R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Hey everyone,

First off, I apologize for the long hiatus. I had been busy finishing up school, working, etc, and I haven't had much time for blogging. Now that I am on summer vacation, I will hopefully return to a more regular blogging schedule.

Anyway, I've been noticing an issue in today's society, and I think it's time to address it. As most of you probably know, Bruce Jenner recently revealed his new persona as Caitlynn Jenner. Many people have been vocal about their support for Jenner's transformation, posting pictures on social media sites of the Vanity Fair cover and proclaiming their happiness. However, those who are not supportive of the transformation have also tried to express their opinion, such as Drake Bell stating on Twitter, "Sorry...still calling you Bruce." However, instead of people respecting Drake Bell's opinion, they harassed him until he deleted his comment. 

This is what I have a problem with. It's really shameful that we live in a society where if someone's opinions don't agree with the mass opinion, they are immediately regarded as an asshole. We're basically teaching today's children that if their opinion differs from most others, they need to sit down and shut up because they're going to be bullied for it. Did Drake Bell comment on every other person who accepts Jenner's transformation and bully them for their opinion? No. He was just stating his own, hoping that people would accept what he had to say, just as how he accepted what others had to say. Just because someone doesn't necessarily agree with someone else's opinion, doesn't mean they have to be disrespectful. They say today's society is more accepting? How about we start accepting everyone's opinions instead of making disrespectful comments. 

Okay, rant over. Thanks for reading what I had to say. Hopefully some of you agree. And if you don't, hopefully you can at least respect what I have to say.

Ashley 

Caramel Macchiatos (and Other Items of Importance)

Those who know me know my great affinity for coffee. Hot coffee, iced coffee, coffee coolatas, frappacinos-when it comes to caffeine, I am not picky. Down the street from my university, there's at least three Dunkin Donuts' and three Starbucks (I am especially grateful that a Starbucks drive thru was finally put in), so you could say I've had plenty of opportunities to sample different beverages. One drink I was especially tempted to try was Starbucks' infamous caramel macchiatos. 

I will admit that before trying this beverage, I though caramel macchiatos were overrated, and just a kind of coffee people ordered either because the name sounded cool or because they thought they were fancy for ordering it. I fell under the latter category, because how else was I supposed to become a stereotypical Starbucks customer without ordering the fanciest drink on the menu?

So off I went to deem myself worthy of the "Starbucks customer" name. I walked right up to the barista, and placed my order for a grande hot caramel macchiato. You can only imagine the anticipation I felt right up to taking my first step. Was in good enough to be so hyped up? Or was it simply overrated? After taking a few steps I decided....

That caramel macchiatos, are in fact, delicious. The warmness (if you order it hot) spreads throughout your body, with the caramel being prominent without being too over powerful. What I especially love about caramel macchiatos is that since it's espresso, it actually gives me enough energy to get through the day. It definitely requires an acquired test, just like regular coffee does, but I absolutely love it. It's now become one of my go to drinks whenever I go to Starbucks (which is quite frequently).

I guess the lesson here is that you shouldn't be quick to judge something just because you think it might be overrated. Chances are, its overrated for a reason, and you shouldn't count it out until you give it a try. You don't always have to go by what other people say or think; trust your own judgement. 

I hope you enjoy this post and try something new!

Happy reading,

Ashley 

My Holy Grail Products

Hello everyone! If you like makeup as much as I do, you've probably tried a number of different products throughout the years. Makeup brands are constantly coming out with new mascara's, blushes, eyeliners, lipsticks, etc, and you can't help but want to see if they'll be the best ones you'll ever try. However, there's always that one product that you keep coming back to, despite all the different kinds you've tried. Here are a few of my holy grail makeup/beauty products.

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1. Foundation: Garnier Skin Renew B.B. Cream. I've tried multiple foundations and B.B. creams, but I keep coming back to this one. It has medium to full coverage, while providing the benefits of B.B. cream, such as SPF. It completely covers up any redness I have on my skin without making it look cakey. 

2. Concealer: Rimmel London Match Perfection Skin Tone Adapting Concealer. This acts as a 2-1 concealer and highlighter, which is perfect for covering up under-eye circles. I use it under my eyes every morning, and it completely gets rid of any darkness. It also looks great paired with my Garnier B.B. cream. 

3. Powder: Rimmel London Stay Matte Pressed Powder. This powder provides great coverage when used on its own, or when used on top of foundation/primer/ B.B. cream. I use it on my T-Zone because it tends to get oily throughout the day, and I also use it to prevent my foundation/B.B cream from creasing. 

4. Eye Primer: Urban Decay Primer Potion in Original. I love this eye primer because it conceals any veins or redness on top of my eyelids. It helps my eyeshadow and eyeliner stay on all day, and can even be worn on its own. 

5. Eye Shadow: Rimmel London Eyeshadow quad in Smokey Brun. Now I've tried a lot of different eyeshadows, from high end brands to drugstore brands. As much as I love MAC and Urban Decay, this quad from Rimmel is perfect for an everyday neutral eye. Whenever I'm stuck trying to decide which eyeshadow look to do, I go to to this palette (side note, its meant to complement blue eyes). 

6. Eyeliner: MAC eye kohl in Smolder: This eyeliner is an inky black and applies smoothly on the lash line and water line. It's long lasting, and can also be smudged for a smoky eye look.

7. Mascara: Mascara is a tough choice for me, because I've tried a lot over the years. I tend to always buy Maybelline mascaras, because you can never go wrong with them. My absolute favorite is The Falsies waterproof mascara, because it holds the curl if you curl your eyelashes, and lasts all day. 

8. Blush: MAC creamblend blush in Posey. I tend to use this blush everyday, because it adds a nice flush to your face without making you look like you have a fever. Creamblend blushes tend to last longer than powders, which is why I tend to pick it over my powder blushes when applying my makeup daily. 

9. Lipstick: MAC Viva Glam V: I love everything about MAC lipsticks. They apply smoothly, they make your lips look fuller, they're long lasting, and they even smell great! I especially love this color because it's neutral, so you can wear it with virtually any makeup look. It's not too pink or pigmented, so you can wear it daily without looking too made up. 

There you go, my holy grail makeup products! Feel free to comment below what your holy grail makeup products are!

Happy reading,

Ashley

Sometimes, Simple is the Best

If anyone knew me back in junior high, they would know two things: Most of the clothes I wore other than my Catholic school uniform were from Aeropostale, and that I was obsessed with American Idol. Seasons seven and eight of American Idol were two of my favorite ever, basically because I was obsessed with David Archuleta, and even more obsessed with Kris Allen. Kris Allen winning American Idol was one of the best moments of '09 (besides it being my eighth grade year and getting to do all the fun stuff with my class before we graduated). I fell in love with Kris' voice and how he would put his own spin on every song he performed. When he performed "Apologize" during the semi-finals, I was inspired to learn to play the piano myself. I received his first album as a gift the following Christmas, and I didn't think there would ever be another album where I loved every single one of the songs so much.
Well, fast forward a few years, and I began to think that album had been Kris' first and also his last. Only two songs had been released, something I found surprising, seeing as all of the songs seemed worthy of being on the radio. I hadn't heard anything about Kris Allen for the next year and a half, and I had lost hope that one of my favorite singers was out of the music business for good. Then, one day during my junior year of high school, I stumbled upon a video of Kris Allen on YouTube performing at a place called The Mint. He performed a new song titled "Monster," and, after doing some research, learned that he planned to release a new album!
I bought "Thank You Camelia," as soon as it was released a few months later, and I fell in love with his music all over again. I did not believe anything could surpass his first album, but this one was just as good, if not better (I actually did a review of it on this blog a while back if you want to check it out). He went on a small tour that year, but I unfortunately was unable to attend any of his concerts. Again, his music received very little notification, besides him performing "Vision of Love" on American Idol.
Fast forward to last summer, when Allen released his third album, titled "Horizons." This album is slightly different from his last two, with more of a singer-songwriter feel. For the heck of it, I checked his website to see if he would be touring, and sure enough, he was coming to a city about a half an hour from my hometown. The tickets were inexpensive, so on September 6, my best friend, sister, and I ventured to the music hall to see Kris Allen perform.
The music hall where Allen performed was the cutest venue I had ever been to for a concert. It was in an old farmhouse, completed with rocking chairs on the front porch and home cooked meals from the chef inside. The food was good and the venue was cozy; there was maybe 100 people there, most just looking for something to do on a Saturday night rather than fangirling (which is what we did) over Kris Allen.
The show itself was incredible. It was, to say, the best concert I had ever been to. No, there wasn't any fireworks, like One Direction, nor any neon signs or bright strobe lights like when Philip Philips opened for John Mayer-it was just Kris Allen with his guitar and small band, giving a strong, personal performance. Allen's vocals live are incredible; he definitely deserves much more credit and recognition than he receives.
To top the night off, after his performance he announced, "I'll be at the merchandise station if you guys want to hang out." He was so casual about meeting his fans, I was almost in shock. In fact, I probably was in shock right up until I stood face to face with Kris himself. I wanted so badly to tell him how much of an inspiration he was to me, but instead, we had a conversation about how we don't like Taco Bell (I know, I don't know how it happened either). But, we did take a picture and he signed my t-shirt, so all was not lost.
Anyway, the point of this story is to say that sometime we don't need the fancy, flashy elements of a concert. Yes, fireworks are great and graphics are entertaining, but it has a tendency to take away from a performance. Sometimes all you need for a great show is a farmhouse, some talent, good company, and a guitar.

Watch Allen's performance at the Mint  here

Happy reading,

Ashley

An Important Message

Hello everyone! So if you couldn't tell, a recent theme in my last few posts has been about trying to find yourself and your way in the world as you get older...something that can be scary and difficult for a lot of people. Back in May, my mother, sisters, and I saw Hunter Hayes in concert. The entire concert was fantastic, but one song in particular stood out to me-"Flashlight." This song, which Hayes explained before he performed it, is about being lost, but believing that there is someone, or something, out there, guiding you (like a flashlight, hence the name). Whenever you feel down or like you'll never figure anything out, something happens that makes you believe that things will be okay. 

Here's a video of Hunter Hayes explaining the meaning of the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_k66lheupQ

Here's a link to the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFnxJv5duLk

I hope you guys love and feel inspired by this song as much as I do,

Happy  reading,

Ashley

What Does it Mean to Be Happy?

Hello Everyone,

This semester in college, I am taking a philosophy class called "The Meaning of Human Existence." To complete the first few assignments in the course, we had to read Terry Eagleton's "The Meaning of Life." This book discusses the different perspectives of what the meaning of life is, whether there be one specific answer to the question or no answer at all. Life could have an inherent meaning, meaning that humans are to look for the answer, or an ascribed meaning (a "life is what you make of it" perspective). It also looks at the language of the question itself, for the word "life" could have different meanings for different people, and therefore the question would have different answers.
Something I found interesting in the book is the presentation of the different views of happiness, and whether or not happiness is the meaning of life. In Aristotle's point of view, happiness is a state of being. One becomes happy by living his or her life virtuously. They cannot attain it, they can only create it. In philosopher Julian Baggini's viewpoint, happiness is a state of mind. It is attained most likely through material possessions or favorable circumstances. Because life offers unfavorable circumstances, one cannot truly be happy all the time, which is why it is a state of mind, not a lifestyle.
So what does it mean to be truly happy? Eagleton brings up the point that people who live with disabilities aren't necessarily unhappy; the rest of the world may seem their situation as means for negativity, but that doesn't mean they do. I'd like to believe that happiness is a lifestyle: you can choose to be happy, despite the circumstances you're under. I don't want to have to rely on my possessions to define my happiness; sure, a new pair of shoes or perfume can make me happy, but only for a little while. The effect eventually wear's off, and it's this sense of fleeting happiness that constantly leaves us wanting more.
I want to be able to create my own happiness. I don't know if happiness is the meaning of life, but I would like to be able to live the majority of my life with a positive disposition. There are going to be negative situations and times where being happy seems impossible, but that doesn't mean you have to let it control you. If we have the power to choose to be happy, then we should do so.

Happy reading,

Ashley

The Perks of Being a New Englander

See this? This is currently the view from my bedroom window. As I sit here typing this post, thousands of snowflakes are quickly turning the northeast into a winter wonderland. This is the biggest snowstorm I've ever witnessed (and historically the biggest snowstorm since 1978) with 27+ inches of snow piling up in my yard. Classes were thankfully canceled, meaning I could spend my day forever procrastinating on all the work I have to do (let's be serious here).

Even though the winter months are freezing, the weather is almost never stable, and we can't annunciate our "R's" I wouldn't trade living in New England for anything (well, except maybe for Disneyworld, because who wouldn't). I love living in an area with so much history and so much pride. It's the home of a multitude of great schools, including Ivy Leagues Harvard, Yale, and Brown university. It's also home to actors Adam Sandler, Mindy Khaling, Amy Poehler, and Mark Whalberg (to name a few). Boston is one of my favorite places to explore, whether it's attending a Red Sox game at Fenway Park tasting a variety of foods from Faneuil Hall, or just walking down the streets of the city. So as I look out the window at what some people are calling the snowpocalypse, I can't help but take in the beauty of it all. 

So to all you New Englanders who wish you were somewhere sunny and warm, I'm with ya. But don't forget to appreciate all of the great things New England has to offer.

Happy reading,

Ashley