FAVE.

First of all, I loved all of your happy song suggestions. It reminded me of awesome wonderful stuff like Coconut Records, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Ellie Golding, Beatles, Dashboard, and Mika, and oh my gosh "Roll to Me" I never even knew the name of that song! And then you introduced me to some to stuff like Dispatch and a Decemberists song I had never heard. I listened to all of the songs during my break today.

So. Today I'm just making this a bit of a "Favorite Things" blog. These aren't necessarily my most favorite things in the world, they're just things I use quite often and do love so very much. You know how you try all sorts of makeup or hair junk or clothes or whatever, but then you find the right stuff and just absolutely can't live without it? Yeah. This kind of stuff. Here it is!

Teva Sandals

I'm about to buy my third pair of these guys. The past two summers at camp, I wore these all. summer. I've walked miles and miles and miles in them, and my feet never ever ever get sore. I'd say 80% of the girls of staff wear these. And their families. They. Are. The. Most. Comfortable. Flip Flops. And you can usually get them for under $20!! Oh, goodness. They are just... fantastic. I try them on every time I go shoe shopping, just because.

M.A.C. Concealer

I am so far from being a make-up expert, but I love this stuff. It covers everything. 

Covergirl Line Exact

Okay. Pencil liner always made me look like a dying raccoon by the end of the day. Liquid liner was harder to apply on my bottom lid than it was to stay in the lines when I was two. So, some time in high school I bought this stuff. SO fantastic. It's liquid, so it stays all day... but it's like a marker pen, so it's way easier to control. I've pretty much been a salesperson for this stuff since Junior year.

Somoa Cookies

Okay. I went through three boxes this Girl Scout season. This isn't that bad, I feel. But seriously. Favorite. Cookie. Ever.

Raisinetes

... speaking of comfort food. These are it. Bad days? Broken heart? Feelin' down? Bad Weather? Pimple? Can't decide what to wear? Nothing a Raisinet can't fix! Okay, so I took that too literally my freshman year of college. Honestly, it's probably the weight I gained.

Neutrogena Hand Cream

I have tried every lotion and its mother on my hands. Even the stinky stuff dermatologists recommend. They get so very awful during winter. Cracky bleedy awful. But this lotion makes hands softer than a baby's bottom. I feel like this is the universal phrase to compare soft things by, so I'm using it! I have about three bottles on this stuff. One for my purse, one for my backpack, and one for my dorm. People will complement you on your soft hands, I promise!

Lastly,  James McAvoy

Just Kidding. But Really.

xx

Time!

I have no time for you, bloggeh!

Since I compare my life to Gilmore Girls on a daily basis, I will share with you what I came across today.

Recently I watched this episode, where Loreli opens a present from her parents. The present being Wolfgirl, a painting.

Today we had to research a few artists in Graphic Design, and one was Kiki Smith. I google imaged Kiki Smith and saw it. Wolfgirl.

Oh goodness. The poor, unfortunate child. Anyway, I pretty much laughed out loud when I recognized it. I now fully understand another Gilmore Girl reference. One more down, 4378461 to go! Someday I'm going to watch all the seasons again, pause when there's a reference I don't understand, and look it up. This would be a time consuming process.

Now I have a question. Can you be in love with a feeling, or do you simply become addicted to feelings? Can you both be in love with and be addicted to something?

These are the seemingly irrelevant questions that flood my brain all too often.

You guys should also name a song you're into right now. One that makes you happy. I'm all for new happy songs! 

More tomorrow! xx

Le Spieling Peter

Someone come with me to Disneyland. Please.

Sometimes I feel like I'm Drew Barrymore pretending to be a high school student only to write an article on it. Except art school is my high school. And my future is the article I'm writing. Sometimes I feel like I'm an outsider being let in on the ins and outs of being an art major. I mean, I'm learning pretty well. But it still seems fake. I'm mostly just talking about sculpture here. I know what to say, and I know what will make Todd extremely excited in an artsy sort of way. But when we critique pieces and just say what it reminds us of, I'm not going to lie... it gets silly. Today I compared someone's sculpture to a leg of chicken. And this is acceptable, because it's art. I also compared one to pokeballs attacking a pokemon. In all honesty, it really looked like it. This isn't completely just the nerd in me. (After I said it, a boy responded, "That's what I was thinking, too! Secretly." We had a nerdlike moment.) Anyway, between comparing something to a leg of chicken and using a blow drier to dry my sham-wow full of charcoal*, I had another one of those, "Art major, Allyson? Really?" moments. Computers. I like computer art.

Hokay.

Sometimes I have days where I feel dizzy. all. day. Today was one of those days. I've tried everything. I think it's just something I have to deal with. Someone told me it might have something to do with weak adrenal glands. Well, hokay. Great, hormones. Way to get all weak on me. I thought you an I were good.

Guys, I had some fun on Google Maps today with my new address in Chicago. Then I did this:

What a company. That's all I have to say. I really like Starbucks, but I mean... can you believe a company can be something like this and still thrive? Coffee. Coffee drives the routine of our society. I mean, I don't really have an opinion on that, I just think it's such an interesting thing that the coffee industry is able to sell $4 lattes. Some people say it's sad, but I kind of think it's brilliant. No matter how much people complain, we all do it. What a business. With all that said, I won't lie. This got me excited. Say what you will!

Let me leave you with a little bit of adorable that is Spieling Peter Pan.

Sorry for this blah of a blog. I already know what I'm doing for tomorrows, though! Off to read about your days!

* It's technically a chamois cloth, but it's french so you say it like "sham wah." This is too hard for me to say without sounding like I'm completely faking the accent, so I call it a shamwow. But really, that's where the name Sham Wow came from. It's pretty much the exact same cloth. Fun fact o' the day for you.

Notsome Days.

" I will give you this, my love, and I will not bargain or barter any longer. I will love you, as sure as He has loved me. I will discover what I can discover and though you remain a mystery, save God's own knowledge, what I disclose of you I will keep in the warmest chamber of my heart, the very chamber where God has stowed Himself in me. And I will do this to my death, and to death it may bring me. I will love you like God, because of God, mighted by the power of God. I will stop expecting your love, demanding you love, trading for your love, gaming for your love. I will simply love. I am giving myself to you, and tomorrow I will do it again. I suppose the clock itself will wear thin its time before I am ended at this altar of dying and dying again. God risked Himself on me. I will risk myself on you. And together, we will learn to love, and perhaps then, and only then, understand this gravity that drew Him, unto us." 

-Donald Miller

(Recently I've rediscovered my love for this man and how he is able communicate his thoughts on paper in such a way that helps everything make a little more sense. Reading his stuff gives you a lot of fistpump moments.)

Sometimes, you are given days that make you appreciate the good days even more. These days are also known as Bad Days. I woke up this morning exhausted, a few things quickly transpired that put me in an awful mood, and I just trudged through the day until I could come back and take a nap.

However, a number of good things kept happening on this day I had already determined as "bad." I think it was God's way of poking me with a fluffy stick and saying, "Hey, you, with the great life. Stop trudgin'' around. Look at all the fantastic things I have given you today. Here, have some coffee and smile, woman."

Also, great friends are absolutely awesome to have. They remind you that the thoughts you have that put you down are not always stupid. They remind you that just because other people may think the doubts/insecurities/worries/questions you are having might be stupid or insignificant, doesn't mean they are. They remind you that you don't just have to "deal with it." No, it's not stupid. No, if you think it's an issue, you don't just have to "deal with it." People are different.

People need to respect the fact that people think/comprehend/feel differently. And sometimes, you need to take a step back and humble yourself to be able to understand how to better communicate what you are trying to get across to that person. And sometimes, that means doing things differently than what you personally think is the right way. This is really hard. This is like taking everything you have learned in your life to come to the conclusion you have come to, and setting it aside for a second in order to love the way another needs you to love.

So, my day is looking up. I can't shake this nasty headache, though.

UConn just won the NCAA tournament. This makes me happy. In 6th (7th?) grade I filled out my first bracket, sent UConn to win it, and they did. Just for me, I'm sure of it. Anyway, my friend Jeff and I were the class winners, so we both won something from the vending machine. I think I tell this to everyone every single March Madness, because I am so proud of it, but my slogan in 6th grade was, "U CONN DOOO IT!" I know, I know. It's pretty much more clever than anything you have heard in your life. Ever since then I have claimed the right to proclaim I am "good" at filling out brackets. To keep this true, I haven't filled out out for a few years now. :]

Hope you learned to love your Monday.

Ps: Remember how I accidentally got on the PETA e-mailing list and have come to enjoy the hilarity that fills my inbox on a weekly basis? Ah, yes. Well, have you ever considered yourself the cutest vegetarian alive? Well you're in luck, because there is now a contest for you! *facepalm*

Pps: Emily, I'm talkin' to you. Win this thing, gurrl.

Bob Dresses in a Box

 I went outside today (in a short sleeved dress) to take some pictures of my dress to show my mom. You can't see the dress very well, so here's a close up picture of it.

I bought it yesterday at The Mall of America. H & M. I also saw a man living in a box. I don't entirely understand the concept. It's called the Human Do.ing, and it's a man living in a glass box for 30 days. His box looks like a room in IKEA with glass around it. It's supposed to be a healthy thing? You tweet/Facebook him tasks to do (exercises, meals) and he does them. The man in the box waved to me. I waved back.

"One man. In a box. For one month. Living a healthier life with your support."

Does this sentence not sound entirely contradictory to you? Except then we came around and he was talking to people, outside of the box. He was standing outside of his box. MAN IN BOX, you cannot stand OUTSIDE of your BOX. That makes this way less cool.

I don't know, Google him. He really wants you to.

Here! Have a song!

One more thing, and then I promise I'll be done for today. I saw these shoes yesterday. Okay, okay okay this is ridiculous. Stupid. Annoying. Borderline illegal. Not even creative or good marketing in the LEAST BIT. It disgusts me.

Not ONLY is it the EXACT SAME style of shoe, but they chose to name them "BOBS" ?!?!?!? They even go so far as to have the tags in the SAME places in the SAME styles. I'm not even trying to sound all hipster or whatnot. I'm literally disgusted from a marketing perspective. I'm glad that they are also doing the "one for one" thing, but the drastic measures they have taken to make their shoes as similar as Toms is downright stupid. Consumers are hardly falling for it. They're not even that much less expensive.

Payless Shoes have been doing this for years, but at least they don't call their "Crocs" "Brocs" or "Converse" "Nonverse." Bobs. Goodness crap. Sigh.

Have a lazy Sunday, kiddos.

Le Apartment

So, next September I'm transferring schools and moving into a new apartment in beautiful wonderful Chicago. I'll be living with my best friend from high school, Alyson, her current roommate, and her sister. She managed to find a wonderful, classy, reasonably priced apartment in an ideal location. Some days I get so excited that I almost forget I am so so so excited for summer. Because I am so so so so so so excited for the opportunities Chicago will bring. I'm so excited that I have forgotten how to use any other adjectives. So excited. Anyway, want to see apartment pictures? OKAY. I CAN DO THAT. :]

It's a three story brick "house" with each floor being it's own unit. We have the second floor. We have our own bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and a fireplace.

The House!

Dining Room

Living Room

Kitchen

Archway between Dining Room/ Living Room 

So, yup. I'm so excited. Also, there's a parking spot we won't be using, so come visit me, please. :] We can get coffee from the plethera of coffee shops within walking distance. And cupcake boutiques. And everything. Because it's Chicago. 

Abbie - Thaaank you. :]

Kate - HAH. My roommate and I had the exact same thought. Dibs.

Lex - Creepy fog is creepy. Driving in creepy fog makes me want to hide under a blanket. Then I remember I am operating a moving vehicle, so that's probably not the best solution.

Hope you're having a wonderfully grand weekend. I bought a dress today, so that makes a day oh so grand. 

Chicago Countdown - five months!

Le First of Le Month

Happy BEDA!

Happy MLB opening day(s)!

Happy April!

Welcome to day one of the month I have legitimately completely honestly realistic intentions of blogging every day for.

Can I just begin by saying that it is a gorgeous day out? Everything and everyone is just so happy and exciting and full of anticipation. Because it's beautiful out, I am even more excited for summer, and this song makes the spring fever even worse. I feel like it's one of those songs you play on a summer road trip. Or at the beach. I can't get it out of my head today.

April Fool's Day, when not treated like "Excuse to be a Jerk Day" is kind of fun. I always fall for something online, even if it's only for a minute or two before I have that, "Ooohhh...." moment. The "fool" for this year that had me going for a minute was "Starbucks Mobile Pour." I read this late last night, though, to be fair... so I didn't realize it was after midnight. Who am I kidding, I probably wouldn't have figured it out today, either. The sad thing is... this actually could be our future....

If you signed on to Gmail today you probably noticed "Gmail Motion." The people they interview about it are hilariously serious. Another one Google put out was "Being a Google Autocompleter."  That's worth watching. It's funny. I absolutely love how Google takes April Fool's day so seriously every year. Like, hours and hours of planning/writing/filming/designing has to take place for these things.

Anyway, those are the ones I've come across today that I have particularly enjoyed.

GUYS. EVERYONE IS DOING BEDA. There are so many blogs to read. So many. I want to read/comment on them ALL, but I'm sorry if I miss a few days of yours! I'm quite excited to get to know all of you better this month, and I am quite excited to share all the things I am planning to share. Oh, also, thank you for all the positive comments about my FaultBook blog. Maybe we should start it together. ;]

Go outside!