Facebook Hiatus

It has been 22 days since I've logged into Facebook. I deactivated my account mid September to get away from the cyber addiction and to get more involved in the real world. My boyfriend was going to be away for three weeks with no contact so I decided I wanted to keep busy and active to distract myself from missing him and to help the time pass by more quickly.
It was surprisingly easy to drop this habit. The main reason being, that I picked up another social networking site to fill my habit. Twitter. I spent the last three weeks being very productive in my own life, and the format of Twitter allowed me to tweet a quick blurb about what was going on that day and then move on and do it, rather than sit on Facebook and waste three hours before I realize what time it is.
Facebook appeals to the inner stalker in all of us, that natural human curiosity. You can literally click through pages of random people's photos and updates for hours. With Twitter, other people's lives seem less interesting, and it has allowed me to enjoy the past three weeks much more.
I've even crossed a few things off of my NYC bucket list. I've spent more time with friends, traveled a bit, gotten more sleep, done more cooking and baking at home, made some craft projects like painting coat hooks and hanging them by our front door, and even had time to watch more sports, news, debates and other random tv shows that probably killed brain cells.
So, maybe I did simply substitute one form of social media for another, but I think it did allow me a much needed break from caring more about what's going on in other people's lives than my own. And if that's the only benefit I received, focusing more on my life, then I'd say that's a pretty successful hiatus, wouldn't you?
I should be back on Facebook at some point tomorrow. I reached my goal number of days with ease and could go longer, but I've had quite a few people texting me wondering why I've disappeared off of Facebook and I have an upcoming event that I want to invite some friends to. Facebook isn't all bad. There are plenty of positive reasons to use it, including sending mass event invites. However, if you ever start to feel like you spend more time online than you do with real people in person, why not take a hiatus? See what it's like to go out and not check in everywhere you go. See how it feels to make plans for every night of the week, even if one of those nights your plan is to cook dinner at home, and one night your plan is to bake something new, and one night is to catch up on sleep or call an old friend. There's so many different things we can do and experience. So many opportunities we fail to take advantage of because we waste so much time wondering what everyone else is doing with their lives, that we forget to truly live our own.
Go out and find yourself. Fall off the grid for a bit and simply have some fun, have some you-time, relax more, party more, experience something new, work toward a goal, do something. Anything. But don't waste your time in front of a screen living vicariously through others. Go live!
Xoxo

Rules to survive NYC

After 3 years in NYC, I've learned a few things about city-living. Here is my list, in no particular order, of the rules to surviving.

• Ignore any person who tries to talk to you in the subway or on the streets.
• Walk briskly on the streets, everyone is in a hurry.
• Stand to the right on escalators, walk up on left.
• Hustle, Hustle, Hustle. New Yorkers on average spend half their income on rent alone. Be prepared to work, and work a lot.
• Don't live in Manhattan. There are places to live in Queens and Brooklyn for half the price, and twice the space, with the same or similar commute depending on the area.
• Network! Knowing the right people can get you jobs, free meals, free drinks, and invites to some amazing events.
• Don't give money to homeless people or anyone begging for money. If they're really going to spend that money on food, they'll accept your offer to walk with them to the nearest restaurant/street food vendor to buy them a meal.
• Keep everything in your front pockets, keep your purse zipped. 
• Never carry large amounts of cash, but enough to pay for dinner if the restaurant doesn't accept cards.
• On the tops of cabs, if only their cab number is lit up, they are empty and available. If "OFF DUTY" is also lit up, they won't stop for you. If nothing is lit, someone is already in the back.
• Subways are pretty easy to figure out, grab a map and be sure to double check that the train you are about to get on is headed in the proper direction.
• There are tons of $.99 pizza slice places, don't pay $5 for a plain slice in Times Square.
• Be prepared to walk a lot and use a lot of stairs. Get in shape first, our your legs will be sore.
• Wear flats during your commute, change into heels outside of your destination.
• If you are standing in the middle of a packed subway car, you may need to shout "excuse me" in order to get let off at your stop.
• Always try to barter, especially in shops in china town, with non-yellow cabs, even haggle-down your broker-fee on your apartment.
• If you're carrying large bags/luggage on the subway, use the service door, not the turnstiles.
• Always allow extra time to get everywhere. You never know when a subway delay will happen. You can only get away with blaming the MTA so many times.
• Men can't get into any nice clubs/bars/restaurants in shorts or sandals. 
• There are more women than men in NYC. 41.7% of women in NYC have never been married, the highest percent in the country. Average age of first marriage for women is 28, men 30.
• If you get lost, ask for directions, New Yorkers are actually nice when it comes to giving directions for the most part.
• Don't bother driving in Manhattan. Too much traffic, expensive parking, and tolls, not worth the stress. Take a train or bus instead. If you are moving here, sell your car.
• There's always a ton of free things to do, from summer outdoor movies in Bryant Park, to food festivals, parades, and museums. Do your research. There are websites dedicated to free things going on everyday.
• If visiting, you can save hundreds by staying at a hotel in Queens or Brooklyn instead of Manhattan. Some hotels are only a 10-15 min subway ride to Manhattan.
• Consider unlimited MetroCards for subways and buses. Sold in monthly or weekly values.
• Make friends with locals. If you know people who already live in NYC, they can help show you the best places to go.
• This might be the most important: there are very few public restrooms! McDonalds and Starbucks are unfortunately your best bets. 

That's all for now, I'm sure I will add more as I remember them, or think of new ones to share. Good luck on your visits or if you plan to move here.

xo

Madhattan

A girl about 7 or 8 years old was on the train this morning badgering her distressed father on whether it was called Manhattan or Madhattan. I don't know where she got this from, but it's a commentary on our lack of cheer nonetheless.
Sure you can find nice people in NYC, most of whom were raised in the south and moved up here at one point or another.
There's something about the long commute by crowded, smelly, trains with the occasional crazy bum that puts people in a bad mood. Is it that we just aren't forgiving people? Are we unhappy in other areas of our lives and take out our frustrations on the MTA?
I know if one too many people beg me for money, and turn down the food I offer them, that'll quickly put me in a discouraged, verging on angry mood.
So, maybe we should try to ease our stresses some and enjoy life more. Maybe then we can be a part of the greatest city in the world again, Manhattan, not Madhattan.
Xoxo

Adele Before and After

If you weren't a believer in the magic of hair and makeup, now you will be. I was watching the music video for Chasing Pavements, Adele's first single, and realized just how amazing she looks now. Thanks to a professional team of hair, makeup, stylists, and more! Of course, there's always photoshop as well, but great makeup can go a long way to making someone look and feel ten times better. Check out the before and after I put together. Let me know your thoughts. Do you think she looks better before all natural, or after all the works? I don't mean to come across as shallow, but girl looks amazing now. Since you all know I'm a makeup artist, it should be no surprise that I am in full support of slapping some cake on your face if you get results like this:

xoxo

Deadly Sin #4: Greed

I began writing this blog entry Saturday but had a little case of writers block, saved what little I had, and put it away. Sunday, I went to church and guess what the pastor's sermon was on? Yup, you probably guessed, Greed. He practically wrote this entry for me. You can watch the sermon on UStream at this link: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/21051443
Press pause, let it load for a while and fast forward to the beginning of the sermon at 14 min 30 sec.

God refers to us as rivers several times in the Bible. We should act like rivers in our lives to avoid being greedy. What flows in, should flow out. If we are dammed up, and we keep all that we get, then we are subject to damnation. See the correlation? If not, let me elaborate.
We have made religion about collecting enough God to fill up our dam and then we stop searching for Him, we stop praying, we stop going to church, until our dam is empty and then we go back for more. We have completely perverted the idea of religion. We need to seek Him every day. He is a God of daily bread, not annual bread. If you seek Him once in awhile, your faith, and your fruits, will go stale. God is a renewer. If you use the talents and gifts He's given you, He will multiply them and give you more fruits.
Don't reserve your energy, your gifts, your God, for your use alone. Give them away, use them. God is the source to the river that flows through us. If we forgive, we can receive forgiveness. We loves because God loves. If we do not do these things, we are being greedy. We are attempting to keep the blessings to ourselves. We create damns in our lives of both material things, and spiritual gifts and blessings.

Matthew 6:19-21

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The rules of the Earth say that things decay, rust, break with time. Why would we invest in these things?
Greed is most often assimilated to the excessive desire for money. What about hoarding? Hoarding has been going on for years but is only most recently coming into the public eye as a problem due to television. It creates anxiety and complexity, absorbs time, and causes you to have too many choices, and slows your decision making. We can live simpler lives by de-cluttering them.
How many pairs of shoes do you own? Teeshirts? Handbags? We should give them away as soon as we don't use them anymore. Don't keep them for 10 years until nobody can use them. That is selfish, that is greed.
I am going to go through all of my things here in NYC and donate whatever I don't need or wear anymore to the Salvation Army or another charity that accepts clothing. Then, I am also going to take a few days to go back to CT and go through all of my old things stored at my parents house and give away most of that as well. I'm sure it'll feel like a weight has been lifted, like I accomplished something, that I have less worry and more space!

Matthew 6:24

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

We need to actively change our hearts to only desire God, because your heart gets what it wants. If you focus on material things, you'll get them, but you won't fully receive all of the blessings God has in store for you. If you focus on bad relationships, you'll get them, focused on gossip, you'll get more.
We've discussed giving away material things, what about giving away money? The devil tells you to wait until you have more, to give more. The devil lies. If you believe him, you will only come to realize, that the more you have, the harder it becomes. Mo Money, Mo Problems. Ha.
Back on track, God is the source to our river. The more we give, the more blessings He will bestow upon us. He is a renewer. Don't give more than you have, but give what you can.
Seek the kingdom of God and He will give you all that you need. Thank God and He will give you peace. Peace will help you to make the best decisions of your life. How easy are peaceful decisions? Have you ever made a peaceful decision or do you always doubt your choices, over analyze them, contemplate them even after you've made them? Did you truly seek God before you made these choices?
Don't make decisions based on short-term happiness, but think about long-term. Don't keep something because you want it, even if you don't need it, or if it's not good for you, because in the long-run, it will end up wasted. Don't hold onto relationships that you know aren't healthy and in line with what God wants for your life. Isn't that being greedy as well, if we hold onto someone that we know we should just give away?
Be a river, not a dam. God is the source of our river and He will always provide us with what we need. God tests, the devil tempts. Make peaceful decisions by letting go, and letting God take control. Seek Him for all of your needs. Seek Him daily, and He will give you your daily breads, and fruits, and blessings, and gifts, and talents, and relationships, and forgiveness and love. The more you give, the more you will get, but don't forget that you have to then give again.

xoxo

Deadly Sin #3 Gluttony

When you first think of gluttony, you assume it only refers to over eating, and becoming over weight. However, if you've read any of my other entries on the seven deadly sins, you know already that I'm not going to focus on the obvious. What is the point of reading something you already know about? Why not explore something new and make yourself think?
Could gluttony really just refer to the general idea of not taking care of one's own body? Since the Bible refers to one's body as a temple; that Jesus lives in your heart and soul, you should take care of your temple and do what it takes to keep it in shape. There are many things that you can do to commit gluttony. Abusing alcohol, drugs, or other known dangers is one thing that comes to mind. Over indulging in anything that is not good for your body is a bad decision. It's not only about what you're putting in, but what you're getting out of it. What benefit do these things have to your spirit? Don't they only satisfy your flesh?
I know I've said before, that many of the seven deadly sins are related and intertwined. For instance, if we've discovered that it is gluttonous, to over indulge yourself in a heavy meal, and a long nap, and your favorite TV sitcoms for hours without exercise, is that not also sloth? What about once we know something is wrong with our health, yet we stubbornly do nothing to attempt to heal it? Is refusing to see a doctor, a sin? It could very well be. God tells us to take every measure to preserve life. If we don't, we are disobeying him. If we stubbornly think we will be fine on our own, is that not also prideful and boastful? There can be many sins at work at the same time, in one action, in one thought.
It is best to try to avoid all of these sins, to take care of yourself, to know your temple's needs and to work to meet those needs. Do not over indulge in your cravings, whatever they may be. By nature, we crave things that are not good for us. We need to implore more self-control.
xoxo

Deadly Sin #2: Lust

Before the new year I started a series of blogs on the seven deadly sins. One sin blog down, and I had to take some time off from blogging to focus on myself. I went through a breakup of a 5 year relationship, and handled it surprisingly well, actually. I wanted to spend some time with friends, rekindling the spark that the old Michelle used to have. I feel back to my truly happy state. So, get ready for a flood of blogs!

The second deadly sin I want to discuss is Lust. According to Wikipedia, lust is defined as an emotional force that is directly associated with the thinking or fantasizing about one's desire, usually in a sexual way. The thing I want to emphasize is that it is usually related to sex, but it doesn't have to be. You can lust after many things. 

You can lust after someone else's job or career. You can lust after finding a rich man to marry you. You can lust after anything really. You can even show lust through prayer, which may be the worst type of lustful sin to commit. Have you ever prayed something similar to, "Please Lord, help me win the lotto so that I can finally buy that car I've been wanting?" This is lustful prayer.

James 4:2-3

You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

This type of lust, is similar to greed, and envy. They are all related really. You envy what someone has, you lust after it, and then you greedily keep it for yourself. 

We can lust after positive things as well, but this falls into sin, when we fail to give it up to God and let Him be the one that chooses when/if we receive it. God answers all prayers, but sometimes, that answer is no. We shouldn't question God, and continue to lust after the same things long after we've realized that maybe what we want is not part of His plan for our lives. 

Yes, there is the sin of sexual lust, all over the world, and it is becoming more and more prevalent, and more and more acceptable in society. However, I wanted to focus this entry on the non-sexual context of the word lust. A context in which most people will never think about; where you can lust after anything, but any lust is wrong.

xoxo

Makeup Tutorials

If you are interested in learning new makeup application techniques or want to try and do makeup for the first time, YouTube is a great resource! My friend has a makeup tutorial channel that you can check out. Best of all, it's free! Plus, you will learn something useful, instead of just watching videos of cute kittens.
Watch and Subscribe!




xoxo

Picking Up the Pieces

A good friend of mine recently recommended I watch the video below. While watching I realized something possibly more profound than what the video itself implies. Not only can God pick up the broken pieces and turn them into something beautiful and new, but He can do much more. He can return the broken object to its original form.
Alone, we can try to glue back the pieces, mend the tears in our relationships, erase those words we wish we never said, rewind the tape on that last fight, etc, etc. However, alone, it never comes out perfect. That glass vase you tried to glue back together, will always have a leak, will never look as perfect as it did before it fell onto the floor and smashed. It is damaged both in it's usefulness and in it's beauty.
God is the only one who has the ability to take a broken vessel, and repair it to its original perfection. He can take away all of your sin, guilt, and pain. He can mend your relationships. He can make you perfect again. Without Him, we end up like broken pieces of glass on the floor, we try to put the pieces of our lives back together again, but alone, the pieces don't match up, and we feel a void, and we can never fill the leaky holes.
I know that was a lot of symbolism in one blog, but I hope you understand my comparison. The main point is to understand that without God, we try to fill voids in our lives with other things to give us happiness, and it never works. The only way to feel the relief of guilt, shame, hurt, abandonment, whatever you are feeling, is through Him. There is nothing else in this world with as lasting effects. Be blessed. I hope you like the video.

http://youtu.be/gT-QWSxV0Hs

xoxo

Beauty Must-Haves for 2012!

Great recommendations on a few of my old and new favorites!

Lips:

• Urban Decay Lipstick in Sellout (nice natural lip color and smells amazing!)
• Stila Long Wear Lip Color in Exhilarating (hot pink matte long wear, bold color!)
• Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain in Always Red 01 (perfect matte red for any complexion, long wear!)
• Nars Velvet Matte Jumbo Lip Pencil in Dragon Girl and Damned (Dragon Girl is an amazing bright matte red, and Damned is the perfect berry for medium to dark skin tones.)

Cheeks:

• Smashbox Halo Highlighting Wand in Gold (easy to use, beautiful, shimmery highlight, doubles as an awesome eye shadow primer!)
• Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Blissful and Flush (Blissful is the perfect peachy coral blush that works on any fair to medium skin tone. Flush is perfect for very dark skin tones that like a pop of pink on the cheek. Great pigment and long wear in all of the colors.)
• Guerlain Terracotta Light Sheer Bronzing Powder in Brunette 02 (slightly shimmery, zero orange pigment, multi-colored for a balanced bronze)

Eyes:

• Stila Prime Pot (thick, long wear, crease-proof eye primer in two shades for your skin tone)
• Smashbox Photo Op Eye Enhancing Palette (3 different palettes based on your eye color, rich velvety, high-pigmented shadows, 6 shades in each, some matte and some shimmer.)
• Givenchy Phonomen'Eyes Mascara in 1Black (unique sphere brush catches every lash and gives length, curl and volume!)
• Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner in Black (Best liquid eyeliner ever! Never smudges, easy marker tip applicator, amateurs welcome!)
• Smashbox Limitless Eye Liner Pencil in Java (dark brown, almost black shade gives definition without being harsh, waterproof, and smudge proof, comes with a sharpener built into the cap for sharpening on the go.)

Complexion:

• Too Faced Primed and Poreless Face Primer (makes skin super soft and fills fine lines and pores for a smooth finish for your foundation, increases the wear of your foundation, also is slightly tinted to even skin tone.)
• Lancome Effacernes Waterproof Concealer (full coverage in a smooth, skin-like liquid formula)
• Nars Sheer Glow Foundation (good for drier skin types, huge range of colors, skin-like finish, medium coverage)
• Makeup Forever Duo Mat Foundation Powder (good for more oily skin types, medium to full coverage in a oil-absorbing powder)

Skin care:

• Ole Henriksen Truth To Go Wipes (your all in one wipe for when you are too tired at night to go through your regimen, these are makeup removing, cleansing, brightening, firming, moisturizing, all in one all-nature wipe and they smell delicious!)
• Caudalie Instant Foaming Cleanser (removes all makeup and dirt and oils, from an all-natural line)
• Algenist Concentrated Reconstructing Serum (resurfaces the skin for a youthful more radiant look)
• Clinique All About Eyes Serum De-Puffing Eye Massage (2 extra hours of sleep in a magic tube! You can feel it cool and tighten the under eye in the morning after too little sleep!)
• First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream (great moisturizer for dry skin)
• Murad Oil-Control Mattifier SPF 15 (great for oily skin)
• Peter Thomas Roth Sulfur Cooling Mask (great as a blemish spot treatment or for large breakouts, dries up pimples fast!)
• Ole Henriksen Micro/Mini Peel System (3-step facial at home on your day off, all natural line, leaves skin glowing!)

Hope you give some of these products a try! Come into Sephora at 5 Times Square, NYC for a complimentary consultation on any one of these products!

xoxo

Holiday gifts to yourself!

Today I splurged with a Mani/pedi just in time for Christmas weekend. Of course, my toes are red for the holiday, but I went with a more natural creamy light pink for my hands for a more professional and simple look. They say to always match your polish on your fingers and toes, but, I'm not walking around in flip-flops on the streets of NYC when it's 35 degrees out.
Two weeks ago I bought a Groupon deal on an hour long massage at a spa in the city. I haven't made my appointment yet, but after the holidays are over, I'll be laying face down for some much needed relaxation.
The next gift I am shopping for myself will be a sexy New Year's Eve dress. Originally I was going to go for a classic gold sequined glitz dress, but I might stand out more in another color. What are your thoughts? I was thinking about blue sequins instead? Let's see what I can find in the stores after Christmas.
Did you forget to buy a gift for yourself this year? I am all for giving gifts to your friends and family, but don't forget to give yourself a gift as well. After all, you may not receive everything you had on your list for Santa, so if there is anything left you're craving, spoil yourself!
A little retail therapy only hurt those with credit cards in their freezers. If you can't afford to spend any extra money on yourself, spend some time to yourself. Take a day off of work, send the kids to their grandparents, put your school books away, sleep in, light candles, give yourself a facial, and take a bath. How often do we actually get to take a bath anymore instead of a shower?
This fast-paced 21st century is so focused on fast food, fast travel, immediate satisfaction, that we forget how enjoyable it can be to do nothing.
Happy holidays! I hope you all get what you wished for Christmas this year and get to spend some quality time with your family and friends eating lots of home cooked food!
Xoxo

Best holiday gifts for your girlfriend

Every girl is different but this is my generic list of what to give and what to avoid.

1. Perfume. Pick out something she doesn't already have, but that is in a similar scent category. You can do this online by searching what notes are in the fragrance she currently wears and then seeing what other fragrances have similar notes. Also, at Sephora they have a computer that takes the guess work out of it. If you know one fragrance she likes, they can tell you a variety of others she'll enjoy as well.
My top picks for best-sellers this Christmas will be, Dior Addict to Life, Bulgari Omnia Crystalline, Vera Wang Love Stuck, all of the Juicy Couture, all of the Marc Jacobs.

2. Jewelry. You have to be very careful with this one. If you've been with your girlfriend for a long time, and there is any inclination that she may be anticipating an engagement ring, do not get her any other type of jewelry. Jewelry is a great gift for your wife, or your new, or relatively new girlfriend, but any girl in between will be disappointed in any type of jewelry you get her other than that rock.

3. Watches, purses, sunglasses, shoes, other accessories. These are specific to the girl. Listen for clues. She will likely want some type of accessory for Christmas so find out what specifically she'd like and double check on that with her friends or family. Most girls have a purse, or other accessory in mind that they'd like to have, figure out what it is!

4. Bath & Body stuff. It's not a good idea to get just any bath and body stuff for your girlfriend. She wants to know you've been listening to her and you know her. If she mentions liking a certain scent and that she just ran out, then she'll appreciate that you were listening, but other than that she will just feel like you don't know her. It is great to give to family members who you may be stumped on what to get them, or friends who are just exchanging simple gifts, but it doesn't read intimate and thoughtful. It is more of a friend gift than a girlfriend gift.

5. Clothing. Again, this can be tough. First step is to notice colors, styles, and stores she likes to shop in. The simplest thing to do is check the size on a dress of hers, and buy a nice cocktail dress in a color she likes to wear, and a style similar to what she wears. You can ask her friends for help with this as well. When giving a girl clothes, you need to have a reason behind it. Say, I bought you this dress to wear on our next date and I plan on taking you out to dinner at "such and such" and then going to see "this show, movie, concert, etc." It is okay to include dates as gifts, if it is something a bit out of the ordinary. In my opinion, a slice of pizza, is not a substitute for a Christmas present, or any other holiday for that matter. which brings me to...

6. Tickets. Planning a romantic date is a great gift. Taking her to see a show she's been talking about, taking her on a mini-vacation, planning a day-trip, all of these show her that you thought about the gift and took the extra steps to plan something special that she will remember. Christmas time is full of romantic activities, from ice skating, to sledding, renting a log cabin, watching Christmas light displays, going to see the Nutcracker or another Christmas show. Any of these things will score you big points.

7. Spa Day. Just as you want to have your guy-time, football games with the boys, boys night out for billiards, etc, girls like to have girl-time. We want to be pampered and relax. A spa package with a massage will tell your girl that you want her to enjoy herself and take some of the stress off after the holidays. Some girls don't like getting pedicures, due to ticklish feet, so find out if she does before ordering.

8. Candy, food. There are some cute candies that would be nice as stocking stuffers, and cute sets like heart shaped pancake making kits. Don't buy your girlfriend a cookbook unless she specifically asks for a certain type of book. Otherwise, she'll think you're trying to insult her cooking. Also, if you know your girlfriend is trying to stay away from sweets, respect that, since there are plenty of other things you can get her.

9. Appliances, electronics. Again, this is something tricky. Do not buy her any appliance that has to do with cleaning as a gift. Vacuums are not gifts, they are necessities. Cooking appliances can be good gifts if it is something she enjoys doing and something she has said she needs or wants. If she doesn't like to cook, you may be again, insulting her cooking. Electronics are typically what we buy for you guys. Your girlfriend might really enjoy a new camera, computer, or sewing machine, but these are things that she'd tell you she wanted or needed. If you know she likes taking photos but has a older camera, getting her a newer, more updated one can be a great gift. Especially if you add a personal touch like buying her a gift card to have 100 photos printed, or a photo album to put the pictures in.

10. Pets. First thing is to find out what type of animal and be sure she wants a pet. Is she or anyone she lives with allergic? If she lives in an apartment, can she have animals? Does her lifestyle allow her to take care of a pet? Would she want to pick it out herself? You can buy her a gift card for the humane society and then go a day or two before Christmas with her to let her choose.

That is my list for you! I hope the guidelines help you to pick a great gift for your lady!
xoxo

Worst time to be an atheist

The holiday season is upon us; Christmas lights on every street, snow in the forecast, presents being crossed off the list, smell of pine in the air, great food in the ovens.
Now, doesn't it suck to be an atheist? What can I say to you? I can't wish you a merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, or any of that. You believe in nothing. I might as well wish you a splendid four months of freezing cold and snow. If you claim to be an atheist and yet still celebrate Christmas with the rest of your non-atheist family and friends, that is even worse. Don't be a liar on top of it all. Don't forget the reason for the season. The reason for Christmas is to celebrate Jesus' life and what he gave up for us to live and for us to be forgiven so that we may one day join him in heaven instead of being damned to hell after the first sin we commit.
So, if you don't believe in him, don't hum along to any Christmas carols while in the shopping malls or restaurants. Don't exchange presents with your friends and family that represent the gifts God has given us. Don't eat the Shepherd's candy canes. Don't place a star atop your Christmas tree to represent the star of Bethlehem. Don't be a hypocrite. Believe what you believe.
We so easily get wrapped up in the commercialism of this holiday season, that we forget the original reason. We forget to give thanks. We forget what the season is all about and who it is all about. Even though Jesus wasn't born on December 25th, this is the day we choose to celebrate it. Why do we limit it to one day out of the whole year? Why don't we celebrate him year-round?
You don't need to go to church every Sunday to have a relationship with God, but going twice a year on Christmas and Easter, will not get you into heaven. You can have a great relationship with God without ever stepping foot into a church. It is all up to you and where you put your priorities. Only you know with whom your faith lays.
If you are of another faith, I am not trying to shove my religion down your throat. Honestly, you could've stopped reading this blog entry a few paragraphs ago had you wanted to. Everyone must decide with their own heart what religion to follow, if any at all. God didn't send Jesus to Earth for us to have a religion to follow. He sent him to give us a free pass and an open relationship to God whenever we want or need him. Whatever your belief is, follow it! If you haven't figured out what you believe yet, look to those who have strong faith and look inside yourself to decide. Nobody can decide for you. I believe it is better to believe in something than nothing, even if you decide for yourself that you believe something different than I do.
I offer you this, a merry, merry Christmas. I do not wish you to have a lovely blizzard-season, or a food-induced hibernation. I wish you to have a happy, healthy, and truly blessed Christmas with you and your family. Happy Holidays!
xoxo

1st deadly sin: Vanity

I previously posted that I would be researching more into each of the seven deadly sins. The first is very relevant in my current career, in the makeup and modeling industry. Vanity. Pride. Ego. Narcissism. Conceit. 

Here is the dictionary's definition:

van·i·ty

   [van-i-tee]  Show IPA noun, plural -ties,adjective

noun

1.

excessive pride in one's appearance, qualities, abilities,achievements, etc.; character or quality of being vain; conceit: Failure to be elected was a great blow to his vanity.

2.

an instance or display of this quality or feeling.

3.

something about which one is vain.

4.

lack of real value; hollowness; worthlessness: the vanity of a selfish life.

5.

something worthless, trivial, or pointless.

I have always been interested in the seven deadly sins. In high school I took AP Art with a concentration in 3D design and sculpture. My thesis was discovering the consequences of the choices we make. One piece, I made was somewhat inartistically titled, "Seven Deadly Sins" and consisted of seven ceramic masks shaped and glazed to represent each of the sins. My mask for vanity had high cheekbones, blonde curly hair, full red lips, and tan skin, no other details. Everyone associates vanity with appearance, but you can have excessive pride in a variety of things other than your image. You can have conceit over the car you drive, the job you hold, your degree, your lack of education, your children, your food consumption skills, the color of your nail polish, anything really.

Vanity is stereotyped as something that all model's have. It is a makeup artist's job to make a model look as beautiful and confident as possible, which often gets manipulated and transformed into a type of vanity. Don't get me wrong. There are plenty of vain models, just as there are plenty of vain athletes, lawyers, doctors, garbage men. Any profession can yield prideful participants. I happen to be in the business of beauty, which is often compared to vanity. Heck, the mirrors we use to apply makeup and prep for shoots or shows are called vanities. 

Clearly, this is because we use the mirrors to adore ourselves. But, are we guilty of the deathly sin of vanity every time we ponder over our reflection in a mirror with good thoughts? Are there varying levels of vanity, such as stage 1, thinking fondly of yourself, stage 2, telling your boss you deserve a raise, stage 3, tweeting how good you look in your new business dress, stage 4, telling your boss he should've gave you the promotion, not Susie-What's-Her-Face, stage 5, telling Susie-What's-Her-Face that you'd be better at her job than she is, stage 6, tweeting the entire office, and the entire world, that you are better than Susie-What's-Her-Face?

Would you say that an act of stage 6 caliber is worthy of death? Does God think in levels or are all sins counted as the same? We know that God says his ways are not our ways, that man cannot begin to understand his ways and that we should not try and test God. 

So, why is holding such a high regard for one's self a bad thing? After all, we were made by the Creator! And he placed us above all other things on Earth. That surely means we are something special and should look at ourselves as such.

Why not be vain? You can find the answer in humility. Being humble makes you relatable. Humility makes you human. When you put yourself above others, it makes them not like you. Do you like people who act like they are better than you? Who are constantly tooting their own horn? Do you appreciate them? We are told to strive to be Jesus-like. I know Jesus was not going around from town to town lifting his nose and turning his cheek at the poor because, hey, he is the son of God.

I want to put a clear difference between confidence and vanity. Confidence is having courage. Vanity is being a coward. Those who display the largest egos typically have the lowest self-confidence. They use excessive pride as a cover up for their low self-worth. Having confidence means you are a go getter and you are sure of yourself and what you can accomplish. Truly confident people, know what they want to achieve, and then they actually achieve it! Simply having vanity does not make moves, it does not create progress. Actually, you're likely to turn off everyone around you and regress. Having such high pride creates distain for you in others. Think of how many people hated Kanye West after he stole the spotlight from Taylor Swift in the most widely talked about cowardly, vain, acts of 2009.

As far as your soul is concerned, being vain from time to time may not make you a terrible person, but it doesn't make you a good one either. Strive for greatness, but earn it. You will shoot yourself in the foot if you are too prideful on your journey to the top, and your visit will be brief if you are too prideful once you're there. Give thanks to those around you and always believe that there is someone better than yourself out there. This will not only keep you humble, but keep you striving to achieve more.

xoxo

Secrets men won't tell you

Here's a great article on 20 things that men think but will never tell you.

http://www.marieclaire.com/sex-love/advice/men-dating-secrets

xoxo