Quick Cell Phone Etiquette Vent

I'm not even sure if "etiquette" is spelled correctly but I just
landed in Philedelphia and there is a man directly across the aisle
from Brandi and I who is so annoying! Before lift off, this dude was
on his phone (talking LOUDLY) all the way up until we physically took
off. We were trying to get some reading done and it just wasn't
happening with this dude yapping next to us. Then once we were in air,
he had to be reminded TWICE to put his seatbelt on. Who does he think
he is? Anyways right now he yapping yet again as we just landed. He
was talking so loud that we couldn't hear what the captain was saying.

Seriously I understand the right to be on your phone but come on!
Sometimes everyone around you just wants peace and quiet. I cannot
stand people like that.

Okay we are finally parking at the terminal. Mr. Yap-Face is still
chatting away. Ttyl,

Julie

Catch Ya Later Boston

Right now I'm at the airport ready to leave Boston. I'm sad to be
leaving because I did not get a lot of time to tour as much as I
wanted to but at the same time I learned so much and networked with
some amazing professionals in my field.

These next two months are going to be really tough because they mark
the last months I'll ever have class before internship. I could stop
now if I wanted to. It will be my third degree and enough is enough
for most people. The thing is that I don't think I can stop. I think I
still have to do more - especially after this week. My field needs
more progression and I want to help push it ahead.

Ah, I'm rambling. Well we are boarding now so I'll let you go. The
next time i post it will hopefully be from an actual computer. The
picture attached is the view from a high floor in a hotel that was
closeby. We attended a cocktail party from up there and I knew I had
to take a picture to show you.

Xoxo,

Julie

Canoli's and PJ's

Hello!

Tonight, Brandi (my classmate and hotel-mate) and I walked to Mike's
Pastry for dessert because of many comments and advice from you guys
and friends from this area. When we walked in, there was so many kinds
of desserts and candy's it was overwhelming. After picking up some
canoli's and other sweets we headed back to the hotel.

When we got back we quickly changed into pj's, got into our beds and
ate our dessert. We didn't finish everything but that just means more
for tomorrow! (yum).

I love trips like this when you can just kick it and put school and
work on hold. I laughed so many times tonight that my jaw hurts.

Life is good. Except that...

...remember how in a previous post I was all excited about my new hair
do? Well, the more I look at it the more I realize that it's lopsided
in the back. It's supposed to be asymmetrical, yes, but just in the
front. Ugh - I'm concerned that I may have to confront the awkward yet
necessary situation of me asking for them to fix it. Double ugh. I'm
going to have Brandi look at it more closely tomorrow - maybe I'm just
imagining it? Who knows.

Well I'm off to dreamland. Sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs
bite ;-) I'll post more tomorrow...

Julie

Mirror That Makes My Legs Longer

Hi all!

Just wanted to post quickly and say "hello"! I am still loving the
conference but most of all, I'm loving the mirror in our hotel near
the elevators. My classmate and I both have short legs and this mirror
makes our legs look extremely long. It's awesome and boosts our self-
esteem every morning! I really want to buy a mirror like this - loove
it! :-)

More later,

Julie

Oh Post, Where Art Thou?

Hey everyone!

This morning, I wrote a post while I was drinking Starbucks but
somehow it didn't show up nor is there even a record of it in my
phone. What gives?

Ugh. So I'm going to attempt to capture its essence in this post:

We arrived to Boston yesterday and luckily it was a smooth trip. The
only sucky part was that we had to pay to have our bags checked on US
Airways. Not cool!

When we go to the hotel, we checked in and checked into the conference
and received a variety of materials which include the conference
manual and the choices are overwhelming! The book reminds me of a
college course schedule book. Either way, I'm happy we have so many
choices.

Today I woke up at 6 am and ran for 45 minutes on the hotel treadmill.
It was a great run! Since then I've been attendings tons of meetings
and networking with professionals in my field. Conferences like this
really inspire me. I feel that we can really become change agents if
the motivation is there. Tonight I'm going to attend more activities
and go to dinner with my classmates.

I love Boston btw! Our hotel is fabulous and the view is spectacular.
One thing I loved about waking up so early was that I caught the
sunrise. Wow. It made my morning. Also what's interesting about our
hotel and the conference is that it's near a mall with really high-end
stores that I rarely see on a regular basis being the broke student
that I am. Examples include: Dior, Louis Vutton, and Jimmy Choo. To
attend the workshops I have no choice but to walk by these stores
several times daily! Oh dear!

Well I gotta run because I have a workshop to attend to. Have a great
day and I'll continue to mobile post when I can (I didn't bring my
computer so I'm posting from my iPhone).

I'm crossing my fingers that this post goes through! :-)

Julie

Testing

Testing.

Julie

Boston Bound!

Holaaa loves!

This post will be quick because I have a ton of packing to do! I am leaving tomorrow for Boston and I'm so incredibly excited. While this is school-related, I know we'll have some time for fun too. I have yet to decide if I'm bringing my computer with me (and even then, I'm not sure if I'll have internet!) or if I'll be mobile posting. Either way, I'm sure you can expect some mobile blogging and I will be back in full swing by Sunday.

This afternoon, my Express pants came in the mail which is perfect because I need them for this week. I ended up ordering 3 pairs online (in short). I'll try to post some pictures later this week. They fit perfectly by the way. I recommend them for people you need either longer or shorter pants. What's nice is that their sizes are pretty standard online so you know that they'll fit. This was true today when I received 3 different styles and they all fit like a glove.

One more thing: Megs from Newbie New Yorker is hosting a giveaway for her 100th post (congrats!). She is giving away reusable grocery totes in different colors. They are so adorable and I love the lime color. Head on over there and tell her I sent you!

Well, that's all I got for tonight. It's time that I finish my preparations for tomorrow - it's going to be a long day. I hope you all have a great night!

xoxo,

Julie

P.S. Did anyone see the Bachelor tonight? I'm so excited for next week! Oh the anticipation...

P.P.S. My new site design is almost finished! I just know you will all love it :-)

P.P.P.S. Is it possible to have too many "P.S.'s"? haha

Worst Hair Experience E.V.E.R.

Remember when I got my free hair cut back in October? Well, since then I haven't been keeping up with it because I've been low on cash. More recently (January), I had the worst hair experience ever.

Let me back up. The result of my free hair cut was this amazing asymmetrical style that was so me: simple yet unique. It was a precision hair cut because it was for the hair stylist's training which meant I was in the chair forever.

Anyways, this past December (or January?) I was in Ohio visiting my family and needed a cheap yet precise hair cut because I knew my free hair cut was growing out quick. Per my sister's recommendation I went to a place near my mom's house and it was the worst hair experience E.V.E.R.

Here's what went down:

- I walked into the place asking if they had any available appointments. It turned out they could fit me right in (score!).

- I sat in the chair while a woman who looked like the manager asked me what I wanted.

- "A trim" I say and quickly try to explain the "asymmetrical" part but I felt rushed (don't you hate that?).

- She "seemed" to get it and there she went... snip* snip* snip*... chewing gum... chatting with co-worker... looking around (not at my hair)... snip* snip*...

- Like 6 minutes later: "Done!" she says.

- Shit. That was way too fast - what just happened? So confused. I felt like I was on a rollar coaster and my eyes were blurred because of the fast scissor movements.

- I paid my $12 and I was on my way. Shit. Shit. Shit.

The result was terrible to say the least. My hair was awkward, strange, lop-sided (not in a good way), and random. Ugh.

Since then I haven't worn it down much (I should have went back, but I went out of town the next day).

Fast forward to today: I went back to the first salon that offered the free haircut and I told the nice stylist what happened and she felt really bad and we both laughed at the situation. It took awhile for her to figure out exactly how to fix my hair though - I felt like a challenging word problem that you have to think about from different angles in order to come up with the perfect solution.

Finally, she figured it out and I feel like a goddess. My hair is still asymmetrical (which I love) and I can't wait to wear it down again! :-)

Sunday Evening Rants and Raves

Some rants and raves:

Last semester:
Right now, I am trying to get myself organized for this semester and it's just not easy. Do you ever feel like you want to rid yourself of evidence of what happened last semester and last year in order to move on?

Let me explain. Last semester was terrible - absolutely terrible. I don't want to continue to dwell on it, but I'm the type of person that takes awhile to let things go (anyone in my life can tell you that).

To assist with my cleansing of my past semester, I switched planners. Lame huh? Yea, I totally did. The reason I did was because all of my assignments, scribbles, and annoyances still linger earlier in my academic year planner. My solution? I have a nifty annual planner (started in January) to help heal my soul. It's all about the little things right? I figured this will be good because I have so many transitions coming up (moving, weddings, trips, etc) that I will be planning for next year. What better time to have a new planner? It feels so good that maybe I'll burn my old one. Hmm...

Passions:
You know what also sucks? The time school takes up. Seriously. I have no time for anything or any of my passions. While psych*ology is a passion of mine (it has to be... I wouldn't be studying it in grad school if it wasn't!), it has taken over my life and I don't have time for my other passions. My main passion, aside from psych, is photography. Everytime I take time to take some photos, I feel guilty that I'm not studying or working on more projects. Hopefully come May, my Nikon D40 and I will reunite in a retreat to downtown DC for some photos. Until then, she will wait patiently on my desk for the occasional photo of my rats or an event I'm forced to go to.

Boston:
Tuesday morning, I am flying to Boston with my classmates for a conference. I am superrr excited because I have never been to Boston and I need the break. We'll be there until Saturday afternoon and we'll be back in the District by Saturday night. Does anyone have any Boston-related advice? Unfortunately, we won't be able to do too much touring but I am still open for suggestions because you never know! Specifically, I'd like some top day activities, some amazing restaurant/dessert ideas, and nightlife ideas. Anyone?

It's 7:00 pm and I gotta go run. My plan is to run on the treadmill while catching some red carpet madness :-) Then it's back to work (ha, l.a.m.e.).

kisses,

Julie

My Heart Goes Out...

...to Rihanna.

I'm not going to post the picture that's all over the news because I think it's terrible. If I were beaten up by my boyfriend (which would NEVER happen), I would be humiliated, possibly ashamed, and embarrassed - at least initially. Knowing me, I would later speak out against abuse and try to help other women. I just can't imagine Rihanna's face when she turned on the news/internet/TV and saw her battered face looking back at her. I bet she feels so lost right now within all the publicity and the news. No matter what happened, no matter what she said to him or what he said to her there is no excuse for abuse at any time.

I'm going to end this post with some information:

If you or someone you know is being abused, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or email them at ndvh@ndvh.org. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, call 800-787-3224 (TTY) or email deafhelp@ndvh.org.

xoxo,

Julie

My Skinny Friend Who Doesn't Get Fat

We all have them right?

Well, tonight my skinny friend who doesn't get fat and I went out to TGI Friday's for dinner because I had a buy one entree get one free coupon (get yours here!). We arrived to the restaurant and the whole time I'm trying to convince myself not to eat bad.

In my head: "Julie, don't get poorly! You'll regret it later because you still have to run tonight."

Then, I have my skinny friend who doesn't get fat saying, "Ohhh food! I'm SOOO HUNGRY! I'm so hungry that we can't wait for our dinner. We need appetizers. How about some fried green beans?"

In my head: "Julie, you don't need an appetizer! Just wait for the entree!"

Skinny friend who doesn't get fat: "Okay, fried green beans it is!"

Later in the dinner...

Skinny friend who doesn't get fat: *points to dessert menu* "Ohhhhhh look at those desserts! I want this one, this one or this one... which do you want?"

In my head: "You do NOT NEED DESSERT. You are full! Your brain is telling you that you're full!"

Skinny friend who doesn't get fat: Brownie ice cream it is!

I love my skinny friend who doesn't get fat but I ate so much tonight. I wish I had more self-control. I still have to run tonight and I plan to around 10. Ugh - it's gonna be hard!

xoxo,

Julie

I Wear a Size Short

Today (well, Wednesday... as I type this it's 1:00 am on a Thursday), I went to the mall with one goal in mind:

Find sexy yet professional and petite (I'm short) dress pants for Boston next week, on a budget. Sounds simple right?

Wrong.

My first stop was to head into New York and Company because this past summer, I purchased two pairs of cropped dress pants and I absolutely love them. I walked into the store around 11:30 am and it was completely empty except for two sale ladies who proceeded to ignore me even though I was their only customer. Fine, whatever - I didn't want to be bothered because I was on a mission. I head over to the pants section and pull out a few different pairs. I head to the dressing room and none of them fit me. I thought they were all too small so I went and got a different size. Then, I had to do this about 3 times until I finally gave up. Each style was so different and I didn't have time to guess my size for crying out loud! New York and Company, you really disappointed me! So warning to you ladies: Don't buy their dress pants online! Try that shit on first.

Next, I head into Express where they simply do not have my size in a short. Gah! Is my size very popular or something? And why is it that on most of the coolest/newest styles, they don't even make a short pant? Not everyone is a regular size!

I gave up. It sucks when all I wanted was some hot dress pants but noooo, not possible. I did find some luck though (yes, this story gets a tad better) on Express's website. They carry some short sizes in new styles - even a wide pant! Yay.

Does anyone else struggle with this? I know you do! What's annoying is that on What Not to Wear, Stacy and Clinton would tell us to get everything hemmed. Who has that kind of money? I sure don't!

Oh the frustrations.

Julie

BOCA Giveaway Winner!

Hey everyone!

Thank you so much for entering my BOCA giveaway! There was a total of 54 valid entries to win this:

Using the Truly Random Number Generator, I picked the winner. The winner is...







kara battel from Battel Family! kara said:

"i love any 1 of the breakfast items-- during the week they are fantastic!

love your blog by the way"

Thanks kara and congrats! I will send you an email to get the process rolling :-) Thanks again to everyone who entered and especially to BOCA for making this giveaway possible!

xoxo,

Julie

Last Chance to Enter My Giveaway!

Hey readers!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway by midnight tonight! Enter at this post.

Okay, I'm off to run now :-)

xoxo,

Julie

Landfills and Baked Lays

There are two major changes/movements happening in the world today:

1. Care more for our environment (less garbage):


2. Eat in individualized portions to control our eating habits:

Does anyone else see a conflict of interest or is it just me?

My solution? Buy these:

It literally takes a minute to put food into a glass storage container.

Any questions? ;-)

xoxo,

Julie

My Morning

Yesterday, I got notified that I had an int*rpreting job for today and as usual, they sent me the address of a government building (there's only one of them) in SE DC. Last night, I went onto the metro trip planner website to figure out my metro plans for today. The website did not recognize the address (said it didn't exist) but suggested that it was in NW and not SE. The building I was going to is very well known building in DC so therefore, I suspected that the metro website would know and that my agency made a mistake (which is normal). To be sure, I checked Google Maps and they said the specific office/building was in NW as well so I went along with that. Reliable resources right?

Wrong. I ended up walking around NW looking for this government building in my heels...

...for 30 minutes until finally I asked a cross guard where this building was. I told her I was directed to NW by Google Maps and she said that the metro website AND Google Maps have the address wrong. I was furious but I couldn't decide who I was furious at. Google Maps and the metro website I suppose because they didn't recognize the damn address and have the wrong address for this government building! I talked to the meeting coordinators of my job and explained the situation. Luckily they were extremely understanding and it turned out that the meeting was started at 10 am instead of 8:30 am. Yes! So I proceeded to get back on the metro...

...and finally ended up to where I was supposed to be. Thank goodness. By this point, I was frigid and thinking about the blog post I would write regarding this experience. The job went well (even though I was completely scatterbrained by the time I arrived) and I left around 12:30. I thought it was all smooth from there but that was until I walked up to my car. I proceeded to trip over my heels and almost made a nose dive into the concrete. I saved myself but it was utterly awkward because the way I saved myself was so incredibly dramatic. Behind me was this army soldier woman walking in her uniform and she made a face like she wanted to laugh. I mumbled something stupid like "Oh my, that would have been bad if I fell!" I felt like a complete moron.

When I saw my car, it was like a mirage - it couldn't be real. Then, I turned on the ignition and it was! Now, I'm back home all curled up in a blanket watching Ellen.

That was my morning - I hope yours was better. What is it with DC transportation?

xoxo,

Julie

P.S. Don't forget to enter my giveaway! You know you want to... ;-)

You Knew It Was Coming...

...I knew what you were thinking when you walked through Nordstroms or another high-end store carrying none other but Marc by Marc Jacobs.

You, my readers, had to be anticipating my excitement over the delicious colors and new shapes of the handbags... drool. Here are my two favorites:

Marc by Marc Jacobs 'Softy Pocket Front - Small' Tote in pale grey. Isn't it amazing and perfect for spring? Also, look at the metal writing in cursive - awesome!

Marc by Marc Jacobs Posh Turnlock - Dot' Dome Satchel in mint or yellow, which do you like better?

Is there any bag you really want (but maybe can't afford - like me) for spring?

kisses,

Julie

Muppets Having Sex Plus Extras

Hello loves,

This weekend was the kind of weekend I'd like to rewind, stop, and play again. From Friday night to Sunday evening it was awesome. Maybe it's because I have a fantastic boyfriend with a red beard? Possibly yes. Friday night we saw Avenue Q at the Warner Theater in DC and met up with my cousin Alyse and her bf (they're an adorable couple).

That's us right before the show started. Avenue Q was hilarious because we saw muppets having sex, cursing, and talking about life in a strange but very weird way. If you don't understand, download "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist" from the soundtrack. You'll thank me later. It's also important to mention that Dan and I went to McDonalds after the performance. Typically, I hate McDonalds, but I was craving it like woah so I got nuggets, a cheeseburger, and fries all for $3. Gotta love it.

Saturday, Dan and I lazily awoke in a happy Valentine's Day daze. It's definitely something about the day dedicated to lovin' that put him and I in the mood for a lovey dovey holiday. I know many of us perceive V-day as a Hallmark holiday (and I typically agree) but considering he and I had a rockin' time and just spend $20 each (our broke-ass limit) I know there is more to it than that. That night (after my run - thanks for the comments btw, my run today was awesome with no "mishaps"), Dan cooked me fajitas. He said he didn't do anything other than add taco seasoning, but they were incredible. He is a better cook than I am and it's hard for me to admit! We also exchanged our $20 presents. I got him a T-Shirt with the word "Meh" on it. For the back story on this, see this post.

Funny right? I found it on Think Geek. My gift didn't match Dan's gift to me. He got me my VERY OWN DRAWER in his closet complete with ribbon! Confused? Here ya go:

See the ribbon? That's MY drawer now - muhahahaha! He also got me some goodies to put inside the drawer:

The drawer included: 2 pairs of guy boxers (love to wear them at his house!), my favorite body lotion (Jergen's Cherry Almond Scent), a red Nalgene bottle, 2 candy bottles (yum!), 2 scarves (a black one - since I lost my other black one - and a white pretty one), and Puma socks! Pretty awesome - now I'm all prepared to stay at Dan's house.

Today, I saw Shopaholic with my girl friends. The movie was good but not as good as I hoped. I read (well, "listened" to some of the books as an audiobook) and I guess I was hoping for more. But you can never compare a movie to a book right? After the movie, we went to California Pizza Kitchen and I got the Thai Chicken Pizza which was amazing and I have leftovers for tomorrow - yum!

In other news, I made a Twitter friend named ForeverApril awhile back and on Saturday night she launched her website: Glimmer. Gloss. Glow. It's incredible! On the website you'll find video makeup tips, advice, product reviews, and giveaways! Please go check it out and support her website. You won't be let down - it has the Wearing Mascara seal of approval ;-)

Speaking of websites, I am still working on my redesign which should be up and running soon. We're still figuring out the exact design (and I'm picky which is never helpful!).

Well readers, I'm off to bed. I'm zonked from this weekend! Don't forget to enter out my giveaway! It's super simple to enter and for a great brand.

kiss-kiss,

Julie

My "Interesting" Run and a Question for Runners

Warning: TMI ahead

As most of you know, I'm training for the Cherry Blossom which is hilarious because I do not consider myself a runner.

Today, I started off my 42 minute run (1 minute walk, 6 minute run x 6) and I was feeling good. So good that I was creating this beautiful blog post in my head. Something like "today was the day I realized I could actually do this", etc etc. The run was good, don't get me wrong. There was just a "minor" mishap. I was about 2/3 finished when I really had to go to the bathroom. Like really, really, bad. It wasn't just running gas... it was something else. Something I don't want to mention on this post. Anyways, I tried to run it out and let it go but I just couldn't! It got so bad that I couldn't run and instead had to walk back to Dan's house as quickly as possible.

Question for all you runners: Are there foods to avoid before a run? Here's what I had this morning/afternoon:

Water
2 eggs
2 pieces of toast
1 glass of milk (I'm thinking it could have been this. I don't drink milk often although I know I should so maybe my body was surprised?)

Sorry for the TMI post on Valentine's Day.

xoxo,

Julie

Facebook Stalker: Ex-BF Edition

I am a Facebook stalker and I am not afraid to admit it. That's probably why I'm into blogging eh?

I recently noticed that my ex-boyfriend... let's call him Butthole... broke up with his girlfriend. We'll call her Buttlette. At first, I had thoughts of "aww that sucks" because it does, right? I figured they would be dealing with break-up issues, etc and while I can't stand Butthole, he is still human.

Let me back up. When Butthole and I broke up after a 20-month relationship, I was devestated (now, I'm relieved - thank GOD I'm not with him!) because I thought he was cheating on me with a girl he worked with. I never actually found out if he was cheating, but he ended up dating that girl (Buttlette) a month after we broke up. Throughout the time they were dating, I noticed (through facebook) that this other girl kept writing on his wall and such. Honestly, I felt bad for Buttlette because I'm sure she could have been jealous of this girl who was writing on his wall (we'll call her Dicklette).

Butthole and Butlette dated for a long time (since we broke up which was uhh... can't remember but it was a long time ago) before they broke it off. Honestly, I chuckled a little but knew that Butthole could never be single for long and I was right. Guess who he is dating now? Dicklette! HA! I always knew something was going on with them from his Facebook wall. He is such a tool.

Wow, Facebook is better than celebrity gossip sometimes. I hope Buttlette is over Butthole because I'm sure she could do better. In fact, from the looks of comments on her wall she has a date for tomorrow night. Go Buttlette!

P.S. Enter my super-cool-awesome giveaway on this post!

My Night Ended In a GIVEAWAY for YOU!

Awhile back, I was invited to a BOCA DC Blogger Spa Night (for free!) thanks to Maxie. Only 20 people were invited and to be honest, I didn't know why I was invited! How am I special? I just did not feel worthy until Maxie got in touch with me asking if I replied to the invite. I decided to go only knowing one person: Maxie through blogging.
Yesterday was a looong day and after a very long ass class, I ended up in NW DC trying to find the Nusta Spa where the event was located. Finally, I found the place and when I walked in the doors, I just felt unworthy! The spa was beautiful and there tons of food and unlimited drinks from a bar. It was catered and of course had mini BOCA burgers as part of the feast. Here's a terrible iPhone picture of some of the food (my camera's battery was dead!):

Everyone was so nice and we socialized and chatted about whatever. Throughout the course of the event, we could get massages, meditate, or get a mani or a pedi (for FREE). I got a massage and woahhhhh my back is STILL in heaven. The masseuse (holy crap, I spelled that word on my first try!) was great and asked me how much pressure I wanted (tons!), etc. The chair massages were in the hallway near where the other girls were and honestly, the whole time I was scared that my pants were too low in the back and that my thong was popping out. Yes, that's what I thought about the whole time. Oh well, it still rocked.

It also must be said that the bathroom was amazing. So in true Wearing Mascara fashion, I took some iPhone pictures:




When the event was over, we left and went to a bar closeby. I wish I didn't have anything today because I would have stayed out with these awesome ladies I just met. I didn't mention this, but the bathroom had tampons galore... so Maxie stole some:

All in all it was a pretty sweet night that I felt totally unworthy for. The ladies at BOCA were incredible - so warm and friendly. At the end of the night, we could take 2 gift bags: One for me and One for YOU. What does that mean?

I'm hosting a BOCA giveaway! You could win this:

It includes many BOCA goodies including a Yoga mat and other ways for you to live better (it's pretty sweet!). How do you win? It's SIMPLE... just leave a comment on this post. In your comment you must have:

1. Your email
2. Your favorite BOCA product from their website

You must have both 1 and 2 to enter! You have until Wednesday, February 18th at midnight to enter! Goooood luck and feel free to post about it on your blogs!

xoxo,

Julie

Top 10 Worst Gifts to Give Your Guy

Happy almost Valentine's Day everyone!

Since we're two days away, I think it's time I share my Top 10 Worst Gifts to Give Your Guy for Valentine's Day. If you have already bought any of these, have no fear because there is still time to return them! Here they are:

10. The movie Mama Mia! This movie may have been your favorite summer blockbuster but that doesn't mean it should be added to his movie collection.


9. A gym membership. Seriously? There are other ways to tell your guy to "go to the gym". For his sake, save it for another day. (Until then, burn calories elsewhere wink, wink).

8. Diamond earrings for you to wear for him. Um... ladies? This is a no-no. While they look pretty on you what benefit does it do for him? Try some lingerie.

7. Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana concert tickets. Save these for your niece.

6. A manicure/pedicure. While we all can't stand when our guy has dirty finger nails, I doubt he would want his nails professionally done. Save this for your best friend and until then, lotion up his hands yourself! I bet he would enjoy that ;-)

5. A SeXy Mens Black Mesh Short. This is just wrong. Very, very wrong.

4. A vegetable platter. Unless there are porn DVD's hidden within the veggies, this is a plain no-no. Questions? See number 9.

3. Viagra. If you're going to go this route, buy porn or attend couples therapy instead (just not on Valentine's Day!).

2. A tattoo of his name somewhere on your body. Hmm... maybe stick with a cute flower or butterfly instead?


1. A Penis Enlarger. With 3 easy payments of $55, your guy will dump you for sure! This is not a good idea for Valentine's Day (or any other day for that matter!).

Any gift ideas that I'm missing?

xoxo,

Julie

Audiological Madness

Recently, I had a very interesting experience: I had my hearing tested for my Audiology class. It was nothing like in elementary school because apparently that was just a "screening" and this was a full on test. I brought along my deaf friend with me because she had to observe in order to get credit for the same activity. This girl is profoundly deaf - can't hear anything except an airplane (maybe) so it's best that I got the test.

Man, technology has changed over the years! The test was neat but also very annoying because at one point, they were just sending vibrations and pure tones through your ears to see how your ear drum reacts. It wasn't the typical "raise your hand when you hear a sound" thing (that came later!), but instead it was just annoying. Basically, my politeness with the nice graduate student stopped about 10 minutes into the beeping. It got even more annoying with the probing and adjusting of my ear piece thing-a-mabobber. The worst was when they tested my threshold of loudness. They told me to wave at them when the sound got so loud I couldn't handle it. Once my ear drums starting vibrating uncontrollably, I knew I had enough and waved my arms like a deranged barbie (a deranged barbie has become the theme of my posts recently).

The test took an hour and a half and when I was done, I whipped on out of there with messy hair and my ears ringing as fast as I could.

The news? I'm still hearing.

Awesome.

Happy Birthday Mom!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

isn't she radiant right before her wedding?

with Liam (her grandson) while he's yawning. this picture always makes me smile!

This post is dedicated to my amazing mom who reads this blog on a regular basis. Every time I talk to her she says, "I read your blog today! Great stuff!" She is my biggest supporter and no matter what choices I make - good or bad, she is right behind me. She is the person I call on a daily basis about my successes and failures and provides great insight. Someday, I hope to be at least half of the woman she is while providing love and support to my future children the same way she does to my sisters and I.

Happy birthday, Mom! I hope this one is super and that you pamper yourself today or plan a major shopping trip. I'm sorry I can't be there but I foresee a visit happening very soon! I love and miss you!

Love, Julie

Woah, Shiny Legs

Hey everyone!

Boy, I am wiped out! I spent the whole day in Philadelphia in a 5-hour interview for a possible internship placement. It went pretty well although I found myself stumped on some questions - but it's a learning experience right? I probably being too hard on myself which isn't uncommon. As soon as I was dismissed, I rushed around Philadelphia to find a cheesesteak and a soft pretzel. When I bought a cheesesteak, I was surprisingly disappointed. I ordered the kind with cheese whiz (ya I know - so healthy!) and it seemed like they didn't put any on. This made me sad but my mood brightened when I bought a soft pretzel:

from the Philly Pretzel Factory. It was delicious and literally melted in my mouth - a great end to a productive day in Philly! Next time, I'm going to try their cinnamon flavor.

Are you guys all caught up with the Rihanna and Chris Brown incident? If not, read this for updated information - it's all still vague. I hope Ri is okay!

In other news, last night I caught an episode of Jay Leno because he interviewed Heidi and Spencer Pratt. I just had to see this considering Jay always makes fun of them and they are ridiculous. The interview was superficial (of course), but it was hard to focus on nothing but Heidi's LEGS. They were SHINY. BARBIE DOLL SHINY. Did anyone see this? Did she pour vegetable oil all over her legs before her interview? Yikes. If you missed it, catch it here:



Okay loves, I'm off to go burn my cheesesteak and pretzel calories by running. Make sure to check out Good Gals, Inc today because her product was on the Today Show today - so amazing and inspiring!

xoxo,

Julie

Sudden Urge

In Audiology class today, we went in depth about how it's unhealthy to use a cue-tip to clean out your ear.

I knew this. I have always known this.

Why all the sudden do I have the urge to clean my ear with a cue-tip?

Gross I know. Sorry.

*UPDATE*

I emailed my professor about this and here is her reply:

The official word is not to ever use a Q-tip because of the potential damage it can do. The wax, dirt, and dead skin will eventually migrate outward until is falls out of your pinna (or you clean it out). There are people who have serious problems with overproduction of ear wax and need to use the over-the-counter cerumen removal products or have it removed by an audiologist or a doctor. Not all audiologists are comfortable removing wax although it is in our scope of practice.

So, cue-tips are bad news :-) I still have the urge though...

Chris Brown Incident

Have you guys heard about Chris Brown's arrest during the Grammy's?

Apparently, a "woman" called in a alleged assault and when police arrived, a "woman" appeared battered and not in good shape. The speculation is that he assaulted Rhianna... yikes. I hope it's not true! They were both supposed to perform at the Grammy's last night and never showed.

What do you think?

Starting My Monday Off Right..

This will be quick because my Audiology class is about to start. I just arrived on campus and parked my car. Before I left the parking lot, I decided to dispose of my banana peel before it rots in my car (which has happened before). I had my banana peel and my iPhone in the same hand and proceeded to drop my iPhone in the trash along with my peel. GROSS! I was then forced to take the lid off of this public trash can and sift through all the wet, gooey trash to finally find my phone. No, it was not happily lying on top. The weight of it forced it to the bottom. My hands and part of my jacket was covered in filth! Luckily when I entered the building, I saw a custodial cart and stole some anti-bacterial spray (well, I hope it was anti-bacterial!) and cleaned my phone and washed my hands.

What a way to start the week off! ;-)

Julie

Weekend, Philly, and Michael Phelps

This weekend flew by mostly because I was having fun. Friday night, my friend S celebrated her birthday at Cafe Asia in Clarendon. This restaurant was perfect for many reasons:

1). The food was amazing. Per S's recommendation, I order the Pad Thai and it was so delicious. I guess it's one of their specialty's. My mouth is watering thinking about it.

2). Cafe Asia will accommodate anyone! We had a party of about 15 and apparently, they've accommodated about 40 before. They'll do anything.

3). The price is right. My Pad Thai was only $10 and I had leftovers for lunch the next day!

So, if you live in the DC area you must make a visit to Cafe Asia. Saturday, I already told you about my swinging moves so I'll skip that. That day, I also had a great run (50 degrees!) and then Dan and I watched Scrubs that night while drinking some Miller Lites. All in all - a great Saturday! Today was a lazy day which included a run, the Grammy's and chillaxin'.

This week will bring me an adventure because on Tuesday, I have an interview in Philly! I'm making a day trip and besides that, I have no other plans. I had to waste the trip on just a day, but I don't have a place to stay overnight so what will be will be. I plan to accomplish two very important things though:

1) Eat a cheesesteak
2) Buy (or eat if I'm not full from #1) a soft pretzel

Okay my time has come to go shower, lotion up, and get into bed (oh and read for school - eek!). Remember to visit Danielle's new website (see the post below). Before I leave you, please check out Seth Meyers take on the Michael Phelps incident. Hilarious!



Cheers,

Julie

The Design Girl and $20 Off Designs!

Hey readers!

My friend Danielle just launched her NEW blog design site, The Design Girl (previously Blogs by Danielle). She has a new domain, new design and new everything! Along with blog design, she'll be offering stationary too. Go Danielle!


Oh and guess what?

She is offering my readers $20 off (that's $5 more than her store-wide sale AND the returning customer price) of ANY blog design until February 14! Just make sure you tell her Julie from Wearing Mascara sent you.

So, visit her website, and shoot her an email telling her you want a blog facelift! :-) Keep me updated because I will be wanting to see your new design!

xoxo,

Julie

Swing Dance Drama

Seriously, I love to dance. I really do and sometimes, I actually think I'm pretty good.

Sometimes.

Ever since I started Swing Dance classes at Dan's local gym, I'm starting to think otherwise. Gone is the time where I could dance freely and shake my booty as a freshman in college. Now, I have to follow steps. Steps of which I am oblivious to and know that the phrase "two left feet" applies to me completely.

I don't like to complain, but I must. The dance class is fun but there is a high girl to guy ratio. This means that there aren't enough "leads" aka guys. Dan is a guy and I am a girl (in case you forgot) and this means that I am a "follower" and Dan is a "lead". This also means that the class forces us to not dance together constantly. Instead of keeping your boyfriend you have to rotate the guys instead which is annoying because Dan is such a good dancer! If I could stay with him, I would be phenomenal. Instead, I get to be all "jealous girlfriend" and watch him dance with all these other girls. I'm not really jealous - just more jealous about the fact that they get to learn from him and I should be able to because he came with me! In addition, I am alone probably for more than half the class and dance with my arms in the air like a deranged barbie doll (since there are not enough guys). Grrr...

Okay, enough bitching. Have a good Saturday night! The "lead" is coming over and we're going to watch a movie.

xoxo,

Julie

Sex In 2010

It's official! Carrie, Miranda, Samantha, and Charlotte will be back on the big screen during the summer of 2010, according to E! Online. How did I find out about this? Through Twitter of course (Thank you Miss Heidi).

The sequel I'm sure will be fab and I really hope they incorporate more of this into the movie:

or this...

oops! Is that a butt? I would never put nudity in my blog - never! ;-)

This show always brings joy to my daily life as I know it does for you. Frequently, I make references to the show and since I talk about sex in depth, my friend S refers to me as Samantha. S is definitely Charlotte :-) I relate to all of them in different ways... Miranda's career drive, Charlotte's homeliness, Carrie's purses, and Samantha's openness.

Which lady do you relate to most?

Julie

Tired In Class

I am so tired.

Why did I stay up until 1:30 am last night doing work?

Ah, it's because I procrastinate.

I am so tired that I may spend money at the vending machine for a diet pop (I am trying to save money so this isn't good). Oh and I'm having a bad hair day.

Okay, back to paying attention in class,

Ciao,

Julie

Wearing Excitement

Good evening!

Running really does the body good. I just got back to my apartment after a successful treadmill run and I'm pooped but feel great. I run in my little exercise room downstairs (when I don't go outside) and it's nice but often annoying because there are other people so close by sometimes. I'm lucky to go when no one else is there so I can watch TV and be myself. Maybe I'm being obnoxious? Ah, who knows. Anyways, tonight there were people there and when I arrived, I got on the treadmill (luckily it was free) and awkwardly looked around for the remote. The girl on the elliptical next to me had it so I had to suffer through some sci-fi movie instead of watching my reality TV. Sigh. Anyways, that's besides the point.

I won a Shakespeare's Bride giveaway recently from Saving Money for a Wedding! I am thrilled because it came at the perfect time because my best friend S is getting married in September so I am gifting her these cards! These are the ones she picked out:

Bachelorette Party
Best Man
Rehearsal Dinner
Officiant
Flower girl

Please take a look at each of them because they're fabulous. I can't wait until I get married to pick out cards like these (well, I guess I have to get engaged first eh?).

Well, my plans for the night include cleaning, eating, studying, and sleeping. Just the essentials. I have to wake up early tomorrow for a last minute int*rpreting job at 8 am in the district (I'll have to leave by 7 am - eek!).

Before I leave you, I want to celebrate two awards that I received! I am so sorry that some of these are very belated but thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Both A Preppy Girl Meets World and Montana Musings of a Southern Girl gave me the Honest Scrap award. Thanks ladies!

Here are 10 honest things about myself:

1. I have two lovely sisters and I am stuck in the middle. From this, I have been known to have "Middle Child Syndrome".

2. I struggle with procrastination everyday in my graduate school work.

3. I am an Amer*can S*gn Language interpreter and received my bachelor's in that. Now, I'm doing psych*logy with an emphasis on working with deaf individuals.

4. I love popcorn and make it almost daily on my stove - the old fashion way.

5. I struggle with my weight everyday but have a good body image. I just want to stay healthy and that is my goal. I would actually hate to be super skinny.

6. It's very difficult for me to get out of bed in the morning. However, after the first 15 minutes of my day I am way too awake and super talkative.

7. My boyfriend, Dan, and I are celebrating our 3-year anniversary in March. I can't wait and everyday is better than the last with him.

8. I am obsessed with making sure my grammar in correct in my blogs. I am currently struggling with the possibility of using "and" at the beginning of a sentence. Since a blog is more laid-back, that should be okay right?

9. Last November, I stupidly dyed my hair black. The dye is STILL there at my ends and I wish I never did it. Don't do it! Black hair dye = bad news.

10. Sometimes when I'm in meetings or in class, I secretively makeover people in my head. I always want to call, "What Not to Wear" and hope that Stacy and Clinton randomly show up.

My new real-life and blogger friend Laura from Prone to Wander gave me this friend award. It means so much to me because it's proof that blogging brings you so much. I know Laura and I will get together again soon.

Thanks everyone!

Lovelies, I hope you have a great night. Don't forget to vote for Landlocked Mermaid for the Sweet Sensation Giveaway and vote for Clyde in the Humane Society Online Pet Photo Contest!

Sweet dreams,

Julie

Mamarazzi's Swap: I'm IN!

Hello!

Head on over to Dandelion Wishes to participate in a favorite things swap! This is gonna be great!

867-5309

A night cap:

The famous number 867-5309 is up on eBay and the current bid is $1,000.

Cool, huh? I wish I had a hot number to sell!

Good night,

Julie

My Rat Story: Part One

I've been receiving a lot of questions and comments about my rats so I wanted to do a post dedicated to them. First, let me answer this for you: Why rats?

I was never into rats and never cared much for them but I grew up in a household full of pets. At one point, we had 5 cats, 1 parrot (see picture at the side), 1 dog, 2 frogs, 2 hamsters, 1 guinea pig, 3 ducks (the hung out in our lake and during ice season, they stayed in their duck house that my very talented mom built!), and I'm sure I'm missing another pet.

When I moved to DC, I knew I wanted a pet for myself but hesitated on a typical dog or cat because of the money and time commitment. I did not want a pet that would last 12-16 years because who knows where I would be in that time frame? I started considering a small animal and again, I hesitated. I had owned guinea pigs, hamsters, and hermit crabs in the past I considered them lacking in personality. I was stuck - what do I buy?

I then discussed this with my mom and Dan and they both recommended rats. What? Why rats? At the time, I believed these rumors:

- Rats are smelly
- Rats are dirty
- Rats bite
- Rats are mean
- Rats carry disease

Since mother knows best and Dan is pretty damn smart, I started my research. Here's what I learned:

- Rats are clean. In fact, they clean themselves more than cats do.
- Rats are smart and some people say they are smarter than dogs.
- Rats do not bite unless they are inappropriately trained (like dogs).
- Rats do not carry disease (if you take anything away from this post, take that)
- Rats live 2-5 years (typically 2)
- Rats can eat everything which is great because when you run out of rat food you can give them people food and they're happy.

In the summer of 2006, I decided to adopt two ratties from a breeder (yes, they exist). After reading tons of reviews, I went with Raffinhouse in Toledo. The reason I picked a breeder was because I knew the rats would be healthy and come from a good genetic line. This was important to me for my first set of rats because I had never owned them before. When I first picked them up (when they were 6-weeks old), I fell in love...

This rattie post will be continued. For now, please visit these websites for more information and please vote for Clyde:

Rat Assistance & Teaching Society (organization I belong to)
Dapper Rat (very cute pictures here)
The Rat Fan Club

Vote for Clyde!

Hello!

As most of you know, I'm a HUGE rat lover and miss one of my first ratties, Clyde, so much. I decided that a tribute to Clyde would be a great idea so I entered him in the Humane Society Online Pet Photo Contest.

Please vote for him! It costs a minimum of $5 for five votes and you would be helping the Humane Society spay and neuter pets. I would really appreciate it! Please let me know if you vote! Go Clyde!

"Clyde Romeo"

xoxo,

Julie

P.S. Don't forget to vote for Landlocked Mermaid as well!

Life or Death Situation: PLEASE READ!

Hello everyone,

Dana from Just Talk just did a post about her friends husband, Garrett, who has a rare disease and requires a kidney from a living donor NOW. This person must have O-type blood and be willing to undergo a 3-4 hour surgery. After that, you go on living a completely normal life and Garrett will be able to go about his life too. Please visit this website:

I Need a Kidney Now

They realize that not everyone will want to be a donor, but they are looking anyways for a willing and able person. If anything, please re-post this on your blog or post the info in your church or school.

Please do something proactive! Thank you,

Julie

New Bloggers, Resources, and Twitter

Hello!

I know many of us are new to this whole blogging-thing and some of us are seasoned bloggers. I started this baby back in August and have been addicted ever since. If you are new to this or just want some more information about blogging in general, check out Problogger. This is an excellent resource for all types of bloggers. Don't be fooled: it's not only for bloggers who want to make money, they have resources for all types of blogging. They recently posted a new article especially for new bloggers which included a comprehensive list of resources (websites, books, etc) about beginner blogging.

Also, are you on Twitter? (Off topic: Are you following me? If not, follow away!). If you are a twitter user, follow Darren Rowse who is the guru behind Problogger and has excellent blogging resources on his tweets.

Speaking of Twitter, what is it exactly? I've been noticing that some people are indifferent. Twitter simply asks "What are you doing?" This resembles the Facebook status message although it's different in many ways. First, on Facebook you typically are "friends" with your real-life "friends" or at least people you've met or have a real-life connection to. On Twitter, you can be friends with anyone! For example, here are some of my twitter friends:

Photoexpert who gives daily photography tips
SteelersNFL with Steeler news and information
RunKeeper who gives information about an iPhone app about running
ForeverApril who gives makeup advice
nytimes with updated news you can use
nordstrom is even on Twitter!

What does this mean for you and your blog? Well, free advertising and yet another way to connect. Whenever I create a blog post, I will then "tweet" the post's link. Simple! It's amazing who you will find and who will find you and your blog. For example, do you remember my Nordstrom post? Somehow Nordstrom (on Twitter) found that post before we were Twitter friends and reposted it for me! From that tweet alone, I got new readers. For more information on Twitter, check out TwiTip which Darren Rowse runs as well (this guy is a serious guru!).

One last tid-bit. If you are a new blogger less than a month old, contact Newlywed Stilettos and let her know. She will then introduce you to the blogging world.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me or leave a comment. If I don't know the answer, I will try to find you a resource for it.

hugs and kisses,

Julie

Where Did Nina Go?

Hey readers!

I want to inform you that Nina from Nina Knows Best has moved to According to Nina! Congrats Nina on your new website! If you are reading this, go pay her a visit and add her to your blog roll.

As most of you know, I am working on a website design too and it should be up and running in the next couple weeks. Stay tuned for more information about that! Until then, say "Hi Nina!"

xoxo,

Julie

Sweet Sensation Award: My Nominee

Hello everyone!

I just came across The Reality of Happily Ever After and she is having a very cool award going on. Basically, you have to nominate a fellow blogger that:

...exudes kindness, support of other bloggers and spreads their sweetness like wildfire. While appealing to their audience, they are honest, sincere and stay true their authentic self. Their blog not only entertains, it also offers resources to help people excel in their lives such as using their blog to promote charities, spread the word about bloggers who want to become more well known and doing surprisingly kind things for no reason other than to 'pay it forward' --
This blogger is without a doubt an all around Sweet Sensation.

I thought about this and decided to nominate Landlocked Mermaid because to me, she IS the definition above. I met her this weekend and she is such a doll and is very true to herself. Every time I read her blog I am inspired and I leave feeling happy. She has such positive energy that she not only exerts from her blog but also in real life.

Fellow readers, if you have not visited her blog go now. You will be in for a treat! Please nominate her as well so she can win the lovely prizes! Go Mermaid! :-)

xoxo,

Julie