Faith is Not a Security Blanket

I know a lot of people say "I have Faith that it's going to happen" or "As long as I have Faith it'll be okay" but I feel like those people are just using Faith as a way of saying "Somebody else has got this."

No, you have got this.  If there are things that you want, go out and get them. If you want to travel the world, go out and buy a plane ticket. I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but what ever deity you follow did not create you to just sit there and wait for everything to happen. I know mine didn't.

As humans we were not made to be idle. We weren't made to stay in one place just to hope everything we ever wanted will come to us. Be inspired. Do things you love. Help some one who really needs you. Most importantly be there for the ones you love.

Faith is not a security blanket. Faith was made to give you a push to do the unexpected. It was made to say "I'll be here when you fail, so that you have the courage to try again." Faith is something beautiful, like the sunset in your favorite place. It's something crazy, like buying a plane ticket to somewhere you've never been. It is not what's keeping you still. That's all you.

There's a Whole 'Nother World Out There

Since I've started this journey into blogging I have stumbled onto a new world. The Blogging World. This is a beautiful world full of wonderful people, very informative posts, and HILARIOUS stories.

I've decided to be an ambassador of sorts to this lovely new world. Here are some excellent places to start your new adventures, and my absolute favorite posts of all time.

The Bloggess (aka Jenny Lawson)

This woman is the reason I started into the "Blogging World." I bought her book Let's Just Pretend This Never Happened and laughed so much I cried. I then found her blog, and followed her on twitter. (Side note....SHE FOLLOWS ME ON TWITTER!) If you want to know where to start reading her blog, start with And That's Why You Should Learn to Pick You Battles. Make sure you don't have to pee though. I promise after reading this you won't have bladder control.

The Other Juliette

A new find of mine The Other Juliette is absolutely hilarious. She chronicles her adventures through life's awkwardness. My favorite story of her's and the place you should start is Yeah, but he's like my FIRST cousin. Did I mention she's really into GIFs? Because it makes it soooo much better.

Jarrett Bellini

I've mentioned him before. I love his writing and he is a real writer and columnist for CNN. Yes, I do mean CNN news network. I'm pretty sure this man doesn't know how to be unfunny. Try reading Haunted House Season. It's educational and entertaining at the same time.

Zoella

Zoe is a beauty/fashion blogger and YouTuber. Her blogs are filled with useful information, Topics range from make up tips, hair tutorials, information on anxiety, and so much more. Whenever you've got some time check out her whole blog, you won't regret it. You can see what she's up to here.

Bloglovin'

Now that you've gotten a taste of this fantastic new world. Here's a website that makes it easy to get all your favorite blogs in one place. It also gives you an easy way to look for new blogs no matter what your interests are. Check them out here http://www.bloglovin.com/ (This is completely not sponsored. No one would actually pay me to write about them.)

I hope I helped you find something new to read. I'd love to hear about anything that makes you smile.

OHMYGOSH! What are you wearing!?!

In less than a month I will be seeing AND meeting Pentatonix. To say I need to be dressed perfectly is an understatement. This is what I'm wearing!

I was going for a kind of "AVI PLEASE FALL IN LOVE WITH ME" look. I think I probably nailed it!

Let's Start with the Dress

I'll be wearing a black shift dress with lace on top very similar to the one above. It's classy and demure and does absolutely nothing for my voluptuous shape. Not only do my hips not lie, but they also scream to be heard. So to help my hips out I added a nude waist belt to give the dress some shape.

I can Explain the Shoes...

My style kind of says "I'll wear anything as long as my converse go with it." I've been to a few live concerts in my day. Some were sit down, and some were just standing room only. The thing I never regretted was wearing comfortable shoes. Don't judge me.

The Hair...oh the Hair

I assure you I can explain the hair too. I couldn't go completely classy with the beautiful dress, understated belt and ENTIRELY appropriate shoes. I had to shake things up a bit. I'm going for a braided faux hawk here. Also, note where it says "In Temporary Blue." That's because I will be venturing into the world of chalking my ends that night as well. Wish me luck! 

Face Paint!

I kid of course...face paint would be just too much. My make-up will be pretty understated as well to show off my hair. I'll be using my CoverGirl Outlast 3 in 1 Foundation, very light and natural eye shadow (probably something like this), and a light shade of red on my lips. I got a fabulous Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter today in Cherry Tart that I think will work just fine.

Don't Leave the House Until You Look like a Nerd

I won't be heading to the concert without my trusty Matt Smith as Eleven phone case. No outfit is complete without a little nerdiness.

I hope you enjoyed my outfit overview. Let me know if you'd like to see anymore like this in the future.

Here's a special treat! Pentatonix's new video/cover Say Something.

(I apologize if you are viewing this on an Apple product and cannot see the video. You're missing out, and I provided a link above.)

How would you dress for a concert? 

Be Cheap, WILL Travel

I'm cheap. No seriously, I am a cheap person. I won't spend more than four dollars on a shirt, and I've actually considered charging my parents every time I drive them somewhere. Obviously I have more respect for my elders than to do that, but my cheapness is still pretty severe.

It's a running joke that I will probably end up killing myself saving for a trip. I once refused to pay for a prescription that I needed because I was in the middle of setting a budget for a vacation. I'm hardcore like that...or stupid. To each his own.

Here are some ways to save money for trips.

• Buy second hand clothes. Go to a Goodwill or Good Samaritans and browse the racks. When I went to the UK all my clothes were brand new and under $5. I promise if you take the time to go through the clothes you will find really good quality stuff for CHEAP.
• Another reason for second hand clothes is that if you run out of room in your suitcase when it's time to come back home throw them away, or donate them. You then have plenty of space for souvenirs. They were only $5 max, get rid of them and feel no remorse. Avoiding extra luggage fees is a breeze this way.
• Buy clothes you can wear a million ways. Even if they are more than $5, average out how many ways you can wear that piece of clothing and it will be worth it. For example I bought a dress you could wear many different ways. I wore it as a day dress, a shirt, an evening dress...etc.
• Pack everything into one carry on bag. That way you can avoid luggage fees at ALL costs. If the bag becomes too big or heavy it instantly becomes your one free check bag.

Here are some ways to save money on your trip.

• You know that free breakfast from the hotel? Turn it into a free lunch! Make sure you pack Ziploc bags so you can shove croissants in your bag for later. (This one saved me in Italy.)
• Buy maps as souvenirs. Not only can you use them to get around, but they are a great way to showcase the places you went. Then give them as a gift when you get home. If you want more information on how to get everything out of a map you can. Look at my post on Top 10 Things I Can't Travel Without. 
• Go to local delis to buy food during the day. Stay away from restaurants except for dinner. Food is cheaper at non touristy food markets. Don't skimp on fancy dinners though. You're going for the experience, make the most of it. Just use the money you've saved from the cheaper meals.
• If you're in Europe take the trains. You can see everything you wanted to see for a fraction of a tour price. There are always tons of lovely people to help you figure out where you're going. Some of them are even paid to help you.

There are so many ways to help build your savings for a trip or vacation. Do you have any travel tested money savers? I'd love to hear them.

Ways to Deal with Anxiety

Its no secret that I live with anxiety. It's a real thing. Some people who don't live with it don't realize what it's really like. It's something that can happen due to large amounts of stress or suddenly for no reason at all.

I remember when I first started having what I call "anxiety attacks" which quickly started turning into full blown panic attacks. They all started when I was a sophomore in college. At the time I was not only dealing with MAJOR amounts of academic stress but I was also in the middle of getting endless amounts of tests done due to a recent health scare. My life was just not going my way that year. They only got progressively worse from there.

When I have an "episode" it starts out with the feeling that something is VERY wrong. It's similar to how you feel after getting bad news. Then I get really hot (mostly ending in the stripping of clothes.) That's when I realize what's happening and I start to have pressure on my chest. The heaviness in my chest usually results in shortness of breath and rarely hyperventilation. The last symptom is an unusually high heart rate and exaggerated thumping of my heart, so much so that I can actually hear my heart beat.

I was able to deal with my anxiety/panic attacks for about three years on my own. I would just take cold showers or go for very brisk walks until I cooled off. Sometimes there would be weeks between episodes. The only problems I would have would be waking up in the middle of the night from my heart beating so hard it woke me up. (Like I said, they can happen suddenly for no reason at all, even while you sleep.) But if that was as bad as they got I wouldn't be writing about them.

Last year at the end of September they got out of hand. It got so bad I had to take medication to help me out, which was the last thing I wanted. I had just accepted a new job, in a new place that I had never been. I had interviewed for the job on a Wednesday, was offered the job that evening, and was asked to move by Thursday. Can you say MAXIMUM STRESS?

I asked for a few days grace to you know...find a place to live, and we made a new agreement that I would start work the following Monday. Now when I'm stressed, I can't eat. Being a hypoglycemic that causes a big problem. I was so stressed from this sudden life change that I didn't eat from Wednesday evening until the following Monday at lunch. I was suffering so bad from anxiety that I couldn't physically make myself eat. I would just end up choking on my food. It was awful. I love food so very much.

The Saturday before I moved to this new place I begged my dad to take me to the doctor. I couldn't do it anymore on my own. I was really suffering, so we waited until the Walk-in Clinic opened and I was the first patient at the door. This is where I met a fascinating woman who changed my life and the way I deal with anxiety.

She was a National Guard/ER Nurse.

The woman who took care of me at the clinic that day was the best person I could have ever had. She is an ex ER nurse and current National Guard nurse. She said "You want anxiety? I know anxiety." The few minutes I spent with her gave me some of the most useful life lessons I could ask for. After she prescribed for me a quite frankly scary dose of anxiety medication to deal with the immediate problem, she gave me ways to deal with them on my own.

Ways to Deal with Anxiety

• Breathe slowly. VERY SLOWLY. She told me four breaths a minute max, about one breath per 15 seconds. Basically what it does is it resets your nervous system and stops you from continuing with the terrible anxiety attack.
• Children's Benadryl, a half dose of Children's Benadryl to be exact. It's enough of a sedative to allow you to fall asleep but not enough to actually do anything to you. (Also excellent if you have anxiety and frequent drug tests.)
• Think about how it could actually be worse. The nurse told me her worse anxiety attack was while she was in the middle of a C-section with her second child. She told me there is nothing worse than being open on the table and panicking (I just took her word on this one.)
• Go for a drive. My family tries very hard to help me cope with my anxiety so that I don't have to take medication. When I start feeling one coming on we go for drives.
• Take a cold shower. Nothing says stop panicking like a cold shower.
• If no one is around, call somebody. Don't try to do this on your own. It's hard to realize nothing is wrong when your anxiety is lying to you.
• Just remember that there is nothing wrong with you because you have anxiety. Being human is stressful, and this is just how some of us cope with it.

If you want more information on Panic Attacks, Zoella wrote an excellent explanation of what they are, what they feel like, how you can help someone deal with them, and much more here.

My favorite form of anxiety control is taking my Jeep for a drive. What's yours? How do you deal with anxiety? I'd love to hear ways you guys deal with maximum stress.

The Beauty of Tea Cups (My Cup Stories)

I like my tea like I like my men....existent. 

I am eternally in love with tea cups or mugs, depending on how you label your cups. They are brave little pieces of dishery, and there is nothing you can't do with a good cup. They can be used for organization, in place of a bowl, as a cleaning cup for painting, a holy grail for Oreos and milk, and simply for tea. These are just a few of my most used cups and the ones that I think best describe me. Most of my lovelies were found at second hand shops. Some I traveled long distances for, and a select few are gifts from loved ones.

All of my cups have a story behind them. Some of the stories are far more exciting than others but they're all still special to me. Here are a few of their back stories.

The story behind this cup starts with the trip. When I was just a freshman in college I had the opportunity to go with a group of people in my major to a huge annual convention in Chicago. Of course I was game. What could go wrong? There were eight of us and only two old enough to legally drive the rental cars. 

Everything was going smoothly until we unknowingly drove into a snow storm. Our original eight hour road trip took about 12 hours. When we finally arrived in Chicago we were lost. We were so lost in fact that our group stopped and asked a homeless man for directions, who promptly demanded money for his services. If I remember correctly it took us over an hour to find a hotel that was only two blocks away.

The day I purchased this cup was on a particularly snowy day. (one day after Chicago experienced a blizzard) Our group was intent on seeing the sights while we were there and once we spotted the NBC studios it was a "must see." That's when I saw this cup and couldn't leave it. Now it lives in the cup cabinet.

At first glance this cup is nothing special, and that's okay. I rescued this cup from a second hand shop for just 50 cents. I bought with my 1950's tea kettle that I use religiously. This one is my favorite cup. It's not my favorite because of how it looks, or where it came from.

I recently moved away from home for a job. I knew when I took the job that it was only temporary. I packed up my car with clothes, one plate, a set of forks and spoons, my tea kettle, and this little cup. I had a tough time moving away and some days my only comfort was a cup of tea in my little cup. Not only did it comfort me with tea, and sometimes drinks a bit stronger, but it was my only bowl too. I spent a lot of time with this cup. Now if I need extra comfort after a hard day, it's the first thing I reach for.

If you're a Doctor Who fan like I am you already know what this is. If you're not, I'll do my best to explain. This is a Tardis cup from Doctor Who. Doctor Who is a time lord that travels through space and time in a ship that he "borrowed." That ship is the Tardis. If you want more details watch the show...seriously.

Back to where/why I have this one. This is a gift from my lovely mom. We recently went on a trip to explore England, Scotland, and Wales. We were in Wales just a few days before the Doctor Who 50th anniversary. Unfortunately we did not get enough time in the country to explore all of the festivities and I was pretty bummed. On Christmas day, I woke up and with my family started opening gifts. I'm probably really understating here but when I saw this box I was VERY excited. It even comes with a lid! It's a brilliant representation of the Tardis, and I love how nerdy I feel drinking out of it. My mom got me this cup because of my love for Doctor Who and because of our recent trip to the UK.

Yes it is square. Yes, it does sometimes cause drinking confusion.

I love cups. They are just one of many things I collect. Do you have a tea cup collection or am I alone on this one?

21 Things to Do Alone

This post is inspired by this wonderful YouTube video based on the poem How to be Alone by filmaker, Andrea Dorfman, and poet/singer/songwriter, Tanya Davis.

1. Go to the library.
2. Bake a cake.
3. Wash your car.
4. Paint a picture.
5. Read a book that makes you "ugly cry."
6. Plan a dream/slightly unobtainable vacation including flights, hotels, and a rental car.
7. Find a new blog to read.
8. Look up new ways to pamper yourself.
9. Go to a coffee shop and people watch.
10. Take a class on knitting. (Very useful for a zombie apocalypse.) 
11. Make a huge experimental dinner using only your favorite foods.
12. Have a marathon watching only cheesy reality shows.
13. Take an obscenely long nap.
14. Go through a drive through and order way too much food.
15. Organize your living space the way you want it.
16. Fix something you broke, but didn't tell anyone about.
17. Write a review on something you love.
18. Create your bucket list.
19. Make a scrapbook of things that inspire you.
20. Go to a shooting range (Also, very useful for a zombie apocalypse.)
21. LOVE BEING ALONE

I know how some days being by yourself can feel like a huge handicap, but I also know what it's like to own being by yourself and making the best of it. This is for anyone who finds themselves alone. For the long time novices at being by yourself, those alone for a short period of time while your loved one is away, or the champions of being independent. This one is for you.