Lately Loving: March 2015!

Yes, everyone! It’s another new section of my blog that I’m gonna try to keep up with! I thought, “Hey, there are a good amount of new things I like each month, and they make me happy. Why not share these things with other people and maybe they’ll be happy too?” And “Lately Loving” was born!!! I hope you guys enjoy!

  The song I’ve been absolutely OBSESSED with this month is “Nothing Without Love” by Nate Ruess, a member of my favorite band, Fun. (The band has officially announced that they are working on some new things, following a short break for each member to work on their own projects.) Its poetic and upbeat qualities both remind me of Fun. and give Nate his chance to shine, which I enjoy. Listen to it here!

Another thing that I’m loving this month is this really cute dress I got from H&M! Unfortunately, I can’t wear it just yet, but I can’t wait until I can! This blue and white dress with a triangular cutout in the lower back will go perfectly with my white Keds (and possibly a white cardigan if I’m feeling modest). At $17.95, this dream dress was a steal. Get it here!

I also can’t stop making this awesome recipe for fresh garlic bread! After popping a head of garlic (just cut the top off, so the actual garlic is exposed, and pull off any extra skins; then drizzle some olive oil on top and cover in aluminum foil) in the oven for anywhere from 30-45 minutes, you can easily remove the buttery-textured roasted garlic and spread it onto bread! [I got the recipe from this awesome lady here (she also makes tomato soup in the video!].

Starting last month, I started playing the piano (well, keyboard)! I haven’t started taking lessons yet (although I plan on doing so soon), but I have been following along to my keyboard’s screen that shows the keys and what fingers to play them with. Learning by hearing is extremely difficult, and I look forward to learning the notes so I don’t have to memorize the keys by placement. But I love it! Playing is so relaxing. My first major project that I’m working on is learning how to play Für Elise. I’ve mastered the first half and couldn’t be prouder.

You may be thinking, “Michelle. Parks and Rec? You’re behind on the times, girlfriend!”
Yeah, I know. But I figured, since it just ended, when’s a better time to start? So, another thing I’m loving this month is Parks  and Rec. You can watch it on Netflix, and it’s so incredible. Being a fan of Fred Armisen’s Portlandia, I see a lot of similarities in Parks and Rec, which I love. So far, my favorite characters are April Ludgate and Ron Swanson, a twenty-year-old unenthusiastic intern and her manly, government-hating boss. Also starring in the show is SNL alum Amy Poehler.

Another obsession this month is my ANNIVERSARY! Even though it was at the end of last month, I still can’t believe that I have spent three whole years with my boyfriend! He’s literally my best friend, and I could never imagine my life without him in it. I know a lot of people have criticisms about remaining with your first partner (especially from high school) through life, but I’m happy. I am. We’ve grown up together. We remember each other before puberty made us ridiculously attractive (just kidding, we’re still potatoes) and make fun of each other for it all the time. We know each other so well, yet we still learn things about each other every day.

My final obsession this month is this blog! Thank you to my followers for sticking with me through the tough times I’ve had lately, and leaving such supportive comments. Writer from the Block has been my goal for a long time and, although it doesn’t always come out like I hope or have as many followers as I might want or I don’t post as often as I wish I could, it’s an amazing way for me to practice writing and get my thoughts organized. Thank you so much for supporting my journey toward authorsdom (or authorship?), and I can’t wait until the day I can announce to you the publication of my first book (I need to write it first!). Until then, keep smiling! ❤

Why I’m Thankful to Live in 2015 (Being Happy)

Hey everyone! Sorry I haven’t posted. Believe it or not, I’ve been working on several posts lately, but I decided not to publish them because of their depressing nature. I don’t mind sharing those feelings with you guys, but it turned out just drafting my thoughts made me feel better. So, before I get into this post, just a brief update: I’ve decided to go back to pursuing my early childhood ed degree and certification. I feel like I’ll have fun and get to truly be my silly and creative self in this field. (I haven’t really allowed myself to be creative for a long, long time, and I’m trying to change that.) Also, I have been working out, but not really eating to support it. (I’ve recently discovered that I’m a hamburger addict. They’re SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO good…) I’ve also decided to pursue the piano/keyboard instead of violin. There’s not really an explanation as to why.

So now for this post. Recently, as in today, I realized that I’m going to definitely have a shopping problem as I get older and move out. (Not like the shopping problem in Sabrina the Teenage Witch, where she started to spoil…get it? Spoiled rotten?…Bless you if you understood that reference.) Now, at first I was upset at this. You see, I made it my goal in life when I was really young to never be a “girly girl” and forever stay a “tomboy.” I refused to accept compliments that revolved around my being “cute,” and stuff like that. I would be teased for shopping in the boy’s department for clothing. But now, since I’m older, hopefully wiser, and living in this time of change, I’m not afraid to be changing my thoughts and interests. I paint my nails (or rather, get them done because I can’t do them for my life) and love yellow and pink yet also I love playing basketball street-style and stuffing my face. 2015 is showing me that I’m a person. No act is “girly” or “manly.” Loving shoes and purses has nothing to do with possessing female organs. Anyone can like anything. The possibilities are endless. So I’m not “girly” or “masculine.” I’m Michelle. I identify as female, but that doesn’t affect what I do anymore. So I love how I enjoy shopping now. I buy what I like; I don’t buy only what fits my “style.” I buy vibrant things, I buy dark things, I buy yummy things, and I buy smelly things! It’s just because that’s something Michelle likes to do, and that’s all there is to it.

Speaking of things I like to do, there are so many things I want to do this year and from now on! For example, I want to paint. Watercolor, oil, fingerpaint– I want to use it all. I love painting and making a mess, and I want to do that more often! I also want to learn how to do more beauty-related things. I want to take my time before a date or get-together and blow out/curl/straighten my hair and stuff like that to look as fierce as I am inside! I want to explore my interests more overall. I feel like doing things that make me happy and not just smart or attractive or something else like that is going to be good for me. Honestly, I’m at my happiest when I’m singing, dancing, or doing something adventurous or creative. And I think that’s why I’ve changed my mind once more to be a teacher. Actually, I was reading a piece by Robert Merton (a sociologist) for my winter class, and it really hit me. In his discussion regarding deviant behavior, he mentioned a concept developed by Durkheim called anomie. Anomie is a feeling of hopelessness or normlessness, a feeling like you don’t belong or that you’re working towards no significant goal. I think this is what I’ve been feeling lately. Merton added onto this idea to pose the question of why people break out of the norm. Another sociologist, Goffman, suggested that everything we do is acting, whether on our “front stage” or “backstage.” I feel like I’ve been doing way too much “front stage” acting, even when no one’s around. I’m always trying to impress someone or get ahead to accomplish something that’ll make someone proud of me. In reality though, I’m an immature person. Not like laughing-at-fart-jokes immature, but like coloring books-and-not-really-ever-wanting-to-fully-become-a-boring-adult immature. I love being by myself. I love sleeping. I love just being home and acting ridiculous. I love trying on the most beautiful thing in the store even though I’d have nowhere to wear it, couldn’t afford it, or already knew it wouldn’t fit. So, I don’t think I could ever work a serious job that required often sternness and limited laughing. I just can’t do that. I can’t get a job that will impress people when I mention it, make me feel intelligent, pay well, but not actually make me happy happy. I need a job where it’s okay to break out into dance or song. Seriously. Anyway, so I felt like not-niceness for a while, really ever since I thought about dropping education. And since I decided to pick it up again, I’ve been feeling better and actually really enjoying myself by just living life. For so long, I always had to do things for other people (or felt that I had to) or to “make it big.” But now, finally, I’m doing things for me, to make me happy. (I’ve probably already mentioned the dance classes I’m taking this semester. That’s really a step outside what I would normally do, especially in school. Yay for taking chances and having fun!)

Sorry I didn’t really share any wisdom in this post, or in any recent posts. If you get anything from this post, realize that the world is yours. You can do anything you want to. Wear that dress or that cool chain belt. Finger paint or make pipe cleaner people. Never let a number like age or a word like gender or sex control you. Be the person that will make you happy. Go on adventures. Go on them often. Try that restaurant you saw someone Instagram. Take lots of pictures, but don’t forget to live in the moment. Don’t photograph everything. Don’t feel pressured to make tons of friends or have one close friend. You do life like you want to do it. That’s why there’s no rule book or instructions!

Have fun exploring!