A couple months ago some folks and I came together and said...
"You know what? LET'S VLOG."
So we did. And it was good. Real good.
So now we're back for more. And we sure hope that you'll join us. We're talking about BUCKET LISTS this time around. Mine is HUGE. I tried to narrow it down to a few and still, I broke the vlogging rules and went beyond four minutes. I went for eight. That's even after editing, gosh darnsies. Of course, the first min and thirty seconds is me rambling about nonsense that has nothing to do with bucket lists, but eh... it could serve as some good back-story in the future maybe. Also, my sister Shannon makes an appearance in this one! Nevermind how I sound like some stage mom asking her questions like she's four.
CHEERS. (this vlog is whack. If I had time to re-do it I probably would. Please don't hold my cheese against me.)
PS Can someone please give me advice on how to get rid of those AWFUL bags under my eyes? Good Lord. Why do I get those so badly? It's not cute. PSS Poor Kevin. Let's pray he never finds this or else it's done. Psh, Curling my hair?! For some dude at the gym. And then vlogging about it. Who am I......
Cheese.
Don't forget to show my co-hosts some love and check out all the other vlogs/yay:
1. This is not a sponsored vlog, in case any of you wonder or suspect. Or don't. I just really loves Netflix and wanna share the wealth of great films I've recently lost sleep to (respectfully). P.S. all the films mentioned above are available to stream on your computer instantly! Get on that ish!
2. I was kind of getting restless towards the end there apparently.. ha, couldn't even remember the names of the movies I was just talking about. Sometimes I'm like a 40 year old woman living in a 24 year old's body acting like I'm 80.
3. Sorry this vlog is kind of boring. And that I don't smile. I'm working on it.
4. I'm working on the whole vlog thing in general. Pretty proud of the text I was experimenting with this time around.
5. Anyone else completely head over heels for Jef one f? I didn't think Emily could actually end up with him, but now I change my mind. I think they could work, which is an odd thing to say since I want the man for myself. But I like Emily. So if she picks him, great. If she doesn't, really great. Where do I sign up for Bachelor Pad. #willjefbethere
6. I decided that it was kind of rude of me to make references to actors in Breaking Upwards and not even use their names in doing so. So the lead actress who I really liked is Zoe Lister Jones, and the incredible actresses who played the eccentric mothers are Andrea Martin and Julie White. Just to reiterate: I really liked this film. I hope you guys will check it out!
7. I ALSO saw Safety Not Guaranteed last week while I was in San Fran and absolutely LOVED it. Aubrey Plaza is my kind of girl. I don't watch Parks and Recreation, but maybe I should get on that. Especially since it's on NETFLIX heyyyyy.
Hey dudes. So, today's the big day. Today you get to meet MY CLOSET thanks to a link up some kidzzz and myself organized to showcase a few of our belongings. It wasn't limited to just articles of clothing, but for my presentation here, I decided to go with just that. Please bear with my vlogging skills as they are still blooming (ever-so slowly) as well as the quality of the vid--my dang mac fan has a loud mouth. Also, bear with the fact that I am ridiculous... and that my fashion sense is confusing. What can I say.. I like random shit. Finally, if you're interested, this particular vlog comes with a fun drinking game. It's called: have a drink every time Punky says the word "cool." Warning: hangover most likely to follow. Cheers!
My partners in hoarding: Miki, Emily, Justyn, and Jazmine. AND KJERSTIN who I didn't mention in the vid... sorry Kjerstin. ahhhh! Fail. (love you) (I was drunk when I was recording that whole thing and forgot.) (Just kidding. I wasn't drunk.) (I was just scared to pronounce your name wrong. True story.) (please don't hate meeee!)
Check dem beezys out + everyone else and then link up yourself, yo's! It'll be open all week!
Hey so, you wanna know one of the reasons why I absolutely adore blogging? Because I stalk blogs and then successfully convince its authors to follow me back on Twitter. Echoed by joining cliques I randomly produce.
Meet Bethany. Victim (slash winner) to all of thee above. No lies: I stalked her blog for several months. Then called her out on not following me back on Twitter. (She then followed me back/cheers.) Only before she happily obliged, along with Alexandra of She is Red (another MUST READ.) to join what I have now dubbed the Glam Gang (double cheers). Which by the way, anyone and everyone is welcome to join.. all you have to do is be silly and loving. And hashtag glamgang everywhere you go. Easy.
Anyway. If you don't follow Bethany already, you should. Not only is she beautiful, smart and charming, but she's about to embark on a pretty impressive and unique new chapter in her life, which I am very honored to preview here today. And also follow in the time to come!
So grab yourself a capri sun (or margarita, whatever) and get pumped for the following Q&A!!! It's a goodie!
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
1. Tell us the name of your blog and what it's all about.
Rinse Repeat is where I share my life via photos and thoughts, however messy they might be. Lately, life is pretty messy since I'm about to move across the world! Usually my blog focuses on travel and capturing the quieter part of myself that's tough to share in person. It's where I've turned to write about depression, heartache and anxieties...but also crafts, recipes and lots of parties.
I try to keep it as light as possible, and when that fails I throw in some glitter! 'Cause glitter solves any problem, right?
2. More importantly, what are you all about? What do you do for fun aside from blog?
Well, I'm frequently on the Twitta' and Instagram, which reveals this: I'm all about little moments. For most of my life, I've lived in a small Wisconsin town and my life matched it. Growing up, life happened at a fairly slow pace and there was plenty of time to make little flower arrangements or giggle with girlfriends over magazines. I always imagined I'd mature out of this slow-paced life to become a powerful CEO. Ha! That' didn't happen. Aside from now getting my passport stamped on a regular basis, I remain the same dorky Midwestern girl. I love spending my days fidgeting with home decor, shopping, reading biographies and catching up on the latest episode of Downtown Abbey.
Truth: I am ultra normal, dare I say...boring, at times, girl who eats a little too much. My well-worn yoga pants prove it.
3. Word on the net is that you're moving to Kuwait....what's that all about? Are you excited? Scared? Is it your first time living outside of the U.S.?
The rumors are true! Soon I shall be mingling with the Kuwaitis! My husband specializes in IT on various military bases...his latest job has taken him to Kuwait for a year. I'll be really honest: Kuwait wasn't my first choice. And I may have cried a bit. I visited for two weeks earlier this year, so I know what I'm getting into! But for many, many reasons I'm so jazzed to be there. Living inside a culture other than my own will be eye-opening, I'm sure, and I hope it will deepen and challenge me.
But socially and creatively, it's a little shocking! Although I won't be want for Pizza Hut or IKEA--Kuwait's retail options are highly westernized--their customs are quite conservative. Examples from what I've been advised: no baring of knees, cleavage or shoulders and little to no photos in public. Oh, and try not to look men directly in the eyes, as they're likely to think you're flirting with them.
In other words, take what you do in the US...and do the EXACT opposite. ;) All that said, seeing my husband on a daily basis is going to be inexplicably fantastic.
4. If you could split a scone with any female actress, dead or alive, who would it be?
Hands down, Tina Fey...but as Liz Lemon from 30 Rock. In that case, we'd probably ditch the scones, change into sweatpants and head over to Cinnabon, where our platonic relationship would really soar to new heights. Liz Lemon is one of those characters with whom I simply relate: a lifetime of sketchy boyfriends, the mediocre job and recurring social awkwardness. I love it, I love it all.
5. If you could ride on a ferris wheel with any hunk, dead or alive, who would it be?
Can we all swear this is a judge-free zone? I'm on a ferris wheel and to my left is...Anderson Cooper. The hunky silver fox, whose daytime talk show I rarely miss. Nevermind that he's rumored to have a boyfriend. In my ferris wheel dreams he's wearing his typical Anderson button-up shirt, sexy black glasses...and he is really in to me. No, it's not your typical crush. But, I feel this can be explained by stating that my husband is ten years older than me and therefore I've totally stopped digging 20-something guys. Oh, the scandal! And by scandal I mean...my grandmother publically discussing my need to start "trying" for children now, lest my husband be 80 when our children graduate. Thanks, Gram.
Anyway...ahem. Anderson Cooper.
6. What are some other places in the world you'd love to travel to?
Oh, lord. Everywhere. Aside from wanting to revisit Ireland and France, I'm dying to hit Italy, England or Switzerland. But beachy locales like Bali, Greece and Sri Lanka are also on my list (after a few months of working out). I'd do almost anything for a passport stamp. Almost. Annnnnything.
7. Tell us a few of your favorite blogs. You know, the ones you click onto almost every day.
I wish I had a reader's MO to explain what I like: events, decor, personal, shopping...I'm a grab bag. For me it's a balance of pretty pictures, good stories and a pinch of personality! Here are a few of my faves!
8. Any guilty pleasures? Help us all feel less alone... share 'em!
Cake. Cake all day long. And here's where it gets dirty: it's not fancy cake...no wild flavors or special frosting. We're talking $2 slabs of chocolate cake from any old grocery store...and I've perfected the art of eat the entire thing in one sitting.
Beyond that, any reality love + dating show will catch my eye. We're talking The Bachelor, Millionaire Matchmaker, Love in the Wild, old reruns of Temptation Island. I'm fully aware that I'm too intelligent and well-behaved to watch this filth. But, I just cannot stop. If there's love and people behaving badly...I'm hooked.
9. Bob or Jillian?
Bob, please! I'm such a soft, emotional person, and not necessarily the most motivated. Jillian would break me into four thousand tiny pieces, and leave me crying on the floor. Bob has a sweetness to him which could likely lead to a few extra trips to Subway if I were well-behaved.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Hey now, see what I mean... is this girl cool or what.
I really hope you guys will take the time to hop on over to B's blog and drop her some love as she leaves for Kuwait TODAY!
Oh and one last thing... a farewell vlog for my friend :)
Vlogging.....definitely not my style, but every several days after a solar eclipse I'm happy to showcase some awkwardness for a blogging friend who is moving continents away. So, Bethany, this is for you!
Post Edit: You guys. You MUST click on the link above and watch Alexandra's vlog. Homegirl did anything but make a fool of herself. She made me cry. It was that beautiful and heart felt. And dang it, now I'm just embarrassed of my silly little vee log above! Haha, YIKES.
All ok though. More than anything, I just sit here completely touched. This blogging world is so good. I am a million kinds of grateful for the friends I've made. Bethany. Alexandra. Everyone. All of you.You all make my heart smile. Day after day. Thank you.
Here ya go. I'm feeling a little reminiscent of those college week day nights where I didn't feel like doing my Shakespeare reading, so instead I grabbed my room mate and demanded we make home bideos of us being ourselves, which needless to say=grade A weirdos. Eh, we're theater kids, after all. Feel free to unfollow me after this post. Or recommend me/my blog to any weirdos out there you might know. And when I say weirdos, I'm talking about the off beat awesome people of the world, not serial killers...thanks/love you. (I would hope you don't know any serial killers.)
PS. That's my college apartment we were playing in. Lots of memories in that little nook of mine. We called it the "Fungalow". It was our attempt to match the fun idea of having a college living situation that had a name... like all the guys in our drama department who lived together in a house and called it "The Dude Ranch". I was really hoping the Fungalow would catch on, and it would be the new fav. hang out spot for all the cool kids of UCI, but that didn't quite occur. Then Chris, my former room mate above (who I shared apt with) moved out and into The Dude Ranch.. ouch. Well, I don't blame him. They had a garage with a ping pong table in it and a driveway where you could park for free. All I had going at my place was shitty parking and a wall collage.
Hey now, it was a pretty sweet collage at least--- check it out.
And my old spacious room that I miss a lot lot now compared to my current room at the parent's place, where cleaning=stuffing things away in any space available which = none, which = a seemingly messy/ scattered room constantly.
I sure do miss you, Park West. You were a time in my life that now only exists as a memory. In many ways a sorta sour one, but in other ways, a very happy one. I lived a lot in that little college apartment of mine.
