Thursday, May 30, 2013

Long Read: Train Station

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She was instinctively drawn to the spontaneity of her desires and very much  a stranger to the notion of conformity. Propelled by the longing for a mid-afternoon adventure, she threw on her favorite leather jacket, wrapped her silk scarf around her neck, and found herself skipping down the stairs to the nearest train station. After spending the morning within the midst of Jung and Freud she desperately needed a Yuengling.
The Black Keys echoed in her earphones as she met her stride on the cool concrete. Her insatiable avidity to discover, to travel, left marks upon the same pathway many times before. It was a cool November afternoon and the brisk air pierced her porcelain cheeks. Her thick black hair fell upon her shoulders twisted in loose braid. Those who passed her on her journey often stopped to stare, smiling politely revealing their appreciation.
He had seen her leave her apartment around the same time every afternoon. The gravitation to meet her drove him to follow her. He could not explain his overflowing eagerness to wrap his hands within her hair, to taste the sweetness of her skin. He was not threatened by her beauty, but drawn to it as if he was destined to toss her upon a wall, to make love to her.
Her high heels struck the concrete with force. She was a tantalizing creature, refreshingly aware of her sexuality. He quickened his pace, throwing aside his cigarette. A thick cloud of smoke left his mouth, filtrating the air with the aroma of tobacco. He assessed that the station was about another block away and searched his pockets for a handful of quarters. Unsure of the impending destination, he had decided to pull a few more from the jar on his counter.
“Just one”, she said. Her voice, my god, could serenade a cobra. The accentuation of her words set him into a frenzy, wildly amiss a fantasy. He imagined her cries of pleasure resonating within his ears, the warmth of her breath upon his neck. “Just one for me too”, he managed to summon. At the sound of his voice, she turned around, smiled, and headed for the train.
She opted for a window seat, a row after the emergency exit. She sat elegantly crossing her legs, fetching a pair of black rimmed glasses and a copy of Baudelaire from her bag. Again, she met his gaze. He appeared to be in his late twenties. Thin lines around his hazel eyes revealed experience, perhaps a certain ounce of pain. He was undeniably attractive, strong, masculine.
Little distance separated the strangers; a mere three feet and a candy wrapper, if technicality was to be considered. Yet, neither of them spoke. For the duration of her trip however, she periodically met his eyes exchanging silent subtleties. He was captivating and she found herself tempted to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him.
Bright lights signaled her stop. Normally, she would gather her book and leave, but her thirst for the stranger before her, prompted her to grab his hand. She signaled him to follow her.  He obliged, anticipation burning throughout his veins. Within moments, she reared the corner of the station and led him to the Hilton. A crisp hundred dollar bill fell from her wallet on the receptionist’s desk. “One bed will be fine,” she whispered as she smoothed the falling pieces of her hair from her delicate face. “Here you go miss, have a nice stay.”
His palms were sweaty, and he could feel his heart beating faster and faster as she led him to the elevator. Once the doors closed he lost control. His hands moved fervently, pulling her against him, his tongue meeting hers. She sighed heavily, meeting his fervor; intoxicated by his forwardness. Ding. 
They landed upon the Fifth Floor, Room 222. Struggling to maintain her composure, she slid the key revealing a welcoming green light. The sense of urgency prevailed as they walked through the door. In one swift motion he had her long legs wrapped around him, and her back to the wall.
-KristinaC

5 Steps to Sensational Eyelashes

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I am a certified lash addict. I LOVE falsies. Although I don't wear them everyday, I can't help but apply them on the weekend for a dramatic, flirty look (even if I am sitting around my house drinking wine) I love, love, love them!
But what about work days? Is it possible to achieve the same look without having to glue your fingers to your eyelids? According to one of my favorite beauty blogs, Beauty High, yes, there is! Listed below are 5 Steps to achieve Sensational Eyelashes 
Step 1: Choose the right kind of mascara. Depending on whether you’re going for lengthening, volume boosting, separating, waterproof, etc. you should choose the kind of lashes you want and get a mascara based on that. A favorite at the Beauty High office is CoverGirl Lash Blast because it does pretty much everything in one. Also, don’t be afraid to apply more than one coat.
Step 2: Curl your lashes. A lot of women forgo this incredibly important step because they’re either afraid of the curler or they don’t believe it actually works. Curling your lashes before applying mascara is like moisturizing before putting on foundation – the end result looks much cleaner and more put together.
Step 3: Begin applying mascara with the wand at the root of your eyelash and wiggle the wand at the root before swiping upward. This separates the lashes and cuts down on any clumping that may happen by doing a thorough swipe through.
Step 4: During the application, hold either a plastic spoon, business card or mascara spoon against your eyelid, above the lashes, so that excess mascara gets on the spoon, not your lid. By having less to clean up afterwards, there’s less chance of displacing your carefully applied mascara.
Step 5: Use a good eye makeup remover. Even if your mascara isn't waterproof, we’d suggest using a waterproof remover. The less pulling and scraping you have to do on your eyelashes, the better condition they’ll be in. 

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

How To Dance With Uncertainty

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1. Practice integrity, intention, and purpose.

That is the basic choreography. It requires that you pay close attention to your beliefs, thoughts, words, choices, and actions. What lends purpose and meaning to your life? Natural talent matters, but practice is what develops skill.
Integrity: Be honest in all aspects of your life. Seek to know who you are and who you ultimately want to be.
Intention: Be clear about what you most desire and take steps in the direction of your dreams.
Purpose: Know why you want this new reality. Does it add meaning to your life?

2. Be flexible. 

See every challenging step as an occasion to stretch. Stand tall as you grow in resilience. Breathe deeply and rise to the occasion when presented with new choreography.

3. Know when to “freestyle.

Freestyle is improvisational dance. We are creative beings and while there are necessary steps to be taken, there is still plenty of room for spontaneity and artistic expression.
Take risks and embrace your unique style. You might step on a few toes, but always remain true to what is essential in you.

4. Trust your partner.

Whether you practice a traditional religion or view spirituality in universal terms, trust life to lead the way. Unleash your greatest effort and then relax into the arms of grace.
Know that there is divine order to this dance we call life. Whatever is meant to happen, will. Whatever is meant to be, will be. Do what is within your power and surrender the rest.

5. Enjoy the dance.

Life is meant to be fun. Lighten up and release the need to get it right the first time. Perfection is subjective and trophies collect dust. Laugh at yourself and keep moving. It will all come together. At times,better than you expected.
Source: Tiny Buddah, by Kathleen O'Malley
 Kathleen O’Malley, DC is someone who is passionate about transforming lives. She is the author of Messages from Within: Finding Meaning in Your Life Experiences. Her second book, Messages from Children and What They Can Teach Grownups is scheduled to be released in May 2013. Visit her at www.kathleenomalleymessages.com.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Hey You: Stop Complicating Your Life

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Start communicating clearly. Don’t try to read other people’s minds, and don’t make other people try to read yours. Most problems, big and small, within a family, friendship, or business relationship, can start with bad communication.

* Stop wasting time and money trying to acquire more of everything. Start focusing on quality. Live a comfortable life, not a wasteful one. Too many people buy things they don’t need with money they don’t have to impress people they don’t know. Do not spend to impress others and manage your money wisely so your money does not manage you.

* Stop spending time with negative people. Surround yourself with people who reflect the person you want to be. Choose friends who you admire, and who love and respect you – people who make your day a little brighter simply by being in it. Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you.

* Stop trying to change people.  Start accepting people just the way they are. In most cases it’s impossible to change them anyway, and it’s rude to try. So save yourself the stress. Instead of trying to change others, lead by example.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Beauty & Mastectomy


To you, she may appear confident as she walks through the grocery store or makes her family dinner every evening. She may smile and laugh with her girlfriends, perhaps even accompany them to Pilates. But do you know she is carrying a burden? Do you know that she may or may not be diagnosed with breast cancer?
The statistics are staggering. According to the American Cancer Society, the chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer sometime in her life is 1 in 8. The chance of dying from breast cancer is 1 in 36. Alarmingly, 232,340 cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed this year alone. While again, she may appear to be brave, to be able to presume her responsibilities of being a mother, a daughter, a sister, a best friend, or even your favorite actress on the big screen, the physical and psychological effects of breast cancer remain.

Recently, Angelina Jolie, most notably recognized for her work as an actress, published an article in the New York Times highlighting her decision to get a preventative double mastectomy. Her doctors estimated that the actress had a 87 percent risk of developing breast cancer and a 50% chance of developing ovarian cancer. Upon discovering this reality, the proactive actress underwent three months of procedures, staring with a procedure known as "nipple delay". This particular procedure, she writes "rules out disease in the breast ducts behind the nipple and draws extra blood flow to the area." Two weeks later Jolie had the major surgery where the breast tissue was removed and temporary fillers were put into place. Nine weeks later, Jolie completed the final surgery with the reconstruction of the breasts with an implant. Amazingly, she concluded that the reconstructive aspect of the surgery did not make her feel any less of a woman. "I feel empowered that I made a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity."

While Jolie's confidence and bravery is most certainly something to be admired, not all women walk away form the procedure with such confidence. In fact, many women walk away from the procedure feeling unfeminine and have a difficult time accepting their new bodies. Many years ago my mother experienced this first hand. "Will I ever be beautiful again," was all my mother's best friend managed to whisper as stood naked. The mastectomy, in her opinion, had robbed her of identity; the curves that made her beautifully feminine. Silently, my mother wept for her best friend; a woman who had once tackled life so vivaciously. Her beauty, from what I recall from old photographs, was astounding regardless if she had breasts or not. 

Angelina, in my opinion is truly an inspiration to women. Although she is undoubtedly a symbol of modern femininity, she found the courage to get the surgery. For the most part, women are bombarded by images of sexuality and beauty. We are programmed to believe that we should emulate the models and the celebrities in  our favorite fashion magazines. Sometimes we even feel like we can't compete. It is undeniably refreshing to see such a symbol of beauty describing her experience without the pink ribbons, the 5K races, or the "Save The TaTas t-shirts. 

She was real. She described one part of her surgery as a "scene from a science fiction movie." 
She didn't mask the side effects. 
She had bruises. She has scars. But she is still a woman. 






Friday, May 10, 2013

Happy Hour Mixology: Great Gatsby Inspired Cocktails


"I like large parties, they're so intimate. At small parties, there isn't any privacy."
-Gatsby 

Hornitos "The Aristocrat"

What you need:
2 parts Hornitos Plata Tequila
1 Part Lemon Juice
1/2 Part Agave Nectar
1 Barspoon of Blackberry Jam

What you need to do:
Pour ingredients in shaker, shake and double strain into a shot glass and garnish with a mint leaf. This recipe makes two shots. 

West Egg Punch:
Named after the town from which Gatsby hailed, this festive punch can be prepared in big batches ahead of time. Make in a glass drink dispenser for guests to serve themselves. 

What you need:
1.5 oz. SkinnyGirl White Cherry Vodka
1 oz. lemonade
2 oz. sparkling water 
Strawberries
Watermelon slices

What you need to do: Muddle strawberry and watermelon slice. Add vodka and fill with sparkling water and add lemonade. Garnish with a watermelon slice and a strawberry. 


The Garden Party:
Champagne was a Gatsby party-goer favorite. This modernized champagne cocktail is perfect for toasting with friends. 

What you need:
1 oz. SkinnyGirl White Cherry Vodka
2 oz. champagne
Frozen cherry

What you need to do: Pour champagne into flute, top with vodka, and garnish with one frozen cherry. 

Gatsby Gimlet:
Simple yet sophisticated like Mr. Gatsby himself


What you need:
1.5 oz. SkinnyGirl Bare Naked Vodka
1.5 oz. fresh lime juice. 


What you need to do: Shake with ice, strain into chilled martini glass. 

{Source: OKMagazine}



Monday, May 6, 2013

6 Ways to Live a Life of Passion and Adventure



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"I've come to believe that in everyone's life, there's one undeniable moment of change, a set of circumstances that suddenly alters everything." 
-Nicholas Sparks, Safe Haven

1. Just do it

2. When faced with sink or swim, choose swim. 

3. Erase expectations from your mind. 

4. Make mistakes as often as possible.

5. Live in a constant state of wonder

6. Stay in touch with those you love. 
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