Wednesday, August 12, 2015

I Have a Confession

I have a confession to make: I have never been to Disney World. I haven't been to Disneyland either, but since I'm living on the east coast now, I don't really have a good excuse for not going. What's worse is I even vacationed in Orlando not too long ago. We went to Universal Studios and SeaWorld, and some of my family members went to Disney World. Just not me.

But that's going to change here pretty soon. Husband and I are planning a trip for next October! I'm hoping it'll be cooler then and less busy with all the kids in school, but I am completely clueless about this. Which resort should we stay in? Which parks and rides are a must? What about the meal plans? I'm vegan so that might not be the best fit for us.

We originally planned for 7 days, but with going to Universal Studios, too (Husband has never been there), we might stretch it out to 9 so we can also have some downtime to go to the spas. I just need some input from those of you who have been! I know we have to go to Be Our Guest (Beauty and the Beast is our story), but other than that, the week is completely open! Please help! This planner doesn't know what to do, and if you guys remember my first post, then you know that doesn't work very well for me.

Help a sista' out! And definitely post pictures and tell stories from your adventures if you would like to share :)

Sunday, August 9, 2015

Should Appearances Matter? A Tale of Piercings and Tattoos



Body modification is one of those things that I feel passionately about. I think it's an amazing way to make a statement, cherish a memory, or even just become more comfortable and confident in who you are and who you want to be. On the flip side of that, if it's not your thing, that's just fine, too. But that doesn't give you the right to judge or demean those of us who do like piercings and tattoos.

To the topic at hand, I actually wrote a paper on body modification and why it is slowly becoming the next body project for our society. In another generation or two, it's going to be incredibly commonplace for someone to have a non-ear lobe piercing or a visible tattoo.

Believe it or not, I actually have a tattoo on my neck. When I wear my hair down, no one ever sees it. I actually surprise people when I pull my hair up and then explain that I have piercings and another tattoo and plans for more in the future. I guess I don't fit the stereotype.
Now why does this matter? Honestly, it shouldn't. There shouldn't be a stigma, and we shouldn't care so much about what other people are doing with their bodies. But the good news is you shouldn't let the opinions of others sway you from getting what you want since you would be helping the movement, and it won't be viewed as negatively soon (relatively speaking, of course).

This is another one of those "be the change you want to see in the world" moments. Whether that means finally taking the plunge and getting addicted to the adrenaline rush known as new ink or by simply being open-minded to the appearances of others, let's work together to create a society of acceptance instead of one where we live according to our differences. There is no need to tear others down for being different. Let's all build everyone up instead and all achieve our hearts' desires.

Do you have any piercings or tattoos? What is your opinion on ink in the workplace?

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

When Life Gives You Lemons, Make a Withdrawal from the Karma Bank

Karma Bank
I don't think I actually told you all this, but I've been having some car troubles. In July, I fould out that I had a couple issues with my engine (one of which was caused by a crappy oil change, no need to get into that). Then there was a recall on my air bags. Two trips to the Honda dealership later, I got those fixed. But then it turns out that my seatbelt had an issue. Yet another trip to the shop. Oh, and to top it off, one tire had a slow leak. And now, not even three weeks later, my car won't start. It's either the starter or the alternator. Fingers crossed for the starter.

I don't say all of this to bring you down or ask for pity. This is a story of how you should treat people and how you should go through life. I live by the Karma Bank. The Karma Bank knows all, people. Because of this, I often "make deposits" into the Karma Bank by paying it forward. Help out in all the little ways that you can while you can. Be the helping hand for others. That way, when it comes time for you to need the help, there will be enough good karma in the bank for you to be able to make a withdrawal. 

help others, pay it forward
Paying it forward to the Karma Bank goes hand-in-hand with needing to live life optimistically. Don't dwell on the things that go wrong. Count your blessings instead of your mistakes. We thought we had roadside assistance through our insurance. Turns out we didn't actually sign up for it. We have it now, but that doesn't help with the car that is already broken down. BUT I have friends who can help me out with getting to work until payday on Thursday when we can afford to get the car towed and fixed.

Focusing on how many times the car has needed to go to the shop or that we forgot to get the roadside assistance would really suck. Instead, I choose to focus on how fortunate we have been that most of the repairs were free (the airbags, seatbelt, and I had a flat tire). This is only the second fix I've had to pay for. That's some awesome Karma.

be the light
So what's the take-home message? Live life with a giver's heart. Be the light for others in their times of darkness. Stay positive when it's your turn to walk in the darkness, and know that your kindness won't be forgotten.

How do you usually handle stressful situations? What do you live by if not the Karma Bank?

Sunday, August 2, 2015

How Romance Can Look

(this is one of the only pictures from the day we got married)
The rom-com genre is amazing at giving us stories filled with warm fuzzies and other moments so sweet you'll get cavities if you're not careful. But growing up, this was my all-time favorite genre of movies. My mom and I would make a habit of watching the latest and greatest book from Nicholas Sparks come to life, and I regularly rewatched my favorite 3 rom-coms anytime I was feeling down.

But then, I got married. When I finally got to live my love story in person instead of always dreaming about it through the lens of text messages and Skype calls, I fell in love with our definition of romance and turned my back on the sickly sweet nonsense that I used to crave. I realized how fake and impossible most of it would be in the real world and how no one has conversations like they do in the movies. 

Romance looks a little different for every individual (I'm still waiting for a real proposal where he uses the words "will you marry me?" and gets down on one knee). For the most part, it really is the little things, though. Love notes can be on post-its. Flowers and chocolates can translate into your favorite treats. Rose petals scattered all over the bathroom with candles lining the filled bathtub can mean your person did all the chores so you have time to spend on yourself. 

Whatever you value, that's romance for you. One day I'll have my corny proposal with a candy ring and all our fur children will be there. It'll be just us, and no one will have to know (but I'll tell you guys ;) ). And it'll be perfect because that's romance to me. But you know what's even more romantic than all of your best imaginings? Communication. If you never take the time to tell your person what you want and what you like, you're only hurting yourself. You have to ask for what you want. We aren't mind-readers, people.

What are some of your cutesy stories? How do you show love to your person? Have you taken the time to make sure you're on the same page?