Polka Dots!

I have been neglecting my camera so much. In high school and college, I was crazy about taking photos. Now that I'm a "grown up" it seems as though I've lost the time. How sad. I'm going to make it a point to get my butt back into the things I love. I hate getting caught up in the hustle that is life and feeling like nothing else matters. Am I the only one who feels like this?

Anyway, Mike and I had some fun this weekend breaking out my camera and taking photos in the gorgeous light. New Jersey has been oddly warm (well, the weather has been odd in general), and I am taking full advantage before it starts to snow! I also love this shirt, I wish I got a shot of the back. Marshalls can do no wrong...

Making the best of it

...or at least trying to. The last 7 weeks of my life here at beauty school have been, hmm, maybe the longest of my life. I feel like my time spent in hell-hole beauty school has opened my eyes and mind, reminding me to soak up all the goodness that exists in my life. I have it good, if not great. Yes, I am plagued with the occasional overdrawn bank account, or PMS crying spells, but I have such an amazing support system and I don't think about that enough. As a part of my happiness project, I vowed to keep a gratitude journal, but unfortunately I was more excited about the idea of buying a new journal and pens than I was about actually keeping track of happy things. I didn't get to the second day. I am constantly defeating myself and then cleaning up the pieces with a crazy set of new goals. I just want to do things that make me happy, and do them with love. Once I figure out how to balance my life I will be able to be 100% completely and utterly happy and fulfilled.



I wrote this post 2 days before Hurricane Sandy hit and made pea soup of my beloved home.  I don't want to get too emotional about everything (we ALL know the devastation that has happened), but I'm not looking forward to seeing the state of my island.  My complaints about beauty school don't matter now, I can only seem to think about the fact that there is probably sand covering my bed...if my bed is even there.  No one is allowed on LBI until they notify us the gas leaks have ceased, and even then, only one car with a residency card is allowed.  One car full of people to help rebuild my home. It's such an eye-opener to realize that all of your possessions can just disappear in the blink of an eye.  I am so narrow minded to think otherwise.

I am so thankful for everything and everyone I do have in my life, and I will make sure to tell myself that every day from here on out.

Photo taken at 103rd St. beach, Beach Haven, NJ. July 2012.

If anyone would like to help the recovery of the Jersey Shore (not Snookie and her orange guido baby) but the real Jersey Shore, here are a few places to go to see what can be done:
www.redcross.org/hurricane_aid
http://www.use.salvationarmy.org/use/www_use_nj.nsf
http://www.habitat.org

And of course, New Jersey is not the only area affected.  I don't even have words to express the sadness in my gut right now. Everything will be okay.

Jerseylicious...? I hope not.

I'm starting my journey (over) of becoming a licensed hairstylist.  This time in New Jersey.  I am the queen of coming up with an idea - usually something way too over the top and not by any means practical - and just running with it.  100% of the time I have no idea of what will happen in the end. My last bright idea after graduating college was to move to New York and become a famous hairstylist.  Actually, I didn't even care to be famous, I just wanted to move to New York and do what I loved.  I lasted through the 8 month program, getting on a bus at 7am every morning, commuting during one of the most brutal winters, and surprisingly, I loved every minute of it.  I graduated at the top of my class, and immediately got a highly respected job at my dream salon.  After a few months of 13 hour days, bus passes that were more money than my paycheck, and utter exhaustion, I became overwhelmed with what I had come to know as "real life". I accepted defeat and gave up. I came back to New Jersey with no clue how I'd move on to the next step.  I still wanted to do hair, which was obviously not going to happen in New York, but my pride would NEVER allow me to re-enroll in hair school in New Jersey.  I went to the fashion capital of the world for a reason people.

Well now, more than a year later, I look back and laugh at myself, because I am currently going to cosmetology school in Central New Jersey. I am trying to be a responsible 26 year old -cough- adult -cough-, but I feel as though I've lost any and all morals/standards I've held for myself throughout my entire life.  I've thought about going back to New York, I've interviewed at salons, I've even convinced myself that I wanted to be back in the city.  Who am I kidding? I hate the commute.  I hate that it's always 20 degrees hotter in Manhattan.  I hate that it smells like garbage pretty much everywhere you go. I hate relying on public transportation to get to work on time.  I hate being shoulder to shoulder with sweaty people. I think I just hate working in the city. I want to be able to enjoy my time spent there, and unless I hit the lottery, I will never be able to live comfortably in New York.  I'll save Manhattan for happy day trips to museums, and special occasion dates at yummy restaurants.

More or less, I might just be complaining about my existence for the next 7 weeks, and this is my apology in advance.

I hope I didn't offend any fellow New Jersians with this post.  Oh, who am I kidding, I don't really care.