by Joey | Aug 11, 2015 | Throwback
Now that I’m free from the dungeon that was Buies Creek (I kid, sort of), I’m back out among people. I know at this point you all must think I’m being dramatic when I refer to that life, but I’m not. It wasn’t uncommon for me to never leave the house for days, sometimes weeks, at a time.
Partner that with being a generally casual person, and this fashion-dense girl fell into the pajamas all the time hole. I love makeup, nail polish, and messing with hair. But put me in a clothing store, and I freeze. I suddenly lose the ability to spend money. Put me in a dressing room and I’ll never hate my body more. Tell me I have an event to go to on a Saturday afternoon, and my mind will immediately go to the twenty five articles of clothing I own and start drafting up the I’m sorry, I’m sick, I can’t make it email.
But as you’ve been on this journey with me since March, making our way back into the real world, I’ve had an ever present desire to fix the situation. As a nanny and a writer, it’s easy to not care. But as a woman, I care. And as a business owner (yes, that’s me dropping a bomb on you. Details coming soon!) I care.
I will always be a casual person. I will always choose comfort before all else. But as many of you more fashionable ladies have taught me, comfortable doesn’t have to be frumpy.
So come along on this journey with me as I try find my style, attempt to become more comfortable in clothing stores, and hopefully transform into a professional looking young adult instead of being asked what grade I’m going into.
This week’s look is brought to you out of sheer skepticism. Zaful was kind enough to send me an article from their website of my choosing. I immediately fell in love with the color and style of this dress. But when I went to order it, it was listed as a one size fits all. Uhm. Sure?
Well. I think they nailed it! The drawstring waist (which, let’s face it, I could probably learn to tie this differently…is there a different way to tie something like this?) cinches in creating the flattering two piece effect.
I realize I could have probably partnered this with a long, dainty necklace for more of an actual “outfit” attempt, but give me a break here. I’m just starting out!
I won’t make a lot of promises here. All I can promise is that I’ll try. And comments from the peanut gallery as I stumble through this journey are definitely helpful, so if you have any recommendations (or you want to come out to Charlotte and help a homegirl shop!) by all means, speak up!
by Joey | Aug 10, 2015 | Throwback
You know me. You know me because when you come to this little space, you find Joey. I have many different sides, but you always find Joey.
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about what direction this little blog needs to take. And then it dawned on me. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. There’s a difference between growing and changing.
What I like most about my little corner on the internet is that it’s always real. If I’m happy, it’s happy. If I’m stressed, I share that. If I’m sad, well gosh darnit, I expect to be able to cry on your shoulders. Because real life happens. And real life is important. And there is so much that goes on that is not instagram worthy, people. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t important.
We all just want to know we aren’t alone. Isn’t that what we’re all searching for? People like us? People who do the same weird things. That’s my favorite part of blogging. That aha! moment when you realize someone else is just as weird as you. I think that’s why bloggers make the best friends. Because we bond on a different level.
I’m working on a new project. One I’m not comfortable discussing yet (I know, way to be vague, Joey). But it requires a lot of research into my past. And as I was having a mini identity crisis with writing, I found a gift from the seventeen year old version of myself written in one of my journals:
Sometimes it’s as simple as that. We mess everything up. We complicate things because we think we have to. It’s important to strip things down. To get back to the root of it all.
The truth. We all avoid it like a nasty plague. There’s something to the whole “the truth hurts” statement. Because sometimes we aren’t people we’re proud of. Sometimes life effs us over and we have to find a way to survive. Sometimes things just aren’t pretty.
But I’ve found that where I come alive is when I’m writing the truth. Whatever that might be that day. And it’s something I can always promise to you. When you come here, you’ll find the truth.
by Joey | Aug 7, 2015 | Throwback
I’ve been a little stunted in the whole nail polish department lately. And it’s taken me a while to figure out why.
Don’t get me wrong, I am just as obsessed with polish as I always have been. But I think maybe just maybe I’m done with the whole nail art stuff.
I still love a fun, fancy manicure from time to time. But I found that whenever I was dreaming up nail art designs, I’d paint them on, snap pictures, and immediately trade it out for a regular old one note mani.
I simply just enjoy regular, one-polish manicures. I think they look nice. I think they look classy. I think even if you’e got on the most bizarre color in the world, if it’s done nicely, it can look astonishing. Not knocking nail art, don’t get me wrong. I still swoon over it on instagram.
But I’m finding that in a world where I am constantly having to battle to earn the respect that my age deserves (I know I’ll be thankful for looking young some day), nail art really just doesn’t have a place for me anymore.
So now! Instead of feeling like a failure every Friday for only showing you regular old manicures, I can do so without the cloud of guilt over my head that it isn’t some fancy smancy deal. I like nail polish. Some of you might like nail polish. And well, sometimes I’ll show you the nail polish that I’m loving. Deal?
Why do we put all this pressure on ourselves?
I mean, really!
So anyway. All of that to say, here’s my most recent Julep box (which I cannot get enough of! I really wish I hadn’t waited so long to sign up. It’s the best thing ever for this nail polish loving girl)!
Sign up
HERE to receive your first box for just $2.99
**This is a monthly subscription box but you reserve the right to cancel or skip at any time**
This week I’ve been sporting the muted lilac color called Alexa. It’s such a unique color, I don’t own anything like it in my collection (tough to do, I assure you). It’s fun for summer, but I honestly can’t wait to bust it back out with some fun fall outfits!
Happy Friday, loves! Which is also my Monday. And my Friday. And a half day.
What is life?
by Joey | Aug 6, 2015 | Throwback
On Sunday we visited Walmart for the first time since living here. On our way out, I stepped in the largest wad of gum you’ve ever seen. And it was 100+ degrees out. I slipped out of my shoes as we got in the car and left them in the parking lot. Walmart = casualties. That wouldn’t happen at Target. Just sayin’.
Apparently I call my sushi place on the same days with the same order. I didn’t even realize I had this routine until I called in my order last week. When you ask to place an order for pick up, they ask your name. I gave him my name and he replies Oh hi Joey! I’ll have the gladiator roll ready for you in 15 minutes. When I got there, I was slightly embarrassed. “So I guess I’m a regular,” I joked. Hey, there are worse things! Plus, it’s good that you’re a regular here. You fit in… Dude. I’m not Asian. The struggle is real!
So, you all know about my love for YouTube. But I’ve pretty much fallen out of love with beauty videos. I realized they were really only sparking this “hoarding” type quality in myself that fueled this “I need all of this stuff” desire. Since moving here, I have far less time for videos and even less time (and interest) for/in all the makeup. However, I did discover that I truly prefer vlogs. My favorite, in particular, is FleurDeVlog. I’ve watched her for years and years, but don’t think I’ve ever shared my love for her here! She and her (now) husband are just the cutest and there’s something about the way she vlogs that I love. She vlogs every other month in the year, and August is a vlogging month and that makes me ridiculously happy. I usually watch while having my cup of coffee in the morning!
Okay. If you follow me on twitter, you’ll know my husband had to explain to me what the Whip and the Nae Nae was. I tweeted that he had to give me a tutorial on the whole thing when my Aunt replied with this video. I’m not sure what was more amusing to me: the fact that this video exists or the fact that my Aunt knows about it!
Hope you guys have a great Thursday!
Be sure to link up below!
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by Joey | Aug 5, 2015 | Throwback
Okay. So the twelve hours between 9PM on Monday night and 9AM on Tuesday were the weirdest, most dramatic hours.
Let me back up. Monday was perfection. Things at work were great. The kids were in good moods, and things had quieted down after all the craziness the week before. I was in a good mood. And we’d spent a lovely afternoon with all the pups at my dog park.
Bailey had run herself into a coma. So when I got home on Monday night, which was actually a Friday night, I settled in with a glass of wine and an episode of Bachelor in Paradise (do not judge me). There was no reason for me to go back out, so I’d already changed.
One of my neighbors texted at 9, asking if we wanted to go to the park. I can see the dog park from my unit, so I looked out the window and reported in that it was too crowded for her little dog. We decided on a quick little walk instead.
When we met up, we noticed that the park was considerably less crowded than it had been and moseyed on over. That, right there, was a huge mistake.
One of our neighbors had one of those stick contraption things that allow you to throw a ball really far without touching the sliminess. Bailey thought it was the best thing ever and lost herself in a game of fetch with the guy. He didn’t mind, and she was enticing his dogs to chase her. Win win.
But then, running full speed ahead, she clipped her leg on one of the stupid obstacles that are really only in there for aesthetics because let’s be real…none of the dogs use them. She hit the ground hard and had trouble getting up. Time moved in slow motion. I was across the park and ran as fast as I could to her. By time I made it to her, she was up but wasn’t putting any weight on her back leg.
My heart was in my stomach, and at that point the other pet parents started to notice. We stood around her, examining her leg. I called J and told him he needed to meet me downstairs immediately. I was worried she wouldn’t be able to climb the stairs to our third floor apartment.
As we exited the park, Bailey had “walked” it off. She was putting weight on her leg but was taking it a little slow. When she spotted J, she jaunted over. Relief flooded over me. Once at our building, she took off up the stairs excitedly. She seemed fine. Thank God.
She laid down on the hardwood when we got upstairs. I went to cuddle on her and that’s when I noticed the gash in her leg. We had the infamous it’s after 10, do we go to the emergency vet? debate. She was acting and walking fine, so we decided to just clean it out and bandage her up. When I went to bed that night, she hopped up no problem. And we slept. Hard.
Until 4:45AM when she decided it was imperative to go out. Bleary eyed, I obeyed, slightly cursing her because it was my day off but excited to see how well she was moving.
I stepped out of our apartment, which let my remind you, is on the third floor in a city complex. Standing by our neighbor’s door was a raccoon.
A freaking raccoon!
I raced inside, waking J. Uh honey? We have a situation.
He spent the next hour trying to chase it downstairs. Finally, the water technique worked. What’s that? Well, he chased the little guy with a cup of water, splashing him until he made his way down at least one flight of stairs. That’s where the little guy decided, nope. I’m staying.
He climbed over the railing and slid down into the gutter where he deiced to hang out like it was a freaking hammock.
We called animal control which apparently doesn’t accept calls until 7AM. Um, okay. What are you supposed to do until then? Once 7AM rolled around, they told me they couldn’t do anything for us since we lived in an apartment complex. Call maintenance they told me.
Okay. So if I’m being held at gun point inside of my complex, I’m supposed to call maintenance instead of 911? What in the actual eff?
I alerted maintenance once they arrived at 9, who turned and immediately called…you guessed it, animal control. Who never, ever showed. Meanwhile, the dude was making himself quite comfortable.
Finally around 3PM, maintenance chased him off with a stick.
That whole day has me sitting here scratching my head even still. So much for a day off!
