It never gets easier, you just get stronger

January 29, 2019January 29, 2019kc Leave a comment

I’ll admit, I was on kind of a high for a few months there in 2018. I finally, finally, met the love of my life. Someone who enjoys all the same things I do. Who really just completes me. Finding him actually made me feel stupid for all the time I wasted on other guys who weren’t right for me, when someone exactly like him existed in this world. He makes me a better person, and I thank the stars every day that I get to call him mine. In addition, I sold my car on a whim at the end of the summer, and ended up getting an amazing deal on a brand new one that I absolutely love. Family was good, work was fine… I was comfortable financially and even took a beach vacation with one of my girlfriends for the first time in years. I was just plain comfortable in general. Nothing was really going terribly wrong in my life and, deep down, a part of me recognized that. And we all know you can’t enjoy the sunshine without a little rain, but what I got felt more like a monsoon…

The last few months have been pretty rough to say the least. It started right before the holiday season, when I first discovered a loved ones’ personal, private battle with addiction. I didn’t even know if they would be home for Christmas this year, as they decided to leave town and get help. It’s something you see all over the news, and read countless stories over social media; you know it’s an epidemic because that’s what they tell you. But you really don’t fully understand until it affects someone you know and love. It was one of the scariest times in my life, and even when you think you “made it through” the worst part, accepting that this will be a lifelong battle with someone you care tremendously about, is still utterly terrifying. But experiencing this when I did taught me the value of having faith, remaining positive no matter what, practicing unwavering support, and believing in something greater than myself. It doesn’t make the situation any less challenging, but I have kept these lessons close to me.

Then the New Year came and went, and that first weekend, at 6 a.m. on a Saturday morning, I got a call that would change my life forever.

“Come quick, it’s your father,” my mom said between sobs. I had never driven so fast in my life. My dad had been rushed to the ER and not long after, we all would be sitting in a private room as a doctor came in and told us, they did everything they could, that my dad didn’t make it. We would later find out it was a massive heart attack that took him from us. He never even stood a chance. It still doesn’t seem like any of that was real.

No one ever prepares you for losing someone you are close to. It’s not discussed, not ever acknowledged as a legitimate possibility. We’re taught that “getting your affairs in order” can actually be a warning sign for suicide, because as a society we just don’t plan on any alternative other than us dying at an old age. And we foolishly believe that, as we drink, smoke, tan, and continue in all kinds of other high risk behaviors- just assuming that we are all invincible. And we continue seemingly low-risk behaviors too, like crossing the street not knowing if that will be the moment a car will hit us out of nowhere, or if a meteor will fall out of the sky while we’re having a picnic or going for a jog.

And then one day someone is there and fine, and the next they’re gone. And life becomes a whirlwind of funeral homes and cemeteries, life insurance companies and figuring out account balances and bills that are due, returning his uniforms and key card to work. These things we should realistically all be prepared for to a certain degree, but no one really ever is. When in reality, the only inevitable in life is that every single one of us will die, though no one really knows what to do when it happens to someone earlier than anticipated. My dad was an amazing man who treated others with so much kindness and respect; he would do anything for anyone. And now that he’s gone, everyone who relied on him so heavily and loved him so much, well… we’re all lost.

Something that has always given me strength in unexpected ways is a statement my boot camp instructor tells us at the end of class…

“It never gets easier, you just get stronger.”

Obviously, the instructor was referring to the workout itself, as in, her class is and always will be tough. But as you work harder to get stronger, your mind will trick you into thinking it gets easier. And it doesn’t, your muscles are just developing in a way that it takes you less effort to get through the class.

The first time I applied this sentiment to other areas in life, it was when that loved one made the decision to go to rehab. You could call in to leave them messages, and a lady at the nurses’ station would write it on a slip of paper and hang on a board for them to receive. One day I decided to leave just that, because I knew it was fitting in this situation too.

And then when my dad died, a flood of people had a myriad of advice. And I knew everyone was just as shocked as we were, and they all just wanted to offer comfort and support. But if I heard the words “new normal,” or “it’ll get easier,” one more time… I was going to explode. So I wrote that boot camp message on a sheet of paper, and hung it up on my mom’s calendar (which was riddled with phone numbers and to-do lists), because deep down I knew this was the only thing I could say, and the only way I could feel, to ease the pain of the loss we are all experiencing. Because it’s not going to get easier. What happened was shitty. It wasn’t fair at all. We are all suffering. But we will get stronger- little by little, day by day. I see it every single day in my mother, I can see it in myself. And if these words can help you get through a hard time, no matter what it is, I just want to make sure you know:

It will always be tough. But as you work harder to get stronger, your mind will trick you into thinking it gets easier. And it doesn’t, your muscles are just developing in a way that it takes you less effort to get through.

So, it never gets easier, you just get stronger. x

reflections: pt. 2

August 27, 2018kc Leave a comment

“An intention will help create more clarity in your life, especially when the seed is planted right before you start your meditation. Setting an intention is like drawing a map of where you wish to go — it becomes the driving force of your higher consciousness”

Source: “10 Intentions to Set for Your Most Authentic Life” by Chandresh Bhardwaj

A little over three years ago, I wrote down some intentions on the eve of a strawberry moon. Without going into too much detail, these intentions included goals for my career, my family, my home, my love life, and my general well-being. I filled up an entire sheet of paper, folded it up, and tucked it away in my sock drawer.

By the next month, I started my new job and got one huge item checked off the list. It seemed like after that, good or bad, everything started to fall into place – even if I couldn’t see it as it was happening. I pulled the note out once, maybe twice over the course of the next year, but in all honestly I completely forgot about it in that sock drawer until about a week ago.

As I read over that list, three years later, I was either at or far beyond every goal and intention I outlined for myself. And it was a really good feeling… but it was also a little defeating. Was that it? Where do I go from here? I know I probably should have kept this piece of paper for its sentimental value or whatever, but in that moment – when the realization hit me – I knew there was only one thing left to do.

So, I ripped it up into tiny little pieces and threw it in the trash.

The lesson I learned through this experience is to never stop striving. Never stop setting intentions and goals for yourself. Write it down. Check back in on it periodically. Achieve it. And once you check everything off your list, rip it up and set higher ones. [Okay, ripping it up might be a little over dramatic, but you know who you’re dealing with here.] Either way, always remember that you are so, so capable of so much more than you think you are. Never stop learning. Never stop growing. And never, ever settle.

That’s all I got for now.
xoxo.

the moment.

July 24, 2018July 24, 2018kc Leave a comment

Every now and then, you’ll find yourself in a moment of clarity.
That moment when it hits you, where it all completely makes sense.
That moment when you realize, you were never meant to be anywhere
except for exactly where you are.
That every little insignificant thing that has happened to you,
and all the significant things;
all the bullshit, all the heartache,
all the choices you’ve made or didn’t make along the way.
It has all lead you to this point.

And when that moment hits,
all you need to do is
be present
and
be grateful.

#GainingWeightIsCool

May 11, 2018July 25, 2018kc Leave a comment

I was watching me some Good Morning America this morning while getting ready for work, and I saw this segment devoted to this one tweet that began a “grassroots exercise movement” which “encourages women to focus less on the scale and more on overall health.”

While I am so glad this concept is getting some long overdue airtime, my question to you is, honestly — where have y’all been?!

[Just kidding but seriously, this is something I am so passionate about so be prepared to hear my rant. And yes I just said “y’all.” That’s how serious I am.]

I played sports all throughout middle school and high school, just shy of my senior year. Conditioning, two-a-days, and summer programs were a requirement; and between sports all week and working on the weekends, I rarely even had time to worry about the number on the scale. So I never did. Then senior year hit, sports got way more serious (because everyone was focusing on college), and I wasn’t. Honestly, I wasn’t even seriously considering going to college, but that’s a story for another time because thank dog I did. At any rate, I was dating someone older at the time, and I just wanted to party my face off while not having to worry about the crushing pressure my school placed on the athletes being ‘the best,’ or ‘the strongest,’ or ‘the fastest’ [because mostly I was just ‘the tallest’]. So I quit and spent the next couple years doing my own thing.

Fast forward to college: I was still not working out, still working to pay myself through, and I ended up getting a job in recruiting for my university’s football team. One day, I was out hiking with the same boyfriend I was with in high school, and realized I couldn’t keep up. I had to keep stopping, to keep catching my breath; I wasn’t coordinated enough to climb around rough areas. I knew at 19 this wasn’t good. Sure, I was skinny and had the metabolism combined with the build that didn’t require me to actually exercise to look good. But, going so long without sports or a regular work-out routine and not being able to even walk through the Cleveland Metroparks without severely struggling was actually really scary. It just goes to show that skinny isn’t always healthy.

That was the moment I decided I would be better. I talked with one of my friends who was into body building, and put together a work-out plan with him. I talked to the strength coach for our football team, showed him my plans and he showed me how to use the equipment in the football weight room to get what I needed done. Slowly but surely, I got stronger and stronger as the years went on. And initially, I started to see the number on the scale go up at an alarming rate, much to my dismay.

After a few unnecessary panic attacks, I quickly learned that muscle weighs more than fat. If you are losing fat and gaining muscle, you will probably see the number on the scale increase. When I finally moved out of my parents house not long after getting back in the gym, I opted not to buy a scale for my new apartment. And it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

I get weighed once a year at the doctor’s office, and even then I don’t pay it any mind. I recently dated a guy who had a scale in his kitchen, and every time I went to his place I would stand on that scale. So I get it, when you have access to the scale it’s really easy to become obsessive. But I’m here to tell you it’s a trap. It fucks with your brain. The number on the scale does not dictate how healthy you are. It does not take into consideration your fat percentage. It does not see your work in the gym, and your discipline in the kitchen. It does not have any power over you.

I was lucky enough to learn this at a young age, so here I am, almost a decade later; stronger than most of guys I meet; and I sure as hell am not defined by the number on the scale.

As females, we all need to remember that our bodies are designed differently than dudes. You are not going to get bulky from upping your weights or intensifying your workouts. You are not going to get bulky from weight training period. I hear so many girls tell me they don’t want to pick up weights because they want to look good and they don’t believe that’s the right way to do it. So they spend hours doing cardio. What a lot of females don’t realize, is weight training actually is more effective in burning calories than cardio, because you continue to burn those calories long after you put the weights down. Generally with cardio, calories are only burned as long as the action is being performed. And you have to keep in mind too with cardio, there is a point of diminishing returns.

If you are afraid to pick up those 10 lb weights to do biceps because you think you’re going to start looking like a body builder, I am here to tell you you won’t. And when those 10 lbs become too easy (eventually, they will), you can and should pick up the 12.5 lbs or the 15 lbs and never stop challenging yourself. I have been training like this for the past eight years, and though I feel like in the last two years I have really upped my quality of workouts, my body most certainly does not look like a dude’s.

So to me, it’s not just about learning to ignore the number on the scale. It’s about understanding how all of this stuff fits together. Knowing your own body, your own limits, and putting the time and effort in — both in the gym and in the kitchen — to achieve the results you want. Find the balance. It is possible. And it starts with accepting that strong is better than skinny.

Strong is beautiful.

Strong is badass.

You, too, can be badass.

View this post on Instagram

That one time I risked getting h3n2 for the gram #ripip

A post shared by miꓘ (@kimbcast) on Jan 26, 2018 at 12:41pm PST

The pit bull chapter

March 31, 2018March 31, 2018kc Leave a comment

“[Love] isn’t urgent, it isn’t stressful, it isn’t about pity.
I don’t think that to love someone else you should have to
abandon yourself.”

I’m not sure why, but I’ve read a lot of books written by female comedians. [Proof here, and here.] It started when I joined a “book club” with my friends, that never amounted us meeting or discussing said books… but, I digress. This genre is typically an easy read, it’s entertaining, witty, and tends to address larger issues of how women are treated and perceived in a male-dominated industry. For my birthday last year, a friend got me Whitney Cummings’ book, I’m Fine …and Other Lies. While I am familiar with Whitney Cummings, I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a fan of her work; I can remember watching a bit of one of her shows or maybe stand-up and thinking she was pretty cool. At any rate, I gave her book a go.

I learned a lot of information about her: from her struggles with codependency, relationship issues, and severe anorexia, to her very personal experiences with different forms of therapy. With each chapter I became more and more surprised with how dysfunctional her life actually was, and how she managed to turn every bit of it into something positive. There was one chapter that really resonated with me: it started out about how she gravitates towards rescuing pit bulls, explaining that they are a misunderstood breed; often a product of poor training or having been taken from their mothers too young. Pit bulls are the most common dog breed found in shelters, and as a result the most frequently euthanized. One day, she came across a year-old blue pit that was only a couple days away from being euthanized and in desperate need of a home. She ended up taking him in and naming him Billy.

View this post on Instagram

This is how my foster boy insists on sleeping. I can't breathe but it's worth it. Thank you @laadopt for notifying me that he was gonna be euthanized. This velvet seal-pig is pure ❤️#adoptdontshop

A post shared by Whitney Cummings (@whitneycummings) on Dec 15, 2016 at 10:35am PST

Now her game plan wasn’t to keep Billy, as she already had 3 doggos of her own. Her goal was to figure out his triggers, provide some much needed impulse control training, help him heal from the previous abuse he had experienced, and find him a forever home.

Long story short, she got into a… situation with Billy – and through a combination of poor impulse control and razor-sharp teeth – she found herself with half of her ear dangling from her head. [Side note: I highly recommend reading this book to get all the details, because it’s a pretty crazy story.] But the lesson behind this experience is what really stuck with me. Cummings goes on to explain, what she did with Billy is similar to what she does in relationships – getting herself into a bad situation because she underestimated what she was dealing with. All of this stemmed from an innate addiction – to love.

Some examples of how love addiction can manifest in relationships: ignoring red flags and rationalizing unsavory behavior; glorifying a person instead of accepting who they are showing you they are; falling for someone’s potential instead of who they actually are; letting your world get smaller and making the person (or pit bull you’re trying to rescue) become your primary focus.

And here was the kicker…

“I constantly gave points to men for things that should be filed under ‘the least you can do.'”

Let us all take a moment to remember that your significant other does not earn bonus points for things such as (but not limited to): calling you, wanting to spend time with you, not cheating on you, not lying to you, etc. Things that should be considered bare minimum requirements of being in a committed relationship does not warrant praise. Let me repeat: the bare minimum. Does. Not. Warrant. Praise. Let’s hold our significant others to a higher standard and let go of those who don’t live up to that standard. Don’t accept anything less than exactly what you deserve, and especially don’t do so in the name of love.

“It took losing an ear for me to learn to take it slow with people, friends, work relationships, house hunting, hair color decisions, and the animals I bring into my home.” Cummings goes on to remind us to take people at face value instead of projecting our expectations/hopes/dreams onto them. You won’t change someones neurology or value system just by loving them. Love has boundaries, and we shouldn’t lose ourselves for the sake of it. Don’t confuse love with sympathy. And don’t confuse rescuing someone with intimacy.

Thanks for the tip hidden in this gem of a chapter, Whit. < 3

View this post on Instagram

If you want to know the story behind this photo, order IM FINE…AND OTHER LIES. Link in my bio 🐶

A post shared by Whitney Cummings (@whitneycummings) on Sep 28, 2017 at 9:01am PDT

What a difference six years can make

February 15, 2018February 15, 2018kc Leave a comment

“Happy New Year!!” She exclaims, 45 days into 2018. What can I say. I guess I’ve been busy *shrugs*

The roller coaster that was 2017 ended on an extremely high note, and I’m hopeful for what 2018 has in store. My goal, at least during this tax season, is to use some of my tax return on the purchase of a functioning laptop so I don’t have to sneak around on my free time at work to post something. Let’s be honest, my first drafts usually start on my phone anyway *shrugs again*

So, if you use Facebook at all, you know there is an “On This Day” tab where you can see your Facebook activity on that same day, years in the past. For someone who is an avid Facebook user, this can either be full of really fond memories you can share, or it can be a really cruel page filled with things you’d rather forget. If you’re like me (i.e. never post anything on Facebook and use it purely to creep), this section is usually barren and/or filled with cryptic statuses and song lyrics from a decade ago when you thought people actually cared.

Yesterday being Valentine’s Day and all, I got this (kinda sick?) idea to check out my Facebook memories On *This* particular Day.

Spoiler alert, there wasn’t much there. I guess I never had any exciting Valentine’s Days via Facebook? Entirely for the best, I’m sure. However, there was one post I made on this day, six years ago, that I’ve been thinking about ever since I stumbled back upon it. It read, “Always want what you can’t have. Never what you can.”

Now on V-Day 2012, I am pretty sure I was single. This was after my high school boyfriend, but before the post-college one (yes, my former suitors have now been generalized into these two very broad groups). I’m not sure how my 21-year-old self would have interpreted this statement, since I don’t even remember posting it or what prompted me to do so at 11:40 PM on Valentine’s Day; but I know how my 27-year-old self understands this statement today.

There are a lot of things we say we want, that we can have if we were motivated enough. You say you want a nice body, but you’re not willing to discipline yourself in the kitchen and at the gym to achieve one. You say you want a quality significant other, but you push all the good ones away in favor of the assholes. You say you want that nice car, but you’re not willing to stop spending all your money at the mall or the bar to save up for one. Most of what we say we want can be 100% attainable if we just shifted our priorities. Most people would rather just be unhappy and complain, rather than go out and get it. [Side note for all of you thinking, “but I want this person who doesn’t want me???” let me present you with this mind-blowing thought… if they don’t want you, then trust me, you don’t want them either!]

The truth in what we really want lie in the things we’re willing to sacrifice to get it. If you’re not willing to make the sacrifices, then you probably didn’t want it as bad as you think you did.

The only “wants” I hope to have in life are the unattainable… (likeeeee the ability to teleport, for instance) because everything else I’ve already wanted I’ve surrounded myself with.

Maybe I am over simplifying this. I’ve been told Scorpios are very black-and-white.

REVIEW: Maple Holistics Argan Oil Shampoo & Conditioner

December 13, 2017December 15, 2017kc 1 Comment

Your whole life, the beauty industry has mislead you. It has lied to you. It has convinced you that if your shampoo doesn’t lather, or if it doesn’t leave your hair smelling like fresh daisies, that it’s not actually doing its job. What the beauty industry doesn’t tell you, is those suds you’re so used to are caused by sulfates. These sulfates are an aggressive detergent, meant to remove dirt and grime from your hair – which they do. But in addition to cleansing they often also dry out your scalp, strip your hair of its natural oils, and in some cases can even cause severe skin irritation. And that fresh daisy scent that makes your hair smell so clean? That’s an added fragrance… more specifically, a toxic chemical. It is added to your shampoos and conditioners, to trick you into thinking you have clean hair, when really you’ve just added who knows how many additional chemicals in that bottle to get that fresh, clean smell.

The quick solution? Never wash your hair again.

The long-term solution? Find a better product to wash your hair with.

That is where Maple Holistics comes in. The company is headquartered in Farmingdale, New Jersey, and provides all natural, cruelty-free, sulfate-free, made-in-the-USA products through their online shop. The company started in 2001 but became commercially available around the country in 2012, and I was fortunate enough to recently receive their Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner set to try out.

*Note: Maple Holistics kindly sent me these products to review,
but all opinions in this post are always, completely my own.*

After my Halloween baby powder blunder, my hair was in dire need of some TLC. These products came into my life at the perfect time. I had a feeling they would restore the much-needed moisture back into my hair, but had some concerns over using an all-natural product for the long term. Would my hair become over-oily? Would it ever actually feel “clean”? Would a lack of added fragrance mean if I don’t wash it for a couple days, it will start to look and smell dirty? All of these concerns, while valid, are definitely a by-product of the beauty industry standards of adding unnecessary ingredients to shampoos and conditioners to manipulate what we believe actually constitutes as clean.

What’s in it?

Argan oil is derived from the nuts of Argania spinosa, a native desert tree in Morocco. It can be ingested, and in Morocco is often used for dipping bread, on couscous, or in salads. It’s also increased in popularity recently for cosmetic use, in the hair, skin, and nails. The benefits of Argan oil are pretty clear when using in your hair: it’s non-greasy, tames frizz and fly-aways, provides shine, and protects your hair against the heat of dryers, curlers, and flat irons.

Maple Holsitics uses all-natural ingredients in conjunction with Argan oil to bring forth an effective tool for anyone who wants to bring their hair back to life. Free of sulfates, parabens, and fragrance, the company uses a natural and gentle surfactant in their shampoo, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, instead of the typical kinds of sulfates found in commercial shampoos and conditioners. A quick google search of most of the major ingredients in their products (most of which I was unfamiliar with) show they are mostly derived from coconut oil (another *amazing* product for your skin and hair) and other various organic compounds and oils.

The results are in…

I have pretty healthy hair to begin with – it’s not color treated, I only blow dry it once every week or so, and typically wash it two or three times per week. I do tend to flat iron my hair daily. After the first week of using the Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner, I didn’t see much of a difference in the overall appearance of my styled hair. This was actually a positive in my eyes, since I feared the oil might weigh my hair down or make it appear greasy. What I did notice immediately was added shine; again, much needed after that baby powder sucked all the natural oils out of my hair. My dry, straw-like hair was back to normal in no time.

After about a month and a half of continued use, I have also noticed a dramatic decrease to flakes and dandruff, especially going on day two or three without washing. This is definitely a side-effect of removing sulfates from my hair care routine.

My unstyled hair has always had this natural, unattractive “kink” to it – not straight but not quite curly/wavy. It kinda just flips out where it wants, much to my disdain. But ever since using these products, when I let my hair naturally dry, it has become much more tame and dries less frizzy. Even after a vigorous workout at the gym (with short hair I can’t really put it in a pony), my sweaty hair largely stays put, which is in sharp contrast to the gross, uncontrollable flip-out it was doing just a couple months ago. I couldn’t believe it – to actually be able to run to the store/bar/wherever after the gym and not worry about what my hair is doing. What a feeling!

I do feel like it has lost a little bit of volume over the last month, but it’s nothing a little dry shampoo or teasing can’t fix. The smell of both these products are subtle and pleasant. I started to notice after a while, my hair took on more of my own natural scent which was also pretty delightful – no smelly hair after a few days without washing (seriously – I’ve had my closest friends perform the sniff test). The picture below is on day three (!!) without washing, and I just can’t tell you enough how much my hair has changed for the better since I went all-natural.

Overall, the benefits of switching to an all-natural hair routine have made me a believer. My hair feels and looks so much better, it’s so much less dry and static-y (just in time for winter!), and I know I can feel good about the ingredients in the bottle.

Claim your free sample!

As an added gift to you, Maple Holistics is offering a Free Sample to anyone who visits their page and fills out this form! They even let you pick what sample you want to receive… what do you have to lose?

Check out Maple Holistic’s wide range of organic and natural beauty products on their website, www.mapleholistics.com or visit their page on Amazon!

Twenty-six

November 8, 2017November 9, 2017kc Leave a comment

Three years ago, on the verge of my 24th birthday, I put together a list of advice I’d learned over the years. Recently, I went back and re-read this list, and yes, it’s still a damn good collection of thoughts.

Check it out here: Twenty-three

Fast forward three years, and I am now approaching my 27th birthday. And I feel excited, I feel scared… I feel young, but I also I feel kind of old. Basically, I just have lots of feelings associated with entering my late 20’s. So it seems like an appropriate time to add three more wisdoms that I’ve learned between 24 and 27.

24. Don’t be afraid to say “No.”

There are certain things in life we are required to do if we want a certain outcome, such as showing up for work to keep our jobs, or filing taxes to keep the government off our case. When it comes to things like someone asking for your number, your attendance at a party, or even cleaning your house… by no means are you required to do anything you don’t want to. Trust me when I say, it’s okay to tell someone “no,” and it can feel really good to generally just do what you want in life. In the end, everything is up to you. Don’t ever let anyone make you feel guilty about a decision.

25. Spend the extra money on clothes that will last.

I spent most of my 20s (mind you, with a good job and money in my pocket) wearing the same clothes I had from high school because I hate shopping and I always seem to have brutal buyers remorse. But I’ve learned that certain staple articles, like shoes, coats, business casual outfits for work, jeans… they are always worth spending money on, especially if they are going to last. Plus, an updated wardrobe does wonders for your confidence (but please also refer to #12).

26. If you mean it, say it.

Especially as I get older, I notice more and more so many people have something to say, but no one wants to be direct. If it’s gossip, cut that shit out – you’re better than that. But other things are worth bringing up. If someone at work is doing something you don’t like, don’t be a dick – but let them know! If you misunderstood something that caused an issue – admit it! If you think the guy at your gym is hot – tell him he should take you out on a date! Tell your mom you love her before you hang up the phone. Tell your friend you appreciate them for listening to you complain. Practice genuine, healthy honesty, be direct, and always practice gratitude. All will go a long way with everyone you interact with daily.

Happy almost birthday to me, again. This has to stop happening every year…

Let’s turn on the juice and see what shakes loose

October 31, 2017December 15, 2017kc 1 Comment

Happy Halloween, my pretties!

Remember a couple years ago when I told you how much I hated dressing up in costume for Halloween? Moral of the story, getting creative with your makeup and sticking with comfortable clothes are always the way to go, especially in Cleveland.

After going strong with cat makeup and a vast array of kitty ears for the last two years, I finally branched out with a new costume for a Halloween party this weekend, and it was totally worth it.

So, what, you ask, did I decide to go as?

(I mean, it’s pretty obvious…)

That’s right! After watching a 10-minute makeup tutorial, I took an old black-and-white striped dress I already had, mixed my palest shade of foundation with some white face paint [fun fact: mixing with foundation stops cheap Halloween makeup from cracking/caking], piled on the purple smokey eye and various green yuckiness, and voilà. Oh, I also added approximately five pounds of baby powder to my hair to get it white at the roots [only mildly regretting that decision 3 days after the fact], and sprayed some green hairspray on the ends.

I was so pleased with how it turned out. A few friends and I just watched the 1988 cult classic the previous weekend, so the little details [like the rotting green around his mouth] were fresh in my mind. I was a bit nervous the striped dress (instead of his iconic blazer) would look stupid, but it actually worked out really well — I already had that dress in my donation pile due to a small stain I couldn’t get out, so I dirtied it up a little more and made it work. It was easy, fun, and the people who got it loved it.

[My only regret: falling asleep without washing my hair. It is now the consistency of straw since the baby powder sucked all the oil from it. But it’s not like I needed an excuse to not wash my hair for a week, lmao.]