Sunday Social Week 42: Springtime!

1. What is your favorite thing about spring? The weather warming up and being able to leave the house not bundled up like a penguin. I love watching the birds come back and the trees come back to life - not to mention simple things like seeing green grass and flowers after so many months of nothing but snow and salt everywhere. 2. What is your favorite kind of flower to grow or receive? I don't know that I have a specific favorite flower! Receiving roses is always obviously a good thing, but I'm not picky. I would say that one of my favorite flowers has to be lilacs - as a kid, my parents had several lilac bushes in the backyard, and it was always so fun to go outside and pick them and put them inside the house for my mom.  3. What is your favorite nail polish color? Usually a burgundy or black. I'm not too picky in that respect.  4. What is your favorite outdoor activity? Riding my bike! I can't wait until it warms up so I can get back out. 5. Do you have any fun spring plans? Details! Hopefully doing some more craft shows. Other than that, nothing too specific as of yet!

30 Day Shred: Day 20

Now, my Day 20 was last Sunday the 10th, but since I've been under the weather, I haven't really felt like writing a whole lot! Today is a new day, so here's my most recent update, photos first:

In order, these photos are about Day 1, 5, 10, and 20. I am starting to see some definite physical changes, and I could not be happier. Officially, today, I am down just over 14 pounds and officially down a pants size. 

Starting to get active wasn't easy, and coming home every day and working out wasn't, either. But I worked it into my schedule, along with watching what I'm eating (thanks to the MyFitnessPal app) and being more cautious that way, and I really feel like I've made some lifelong changes that will be with me for years to come. I can't wait to see how much farther I can get with this!

I'm not sure what to do after I finish the 30 Day Shred - any suggestions?

What is wrong with us? My take on Steubenville.

Let me preface this post by saying I don't get onto a soapbox real often, but when I do, I usually think it's for good reason. 

Since hearing about the Steubenville rape case, it has been at the forefront of my mind. Am I directly connected to any of the people involved? No. However, after the way it's been handled in the media the past few days, I feel more people should use their voices in this situation, while everyone just wants to sweep it under the rug instead.

Part of our culture has always been to create this wall around athletes, like they're untouchable. They get to skate on grades and even on performance on the field or in the gym, and never have to know real rules. They are treated better than everyone else just because they have a talent for playing a sport. Is that right, either? No. We were all sixteen once, and we've all been to parties without supervision. Sure, people drink and have a good time, and things like this don't typically happen on the national stage, but this one did.

The fact that nobody spoke up that night sickens me enough. Nobody speaking up now that most of the facts are out there? Even sicker. Of course, if you can't make a meme or a stupid video about something on the internet, nobody will pay attention to what you have to say. If it actually, god forbid, created a real conversation, I don't know what would happen.

Instead of making this a national conversation, authorities and news outlets are ready to forget about it, just like everything else. Why is that? It's a black eye, an uncomfortable subject. I bet it's uncomfortable for Jane Doe, too, but nobody seems to care about how she feels. She was the one carted around like a carcass the night of that party. She was the one who was violated. So why do we care so much about these boys losing a couple of years of their lives, and not about the girl who may never recover?

CNN stated that the boys were "promising students". ABC News made excuses in their favor. NBC News brought up their promising careers in football, and USA Today did nothing more than talk about how drunk the victim was over and over.

HOW IS ANY OF THIS OKAY? How is nobody angry or speaking up? Does anybody even see how wrong all of this is? That the victim is being demonized in the media for being drunk at a party on the wrong night of her life? Are you kidding me? Why is everyone feeling sorry for these pieces of shit, when there is a victim here who will never be the same?

In no way, shape, or form is rape okay. And we all know that - we are all taught that. And I don't know why I'm particularly pissed about this particular subject. Probably because I am a woman, and something in this same vein happened to me.

This has nothing to do with this particular situation, but several years ago, I was roofied at a bar. The idiot who did it didn't even stick around. Instead, he left me there alone, knowing that I had driven myself there. I have no recollection of what happened that night, only knowing I was alone and remember pulling reeds and grass from under my car the next morning so my parents wouldn't see. Does nobody understand how terrifying that is? To not remember? Thankfully I know that nothing happened to me, but I can't even imagine how awful it would be if there were pictures, or Twitter posts, or anything else. It would be awful. Embarrassing. That night is already something I very rarely talk about - because even the thought makes me sick. Not of what happened, but what could have. 

There is nothing wrong with being angry about this, and nobody can convince me otherwise. The situation itself is deplorable, but I think the bigger message is here is just a question of why. Why is this not a conversation? Why aren't we looking at ourselves in the mirror and trying to be better people so this awful shit stops happening? In a way, I feel like life in our society is like a battle for who can do the worst to another person. Where is the community? Who is teaching that? Or are we too far beyond simple human compassion?

Book Club Monday #19: This is How by Augusten Burroughs

This week, I'm finally writing about This is How: Proven Aid in Overcoming Shyness, Molestation, Fatness, Spinsterhood, Grief, Disease, Lushery, Decrepitude & More. For Young & Old Alike by Augusten Burroughs.

You know, I really wanted to like this book. I thought it would have the same prose and style as Burroughs' other books, have the same magic. I was left sorely disappointed. I actually disliked it so much that I couldn't even finish it. Typically, Augusten Burroughs has a can't-put-it-down effect on me - but not this time. This time was just a bit blah. 

I liked a few parts, and even chuckled at a few others - overall, though, this was not my favorite of his novels, and is definitely not on par with some of his other works, such as Running With Scissors.

If you're a fan, I'd say check it out - you may feel differently about it than I do. For me, though - this one gets a big old 'eh'.

How I Spent St. Patrick's Day

I have spent the last week or so sick as a dog, and today I'm finally feeling better. Since I never really liked the idea of going out and getting drunk all day on St. Patrick's Day, it's really just another day to me. But today was the first day in several I haven't felt awful (I have a sinus infection), I decided to get out a little.

My first stop was the bar where I host trivia on Thursday nights - I had a hankering for a bowl of their chili, and they were down the street from my next stop, anyway. Fairly certain I was the only patron drinking water and eating chili on the drunkest day of the year. 

My next stop was the Oriental Theatre. The Oriental is my absolute favorite place to see a movie in Milwaukee - the architecture is beautiful, and it is always just an experience, from the moment you walk through the door to the moment you leave. 

I was so excited to finally be able to see West of Memphis. West of Memphis is the newest film about the West Memphis Three, a case I have been following for a long time. Produced by Peter Jackson, it brought out a lot of new information about the case, and essentially ripped apart the entire case the prosecution had. It explained the timeline and who the real killer was - no matter how uncomfortable the situation. I was happy to see a film that special in a theater that special. I was so excited when I heard it was playing at the Oriental - and it is only there for this week. 

It was a perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon. What did your St. Patrick's Day entail?

Sunday Social Week 41: Seasons

1. What is your favorite thing to do on a rainy day? If the mood strikes me and it's raining hard enough, sometimes I just go out and get rained on. Stomp in puddles, act like a kid. Otherwise, staying in and reading a good book is good enough for me.  2. What is your favorite thing to do on a summer weekend? Get outside! I like to bike and be outside when it's nice out, no matter what I happen to be doing. Nighttime bonfires and barbeques are fun, only because it's great to be outside without a jacket on.  3. What is your favorite spring activity? Anything outside where I don't have to wear a coat! After so many months of it being cold, it's just nice to drive around with the sunroof open or even just go out in a hooded sweatshirt. 4. What is your favorite way to spend a winter day? Inside with a knitting project and a cup of hot chocolate. 5. What is your favorite season and why? I like it when it's warm, but I also like winter - maybe because I'm a December baby. Winter brings all of the fun things we all look forward to all year - Christmas and New Year's. It's always fun to look forward to new beginnings. 6. What is the best birthday you've ever had? Probably my 21st birthday. My parents brought me to Las Vegas and we spent a few days sightseeing and gambling - it was a great time!

BzzAgent Campaign: Schick HydroSilk Razor

Very recently, I became a BzzAgent (which you can read about here), and my second Campaign was for the Schick HydroSilk razor. Let me just tell you - I used this razor before the Campaign, and will use it for a long time.   
The shave itself is great. The moisturizing aspects keep my skin smooth and I barely have to shave once a week! It does a great job, and the razors themselves and the refills are pretty cost-effective, and are available everywhere.

If you're in the market for a new razor, I would definitely recommend checking out the Hydro Silk. I've been a user for a long time, and would tell anybody to try it out and see how they like it!
Keep checking back for more product reviews - next in line are a few hair care product Campaigns I've really fallen in love with! 
Also, FYI: coming up later this week are some more great posts, as well as a new feature! I have been sick this week, and feeling like crap = not posting with any sort of frequency!