Halloween Because You Can

You’re not too old for Halloween!!!

I had this argument with my boyfriend recently about debating what plans to do for the fall. Most of the exciting things happen in the state like the International Balloon Fiesta, and there’s just other festivals galore for my state. Of course we get invited to a couple Halloween parties, mainly through his friends and coworkers. Like any other holiday occasion, they were going to be costume parties. Mind you, he’s one of the youngest guys at his work and they’ve been asking what his costume is going to be and he’s been answering with “myself”. He doesn’t plan on wearing a costume because he states that he’s too old or his favorite coined phrase, he’s grown.

Now anyone who just enjoys holidays in general can see the brain cells dying off in my head because I’m totally rolling them. Happens every year and what he doesn’t realize is that it puts me in a slightly awkward spot because if we go, you know that your girl is gonna wanna dress up. (I only say slightly because while we could be that couple that dresses together, I don’t really have a problem going all out on my costume while he shows up in a regular t-shirt). His older brother throws a little family get together for Halloween that includes costumes and a pumpkin decorating contest. It’s all part of the spirit but I know and you know and they know and everyone and their dog knows that there are people in the world that think that if you have hit puberty then you are too old to be trick or treating and/or participating.

Now I know it’s not just a ‘girl’ thing to want to dress up and not be you, intentionally, with no judgement what-so-ever so I give you 5 reasons to join in the holiday spirit for Halloween.

1.       There are too few joys in life. There’s no hiding the turmoil that has plagued the world lately. Not just where I am in the state of New Mexico where we had our own shooting at a local public library but there’s been the terrible massacre in Las Vegas, Nevada. The multiple hurricanes to the southeast of the country as well as the wall of Hellfire up in the northwest of the country. Mother Nature has also taken a toll on other areas of the world as well as just the appalling actions of other humans here and everywhere else. We need a sort of release. We need a time to be together and remember that it’s ok to have a good time in order to renew spirits to handle tomorrow.

2.       It’s proof that we need to take ourselves a little less seriously. Now this is something that I can admit I am guilty of and I thank my wonderful boyfriend for pointing it out to me even if I don’t like it in that moment. You have to be able to laugh at yourself. Call it the fault of the PC culture or Social Justice Warriors whatever you want, it’s all just an excuse. You can’t take yourself seriously all the time. You just can’t because if you do then it affects your personality and it has the potential to turn you not just into a party pooper but a general stick in the mud in life and no one wants to be around that (including yourself).

3.       It’s just fun overall. FUN. Whether you have the stupid SpongeBob song playing or a club song playing in your head. It’s almost a certifiable day to be lighthearted and whimsy. If your work allows you to dress up within reason, why not? If you’re invited to a grown up costume party and you want to be fun rather than risqué, why not? If you’d rather go vice versa, why not? It’s a perfect opportunity to try something new in terms of your personality and check out reactions. Everyone gets compliments around Halloween whether it’s for being scary, pretty, creative, risqué. You can still get away with throwing a sheet with two holes and be a ghost and still get laughs for crying out loud.

4.       Great family time. Now granted I don’t have kids and if you have them, you’re more than likely to keep them away from me because I have some unseen ability to scare children and it ultimately ends with crying and occasionally screaming. No lie and 98% of the time it’s unintentional. But I’ve also been at work and we usually participate in the Safe Stops for Trick Or Treating. The community does a fantastic job of putting it together for families to take especially the small children trick or treating during the day rather than in the depths of night. I’ve seen the full cast of the Wizard of Oz with Dorothy and the Lion in a stroller. I’ve seen the cast of Toy Story with 3 of them riding in a Red Wagon, one being the little green alien and my life was made. It’s just a good time all around for us who are giving the treats and for everyone who has to walk through our doors.

5.       It doesn’t have to be demonic. Yes, the history surrounding the connotation of Halloween is fairly dark. No matter what your faith or beliefs are, it’s good to remember that we can’t change the past. We can’t change the possibility or even of the idea that the spirits of those who’ve passed on have the opportunity to return or if you as a virgin light the Blake Flame Candle then the Sanderson sisters would return to suck the lives out of the children by sunrise. It is 2017 and we have the power and ability to make this holiday what we want. So if your group wants to throw up a picture of a goat and jam out to Norwegian black metal bands, whatever but don’t harm anyone. If your group wants to have a costume party zombies or heaven forbid, karaoke, do you booboo and don’t harm anyone. 

There are worse things in this life and in this world than a holiday we can use for fun rather than obligation. And on that note, what are you dressing up as?

       

Check out some of my other posts-

  The Blues of My Life - http://bit.ly/2wnrtRc          

  Bra Talk - http://bit.ly/2ezvzOM    

    

  Office Decor - http://bit.ly/OfficeDe                             

7 Perks to Living Alone

I’ve always been pretty independent, even according to my mom as a kid, and a lot of that helps me now that I’m working out this adulting part of life. I’ve lived by myself for a long time. Even with roommates in college, my dorm life went from roomy to no roomy for different reasons and my RA just never gave me a new one. Even when I lived off campus with other roomies, we had such different schedules that we weren’t at the apartment at the same time most of the time. And now with no school and no roommates, there’s definitely a lot of upsides to living by yourself.

1.       The ability to walk and be around the house in PJs or less. There’s no one around to be decent or sexy or modest for. If you want to walk around without pants as soon as you get home, then let the trail of clothes begin

Google is on point in the search area

2.       Have it your way. No, seriously. Even in a rental, there are a million things to make your place your own. There’s a living room, bathroom, bedroom, kitchen that can all be decorated differently with your own taste with no arguments other than yourself(because yes, that will happen). But double check the ability to paint, because big changes are usually a no with landlords. I’ve been toying with the idea of temporary wall paper. Hang it up and work it out and if and when I move, it is supposed to come off but there’s more research to be done on that end.

Yes this is on my board, follow me there too in the side bar

3.       Have one bathroom schedule to keep or not. Unless you have guests staying over, there’s no Dr. Sheldon Cooper telling you that it’s not your turn or where to keep your toiletries

Ultimate roommate situation - thank you Google Search

4.       There’s no roommates to blame for the dirty dishes in the sink or dishwasher. There’s no one else to complain for leaving clothes in the washer and dryer. Everything is up to you and if you want to leave it, that is at your own risk. You can really test your own limits with chores and I feel that it helps get you in gear because if it bothered you with roommates, it will bother you more without them. And if it didn’t bother you, it will now, guaranteed or I have no sanity.

And the internet provides

5.       You literally have your own space. One issue that I had with living on campus was that yes I got my own half of the room but the times where I needed to just be alone and handle my thoughts or life in general, I couldn’t be alone. When you do, yes you have to deal with yourself but you can do that in peace. So if it’s Netflix and ice cream or blaring your stereo to get some energy out, you can just do you boo boo.

It really provides so much truth in life

6.       Sprawl out all over your bed or couch or floor, wherever your little heart desires!!! It’s one thing if you live with roommates or a significant other, but being able to leave the trail of clothes at the door or falling asleep in a starfish fashion on your bed is a great feeling. With roommates, you have to respect each other’s boundaries, but when it’s all yours then there are none. So lay across the couch or paint your toes in the living room with a sheet mask on.

I know I've slept all these ways and maybe a few more lol

7.       Be as quiet or as loud as you want. Trust me both extremes will come into play. Going thru life with roomies, there’s usually something going on. Living on campus, my friends usually had a tv show going on when I came ‘home’ or some sort of music. My older brother is a wonderful musician as is my younger brother, so classical music, big band, Dixieland, and other band arrangements of popular songs were being made at all times of the day and night for a majority of my life. That was the biggest change when I started living alone so the quietness got on my nerves, so I will always have access to movies being played in the background, or music or videos on Youtube to keep my mind from wandering. (Also I’ve gotten to a point where I can measure how much time I’ve spent by how long a song or movie was. Works wonders in the mornings.) But then there are times like me writing this post, where I’m a bit sick from stomach and headache issues, sound is the enemy and it can be quiet for however long I need it to be. No one to remind that I feel like crap and appropriately hiss when they turn on the light, or the tv, or the xbox. 

Yasss, Fave feel better movie

Now that you've read 7 perks, check out

5 Lifesavers When Late

10 Beauty Products For the Grown

This Girl's New Best Lash Friend

If you read my post on 10 Products Every Grown Woman Needs, then consider this a follow up slash extension. I wrote briefly on one product that is my overall go to, mascara. But I didn’t quite elaborate enough on the why and what I use, so here we are.

Now I have a fairly decent amount of lashes and they are a good length as well, thank you Dad. If I could wear only one makeup product, it would be mascara. Now granted I hated it as a kid who was dipped in makeup for dance recitals, but alas I was young and knew not the amazingness that lies in the power of eyes.

I don’t consider myself a beauty guru by far but I’ve tried a lot of products to get what I’m looking for and I know what works for me and my issues. And for mascara they are:

1.       Is it waterproof like my Voluminous mascara from L'Oreal?

2.       Does it do a better job than my favorite Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Royal Blue?

So my thing is that my skin is not just oily but it also gets to my eyelashes in some ways. Like I mentioned, my lashes are decently long on top and bottom. If I’m wearing a black mascara, more often than not it absolutely has to be waterproof because somehow, if it’s not, then it’s instant rabid raccoon eyes. I’ve been wearing the Royal Blue Great Lash since I was allowed to wear makeup and never had that issue. Is it the formula? Who knows, but my blue lashes have been a signature of the women of my family for a while.

My second go-to is the L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara. A great friend of mine turned me to it in high school and I’ve never looked back. Besides the fact that the formula that can’t come off without an act of Congress, I love the separation it gives my eye lashes. Call it my Hispanic culture, but no one has time for clumpyness. So yes, I have been that stereotypical chick separating her eye lashes with straight pins, pencil lead, etc. Never have to do that with Voluminous mascara.

With these, I’ve never really had a want to dabble into other brands. I’ve tried a couple drug store brands but not so much on the higher end other than samples from Sephora or Birchbox, that is until now. I can say that I am so hooked on Benefit’s Roller Lash. A couple YouTube peoples I follow have talked about it and I understand that you basically either love it or hate it. I love it! I love it! And did I mention that I absolutely LOVE IT!

Now this is only a mini version that I got at Ulta for maybe ten bucks, I had a coupon and redeemable points so I couldn’t tell you exactly how much it was. But because I didn’t know if I would love it or hate it, I just said to be safe and get the mini and I’ll probably be getting the full size very soon and add it to my go to’s, especially if I'm running late, then it goes here.

I can only describe it as a great mesh between my staple mascaras, because my Maybelline formula lets me wear a cool color mascara without the black eyes later in the day or in the morning. As far as I can tell, the Roller Lash is not waterproof but it does have some epic staying power even for my oily issues. The brush isn’t as ‘brushy’, best I can come up with, like the voluminous but the lift and separating power is phenomenal!

So if you are on the fence about finding your go to mascara, give the mini Roller Lash a try from Ulta and that way, you can try it guiltlessly and if it works, come to the lashy side. I’m sure we’ll have cookies.


Read up on previous posts

Tales of the Tank - External Batteries

Signature Style

Call me typical, call it dumb, call it whatever. I don't care. I love reading me some Cosmopolitan. In this recent issue, there was one article that really struck a chord with me and it was about signatures.

Everyone has their own style. It's great to go and experiment with different things, clothes, makeup, etc. We've all seen the pictures over years of all our "phases" in life, but there's always something you go back to. Something that signifies you to yourself and everyone knows that "IT" is your thing.

For Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada, it was her Hermes scarves. For my grandma, its White Diamonds perfume. And for myself, my sister, my aunt/second mama, and my mama, it's the Maybelline Great Lash mascara in Royal Blue and a winged liner.

It's our thing. We'll mix it up but every time someone notices on me, the look on their faces is priceless. They always expect some super high end makeup when in all actuality its about $4-5 at Walgreens or Wal-Mart. I would buy it in bulk if I could. Now it may not be waterproof but it is thorough. It's standard, simple packaging with a standard, simple applicator. It's my rock of makeup and has my heart forever and a day.

Everyone needs their staple. We have fashion and makeup as a symbol of our individuality and creativity. The late Oscar De La Renta said, "Fashion is about dressing according to what's fashionable. Style is more about being yourself." We spend so much time trying this and that and keeping up with the new trends that it's nice coming back to something you know that works. It's easy that you can always come back to. It's comfortable and just makes you feel good. So find that signature and work it.