Beginning Again With A Blizzard

With 2015 well underway, I think it’s about time for a life update. As I write this post, I am bracing myself for my first experience with a blizzard. Growing up in Texas, I rarely saw snow and when I did it was a sad little sprinkling of white over our draught-ridden lawn. So to me snow is still a big deal, especially when there is a predicted 18-24 inches headed my way! My classes are cancelled, everyone is all bundled up drinking hot chocolate and the Frozen quotes are at an all time high here. Despite the worry for people’s safety, I can’t help but be excited. This semester I am taking classes that I am genuinely interested in which is a refreshing change from last semester, which was filled with classes need for distribution requirements (aside from the Sherlock Holmes course that I adored). This semester I am taking Propaganda and War, Introduction to Literature, Athenian Democracy and (the one I am the most excited for) Costume Design. The workload is a bit intense, but the classes are worth it. I am already missing my family and my dogs, but I am very happy to be MoHome and back with the wonderful community I have become a part of here. I hope all you lovely readers are staying nice and warm wherever you are.

Love,

Apologies and Icons

 First off, I would like to apologize for my lack of posting lately! I decided to take some time to enjoy hanging out with my lovely family and friends while I was home for the holidays, but not to worry, I’m back again to provide you with another excuse to procrastinate.

Now that apologies are out of the way, it’s time, my lovely readers, for a bit of a history lesson. As you know by know, I love old movies. I adore the old slang, the big dance numbers and the look of Technicolor, but what I really love is the costumes. Sadly, most people of my generation have never seen the classic old movies. So, allow me to introduce you to a legend: Edith Head. You have probably never heard her name, but I guarantee you know her work. You all know the iconic Breakfast at Tiffany’s little black dress (that is STILL used as style inspiration), Edith designed it.

 The woman was seriously a rockstar. Her designs literally helped shape the style of the 30s, 40s AND 50s. Her concepts were elegant, simple and memorable all without distracting the viewer from what the actors were trying to portray. She worked closely with Alfred Hitchcock to make the clothes that helped present the seemingly perfect women that Hitchcock would then slowly unravel until the point of madness. She worked with Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Shirley MacLaine, Elizabeth Taylor, Rosemary Clooney; the list goes on and on. She designed the costumes for Roman Holiday, Rear Window, White Christmas, To Catch a Thief, Funny Face, Vertigo, Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, Sabrina, Breakfast at Tiffany’s- and that’s only naming a tiny percent of all the films she worked on.

 She was nominated for 35 academy awards and won 8. She still holds the record for most academy awards won by a woman.

Oh, and Edna Mode from the Incredibles? Yeah, the character was based on her. 

She was amazing and it’s really sad to me that so few people of my generation have even heard of her. So there, your history lesson/my rant is over. Have a wonderful day!

Love,

 

Home Alone

 Alone time, depending on your personality type, can either be blissfully peaceful or lonely and boring. Personally, I usually love alone time; us introverts need it to recharge (for more information on that see the my previous post: How To Care For An Introvert). However, no matter how much you enjoy small bits of “me time,” no one likes to be alone during the holidays.  So, unfortunately, when Thanksgiving rolled around and it became clear that going back to Texas just wasn’t an option, I suddenly had five whole days of solitude on my hands. The first few hours were nice, but I soon found myself missing the company of my roommates (both of whom had gone home for the break). I started to get a bit of cabin fever and at my lowest point, I literally started talking to the fish I had been suckered into babysitting. So, on that note, here is my list of the top 10 things to do when you are home alone for the holidays!

1. Think positive! Feeling sorry for yourself won’t do you any good, so you might as well try to look on the bright side!

2. Try not to get too caught up in irrational fears… For example, within the first hour or so of being left alone I had the thought that if I were to choke on something, no one would be there to help me and I would die and then no one would find me for several days. Needless to say I mostly just ate applesauce and ramen after that thought, just in case…

3. Appreciate that you can literally do whatever you want and no one will be around to judge you. You want to watch kids movies all day? Go for it. You feel like planning your imaginary wedding on Pinterest for hours? More power to you!

4. Know that at some point, no matter how much Netflix you watch or how many hours you spend on YouTube, you will get bored. I’m sorry to break it to you, but there comes a point when even the Internet just isn’t cutting it anymore. Accept the boredom, it’s all a part of the experience.

5. Call home! I promise, your family is missing you just as much as you’re missing them. Not having a family member there for the holidays is hard, so make sure you call and let them know you’re okay!

6. Take as many Dance Recesses as possible. If you don’t know what a Dance Recess is, I suggest you check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iacs6SvjLKo (you’re welcome in advance). Songs that are great for a dance recess include: “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift, “You Make My Dreams Come True” by Hall & Oates, “Tunak Tunak Tun” by Daler Mehndi (just trust me on this one), “Wannabe” by Spice Girls, “Bootylicious” by Destiny’s Child, literally anything by Beyoncé, “Somebody Loves You” by Betty Who and “Come On Eileen” by Kevin Rowland & Dexys Midnight Runners.

7. Don’t get too freaked out by being alone, especially at night. I promise, the weird noise you heard wasn’t an axe murderer coming to kill you. But it never hurts to lock your door…

8. Venture out into the real world every now and then. Try not to just stay inside for five days straight; it’s not good for you. No matter how nice and warm your comfy bed looks, you have to socialize with people or you will go crazy and start talking to fish.

9. Sleep as much as humanly possible. If you are also a college student, you understand the beauty of actually being able to get enough sleep, so take full advantage of this time.

10. Get excited for your roommates to get back! Having so much time to yourself can really make you appreciate having the company (also you’ll feel much safer eating solid food again).