I'm sure anyone that's been paying attention has noticed the sudden upsurge in the pleated trend, and I'm no exception. They're just so classy and they make your figure look awesome and curvy and you can belt them! What's not to like?!
Now if you'll excuse me while I spend the rest of my day drooling unattractively over these finds and wishing for a magic deposit in my bank account. Have a wonderful Monday!
My roomie, Loni, and I started doing this thing last year where we would dress up especially on Fridays, because we're busy people and sometimes the rest of the week just doesn't allow it. Then, we gave it a crude, alliterative name because we're cool and young and we do what we want. I will let you guess what it's actual name was, but thus was born what we call "Fashionable Friday" in polite company.
Sweater: Target; Dress: Thrifted
Pardon my silly.
So, these pictures are old, but this is the outfit I wore today! With a thin belt! Sadly, I might have to change because it's getting a bit cold. Anyway, I'm planning on a busy weekend with catching up on everything I missed and an American Cancer Society Survivor and Caregiver's Tea! Happy "Fashionable Friday!"
Well, mostly one piece. The day before I left, I could feel my you-have-a-massive-sinus-cold-coming-on senses tingling.....and I was right. I spent a good deal of the trip drugged to delirium, but it still ended up being pretty good. I stayed with a lovely grad student from the program in her cute-as-pie east-coast-y house and she was so helpful about Chapel Hill life and the program and everything, it was unbelievable. The first night, it snowed!! Everyone was super quick to assure me that that was rare (because I'm a wimpy west-coaster), totally not realizing that I was on the verge of happy tears because it'd been so long since I'd seen snow fall*. And, we made a killer lasagna one night and drank wine with some friends and it was basically completely perfect.
The interview went pretty well too, I thought. I didn't say anything too stupid during it, as far as I know. And my interviewer related completely to my dilemma about wanting to do research and clinical work, and gave me some really good advice. Seriously, the sense of community and helping each other out in this program is incredible. I really hope I get in.
Then I was in Baltimore at Hopkins for a day and got a lot of good advice there too! It was really crazy and hectic, but I really like the east coast! Keeping my fingers crossed!
*That being said, one time I had to chip ice off my windshield and that has got to be the worst way to start the day....ever.
Well, as you read this, I am cruising at approximately 32,000 ft from one coast to the other for my interview.
I don't think I'll have much time to blog or even take pictures while I'm there, but from my research, it's gorgeous. Just gonna cross my fingers, make an 11:11 wish, and hope for the best! See you all back Wednesday!
Over winter break, I did an incredibly thrilling thing, you guys. In theory, I don't agree with it, but it felt so badass that I even went again a second time and I still want to go more.
I went shooting.
Maybe some of you guys won't think this is an epic, monumental event in one's life, but I thought it was. Until this moment, I had never shot anything more dangerous than an Airsoft gun. I guess those things are painful short-range, but as far as I know, they don't normally have the capacity to kill anyone, so...not as crazy (or cool).
Please excuse the quality of this picture.
Two things that playing first-person shooter games with your brother and his friends all your life doesn't prepare you for:
Recoil. I kept flinching every time it did this and then sort of ducking as the shells flew back over my head. And I was shooting a handgun.
Unloaded magazines. Loading bullets into that damn thing was hard. Seriously, if for whatever reason I ever needed to be armed, I would probably end up dead because I couldn't get bullets into the cartridge fast enough. In her defense, my friend, M, was much better at this than I was.
We discovered that M was a pretty good upper body shot and I was a pretty good stomach shot, so together, we could probably take out a person, if the need ever arose. We might have become a little gun fever-y and started dreaming about being old-fashioned belles that learn to hunt from their daddies and get down and dirty without a hair out of place, a la Annie Oakley. All in all, definitely a fun little trip!
Disclaimer: I do not believe in using guns to kill people. Don't hurt me.
I feel like about half my posts are about music, but it's such a big part of my life that I just think this blog wouldn't be true to me without it. I hope you guys also find it a nice refresher sometimes from the fashion and nails/hair/make-up and interior design and babies that make up the blogosphere. This week's Tuesday Tunes are brought to you by Valentine's Day!
I don't know if other people do this or if it's just another odd quirk of mine, but I tend to celebrate anniversaries for unconventional events. I do it for a number of things, but by far my favorite one is my Dark Blue-versary.
Today marks seven years since the first time I heard "Dark Blue" by Jack's Mannequin.
I made this post a while back about how I first heard the song, but it's truly meant so much more than just some words I wrote. It's really crazy how one simple song has become the ultimate emotional stabilizer for me. I mean, considering how horrible my music-ADD is, I really never would've dreamed that I would've had a favorite song that lasted for 7 years. (Is this starting to sound creepily like a relationship yet?)
I want to share, because this song actually changed my life. Also, the video concept is really cool and fun. Check it out. Well, I'm off to go put this on repeat and celebrate the best seven years of my life!
Blazer: Sears; Top: ?; Skirt: Costco, ha; Pumps: Ross
Another of the old ones from the old apartment, but I felt it was appropriate because I have been running around in a whirlwind of interviews and business casual-casual and coffee. I'm currently in the middle of a giant dilemma called, "What do I wear to this UNC interview in 10 days?" Do I have to wear dress pants? Because I hate them. Can I wear a nice dress as long as I pair it with a cardigan or blazer? It's going to be cold, but...do I need to worry about that for an interview that's going to be inside? Sadly, this is what I'm most worried about right now and not the questions or content. I impulsively bought my first A-line skirt when I unsuccessfully hunted for Jason Wu at Target though.
I have known my irl and blogging friend, Aki, for quite a long time. As such, she knows me pretty well. Last Tuesday she commented on my post that she's been pleasantly surprised by my music choices for these posts because she was kind of under the impression from high school that I was more of a rap/hip-hop kinda gal. Which, really, I still am, but my horizons have definitely broadened a bit since then. However, in honor of her comment, this post is going to be dedicated to some of my hip-hop favorites. Not all of it is clean. You've been warned.
So I was all set to do a post about the Superbowl...but let's be honest, I am as close to completely ignorant about football as it is possible for one with a sporty brother to be. I was really proud of myself today for being able to correctly inform my mother which two teams were playing this year.
Anyway, I decided, unless something ridiculous like the national anthem fiasco happens again, I should probably not project my ignorance onto the internet. And then I found this week's Listography post over at Kate Takes 5 and figured that was definitely more my thing than football.
1. "You know what I mean/I'm saying?" I don't watch a lot of MTV and this, almost single-handedly, is the reason why.
2. "No Homo" I think the reasoning here is fairly obvious.
3. "Anyways, like..." I swear, "anyways" is one of my biggest pet peeves. I literally flinch sometimes when people use it. Grammar is near and dear to my heart. Also, "like" in any unnecessary context...though I'm very very guilty of that.
4. "So, why aren't you going to med school right away?" You would be surprised how often I am still getting this question, and I won't get into it, but I want to shoot something every time.
5. "As you should already know/have learned..." Mainly, when said by bosses/professors followed by something so obscure or unrelated that, well, maybe I learned it but I sure as shit don't remember so thanks for clarifying with the addendum that I should feel bad for not having recalled immediately.
I'm certain you're all as up to date as I am on Daniel Radcliffe's professional life, and as such I'm sure you were all aware he was on SNL a couple weeks ago. Though there were definitely ups and downs, all throughout, I was completely enamored with his American accent. Cause...hot damn. You know.
One of my favorite sketches was "You Can Do Anything" which, "celebrates the incredibly high self-esteem of the YouTube generation" and was absolutely hilarious.
ETA: Now it's the right video, oops!
I agree a little bit with this assessment of the YouTube/social media generation, as a biology major with medical aspirations and conservative Indian parents, but the thing is that social media really is giving people a chance to show something of themselves that they wouldn't have otherwise. As a self-proclaimed internet connoisseur (yes, I see the irony), sometimes it's true that people's self-importance becomes massively over-inflated after becoming "internet-famous," but many people become so because they are genuinely talented at what they do. Some of my favorite musicians, artists, etc. started on myspace music, deviantart, and other media sites, so I can't even bring myself to totally hate on the Rebecca Blacks and cute kittens of the world, even if they aren't particularly talented. Making videos, publicizing yourself, making yourself a mark for criticism and shame, and gathering an audience can be pretty tough in itself. Plus, criticism on the internet is often much harsher than criticism in real life. Anonymity is a cruel thing. Anyway, as just a funny sketch, I loved this one. Best thing SNL's done in a long long time.
As for my vlog editing: "I tried and therefore no one should criticize me!"
It's crazy that it's already February! I swear it was not that long ago that I was ice skating and ringing in the New Year. February and I have a very love/hate relationship, so we'll see how this one goes. I have a lot of things to do this month, so I thought I'd share my TDL in pictures!
Plan my trip to and start the project I'll be doing at SEARCH Gadchiroli, a rural health-centric NGO in India, this summer.
Celebrate the 7th anniversary of the first time I heard "Dark Blue" by Jack's Mannequin, because it really is the best and honestly, I've never had a favorite song this long. It's basically a relationship at this point.
Ignore Valentine's Day.
Interview for grad school at this pretty place, UNC Chapel Hill!(!!)
Enjoy the extra day we're gonna have this year! (Seriously, why isn't this a holiday?)
P.S. You should all be really really proud of me if I manage to go the whole month without making a "like the month, but a person!" Starship reference.
