Not My Fault, I Swear!

Ok, so maybe the title is a little deceiving since I have been AWOL for a week. My computer broke, (again, damn you PCs! Macs are the best!) so I have to send it in for service. The battery won't charge anymore, so it just died on me yesterday. I have no computer, but I am in the process of getting a library card so I can access internet there. Sure, Roomie's got internet and 2 computers at that, but I have no idea how accommodating she will be since she is STILL upset (it's been three weeks, I think?). Well, whatever. You know how you don't want to need anything from someone who's been holding it over your head anyway? That's how I feel. I'd rather figure it out at the library than deal with that. So for about the next week or so, all my posts will be live from the library! Yay!

You may be wondering, if my battery died yesterday, what happened Monday through Friday? Or, maybe you don't care, have stopped reading, and plan to check back when I say something worthwhile. Haha, that's fair. I was taking finals. So, now I am officially done with school, and have the ability to post every day, and of course, my computer decides to give me the finger. I will post as soon as I get a library card. Shouldn't be hard, right?

I know, famous last words. If I'm lucky, it won't turn into an "Ok, so get this" rant.

I Got Tagged

Holy thunder clap, Batman! I just got awakened by the biggest crash of thunder I have heard since Hurricane Katrina hit. Of course, it's not raining that hard, thank goodness, but it set off a couple of car alarms. Oh well, perhaps nature was just waking my lazy butt up to finish all these stupid papers I have due, study for my test, and post on my blog. So...I got tagged, yay!

Ahhh, yeah...I have been waiting for this! My first tagging! Here we go:

* Create a link to the person who tagged you.

* Mention the rules for this game on your blog.

* Tell 6 unimportant things/(bad) habits (unspectacular quirks) about you.

* After answering the questions tag six other people and link them in your blog.

*Tell the people you've tagged about it in their own blogs.


I got tagged by the lovely Jovana @ Gimme A Chance, thanks, and sorry I didn't put it up sooner, I just didn't know who to tag!

1. I have my closet organized in color order. As much as I love prints and patterns, they drive me crazy because I have a hard time placing them. It goes from tops, to skirts and pants, to jumpsuits/overalls, to dresses, and then jackets and coats. My shoes are in color order too, from sandals, to flats, to pumps, to boots, to sneakers/trainers. I also have all of the hangers facing the same way. It makes others look at me funny but I am really serious about it. Luckily for me few people see my room...or my blog.

2. I like to notice patterns in numbers. For example, if a clock says 2:48 pm, I say aloud, "2 times 4 is 8," or if it says 11:12 am, I say "11 comes before 12, and it's also my birthday." I do it with dates, phone numbers, receipt totals, etc. I just try to keep it in my head...seeing as it's kind of irritating, and I am far from Russell Crowe in A Beautiful Mind.

3. I am incredibly forgetful. Since Friday, I left my wallet at a CVS (I decided to finally get one of those free discount cards, and totally left my crap on the counter), lost a parking ticket after I left the parking lot at the movies (we literally had just walked out of there and locked the door...wow), left my keys at the counter at Starbucks (when I realized it, the guy was grinning at me, holding them outward towards me when I turned around...and no, :-( he wasn't cute), and I lost my order pickup slip at Five Guys (Famous Burgers & Fries...mmmmm). It's only Sunday morning!

4. I have the entire collection of V.C. Andrews books, R.L. Stine's Fear Street books (I know there are multiple collections, and yes, I have them all), Christopher Pike's books, the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books, all the Harry Potter books, and all of the Georgia Nicholson books (I hear they are making a movie! I am definitely going to see it). Oh, and I had all the Babysitters Club (and Babysitter's Little Sister) books, Sweet Valley books, and Archie comics, but I gave them away at garage sales and stuff. Most kids my age at my school had a Nike habit, a jewelry habit, or a car habit that they or their parent's supported. As the biggest dork that ever lived, my parents supported my book habit, and I was the biggest book fiend ever. I would sneak them into restaurants, bathrooms...church...wow, God forgive me. Apparently, I really, really, really liked to read about white kids, hahaha. But no, the "African-American" literature books were just a little too grown-up for me when I was in middle/beginning high school. I love the atypical ones now, not about "sexing somebody's man, gettin' out the game, getting revenge, and cursing up a storm in the process, oh, and maybe finding religion." Like Zane?! If you have never heard of Zane, it's probably best you don't look her up...she traumatized my virgin ears/eyes as a freshman.

5. I was supposed to be in a movie at age 9. Hahaha, I tell everyone this. Of course, no one cares, hence its unimportance. John Grisham is a writer from Mississippi (well, he lived there a while) who wrote A Time to Kill, and they wanted a local girl to play Samuel L. Jackson's daughter in the movie version. So, my cousin and I auditioned, and I got the callbacks, all the way to the end. Apparently, my mother finds out that the daughter gets raped in the story, and she decides she "ain't havin' it" and pulls the plug on the whole thing. I think she was worried it might traumatize me, or that at 9 I wouldn't understand what was happening, I don't know. That's how I remember it, anyway. In the end, perhaps deciding Mississippi moms are too uptight (yeah right), they went with the adorable girl who played young Anna Mae Bullock (Tina Turner) in What's Love Got to Do With It? (that's a G.O.A.T. - Greatest Of All Time movie if there ever was one). Well, she mostly does Disney crap now, but she got to be on Even Stevens around the time I decided Shia LaBeouf was my supremely hilarious soulmate, so I sometimes shout to the heavens, Rae'ven Larrymore Kelly stole my career! Haha, I'm joking.

6. I can't live with people. Well, not in small spaces. I spent my first 8 years as an only child, but we lived in cramped quarters. I had to share all my stuff with my cousins and such, and when we finally moved on up (to a deee-luxe suburb in the sky), I then had a sibling (and then two siblings) to share with. As a teen, I was far removed from the family living-wise. I was relegated to the slave quarters (haha, guest room) behind the kitchen when my sister was born, and got used to - no, relished - the privacy. College living situations feel like a huge step backwards, but I am so broke. Living with roommates can really suck. I can love them to death, but I just never want to see their stupid faces every single day. No matter who I have lived with I find myself groaning in annoyance when I would see their car in the driveway or their light on. It's agonizing, especially since I don't know how to fix it. I don't know how I would live with a guy. Seriously. When I come home, I mellow out and turn off. I don't wanna be bombarded with sound and talk and anyone's f-ing aura/presence/ambiance constantly. I like quiet at home. I have never had a roommate that felt the same way. I got along with all of them but wanted their heads on stakes by the time I moved out. Not literally, of course. Does no one relax...quietly when they come home? Hands?

Ok, finally done. I am tagging people, hoping they haven't already done this.

Gloria @ <3 Life <3 Style
Aisha @ coloured bleu
Secretista
Any or all of the willing contributors (Susan, Pamela, Wendy-May!) @ R.O.F.Y.
Ana @ Snazzy Fashion
Molly @ Fashionyou

The Closet Dregs

Ok guys, here's my skirt.

Honest to blog (haha, that's annoying, I know) it seems kind of anti-climatic on here. But, it's still really cute when worn, and it's got pleats. It's kind of difficult to go wrong with plaid and pleats, I think. It's my first attempt at making anything, so I'd like to think I did a decent job for a beginner. :-) Roomie's still a grouch, so I don't have a camera person. Thus, the following pics are the result of some strange maneuvers and camera angles. I did the best I could with editing.
I liked the outfit I chose, but it's hard to translate to digital, apparently. It started out looking very typical Catholic school girl at first, so I put the slinky J. Lo shirt (from freshman year, guys, she was still popular then!) on top, since I never wear it.
In my narcissism, I find it urgent to let you know my belly's not sticking out, it's just the messy folds of the white button down.
Hehe, a little over-the-top wannabe sexy, just wanted you guys to see the full outfit. Unfortunately, it's gotta be in pieces.
I have major Paris Hilton wonk-eye in the pic, but that's ok, hopefully it will go away once I graduate and am not so tired ALL OF THE TIME(!). I used the scraps of the plaid material as a headband. I plan to make a real headband out of it soon.
I threw on a cami so you guys could see the skirt a little better. I also really wanted you guys to see the Baker's shoes on feet. It was a really cute combo, overall. I just wish my stitching on the skirt was perfect :-(, but I can be a perfectionist so in reality it would probably never be right.


Hope you like it!

I Made a Skirt!

It's blue/green plaid, very Gossip Girl. I will post pix tomorrow. I think I can do more, in terms of altering this skirt as well as modifying a crapload of old things in my closet. Things have been very boring lately**, so I have been sewing. Despite my grandmother teaching me the basics in elementary school, I am still very new to the whole thing, but I found a couple of sites for newbies like me. You know, those who have a million creative ideas swimming around, yet with no clue how to translate any of them to clothes.

http://www.burdastyle.com

http://www.threadbanger.com

Lazy post, yeah, but check 'em out!

**When I say boring, I of course mean that all on my horizon at the moment is a job search :-( and final exams. Plus nothing's happening socially as I got into an argument with Roomie (who doesn't?). The upshot is she was blasting music while I was taking my practice MCAT, I got an attitude, and now she has decided to give me the silent treatment. Even though she's 24... Yeah. So, essentially, I am not exactly feeling at my funniest right about now. Not with so much nonsense happening, anyway. But I promised myself to stay on top of things here, and this is one of the things I look forward to all week long. So I will have to compensate on the funny for a bit. Who knows, maybe a joke will spill out accidentally.

I Want to B*Fly!

Bluefly can do no wrong in my eyes. They brought me my favorite skinny jeans (Paper Denim & Cloth), the Casadei boots of supple Italian leather for which I am willing to bleed, and endless wishlists and inspiration. Plus, I just won $30 off on their $10,000 Spring in NYC giveaway. Of course, I can't afford to buy anything, with or without the $30 off right now, but that is wholly irrelevant. I love bluefly.com! And now they give me this?

Squeeeeeeeeeeee! The only thing that ever slightly turned me off about Bluefly was that their designer pickings had the tendency to be a little on the...er...matronly side. I always manage to find things to my taste, but they have really just made my week! I know I am late posting this, as the launch date according to my facts (i.e. me checking bluefly.com practically everyday) was Wednesday, April 9th. B*Fly is obviously geared towards drawing in a younger market. The selection is not as expansive as its big sister site, but pretty great all the same. I went straight to Betsey Johnson, Joie, Ginger & Java, and Jovovich-Hawk. But they also have a lot of other designers, known for more conservative offerings, with their most youthful looks. Honestly, I can't think of a worse time to be broke, aside from needing either bail money or some operation. Sigh.

B*Fly

Spring Is Finally Here!

Here is what I wore to introduce spring. It was a little chilly Friday morning, hence the trench coat I am in love with. I am so glad that it's warm! There was torrential rain on and off today, so I am already missing the weather of Friday.

Dress: Target, uber-cheap thank-you-very-much
Trench Coat: Romeo & Juliet Couture
Shoes: Nine West, a whopping 19 bucks! :-)

I got much grief for the shoes not "matching" despite the fact that was the point. I thought the whole thing meshed surprisingly well and looked very simple. Lots of (well, four) pics because for once I didn't have to take my own on the stupid stairs with the crap lighting. Roomie was very cooperative...must be spring fever :-). I was so taken by the weather myself, that we did a bunch of stuff outside Friday that we never do, like exercise, and had so. Much. Fun. I know I suck at blogging regularly - I take more commercial breaks than an episode of Chappelle's Show, and I am sorry for it. I just can't stop procrastinating! I keep making plans to do better, but then I put them off. Typical.

Guilty Pleasures (TV edition)

For the past year or so, I have been stuck on this show called Greek on ABC Family. I hate ABC Family (like many other things, hahaha...notice a pattern?). I think it stems from their destruction of pretty decent movies with terrible sequels, or ABC Family originals, like Au Pair II (why?), The Cutting Edge 2 and 3, and my (least) favorite, Bring it On...Again...One More Time...For the Cheap Seats in the Back...WE LOVE TO CHEER!...Have We Beaten You Over the Head with This Concept Yet?...No?...Ok, One More Sequel...Again. It's like American Pie with pom poms - it just. Won't. Die. But, I digress.

Greek is a pretty solid show. Trust me, it brings the cheese, but in the best way possible. I didn't go to a state school, or any place that wasn't predominantly black, so I can't vouch for the realism in the show. Personally, I don't think college was/is like this show for most people, but who the hell cares? If anything, I could do with less reality TV! I was sold on it right away when they posted the first episode free on iTunes...I pretty much comb iTunes for free items I would never know about otherwise (since they tricked me out of my music! I'm sure I will rant on it at some time, knowing me).

If you find you care (even just a little) or are just totally looking for something to do, check out the full online episodes. It's got love triangles, siblings, fights, frat parties, hangout spots, pranks, even a scripture-spouting roommate, and a little drama thrown in for good measure: basically everything my college experience was LACKING (minus the scripture-spouting roommate, haha). So I am definitely glad to get it smeared on extra thick in a weekly TV show. Hey, these are supposed to be the best years of my life, after all!



Oh, and I must say, I am quite surprised how many people really like that scarf look I hate. I think it is just a factor of where I live. Here in DC at Howard U, also known as *insert eye roll/groan here* the "HBCU fashion mecca", they are as frequently displayed as...oh, I don't know...Uggs w/ tucked jeans or mini-skirts in SoCal? Or, Lindsay Lohan in leggings? Are those examples that make you cringe, at all? These particular scarves have replaced the rockstar denim chain on campus as the new irritating must-have accessory of choice, and I guess I am just tired of having my eyes assaulted by this look. Ugh. Ok, rant over. It looks great on some people (certainly the people commenting whose blogs I have visited and am super-envious of their superior fashion sense), but it's just so...overdone in DC. At Howard U. To me. Ok, really - rant over.

I'm Amused That...

...the guy giving the persuasive speech on the legalization of prostitution in my communications class looked and sounded exactly like Ice T...

No Scarf Ace

In considering myself an open-minded person, there are very, very few trends that I absolutely refuse to never accept, no matter how popular, "scene", even out of style, or "chic". Aside from skull print anything, Rihanna, T-Pain, ponchos, and culottes, the only other thing I really dislike as a trend is the bulky plaid/houndstooth/skull scarf wrapped around one's neck like this:

Blech...especially the fringe ones with the ends hanging down. I am not particularly interested in looking like a hipster cowboy, thank-you-very-much. Really, anyone who knows me is aware that due to my likely hypochondriacal self-diagnosis of pnigophobia (fear of choking, go figure) I am averse to most things that wrap around my neck, particularly turtlenecks. However, I still have managed to acquire a love for spring scarves, and attempting to wear them in pretty much anyway but at my neck (or at least very loosely). So, I guess you could say I am relatively new to the allure of scarves. As my title states, I don't know scarves, but I know what I like. And, if I wasn't such a cheapskate/broke college student, I would buy some of these lovely creations rather than find treasures in the dollar bins at thrift stores.

Target













l-r: Oblong Stripe Pastel, $8.99, Pink Floral Multiblock, $8.99, Pink Rain Dot, $6.99, All: Xhilaration head scarves, but of course, wear them anyway you would choose!

American Eagle












Both: Gingham Scarves, black and pink, $19.50 each

Gap













l-r: Gray Gradient scarf, $29.50, Lava stone Orange Sun-bleached Stripe Scarf, $19.50

Anthropologie

















l-r: Scattered Breeze Scarf, $58, Climbing Roses Scarf, $88, Incandescent Scarf, $68, last two: Ribcandy Scarf, pink and yellow, $42 each



bluefly.com






















l-r: DVF "Bee" Scarf, $33.15 (sale ends 4/7), DVF "Ladybug" Scarf, $33.15 (sale ends 4/7), Versace Tulip and Circle print silk Scarf, $220, Viktor & Rolf Ivory Butterfly Bird Print silk jersey Scarf, $114

net-a-porter.com
























l-r: Alexander McQueen Butterfly print Scarf, $295, Matthew Williamson Butterfly silk Scarf, $230, Matthew Williamson Flame-edged silk Scarf, $415, Missoni Starburst silk Scarf, $385

These scarves are all made of light materials: I checked. I love bright colors, obviously, because I like the idea of having accessories that stand out. However, basic can be good too. Aside from as a waist cincher, headband, typical neck adornment, and classic purse accent, I like to wear my scarves in two other ways that may need to be seen to be...understood?

I like it as an ankle accent (not that I would expect this to catch on, but I like it) for really girly dresses.




















I also like to use it as a back-sessory and tie it into my sleeveless shirts and make it halter-top style.













I tried to dress it up a little, but I couldn't really find the energy: I have had approximately 5 hours of sleep in a 48 hr period. Hey, I know my priorities! :-) Oh, and thanks to everyone who has been coming to the blog, as well as those who wished me well on my exam! I really appreciate it.

Hold on for One More Day...

Ok, you know I am stressed if I am quoting Wilson Phillips. Had a big test yesterday, today, and the MCATs are tomorrow. I will be back to posting tomorrow, everyone!

Original Prankster

Happy April Fools' Day! I gave up on the 4/1 jokes after high school, but I remember my favorites. In my finale joke, my pièce de résistance, I woke up extra early (which I never do) and hid under my parents' bed while cooling my hand in ice. When my parents' alarm went off and my mom put her legs down on the floor, I grabbed one of her ankles with my cold hand. She didn't take it well, suffice to say. She was a great sport after the fact and even got me back too (it's embarrassing, don't know if I will divulge it), but I could have given her a heart attack, or something.

I once put a real-looking lizard (that I bought in the Bahamas) in my Open Doors teacher's chair in 8th grade, or 7th. She screamed, hopped around and kicked it to the floor. Surprisingly, no one ratted me out.

I drew male genitalia on my older brother's face while he slept, and another year (I was in 3rd grade, I think), I put hot sauce on his fingers and tickled his nose with a pipe cleaner so he would dig in it. That produced funny yet possibly blinding results because he didn't feel it burning right away...and he rubbed the sleep from his eyes when he started awake.

That same year as the hot sauce thing (that happened during the day, this next one happened that morning) I put one of my brother's dirty socks in my cousin's mouth while she slept (hey, they read my diary together, so it's not like they didn't have it coming!). When she awakened (she did notice she was breathing funny, after all), she pulled it out, let out a howl, and put about half a tube of toothpaste in her mouth.

And, yes I have done the saran wrap on the toilet bowl, swapping sugar for salt, loose cap on the ketchup, hand in warm water, short-sheeting the bed...all the "classics", really, but my original jokes are always mean like that, because I have this strange liking for physical comedy. I decided not to do anymore though. I swear am not really a mean person, but for some reason, jokes like those make me laugh. I choose to sacrifice my amusement at physical comedy (most of the time) to maintaining good relationships with family members and friends. So now I just live vicariously through the April Fools' Day jokes and random pranks of others.

Got any?