Carissa Explains It All

Who Do I Hate More?

2012-01-29T16:53:00.000-08:00

I know that every time I turn on my television to take in some reality trash, I am going to get heated if either of these two is staring back at me:

(Hi, my name is Kim and I actually look NOTHING like this)

(Hi, my name is Courtney and I'M. A. MODEL.)

EXCUSE ME! DID YOU HEAR ME SAY I'M A MODEL?!

There's no way to write this post without sounding mean and bitter so I'm just going to dive right in...

Hey speaking of diving in let's talk about being a slut in an ocean...

Who would know about that?

Well duh ya'll.. Courtney from Season 832 (or whatever # it is) of the Bachelor

To say home girl is calculating every single move she makes and it's outcome would be the understatement of the century. No doubt she knew her naked ocean romp with Ben would not only make him ignore her vapid character a little more, but also guarantee her celeb wanna-be self some air time. I commend you Courtney. Your publicist is probably very proud.

And while we're on the topic of making a career out of nothing but a naked body...

I tried to remind you last week, but allow me to reiterate, THIS IS WHY KIM KARDASHIAN is famous! She had sex with Ray-J... Ray-J guys... he's Brandy's little brother... and by the dark, magical powers of Kris Jenner got a career and big bags of money out of it. Kudos to you Kardashians. Apparently you ARE the Amerian dream... (I just threw up a little)

So far I'd say these two are both winners in the "who do I hate more" battle

Add in Courtney's incredibly annoying habit of biting her lip every 13 seconds

And the fact that Kim is ALWAYS eating in "Kortney and Kim Take New York"

And there's really no way to decide a clear winner.

Guess that means I have equal disdain for both.

But this is America, and Kim has more money. So Courtney, YOU WIN! I will no longer be watching the Bachelor. Ben, you're a douche.

I know...

I'm just jealous because they are so pretty and famous.

Well allow me to compose a little list of famous, gorgeous women I think are fab:

Jessica Alba

Rihanna

Megan freaking Fox

Lisa Vanderpump (yes, I'm serious)

Mila Kunis

Jennifer Anniston

etc...

P.S. I loved Jessica Simpson when Newlyweds was a show

More Than You Wanted To Know About My Job

2012-01-29T08:00:00.000-08:00

(I imagine this is what it'd be like if I had a twin)

I think I've told you all before that I am very happy at my new job.

...Sure some days and weeks feel a little too long, and working with the public can grate on one's nerves...

But as far as work goes, this is the best it's been for me.

The people I work with are definitely a big part of why I'm enjoying what I do.

I feel like my boss allows us all to have a little autonomy while he's still in control (if that makes sense).

If it doesn't make sense, let me break it down... "he doesn't treat me like I'm stupid."

To me, that's a high form of respect

haha

I mean haven't we all had those jobs where we stand around thinking "wow, a monkey could do this"?

Well, this is not one of those jobs, but I'm still encouraged to make decisions for myself instead of following a set of generic rules.

I also have been given the skills to help the people who shop with us find things they will LOVE.

So do I get annoyed when someone tells me what they want, and then completely ignores my advice?

Heck yea I do!

... But hey live and let live...

Eventually, the difficult people come around to my way of thinking in the fitting room, and heed my previously given advice.

I restrain myself from jumping around screaming "I was right! I was right! I was right! SUCKKKAAAAA"

I love nothing more than having a customer leave our store with an awesome new ensemble he may not have chosen for himself in tow.

No, clothes don't make the man, but they can make the man look damn good.

I appreciate my customers. They help me learn something new everyday.

And are the reasons I can pay bills

The people I work with are fountains of knowledge (cheesey cliche noted) as well. They have been more than willing to share and help me succeed in this position. I mean this is a BIG company, and there is a lot to learn and know.

So... do I want to stay here for awhile? yes

do I want to get promoted and try new things? yes

am I happy where I am right now? yes

should you buy jeans (and everything) for your men at Nordstrom? YES ; )

I'm a Copycat

2012-01-25T11:02:00.001-08:00

I get all kinds of clothing inspiration from Pinterest

It is my main reason for being so obsessed with the site

So I figured I should show you what inspired me recently

I absolutely LOVED this look when I saw it (and have since noticed it pinned all over the place!)

But because I seem to never copy a look exactly, what I wore looked like this

(Face- because I texted this pic to my bestie worrying that I looked like a street walker)

Of course, my outfit has more black in it than the original.

I plan to revisit this PIN another time and tweak it another way...

ya know, since I'm on a shopping ban.

What have you copied from Pinterest?

LINK UP!

New Roommate

2012-01-25T10:41:00.000-08:00

I have totally been slacking on providing you all with information.

Allow me to offer my sincerest apologies.

But something very cool happened a couple weeks ago.

I got a new roommate!

Current/Previous roommates being Mom, Dad and Bryan ; )

Bryan

So who is the lucky guy?

MY GRANDFATHER!

I don't know what kind of magic my mom is playing around with to have finally convinced him to come stay here, but she did.

You see, my grandmother passed away years ago, and he's been on his own a good bit since then-- he totally had a gf for awhile though ; )

I am really glad to have him here, but I do feel guilty too.

I am ALWAYS on my way to work, at work, or on my way home from work-- oh, or sleeping.

Days off consist of running errands, doing laundry, and all those other little things we all just LOVE doing

...Doesn't leave me a whole lot of time to kick it with my Pap...

Fortunately, my mom likes to take him with her when she has little things to do, and makes a point to spend time with him.

I need to start doing that as well...

For example, I'm sure he'd really appreciate if I walked my lazy bum down the stairs right now and just sat in the same room with him while I write this.

-- ok, I relocated--

It is just the little things I need to change, but for a creature of habit like me it's hard. I am trying to use my grandfather as an example actually. He was quite the habitual man before this big move, and look what he's doing. A whole new house! A whole new state! A whole new TV ; )

if he can do it, so can I (I hope)

I've only got a few more months living here, so I'm going to try and enjoy my new roomie as much as possible in that time.

I Confess - No Rhyme or Reason

2012-01-22T19:00:00.000-08:00

I Confess: I love working out (as much as a person can really love torture), but I hate going to the gym. I'd really rather not be observed sweating like a pig... or sneaking off the treadmill after walk/running .5 miles.

I Confess: I tend to reward myself with food. I'm painfully aware that this will probably translate into me having fat kids.

if my baby looks like this, I'm getting the dog too

I Confess: I was sad when Katy Perry and Russell Brand went public with their pending divorce. I felt real emotion over a separation of two people I have never and will never meet. Oh well, I think Travie McCoy's Stereo Heart only beats for Miss P still ; )

I Confess:When I'm driving in (i.e. sitting in) traffic, I want to roll down my window and yell "Can we all just agree to drive better? clear this WHOOLLLEEE problem right up!"

I Confess: I basically begged Daniel from MTV's reality show "Caged" to follow me on twitter. I'm not embarrassed. He's ridiculously hot.

I Confess: I would have loved to have asked someone to clean the snow off my car for me, but I'm trying that whole "I am woman. Hear me roar" thing.

where was this baby when I needed him?

I Confess: This song is making me smile a lot

Get More: Sparks Fly, Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift Videos

So You Want to Get Personal?

2012-01-21T10:48:00.001-08:00

Yes, you can see my trash can in each of these blurry pics. Oh how I need a professional photographer boyfriend ; )

I was so excited to see how many of you responded to my question regarding what you'd like to see on the blog.

And I was a little nervous when a lot of you said personal stories : /

I don't know who reads this blog, but the fact that my boss knows about it and it is so easy to find makes me want to be vague.

So allow me to ease into things...

I'd like to start by telling you all something about myself:

I am financially irresponsible. Case in point: I'm 24 and still live with my parents. Sure, the economy is bad and college grads are having a hard go of finding good jobs, but that's not my biggest obstacle. You see, as soon as I get some extra cash, it quickly finds itself in the possession of someone else (usually a mall employee). I love to shop. The whole outfit, minus the shoes, in the above photos was purchased within the last 2 weeks. I can't help myself.

I also love going out to dinner, spending a weekend that is anywhere but home, and paying bills on time. (fine, that last one's just a necessity).

I have set a deadline for myself to move out, and it is on a quickly approaching horizon. Before I bite the bullet and make a move, I would like to save as much as possible. My parents are actually taking money from me each month and setting it aside to help me reach my goal-- yea, I'm that bad. So that means no more shopping for this girl, which is fine because I'm set for winter. But oh my gosh! What will I do when spring arrives!? Pinterest, you are quickly becoming my worst enemy.

Overall, I am excited to be a real life, actual adult, but nerves get the best of me at times. What advice can you all offer? I'm trying to be a sponge!

And I'm Blown

2012-01-21T09:53:00.000-08:00

I'm very well blown actually.

What you've never heard someone say "I'm blown"? I think it means "I'm really angry" but that's not what I mean.

Allow me to explain further.

I had this fantastic blow dryer that my mom paid a pretty penny for.

It broke.

I did not try to get it fixed, but instead used a funky travel dryer for MONTHS!

My poor hair was all kinds of frizzy despite diligent straightening...

So when the people at HANA contacted me about reviewing one of their awesome blow dryers, I did a happy dance.

I happy danced again when the box arrived... I mean just look at it!

The blow dryer is pretty fantastic as well

Buy the same dryer HERE

I won't pretend to understand all the technology behind this machine, but it makes my hair softer and smoother which gives it an A+ in my book.

This is apparently what Ion technology does. It will make your hair healthier!!! I can honestly say, I believe it.

sorry all my iphone pics are blurry, but you're all welcome to come see my hair in real life ; )

It has temperature settings (and comes set on COOL), comes with a diffuser, and an awesomely long chord in case you like to walk around your room while you dry like I do. This thing dries your hair FAST though so unless you have A.D.D. like me, you should be ok remaining stationary.

All in all, I'm basically saying HANA rocks! I'd absolutely recommend buying this blow dryer... or any of their products really. The blow dryer does an amazing job, but I'm still a slave to straightening. Did I mention they also sell CHI straighteners! You'll feel like a celebrity when it arrives in what I am now calling a "swag box."

Check it out ya'll! Straight, shiny, sexy hair is so hot right now : )

If I Get Married...

2012-01-20T09:32:00.000-08:00

... There will be some kind of choreographed dancing.

--I mean I was a dance major after all--

But I really didn't get the idea until I saw this...

And it was solidified by this...

However, I now realize maybe I won't be partaking in the dancing

Surprise Wedding Dance - Watch More Funny Videos

Originally shared by the 1 and only Sabrina

I hope those videos put you all in a good mood.

Happy Weekend!

Turning the Tables

2012-01-17T20:24:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I try to solicit you all for questions.

Then I answer them.

So let's do the reverse, mmk?

What would you all like to see more on the blog?

1. Goofy, randomness- a.k.a. "I Confess" and stories about shaving mustaches

2. Stories from my personal life- i.e. dating, working, shopping ; )

(one time, I tried to clean)

3. OOTD type posts

(thank you thank you Lindsey for putting me on pinterest ; )

4. Tutorials- well ok, I've never done one.

5. Giveaways - I like this idea a lot because the first one was SUPER fun. I lost my head over it.

Can't wait to hear from you guys!!!

I Confess- A Bit Sassy

2012-01-16T16:03:00.000-08:00

I Confess: I do the jegging dance. You know the one I'm talking about... the shake, wiggle, and jiggle first to get them on then to keep them up all day. Contrary to what my friend's brother believes, we are sure it's not a "fat girl thing"

(Weezy F Baby needs to learn the dance ; )

I Confess: I randomly started thinking about Dawson's Creek the other day... and how completely off base and extremely dramatic that show was... then I got angry. Yes, I felt as a pre-teen, television should have been a little more honest with me about what teenage years would consist of.

(I mean COME. ON.)

I Confess: I accidentally hashtagged a tweet regarding men #sadnuttrue, intending it to say #sadbuttrue. When I noticed my mistake, I laughed... out loud... all alone in my car.

I Confess: I'd love to log into Pinterest one day and see a picture of myself. Oh my pipe dreams regarding minor celebrity status...

I Confess: I hate Kim Kardashian with a passion. Well ok, I only think about hating her while she's on tv. I may write an entire post about my hate.

(this is why she's famous. all I'm saying)

I Confess: I'm kind of obsessed with skulls, not real ones. I have a necklace with a bedazzled skull on it, a scarf with skulls made up of tiny flowers, and am wondering if I can find something similar to a skull sweater my friend at work was wearing. This is hopefully, most likely, probably a passing phase...

I Confess: I'm pretty aggressively trying to be retweeted by one of the guys from Caged on MTV. Yup, I think they are teenagers.

When Your Friend Has A Mustache...

2012-01-16T10:19:00.000-08:00

I think real friends police each other's aesthetic choices

For example, it is my duty as a good friend to do a couple things when my adorable male friend grows a mustache.

If you find yourself in a similar situation, please follow this list

A good friend must:

make a few Burt Reynolds references...

(so disturbing)

Point out how ridiculous the mustache wearing hipster at a nearby table at dinner looks...

Make the most of it in the final picture with the mustache...

Supervise the actual shaving process...

And finally, get really excited when the face invader is GONE!

Side note: your friend would have still gotten stuck in the elevator with or without the stache.

In Reality, my friend probably wasn't listening when I mentioned Burt Reynolds, thought the hipster looked cool, and was swayed more by a group effort than just me.

The ABC's of Pics from My Phone

2012-01-12T07:56:00.000-08:00

A. I love that there is no filter on this photo. The weather here has been a little bi-polar lately, but we have had some REALLY beautiful days.

B. My inner myspace-er comes out when I go out apparently. Please excuse my face and the Miley Cyrus pose.

C. I consider Starbursts my best candy choice because they are wrapped individually. Therefore, it takes longer to eat A LOT of starbursts.... right? (please notice there is not even 1 pink candy in that handful... what's up with that Starburst?!)

D. New Year's Eve dress. Completely covered in sequins. Yes, I did cut my arm on it.

E. New Year's Eve men... I found it really amusing that 3 of the 6 were wearing button downs under sweaters. Cutie pies.

F. How I spent New Year's Day... me, a gatorade, Bridesmaids on my computer.

G. Yum! Girl talk and a margarita= perfect evening.

H. If you guessed that these are men's underwear, I'm impressed. Because they are. I think they'd make the best gag gift ever. "Highly recommended"

I. I didn't exactly make any resolutions this year... however... I think it'd be best for my health if I started eating more veggies. Why not start with pizza?

Hope you guys have a fab weekend. And take lots of pics with your phones!

I Confess- I Came Up with 90% of these...

2012-01-10T07:40:00.000-08:00

...on my 45-50 minute drive home from work.

Without further adieu...

I Confess: I'm a teensy bit nervous I may be going to jail. The county I work in now requires EVERYONE to charge .5 cents for shopping bags. I forget sometimes... uhh but if the county is reading this, I've corrected my mistakes : )

I Confess: I'm about to attack the treadmill for the first time in about a month. It will probably attack back.

I Confess: I "Tebowed." Don't worry though, I didn't share a picture of it on any social media. A customer and I demonstrated the action for one of my co-workers who was unfamiliar. My "it just looks like praying on one knee" description wasn't sufficient apparently.

I Confess: While I was out with friends the other night, I whipped a picture of my ex out of my wallet when it was agreed upon that the bartender looked like him. 3 years people... THREE! and I still have his picture in my wallet.

I Confess:I refuse to buy lighter make-up. I will not admit to the fact that I am no longer tan.

I Confess: I have dressed myself from Pinterest more than once. I literally wake up, open my Macbook, and choose a pin as an ensemble for the day.

Dr. Love

2012-01-09T19:57:00.000-08:00

As you are all quite aware, I am single.

However, I do have a lot of guy friends and co-workers... and co-workers that I consider friends.

Sometimes I like to stick my nose into their personal business-- especially their romantic business. Shame on me, I know.

After reviewing some of the following conversations, I realize I may want to keep my love advice to myself, but here goes:

Re: my co-worker and a friend of his

ME " Well can't you two just date? I mean you're gay, and he's gay soo..."

Co-worker: insert polite laughter and pity smile here

Note: I've acted as if he could date just about any of his gay friend's and it could just be THAT simple. I'm sure he's over my opinions.

Re: a girl my friend had recently started seeing

ME "So how are things going?"

Friend "She doesn't have much of a personality"

ME "Just take her to an amusement park. Everyone is fun at an amusement park"

Re: I spied a cute new girl in another department for my co-worker

ME "So you saw the new girl right? Do you like her?"

Co-worker "I haven't met her"

ME "I know. But do you like her?"

Co-worker: insert blank stare here

Note: I 1,000% believe in lust at first sight.

Re: my overall opinion on my co-worker's love life after he'd told me a few stories

ME "We need to find you a girl that's... well... not a b****"

I know I know.... you are all just aching to ask me your tough love related questions now aren't you?! ; )

P.S. This goes both ways. A cute guy in a suit came in last week, and I heard (unsolicitied) input from just about everyone who works with or near me.

I Confess- Remember When I Was A Good Blogger?

2012-01-03T07:53:00.000-08:00

First off.... HAPPY NEW YEAR! I can not wait to see what 2012 has in store. I hope you all had fabulous holidays!

I Confess- I went to a party filled with 20 year olds... and I had fun. I think it's more embarrassing that I enjoyed myself...

I Confess- I recently discovered I still know most of the lines from the movie Clueless- "I object! do you recall the dates of these alleged tardies?!" "One-- was last Monday!"

I Confess- Sometimes I use big words even though I'm not 100% sure what they mean... but I usually follow the word with "did that make sense?"

I Confess- I usually grab my co-workers arm when I need his attention. Yelling his name would be just as effective but... well... he has really big muscles ; )

I Confess- I've become quite embarrassed more than once when my phone has autocorrected "hun" to "hub"... ummmm... maybe I need to stop calling people "hun"

I Confess- At this point, I can't wait for people to stop shopping so much. I'm TIRED! And I realize I will 1,000% regret saying this when I'm making no money.

Got anything to get off your chest in this new year?

It's a Holly Jolly Outfit Post

2011-12-27T19:54:00.001-08:00

I wasn't feeling SUPER Christmasey this year...

So I decided that dressing a little more uhh spirited would help me out.

Here is how it went:

December 22nd

If you do not own a pair of red pants, I highly recommend finding some. I have owned these since college because I got really "spirited" for an OSU football game. I have barely worn them the past couple years, but fell in love with them recently. Shop your closets ladies!

December 23rd

This sweater has been a favorite for about 4 years... made even better by the fact that it was a CLEARANCE item at F21. Yea, I paid about 6 dollars for this green piece of goodness. This was the first time I'd worn it belted though.

December 24th

Whoop whoop... my first ever vintage piece, and it just so happened to be Christmas colors. I figured I'd go big or go home on Christmas eve. I found this awesome piece at a vintage store I located on google after a lot of Mad Men watching ; )

Now I think all I need is an ugly Christmas sweater. Got one I can borrow?

Quick Update-- Christmas Pics Included

2011-12-26T20:22:00.000-08:00

My dear sweet blog loves,

I miss you all so very much.

(the only gifts I bought-- shame, shame)

I worry everyday that I am missing big, important things in your lives.

I promise to blog stalk you all very soon.

(first day off in awhile-- yea I wore flannel to be comfy)

As I think most of you know, I work retail.

This is a CRRAAAZZYYY time of year for us, but definitely a GOOD one.

(we're Italian- hence Christmas day lasagna)

As soon as things calm down a bit (i.e. post New Years), I will be back to regularly scheduled blogging...

(this year's crew-- minus my mom who refuses to be in pics- but she did all the decorating ; )

Until then, I hope to post every now and then... and Cait, your new purse will be on it's way Thursday ; )

(highlight of the season for me-- my grandfather's amusement at this doll that eats,pees and poops HAHAHA)

Please be thinking of things to ask and share with me when I return! And tune in for guest posts!

12 Days of Giveaways Day 9- Throw it in the Bag

2011-12-21T00:10:00.000-08:00

It's Here!

It is Finally my turn to announce a winner, and give away something on my own!

So to start, CONGRATULATIONS to....

Brianna at HeartofLife

Email Steph at stephanieandsuch@gmail.com to collect your goodies!

So readers of my BLOG, are you ready to win too?!

I wanted to give you something that I would want for myself.

I work a good distance from where I live, so when I leave for work, I take EVERYTHING with me.

And I throw EVERYTHING in my big Kenneth Cole bag.

So guess what?

I'd like to give you a Kenneth Cole bag to throw all your EVERYTHING in.

A zipper pocket is a must for me as are options.

Carry this black faux-snakeskin bag by the short handle or long strap (I'd recommend carrying it across the bod)!

I, of course, had to give you something black because it's my favorite, but the finish on this bag makes it special.

Oh and don't worry...

My whole head fit comfortably in it so your stuff should too ; )

Until midnight tonight (12/21), you can enter to win-- if you live in the U.S. or Canada!!!!

Oh yea, and if I get 500 entries (entries, not people), I'll display the winner's button on my blog for the month of January

Here's the Mandatory stuff:

Follow Carissa Explains it All via Google Friend Connect and leave a comment saying something like "hey gimme that!" or whatever you'd like

Here's the Extra Entries stuff:

1 entry- "like" CarissaExplainsItAll on Facebook

1 entry- follow "Rissytalks" on twitter

2 entries- add my button to your page

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY.

Check out Raven's blog tomorrow to find out if you won!

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OOTD- a week of leggings, skinny jeans, and oversized tops

2011-12-20T15:59:00.001-08:00

*CHECK OUT RAVEN'S BLOG TODAY TO SEE IF YOU WON MY GIVEAWAY! *

My new job has me thinking a lot more about what I put on everyday.

I of course am still the world's biggest fan of black and gray, but I am making a conscious effort to shake it up.

I literally made my boss stop in his tracks twice last week because I wore COLOR!

Here's a bit of what I wore.

Please excuse the signature pose-- I'm embarrassed of myself looking at all these pics together.

I tend to choose comfort over style a lot of times if you can't tell...

But if you want to know where anything was purchased just let me know ; )

I Confess- Divided

2011-12-18T14:09:00.000-08:00

--- Work Related---

I Confess: I talk about my job ALL. THE. TIME..... on twitter, Facebook, in real life, and obviously on here. The thing is, I think I like my job.

I Confess: I am anxiously awaiting the day a celebrity comes into my store. Michael Phelps was in my department of the store 15 minutes away a couple weeks ago, and I was jealous. I think I could be successful at dressing him and not fumbling all over myself. (ok I'd be a little fumbly)

(it's the medals ladies... that is all)

I Confess: When customers try to discuss career options with me, they tend to give me their cards. I keep them. Hey, you never know.

I Confess: I have a difficult time helping customers who a. stink b. are high c. do not fluently speak the same language as me AND/OR d. keep giving me the stink eye (coughgirlscough)

--- Not Work Related---

I Confess: I read an entire Tucker Max story out loud for someone because I thought it would help prove how hilarious he is.

I Confess: I spent 80% of a day this week in bed. No, I am not sick.

(doesn't she look blissful?- sleep is good)

I Confess: I own exactly one bra and panty set that are meant to go together. ONE. And I worked at Victoria's Secret.

I Confess: I didn't realize I couldn't enter the 12 days of giveaways since I am one of the participating bloggers. Ooppss... good thing I didn't win. Did you enter today?

12 DAYS OF GIVEAWAYS!!!

2011-12-11T15:22:00.001-08:00

I don't know about you guys,

but all I want for Christmas

is...

STUFF!

I kid, I kid

But seriously, you know that appealed to a part of you, right?

Well it's your lucky day!

I am joining up with 11 amazing ladies to bring you all 12 days of giveaways.

Here's how it'll break down:

I'll remind you where to go on what day because I know it'd be awful to miss a giveaway!

What should I give?!

Big thanks to Sabs for the pics : )

OOTD- working with a trend

2011-12-06T16:39:00.001-08:00

One of my favorite things about my new job is having fun with clothes.

I am surrounded by some pretty stylish people on a daily basis so coming across new ideas is easy

I've seen a lot of people wearing what I call a "bandage" skirt recently.

This trend had me a little nervous...

I mean this I've got a good bit of rear-end for that "bandage" to cover,

(Kim K did it so...)

But I bit the bullet.

(skirt- Nordstrom, sweater- Calvin Klein, tshirt- Banana Republic, tights & scarf- absolutely no idea)

**added** better pic of the skirt

I compromised by throwing a long sweater on over the skirt, and adding a scarf so little to no skin was showing. The sweater is a woven that's see through so it was not so nun-ish I promise.

Provocative Taste

2011-12-06T08:06:00.000-08:00

When I was little (let's say ages 8-10), I had some interesting taste in television

I wanted to watch what I wanted to watch, and I thought my mom was being COMPLETELY ridiculous in restricting me.

Last night, I started thinking about some 90s television, and I realized something...

My mom was TOTALLY COMPLETELY RIGHT in what she did.

Let me jut run through a list of shows I wanted to (and did when I could sneak it) watch:

General Hospital: No 8 year old needs to be watching someone marry their long lost child because he/she is unrecognizable now, kill her husband's lover, etc.

(This is Luke and Laura. If you didn't know that, you don't watch GH)

The Real World: My parents went so far as to block MTV completely when my brother and I were growing up because there was little to nothing child appropriate on the channel. I would have (and kind of did) watched it every second of the day.

The Jenny Jones Show: Oprah who? Jenny Jones was my idol when I was a preteen. I may try and find some of those episodes online today as a matter of fact... She did some FANTASTIC makeover shows, which is really why I used to watch (scout's honor ; )

Married With Children: Even as a child, I kind of watched through my fingers when this show came on. Let's just say, I didn't love Christina Applegate the way I do now when she was on this show. But some part of me still wanted to watch..

Melrose Place: My mom watched this show so I wanted to as well. I don't think I really got it, but I loved how everyone on the show was so pretty. I still think Heather Locklear is beyond gorgeous.

I blame all of this bad taste in my youth for me now watching trashy reality TV

What did you watch in the 90s? Was it awesome? Did your parents know? ; )

I Confess- Let's Get Real

2011-12-04T02:00:00.000-08:00

I CONFESS:

The pictures I post on my blog usually look like this...

They are taken in photobooth because the poor clarity makes my skin look clearer...

I can adjust the color...

I can angle myself just so before taking the picture...

I can sort and delete and re-take...

Even when I'm making silly faces, I adjust my hair and make-up until my inner perfectionist is satisfied...

BUT IN REALITY

I look more like this!

Messy, greasy hair covered by that hood...

Glasses instead of contacts because they make last night's make-up smears less noticeable...

Coffee in hand so my inner grizzly bear is calmed...

Basically just comfy. Just for me.

What are you REALLY like?

Got any fun confessions from this week?

My Favorite Pin

2011-12-01T06:32:00.001-08:00

(oh scarves, how I love thee)

If you follow me on Pinterest, you know I don't use it a lot.

But holy guacamole, I think during my third ever Pinterest session, I stumbled upon GOLD!

Watch, enjoy, and learn : )

(I even love the background music she chose)

(today I'm rocking the waterfall like she shows with the purple scarf... except you can't tell because my blazer is black too... oops!)

I Confess- #23

2011-11-28T17:17:00.000-08:00

I Confess- I forget to put the lid down on the washer for at least an hour every single time I try to do laundry. (remember... I am no domestic goddess)

I Confess- I have finally embraced my butt-- not literally-- just mentally. No matter what size I am, it is going to be there, big and bold.

I Confess- I ran into a four sided, floor to ceiling mirror HARD while talking to a customer. And then he left without buying anything… oops... self injury scares customers away.

(showing off an old bruise-- but my new one is totally it's twin)

I Confess- I finally wore my tuxedo t-shirt in public. And someone asked me if I worked at our local movie theatre where employees wear similar shirts... then suggested I try and get into movies for free by wearing the tshirt. (I'm still considering it ; )

I Confess- I can not function in the morning pre-coffee... to the point that I asked my mother to "please stop talking to me" #HUGEbrat

I Confess- I think the lead singer of Cobra Starship has the sexiest voice ever, and I get all smiley and giggly when this song comes on...

...as if he's singing right to me.

I Confess- I think it is horrible dating karma to lie about having a bf to avoid being hit on... but I do it any way. Some guys are just creepy and persistent.

Pics from my Phone- The Very First

2011-11-22T17:10:00.001-08:00

1. Male best friend and I- Yup, just friends.

2. I have no child- I'm obsessed with my fur babe.

3. The lovely Shay texted me this screen shot- oh you don't remember the guy that roasted Ashley on The Bachelorette?

4. Veteran's day at my friend's daughter's school- cutest thing ever.

5. "Guys, I'm nervous"- right before my first day of work

6. I am not very domestic. But I tried! (and will try again)

7. Tradition at my bestie's- Fruit Cake Day! Need I say more?

8. Once Upon a Time and apple crisp from the comfort of my bed? Heaven (also see: Lazy)

9. Came home from work to find everything in my room chillin' on my bed, dresser, sink, etc.

What do you like to capture in your daily life?

I won't be posting tomorrow or Friday probably SOOO Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy, eat, and most importantly give thanks! xoxo

Falling Whistles

2011-11-22T07:24:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to meet with someone from Falling Whistles at work on Sunday

Having not heard of this organization before, I was apprehensive sitting down with her

She started by asking me why I was wearing what I had chosen that day...

and after I fumbled through something that resembled an answer, she said "I'm wearing this whistle because it says a lot about who I am"

"huh??"

Within 5 minutes I had goose bumps, wanted to do something, and DEFINITELY wanted a whistle

(which we happen to sell where I work but are all sold out)

The Falling Whistles crew is currently on a country wide tour, selling whistles, spreading the word, and trying to make a difference for The Congo

I won't say more than that because this video will be much more helpful...

Be a Whistleblower for Peace from Falling Whistles on Vimeo.

Powerful huh?

Check out the website listed above for more information

I know I will most likely never visit The Democratic Republic of Congo, but

I'm ordering a whistle.

I Confess- Such a Silly Goose

2011-11-20T04:45:00.000-08:00

I Confess- I added 0 pictures to the guest post I wrote for Shalyn's blog today. I consider that a huge blogger fail. But go read it anyway to hear how bitter I apparently am about being single.

I Confess- My first coconut water experience was not a good one. It tasted like someone had already drank it. Gag. And the poor drink choices this week continued...

(tasted just as bad as it looks)

I Confess- It takes me a LONG time to find my way out of the parking garage pretty much on a daily basis.

I Confess- I gave the finger to some teenagers (yes, that finger). DO NOT drive like a jack butt just to be creepy. They pushed me past my annoying people threshold.

I Confess- I bought leggings from the children's department at Target. They fit, and they were $6 dollars. I see no downside.

I Confess- Regis's final show on Friday got me teary more than once.

I Confess- I straightened my hair before curling it. Can you say counterproductive?

I Confess- Every time people are talking on the radio, there are sound effects/music in the background. I ALWAYS (like every single time) think the background noise is something wrong with my car.

I Confess- I think I was a stupid child. I remember my sneakers coming untied ALL THE TIME, yet when I wore a pair for 9 hrs this week they didn't come untied once. What was I doing wrong the first 12 years of my life?

(in case you all need to brush up ; )

Answers

2011-11-17T14:02:00.000-08:00

It's a birdie...

It's a plane...

It's a video blog...

(thanks Youtube for that lovely freeze frame)

HAPPY FRIDAY LADIES AND GENTS!

The Man Panel

2011-11-16T06:09:00.000-08:00

Because I have a super awesome commute to work everyday,

I get to listen to a lot of talk radio.

(and I love it- seriously)

Tuesday morning, one of my favorite stations gathered a "man panel" to answer the female population's burning questions.

The only requirement to be on the "man panel" seemed to be 1) work at this station and 2) have the correct anatomy- but hey whatever works.

Once the panel was named (one married, one single, one in denial about being in a relationship), the questions began.

Here is what I learned/already knew:

* If you cheat on a man, he will never forgive you. (this includes being dishonest in any way)

* Guys' night out is necessary. And has nothing to do with a desire to cheat or be single.

* If you sleep with a guy on the first date, he will never be the other half of a serious relationship that includes you. You blew it. (I know none of you would do that)

* Guys do not notice a few extra pounds, stretch marks, etc. Ya know, basically all those things we stress out over.

(chill out!)

* It is very unlikely a guy will think you are "bad" in bed. I'm not saying it's impossible though...

* Guys and girls can/can not be just friends-- the panel couldn't decide. (although one guy who was championing "can be friends" admitted he'd absolutely sleep with his "friend" if given the chance)

And that is as far as my memory goes

(it was early. and yesterday.)

Learn anything new? Any other universal man truths you'd like to share?

The Professional Change Up

2011-11-15T20:37:00.000-08:00

As some of (i.e. a whole lot) of you now know,

I have a new job!

And as of this week, on this day, at this exact minute, I am really enjoying it.

This may give you a better idea of what I do:

(oohh cute man butt)

Wait...

What?

That wasn't an awesome explanation?

Ok.

Try this:

(yes I took this picture, but this is not EXACTLY where I work)

Without all the details, I will just tell you that it was time for a change.

Some parts of what I'm doing now suck (coughthedrivecough)

But other parts are great (no, I am not referring to the cute man butt)

I guess what I'm saying is...

This story falls under the heading *to be continued*

I Confess- Wordy but Worth It

2011-11-13T13:47:00.000-08:00

I Confess: I wanted to include new job stuff in this post, but clearly can't do that until I write the official "I got a new job" post. Shoot ; )

I Confess: I completely freaked out while driving the other day when I noticed my clock actually said the correct hour. I have no clue how to re-set the clock in my car so I assumed someone had broken in and fixed it (because obviously that's what people break into cars for...) I eventually realized the people at Honda fixed it when I got my oil changed the day before. And then my heart began to beat normally again... my brain is still off though.

(that's a monkey. breaking into a car. begin laughing now)

I Confess: I talk A LOT when I'm nervous. This problem leads to over sharing... and completely pointless banter. For example, in college I was dating a new guy and we decided to watch a movie. We talked through the WHOLE thing (which I think was partially me just trying to make it less awkward that we were watching in his bed). After that, we only watched movies he'd already seen and I was not particularly interested in. Now I will always wonder what happened in that movie adaptation of Miami Vice. NOT!

I Confess: I was incredibly thankful for my messy bun's placement right on the crown of my head when I smacked it into my bed frame. The messy bun- -it's fashionable and functional.

I Confess: Two days last week, I drank approximately a 2 liter of Diet Mountain Dew. (each day) Health freaks, please do not send me info on what that did to my insides. Thanks in advance.

(can we all pray that's not real?)

I Confess: There may very well be something growing or living in the back of my car. How should I know? I never sit there... but I sure do throw a lot of stuff back there for uhhh storage.

(this back seat makes me feel WAYYY better about my own)

I Confess: In my efforts to waste time the other day, I walked through Abercrombie. The experience made me feel really old. Let me begin by saying that it offends me that the ENTIRE WING of the mall containing Abercrombie smells like their cologne. In the store, my thoughts were as follows: "why is this music so loud?! I can't even think straight" and "it's really dark in here. how am I supposed to see what I'm buying?" and finally "who wears this stuff?" The best part of this is that I remember my grandmother saying all of these things during her first and only trip into Abercrombie.

(fine, I'll admit this picture did make me drool a little)

P.S. that last picture is why reading the post is worth it. You're welcome

Eff, Marry, Kill- Songsters

2011-11-09T16:10:00.000-08:00

I'm sure some of you are offended by the nature of this game...

But I LOVE it!

Come on... it's just a game... play along.

Today I am featuring some of my favorite songsters (is that a word?)

John Mayer

Lee Dewyze

Michael Buble

For me....

Eff- Mr. Mayer - there is something about him that just screams "good in bed"

Marry- Michael Buble - I believe he and his music are timeless

Kill- Lee Dewyze- I'm sorry, but I'm still pretty angry with him for getting engaged to some gorgeous model pshhh

How do the cards fall for you? ; )

P.S. didn't realize this wasn't weekly, but go check out last weeks links anyway. They were AWESOME!-- oh yea and it is coming back!

Lucky You

2011-11-07T16:21:00.000-08:00

Comfortable

Familiar

Safe

These words tend to have the same connotation.

They may make you think of home, a certain person, or an event.

But what about...

Chances

Opportunity

Growth

I would like to create my own luck through taking chances and making the most of opportunities...

...Not by sitting back and being comfortable

And now I'm wearing a little wishbone bracelet as a reminder...

... to be my own good luck charm.

BUT I love something else about this awesome bracelet...

You see, this sweet girl needs a rather expensive surgery

And her mom is doing something about it by making fantastic jewelry, coffee mugs, and more!

The purchase of my bracelet put a little drop in the "Bella's surgery" bucket..

So why don't pop on over to Ashley's etsy shop too!

Fetch & Co.

Maybe you can find something for you and help Ashley's little angel at the same time : )

I chose something meaningful to me.

What is meaningful to you?

It's really a win, win. I have a daily reminder to shake things up, and Bella gets some dinero

I Confess- Whoop Whoop 24

2011-11-06T15:10:00.000-08:00

I Confess: I'm a little mad at myself for not dancing anymore. I'm also mad that I didn't know about Vitamin String Quartet while I was dancing... their songs would have be GREAT for choreography.

I Confess: The only men I found attractive at the UMD tailgate/game this weekend were wearing UVA colors. Maybe I should have gone to a southern school...

(jk I'm a proud MD alum!)

I Confess: I tend to not open doors far enough. If you've seen someone get hit by/stuck in a door recently, it was most likely me.

I Confess: I found a crumpled up, most-likely-used tissue in the coat I was wearing Saturday. It was not mine. I guess what I'm confessing is that I may have a weird disease now...

I Confess: I may be J-Lo next year for Halloween (or any upcoming themed party) just because I found this hat in my closet.

I Confess: Any time I go through a light that was questionably yellowy red, I find it incredibly comforting when the car behind me goes too... to the point that I yell out "SCORE!" Pshh let that risk taker get the ticket.

I Confess: The Christmas candy I bought this week made me sick... which is either the result of the candy being from last year or me eating wayyy too much of it. Ok, it was both.

I Confess: I really appreciated how many of you voted on my new phone cover options. I would like to have you vote on guys for me to date the exact same way ; ) -- there are 0 options currently.

Votes for an iPhone Case

2011-11-01T18:18:00.000-07:00

I'm already obsessed with my iPhone.

Even though it isn't even in a box on its way to me yet.

Regardless, I have scrolled through approximately 1,000 pages of Etsy blinged out iPhone 4 covers. My eyes are starting to hurt. I can't take it anymore.

So here are my favorites (priced between 20 & 30 dollars- trying to not get too wild over here)

Keep In Mind: My phone is white

Please cast your vote : )

1 )

I. CAN'T. WAIT.

Little Bits of Love

2011-10-31T17:19:00.000-07:00

(Too bad these two kids couldn't make their marriage work)

So I know that yesterday was pretty much devastating for all,

(insert sarcasm here)

But while I was thinking about love -- or the lack there of,

I thought I'd share some inspiring bits of love with you guys.

These bits have been shared before...

By some of my favorite bloggers...

So please do enjoy!

Care to read about a California girl's second round with LOVE "Across the Pond"- Go HERE

Care to read about how much LOVE a husband has for his wife-- in his own words-- Go HERE

Megan and Shalyn, you rock! Thanks for being inspiring.

If your faith hasn't been completely restored, listen to this beautiful song -- yea it's from Breaking Dawn -- yea it'll be played at my wedding.

(Wait, what? They aren't the couple getting a divorce? ; )

I Confess- This is my 300th Post!

2011-10-30T16:33:00.000-07:00

I Confess: Because Andy Cohen (ya know BRAVO Andy) tweets things like "David Freese is my MAN!", I thought they were actually dating. It took me about a half hour to figure out that Andy is from St. Louis, and he probably just thinks Freese is super hot-- because he is.

I Confess: When VH1 listed this song as one of the best of the 00's, my first thought was "hey that was on Making the Video!" Because I definitely watched wayyy too much MTV growing up... ok, and now. My second thought was "wow I miss this song." Enjoy...

How ridiculously hot is Janet in this video?!

I Confess: I flip radio stations in the morning to find talk radio, not to avoid it. People are CRAZY! And like to tell it to the world via the air waves. I could write a whole post just listing the things I've heard during my 10 minute drives to work...

I Confess: I took a neon pink bowl to work with me to eat my morning oatmeal. I refuse to get up earlier to eat breakfast at home, so I am ok with eating out of something that looks like it belonged to Barbie in front of my co-workers.

Oops! Looks like the pink one is still at work

I Confess: When I encountered a hottie in a bakery, I seriously considered spilling/dropping something in front of him to attract his attention. Fortunately, I have a little more self-respect than that-- not a lot-- but a little.

I Confess: I ate 3 peanut butter protein bars in one day to decide which brand I liked best. Cliff Bars are where it's at! (which is what I thought before I began my experiment)

I Confess: I removed all my make-up and reapplied it tonight for the sake of a video blog tutorial that no one will ever see. It was embarrassing.

I Confess: I was super impressed with the cuteness and creativity my friends put into Halloween this year. Thanks for the lack of skankiness : )

What do you have to confess?

Greatness from Beginning to End

2011-10-28T12:46:00.001-07:00

What elicited such a title?

Last night's world series game, that's what!

From the homerun in the top of the 1st...

To David Freese's incredible out of the park slam in the bottom of the 11th...

Oh did I mention he's a hottie?

This game was a nail biter, hair puller, upset tummy kind of roller coaster.

I loved every second of it

(and my body loved that I was off work today so I could sleep until 10am-- 11 innings takes awhile)

I guess what I'm saying is THANK YOU!

Thank you Cardinals and Rangers for leaving it all on the field.

And thank you baseball for being our pastime!

If you follow me on twitter, sorry for the explosion last night. I was pretty excited and watching the game all alone.

Be sure to watch Game 7 tonight! It's the first played since 2002!

If you need some pepto, a hand to hold, or an ear to talk off call me!

Whose Pastime?

2011-10-25T04:20:00.000-07:00

As I sat on the couch watching the World Series,

I made the comment to a friend that "football is not really my thing."

A few sentences were exchanged that brought about this:

Friend- "Who won the Super Bowl last year?"

Me- "uhhhh.... hhmmm... oo oo the Packers!"

(first thing that came to my mind-- Clay Matthews on Ellen)

Friend- "And who won the World Series?"

*crickets*

Friend- "I think it was the Giants"

Me- "Oh oh! Yes! I did know that...."

I claim to be such a huge baseball fan, but "who won the 2010 World Series?" stumped me.

It may be that I am simply an idiot

BUT

It seems to be that very few people watch the World Series compared to the Super Bowl

They seem less concerned with these games than regular season football even!

Do you think maybe baseball is losing some ground as America's pastime?

(I may actually shed a tear )

How many of you are watching the World Series?

(Game 6 begins at 8:05 tonight on FOX)-- and by tonight I obviously meant Weds. haha oops

I Confess- Let's Pretend its #22

2011-10-23T17:09:00.000-07:00

I Confess: I have been going to the tanning bed ... and I'm not getting spray tans... I am going old school and laying in a bed burning my skin with a fake sun.

I Confess: I'm such a sucker for a guy in a suit-- "what do you mean he's ugly? he's wearing a suit!"

(John Krasinski is hot regardless of the suit)

I Confess: I get lost going absolutely anywhere. I know this about myself. I budget my time accordingly.

I Confess: The pillows on my bed are permanently stained orange (I swear I don't wear Snooki-esque bronzer), and I now realize I need to wash my face before bed. For now, I'll just throw those sheets out. Even Tide couldn't help this time, and I don't have enough make-up remover to use it as detergent..

I Confess: I've been told multiple times that I need to date "normal" guys. I hear you friends. I hear you, and I agree.

(umm this is the pic that came up when I google image searched "normal guys"--rethinking)

I Confess: I gave the guy at Sheetz major stink face when he informed me that the one piece of candy I was buying was the same price as a bag of ice. Ummm neat? because ice is just as yummy as chocolate? not seeing your point kid...

Questions

2011-10-22T06:29:00.000-07:00

Got any questions for me?

Please do ask away! I'll answer just about anything.

Seriously....

Ask....

Or I'll come beat you up..

If you aren't intimidated by my bulging biceps, I'm sure you are worried about my loose grip on sanity ; )

Photobooth Friday Fun- Questions Vlog

2011-10-20T17:03:00.000-07:00

V is for Video Blog!

(I so missed my calling as a cheerleader)

Anywho...

You guys asked me questions a LONG time ago...

I lost all but 3 of those emails so here are the answers to 3 questions.

(Ooppsies this video is still 4 minutes long)

Oh and find the Matthew Gray Gubler series HERE

Well It's About Time

2011-10-19T17:22:00.000-07:00

This kind of has to do with my birthday...

So I'll be keeping with this week's theme...

(Which is "Celebrate Rissy" of course. Duh.)

This will go down in history as the birthday I became an adult

...because...

I am FINALLY getting a smart phone.

A "big girl" phone as I like to call it

Dear iPhone,

See you in 2-3 weeks.

We are about to become ridiculously close.

Dear blog loves,

Expect your phones to be all kinds of blown up with pictures from little ole' me!

Dear twitter,

My love for you will no doubt grow with this new addition.

#itsaboutfreakintime

(umm is $50 too much for a cover? because I'm obsessed)

Ate My Way to 24

2011-10-18T15:36:00.001-07:00

After looking through pictures, I realized that food pretty much dominated my birthday.

And being as it is now that I'm old and tired, I'm just going to show you pictures.

Here goes...

Here we have a twenty-four year old proudly displaying the side of meatballs she ordered and promptly devoured at lunch. Meatballs are yummy, and this twenty-four year old's not yet wrinkled face lit up when she saw them on the menu.

Here we have a twenty four year old consuming a bday gift to herself (Diet Sun Drop what what!?) and a bday gift from an amazing bloggy friend. Love Erica! Who doesn't love receiving a package/presents on their bday?!

Here we have all the food a twenty four year old girl and her (age not disclosed ; ) mother ordered and consumed. Nom nom nom

Here we have a twenty four year old with the world's largest burrito-- that she stole from her mother for the sake of a picture. That thing is still in our fridge. (we aren't THAT fatty)

Oh and on a non-food-related note, this happened too...

Here we have the result of a 23 year old being lazy... and then injured in her older age. This twenty four year old had an awesome birthday minus her cabinet door (that had been begging for attention for weeks) attacking her toe.

Food, drink, and a toe that is still intact = things that make me happy on my birthday.

What makes you happy on your BDAY?

Goals for a New Year of Me

2011-10-16T10:41:00.000-07:00

Ahh yes, my birthday...

My own personal little New Year's Day...

The day that we all set goals we promise to achieve, stick to, focus on...

So why not set some SUPER SERIOUS goals for this new year of me?

I started working on this list Saturday night (because I am so awesome I'm at home making lists on Saturday nights).

This list is not the things I hope to accomplish in the year of 24,

But more so the plans of have for the rest of my existence.

(I have included a pic of something I DID during year 23 with each item on the list)

Without further adieu....

*Become cool, famous, and/or interesting enough to have a verified twitter account

(I got fancy and accompanied someone to a charity event)

* Own a Sheetz

(this became my main blog image... oh my)

*Name a child "Hugh" or "Beau"

(I lived it up on St. Patty's day with my friend Rachel)

* put my life in danger for no real reason i.e. bungee jumping, sky diving, etc.

(I pretended I was the Sun Drop girl- and obsessed over Diet Sun Drop)

*take a picture with a celebrity I either a) do not particularly care for or about or b) was unaware was famous

(I started a job that required me to wear all black- so I wore a colorful flower in my hair A LOT)

* be in 3-5 peoples' Facebook default pictures at the same time

(I went to New Orleans and took pics in the hotel room for you guys ; )

* witness something in real life I thought I'd only ever see in a Youtube video-- anyone know a dog that can skateboard?

(I wrote for and was hired by a magazine)

* play in the world series

( I ran a 5k-- unfortunately not in these awesome tube socks though)

* make over a million dollars... legally... and fully clothed

(I spent a weekend in Williamsburg with my 3 best friends!)

That's as far as I got, but I think that list will grow as I am opening this up to suggestions.

But seriously... I do have a vague/blurry idea of a bucket list. When I put it to paper, I will probably still be keeping it to myself. Sorry loves : (

I will be spending this most blessed day (my 24th birthday) on a work "field trip" to Garrett County, MD then at dinner with my dear, sweet Mom.

So twenty-four, let's get this show on the road.

I'm ready for an awesome year!

The big day is October 17th (Monday) in case I forgot to mention that ; )

Smile! You're Being Pulled Over

2011-10-13T16:38:00.000-07:00

If you follow me (and Chelsea) on twitter,

this is going to be incredibly anti-climactic.

I think you should read it anyways...

but I'm biased.

--Cutting to the chase--

(I love the name Chase- someone remind me to name a child that)

I was minding my own business today returning from some work stuffs...

When suddenly "red blue lights, flashin' from behind" (name that song) caught my attention.

And when I say the police officer flashed his lights, I mean that's all he did.

This guy didn't even have to move his car 1 inch to pull me over!

He sat there, turned the lights on, and beckoned me over with ONE FINGER!

No not that finger but still...

So I of course pull over and await my fate - which I assume will be a ticket.

Mr. Officer man informs me I was doing 55 in a 40...

to which I wanted to respond with "big freakin deal dude! this should be a 50 anyways!"

But instead went with an "I'm innocent yet apologetic" smile and an actual apology with a touch of playing dumb.

In my defense, drinking coffee and listening to "Super Bass" just makes me want to drive fast.

I blame you Nicki Minaj and your catchy tunes.

Regardless, I quietly sat in my car while Mr. Officer man walked off with my I.D. and registration to fill out my ticket.

Well wam bam thank you ma'am! I actually left with one of these...

(personal info covered because I'm not THAT open-- or stupid)

That right there folks is a warning. A waste of paper but a reason to breathe a big sigh of relief for this girl.

Ok it wasn't a waste of paper- I'm now terrified of being pulled over.

Touche Mr. Officer man. Touche.

A Girl Without Cheekbones

2011-10-12T18:21:00.001-07:00

Her's is a sad story...

This girl born without cheekbones.

Her face, it was just missing something.

People were kind enough not to stare, but she knew they were aware.

(hehe that rhymed)

So one day she decided to walk around disguised as a fish.

She puckered and pouted for days, weeks, and years...

Until one day...

Someone finally said...

That face makes you look like an idiot.

~ THE END ~

Please don't hate me for this post-- life can't always be serious : )

I Confess- Williamsburg, VA

2011-10-10T14:20:00.000-07:00

I Confess: I think all these guys are sexy. I. LOVE. HISTORY.

I Confess: I made the adorable guy I was talking to at the bar Friday night show me his I.D. because I doubted he was twenty-one. He was not. He was thirty. Ooopps. He didn't ask for my number... weird ; )

I Confess: I shared a bed with two different friends over the course of our stay. I woke each of them up during the night to request they please move over. I do not like to cuddle... especially with other girls.

I Confess: The early morning power walks my bestie and I took were a highlight of the trip. Yes, you read that right. A group of 23 (me) and 24 (everyone else hahaha) year olds not only took a vacation to Williamsburg, but we also power walked.

I Confess: I thought things might get physical when my one bestie told me she'd only be stopping for a potty break once during our 3 hour drive. Umm... sometimes I wonder if I even have a bladder, so that could have been a major issue.

I Confess: I am jealous of any student currently enrolled at William & Mary. Your campus is awesome.

I Confess: I don't even know what we ate. It was on the table for 20 seconds... then it was in our bellies.

I Confess: If they paid full-time salaries, I'd be a colonial Williamsburg re-enactor in a hot second!

Scenes from the Weekend

2011-10-09T18:10:00.000-07:00

After a long evening of blowing my nose...

It was time to pack up, and leave for Colonial Williamsburg.

I spent the weekend with these awesome ladies...

In this fantastic hotel...

But in general, I feel like this about pictures.

Details to come... promise ; )

October and Pink Make Me Happy

2011-10-05T05:05:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned a couple times now that October has my heart.

One reason that I have yet to mention for this month being such a stand out though has to do with the color PINK.

Have you been seeing it everywhere?

I have. And it rocks.

Speaking of rocking...

My cousin is basically a rockstar.

See, not only is she stunning and talented, but she is also really involved.

We danced together her whole life, and she has taken that talent and passion to college with her becoming a Virginia Tech High Tech dancer.

(she's a senior *sniff sniff* where has the time gone?)

So what does that have to do with October? and the color Pink?

Well, as you most likely know (unless I'm removing the bolder you've been buried under) October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

In honor of the month, the VT High Tech dancers along with other organizations and a local hospital are participating in a charity event.

They created this music video... and now need your vote... to win $10,000 to donate to the breast cancer charity of their choice.

Vote Here

Be sure to check out my gorgeous cous at the 2:40 mark : )

But more importantly, please VOTE!

Smelling Those Metaphorical Roses

2011-10-04T04:30:00.000-07:00

One day last week (sorry for not remembering the exact day) I came home on my lunch break to see my little fur babe.

He likes being outside about as much as he likes eating (which is A LOT),

so outside we went.

And guess what I did?

I looked around.

Yep, that was it.

It made me happy to notice how beautiful my front yard is...

And to get puppy kisses from my furball.

I thought about you guys too...

So I tried to take a picture to say "hi."

Thinking of you guys of course put me in an even better mood.

And then ya know what happened?

I found this in the fridge.

I'm pretty sure the soda fairies (or Santa) brought it.

Life was so good then.

I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that Mr. Sunshine and his best friend Mrs. Warm Weather come back for a bit.

Have you said bye to long sunny days?

Better yet, did you know "metaphorical" is actually a word?

I Confess- I have no idea what number this is

2011-10-02T16:33:00.000-07:00

I Confess- I am really awful at committing to weekly posts. This series is so irregularly posted, it shouldn't be a link-up (or a series for that matter). Sorry! I just hate posting anything in particular because I'm "supposed" to.

I Confess- I am newly obsessed with twitter. Probably because so many awesome bloggers are on it. Also because I can post new "statuses" ALL. THE. TIME. Facebook friends judge me for updating more than once a day-- so I don't. Yes, I give in to peer pressure that way.

FIND ME HERE

I Confess- Sometimes I think really mean things. I think them. I don't say them. Ok fine, I say them to my mom so I won't hurt anyone else's feelings because once words are spoken, they can't be taken back. (mom's a great sounding board)

I Confess- I'd rather stay in than go out on the weekends. I require a lot of "me" time, and working two jobs only allows for so much.

I Confess- Today will be the first Monday I've worked in 3 weeks. Two weeks ago I was sick. One week ago I was out of town. I am rather fearful... because I think I got used to those short work weeks.

I Confess- I used NO heat on my hair for at least a week. That is until Sunday when I busted out the blow dryer and straightener. Straight hair makes me feel thinner and prettier.

What do you have to confess?

Baseball Fun Has Just Begun

2011-09-30T04:49:00.000-07:00

Well hello there Post-Season.

Thank you for coming in with such a !BANG!

I for one am really excited for this final portion of baseball.

So excited in fact, that I wore a baseball tee to work Thursday.

(yup... that's some photobooth fun for your Friday-- say that 5 times fast)

If you want to fall in love with baseball and join in my excitement, I suggest you start watching now.

And if you already love the game, how great is October?

As far as team allegiance goes...

I wouldn't hate to see the Rays win the series, but I am not a die hard fan of any team.

On a completely different topic, I posted about some personal things this week, and I would just like to say thank-you. Thank-you to everyone who commented and shared parts of your lives with me. I appreciate the stories, the advice, and the support so much!

#bloglove

Facebook's Skype

2011-09-28T16:57:00.000-07:00

So, have you done it?

Have you hit that little video icon on any of your Facebook chats? (looks quite like the one on Gchat)

I have.

And I am quite pleased with this Facebook/Skype match up.

As of this moment (7:58pm on Weds. September 28th), I have Facebook skype'd three times.

Time 1) The first time I noticed the little video camera icon on my Facebook chat, I was intrigued. I was chatting with a friend and thought "well hey, let's seem what happens." What happened was, a screen popped up in the middle of my Facebook screen, and my friend's face was on it! Awesome! We chatted for a couple minutes until I realized I was about to be late for work. Ooops-- touche Facebook-- you got me again!

Time 2) I was sitting at home being the awesome person I am on a Friday evening and started Facebook chatting with Shalyn. Next thing I know, that little box has popped up again and BAM! Shalyn and Andrew's awesome faces! To say I was psyched would be an understatement. Oh and Shalyn and I both looked oober-awesome with our hair up and glasses on. #rockstars

We did hit a little snag though... no matter what we tried (and we tried everything) that lovely couple could. not. hear me! Being a mute is rather frustrating. Let me tell ya! Oh but you can still use your chat box while skype-ing on Facebook so I'd sign a downward arrow to them and start typing!

(I know- they're going to make pretty babies- just not yet. Right Shmuffin?)

Time 3) Again sitting home one evening Facebook stalking all you lovelies... a dear, sweet friend of mine made that box take over my stalker screen. We needed to catch up since texting between the U.S. and Canadia (yea, I meant to say it that way) is major expensive. Our chat lasted quite awhile, and you know what I realized? You can't play around on Facebook while you're chatting. This is #awesome and a #fail. I was an awesome listener.... but my ADHD'd self was feeling antsy. Just thought you should all be aware. : )

So I guess what I want to know is... have you Facebook Skype'd it up yet?

And if you'd like to see what I really look like (as all the above mentioned people have), feel free to hit that little camera icon.

I mean don't you want to know if I REALLY Lol'd?

P.S. I just remembered another Facebook Skype sesh- but it lasted about 30 seconds thanks to internet connection issues : (

My Life in Guys As Of Late

2011-09-27T16:28:00.001-07:00

Oh yes, it is here.

The dreaded dating post.

My tummy is in knots already and I have not even hit "publish" yet.

This may be one of those posts that stays on the blog for about a day then gets the ax.

But here goes...

I have had 2 boyfriends in my entire 23 years. (24 in 3 weeks eeeekkk!)

I know that is not a lot, but on the same note, I have always been "talking to" someone.

That is really all that's been going on lately as well.

Let me elaborate by discussing in detail some guys I've been "talking to"...

The Super Nice Guy- I met this guy kind of through work I'd say. Or I guess "re-met" being as it is that we knew each other way back in our elementary school days. A friend of mine told me he was interested so we started chatting... then we started hanging out...

The whole time I knew we didn't have that chemistry that I NEED to be in a relationship with someone, but he treated me amazingly. I'll admit that I did lead him on for a bit before we finally both threw in the towel.

He is dating someone and seems happy which makes me happy : )

And I call him the super nice guy because he always did sweet things like bring me Starbucks when my day was just a bit too long .

Le Douche Bag- Let me start out by saying that I was warned. Yes, WARNED! In big flashing red letters, I was warned. Because of that, I feel I deserved what I got. I still think he is a complete DOUCHE though.

It is difficult for me to admit to even being involved with this guy because I was a complete idiot the entire time we "talked" which totaled 3 1/2 months. Oh did I mention that in the 3 1/2 months I managed to fly across the country to see this guy? Yep, that New Orleans trip was all about him. Bad decision making after bad decision making right here ladies.

Our situation can be broken down into two time periods- 1) Pre-New Orleans and 2) Post- New Orleans. He can say what he wants, but in my opinion he was a completely different person in stage 1 than stage 2. In stage 2 I started to see the guy that his/my friends warned me about.

We do not speak. We have no need to be in each other's lives.

I will however try to wish him the best. phew yes *deep breath* I wish him the best.

Oh and by the way, I did have an awesome time in New Orleans... I do not regret going. If anything, I will never wondered what could have happened with us.

The Guy- A co-worker of mine knew this guy and decided to show him my picture on Facebook. As she tells it, he was interested so I said "hey, why not" with a little "I'm only 23 once" thrown in. I was talking to "Le Douche Bag" when I first discussed this guy with my co-worker

And.... ok fine I was a day away from my New Orleans flight.... when this gentleman and I went to lunch. (clearly I had a lot of faith in what was going on with Le Douche)

We talked for a LONG time at that lunch. I'm talking like 3 post meal iced teas long. But me being me, I didn't really take that as any kind of sign and went on my merry way to New Orleans. I was vague about my reasons for going south, but The Guy knew there was a guy involved. That didn't stop either of us from texting back and forth the entire weekend (seriously ya'll I need to bang my head against something hard for not GETTING IT). But for at least another week or so, I was still stuck on the wrong guy.

Don't you worry though... I saw the error in my ways.... just a bit too late. The Guy is now in a relationship; a relationship he seems very happy in. So I am happy for him. Really.

I get it now. I get that he is The kind of Guy I need to be with. So when I find a guy like him again, I will hold on tight : )

That's all I've got for now.

As of today, I am solo.

And I think that's a good thing-- because this chica needs to get her own stuffs together.

A Metaphor on Moving

2011-09-27T10:22:00.000-07:00

Watch out ya'll

I'm about to get deep here.

Ok fine, not deep...

But I am going to use a metaphor

BAM!

Watch Out.

For the sake of this post let's say I am this bird...

How cozy and comfortable does that little bird look?

One might say it is safe and secure under the protection of another, much larger and powerful being.

Well that is how I feel living in my parents home

(at the ripe old age of ALMOST 24 might I add)

But I most certainly do not feel in control

What if that hand decides to close?

Or push the bird off..

Or what if it can no longer support the weight of the bird?

Then what???

I have been thinking a lot lately about what I am doing sitting so cozily in that hand...

And I have reached a conclusion.

It is time for me to become this bird...

well ONE OF these birds

Most of my friends and peers spread their wings awhile ago

I think it is about time for me to join them..

Even if sometimes the sky looks a little threatening and the other birds unwelcoming.

It is just time for me to go.

When did you leave home?

You Might Be A Blogger If...

2011-09-23T10:27:00.001-07:00

... You answer your front door on a Friday afternoon and see the loveliest man ever holding this....

... and it came from another girl....

a really awesome girl...

named Chelsea Colleen...

who writes Choose to be Happy...

Talk about practice what you preach.

She made me "dance around your kitchen in your socks" happy.

(that blob next to the edible arrangement is me doing a jig)

I love her. I can't wait to meet her. (as soon as we plan that)

And now I just need to gush about blogging again.

In the past few weeks I have:

Gotten a new blog design free of charge (Lauren)

Opened my mailbox to find an awesome camera in it (Raven)

-- sorry for not using it for these pics! too excited--

And held back tears for the sack of the delivery guy when I got an edible arrangement (Chelsea)

It's not about the gifting though. As all bloggers know, it is the thoughtfulness of this community than gives ya the warm and fuzzies.

I am proud to be a blogger, and even more proud to walk around saying "My friend Shalyn", "My friend Ashley", "My friend Erica", etc. even though we've never met. (Sabrina and Stephanie I love you too but I think I'd taken that example a little far).

We encourage each other, feel for each other, and are always there with a funny story, friendly tweet, or dose of wisdom.

I guess what I'm saying is "Thanks Al Gore for inventing the internet."

tehehehe jk

Joking aside- I love you guys. Happy weekend!

Some Days...

2011-09-20T14:28:00.000-07:00

... I just want to kick a tree.

But I'm calm and rational enough to realize that would hurt.

And I bruise easily.

I have summed up my negativity as follows:

I have skipped working out for the past 3 (possibly 4) days.

I have not been listening to this song enough.

I missed the Austin trip.

My sinuses have taken over my ENTIRE brain.

My hometown is completely lacking in the cute boy department.

My friends live too far away.

(don't you love when your best friends post 1 of about 13 pics because its the one they looked best in... #guilty)

-- Then I remembered a few things--

I have nothing to do this evening... which means I just walked away from this here computer screen and put on work out gear.

"Pumped Up Kicks" is playing as I type this... and my head is a-bee-boppin'

Austin will probably be exactly where it is in a few months. And it will be cold here. And I will escape the cold to go there!

TEXAS= HOT, MARYLAND=NOT

I can start eating better and sleeping more. That should solve all illness issues, right?

I probably shouldn't spend my entire life here. And being single allows me to do WHATEVER I want WHENEVER I want. (guys always seem to have opinions, feelings, etc. BLEH)

(this one time I decided to live in SC for 3 months)

I will be spending an entire weekend with my besties in about two weeks. Holy cow, that will be awesome.

Guess I'll kick up my heels instead...

Phew! I feel better.

Now how are you ladies doing?!

Photobooth Fun- Curlies

2011-09-15T14:03:00.000-07:00

I can't give up on Photobooth pics all together.

They are who I am.

So once a week, I want to have some Photobooth fun.

This week I noticed a trend in my pictures-- I wore my hair curly A LOT!

Oh, you didn't know I had curly hair?

Yup, I sure do.

And sometimes I realize my tresses don't like being tortured with my precious blow dryer and straightener.

I hear ya, hairsies. Really. I do.

When I wear my hair curly, I air dry, apply mousse, and scrunch scrunch scrunch.

Then, I tend to have issues with being able to leave my curls alone. So the hair ends up in a ball on top my noggin.

And on occasion (only when my hair is curly) I buy $5 t-shirts that look like tuxedos.

What's hiding in your photobooth?

Do you see a theme?

Or maybe on your smartphone?

My Dog Lassie

2011-09-14T16:08:00.000-07:00

My dog is a genius, just like Lassie.

Well except my dog's name is Bryan.

Which is totally fitting since he is treated better than a human and is probably smarter than some.

The smarter than part was proven to me today.

I'm sure you are thinking I'm just biased... but wait until you hear this.

I am getting it right and tight (if that didn't make you smile or giggle I'm disappointed) on the elliptical when my mom opens the door to yell,

"There's a bird in the house!"

To which I obviously responded with,

"Where?!"

Mom again,

"I can't find it!" -- door slam.

Uhhh... alright.

I'll admit I continued to work out with a big smirk on my face imagining my mom running around the house all flustered.

I know, I should be ashamed.

When I emerged from the basement with a lovely sheen (thank you sweat), I of course asked,

"Where's the bird?"

And received the aggravated response of,

"I have no idea Carissa. I've been through the whole house and turned on every light. I can't find it."

Being the intelligent person I am, I hear my dog bound down the stairs and decide to ask him where the bird is.

"Bwwwyyyaaannn where's da birddyy? Show your seeesster where da birdy is"

(disgusting how I talk to him isn't it? ; )

He trots away up the stairs...

...and stops right inside the study door...

...right in front of a dead bird!

That's right ladies and gentlemen.

My mom could not find the bird, but my dog lead me right to it.

He. Is. A. Genius.

How much do you love your pets?

--P.S.--

Sorry I'm not sorry there are no pictures of the dead bird. May it rest in peace.

-- P.P.S.--

Bryan did NOT kill the bird. Promise

Stuffs That Makes Me Happies

2011-09-13T17:18:00.000-07:00

Clearly making up words makes me happies ; ) But here are some more things that give me the warm and fuzzies...

Blue Skies and Wide Open Spaces

Having a perfect stranger tell me I "look cute today."

The fact that she added "today" is the absolute best -- as if she had ever seen me before-- I giggled and skipped across the street.

Being in my car when old school tune-age comes on that makes me go "I was MEANT to be in my car at this exact moment."

Spending an afternoon in a perfect, picturesque small town. My future home will have a wrap-around porch.

I obviously still didn't find the timer on my camera-- stay tuned.

#happiesoverhere

Why are YOU happy?

New Pretties and Blogland Awesomeness

2011-09-12T16:16:00.000-07:00

I have compiled a list of pretties for you.

Let me begin with the most obvious new "pretty" on my list:

The New Blog Design!

Not too long ago, I asked for advice on finding a blog designer. And boy did you all come through for me! (as I knew you would)

I checked into a few different things, but as I was doing my checking, I received a rather awesome message in my Facebook Inbox.

It was a blog header.... with my face and blog name on it!

And it was awesome!

And you are currently looking at it!

SO... let me give a BIG, HUGE, GRATEFUL shout out to Lauren of Let It Be

My blog's fabby makeover is completely 100% thanks to her!

A Camera!

Here begins the pictures:

Your eyes do not deceive you.

I am holding a real-life, actual camera.

Courtesy of Momma Raven.

(I love that woman more than cheese-- that's a lot)

I started playing with my new toy today:

Clearly I am not a pro yet...

I put my toesies in the pretty sky though...

And while I was lying down...

I remembered Raven requested a pic of me by a tree...

But I don't know how to use a timer...

So I just laid down in the grass.

Shoes!

Yep, these babies are mine!

Thanks to the advice of Miss Ashley

Yes, I text blog loves regarding important decisions.

Ok so all my new pretties somehow involve blog friends.

And I like it that way.

How much do you love blog friends?!

High Hopes, Low Expectations

2011-09-08T17:28:00.000-07:00

I realize that the real world, and the fantasy world romantic comedies have created in my head are completely different things. So here is what happened when I went to Panera the other night...

Reality: I walk in, see a guy sitting at what appears to be a business meeting. I am intrigued right off the bat because he looks somewhat close to my age, is in my tiny hometown, and is SO CUTE! Who is this person? Are he and his colleagues just passing through? I decide that is most likely since I think I know every person even remotely close to my age in this town. I of course continue to look at him while I wait for my food because, duh, eye candy! Oh, and he is looking at me when I first glance back... SCORE! Ooo he is standing up... oh, to remove his jacket... false alarm. I grab my food. I leave. We have absolutely no contact minus the 5 seconds of eye contact.

Fantasy World: In this world, when oober hottie glances at me, he decides he loves me. He immediately constructs a plan to make my acquaintance. When he stands up, instead of removing his coat, he comes up with an excuse to walk to where I'm standing. He either runs into me, asks me where something is, or does something super cute and creative I can't even imagine.... We start to chat... He continues to ask questions... and we exchange numbers. He turns out to be the perfect guy. He has an amazing personality, awesome family, is happy with his career, and talks to me enough to seem interested but not too much that I lose interest. We click immediately and have chemistry. We fall in love, get married, and live happily ever after.

(If you don't know what a "Meet Cute" is, go watch The Holiday NOW)

I know.

I'm crazy.

But what else am I supposed to think about when I float off into dreamland?

I've clearly watched one too many romantic comedies...

And may want to switch my Pandora station OFF Colbie Cailat...

But don't we all want a "he swept me off my feet" and "it came out of NOWHERE!" love story?

Oh... did I mention I looked like this at Panera:

Weird that he didn't completely fall in love, right?

I'm not going to give up on my dream of romance, but I do realize life isn't a romantic comedy.

This weekend while I was crying watching "Sweet Home Alabama," my friend said

"This stuff doesn't happen in real life. You know that right?"

To which I responded with

"I know that.But people really do love each other this much. And that's the best part."

BOO-YAH!

A Prescription for a Smile

2011-09-07T15:50:00.000-07:00

Notice something different?

Post coming soon...

Now...

If you are feeling a little down...

My recommendation is simple...

(like how my toilet is in the background?)

Do This Dance, Drink Some Water, and call me in the morning ; )

Why Do I do These Things?