What 2013 Has Taught Me

This year has been absolutely wonderful! It has obviously been full of ups and downs, as does every year, but I learned a lot about myself and others around me. I wanted to compile a list of things that 2013 has taught me, and what I need to keep in mind going into the next year, and taking the first steps into my future.

1. A clean room always means a clean mind. Sometimes an organized closet and a made bed can be one of the most relaxing things in the world.

2. More plans does not always mean better. Staying home on a Friday night is completely okay.

3. People don't generally care about how you look or dress as much as you think they do. Mostly they like you for YOU.

4. People put a completely different front on online. Sometimes we're not all we make ourselves out to be.

5. Reading trumps QuizUp. Every time. Put the damn phone down.

6. Rewards come to people who actually try. You will not be rewarded for thinking you deserve it. Hard work pays off.

7. You can tell a lot about a person by the state of their nails.

8. Everyone online isn't having as much fun as you think. (Taken from Portlandia; realized this year)

9. Your material possessions do not define who you are.

10. Wishing to be/be like someone else never brings good. It makes you only dislike yourself.

11. Relish in your individuality, and let yourself change. Don't feel the need to freeze yourself in time.

12. Rap is not bad.

13. Having money saved up feels nice, blowing it on food brings regret.

14. Lattes are the perfect cure to loneliness, sadness, general-unhappiness, and a sore throat.

15. Life keeps moving on. Don't be afraid of change. But also relish in the current moment; observe it in all its beauty.

16. Catalogue everything. Take pictures of everything. Keep it down in a chest of memories.

17. Don't be afraid of trying new things.

18. More is not always better. Sometimes it's much better to live simply.

19. The smaller things add up in the end.

20. Most of all, love who you are. Love your friends. Love your life.

Walk the Talk

Walk the Talk by foxinater featuring a flared coat

Good morning! How are you on this lovely Saturday?

With all of the upcoming Holiday and New Years parties, I thought I would put together a total strut-worthy outfit. Every item in the outfit is from ModCloth, and I am completely enamored with it.

I've been into black quite a bit recently, and I love this idea of a two-tone outfit. It's mostly black with that pop of burgundy in the coat and the shoes. It very obviously adds a whole new level of sophistication when your shoes match your coat! (haha) What do you think of the outfit? 

Megan 

xx

I Need Some Room-Spiration

MY ROOM IS A MESS. Simple as that. It's embarrassingly messy, and I want to clean it, but being sick has me exhausted and I lack the motivation. Thank gob for the internetz. 

White on White on White

Currently, I am completely obsessed with white decor with slight pops of pale color. I find it completely relaxing, and with the right amount of silver mixed in, it feels so Christmas-y! All of these images were found on Tumblr under the tag 'White Room'

I think this is sufficient enough inspiration... and that idea in the last picture of hanging pictures from the ceiling is so cute! Now all I want is a fuzzy rug and blanket.

What's up, life?

Selfie with my cat and my new anorak

Say hello to my kitty, Brycie, and my new anorak. I feel like everything that can be said about life has been said. 

Yes.

How are you on this glorious Thursday? I'm quite smitten, actually. Even though I've been doing a lot of relaxing (I'm sick, dawg), I feel as if I've been rather productive. I'm currently waiting for a new and shiny thrift haul to upload to YouTube, and I can't wait for it to be up! I found the cutest stuff for my Etsy shop. And this beautiful parka that was originally $148 from Nordstrom (!!!!!!!!!). I've also actually cleared out a lot of junk from my hard drive on my MacBook Pro so it's actually functional! Yay!

But aside from my checklist items, I also got to spend some lovely time with one of my best friends over coffee and chatter at Starbucks. She just finished her last finals of high school ever (she's graduating early) and we just sat and talked about life and the future, and I am just too darn excited for life. I mean, I love high school and blah blah blah, but there is just so much more out there. I crave a little more freedom. (I go to a private school so I have a uniform, eugh). 

ALSO HERE'S MY VIDDDDDD 

(if the video doesn't work, check back in an hour because it's probably still processing)

                           

I'm simply happy. I love it. 

Megan

On Gender Codes and Why They Should Disappear

Hey guys! I saw something online tonight that bugged me a little, and I decided to write about it because why not? Anyway, I'm not the greatest writer when it comes to persuasion and rhetoric, but I'll give it a shot.

Have you ever seen that TV show on MTV called "Girl Code"? That horrid, awful show? I have, and upon first watch I actually thought it was funny. I thought,"Hey, this is great, MTV is airing a show that promotes female individuality and speaking out against what society has deemed feminine. Cool."

I was wrong.

I took another look and was appalled. This show is has nothing to do with feminism and freeing ourselves from the constraints of gender roles. It's the complete opposite. Let me analyze:

1. The idea of a girl code or a guy/bro code is completely bonkers. Who deemed at some point 50 years ago that an unspoken set of rules should underly EVERY WAKING DECISION OF AN ENTIRE GENDER'S LIFE. Like, what? The idea of an underlying code that should dictate my actions as "cool" or "uncool" or bad or good or totally not okay or righteous man is a supposed liberal way of saying that I belong in this group, so I best not step outside of it. All right. I should be able to act on my feelings, regardless of my gender. The last time I checked, my genitalia does not determine my interests or personality. That derives from my genetics, my habitat, and least of all my gender. 

2. This brings me to my next point: gender roles. Pink room, pink clothes, dolls and play kitchens, dresses, and eventually housewife. Sound familiar? I don't know if there has ever been a time that I've walked into a Toys R' Us and saw toys that weren't pink/purple/shiny/had to deal with beauty and the "ideal" life. The same goes for men. I'm not saying only women are the victims here; little boys are brought up on this unrealistic notion of masculinity that degrades anyone who steps outside the barriers of what's acceptable.

3. Putting my first two together, the aspect of "Girl Code" that irks me the most is that it has this fake front of feminism. The idea is so tantalizing--a show dedicated to talking about the pressures of society and how to overcome them and how to react in certain situations. Unfortunately, it does not come off this way. (PERSONAL VIEWS OK) 

What I noticed the most is that the show tries to be sarcastic and funny, which at times it can be (in cases of this Beyonce GIF I found. I lol'd) But what I find the most disturbing is its generalization about the female population as a whole. "Us" "We" and "Them" are common pronouns used to describe girls and how we should act or what we should like.

The picture that bothers me the most is the one I put in the beginning of this post. "You want to be thin, and you want to be pretty, but then there's pizza." This implies you can't be pretty if you're thin or you can't be happy if you're not thin and pretty. I know I'm probably reading a little too much into the semantics, but something about this really strikes a chord in me. The media has a complete stranglehold on the image of beauty and the self-confidence of millions of girls. If a TV show that is supposed to liberate women from this ideal is preaching the same ideas, how much better can it be than the rest of ads?

I don't like how this show is meant to be a voice expressing such "taboo" subjects when in reality my generation has mostly gotten over. Like OMG girls like pizza?? I never knew that. GIRLS FART????? That's totes a lie. And it's not just the fact that they treat such mundane, every day things like they're incredibly awful to talk about, but it's the fact that they treat it with such contempt and pretentiousness.

Does this resonate with any of you/make any sense?
Comment down below with your thoughts!

Megan

Etsy Discount

I just wanted to notify you that my Etsy shop is going to have a 35% discount on everything with the code WINTERLOVES until the end of December. I'm trying to clear out old items so I can update the look of my shop!

Check it out here!

Why Peter Jackson Should Make Me an Elf

In which I describe the various ways I am perfect elf material.


1. I definitely look like an elf. 

2. My D&D character is an elf named Anastasia. Boom. I have experience. 

3. I taught myself how to say some phrases in Elvish.

I'm ahead of the game.

4. I'm 5'9. Elves are tall. I'm tall. 

5. Last of all, I love Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit more than anything.

If you couldn't tell this post was a joke, it's a joke. (Unless you're Peter Jackson reading this then this is not a joke) But I just saw The Desolation of Smaug at the midnight premiere, and it was absolutely fantastic. I went with a couple of friends, and I dressed as an elf and another dressed as Gandalf. It was pretty awesome. Have you seen it yet? What did you think?

M

xx