at a top graduate school. If you fail miserably, it falls on your shoulders and your shoulders only; in the workforce, your performance (or lack thereof) reflects on not only on you, but on your boss, their boss, and the company. No pressure or anything.
Don't get me wrong. Living the M-F life has its perks, too. Of course, this is all relative to what field you work in, the nitty gritty details of your job, etc. but generally everyone gets to enjoy the following:
  • Weekends off. Heheheeee, bet you didn't see this one coming. Seriously, I can bitch and whine all I want, but there's something special about those two days at the end of the week. Plus, you never have to worry about having to request off work for a friend's birthday dinner/engagement party/bridal shower/grown up thing. Chances are, said occasion will fall on a Saturday or Sunday, and you'll already have it off. Isn't that phenomenal?
  • Holidays off. Again with the requesting off...you just don't have to do it! National holidays are paid holidays. Like technically, you're getting paid to open presents on Christmas. Right? Isn't that how it works?
I couldn't be more thankful for my job. I just find it funny how differently life pans out. In college, you day dream about about starting your career; in your career, you day dream about the simple (yes, simple) life of being a college student. The grass is always greener, right?

XO 











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Friday, February 13, 2015

One Sunday in Tampa.

This past Sunday, I got together with a couple of girlfriends and went to brunch at a Tampa favorite, Oxford Exchange. OE is just as cool as it sounds - it's a restaurant, cafe, and bookstore all in one. It can get a little pricey ($10 for a mimosa? LOL I think not), but I I love its modern yet vintage-y type of atmosphere. Of course, because I'm a bad blogger, and in part because I was sick and whiny, I didn't snap any pictures of said atmosphere...but here's a picture of my friend Stephanie's adorable cappuccino.



It was unbearably beautiful outside, so after brunch, we walked about 10 minutes down to Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, a big public park in downtown Tampa, where we proceeded to take a ton of pictures...of ourselves. Selfie, central, heyyyyo.


We even got strangers to take pictures for us. I know I look like I'm fake laughing here, but I really did laugh at something my friend Jennifer said. Forever our secret. 



Even as the poor little sickling that I was, I couldn't help but feel happy soaking up some Vitamin D in one of the most beautiful parts of my city. I think I may have forgotten I was sick. Seriously, Florida, you were really showing off that day. Plus, Curtis Hixon Park is just stunning in itself. Again, it's another place worth checking out if you're ever in the area! 


After handfuls of snarky comments and catching up, we walked our happy butts back to our cars and went our separate ways. As soon as I sat down, I remembered very quickly how crappy I felt...but overexerting myself was 100% worth it. Between brunch, sunshine, and catching up with my friends, what more could I ask for in a Sunday? Here's to having another weekend of adventures! Enjoy the weekend. XO













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Wednesday, February 11, 2015

What To Do Instead Of Going Out To Dinner On Valentine's Day.

I worked at The Cheesecake Factory for two years during college. One of my favorite and least favorite holidays to work was - can you take a guess? - Valentine's Day. If you're a regular at the Cheese, you probably already know that they don't take reservations or call aheads...it is 100% on a first come first serve basis. Just a few minutes shy of 5 o'clock, and the entire restaurant is buzzing. By 6 o'clock, the wait for a two top table is an hour, a four top table at an hour and forty five minutes, six at two hours. Oh you thought it'd be fun to have a Gal-entine's Day with eight or more people? LOL. Be prepared to wait three and a half. No joke. We always brought bags of V-Day candy to keep us on a steadfast sugar high throughout the night. With all the attitudes, we needed it. 

Anyway, long story short, more often than not these couples and groups and parties would wait forever and a day to end up at an itty bitty table shoved next to another itty bitty table and half the night would be spent trying to shout over the random couple next to you. Romantic? Yeah, probably not.

I love to be wine and dined just as much as the next girl, but it doesn't require much thought, does it? I mean, if you're really getting wine and dined it requires money, but anyone with a major credit card can take someone out for dinner. What I think makes Valentine's Day even more special is when it's apparent that someone put a lot of time, effort, or thought into the day/evening/gift/whatever.




  1. Go to a comedy show - What's better than a good laugh? Whether you've been dating for a few weeks, a few months, or a few years, going to a comedy club or a stand up show is a unique way to spend a night out. This is a great option for a double or group date, as well. Keep in mind that many comedy clubs are 21+, so for all you youngins' out there, do your research.
  2. Take a road trip - If your budget allows, take a trip to a place you've never been before. Stay a night, or two, or three. Stay up late and wake up early; explore together; try new food together; buy each other cheap, goofy souvenirs. Have one fancy wine-and-dine-esque dinner, and grab coffee and pastries at hole in the wall cafes. Traveling, discovering a new city, and trying new things are such a heart warming ways to grow together as a couple, and as individuals.
  3. Scour Groupon -  I think I underutilize Groupon. Sometimes I kind of forget it exists. And then I open my app and BOOM, there's a million different (and inexpensive!) things all around me. From trampoline arenas to go-karting, to BYOB painting classes and horseback riding along woodsy trails, I'd be very surprised if you can't find at least one activity that snags your interest and fits in your price range.
  4. Get a couples massage - Again with the Groupon. I've never had a real massage. For some reason, I have it in my head that it would just be a really awkward situation to have a professional massage. Don't ask why. But to be honest, I could really use one, and I know Ryan could, too. And what better excuse to snag a little couples R&R than V-Day? I'd be so down for a couples massage. Pass me the grapes, pwease.
  5. Cook dinner together - If you go out to dinner quite often already, there's not a whole lot that makes a dinner date on Valentine's Day any more special than any other night out. Create your own three-course meal together: appetizers, main course, and of course...dessert! My favorite thing to cook with my boyfriend is homemade pizza. Paired with zucchini fries as a starter and mini red velvet cheesecakes for dessert, a full belly and a happy heart is a sure thing. 
Again, don't get me wrong about going out to dinner - last year, Ryan took me to a Tampa favorite, Datz, and we ate fried mac n' cheese balls and had stomach aches the rest of the night and it was amazing. I love food, and I love finding new restaurants. I'm a real 'foodie,' if we're being perfectly honest. I'm just saying that Valentine's Day is a time to take off the gloves and get creative. It's all in the name of love, right? And who doesn't love that. XO











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Monday, February 9, 2015

What not to do when you're sick.

Friday, I felt liquid in my chest. "I don't feel sick or anything, I just keep coughing. I'm not sick."

Saturday, I went to the gym with Ryan and worked legs. I felt relatively puny the entire time, but didn't think much of it. I was still coughing. I sniffled the entire way through American Sniper that night, and not just from tears. Ryan told me I was sick. "I'm not sick."

Sunday, I woke up with my nose stuffed up to my brain, sneezing fits, and lack of voice. Ryan told me I was sick, to which I replied, "I am sick."

What better thing to do when you're sick than complete home projects and clean the entire apartment? I mean, who needs rest when you've been meaning to mount a shelf in the bathroom for two months. 

PSA: Never ask me to mount a shelf. Because I won't understand the directions, I'll screw and unscrew the dry wall insert thingmabob six times, sweat up a feverish storm, and stuff all the gizmos and gadgets into its original box and send it on its merry way back to Target.

Anywho. This isn't a DIY how-to or anything. I'd just spent months underwhelmed with my bathroom in my apartment, so I decided to finally do something about it! 

BEFORE





AFTER





The canvas was a semi-failed Pinterest DIY, which I decided to keep anyway. The two frames, which are undoubtedly crooked, were $6 each from Marshalls, and the prints came from a gallery wall print art book I bought at Michael's a few months ago. 

Now how many inspirational quotes does one actually need on one wall in their bathroom? Debatable. I have no doubt that my boyfriend will walk out of there emotionally motivated from this point forward. 

Despite the fact that I feel like complete and utter crapola, I feel refreshed. It's crazy what a teeny bit of sprucing up your feng shui can do for your mood, forever proving that you should never, ever settle for what you're unhappy with. Not even a rental bathroom. XO











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Friday, February 6, 2015

Post-Resolution Blues.

Isn't it funny how just one month after we all make our "new year, new me" resolutions, most of our goals, dreams, and ideas fall to the wayside? How predictable, right? That's why they call us "resolutioners" after all.

Something about the first few weeks of January feels so fresh, so new, so clean. The next year is your oyster, and the possibilities are endless. One could argue that you wake up every single day with a clean slate; new opportunities, new adventures. Literally every day is your oyster. But the start of a new year brings the promise of change. At least for me it does.

And thennnnn February rolls around and I "don't have time" to go to the gym four times a week, and I'd rather add to my home decor Pinterest boards than read my book, and I feel the urge to treat myself to a serious shopping day. And all of the sudden, I'm right back to where I started.

Why do we do this to ourselves?! Why is it so hard to make plans, or resolutions, or whatever, and actually stick to them? We think the start of a brand new year will wipe away old habits, habits you couldn't have possibly done away with in December. Then we punish ourselves for slacking off by stopping altogether.

"Eh, I've already had pizza for dinner twice this week, may as well go HAM and eat an entire box of Oreos."

"I've already spent $50 going out to lunch every day this week, what's the harm in another $20? It is Friday, after all."

Okay, maybe I've never eaten an entire box of Oreos, but you get the picture. This kind of mentality helps no one. It won't get me abs, and it won't make me rich, that's for damn sure. I can already feel myself falling into the post-resolution trap, but I think I'm still able to come up for air. Am I the only one who's guilty of this mentality? What's a goal you set for yourself this year that's been easier said than done?

XO

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Wednesday, February 4, 2015

The Importance of Disconnecting.

Unless you were quite literally born yesterday, you've probably fallen victim to smart phones, tablets, and the social media apps that are undoubtedly scattered throughout each, any, and all of said devices. Or maybe not. Maybe you're one of those people who said "screw it" to all social media, and all you do is play Trivia Crack. Or maybe you don't have any kind of smart device, in which case this post does not apply to you, and good lawwwd if you've made it this far without one, you just keep on keepin' on over there. I am impressed, and perhaps a little afraid of you.

I digress.

This may come as a complete and utter shock to you, but this generation (my generation) has a problem disconnecting themselves from technology. I'm totally speculating on this one, of course. I'm not going to provide you with percentages and pie charts and links...but I'm speaking from my own experience. Hell, I've checked my phone roughly five times in the last paragraph and a half to see if I've missed a text, an Instagram notification, an email. IS MY LIFE HAPPENING WITHOUT ME? I just need to know, and I need to know now.

To an extent, this is all fine and dandy. It's expected nowadays; we all do it. My opinion? There is a time, and there is a place, and most of us are guilty for being oblivious to both. I'll be having a conversation with my boyfriend while he's just sitting there, not looking at me, scrolling endlessly on his phone, checking sports, checking news, and probably "listening" to me. But it doesn't feel that way does it? (Sorry, babe!). I can say that, because I know damn well I have done the exact same thing, probably to him, probably to my friends, probably to my parents. And you know what? It's just not very nice. In fact, it's rude. And I'll happily call myself out on it.

I've been trying, really trying, to be conscious about my own technology habits. I've been trying to put down my iPad and pick up a book. I've been trying to smack my own hand away when I reach down to check my phone while I'm out to dinner. I've been trying really hard to always be present. It's a lot easier said than done, but it is so necessary.

XO







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Monday, February 2, 2015

Happy February!


Ready or not, February is already upon us. It feels like I was just popping champagne with Ryan & Einstein to ring in the New Year, and now it's Valentine's Day season. I mean, Hallmark & the candy aisle at Walgreen's have been trying to tell us that since December 26th, but now it's officially the start of candy hearts and Godivas (YES!). 

IMO, I feel like there's far too much negativity surrounding this holiday. "It's not real," "It's all Hallmark's fault," "It's a holiday dedicated to torturing single people." My favorite is when I hear "You should appreciate your significant other every day of the year - not just one day." Obviously I agree wholeheartedly on that front, but can't we say the same for everything? Anniversaries? Birthdays? I mean, if we really want to get technical, we can.

To be honest, I've never had an issue with Valentine's Day. Hell, I've been broken up with on Valentine's Day, and I'm pretty sure I still celebrated that very night! To me, it gives me an excuse to smother my boyfriend with lovins, which is my favorite thing to do anyway. It gives me an excuse to make him a sappy card, or to buy a cute new bra (sorry, mom!). It gives me an excuse to remind him just how much I love him, just how much he means to me, even though I'm pretty sure I over-compliment him enough already.

So here's to February, the unofficial month of lurrrve. Love your family, love your friends, love your boyfriend/girlfriend, love your dog, love your furry feline. Whatever. Just do me a solid, and don't bitch about poor ol' Valentine's Day. Just eat your chocolate, drink your wine, and be happy. How wonderful is it that we have a whole day dedicated to celebrating love? 

XO








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