Wedges/Espadrilles

Wedges and espadrilles are my FAVORITE shoes of the summer. They seem casual because of their rope/wood/cork/etc. wedge, but they're also fancy because they're high heels. Except more comfortable than stilettos.

So, starting from left to right:

1. These are brown Colin Stuart shoes from Victoria's Secret. This is actually the second pair of these that I've owned. I loved them so much that when the first pair broke after many years of use, I was ecstatic that I could easily replace them with an exact replica. These are my go-to pair of this category.

2. These are very similar to the first except that they have a rope that you wrap up your calf to hold them onto your feet. While this look is very sexy, you have to tie the ropes very tightly to keep them on your legs, and the marks left on your flesh when you take them off is not sexy. So, I don't wear these very often.

3. These were a cute little find at Target. They were the right price, and they were my first pair of black wedges. I had brown, but what about black?!

4. I don't buy many Steve Madden shoes anymore because of this pair. While they are adorable (and quite nautical, perfect for summer), that stupid label on each of Madden's shoes tears up the bottom of my feet and gives me huge blisters. I actually cut out the label from this pair so that I could wear them! So, I wear these for occasions when I won't need to wear them long, but that's it.

5. This is the newest pair of the collection, and I am in LOVE. These also are from Victoria's Secret, and they immediately make me feel sexier when I put them on. They are four inches high, so already I feel like a glamazon. They just seem to spice up any outfit!

My 4th of July Weekend

This must have been one of the most fun, relaxing weekends I've had in recent memory! My Theta sister and I drove over to the Eastern Shore to visit my parents for a 4-day weekend. It was glorious. For one, the weather was perfect. Sure, it was hot, but no hotter than Maryland usually is in the summer. There was always blue sky, just a couple of white, puffy clouds in sight, and a gentle breeze caressed your skin every once in a while. Needless to say, we spent as much time as we could outside. We played tennis 3 out of the 4 mornings, twice playing doubles with my parents and once was just my friend and I at Cross Courts in Easton on their clay courts. Again, tennis is a great social game, and it was good to get more practice in! Plus, it was only fitting to play tennis when Wimbledon was happening at the same time "across the pond."We also visited Adkins Arboretum to walk the dogs along the wooded and meadow paths. While we were there we found wild blackberry bushes and tasted the sun-kissed delicacies. It felt like the epitome of summer!

We also enjoyed some delicious meals in the sunshine. We ate several meals on my parents' back porch, and one afternoon we went to the Crab Deck in Kent Island to have some yummy seafood (blue crabs, of course!).  And we can't forget the "bucket" of fruity deliciousness that gave each of us a buzz almost instantly.


Sunbathing was also on the menu, spending an hour each afternoon on the porch snacking on cherries (my favorite summer fruit!) and ice pops while we bronzed (our shoulders got plenty of color during tennis, but what about the rest of our bodies?). We had a fan going to keep us sane in the humidity, and each of us now has nice tan lines to show off (or to keep a secret...Insert winky face here). One morning we did a little shopping in an outlet mall, so we got to be in the sun between stores as well. We were very successful in our conquest: I bought several pairs of jeans (it's so hard for me to find jeans I like!), two skirts, a blouse for work, and some cut-offs that I'll rock for the rest of the summer; my friend also bought several outfits that will be perfect for work. We made off with so much loot, and that was only from three stores! Now that's what a shopping expert looks like!

And of course I can't forget to mention the fireworks we saw on Independence Day! We went to a park in historic Chestertown, and it really was the perfect place to see fireworks. We laid out on this grassy lawn with many other spectators (though all were well behaved), and we laid there as the sky became darker and the bats started to flit about. Once the show started, we were completely captivated. The fireworks were just above our heads over the water; the variety of shapes, sizes, and colors was tremendous. Last year I stood in Adams Morgan to watch the fireworks in DC, and this year was much better! Laying on a blanket staring at the stars and show was definitely an upgrade!

So, I spent a 4-day weekend (which really felt like a week we packed so much in and had so much fun!) with my family, one of my best friends, and had amazing whether. Life could not get better!!!

College Paraphernalia

Yes, that is the only time I've ever used that word. Any way...

I'm assuming that most people have collected lots of random items from their college days. The most obvious would be T-shirts. I have four traditional Dartmouth shirts, one Winter Carnival shirt, one Dartmouth Ultimate shirt (my dad started the team there), and God knows how many Theta shirts (see some pictured here). I have a coffee mug that acts as a piggy bank. A pennant used to grace the wall of my dorm room and now is packed away in some box at home. I have a sticker on my car. My yearbook is on my night stand. The list goes on and on.

I suppose we have these things because our college days definitely help define who we're going to be as adults. I certainly became a different person between the time I graduated from high school and when I graduated from college (for the better, thank God). I think we hold on to those memories because they were also such fun times (well, for most of us, I like to think). I met some of my best friends in college; I still keep in touch with them. If I ever were to have amnesia or Alzheimer's, I'm pretty sure I'd still retain the college memories.

But we must remember not to live our lives in the past! I refuse to believe that those college days were the best times of my life and that it's all downhill from here. NO! I am onto bigger and better things, and I have already made so many new, fun memories, and will continue to do so, with or without my alma mater involved!

My Emergency Toolkit

I live by the Latin saying "Semper Parata" which translates as "Always Prepared" (in the feminine, of course). I never want to be caught in a situation and not have what I need. So here is the toolkit that I carry with me all the time in my purse (Oh, no, I'm letting out the secret of the inner-workings of a woman's purse for all men to see...).

1. The case itself: All of these little goodies need a home in your purse so you can find them easily. This can be a pencil case, a make-up bag, or perhaps even a smaller purse within the larger one. You do NOT need an item made specifically made for this purpose, like the Kangaroo Keeper.

2. Mints/Gum: You never know when you'll need to freshen your breath. I like Tic-Tacs because they are so small (clearly I need to buy more soon), and I love this Mentos gum because it doesn't have a wrapper (less waste!) and doesn't get all gooey in the heat like some other brands.

3. Pen/Pencil: Pens for doing the sudoku on the metro or writing down someone's phone number, pencils for writing in my planner (NEVER in pen. You never know if something better is going to come along!).

4. Tide-to-go pen: I'll admit that I mostly carry this around for other people, not for myself. I can't tell you how many times I've been with friends, and they spill something on themselves. So I come to their rescue and save their favorite garments.

5. Hair tie: If you have long hair, you never know when the wind/rain/humidity/etc. will come in and ruin your good hair day. So throw it into a ponytail, and voila! Much better.

6. Hand sanitizer: This is especially a necessity if you live in the city. You're on the metro, you're riding escalators...you're touching a lot of things that other (sick) people are touching. Ew.

7. Chapstick/lipstick: Everyone looks better with a little color on her lips. Besides, nobody likes chapped lips!

8. Mirror: This goes along with #7. But a mirror is handy for all face issues: re-applying make-up, making sure you don't have food in your teeth, trying to get that eyelash that has crept its way onto your eye...You get the picture.

9. Athletic tape and scissors: These two go together. Freshman year of college was the first time in my life I walked everywhere. Growing up in a one-horse town, we drove to get to school, the store, etc., so I had never experienced walking several miles a day. Needless to say, my feet were cut up by the wear and tear of my shoes. I found that Band-Aids did not stay on long enough to protect my feet. Athletic tape, on the other hand, is pretty durable. The scissors are simply there to cut the tape at the right length.

10. Clippers/nail file: No girl wants to be caught with a hang-nail or a broken nail and then have to deal with the problem for the rest of the day. These are more items that other women ask to borrow from me frequently.

What goodies do you need with you at all times? Besides your ID and credit card, I mean!

Independence Day

The Fourth of July, or Independence Day, is a time to show your patriotism for the United States of America. You may celebrate by attending a barbeque, watching fire works, visiting a memorial, etc. I personally enjoy listening to country music, which seems to be the most patriotic of all music genres. Here is my playlist. Enjoy!

Toby Keith:
Made In America
Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue
American Soldier

Alan Jackson:
Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning

Aaron Tippin:
Where the Stars and Stripes and Eagle Fly

Tim McGraw:
If You're Reading This (live version)

Brooks & Dunn:
Only in America 

David Ball:
Riding with Private Malone

Lee Brice:
I Drive Your Truck

Phil Vassar
American Child

Darryl Worley
Have You Forgotten

And of course the classics
Lee Greenwood:
God Bless the USA

The National Anthem
America the Beautiful

What are your favorite songs about America?

Gwen Stefani's "What You Waiting For"

This week clearly is going to have a musical theme (and not on purpose!). I'm just frequently inspired by music (even though I myself am not a musical person. Playing the recorder in 5th grade killed any interest in learning how to play anything else). So here we go.

Gwen Stefani's "What You Waiting For" is a great girl-power song (okay, now I've got a running theme on Feminism...). It's an autobiographical song about Stefani leaving the group No Doubt and becoming a solo singer, but I think all women can relate to parts of the song. Take this stanza for example:

Naturally I'm worried if I do it alone
Who really cares cuz it's your life
You never know, it could be great
Take a chance cuz you might grow

Maybe you're making a change in your life, like moving to a new city or taking a new job. It can be scary, making that decision and not knowing if it's all going to work out. BUT you have to take that chance, because what if it does work out? Then "it could be great"! Have no doubt and go after your dreams! (You see what I did there?)

And even as a strong woman, you may still find barriers in society that could hold you back: 

Your moment will run out
Cuz of your sex chromosome
I know it's so messed up how our society all thinks
Life is short, you're capable

But you can't listen to the critics! You are "capable" of doing what you want, no matter what people are telling you. And of course we're all hoping society will reach the point of true equality between men and women, so you have to strive for your goals to bring us closer to the greater one as a whole.

So, if you want a song to pump you up and tell you, "You go, girl!" then this is one of my favorites. Any other girl kick-ass songs you like?

Natasha Bedingfield's "Unwritten"

I love the song "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield. It's all about how you have your whole future ahead of you, and you can make it whatever you want it to be.  "I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned." There's no crystal ball or fortune teller to tell you how your life is going to pan out. And it's not just that there's no blue-print or to-do list for your life. The song is also about making your own destiny and deciding what your future is going to be for yourself. You write the story!

I also like the message that the song has about how to go about living your life. Because there is no set track, you have to be open to new experiences, and let those experiences show you the way. Lines like "Release your inhibitions" and "Live your life with arms wide open" remind the listener not to be closed-minded and rigid. If you live like that, you're going to miss out! Now, I will admit that I need to take a dose of my own medicine right now. I am a planner, practically OCD about it, and if I could plan out the rest of my life, I eagerly would. But it's good that life doesn't work like that. It keeps things interesting and exciting!

You only have one life to live, and only you can experience it. Yes, you can live vicariously through your friends (ahem...I'm looking at all of my friends who travel abroad while I sit safely in my bedroom), but no one can live your life for you! No one can tell you what to do, what to say, where to go, etc. It's all on you! That's what this stanza is about:

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips

So get out there! Write your destiny! Start the next chapter of the story of your life!