just some thoughts…

Published on July 8, 2016 by blonde rosieLeave a comment

I just want to say that when I started this little blog I never wanted to get political or sound like a sociology textbook. I started this silly thing because I like to write and I miss writing papers.

With the recent events I cannot keep my mouth shut about this issue much longer.

Why It Matters To Me

Tonight my heart aches. Tonight I can’t form one sentence to express how I feel. Tonight prayer is not enough. Tonight I want to hold all of the children in the world to protect them. Whenever I hear about a shooting in Philadelphia I pray it is not one of the children I tutored while in college. Those children became my babies and have a special place in my heart. Because of the color of their skin I worried that they might get hurt or not make it through high school because of our society. I read Jonathan Kozol to learn about the exceptions, but also America’s failure to provide an inadequate society for our children of color to grow up in. Tonight I wish I was in Philadelphia holding my babies and promising that this will never happen to them. But for these elementary school children, my babies have already experienced this in their lives. Black Lives Matter. All Lives Matter. My Babies Lives Matter.

Why Race Never Mattered To Me

Growing up I spent a lot of time at my aunt and uncle’s house and they had foster children living with them at the time. It was always a house full of children so hello, it is every kids dream! I spent hours everyday playing with kids and having a great time. It never occurred to me that they were a different skin color. In preschool my first friends were Natalie and Sarah and we were inseparable. Natalie was black and Sara was adopted and did not look like her mother. Since I was never told that race existed I never saw color. In Kindergarten my BFF was this girl named Christina and we spent everyday together. She was also adopted and did not look like her mother. My first few friends in life did not look like me, but they were my best friends. I do not know when I learned about race or where I learned it from. It is a very weird coincidence that my first friends in life were adopted or did not look like me. Even with media and society telling me to notice race I actively try to ignore it telling me how to think.

What Can You Do

This is what white people can do to support #BlackLivesMatter
Washington Post

Educate Yourself
DoSomething.org https://sjc-usadmm.dotomi.com/dmm/servlet/rtb?cg=91&dtmid=474901975436347675&magic=42&utype=0&bidServerId=2459&pnid=14000&pid=14000&ms=11&trid=245903441789881351&trmagic=999796830&dtm_server_id=8725&mwp=V38aLAAGMwwKgRQNAAohz00hk3QmvaljxO1V-Q&comId=2149&msgCampId=97309&tid=97738&icb=0&fpc=0&btcurl=www.washingtonpost.com&iblob=CIeYuoeK_Oe0AxDe4N7cAxjlECCd-AUo____________AVkK16NwPQoUQKgFArEFzczMzMzMFkC5BQAAAAAAAPA_wQXhehSuR-HqP9EFAAAAAAAAAADYBQDgBf___________wE&dvcid=&dvc_dnt=0&dvc_uaos=Mac+OS+X&rt=1&site_id=washingtonpost.com&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fads.dotomi.com%2Fads.php%3Fdres%3Drtb%26pnid%3D14000%26pid%3D14000%26cg%3D91%26ms%3D11%26tz%3D0&supplyType=1&cturl=https://adclick.g.doubleclick.net/aclk%3Fsa%3DL%26ai%3DCgLhrLBp_V4zmGI2ohATPw6j4CrTV_KoG9Jan-FrAjbcBEAEgAGDJ7uGKtKTYD4IBF2NhLXB1Yi0zOTgwMzAwNzI1NTEzMDk2yAEJ4AIAqAMBqgSlAk_QG5uysjGTVeOsBfTd1ij1QjNzBfYDAoNL5OfcsOmEYUKxHyhy_Ef1P0P03rH4NFcM_eLFbhWIUJ_1eP0NnvDSW1wjz1pDVMnvP756X0cBLiApY1hIXiT4cEVxUfs9HF6k7eJBGd5DIiPHmvofdPe-0e3ZGUFXF8ftGZ1iBK7QGucNS9y7dm2T2tClLrVK_adcCPkjKr0_NuiwWCjRosIRafFpQCKecT1lvm2omQXIInRM7UU7o5MGj-0wPTuNRhpORx5izznJ6oqjhZO6hVO63c1qRIT2m2HFfknylkjKjSsu2MnF6WvJtjHWOEoqCDHeXi-jnyPeUD_3JxfInoFvPsw4yR7DeQ6R5m5_6Dmpwwxv9a2GLFPyoCqcQYVWmzdCrF8n4AQBgAaa2qWdhOCD8A6gBiGoB6a-G9gHAA%26num%3D1%26sig%3DAOD64_00s8dnC0J8gsBX-lOkcTgF8o6xxg%26client%3Dca-pub-3980300725513096%26adurl%3D

Put Yourself In Their Shoes

Talk to a friend and talk about racism you see everyday around you. It exists…even if you do not see it.

Don’t roll your eyes when you hear about the subject. Ignorance is the worst form of racism.

a patriotic weekend

Published on July 5, 2016 by blonde rosieLeave a comment

You would think that living on the beach would be the perfect life, right?! Days spent at the beach and not a care in the world? Nope!
Since it was Fourth of July Weekend my family and I had to get creative on how to have fun away from the beach and tourists. We decided to visit a brewery in a nearby town and bring our friends from Alaska who are staying with us for the week.

The last place we wanted to be was at a crowded bar during the holiday so this was a great experience to try. After a “tour” we went to the rooftop and got to sample beers. This brewery has a lot of beers with very high alcohol levels. Very high! It is definitely a cool thing to do during the summer when you just want to grab a drink with a friend- did I mention it’s free?!?

A trip to the brewery was planned very last minute and I was outside sunbathing/snoozing when I was told to get in the car. I was wearing my traditional July 4th swimsuit (I only wear a one piece once a year) and threw on some navy blue shorts. What should have made me look like a hot mess and lazy in a bathing suit, I actually loved my outfit!

[Outfit details: red one piece swim suit, navy shorts (out of stock but similiar here), watch, sunglasses, lip color (out of stock but I l o v e it!), nail polish, bag (vintage)]

red, white, & a fun filled weekend!

Published on July 3, 2016July 3, 2016 by blonde rosieLeave a comment

When I say I have been planning for the Fourth of July since January, I am not kidding!
For work I will be organizing my towns Fourth of July parade, which is a really really realllly big deal! I have 58 groups, 4 marching bands, 35 automobiles and an alarm set for 5:30am for Monday morning. I have spent hours this week finalizing plans and small details for the parade day. I will be posting another post hopefully sharing my adventures on the Fourth!

Sunday is technically the only day I have off and I plan on enjoying every single moment of it. Today is the first time in weeks I have not had to set my alarm and now I am in bed blogging to start the day. I wish every day started like this!

Be sure to go back and check out my Memorial Day blog post for some party inspiration!

The week leading up to the Fourth I was very patriotic in my outfits!

I have had this dress on my wish list for a while now and even wrote about it here. It was on the clearance rack for $7 at Old Navy and it is adorable but comfortable for work. Right now they are out of this print online but I encourage you to go to the store and buy this style in every print! Right now (Saturday only) dresses at Old Navy are only $8. Keep an eye out for similar sales towards the end of summer. A lot of my favorite work dresses are from Old Navy and have lasted for many seasons.

At work on Friday I really got into the season with a dress I wear every Fourth and Memorial Day! It’s a navy blue stretch dress with poka dots making it so much fun to wear to work. It is old from Banana Republic but right now the whole store is on sale so go now to stock up on work dresses! Banana Republic always has classics to wear to work that you can wear for many years and never go out of style. I paired my dress with sandals from Gap and my red Ray Bans. It is really hard to hide my American Pride this week!

Be sure to run to Old Navy today to pick up your Fourth of July shirts! For years they just sold the white shirts or tank tops holiday shirts, but now they are more creative (and adorable!). As always, they are super cheap and make a great holiday outfit!

On Saturday I had a few hours by the pool in my new favorite patriotic bikini from Target. The best thing about Target is that they are affordable and have styles for everyones body type. While I love swim from VS I feel like my body type does not always fit in their styles. They have a whole line of patriotic swimwear in different styles to fit your body type. Mine is perfect for flat chested gals like me but they make tops for more support if you need it. This swim is adorable and will be worn for many summers to come! Hurry to Target before they are all sold out!

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

work out because you love your body, not because you hate it

Published on June 30, 2016June 29, 2016 by blonde rosieLeave a comment

(Pre-gym snack!)

Something I have learned many times in life is that you cannot control everything.
In college and in the real world, we can start the day with a to do list but sometimes (everyday) things get added on and somethings get neglected.
In college, I was taking 5 classes, volunteering and working while trying to look presentable and find time withe friends. When my parents would call me around 11am to find out I was drinking at the bar on campus they were shocked, little did they know that was the only scheduled time I had that day to socialize with friends!!

In college, we always said that we had no free time.
But now I find myself now saying the exact same thing just working a 40 hour a week job. When I leave the office at 4:30, I leave my work at the office and go straight home. But for some reason I find myself having zero time in the day! I do more at home now than I did in college. Living with my parents means more cleaning, more laundry and more food shopping!!

In college and the real life there has been one thing I can control, the gym.
In my final year of college, I was more committed to the gym than ever before. I would bring homework and do it on the elliptical or bring note cards and went over them when I did some weights. Or, I would just run and keep running away from my pile of homework back at home.
The first thing I did after moving back home was to find a gym. The summer is full of fun things to do outdoors, but once fall came I knew I needed to find a place to work out. For me, working out is not to become skinny but to find “me”time. I love going to the gym and then realizing I have been there for three hours. Working out has always come natural to me. From years of dance I know my body very well and I have muscle memory that keeps coming back.
Now, along with running and free weights, I take classes and follow the work outs at Tone It Up. A friend introduced it to me and I have been sharing the program with strangers at the gym!

(Jillian Michaels Instagram)

work out to tone, not lose weight

I have been very lucky to have been born with skinny genetics and I do not have to diet to keep this figure. However, while so many people say they are so jealous of me being naturally skinny there area lot of struggles that come with it! Clothes never fit and growing up I was called Skelotor. Now when I work out, I want my body to be toned and stronger. I do not diet but I try to eat healthy so that in 30 years I don’t hate myself! In the winter, my body got very toned and I loved the way I felt and looked. While some people go to the gym every day to lose weight, I try to go to get endorphin’s because working out gives you endorphin’s and happy people just don’t shoot their husbands!

I want to get stronger

Since I was a baby I have always had health issues.
In the 4th grade, the doctors found very severe scoliosis that felt like it appeared over night! After a big growth spurt, my back turned into an S shape and after many years of specialists and back braces my spine is now a C shape. Everyday I wake up in extreme pain and can physically move my spin with my hands sometimes. It is so gross! If I am not in great physical shape, just by bending over to pick something out, my back can go out. I am an old lady inside a 23 year old body! Because of these disabilities, I have to work hard to keep my body strong and the pain in check.

Get your daily sweat in!

They say that if you do not leave the gym sweating, you did it wrong!
I love to go to a pilates class because for a full hour I am sweating and I leave in pain but I know I did the work out correctly! That post gym glow is real and it is amazing! I try to sweat everyday. Even if it is just doing laundry and going up and down the stairs putting people’s clothes away. My housework and cleaning turns into a work out because I find ways to do stairs or get my steps in. Most days when I clean the house I get around 4,000 steps in! The one perk of having a big house!

Force Yourself

People say they love to go to the gym but no one loves to go to the gym! There are always a million other things I could be doing instead (netflix, sleep, eating). I like to put in my day planner when the work out classes are and find a time in my day when I can go to the gym and write it down. That way it is on my to do list and I feel accountable! All year I was going to a pilates class on Monday but with some family illness I was unable to go for two months. My body hated me because I was going back and this class was not going to be fun!
I walked in nervous to try this again with an out of shape body but Beth the instructor came up to me and was so excited to see me back! Find a class or a friend whose face lights up when you see them there. We all need some encouragement to go to the gym!

What are some of your favorite work outs or gym you go to? I am always looking for a gym buddy!

orlando

Published on June 18, 2016 by blonde rosieLeave a comment

I make an effort to be an informed adult on what is going on in the world. I have 4 different apps on my phone for the news that give me alerts about news events around the world. On Sunday morning, I woke up to a lot of news alerts on my phone starting at 4am and continuing every hour with updates. On my phone I saw the words ” Multiple injuries as gunman opens fire at Orland gay club” and as more details were made known, the stories only got worse. By the end of the day there were 50 people dead and all of America was glued to the tv asking why and how this could happen.

The weekend before I went to the Asbury Park Gay Pride and I saw hundreds of people feeling safe and comfortable just being themselves. I am straight and like guys but also felt it was important to support my friend and the LGBT community. I spent the whole day in Asbury and felt so welcomed even when it was clear that I was straight and out of my comfort zone a little bit. When was the last time a group of straight people went up to someone who was gay to make sure they felt included? Probably, never… But that day I had people treating me with respect and including me in their fun. Not once did someone turn their back to me or try to exclude me. This community focuses so much on love and equality, which is why I think it is so hard to wrap my head around the hate and rhetoric that aims to exclude this community.

I had my fun at Gay Pride in NJ and now it was time for Orlando to show their pride. Unfortunately, that night was cut short by one person and a gun.
Orlando has shattered America.
That morning I called my loved ones in the LGBT and told them that I loved them and they were safe. I didn’t know what else to do but tell them that I am there for them.
Orlando is far away from New Jersey but the LGBT community is right here in my neighborhood.

We Are Orlando
It is important to keep the dialogue open about this attack on the LGBT community. Just because it happened in Orlando does not mean it could not have happened in your town, to your friend, to your relative. This attack on Orlando needs to make us rethink the way we talk about gays in tv shows, the news and in our government. Did you know some states say that two gay dads are not suitable parents for adoption because they may harm the child? Did you know that a lot of doctors turn down transgender people for primary healthcare and hormone treatment? When gay marriage became legal in America it received a lot of negative media coverage… It is 2016 and it is time to change how we treat this community.

Instead of praying you can do more…..
from Huffington Post

Local LGBT civil rights organization Equality Florida has set up a GoFundMe page to support the Pulse nightclub shooting victims and their families. More than $1.7 million has already been donated as of Monday afternoon. Donate here.

LGBTQ advocacy nonprofit Planting Peace has launched a CrowdRisecampaign to help cover the victims’ medical costs, as well as funeral costs.Donate here.

CrowdRise has also launched a larger relief fund supporting a number of charitable causes, both those helping the victims of the Orlando shooting, as well as those working long-term to address issues of inequality and gun safety.Donate here.

A variety of local Central Florida LGBT organizations have partnered to run an emergency hotline and grief counselors at the GLBT Community Center of Central Florida. They have also set up a GoFundMe page, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Orlando shooting victims and their families. Donate here.

The OneOrlando Fund, formed by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, will support nonprofits helping victims’ families, as well as the LGBT, Latino and faith communities. Disney has already donated $1 million to the effort. Donate here.

Support LGBTQ Advocacy Efforts Worldwide

Because this tragic shooting shows yet again that the fight against homophobia is far from over, you can support the Human Rights Campaign to help with its ongoing advocacy efforts for LGBTQ equal rights worldwide.
Offer your support here.

Help End The Ban On Sexually Active Gay Men Donating Blood

After the shooting, many local gay and bisexual men wanted to give blood to help the victims — but they couldn’t. According to a decades-old Food and Drug Administration policy, any man who has had sex with another man in the past year is legally banned from giving blood. After the attack on Sunday, aWhiteHouse.gov petition was started calling for an end to the FDA ban.
Sign the petition here.

If You’re Local, Give Blood

After the shooting, hundreds lined up to give blood at a local center near the hospital where the victims were taken.

Florida blood center OneBlood continues to ask for blood donations in the coming days — specifically from O-negative, O-positive and AB donors. The center is currently open, and you can find your local blood center or donation bus here.

“Thousands of people packed our donor centers and blood drives eager to donate,” OneBlood wrote on its site Sunday. “Your immediate response to help patients in need was unprecedented and remarkable. We also want to thank all the people who showed up at our locations with food and water for donors.”

To make an appointment to give blood, click here, or call 1.888.9-DONATE.

Work To End Gun Violence

Everytown for Gun Safety advocates for an end to gun violence, and relies on the testimonies of survivors to partake in meaningful campaigns and address public officials to help foster change.

Find out more about Everytown for Gun Safety here.

Stand Together To Show That #WeAreOrlando

As people across the country and the world woke up to the tragic news Sunday, they gathered together in community vigils to honor the victims and their families. From Orlando to New York to Rome, people stood together, hugged, sang, lit candles and left flowers in the name of those lost.

To find a vigil near you, visit weareorlando.org, with a growing list of local events.

Reach Out If You Need Support

The LGBT community at large is still reeling from the attack. If you need support, or just someone to talk to, dial any of the national and local hotlines below.

The local GLBT Center of Central Florida has a crisis hotline set up in the aftermath of the attack. Call if you need a shoulder to lean on: 407-227-1446.

The Trevor Project Hotline is always available for LGBTQ youth, and is open to anyone in need of support at this time. You can call them at 866-488-7386.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is here to help. Just call: 800-273-8255.

The National GLBT Center has a national hotline, a youth talk-line and an online peer-support chat. For the national hotline, dial 888-843-4564.

Locate A Missing Loved One

Facebook has set up a check-in page for those who live in the area, so they can tell loved ones the world over whether they are safe. You can also call the Orlando Mass Shooting Family Hotline at 407-246-4357 if you still haven’t located someone who may have been at the Pulse nightclub on Sunday.

If your loved one was near the shooting and is still missing, dial 407-246-4357.

Support Nonprofits Helping Victims’ Pets

Organizations in Orlando have stepped up to help care for the pets of the shooting victims, or of any community members who will be out of the house supporting family and friends. For instance, the Pet Alliance Of Greater Orlando is offering short-term care, or permanent placement, for any pets that have been affected by the shooting. To arrange for pet care with the Alliance, call 407-418-0906.

To see a full list of local organizations who are providing pet care, click here.

CrowdRise has listed a number of ways to help. Donate here or through the widget below.

hello, june it’s been a while since i’ve last seen you

Published on June 8, 2016June 9, 2016 by blonde rosieLeave a comment

It has been a very rainy May so now I am looking forward to some summertime! It is early June and I am already tan with some sun poisoning so maybe not the best way to start off summer but it can only go up from here! Happy June, everyone!

work

As always, the June Desktop

My favorite part of my work day is the first 10 minutes of sitting at my desk getting settled in for the day. I take advantage of the Keurig we have in the office. The coffee sucks so I bring my own Starbucks K Cups in from home. It saves you SO much money. I like to get mine at TJ Maxx or Homegoods because it is always on sale.
While I drink my coffee and respond to emails I also check my personal email account because I get the world news sent to my email. I like to think of myself as an informed adult about the world but I just do not have the time to read a newspaper or watch the news at night. I get the Skimm Daily Newsletter and I am a better person for it. It gives you a brief (skimmed) version of the news including world news, politics, entertainment and just things you should know. Sign up and become a better, informed adult because of it. It takes 4 minutes of my day to know all the important things. PS It is very sassy and written by Millennials for Millennials!

Netflix

LOTS of new shows this month to share!

She’s backkkkkk! Chelsea Handler is back with an all new show and I am *obsessed*! You could tell at the end of her E! show that she was getting bored talking to celebrities about celebrity things. Now she has the freedom to talk about whatever and however she wants to say it! There are only a few episodes out right now so hurry up and catch up! It is entertaining and informative!

Season Two of Grace and Frankie came out in May. If you do not know this show- stop what you are doing and binge watch. Seriously, one of the funniest shows I have ever watched! Watch it so we can talk about it together!!

And I thought my family was messed up! If you want to watch a show to remind you that you and your family do not have it that bad, Bloodline is the show for you! It is a mystery that sucks you in with the first episode. They tell you how it all ends and the whole first season it has you guessing what will happen next. Season two was just released so yes, continue watching!

Products I Love

It is the Nordstrom sale and it feels like Christmas! I have been making an effort to purge my closet of items I no longer use and are that are not good quality. I have thrown out my entire high school wardrobe and everything from Forever 21. Now that I am an adult I feel like I should dress like one, right?!? Do I need anything? Nope. But I want it!! I have been having a rough few weeks so I think I will splurge on myself. Some items on my wish list this month are….

I have had my eyes on the Tory Burch sandals for a month now and I think I am just going to swipe my AmEx and worry about it at the end of the month! I love my Tory Burch sunglasses but I am obsessed with tortoise sunglasses right now and these Karen Walker ones have caught my eye… While I am out I might as well get a new work bag, right?? I need something to fit my life but does not look like a backpack!

Home

I threw a lovely MDW party and got some new home decor from Target.
A lot of it is red, white and blue but I found some decor that can be used all year round.

In the summer I get obsessed with fresh flowers in the house. It is a small thing but really adds so much to a room! My friend brought over some sunflowers as a hostess gift last weekend and they are still going strong!

I was bored and reorganized our linen closet. We have six bedrooms in our house so there are tons of sheets and linens. Next chore on my to do list is to pack away unused winter linens to make more room. Check out my earlier post the magic of decluttering and organizing to learn how to organize your life.

I have started to collect some home items for my future place. Right now they are sitting in my basement but I have plans to use them in my room now. Cannot wait to share!

Adventures

If you live near me definitely stop by North Eats in Asbury Park. It is my new favorite spot!

This past weekend a friend and I stumbled into the new Asbury Hotel. We had drinks on the roof and got to see the inside. It looks like a New York meets the shore hotel and the rooftop bar makes you feel like you are on vacation and not in Jersey.