Fun Palindromes

"Dammit I'm Mad" is "Dammit I'm Mad" spelled backwards

"Live not on evil"

"Murder for a jar of red rum"

"Party boobytrap"

"Yo banana boy"

My Mom is so cool...NOT!

My mom tries to be cool with text messaging and facebook but she fails big time! haha

My mom's Chicken Spaghetti Recipe

Chicken Spaghetti

1 Box of Pasta (bow-tie, spiral, spaghetti)

16 oz. American cheese (not velveeta, but a block of Kraft or store American cheese)

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

Miscellaneous frozen veggies (corn, peas, carrots)

1 package chicken breasts

Butter

Put chicken in a large dutch oven of water.  Boil until done (30 min or so). Take chicken out and put on cutting board. Use strainer to strain water, but save water for cooking pasta. Cook pasta until done.

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.

 In another pan, melt cheese, adding butter and milk and stirring until melted. Be careful not to burn. Wisk in the soup and added more milk until smooth consistency.

In another pan, put a small amount of water and heat frozen veggies.

Mix all together in large bowl.

My mom always makes this for me when I come home and I cannot wait another week for this delicious meal. As simple as it is, it is damn good. I eat until I am uncomfortable full. If you are ever in the mood for something easy but good I strongly suggest you make this!

Everything is bigger in texas

If you aren't from Texas you are probably wonder that retarded looking thing around my neck is. For homecoming in high school the boys buy their dates mums. A mum is nothing more than a bunch of ribbon, glitter, and feathers with a $200 price tag on it. Yes I said it $200. These poor boys make their parents spend money on such a stupid novelty. Every year in high school I told my date that I didn't need a big mum, that a single would be just fine. A single is the smallest size you can get, it is actually a pin you just pin on your shirt. A double is the next size up and it is worn around your neck. Following the double is a triple and finally the mother of all mums, the quadruple. (Shown in the picture above) Seriously how ridiculous do we look? My mum was so heavy I swore I had a small child hanging from my neck. My date made it a point to tell me he was going all out for senior homecoming and I was going to have an extravagant mum. I tried to sound appreciative and excited but honestly I could care less. We went together to sophomore homecoming as well and when I suggested that we just re-use those mums he instantly shot that idea down. The day before the big homecoming game my date brought my mum over to my house so that I could wear it in the morning. He pointed out all of the features he had picked out especially for me. 1. It was purple, my favorite color  2. It had a bear with a custom made cheer uniform on that matched the one I'm wearing in the picture  3. It had blinking lights and big bows  4. The most ridiculous feature on my mum was the bubble machine. Yes, a bubble machine. Seriously? I walked around all day with my mum randomly spitting out bubbles at people as they walked by. The unnecessary novelty set my date back quite a bit making the grand total of my mum around $300. I'm hoping people from other parts of the country teach my fellow Texans that bigger is not always better.

Back when I took sleep for granted...

High school days were great. I had minimal homework (less than 1 hour a night) and minimal responsibilities. 

I would come home from school and plop down on the couch to see what was on TV. After about an hour of that I would either take a nap or go to the gym, tan, layout, something of that nature.

Later I would do my 1 hour of homework and then help my mom make dinner. After I would watch some more TV, Facebook creep and then eventually go to bed. I never realized that going to bed before midnight was all going to change once I went to college.

Now I'm lucky if I go to bed by 2. If I get 5 hours of sleep in one night I consider it a good night. This pattern has caused me to become a caffeine addict. I have to drink a Redline Energy Drink just to get me through the day. Many haven't heard of Redline, because it is not very easy to find. Because of the extremely high levels of caffeine the FDA regulates who can purchase it. How high you might ask? 

Monster, Red Bull, Amp, and Rockstar all contain 85 mg of caffeine

A typical cup of coffee contains 70-85 mg of caffeine

Redline contains 368 mg of caffeine

Think you can handle it? Many of my friends look at me like I'm psychotic when I tell them this fact. I guess I have just built up a tolerance to these drinks that now it doesn't really effect me like it does others. I now some people who have fainted from shortness of breath, had rapid heart beats, or felt really shaky. I guess it's just a risk to take but it's the only thing that keeps me from falling asleep in class.

Text messaging

I think text messaging has been a great advance in the way we communicate to one another, but I also think  it has some major consequences. Prior to the texting phenomenon, friends and couples used to talk on the phone to each other for long periods of time. Nowadays it is not uncommon to not actually talk to something on the phone for a few days. Instead, impersonal text messages are sent. Although the same message is getting across, the meaning of the message might be interpreted in a completely different way. For example, it's pretty much impossible to tell when a person is being sarcastic in a text message. A simple joke could turn into a fight between two friends. Many people hide behind text messaging, because the feel they are more "emotionally safe." They are protected by the imaginary bubble of technology. I think couples relationships have been greatly affected by this trend. Couples spend less time communicating directly to one another and instead let their fingers and their cell phones do the work. Our society is so innovative and gets so excited when a new product or feature comes out, but I think we need to take a step back and look at how much we are letting technology live our lives for us.

How long it takes me to write a blog

It takes 15 minutes of talking

20 minutes of stalking some else's facebook pictures

10 minutes of checking my email

10 minutes of looking around trying to figure out what to write

and 15 minutes to write it once I figure out what I'm going to write about

= 1 hour and 10 minutes per blog X 40 blogs

47 hours total

Almost 2 days of blogging

Culture and tradition

It amazes me how different the United States is compared to a large majority of the rest of the world. We are cocky, arrogant, self centered, ruthless, and always looking out for number one. Reading about different cultures I love to see how much they value hospitality and generosity. Learning about the Italian culture and how much they cherish one another is so interesting to me. In America we are constantly in a hurry to get things done so we can move onto the next. We expect to eat lunch in a half and hour and get annoyed when it takes 5 minutes to defrost a Lean Cuisine in the microwave. Italians enjoy their meals and in fact consider it rude to have speeding services from the waiter. Our culture gets pissed off if their food hasn't been brought out within 15 minutes of ordering it. Both cultures have such different priorities and values. Italians put their family above anything no matter what they might lose. Americans on the other hand would sell their soul to the devil if it meant they were going to "succeed" in life, and by succeed I mean financially of course. I am so intrigued by the such drastic differences these two cultures have and I cannot wait to experience these differences this summer when I am in Italy for a month. I hope the experience gives me a greater appreciation for family and the little things in life and helps me forget about all of the materialistic things that cloud our view of life.

Bows, bows, bows

When I was little, no matter what I was wearing, my mom had a matching bow that she would put in my hair. I loved my bows and refused to take them out. Growing up I have kept this passion and still wear obnoxiously huge bows to class. I always get funny looks from people that don't know me. (Teachers especially) A lot of times they will make a funny comment about it and ask why I am wearing it. I not only wear bows in my hair, but I also have a bow ring, necklace, earrings, sunglasses, dresses, and bedding. Our symbol in Sugar Plum Cotillion was a born because of what is symbolized...

CLASSY   ELEGANT   GIRLY  YOUNG  SPIRITED  FASHIONABLE

I continue to wear bows every day because it reminds me how to live my life. Always be classy, never sloppy. Be elegant and girly even if you are wear sweats look presentable and fashionable. It reminds me to have fun take advantage of my youth and not take everything so seriously. It reminds me to be spirited and have a good attitude.

 

Why is chocolate so amazing?

I could talk about chocolate pretty much all day because I am quite the choco-holic. I can't go a day without at least having a little. I am very particular about the chocolate I like. I absolutely LOVE dark chocolate. I always carry a few pieces with me in case I'm having a bad day and need a little pick me up. I enjoy milk chocolate, but I never buy it for myself. If it's something I bought it is dark chocolate. White chocolate is good too! (Although it doesn't actually contain any chocolate) Every holiday my mom sends me a big box of Godiva truffles that I devour almost as soon as I get them. I am so obsessed with chocolate that I have a Godiva Rewards Card. Most people look at me weird say, "What the hell is a Godiva Rewards Card?" All you have to do is ask for one at any store and they will give you one. It's not a credit card or anything like that, it just gets your free chocolate when you present it to the sales clerk. Free chocolate....what could get any better? The taste of the chocolate is not the only thing I love about the sweet treat. I also love how pretty and intricate the details are on every truffle. Every swirl, sprinkle, or topping is perfectly placed on around the tiny ball of chocolate. The precision and attention to detail in each really makes each special. I am addicted to these little treats and I don't plan on breaking the habit any time soon.

Handwriting

One thing I wish so badly that I had is pretty handwriting. I clearly was not paying attention in 1st and 2nd grade in penmanship class. I really regret this now because when I'm writing quickly my notes get extremely sloppy. Sure I can sit there and write every letter precisely but who has time to do that? I envy my friends that have perfect curled letters that could be mistaken for calligraphy. Each one of my friends handwriting describes them perfectly. One has very big and bubbly handwriting exactly like her personality. No matter what we are doing she is outgoing and fun spirited. Another has very precise and neat handwriting exactly how she handles every aspect of her life. Her room is always spotless, her grades are always top notch, and she is always put together. Another friend writes everything in perfect cursive like it was going to be hung in an art gallery. She is classy and very detail oriented much like her handwriting. I unfortunately have what I like to call "random handwriting." Sometimes it looks pretty good and other times it looks like a hot mess. I have absolutely no consistency and that makes my notes look very interesting. I guess it really isn't that big of a deal that my handwriting doesn't look beautiful. At least I can read it!

Pick you Battles

Learning to pick my battles has always been a difficult task for me since I was little. My mom and I would constantly fight when I thought I was right about something. My dad (the calm one of the family) would try to reason with me and beg that for once I kept my mouth shut and didn't try to argue with what my mom said. I have always been extremely stubborn so defeat was not an option especially if I knew I was right. This attitude of mine got me into a lot of trouble in high school. In many situations I was so positive I was right that I would stand up to just about anyone and argue my point. This happened one too many times with various teachers throughout high school. If I didn't agree about a grade or a topic they were talking about I felt free to voice my opinion. Unfortunately in high school teachers have final say regardless of how right they are. As I would get into trouble my dad would still say pick your battles, if the issue is not that important let it go even if you know you are right. I got better at using my dads advice during my junior and senior years, but as an underclassman I had many trips to the APs office to talk about my behavior and attitude in class. Lucky for me I have learned how to act in these situations. I have realized I need to be calm, composed, and not attack someone if I don't think something is right. I will continue to learn to pick my battles and I'm hoping this will only improve as I get older.

When I thought I knew it all...

I have recently been thinking about how much I have grown up throughout my past two years in college. I thought about my attitude in high school and all of the stupid fights I had gotten in with my mom, because she had no idea what she was talking about. Many times I convinced myself I had been right in those arguments. It really hit me that we wouldn’t have those same fights anymore know that I was on my own in college. I have had to learn from my own failures, because my parents were not there to guide me. I think these failures have only made me stronger and wiser. There were many things I was convinced I knew and I was positive I was right. Being independent has made me realize that not only can I be wrong sometimes but also that sometimes there just isn't a right answer. College has made me more focused, more goal oriented, and more responsible. I have enjoyed living in my first house with 4 other roommates. I have learned patience from this situation. Living with 4 other girls that have all been raised differently is no easy task. Over the past year I have realized that I cannot get mad if something in the house is not the way I want it, or if my roommates living habits were different than mine. Although I got frustrated many times I learned to take a deep breath and try to relax. College has taught me so much about life and how it will be when I graduate and live on my own. I am grateful that I have my family's support if I ever need anything but it's is nice to know that I can make decisions for myself.

Unexpected originality

I saw a special on TV that showed unique staircases in various homes around the country. It was so interesting to see such an ordinary part of a house look so unique.

Many of the stairs that were shown were actually in relatively normal normal houses from the outside.

I think this can be related to people's personalities. 

Someone that might seem so ordinary from the outside

May actually be extremely unique on the inside.

Kids food that never gets old

1. Macaroni and Cheese

2. Peanut butter and Jelly

3. Ice Cream Sandwiches

4. Pancakes

5. Grilled Cheese

All of these foods are so simple but so good. Anytime I come home from college my mom usually makes me one of these and it reminds me of my childhood and all of the fun memories we have had in our house. I have lived in the same house since I was 6 years old and I can remember coming downstairs for breakfast or an after school snack and I would always request one of my 5 favorite foods. I would eat my Macaroni and Cheese with honey on top, pancakes in the shape of an R, and grilled cheese cooked with truffle oil. Yumm, I love that I can still enjoy these foods 15 years later.

sweet summertime!

The past few weeks as the weather has gotten warmer I have been craving homemade lemonade more and more. Growing up my mom would alway have a fresher pitcher made that we would drink as we swam in the back yard. Her recipe was pretty standard for homemade lemonade except she would put raspberries and strawberries in the pitcher to sweeten the drink up.

My Mom's recipe:

12 lemons

1 1/2 cups of sugar

6 cups of cold water

A handful of raspberries and cut up strawberries

College girls grunge chic?

When I came to college I was very shocked to see girls in adult large t-shirts and leggings as pants. I was very confused why so many girls rocked this look on a daily basis to their classes. Unbrushed hair, nike running shorts, and no makeup is common to see on any college campus. In high school even if I was going to wear a t-shirt to class it (1) fit and (2) was not the shirt I woke up in and (3) was paired with a pair of jeans. I didn't understand why every girl in college felt that it was acceptable to look like she hadn't bathed for a few days.

Now at the end of my second year in college I do understand wearing comfortable clothes to class, but I still make it a point to wear clothes that fit, brush my hair, and put a little bit of make up on to show that I'm alive. I think it is very disrespectful to our Professors when girls walk in wearing clothes you know for sure they wore to bed with huge X's on their hands and either no make up or make up from the night before. I know I have had my fun nights out in college and have not wanted to wake up and fix my make up or was of those infamous X's, but I have anyway out of respect for myself. I wanted my professors to have a positive impression of me and my friends. It embarrasses me when I see girls wearing my sorority letters looking like a total slob. If you are going to look like that at least don't represent an organization, because that does not send the right message to any faculty on campus.

I would love to know who started this grunge trend and if they dressed like this in high school or if it was a new idea when they came to college. I hope that slowly girls realize this is not a good look and try to at least make them selves look presentable. Shirts and running shorts are fine, but make them fit and don't use them as an excuse to not brush your hair in the morning.

Dream come true...

This summer I am traveling through Europe for two months with my best friend Lindsey. This has been a dream of mine for such a long time. Lindsey and I have been mapping out places and sites we want to see and it is only making me more excited. The first stop for us is Paris and from there we will travel to Spain, Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, and the U.K. The deal my parents and I had about this trip is that I have to budget. Because I will be there for so long I need to make the most out of an unlimited Eurorail Pass and well priced hostels. This will be one of the greatest experiences of my life and I cannot wait to see all of the popular sites. Here is the tentative travel plan Lindsey and I have: (Any suggestions are appreciated!)

·      Paris to Barcelona 644 miles ($65 flight)

·      Barcelona to Nice 410 miles (Eurorail Pass)

·      Nice to Milan, Italy 195 miles (Eurorail Pass)

·      Milan to Florence 188 miles (Eurorail Pass)

·      Florence to Rome 176 miles (Eurorail Pass)

·      Rome to Capri (Eurorail Pass)

·      Rome to Venice 342 miles (Eurorail Pass)

·      Venice to Munich 340 miles (Eurorail Pass)

·      Munich to Amsterdam 513 miles (Eurorail Pass)

·      Amsterdam to Brussels, Belgium 126 miles (Eurorail Pass)

·      Brussels to London 228 miles (Eurorail Pass)

TJmaxx sells Valentino?

For my advertising class I had to do a group project that consisted of researching the discount clothing store TJmaxx and creating a creative brief. When my partner and I went to the store to do some on site research we discovered some things that we didn't know about the store. First, I had no idea you could buy Valentino shoes or Seven Jeans there. Did you? I was amazed at all of the high end brands I saw on discount racks. When browsing through the formal wear I actually saw an Alice & Olivia dress that I own. I paied full price (around $400) at Neiman Marcus and it was at TJmaxx for $140. I couldn't believe I had paid so much for the exact same dress. As I was browsing around the store more I realized that had a lot of great items that I know my friends and I would wear.

This got me thinking....do my friends not know that you can get great designer clothes at TJmaxx? I wondered if they really did have no idea or if they just refused to shop at a store like TJmaxx. Let's be honest, SMU girls are not known for being modest bargain shoppers. The reputation of a typical girl at this school is what I want when I want it regardless of the price. Not every girl at this school is fortunate enough to life this lifestyle so I hope they know about this great deal that I found. Not only can you get the high end designers your friends are wearing, but you can get them at a fraction of the price. If you haven't been to TJmaxx recently I suggest you swing by because I did not expect I would find so many great buys.

10 Guilty Pleasures...

1. JD's Chippery (aka the best cookies you have ever had) 
2. Purple sunglasses (only color I will wear)
3. Watching Will & Grace every night before I go to bed (been a habit since I was a freshman in high school and I can't break it)
4. Putting off homework to lay out when the weather is nice
5. Sleeping in as late as possible on the weekends no matter how early I went to bed
6. Always have an obnoxiously bright color painted on my nails and toes
7. Reading Twilight over and over and over again every time I have free time
8. Going on YouTube and watching my teams old cheer routines anytime I miss the high school days
9. Insisting my Mom and Dad tuck me in every time I am home for the weekend
10. Wear ridiculously huge bows in my hair to class (I don't care if you think it looks dumb I love it!)

Where I am from...

H- High School football games 
O- older homes and buildings
U- unique
S- school of tradition and spirit
T- traveling an hour and still you are still in Houston
O- oil companies headquarters downtown
N- never, EVER, snows

T- too many Whataburgers to count
E- Every
X- xtraordinary diversity
A- Astros
S- Sam Houston Statue

stereotypes

WHAT DOES THIS PICTURE SAY ABOUT ME?

It is a small detail of my body, but to a stranger it can say a lot depending on their views and life background. 

WHAT COULD MY NAILS SAY ABOUT ME?

They could portray that I am stuck up, superficial, obsessed with physical appearance, rich, spoiled, shallow, no work ethic, have Daddy's money, well taken care of, trend follower

WHAT ELSE COULD THEY SAY ABOUT ME?

They could also say that I value the importance of hygiene, I like to look put together and well groomed, I like have a clean, modest look, I enjoying treating myself when I work hard and get paid

Depending on who you ask such a small detail about a person can portray such a strong message that could attract someone or cause them to form a negative impression of you. It is a shame that our society has this quality, but it is inevitable that we will judge other based on physical factors. We are only human.

spray tan=not cute

Ok so I'm quite sure how the Oompa Loompa look caught on, but it needs to end now. Recently I have seen more and more people (guys included) buy into the "sunless tan" idea. Yes I know that it is not ideal to look pale in the winter, but spraying orange mist all over your body is not the solution. I walked into the tanning salon today to get a little bit of color before spring break. I went into a bed, not a sprayer. I know that ultra violet rays can be hazardous, but in my opinion it is not bad as long as it's done in moderation. When I was in there I saw a group of guys waiting to get spray tans. I tried to conceal the stunned look on my face, but it was not easy. Why do a bunch of 20 year old guys want to spray themselves with orange mist? Before one of them went into the machine, the owner asked what color he wanted. The boy responded, "the darkest one you have." Oohhhh, big mistake my friend. I have had friends come home looking orange after doing a light or clear, but a dark bronze will be a whole new ballpark. I told the owner how long I wanted to tan and hopped in the bed. When I came out the boy was standing their talking to his friends who were all lying to him telling him that it looked really good. He looked like he was the new mascot for the University of Texas. Covered in burnt orange, all that wasn't dyed were his teeth and the whites of his eyes. I'm hoping he went home and realized how awful it looked and decided to buy a loofa to correct the problem.  Please everyone pay attention to this example and learn from his mistake.....spray tans are not cute! You do not look like you just got back from the beach, you look like you just left Willy Wonka's factory!

2 days until SPRING BREAK

All I can say is YAY. I need a break so bad it's not even funny. On Friday I will be going to Park Cities, Utah to ski with my family. As excited as I am, I am also very nervous. Having only skied once when I was 7, I'm anticipating that I will roll down the mountain at least once before I leave. Unfortunately for me, I am a very clumsy person. So clumsy in fact that I trip on a daily basis just walking wearing tennis shoes. So this trip should be interesting for sure. My aunt, uncle, and three little cousins are coming on the trip wit us and I can't wait to play with them. They are the most hyperactive yet adorable children ever. I will most likely be on the bunny slopes with 5 year old Sophia the whole time, but I'm fine with that. I'm sure my 15 year old brother will be going for the most dangerous slopes possible as he attempts to snowboard. I'm just hoping we won't have to make an emergency room visit while we're here. When my brother is doing something active it typically ends in the hospital so here's hoping that does happen this time. Last time we went skiing Kevin was 5 and my mom accidently put his snow boots on the wrong feet. He skied all dying, complaining and crying about how bad his feet hurt. My mom just assumed he was cold and encouraged him to keep skiing down so that they could go into the ski lodge to warm up. About 200 yards up from the lodge Kevin lost it and sat down in the show and cried. It was then that my mom realized she had put his boots on the wrong feet.....MOM OF THE YEAR AWARD!! haha She felt so bed she carried him down the rest of the way. I'm hoping this time we have another eventful story. I cannot wait to relax with my family and play in the show. I will be the perfect getaway to relieve stress and create new memories.

Does studying really make you smarter?

Studying for midterms in hell. There is no way of avoiding. It is something every college student, like myself, has to suffer through and lose precious hours of sleep over. Racking your brain of more facts than you would think could possibly exist about one topic. I have succeeded in spending 32 straight hours in the library over finals last semester. 32!!!! When I left I was so sleep deprived and caffeine I felt like I was in a trance just letting the autopilot in my body take over. After that final I obviously crashed for such a long time to refuel my over worked body.

Midterms are this week and last week, yay...not! I have made more reviews and flash cards then I thought I would ever have to make in one week. Leaving the library only to grab food, I have been glued to my chair hoping I will absorb all of the information.

I was in the library yesterday with my friend who was studying for her art history midterm. She has to memorize over 100 works of art names, dates, location, and culture. I feel her pain, I had to suffer through art history last semester. She had been at the library since noon and it was 1:30 am. She was making flash cards of her works of art and made the comment, "I'm so annoyed at the long works of art, they don't fit on the note card!" I looked over and immediately started laughing. She didn't think to turn the work of art side ways to fit on the note card. hahahaha That is what sleep deprivation and way to much caffeine will do to you. I wanted her to smile in this picture, but she said she was way to embarrassed. So if you look at studying from this point of view, does it really make you smarter? Clearly not if you can figure out how to turn a picture sideways! haha Good luck studying for midterms everyone. Hopefully you haven't totally lost it yet!

TIGER BLOOD

Charlie Sheen has made headlines this week for being fired from 2 and a Half Men due to his irresponsible behavior. He claims that he is just the topic of criticism, because not everyone can be like him and have the "tiger blood" in them. Tiger Blood? hmmm I'm guessing Sheen is referring to his stubborn attitude and refusal to fail, but I know America is thinking of something slightly more illegal. In the 1st aspect "tiger blood" can be a good quality in a person that is motivated to succeed academically and personally. I try to push myself as much as possible academically because I know that it will pay off once I graduate. I refuse to fail and not pursue my dream of working at an ad agency in New York City. I'm in stubborn in the way that I won't let anyone tell me I can't do something I set my mind to. Now my definition of "tiger blood" obviously differs from most American's definition in that mine doesn't involve drugs or alcohol. While Sheen is clearly not being shown in a good light right now, he is (or was) the star of one of the most popular comedies on TV making $2 million an episode. If only I could harness more of that positive "tiger blood" and climb my way to the top of the advertising agency to eventually land a job as an account executive.

collage of me!

Things this collage says about me:
~I love bows...my mom had this bow ring made for me!
~I'm very goofy
~I am technology dependent and I have an obsession with purple
~I have a multipoo, Bella, that weighs 4 pounds (our cats weighs more than our dog! haha)
~I have a huge family (31 cousins!)
~I was a cheerleader for 9 years
~I am very close with my sister, Julia, and brother, Kevin

From sweet to sleezy

What is up with these teen stars acting like they are 25 years old? 17 year old, Taylor Momsen stepped on the Hollywood scene when she played Cindy Lou Who in How the Grinch Stole Christmas. She was so adorable and innocent. Fast forward to 2007, at the age of 14 Momsen played the oh so innocent little sister of one of the main characters in Gossip Girl. She looked exactly like a 14 year old should look. Natural hair, moderate makeup, and classy clothing. Taylor kept this look until season 3 of Gossip Girl. It seemed like overnight she went from America's sweetheart to motorcycle groupie.

Maybe Taylor walked onto the set of Vampire Dairies on accident and never realize it. There is no way to justify wearing 3 inch eyeliner with deep red lips. With all of that eye makeup on, Taylor must go through an eyeliner pencil a day. Her reputation has followed this new look as well. Taylor has been spotted at many Hollywood clubs dancing in just a bra....keep in mind SHE'S 17.


Momsen is not the only teen star acting out of control. 18 year old Miley Cyrus has gone from adorable Hannah Montana to dancing on pole and smoking salvia. Clearly Hollywood is a toxic environment for these teen stars. They both went from adorable to trashy so quickly.

Hair, more than just that stuff on your head.

Hair in modern is more than a by-product of our genetic makeup. Hair expresses our mood, personality, age, and most important creativity. Society has perfected the ways we reinvent our hair-do's. From highlights, to low-lights, to extensions, to braids we continuously push the edge of what is considered normal or fashionable. Lady Gaga is not only known for her eccentric outfits. Her inventive hair styles inspire many to keep up with the latest trends and work to create new ones. Being a big fans of bows myself, if I could rock this look out in Dallas I would.
I definitely style my hair to match my mood. When I'm feeling carefree and comfortable I let my hair go free in a wild mane of curls. It's funny to see looks I get from people that don't realize my hair is curly. They seem a little bit shocked that my hair is naturally that big. But what can I say....I was born and raised a Texas girl. Big hair is in my nature. When I want to look more professional and composed, I straighten my hair for a sleek simple style. I think both hair styles radiate different personalities and moods to people around me. I'm hoping the hair industry continues to innovate and create new styles and trends. Bring on the volume and big curls, I'm ready.

through the years...

Cheer memories

I went to a cheer competition in Dallas this weekend to support my old gym's teams that were competing. I did competitive cheer for 9 years and loved it, but at the end of my senior year I decided I was burnt out and did not want to cheer in college. In high school I was gone almost every weekend competing and I knew that I didn't want to do that in college. Watching all my friends compete was bitter sweet, I missed it but I didn't have the time or energy to do it again. The video below is my team my sophomore year of high school. We were in the International Open Coed division and competed against 18 different countries. We placed 2nd by 1 point. Watch this, then try to tell me cheerleading isn't a sport...

don't worry it's harmless!

Last night before my formal my group of friends and I went to eat at a nice Italian restaurant near campus. We were all dressed up and excited for the formal. We sat down and ordered drinks while we gazed at the menu trying to decide what we wanted to eat. Our waiter brought bread to the table and then proceeded to take our order. I grabbed a piece of bread started eating in and then a bug crawled out of it. So of course I was freaking out and wanted to gag. The manager and waiter walked over to my side of table while my date squished the bug. He looked very calm like it was not big deal. The manager said, "Oh, don't worry those bugs are completely harmless. This has been happening all day." I just stared out him, puzzled by his reaction. My concern really wasn't that the bug was going to hurt me, it is the sanitary condition of the food that I am now questioning. This has been happening all day? Ummmm gross, maybe you should call an exterminator? Just a thought. The rest my food was very good, but I was hesitant to eat it fearing another critter would crawl out. Word to the wise, make sure you clearly examine your food before you eat it, because apparently this happens less rarely than most assume.

a little thing that drives me crazy is....

People talking at the library. Who doesn't absolutely despise those people? Forcing myself to post up in Fondren Library and attempting to memorize way too much information is already hard enough for me to do. When I know I need to get a lot of work done (more than I could ever get done at my apartment) I overpack my book bag, grab a snack and an energy drink and head to Fondren. When I get there I have to walk around each floor to scope out a nice quiet spot with a big table to study. Slowly I get settled plugging in my laptop charger, (I learned that this was a necessity after many trips backs to my dorm freshman year.) pulling out my books and grabbing a highlighter. After the necessary 15-20 minutes of facebook surfing and online shopping, I close down my internet browser and crack open my textbook. Just as I start to focus and get into the material I'm reading, I hear the table behind me chatting it up about what happened last night a M-Street Bar. Are you kidding me? Really? There are two floors in Fondren library that are designated as quiet floors and two that are discussion floors. Why are you on the quiet floor if you intend to talk the whole time? This is definitely one of my biggest pet peeves. I don't want to be at the library either. I would much rather be chatting it up with my friends about what happened last night, but I can't because I have a test over 6 chapters tomorrow.At first I don't say anything, because one that's awkward and two hopefully someone else around me will say something first, but after 5 minutes of the loudest whispering known to man kind I turn around and give them the death stare hoping they will catch the hint. Of course they go right back to talking the second I turn around. Eventually I have to be the bitch that says be quiet I'm trying to study, it's annoying but necessary. If you want to talk GO HOME, don't share the latest gossip and drama in the quiet zone. Please and thank you.

Something my mind map says about me...

When I first got the assignment to draw a mind map I immediately freaked out. "I have no idea how to do this; mine is going to look like a 2nd grader did it; I'm definitely going to fail this assignment." All of these thoughts were running through my head as I glanced over the grading rubric. I tried not to think about it for a few days, because of how much I was dreading doing it. I finally began my project on a very icy day in Dallas. I was thankful to have all of the extra time, because I knew I was going to need it. I took a deep breath and started writing, hoping that my mind map wouldn't look too awful. Surprisingly as I kept drawing, it kept looking better and better. My mind map showed me that I really do have more creativity then I give myself credit. The thought of messing up was making me feel overwhelmed and helpless. Once I stopped worrying about what would happen if I messed up, I was able to create a mind map that I was actually very proud of. Once I was finished with my map, I took a step back to admire my hard work. My mind map shows that I love using a wide variety of colors and that I pay attention to detail. I really do believe this assignment showed me that I can be creative all I have to do is relax and start writing.

What did that dream tell me?

We all dream. Some of us dream very vividly and others just remember random bits and pieces. I have had some wacky dreams that caused me to wake up puzzled and have a WTF moment. It is a common assumption that most dreams are not literal, but rather are metaphoric of something that is currently going on in our head. I read about dreams in one of my psychology classes and found out many interesting things that I did not know. Dreams make you heart race increase and cause a spike in adrenaline. Another interesting fact that I learned is that you spend 1/3 of your life sleeping. I really like this fact, because sometimes a dream can be your escape from dealing with a very difficult issue in your life. The opposite can also be said. Sometimes an issue or person you have been avoiding shows up in your dream night after night and despite your best attempts, it won't go away. This happened to me recently. One of my friends and I got into a fight about a month ago and I have not talk to her since. It has been really hard and stressful, because we were very close. I am a very stubborn and strong willed person which I believe helps me succeed in many case, but occasionally can keep me from logically thinking about a situation. I refused to back down and try to make amends, because in my heart I honestly felt like I had done nothing wrong. I had a dream about a week ago that was about this fight. In the dream it had been over a year and we still had not worked things out. Each of us would avoid the other at all possible costs, but this made it hard because we have all of the same friends. This dream was very literal, because this past month this is what I have done. After having this dream I decided that I didn't want to spend the next two and a half year on this small college campus avoiding someone I used to be best friends with. I decided to text her and ask if we could have a truce and meet for lunch and try to work things out. If anything I am hoping we can move on from this argument and at least be civil with one another. We are meeting tomorrow to talk and hopefully resolve our issues. This dream told me to stop being immature and work things out. I'm hoping this is the right thing to do and that tomorrow goes well.

I do?

Valentines Day.....is it a romantic day to celebrate the one you love or is it a ploy to make consumers feel obligated to buy a present for their significant other and take them to a nice dinner? Depending on who you ask the answer may be very different. I for one am not an advocate for Valentines Day. Why you make ask? Because I work at a nice restaurant. Every year about a month before our phone lines become flooded with boyfriends, husbands, and fiances calling to make a reservation to celebrate their relationship. Each man on the phone feels the need to tell me their life story: how long they have been together, what he is getting her for Valentines Day, and what kind of flower he is having delivered. The first 10-15 calls I get I think it is sweet how hard they are trying and I don't mind offering suggestions. By the 300th call I really could care less of your wife prefers carnations over roses. Last year we had 1,400 reservations.....all in one day!!!! It is absolute chaos having that many people in one small place. It is fun to see see all of the flowers being brought in all day to be placed on the table prior to the couple arriving. I have seen many engagements that take place on this day. Each one is very special. The man usually comes in a week or so before the night to plan exactly how he will ask her. You can see the nerves in his eyes and hope he has that she will say yes. It is pretty amusing to watch the woman's face as he pops the question. You can tell if she was expecting it to happen or if it was a total surprise. Valentines Day can be a very special memory in a couples life or a cliche that involves a hallmark card, but either way it is still a very busy day for me at work.

Texas Weather is bipolar!

In one of my previous posts I wrote about the many snow days that my school was having. It is very unusual to hear someone utter the words "snow day" in Texas, especially 4 days in a row. A mixture of the snow and ice lead to a city wide panic for all of the southerners that had never experienced such an event. Southerners were not the only ones complaining about the unusual weather. Many of my classmates from up north put their two cents in about the situation. A common phrase I heard was, "the reason I chose SMU was because it was in Texas and Texas doesn't get cold weather." Oh but they were so wrong. Unfortunately for my classmates they did not realize Texas weather is extremely bipolar. They saw this first hand this week when temperatures had a 55 degree difference in a less than one week. Weather forecasts show Dallas to be nothing but 70 degrees and sunny. Don't put away your winter clothes now friends, I wouldn't be surprised if we headed back into an Arctic chill in a few weeks. I know it's frustrating, I know it doesn't make sense but all I can say is "sorry, welcome to Texas!" :)

Spring Break Blues

So I decided today I was going to start getting back into shape and start eating healthy. I went to the gym and attempted to run. At first I was thinking, "this is that bad, I can bounce back into running." After all of 5 minutes I was thinking very different thoughts. I began panting as my heart rate quickly rose and sweat started beating down my temples. My legs started having slight spasms probably because they were confused why I was doing such rigorous physical activity after not doing any for months.

Why may you ask am I torturing myself like this? Two words...spring break. A very fun vacation that usually involves a tiny bikini. So to save myself from public embarrassment I have decided to whip myself into shape in a few short weeks. 

As I am running on the treadmill trying to keep a positive attitude and keep myself motivated, I look over at the 40 year old woman running 2 treadmills away from me. Not only is she in much better shape than me, but she is sprinting on the treadmill making it look like she is effortlessly gliding across the rotating track.

People like this make me so mad, well envious I should say. Even at my peak of physical shape I have never enjoyed exercising and I have most certainly not looked like she did on a treadmill! I guess my only hope is to suck it up and try to work hard these next few weeks so that I can enjoy my vacation and feel confident on the beach.

Snow Day #3?

I thought I would love having a snow day. No class, no responsibilities, the perfect mini vacation. But these past few days have been less than pleasant. The roads are so icy and I, being from the south, have absolutely no clue how to drive without skidding across the ice. I've spent the past few days cooped up in my house watching the hours slowly go by. On snow day #2 I tried to venture out and about to get food and see some of my friends. 

Driving across ice was terrifying. I slowly crawled across the pavement at 20 mph attempting to avoid spinning out. When I finally got to the restaurant I was meeting friends out I scooted across the sheets of ice hoping my shoes wouldn't slip from under me. Unfortunately in front of Penne Pomodoro I wiped out on the slanted parking lot pavement bruising me knee pretty badly.  This is slightly less fun then I thought our snow day would be. So SMU has decided to open class tomorrow even though road conditions haven't improved? Really, who that this was a good idea? This is a disaster waiting to happen. Students and faculty are going to be forced to make the trek to class and pray they don't slip down the boulevard. It's kind of ridiculous that SMU is the only school in Dallas that has class tomorrow. Smart move administration. Next week we will all be hobbling bitterly around campus still bruised from this non-snow day. Better grab some ice skates mustangs, because tomorrow it will be the only way to get around campus. 


XOXO1026

The New Cake Boss?

My senior year of high school I became obsessed with TLC's show Cake Boss. After watching the 1st season, I decided to take cake decorating classes for fun. This activity was a great way for me to relieve stress and be creative without any pressure. I learned how to make multi-tiered cakes using new techniques that involve fondant, a hard sugary cover that is basically an edible play-doh. This new covering has changed the way bakeries make cakes. Fondant has many pros to using it versus buttercream icing. If the fondant tears all the baker has to do is mold it back together. In comparison, buttercream is very difficult to smooth out completely so therefore it is nearly impossible to make it look perfect. Fondant hides nearly any mistake. It can actually erase royal icing mistakes if you rub a drop of vodka over the imperfection. My favorite thing to mold using fondant is bows. Since I was a little girl my mom has put ridiculously oversized bows in my hair and being a cheerleader all through high school I never game them up. Lucky for me bows look great on cakes so I can put them on almost any cake I make. This picture is a cake I made in October for one of my friends. College is so busy, but I hope I will have some spare time this semester to take more classes and improve.