Real & Relatable

Harsh title? Maybe. (Also, my apologies for the language, Mother Dearest.) I’ve also had three martinis at happy hour. But nonetheless, it needs to be said: you’re probably a bad friend. Sometimes I think I’m a great friend, then I do something and I realize…probably not that great of a friend. But again nonetheless, I know how to be a good one, and it takes EFFORT. It takes freakin’ effort to be a FRIEND, just like any other relationship you are in! It’s not really complicated, but some people just need to hear it. So, I am saying it. Read on.

1. To be a good friend you must BE THERE. Your friend’s grandma died? Be there for the funeral. Your friend’s dog died? Be there when the put him/her down (if they ask you). Your friend had a breakup? Be there when they need to cry, vent, or drink. Your friend feels down on her/his self? Be there to listen and offer encouragement. It is NOT complicated. Whatever you are doing doesn’t matter. What matters is you showing up. I read another beautiful blog post about showing up, and it just reminded me of the importance of actually being there. But beyond being there for them in hard times…
2. BE THERE in the “normal times”. If you are a friend that just shows up in the hard times, that’s cool. But guess what? It’s nice to have a friend that just wants to go out to happy hour with you too. It’s nice to have a friend that calls you (actually, don’t call me – send me a text) on a random Wednesday to get a drink or dinner or both. Friends appreciate when you PUT IN EFFORT. If someone asks you to hang out three times and you say no every time (and I understand you might be busy), but you have to RECIPROCATE.
3. RECIPROCATE. Seriously. Oh my gosh. I’ve gone years without talking to a friend because I just wanted her to ask me to do something. Was it fair? Mmmm.. I don’t know, she didn’t know what I was doing. But I was sick of always feeling like I was the only one putting effort into the friendship. So, ask your friend to do something. Is your friend really outgoing and use to making plans (pssssttt.. that’s me), IT DOES NOT MATTER. That friend NEEDS you to ask them to hang out too. And if you aren’t asking them to hang out, you might not be a good friend. But guess what? It’s super easy to fix: just ask them to hang out.
4. Don’t “break up” with them when they can’t hangout. Listen, I’ve been up and down on the ride of a friendship. I have had multiple “break ups” with friends because I wasn’t being a good one. But now… I am friends with them again, and I can truly say a break up isn’t necessary. However, you can address your friends and tell them straight up, “Hey, I am feeling a little neglected, I would appreciate if you asked me to hang out sometimes, and I feel important to you.” It’s going to SUCK for your friend to hear, but it beats having a full BLOW UP BREAK UP. I mean, trust me, I said some things I wish I would take back. Communication is key.
5. When you get a boyfriend/girlfriend, don’t neglect them. This is really important, and how a lot of people drift apart. Having a significant other is cool, but what’s really cool? Having a significant other and still having friends. If your s/o is jealous of your friends or doesn’t want you hanging out with them… mmmm… is that really the person for you? I think I will write a whole blog post about this one day. But seriously, never give up your friends just to hang out with your new boo. Be better than that, be a good friend.

Being a good friend is not hard. You have to put in effort and time. But it shouldn’t be a chore. It should be something you want to do because you care about these people. If it is a chore, you may need to analyze that friendship and if it’s one you need in your life.

I’m at a lucky spot in my life where everything is smooth sailing. Is that the case for some of my friends right now? Not so much. There’s a lot going on for them, and I am HERE FOR IT. They need to spend the night at my house for two weeks straight? I’ll clean out a drawer for you. You need to text me in the morning about how your life is a mess? Girl, spill it all. You need a pick me up? I think the world of you. You need to vent about a fight about you and your boyfriend? My ears are wide open and my lips are sealed.

Am I a perfect friend? Hell no.
Am I trying to be the best I can be? Yes. Yes. Yes.

I want to be the person my friends go to first. The one they can count on. The one who wipes tears, plan girl’s nights when they need it, pours them another drink or takes the next one away ;), stands up for them, confirms their feelings, makes them feel loved (cause they are), offers them trust, honesty, and security, and is THERE.

I want to be the best friend I can be because my best friends deserve it.

The Midwest has been slammed with snow and freezing temperatures. Schools have been closed two days in advance and a lot of businesses have closed up shop for awhile too. The air hurts your face to even walk outside, and the stir crazies have begun to seep in. Moms and dads and anyone with kids, you’re on your own. I’m snowed in with my boyfriend and cat, so I have no one to entertain but myself. So, I’ve put together some ideas for you to burn the day away.

1. Do a deep clean. Turn on some music and just dive in. It actually can be fun to start going through stuff and getting rid of it! It’s basically spring cleaning, but instead of wasting your precious spring days, do it now in the winter where you got nothing else going on! And if you want to make some money off of your clothes, shoes, etc. try selling them on Facebook or download the app Poshmark. And don’t limit yourself to just your closet, dive into the kitchen, living room, etc.
2. Netflix without feeling guilty. This is my favorite part of this miserable weather: you can’t feel guilty for not going outside. So, get some drinks and snacks and your favorite blanket, and start the binge watching. My favorite shows right now? Good Girls (watched all of Season 1 in two days) and Schitt’s Creek (hilarious and easy to watch). I’m on the hunt for some more good shows though, what would you recommend? Let me know in the comments!
3. Workout! You had to have known this was coming. But doing an at-home workout is a great way to get those endorphins flowing after Netflixing for hours. You don’t need any equipment, here are some sample workouts for you:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Plan your calendar for the next month. It feels good to be organized. So, pull out a calendar (if you don’t have one, use a piece of paper and a ruler to make one), and start adding everything on there. Here are some things to think about putting on the calendar:

• When your trash and recycling goes out
• Events going on around town (check Facebook for these)
• When you are going on vacation or someone is visiting
• What meals you’ll be having (yes, plan out your meals for the next week or month – add a grocery list to the side of your calendar and look up some good recipes to try)
• Days you’ll be done working early/have off
• Errands you have to run
• Days you’ll go the gym/work out at home

There’s endless possibilities! Think of anything you have going on and put it on the calendar! Get crafty and make it cute.

5. Play board and/or card games. This is assuming you are snowed in with someone else or can invite someone over. Even if it is just one person, there are so many great games you can play with just two people. If you didn’t know this about me, my boyfriend and I strive to have a “bomb-ass game collection” (his words). It’s our top goal as a couple, and we play games all the time. Here are our favorite games when it is just us TWO:

• Blokus
• Rook
• Carcassonne
• Sequence
• Mancala
• Rummikub
• Othello
• Banagrams
• Stratego

Some (most!) of those games can be played with more than two people. But we normally just have each other, but when we do have more people, here are some of our favorite party games:

• Scattergories
• Smartish
• Taboo
• Exploding Kittens
• Telestrations
• Family Feud
• Catan

So, if your friends are willing to brave the weather, host a game night. Make a big pot of chili and have them bring their own drinks. Then break out a game and let the fighting (I mean, fun) begin! 😉

There’s really so much you can do when you’re snowed in. If none of these meet your fancy, maybe there are some books you want to catch up on, new recipes you want to try, or just listen to some podcasts. And my favorite yet to burn some time – write a blog! ;D

Let me know in the comments below what shows you are binge watching and any other good snow day activities!

 

 

I have discovered some fantastic products over my 26 years of life. And they all have one thing in common: I love them. I do not just like them, these are products I never stray from. They are my backbone, they are what makes me me. Okay, that’s way too dramatic, but I do love them. Let’s get to it. I have hyperlinked all the titles, so you can easily click to learn more or purchase.

Native Deodorant 

Trust me when I tell you that I have tried a lot of natural deodorant. I decided to try out natural deodorant quite awhile ago when the typical aluminum deodorant was found to be strongly linked to breast cancer in women. However, none of it worked, and I always ended up back with a Secret deodorant. Finally, I found Native. And it has been a game changer. It has gotten #1 natural deodorant on all the blogs I have read. But you have to GIVE IT A CHANCE. Meaning, your body has to go through a detox phase, and you are not allowed to use any type of aluminum deodorant during that time. So suck it up, smell a little, sweat a lot, and embrace your Native deodorant. It gets better. I do reapply throughout the day sometimes, but I don’t have a problem with that. I will go entire beach volleyball tournaments without reapplying, and no one tells me I smell (and I ask people too ;)).

Tip: maybe Native isn’t for you, but at least starting checking out deodorants that are “aluminum free.” Aluminum is what clogs your pores so you don’t sweat and that is not good for you.

Double tip: you won’t find Native at just any store. Currently, Re*Imagine in downtown St Joe (for my local people) and Target has them. Otherwise, buy online (pretty sure not even Amazon carries it).

Batiste Dry Shampoo – with a hint of color

The biggest game changer in the history of game changers. If you have dark colored hair, this is an absolute must have. Out of all the products I am sharing today, this one is my favorite. It sprays in with some color (so don’t spray your face) and not with that starch white color that makes you look like you have grey hair. I can go days without showering (which I do, judge me – I actually really don’t care). I have super oily (aka greasy) hair, and if I shower in the morning – normally by evening, my hair is already looking a little oily. They have some for lighter brunettes, blondes, and tons of delicious scents. Enjoy and thank me later!

Tip: Spray it in, do your makeup or any other activity, and then rub it in and brush it. Works even better!

M.A.D. Brightening Serum

Okay, normally I believe stuff like this doesn’t work, and I would never purchase it on it’s own. However, I had signed up for Ipsy (I highly recommend this beauty service as well),and I received this. It is AMAZING to lighten up acne scars. It doesn’t make them disappear, but the redness significantly goes down the next morning when I wake up. They have a lot of other products, but this is the only one I have tried, and I would really recommend it if you have some old scars/spots you’d like to lighten up.

Flint Lint

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Honestly, the best lint roller ever. It’s a little more expensive, but it is small, easy to throw in your purse, and works the best BY FAR. Do you see that extremely fluffy, white animal? He destroys my clothes with his fur. Flint lint works the best to remove all the hair.

Fun story: I had a friend (Sara!) stay the night before she had to go catch a plane and travel the world. She woke up with her black leggings and black zip-up covered in fur. I gave her a normal lint roller – she was still covered. She was like “well, I guess Dreamy is coming with me for all of my travels.” Then, I went and got her flint lint – all hair GONE. It’s really the best. If you have shedding animals, you need this.

Neutrogena Body Oil

I normally put on lotion after every shower. I have done this since high school, and it just adds to the lengthy process of getting ready for the day (or for bed). Then, I discovered this. You put it on before you even dry off. I keep mine in my shower, and when I am done, just shake some excess water off of me, then I put this all over and pat dry. It takes me less than 30 seconds, and I don’t have to worry about lotion. Plus, it makes my skin feel SUPER soft and works just as well as lotion. As you can see, I used it all before I got a photo. But thanks to Melissa for the huge, new bottle!

 

Dr. Bronner’s

^^Click Dr. Bronner’s link above and check out the great sale at Ulta for this soap!^^

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This soap is full of ingredients that are good for you (the most important thing to me). And it has 18 purposes that are all listed on the bottle. But I’ll name a few: soap, shampoo, fruit/veggie cleaner, laundry, cleaning. It tells you how much to use (which is not a lot!). This stuff lasts forever because it’s so concentrated, a little bit goes a long ways. All the scents are great, but this one has a slight cooling effect. Which is surprising on your nether regions if you use it as soap. ;D

Bonus: the whole bottle is interesting to read. So, if you are bored in the shower (or on the toilet and forgot your phone), this will keep you occupied for awhile!

Wet Brush

I can guarantee you that my hair gets more tangled and knotted than anyone else (okay, my boyfriend might have me beat on that). But it’s seriously so bad, and I have a sensitive scalp. This brush lets me pull, yank, and brush as hard as I can without hurting myself. It’s a small miracle in a brush. If you’ve tried it, you will never (ever) go back to another brush.

Fun story: my sister ordered this brush after trying mine. I was at her house the day the brush was suppose to arrive. She had just gotten out of the shower, and instead of brushing her hair with her old brush, she actually waited till the new Wet Brush arrived so she could use that instead. It is just THAT good.

 
These are just a few of my favorite beauty products! Let me know if you have questions on any of them. I am not sponsored in any way by any of these companies, I am just sharing the very best stuff because the world deserves to know.

Leave a comment if you have tried any of these or have other products that are a total MUST TRY!

If it surprises any of you, I’m not big into New Year’s resolutions. However, I do like to challenge myself to try new things for short periods of time. Okay, that’s basically a resolution, but if I don’t call it that, it doesn’t matter so much if I break it, right? That’s what I tell myself. Go ahead and judge me, I judge myself for it.

Anyway,

For the month of January, I have decided to not drink. And by not drink, I mean no alcohol while drinking all the water. I am so horrible at drinking water. It doesn’t matter what I do. Trust me when I say all the tips and tricks to drinking water don’t work. So, I am doing the tough love approach. I don’t allow myself to eat in the morning till I have one massive jar of water in my system. And then I pee all day. It’s go great, I love this so much. Side note: last night aka January 3rd, I had a dream that I was having a drink. It’s going to be a long month…

Back on track:

So, no one likes the saying “new year, new me.” It actually makes me gag (so it’s a good thing I named this blog post after that – I’m actually rolling my eyes at myself). However, I am not against you in the intention. If you really want to change to be better physically, mentally, spiritually, whateverly – that’s awesome! You just don’t have to use that phrase. Also, if you use that phrase, there’s a 100% chance that it will be a new year and the same you.

I do want to be better this year. Don’t get me wrong, 2018 was actually a really great year for me. There was so much GOOD in 2018. But for 2019, I want to make myself better. And what do I want better? I’m keeping it to two things: business & body.

Let’s break those down now.

Business? Yes, you should know I have jumped into being an entrepreneur. I get (and got) a lot of support when I decided to do this. However, I am still hearing the comments “when are you going to go back to getting a real job?” Newsflash: don’t say that to people, no mater what job they have. Nothing takes the wind out of our sails like a comment like that. But I know I need to work harder, so 2019 – I’m digging my heels in and going to make this business great! And for those still wondering, I am doing social media marketing in Southwest Michigan to help small businesses grow. More info coming very soon – I’ve been saying that awhile. But I just told you all that I am going to be better in 2019, so this time believe me!

And although the 15 subscribers I have to this blog does not pay the bills, I am going to focus on writing more posts for your reading pleasure.

And now the final focus: body. This is a tough one. Let me be clear: I really do not have body image issues. I am a confident person. However, I am the heaviest I have ever been, and I don’t like it. Granted, I am also close to the strongest I’ve been. And you know the Spiderman quote: “with great power comes great responsibility”? Well for me, it’s “with much fat comes much strength.” I love being strong, and my priority is to keep that strength but also lose 15-20 pounds by May 20th. It shouldn’t be (too) hard, especially since I have all these great monthly goals set for myself…

January: no drinking
February: eat some vegetables
March: who knows what’s going to happen?
April: crap, it’s my birthday month
May: where has time gone
May 20th: Only 30 pounds to go…

 

If you feel like following along with more of these business & body shenanigans, subscribe to my blog and follow me on Instagram @lizzzzzzz11 (that’s seven z’s) or just click the pictures on my blog. 🙂

My number one hate for all these fitness blogs or social media pages: their fake, unrealistic tips. I kind of really hate inspirational stuff. When a fitness blog tells me to “write down how you feel after you workout” as a real tip, I’m done. I’m out. Forget it. I am not writing how I feel, I am headed straight to the kitchen to eat how I feel. This may work for some people, just not for me. So, here are my real tips for getting myself into the gym (and if it isn’t the gym for you – maybe it’s walking, running, going to a class, etc. – apply this for you!) and having a great workout.

Brief back story:

I use to date a personal trainer, and this was what really made me comfortable in the gym. I just did workouts with him. These workouts were at least two hours and the next 1-4 days after were absolute brutal soreness. This is how I thought every workout had to be. When I moved away to Texas, I still thought I had to be in the gym for at least two hours or it was no good. So, I stopped going. I couldn’t keep that up. I just figured it wasn’t worth it. I would go periodically, but I had nothing consistent. Finally, years after that, I have figured out what works for me. I don’t always love going to the gym, but I have found it much more enjoyable lately. So, here are my tips that got me from couch slob to a workout warrior.

1. Invest in good headphones and good music. I splurged on some good bluetooth headphones (powerbeats) and pay for Apple music so I can download whatever I want. I have my workout playlist, and I get to work. It has made the world of a difference, as I use to try to workout to no music and that was tragic.
2. Cute workout clothes or whatever makes you feel good. When you feel good, you perform good (or something like that?). If you want to wear makeup to the gym – DO IT! If you have a certain hairstyle that makes you feel sexy? Rock it, sister. I personally love my sassy high ponytail and leggings with a tied shirt or crop top. If you think investing in some good workout clothes will help you do your exercising – I say do it!
3. Have a workout buddy. Misery loves company. My first misery partner on the quest to find out what works for me? My sister. But man, we had fun! Every workout we laughed enough to always get an ab workout in too. We would create our own moves or tabata (more on this in a moment) workout and just want to keel over. But it was great wanting to die together! Now, I’ve been working out with my boyfriend cause we got those volleyball goals, and we really push each other. However, I still do go alone – but it helps to workout with someone once or twice a week.
4. Find a workout online or ask a friend for one. It helps SO much to go in with a plan. I use to not show up with any plan, and I would end up wandering around like an antelope in the desert. Or I would do one thing, and by the time I thought of my next thing – I was cold and unmotivated. So, look up a quick workout online or make up your own and write it down. Then get your booty to work and get it done! And if you don’t have a plan – just keep moving! Do anything. Even if it’s arm day and you have to lunge around till you think of what’s next – just. keep. moving.
5. PREWORKOUT. Yes, I like to be healthy. Yes, I understand preworkout isn’t probably the best thing for me. However, if it’s the difference between me going to the gym or not? I think it’s worth taking. If it’s the difference between me having a terrible workout or a great workout? I am taking it. I don’t take it every time, because I like to remind myself I don’t have to have it (lol), but I can feel the difference when I take it – and I love it! The only one I have really taken consistently is C4 which gives me the tingles. I have come to like those because I feel like I HAVE to get them out of my system, and it makes me work harder. If you are having bad workouts or need an extra push, I really recommend trying preworkout.
6. Have fun! This seems simple, but I don’t think many people understand it. The gym becomes a chore or a job, when it shouldn’t be. Get in there and get it done is a fine mentality, but you can go get it done and still have fun. I love dancing along with my lifting, and I have fun creating a workout that is going to challenge me and get a good sweat going. And for this, Tabata workouts are my favorite! Tabata simply means you do work for (20, 30, 40, whatever seconds you want) and then you take a short break (10, 20 seconds) before moving onto the next exercise.

Type in tabata to your app store on your phone, and you should see the above icon pop up. This tabata timer is my favorite. There are already some pre-made workouts on there, but I choose to make my own. You can enter in everything, set up the different times you want, and get to work. Here’s one of my favorites:

20 seconds: Block Jumps
10 seconds: off
20 seconds:  Med ball slams
10 seconds: off
20 seconds: Ab circles (basically, do a plank with your elbows on a stability ball and make small circles going each direction)
10 seconds: off
20 seconds: Overhead tricep extensions
30 seconds: Rest
*Repeat 3-4 times!

Another favorite workout I made Andrew and I do this week, and we had sweat flying off of us, is this:

In fifteen minutes, get in as many sets as possible:
10 burpees, 15 jump squats or just air squats, 15 good mornings with a band or weight, 15 kettlebell swings. Whatever you do – don’t stop moving! You can go slow, but just push through the fifteen minutes, and you’ll be glad you did.

 

I am by no means a personal trainer, and nor will I ever try to sell you on the fact that I am, but these little things are just what worked for me. I do not love going to the gym every day, but I am always glad and in a much better mood once I get it done. And honestly, there really are days I love going! You’ll get there too, just try out some of the above tips and see what happens.

Anyone else have some good tips? Or what works for you? Let me know! I’d love to try them out too.

 

This blog post was inspired by good ole buzzfeed. I was reading this article (linked below, but copy and pasted for your reading pleasure) and just had SO many thoughts. I will preference this by saying, I do have certain kids I really do love – mostly because I really love their parents.

1. “You’ll change your mind.”

BONUS

25. When you meet the right person, you’ll want to have kids.

Or maybe the right person won’t want to have kids too. DING DING DING, we have a winner.

Actually laughed out loud at that one!^^

And I honestly don’t mind if people say this stuff to me, just be ready for a very sarcastic response back.

 

Link to buzzfeed article that inspired this post:

https://www.buzzfeed.com/laraparker/people-who-dont-want-kids?utm_source=dynamic&utm_campaign=bffbsoml&ref=bffbsoml

If you are offended by being called basic, this post is not for you. But honestly, you’re probably basic.

Now me personally? I love being a basic bitch (sorry mom, but that’s just what it’s called! Don’t hate me, it’s trendy). I’ll rock out basic like I’m back to being 21 in college. And a bitch? Well, I’ll let you make your own conclusion on that. But the two together? YES, slay girl slay (that’s a really basic thing to say FYI). It’s like Chuck and Blaire – meant to be together. And if you don’t know this reference, you may not be basic enough. Or you just need to go to Netflix (right MEOW) and turn on Gossip Girl. It. Will. Change. Your. Life.

I’m actually really not sure if girls get offended by being called basic (and why aren’t boys basic?? Hmm… possible next post idea). Because for me, it’s all the good things in life.

Pumpkin spice latte? You better believe I had my first one this season back in August on an 80 degree day after playing volleyball and shooting baskets (turns out, if you haven’t touched a basketball since high school, you lose your skills. Go figure. I went from breaking school records to dribbling off my toe). Nonetheless, I enjoyed every last gulp all while dripping sweat into it. It added flavor – who doesn’t like a salted PSL? To be honest, I normally force myself to wait till September, but the basicness crept up fast this year.

• Can we side note real quick to all that hooplah about the Starbucks’ cup? And how people got offended over it being just red or really anything for that matter. Did that make anyone else want to drop a 50 pound weight on their skull? I don’t care if my pumpkin spice latte comes in a tin can that a homeless man has licked. I’m just happy this little taste of heaven is back. Honestly though, people have too much time on their hands.

Ugg boots? Okay… let’s be real, I have not forked over extreme money for some Ugg boots. However, JustFab has some seriously fab boots, and last year I spent over $200 on boots alone from there (and we wonder why I don’t have money?). I do own over 20 pair of boots. I have a very basic bitch problem.

Leggings. Do I have to say more? If you are a girl, and you don’t like leggings, you are the spawn of Satan himself. And you are not welcome into the basic bitch brigade (I’m starting a thing, who wants to join?).

Abbreviating words. Because who has time to say totally when you could say #totes (and yes, hashtags is another basic bitch problem that I proudly rock*).  I actually really do have a problem with abbreviating words, awhile ago I was talking to my boyfriend, and I said “eh, I’m neut.” He looked at my with eyes a gasp, because I just said neut instead of neutral. But go ahead, try it out. Start saying neut, you won’t be able to stop.

Apparently watching Friends is a basic thing to do. And if being basic means watching Friends on Netflix over and over again, then I don’t want to be un-basic. Because Friends is life.

You know what’s funny? There were only a few things I could come up with that I know are all top-notch basic bitch qualities. Then I had to google some, and I realized: I’m not that basic. But I am proud of the basic qualities I do rock!

So next time you are called basic, tilt your PSL, flash a smile, and say “Thanks! I know I do enjoy the finer things in life.” And then walk away knowing your butt looks great in those leggings.

 

*this word rock was not the word I was looking for. And I spent hours (minutes) trying to figure out the word I wanted to use. I finally realized it was emasculate! I almost posted it that way, then realized I should look up that word to make sure. In case you were wondering, here’s the definition of emasculate:

emasculate. verb (ɪˈmæskjʊˌleɪt) (tr) to remove the testicles of; castrate; geld. to deprive of vigour, effectiveness, etc.

Nope, nope, nope. Not what I was looking for. Anyone know the word I wanted? I can’t figure it out for the life of me.

 

Back in 2015, I made a New Year’s Resolution to write a blog. Okay actually, I made a New Year’s Resolution to try something new each month. And one of those months was going to be me writing a blog. Needless to say, none of that happened. I’m pretty sure I made it through January and February…. classic NY’s resolutioner right here.

But why didn’t I write a blog? That seems easy enough. I wasn’t even wanting followers or to make money, I just wanted to do it to do it. Well, truth be told, I figured no one wanted to hear what I had to say. My life isn’t fascinating: I am not traveling the world, I did not birth sextuplets (okay, any kids for that matter), I am not a professional or a genius at anything. So what am I?

Hmm…

I’m decent at volleyball, but not a professional.

I’m an extremely fresh entrepreneur, but I certainly can’t give advice on that (it would be like the blind leading the blind).

I’m not a photographer and very far from being any type of artist.

I don’t have a product to sell or something I feel so DIE HARD about that I must tell you all about.

So wait? Does all that make me unique? Nah. Not really. Not really at all. However, it does make me real & relatable.

What does real and relatable really mean? And is relatable even a word cause it’s annoying that I have a small squiggly red underline each time I type it. Eh, I’m rolling with it. Basically, I just want to give my two cents to this world that probably (most definitely) doesn’t need two more cents. So here is some content you can expect (and not expect) in blogs to follow:

• No Mom Crap. Excuse the harsh(?) language. But my goodness gracious, I am so sick of all the blogs, how-to’s, tips and tricks, and social media accounts dedicated to moms. Like how to burn fat while being a mom? How to make money while being a mom? How to craft a delicious mom cocktail? Ohhhhhhhh I can’t even. And what the actual crap is a mom cocktail? I don’t know, probably something incredibly strong (which in that case, count me back in). But I get it… that’s their target market (oh how I love marketing), but it’s not mine. Believe it or not, there are some of us out here who aren’t moms (and aren’t looking to become one anytime soon – if ever). Now moms, don’t be offended by this. It’s great that you are a mom! I love my mom! My best friends are moms. I just am not writing this blog catered to you, that’s all.
• Healthy cocktail (is that an oxy moron?) creations. Because honestly, there’s just not enough info like this out there. Okay actually there is, but they are all SO boring or full of fake sugar (which is definitely not healthy), so I’m going to bridge that gap. I’m constantly asking bartenders to make me a low calorie drink – and now I am here to share some of the best!
• A little bit of my workouts here & there – when I have a particularly good one. I use to be the girl spending an hour plus in the gym because I thought I had to for a good workout. Well now screw that, I need to get over to happy hour. So my workouts have been fast and effective.
• The blues and beauty (does anyone say that?) of starting a new business. Yup, I quit my job (which probably gives me the time to write this blog). So now I will be sharing with you the ins and outs of this process. It’s going to be ugly and it’s going to be beautiful. I can’t wait.
• Real life money talk. I hate that things like money are a topic that is all hush hush but everyone openly talks about sex. Why in the world is that a thing? Why can I know what position you tried out this week but not how much you earned this week? Seriously, someone (ANYONE) shed some light on this for me? Why can’t we talk about money more? It’s important, and heaven forbid you declare that you have money or that you are broke. Time for that to end. I AM BROKE, people. Phew, got that off my chest. I quit my job, I have no money, and I am making it work – and I want to share it with you.
• Absolutely NO trying to get you to join any type of pyramid scheme or whatever you want to call it. People in the schemes will be angry that I called it that, but then again… this blog isn’t for them. Like for the love of all that is good and holy – can’t a girl get some workout tips, dinner recipes, or just a protein shake recipe without having to sell my soul? That’s dramatic, but my lanta – I do not want to join your team, I do not want to try your product for just a small fee, I do not want to be a coach, a distributor, or whatever weird thing your amazing, life changing (barf) business calls it. I am not interested.
• However, that being said, I will be giving some product reviews of stuff I really loved and tried out. I find blogs like that incredibly helpful, and I always appreciate them. They do it just because, not because they were paid to or are trying to recruit more zombies to their tribe. Ugh, barf at the word tribe.
• And finally, some relationshit… I mean, relationship stories. I am not married, I do have a super great boyfriend, and I have dated quite a few people. And I have some real tips and advice that I would like to share that I know you won’t listen to and you’ll continue being miserable. Don’t kid yourself, we all know it’s true. The more women I come across, the more I find that all have had that one toxic relationship. Time to share our stories and tips to save the next lady!

So, that’s what I am going to write about in a nutshell. Stay tuned till tomorrow, people, because I have 26 years of pent up feelings I am dying to release.