Contrary to Popular Belief, Curiosity Did Not Kill the Cat.

Hello my dazzling super stars! I hope this long weekend has treated you well and your Netflix binge-watching has been more real than ever before. Not only do I owe my good mood to a very satisfactory and entertaining winter break, but also to my grand return to the city of Austin, Texas. I’ve really only been a 78705 zip code for about a year but this city never fails to surprise me with its tranquil personality and general wonder. Maybe it’s the 68 degree weather or the fact that our first week back at school is shortened by this Monday’s holiday, but spirits are high today. Lines are short, coffee is brewing, birds are singing, and students are smiling. My kinda day.

As I prepare for my upcoming semester, I reflect on the past 5 months of (in all honesty) academic insanity. Given that I am planning to invest more time in my blog, I’ve thought most about my journalism courses; more specifically, how structured the entire course was. Journalistic writing is very technical, believe it or not. No abbreviations, no adjectives (*sobs*), nothing but reporting the facts. For a born-reporter, this seems obvious and preferable. For an amateur blogger whose head is constantly in the clouds and thrives most in a realm of complete and spontaneous creativity, it’s the most difficult class to get through. I enjoy floral words, I enjoy terms that paint pictures, phrases that people can relate to; in other words everything my TA would take off points for. Joy.

Thankfully, my blog accepts my style of writing, because... well, it doesn’t really know much of anything else, does it? SO, in the new year, to make up for my lack of creativity in my previous semester and to further my efforts in organizing my blog, I’ve decided to start writing with a certain idea in mind. If I were a self-employed journalist, what questions would I ask myself to cover and answer? Questions could include anything from “What are theatrical personalities like in every day life? What is their stereotype?” Or, “Why is it that people look to advice from sites like Tumblr before they trust people they know in real life?” Perhaps it is all still scattered. There are so many questions out there because there are so many interesting things to learn more about. It’s as startling as it is intriguing. "Why are Parisian women considered a culture all their own?" "Why do people like to instigate drama?" "Why is there an emotional attachment to music and why do certain styles have certain emotional connotations?" "Why do we feel like opposites attract?" "And just how costly is it to be a free-spirited these days?"

Now, before you get too excited and expect a v-sauce type of post, I must warn you that I am no expert on these subjects. But I do think it’s extremely important to stay curious and question everything. Talk to people about it, maybe even Google a couple and see where you end up (with pop-up blocker at the ready.)

Fingers crossed I respond to these various questions intelligently and efficiently and who knows, maybe make a friend or two out of the people I discuss and interview with. Yay people, no? 

And that's all for now, folks! 

Here’s to a new year full of finding answers and welcomed creativity.

Xoxo

Ale

The Big 2-0...-1-5

Clink-clink, wonderful people! Happy New Year! I’m sure you’re all so used to the various "New Year" messages, you could probably write that tweet out in your sleep. But that doesn’t mean that these messages are any less filled with hope, no matter how overused they tend to be. Based on some rather simplistic, vague research done on the interwebs, I have come to conclude that 2014 was not the greatest of years. Called me biased, as I experienced many low points myself during the last 365 days, but the more I ask around, the more people tell me that 2015 could not have come soon enough. And behold. Here it is. 

That being said, the other day, one of my closest friends commented on how fast the days were going; how quickly the holiday season had come and gone, how quickly we’d soon have to go back to school, and how, before we know it, we’ll be building houses and making babies. If you ask me, everything seems to be moving along at a normal pace: and normal, in this lifetime, is fast. 

Actually, what I find more astonishing is how the dreamt up "20-somethings" way of life I’ve been looking forward to (since I owned my first issue of Elle - hold for tears), was finally my day-to-day. I think there’s something quite glamorous about a woman in her twenties. Maybe it has to do with the fact that the responsibilities of starting a family appear to be eons away. Or perhaps it’s when her individuality seems to be in full bloom; her taste in art and fashion and music has been through all important stages: intrigue, experimentation, and satisfaction. By then it is assumed that you’ve gotten many “firsts” out of the way (first kiss, first car, first graduation, first internships, etc) and yet still have many firsts to experience (first –and hopefully last- engagement, first house, first career). And to top it all off, many claim that a woman in her 20s is in her physical prime; blemishes gone, baby fat reduced, workouts finalized, highlights done right (and I'm still working on, well, all of these to be honest). Thanks, in part to the media (kudos to you, Broad City), 20somethings have the most exciting of lives. And boom-- it is no longer something I daydream about in my grade school uniform and 3 AM hair bun. Now, it's just life. 

Given that this is the first post I make in the new year, I wanted to make this a turning point message; one that nods to the past and looks forward to the upcoming 365 or so days. I’ve already discussed how I’ve learned a lot in the past year, (and some lessons, the hard way), but I can’t forget to express how excited I am to learn more in 2015. Excited to experience life as a student who just got her invitation into the fabulous (and sometimes not – so – fabulous) 20somethings club. Excited to make more meals at home, make new friends in her classes, make a productive day out of every day, and to never again apologize for being herself.

So there you go, a short snippet of my 2015 resolutions. Little goals and promises we make for ourselves with nothing but hope and a little bit of creativity. And with that, I wish you all a very happy 2015, filled with new experiences, new memories, and tasteful debauchery. ;) 

XOXO, 

Ale 

Tis The Season To Get Learnt

Tis the season, my beauties! I hope everyone has finished off the semester with a grand hoo-rah and is finally warm and snuggled, never to leave the house again. Because I sure am.

This 3rd semester has taken me for quite the ride. Which is partly why Houston and red candles burning and the 567,998 Christmas decorations my mother puts up were especially appreciated this holiday season. Now kiddos, I know sophomore year has been eternally labeled as the "meh" year. In high school, all I remember (mostly because I've blocked the rest of it out of my mind forever) is countless hours spent reading Beowulf, BS-ing my way through world history, and pulling my hair out for signing up for the advanced level of French 3.
Alessandra. What is wrong with you.

I was afraid that I would meet the same fate when starting off my second year in college. Would I like my new roommate? Would I meet someone new? Would I finally wake up early enough to have a decent breakfast AND a decent lunch at their respective hours? Nerve-wracking as it all seems, one must always be hopeful. Looking back on it all, this semester was rougher than the past. But now that it's all finally over (and my lecture notes are all burnt to a crisp), I'm wanting to focus less on the nights I spent crying over Pride and Prejudice and more on the important lessons I've learned (either by choice or by force). And they are as follows:

1. Allow yourself to make mistakes. Seriously-- you're only human. It's always good to keep yourself in check, but honestly, life is too short to pine over the mistakes of the past. Look forward and understand that this crazy whirlwind is entirely a learning process. Learn as you go. Lessons 'round the clock. Consider why we look up to those we call "geniuses." Those people got learnt. 
2. Nothing beats smelling good (yourself and your apartment). Okay, please, let's be real here. Sometimes the shower is too far away and the you're only on the 8th episode of Gossip Girl and you've been in bed all day and GOD FORBID YOU FALL ASLEEP WITHOUT HAVING WASHED YOUR HAIR. We all skip a day. Let's be honest. But sometimes, taking a long, warm shower and making use of all those raspberry-grapefruit-pine-cotton scented products from Bath and Body Works you got that one Christmas is just what you need to make your day better. Same goes for candles. My roommate introduced me to the power of incense and warm candlelight, even if you are only scarfing down a pizza while home, date-less. Candles create ambiance and can really mellow you out. 
3. On that note, being alone is OKAY. I'm the first one to tell you that I have lone-issues. I'd rather have the house constantly filled with people than the other way around. But living in a 2x2 with a pre-med roommate (whom, have I mentioned, I adore to pieces?), has forced me to understand that alone-time is a good thing. And necessary. 
4. Whataburger can cure a distraught mind. It has been not-so-scientifically proven that Whataburger can mend anything from a hangover to an empty stomach. But this semester, I have learned that one of its key advantages is the power to cure a worn-out brain. This year, it got me through my last final and a tough day of interviews and headline hunting. (#journieprobs anyone?) Continuous efforts to prove that Whataburger can in fact, be the cure to all things are still a GO. Beyoncé as well. 
5. Lastly, sometimes you need to endure a social reboot. This year has been filled with a bit more drama than most. Maybe I was well-practiced in middle school. But in high school, my 3 friends and I were proud of our isolationist tactics for staying out of the gossip circles and spent most of our days making videos in funny accents or reading whale novels at the local coffeeshop. But this semester, I was reminded of how close to starting over I really was, and that not everyone is necessarily looking out for my best interest. Vacation is a great time to step back, reevaluate, and ask yourself if you think you're receiving the respect you deserve from those around you. Sounds harsh, but still oh-so-important. 

And that's all I have for you this fine December afternoon! Resolutions for 2015 to come (and YES they do include blogging more frequently, pinky promise)! Now go downstairs and bake some cookies. 

And then bring me some. 

Happy Holidays! 

Ale

Hemingway Knows.

Am I unique? Or am I simply inexperienced?

That is the question.

I look back at my blog posts, my diary entries, my essays, my letters. Over the past 10 years that I’ve listed writing as one of my “special skills,” I have developed a style. One that many have described as “exactly the way you speak, Alessandra.” When I signed on to a marketing internship this summer, I made it my goal in my downtime to discover and analyze other bloggers out there. “A good writer is an even better reader,” they say, so I attempted to do exactly that. I fell in love with a few, tossed out others, and then took a harder look at my own work. What my friends had mentioned was relatively true. I write what I feel. And I usually say what I feel. So, as far as my logic skills take me, it would be only natural that I write what I say… or would say, given the opportunity to discuss with strangers on the internet looking for a little inspiration or a theatre-loving, journalism major’s point of view. It has worked for me in the past, and I am usually content with what I put down on paper. But how can I get better if I don’t criticize myself from time to time?

So, here is my attempt:

Things that either make me a lazy writer or a unique one:

• I despise rereading my work. I find it tedious.
• Taking a look at the “big picture” of my piece is often disappointing to me—because I usually just write as I flow, not write for flow. Therefore, what I conclude at the end of my story might have nothing to do with what I began writing about.
• I believe writing is an art form. Like theatre, painting, or paper maché. Therefore, just as many consider a splotch of black ink on a white canvas “art” worth thousands of dollars, I consider splotchy sentences acceptable in writing. This will explain my one-word sentences, my fragments, and my run-ons. Grammar be damned. (Don’t tell my English teacher).
• I like to think I use my writing as a way to relate to people. Therefore, I try not to shy away from clichés or funny metaphors. They have been used before, yes, but that doesn’t make them any less true. Maybe just a little annoying. Maybe I’m just a little annoying.
• I have been told (by my closest friends so it is done so with endless love) that I suffer a bit from malapropism. It is true. I sometimes like to use long words thinking they mean one thing when they mean something else. I come off a bit foolish, but at least it sounds pretty… right? Maybe not.

Sooo, perhaps we haven't really reached any specific conclusion. But, I have come to realize that more important than how I write is why. Hmm.

I do what I do because it makes me very, very happy. Communicating, creating, expressing, sharing, opening up—those are some of my favorite things. Drinking was one of Hemingway's favorite things. He would "write drunk, edit sober." He seemed to do pretty well for himself, dontcha think?

{Insert artsy photo here}: A Note on Good Vibes

I believe in vibes. Good vibes, bad vibes, vibes so outlandish you wouldn’t know what to call them. I also believe that the type of vibes you surround yourself with have the power to determine whether you rest easy that night, or if it will be a day (one of many, hopefully) where you laugh until your sides hurt. I’ve had days like these; when I happen to get the quintessential 6.5 hours of sleep, when my pants fit just right, and when they haven’t run out of breakfast tacos at the office café. They’re glorious, to say the least.

Over the past few weeks, however, there were times when these days were farther away than winter boot season in the south. It wasn’t until I was snuggled in bed with an XXL sweatshirt, a bag of pretzel m&ms, and the Sex and the City movie that I caught myself laughing, smiling, conversing, all in the comfort of my own little room. The only event I had scheduled that day was a date with myself. Now to some that may seem a little narcissistic. But I urge you to try it. Clear your schedule one day, make a list of things you feel like doing (that’s the important part), and do it! It was that next morning that I had one of the greatest starts to my day.

So maybe this whole thing just has to do with clearing my schedule for some much needed me-time. But my first thought was this, “what if we were to surround ourselves constantly by things that bring us ‘good vibes’?” What if we were to take control, look inside ourselves, take note of what makes us smile, and then make certain that we had it within arm’s reach as much as we’d like?  

Another important aspect would be that that which gives us good vibes, or makes us feel good, is wholly our own. There have been countless times where I have tried so hard to take in the vibes that other people surround themselves with and for obvious reasons, it does simply doesn't work. I don’t get the same satisfaction I do when I try and follow others. That being said, I decided to make a short list of things that I believe bring me good vibes…

Indie films
Coffee

Latin music

Kiss-on-cheek greetings

Sex and the City 

Pretzel m&ms

Shopping 

Breath-taking photography

Coconut-scented hair products

Hot tea past midnight

Early morning brunch with mom 

Early dinner talks with dad 

BodyFlow class at the YMCA

Long hugs 

Back-scratches

Sushi

Getting into costume

Reading the paper 

Blogging, le duh.

I feel happy just putting these kinds of things on paper. What I know to be true about every single one of these items is that they are the sweet little gems in life—things that will make me smile no matter what. (Note that Whataburger and theater, though both near and dear to my heart are not on the list—one is only great for about 2 hours until I feel like a complete potato and the other, the nerves – and pit stains-can be a REAL struggle). 

So there we go, my bodacious butterflies…good things--good vibes--good feelings--good days. I realize that sometimes we can’t help it and we wake up and it’s raining, and our break-up song is playing loud and clear on the radio, and all we want to do is sit, and cry, and be miserable. And that’s ok. But we can’t have that for too long! The world needs more smiling faces.

Xoxo 
Ale 

Keep the Change

I've gotten to thinking about change recently. More than anything, I've been asking myself why such a small word can bring such great anguish, such terror, to someone. Is it this whole comfort zone thing we've all come to buy into? Is it that we've become lazy and that we know change requires extra effort in order to embrace it? I think it might actually be the fact that with this new arrangement in our lives (no matter how big or how small) is an invitation to great un-predictability. It's the step after the change that worries us. How will we react? What is to become of us? Are we going to be happy or sad in the end? Will there be regret? Shock? As humans, we are uncomfortable with vulnerability. And well, change makes us vulnerable.
Attending the same school for 14 years (elementary, middle, and high school), growing up in the city I was born in, and having the same best friends for 10+ years, I confess I have not had too much experience with change. Now that I'm...*swallows throat-lump* growing up, change is impossible to hide from.
But here's the thing. I don't want to hide from it. I want to invite it. I want to welcome it like a good friend and face it with both courage and excitement. I want to prepare myself for whatever happens, but at the same time, I want to have hope that all of the new opportunities change brings will be good ones, healthy ones, productive ones. They're all an opportunity to grow as a person, and that should never be looked down upon or hidden from.

So instead of looking at it with fear, maybe we should start looking at change with hope, thinking only on the positives-- then maybe we can cure our fear with a smile...
Hashtag late night thoughts?

Xoxo
Ale

A WHOLE NEWWW...chapter in my life minus the flying carpet or charming Arab man.

I MUST SAY, kiddos, it actually, physically pains me to catch a glimpse of the date above my previous blog post and compare it to today's. 27 days. 27 whole flipping days of me not putting thoughts on paper..or web..whichever. Any journalist would surely level with me. So without further ado, I must get down to it. Over the past few weeks since I've been home, I've managed to take off on a whole new adventure. I'm writing to tell you that my days of sleeping until noon are no more. No longer do I binge watch movies until 5 in the morning or visit my various vacation homes, i.e. nearby boutiques, without a care in the world. "But Ale," you may exclaim. "This is unlike you! Are you all right? Are you going through a phase? Should we seek medical attention?" No, no, my darlings-- none of that. I have simply traded in my leggings for slacks and texas tank tops for button downs. In other words, I have officially accepted a job. I'm talking desk-sitting, email-sending, meeting-going, project-planning kind of job. 8-5, 5 days a week. Guys, I have my own landline AND a stack of accordion sticky-notes.

Now, it's been about 2 weeks since I started, and I must confess, I absolutely adore it. I love using my giant purse everyday because I actually need the space, (because really, who uses briefcases anymore?) I love the fact that I'm doing something not many thought I would do... and seriously.
Having a more serious job like this, I find myself in a boardroom with a handful of middle-aged men. I am surrounded by people who are attending their best-friends weddings, who have their own houses, decorated with diplomas both of their completed undergraduate and graduate careers. The other day I spent an hour trying to convince my friend that I try not to believe in growing up. That it was in my best interest now to stay a carefree teenager with an unhealthy addiction to both coffee and cyberspace. But without knowing, I have landed the position I am in now, with an ID badge around my neck and weekly time sheets to fill out. I have been forced to make more life-changing decisions, to truly explain myself-clearly, to answer questions without turning first to my parents. It is new, and terrifying, and a hell of a lot of fun. Because if I look around, I notice I am not the only one. The other interns come from all over the world (one is from South Africa and his accent is the greatest thing since candy-coated chocolate.) They've had their own college experiences and means of getting to where they are. But in the end, they're all just like me. Flinging themselves out into the deep end and hoping they learn something in the process.

Hopefully I can find the time in the next few weeks to start things up regularly- I hate not talking to you all--even though I'm really not sure if there's anyone out there at all--but oh well, ignorance is bliss I suppose. Check out my tips page as they will now be geared toward all of you wonderful little chickies who are finding work during this long vacation. If not, kudos to you too-- sip a frozen margarita for me...and then check out the page anyways.

Hugs and kisses to you all from the cubicle (which is really an awkward pentagonal shape rather than a cube but whatever).
XOXO,
Ale