Saying Yes To An Off-The-Rack Dress

My bridal party and I spent our entire Saturday hunting for the perfect dress, and I'm happy to say that I did finally find the one!

Wedding dress preferences differ from bride to bride, so my tips may not suit everyone. We are all very unique, with very different tastes and personalities. These are just a few of my realizations and personal recommendations to anyone who is interested in going the off-the-rack route.

Photo Source: www.ewedding.com

Don't panic. The day before I set an appointment with the bridal shop, I felt a little panicky just thinking about what I had to go through. Living in the Philippines, where I was so used to hiring a couturier to start from scratch and take every single detail into account -- from how the hemline to the tiniest bead matches exactly what I had pictured in my mind -- the world of off-the-rack, ready-made formal dresses was so new (and a bit scary) to me. I had to remind myself that the two bridal boutiques I chose have been doing bridal wear for many years, and that I had my family to help me every step of the way, making sure that I would end up choosing nothing less than my dream wedding dress. And yes, even if it is off-the-rack.

Don't try on every single dress you see. Make it a point to narrow down your preferences before visiting shops. I came in thirty minutes before my appointment to look through their catalogs, where I marked all the dresses I wanted to try on. That way, your dresser will know exactly what to pick, and all you have to do is try them on! If I could spare myself the trouble of having to go through every single rack, I would.

You're only wearing it once. Although I can be very specific and firm about what I want for a wedding dress, I also enjoy simplicity. I'm a very practical person. I know that this is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime, unforgettable experience, but it is also precisely because I am only wearing it once that I'm not going to spend a boatload of cash. Even if I had all the money in the world, which I don't, I still wouldn't spend $5,000 on a wedding dress. I wouldn't fuss over the name of the designer -- I tried on a Vera Wang dress and it paled in comparison to the nameless dress I ended up choosing. I see no reason to spend all that money on one dress that you're probably not going to wear ever again. I'd rather save it for something else, something that would last longer than five hours. Something like our future home, perhaps.

Don't be afraid to say "Yes" too soon. I ended up saying yes to the third dress I tried on the day. Is that too soon? To me, there is no such thing as saying yes to the dress too soon, as long as you know that you are not settling, which brings me to my next tip...

Don't settle. I have to admit, I have a tendency to have the whatever attitude when it comes to making myself look glamorous. Like I said, I hate shopping for clothes, because I find it extremely tedious. I'm glad that my mom and one of my bridesmaids (and future sister-in-law) were there to remind me how important that day was. Every time I chose a dress that seemed okay-enough, my mom would give me her look of disapproval that always scared me as a child. My bridesmaid, Amy, spent literally the entire day looking through every store for the perfect bridesmaid dress, reminding me how this day is no ordinary shopping day. You are, after all, shopping for your wedding!

Enjoy every moment! This is a special day for you, so don't waste it on being a stressed out, evil bridezilla. Sometimes, it is easier said than done, but you are going to spend that day with the women in your life who have always been there and will continue to be there for you as you step into a brand new and exciting chapter. Be nice to your bridesmaids. Listen to your mom. Get to know your future mother-in-law. Cherish every moment, because this is a happy day. And it's always fun keeping a big secret from your future hubby until the big day!

Why Getting A Beagle Is Enough For Now

It's really important to know exactly what you and your soon-to-be-spouse expect during the first few years of married life. Some couples want kids right away. Some don't want any children at all, and would rather grow old, like so...

My fiance and I are somewhere in the middle of that. We do want a family. We want to have children, pets, the whole deal. But what we really want, for now, is a beagle named Science.

That's it.

I know a lot of couples who are doing, or have done, the same thing, and they all have different reasons for choosing to wait. Chris and I want to wait for at least a couple of years before treading the strange path of parenthood, because right now, we're feeling both selfish and unselfish about a few things.

We feel selfish over each other. We want it to be just the two of us for at least a couple of years before a new person, i.e. our child, decides to barge in. We want the house and bed to ourselves. We want to buy things for ourselves without having to worry about how this amount of money should go to diapers or milk. We want to travel - a lot - and we want to do it on our own.

At the same time, whenever we put on our mom and dad caps, we start feeling unselfish. We know we're just not ready yet, financially, emotionally, even physically - 'healthy lifestyle' isn't exactly part of our recently updated dictionary, where 'wet fries' was recently added as the newest term. Having kids is serious business, and we both want to be ready for it, so that our children will have the best life possible. That is our goal, and that is something we both know we aren't quite equipped to fulfill just yet.

More than anything, we just want to continue getting to know each other in such a different way from how we got to know each other while dating. We never lived together, so it will be interesting seeing each other literally every single day for the first time in our relationship. We know some of our quirks, but not all of them, and we'll experience them for sure when we start living under one roof. And quite frankly, I prefer to know about these things in the middle of watching Firefly reruns, not while I'm breast feeding.

So that is why, for now, we visit animal shelters instead of going through baby magazines. We purchase Halloween costumes for dogs, and onesies for our friends' babies. Although one really can't tell for sure when you're meant to have a baby, what we are sure of now are our current priorities. When the baby comes, I'm sure the wait will be worth it, and everything will fall into place.

Groom and Bridal Wear Inspiration

It's exactly 101 days to go before the big day, and I still haven't found The One. With work and everything else that comes along with our busy, daily lives, it's been extremely hard for us to focus on the wedding, but know that we haven't been procrastinating, either! I know exactly what I want my dress to look like, what our inspiration as bride and groom would be, and I do have a few options ready for the taking.

Of course, I'm not going to post anything too specific about my current dress options because I don't want the groom's surprise spoiled, but just to give an idea, my inspiration of late has been flowy, A-line cut, dainty, lacy dresses, with a late 1900s England feel to it. Downton Abbey has been my overall style inspiration, which is also something that my groom prefers (thank goodness, because at least we can be consistent).

Another quite inspiring example of a bridal piece I'd definitely wear (I also love mermaid cut dresses)

My fiance has great personal style when it comes to formal wear. Like I said, we absolutely adore the late 1900s style, complete with a top hat, high collared shirt, and pocket watch!

This was something men in the 1900s usually wore during dinner parties. Again, I absolutely love the high collar style.

Less formal day wear still looks quite dignified. I love these old-fashioned ascot ties and high waist trousers.

More top hat inspiration, but this time for women during riding/hunting season. I am marrying into a family of hunters after all, and learning the sport myself!

Since it will be a winter wedding, I am thinking of incorporating gloves. This would look great for my bridal party.

I would wear these gloves with a fur coat on our way to reception.

Although I plan on having my hair down, Lady Mary is my ultimate style inspiration for this special day, down to her accessories.

It's been really hard looking for the very old-fashioned style that I want, especially keeping in mind our very limited budget, but I know it will all work out fine. The search is still on!

Thoughts Of A Bride Who Never Thought She'd Be One

I have been working with the amazing Quill & Fox for our wedding invitations and this image is a working piece of our invitation's main header. Reserving our reception venue and talking to our ministers was one thing, but actually seeing the invitations we are about to mail out to our guests within the next month or so is another story. Seeing the date of our wedding on paper seems to make it even more real than it already is, and I can't help but be amazed at how life moves in such unexpected ways.

You see, I never thought I would end up getting married. Sure, as a young girl, I had fantasized about walking down the aisle to the sounds of a string quartet, wearing a white dress, clutching a bouquet of pink roses... but I never really aimed for such a scenario in my own life; they were just silly visions that kept my mind playful and creative.

As I neared adulthood, I shied away from the idea altogether and thought how absurd the entire institution of marriage was, how it was all such a waste of time, energy, and money, and how idiotic it was to overreact (and overspend) over a piece of paper. But these days, as I plan for my own big day and spend more time with my now ex-boyfriend turned fiance, I can't help but be (pleasantly) surprised at how I've been proven wrong once again.

I once thought I knew exactly what this image meant. I mean, it's obvious what it's trying to say, but I see it differently now. I still believe in it, but in a completely different way.

I was telling my fiance how happy I was that I was finally settling down with that one person I could picture myself spending the rest of my life with, under one roof, perhaps with a couple of kids and even more dogs, bills to pay and taxes to do together. No more dating, no more checking off the "Single" box in documents, no more empty left ring finger. No more games. Game over. And I don't mind that at all.

Three years ago, I was a completely different person. I would've retched a little just thinking about these things, this sort of commitment, this sort of permanence. But now, I understand and embrace what this all means.

Some people would probably argue that you can still do all these things and experience the same kind of happiness even without that piece of paper. You can simply live together and probably fare better than most married couples these days. But to me, marriage just makes it all the more meaningful.

You might find this rather silly but I found the words that would help express my belief in marriage while I was watching Downton Abbey (best show ever). My favorite characters in the series, Anna and Bates, fell in love within rather difficult circumstances, which inspired Anna to marry him and not wait any longer. She says,

Mr. Bates, if we have to face this, then we will face it as husband and wife. I will not be moved to the sidelines to watch how you fare from a distance with no right even to be kept informed! I will be your next of kin. You will not deny me that.

I love that term, next of kin. I think it eloquently describes in just three tiny words my faith in the institution of marriage. I know that this term is a simple legal term that helps prevent certain legal inconveniences, and you can call me a romantic all you want, but I think it overflows with such deep meaning.

To officially welcome a person who was once, literally, a complete stranger, into your life as kin, as family, is a beautiful and quite incomparable gift. And I'm the happiest girl in the world that I get to open this gift in a few months, and call it my own, not just for that special day, but for the rest of my life.

Vlogged: Giving My Inner Tribute A High Five!

I finished the Hunger Games Trilogy today, and now I don't know what to do with my life... aside from vlogging about it that is.

I first saw the following Hunger Games tag from Joey Graceffa and Alex Carpenter's channels, and decided that it would be a fun thing to vlog myself.

I'm tagging anyone and everyone who loves the Hunger Games. It doesn't matter if you just saw the movie, or read one book or all three of them. I would still love to hear your thoughts on this amazing series. Leave a comment or post a video response to join the tag!

Enjoy and may the odds be ever in your favor.

Questions:

1. What is your favorite book from the trilogy?
2. How long would you last in the Hunger Games?
3. What's the strangest thing you thought would happen in the books but didn't?
4. How were you introduced to the Hunger Games?
5. Favorite moment that happens in the trilogy?
6. Who is your favorite character?
7. What district would you live in?
8. What was the most emotional moment in the books?
9. What item from home would you take in the arena as a token?
10. What was the most evil plan someone made in the books?
11. What are you looking forward to most in the film?
12. Who is your favorite villain in the trilogy?

Engagement Update: My Precious

A lot of my friends have been bugging me about showing them "the rock" since the day we announced our engagement. I'm not one to brag about material possessions on my blog or Facebook, but I felt like the ring Christopher chose for me was so unique and meaningful that perhaps my family and friends should know more about it.

Christopher and I were never the conventional type of couple. Sure, we can be as old-fashioned as they come when it comes to family values, dealing with other people and all that stuff, but the way we both work, our chemistry, and our interests, are far from ordinary. When Christopher asked my mom for her blessing, my mom said that he was the only guy I ever dated who truly brought out the "me", the daughter that she truly knew and loved, and that "me" was quirky and, sometimes, weird. And in the sweetest way possible, she said that Christopher and I were both weird, and that was what she really loved about us.

Christopher and I celebrate this weirdness everyday, which I'd rather call our uniqueness. And I think that is precisely one of the things my engagement ring truly represents.

The engagement ring is opal, and is surrounded by diamonds. The first thing Christopher told me to do with it was to go outside and look at it under the sun, because the internal structure of opal makes this beautiful stone diffract light, taking on many colors. It's the nerdiest, most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

But perhaps the most meaningful thing about this ring is its history, as it belonged to Christopher's mom when she was younger. He specifically asked for this ring because it was the most memorable one for him, and he remembers admiring it as a young boy.

I was telling him that I've always dreamed of being with a man who would give me something of his mom's, because family is so important to me. It speaks loudly of a man's relationship with his mother, and how it also translates to the honor he would someday give his wife.

On a lighter note, I also felt like Kate Middleton when Prince William proposed to her. Well, okay, I guess in some ways, I can't help but also feel like Bella Swan. Hehe.

I had imagined countless times how both my proposal and engagement ring would be like, and I never thought I'd be given something way beyond my wildest dreams.

Giving My Inner Vlogger A High Five: Hello, YouTube!

I've always wanted to venture into the crazy world of vlogging, but never got around to doing it until yesterday, when I decided to just get over that fear of, not just appearing in front of the camera, but also uploading it on YouTube for the world to see. And I have to say that it actually wasn't that bad at all!

I was debating (with myself) about the kind of content I would like to record on film as a way to make my blog a lot more visual than simply uploading pictures. So I looked around YouTube and thought that the Monthly Favorites routine a lot of vloggers have come up with could be a lot of fun to do. Plus, it kind of gives me some degree of personal accountability to vlog regularly and keep this routine going.

So for my little premiere on YouTube, here is my first Monthly Favorites video, where I talk about my favorite TV show, book, video game, etc. for the month of July. Hope you enjoy.

Giving My Inner 5-Year Old A High Five: I'm Teaching Kindergarten!

I begin working as a kindergarten teacher this coming fall, and I can't even express how excited I am about this new challenge!

I have worked mostly with elementary age children, so this is going to be a fairly new experience for me. I have volunteered in kindergarten classrooms before, and now that I am officially going to be a full-time kindergarten teacher in about a month, it has finally sunk in that kindergarten is, in fact, my preferred niche in the world of education.

Teacher training started last week, and each day, I've been trying to find inspiration that would help me decide what kind of classroom environment I would like to create for my little princes and princesses.

Inspiration and mood boards really help me visualize the kind of environment I want to provide my kindergarteners. Here are a few things that I really want to focus on during class, and hopefully would help make their kindergarten year a very successful, but at the same time enjoyable one. After all, kindergarten literally means "children's garden!"

Reading
It is my job as a kindergarten teacher to help my kids adjust from home life to school life, and most of them will come in expecting to, not only read more books, but also have an adult read to them, just like mom or dad would do each day. Of all the areas in my classroom, I am most excited about our reading corner. I want to have a cozy atmosphere for reading, with a single couch for the storyteller (initially the teacher, and hopefully in the middle of the school year, someone who has already mastered his/her basic independent reading skills), bean bags, soft carpets, warm lights, and full book shelves.

And if we're lucky, I'd like to have a special reading fort if anyone wants to do independent reading. I am hoping that this kind of welcoming atmosphere would help foster their love for books, something that I find utterly important in a child's life.

Organization
I am quite the neat freak, and this sense of organization has really helped me focus on each task at hand. I want my kids to have accountability in the classroom when it comes to organization in both our immediate surroundings and their behavior. I would like to give them each a sense of responsibility in maintaining a peaceful environment that is conducive to learning and growing. Rotating tasks such as "white board cleaner" or "paper passer" or "color pencil organizer" will not only help them in their fine motor skills, but also give them a healthy sense of purpose in their school life.

Learn, Communicate, and PLAY!
May it be reading, writing, math, science, or art, I want my kids to learn something valuable each day, be able to communicate these new discoveries with their classmates and their family when they get home, and at the same time, and often more importantly, be allowed to do what they're supposed to do as 5 and 6-year olds: play! I want bright colors, educational toys, drawing, storytelling, music, and laughter. At this age, it is important to allow children to be children. That's how they learn. That's how they grow. And that's how they discover who they are as gifted individuals.

And as for me, this poster just says it all...

And I'm proud of it!

(All pictures grabbed from Pinterest!)

On Choosing Banquet Halls, Rings, and Getting Licensed!

We got our license to marry today!

It wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be. My future mother-in-law suggested that we applied for it early because she wasn't sure how long the entire process would take. I was scared that it was going to be like walking in the DMV, but there were literally no lines, and we got our certificate in a matter of minutes! Can't wait to have these papers signed by the minister marrying us, and whoever our two witnesses will be (since we have a bunch of guests coming anyway).

Today was rather productive. Aside from the license, we also went around town to search for a good reception venue. Last week, we visited the Elks Club, which was beautiful, but since their banquet hall was located next to the room where the Elks hold their meetings, it reeked of cigar smoke! I don't mind cigars myself, but I want my guests to have the most comfortable time possible. The Elks Club was just too much of a manly man kind of place for me, and even for my fiance, who also hates the smell of lingering cigarette smoke.

So we decided to check out the banquet halls at different hotels instead. And the second hotel we checked out had an atrium that immediately stood out from the rest!

Now, before you get excited, this isn't a picture of the atrium we found. But the main idea that won us over -- indoor trees and a glass roof -- is close enough in this picture. Since we are getting married right smack in the middle of winter, we obviously have no choice but to do it indoors. I'm glad I found a place that would keep us warm and at the same time make us feel like we were outside. I've always been a garden wedding/outdoor/forest kind of bride, but like I said, I am also very uncompromising about being a December bride.

Here's another great example of how I've been picturing my wedding reception. I really, really love glass roofs, and that lovely green house feel you can get from it (minus the heat, humidity, and bugs, of course). And that is precisely why we want to do our Philippine wedding at the Fernwood Gardens... 

...and why I also thought those trees in the cathedral during Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge's wedding simply spelled m a g i c. Isn't it obvious? I am obsessed with trees.

I am also really loving the rectangular tables, but I have to find a good supplier for these, since the hotel banquet rooms can only provide circular ones.

We also pre-ordered our wedding rings today.

We tried on different ones until we decided on traditional yellow gold wedding bands. We were looking through a bunch of really cool titanium rings, but decided that we should get something that really says, "I'm married!" And yellow gold just looks great with any skin tone.

Overall, it was a great day. We still have a lot to do, including choosing my dress, his suit (or tux, if he wishes to wear a tux), pre-marital counseling at the church, etc. But I'm hoping that I will be somewhat more relaxed as the big day draws near. My married friends are right, though -- wedding planning can be toxic, but if you learn to enjoy these moments, the road to wedding day, no matter how stressful, is going to be just as magical.

That won't stop be from hiring a full coordination wedding planner for my Philippine wedding, though. Hehe. More on that on future posts!

Here Comes The Bride... High Fives All Around!

Yup, it's pretty crazy, but we're getting married!!!

Christopher was in one of my classes, we got in the same group for our first presentation, and I asked him out on a date, thinking that waiting for such a shy nerd to make the first move would be futile. He said I was wrong to think that, that he had a crush on me from the get-go, but I'm still glad that I asked him if he wanted to grab a cup of joe with me, which turned into a sweet first date at a diner, then a movie, then Valentine's Day, then our first kiss... and the rest is history.

On Sunday, after watching LOST, my best friend, lover, and fellow nerd, got down on one knee, and asked me if I would marry him.

I had imagined the most elaborate, creative, and craziest ways to propose to someone, from helicopter rides to rings hidden in oyster shells (yeah I know, I watch a lot of Real Housewives), but Christopher's proposal was everything I had ever dreamed of, and so much more. It was so... us! Simple, straightforward, a little clumsy and awkward (he tripped, I snorted), and that's precisely what made it the best proposal anyone could ever have.

It's going to be a quick engagement, we do not wish to wait any longer. We are getting married this December! I've always been pretty consistent about being a December bride, and have always wanted to have a winter wedding! But since we have two families, mine being thousands of miles away, we are going to have two weddings, one here, and one in the Philippines (scheduled on December 2014; yes, a true blue December bride)! 

Right now, I am, to say the least, pretty darn overwhelmed! I have less than 150 days to go before the big day, I have exactly two things checked off from the Big Day Checklist, and still about a mile away to go. But with the help of my wonderful mother and future in-laws, I am not worried at all.

Best future brother and sister-in-law ever!

The first wedding, which will be held at my in-laws' Episcopal church, will be a small, intimate affair. The Philippine wedding, considering that I have exactly two years to prepare (i.e. save up) for it, and considering that I have a huge family, will be the big celebration. I am excited for both, and feel quite blessed that I get to have two church weddings.

I'm really excited to share this new and exciting journey with you guys. Keep posted for more wedding updates, thoughts, and inspiration.

Be loved!!!

Giving My Inner Granola A High Five: Farmers' Market Haul!

Growing up in the Philippines, where everything is either freshly caught or freshly picked, I would always yearn for natural, home-grown food. Ever since I moved to the US, I've always been on the lookout for farmer's markets, which was the closest thing to our beloved wet markets in the Philippines, without the live seafood, that is.

Last week, a farmers' market that is just five minutes away from my house finally opened. I went home with a good amount of locally made jams, jellies, bread and pastries, and fresh, organic vegetables and herbs.

Kevin Buggie's Black Diamond Canyon Farm had really great red, white, and yellow onions. These onions, perhaps because they were fresh and home-grown, were very different from your regular supermarket onions. Like most people, I am not fond of the smell of onions, but Kevin's onions smelled fresh and crisp, ready to be chopped and tossed in a salad. I'm excited to see those giant leeks in my mom's yummy onion leek soup!

Kevin of Black Diamond Canyon Farm. Visit him at

http://blackdiamondcanyonkitchen.blogspot.com

Kevin also had some fresh mint, and the first thing I did when I got home was make some fresh mint tea, like Kevin suggested. It tastes heavenly with a touch of honey, or a sprinkle of sugar.

The stars of today's purchase are The Mixing Bowl's fresh jams, jellies, breads, and pastries! 

The geniuses behind The Mixing Bowl, Cindy and Stacy! They sell fresh bread, croissants, bagels, jams, and jellies. It's an entire assortment of all things homemade and yummy! You may contact them at themixingbowlgallup (at) gmail (dot) com.

I'm not even kidding: best croissant I've ever had!

I'm not the biggest fan of croissants. It's hard to find a really good one that would just melt in your mouth, and is neither too moist nor too flaky. The Mixing Bowl's croissants are just that. They are also same day baked. I decided to taste test the jams and jellies with it.

I thought I found the best apricot jam at Trader Joe's, but you could really tell the difference if it's fresh and homemade. Cindy and Stacy recently went apricot picking in Colorado, and the trip definitely paid off. This is the best apricot jam I've ever had, and my top pick from today's purchase.

I've never had this kind of jelly before, and for an avid honey fan like myself, I was excited to taste it. I love anything that involves honey, from food to body sprays, soap to scented candles. And if you love honey as much as I do, you will love this jelly. The subtle hint of lemon brings out the refreshing sweetness of honey; it's the perfect combination! I also think it would go perfectly with scones.

A close second to the apricot jam, this Orange Marmalade was so good that I wanted to drink the entire jar! It's sweet, refreshing, and citrusy. Don't expect it to stick to your bread or crackers like the other jams, because it's a little bit runny, which is what a marmalade is supposed to be in the first place! The consistency allows your bread or pastries to absorb the flavor. So to me, it was perfect.

I couldn't help but smile at every bite of this Raspberry Jam. It has a true, sweet raspberry flavor, and has the happiest shade of raspberry red that makes it even more appetizing. After all, you eat with your eyes first!

Finally, an homage to the Southwest! Luckily, I was able to snag the last jar of Cranberry and Jalapeno Pepper Jelly, which is the most interesting jelly I've ever had! For those of you who are not fans of anything too spicy, I would still recommend this jelly to you! The sweetness of the cranberry neutralizes the fiery serrano peppers; it's just a wonderful play and burst of flavors in your mouth, which would leave you wanting more. This would go really well with crackers, and, as Cindy and Stacy suggested, it could also serve as a nice coating to your pork roast. I can't wait to use this to baste meats! It's so unique and wonderful that I had to order three more jars!

All in all a great day for some fresh, locally grown products. Our farmer's market is also home to locally made crafts, such as wood carvings, sculptures, postcards, and home decor. 

Visit us and support Gallup's first farmers' market, at the downtown walkway off Coal Ave., from July-October, Saturday, 8:30-11:00a.m.

Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions, and don't forget to follow/"Like" me on Facebook!

Inner Self Blog Challenge: Transparency

I was so inspired by a blog challenge sparked up by Jess Constable's brave post, "Things I'm Afraid to Tell You." Fifty participants introduced by Creature Comforts took on the challenge of true honesty and transparency, which makes me sound redundant, but in the blog world, no matter how controversial or personal bloggers can get, there is still, quoting Creature Comforts, a "vast cavern between true reality and the presentation of 'reality' on blogs."

That being said, I'd like to try and take on that challenge and hopefully make the world of blogging a more honest and open place in this crazy world of the interwebz...

Things I'm Afraid to Tell You

• I may be the most well-rounded, lost person in the world. Before I realized that the academe was my calling, I lived my entire professional life jumping from one type of job to the next, from human resources to copy writing to marketing and even teaching English as a second language. After that five-year stint of confusion, I jumped into yet another world and worked on becoming a nurse, then a doctor, then a physician's assistant, then an acupuncturist.
• I'm still not sure, even when I feel like I'm at my most certain when it comes to career choices. It scares me, sometimes, that maybe I'm not cut out to be a teacher either. It scares me because I don't know what else to do other than to work in a classroom, and who else to be other than to be a teacher.
• I'm scared of gaining weight. I always come off as someone who couldn't care less about her appearance, and someone who is also highly critical of media's standards on weight. But in truth, I have a fear of breaking that standard myself.
• I have no place to be highly critical of other people's writing, but I do it anyway. I whine about bad grammar when I stumble many times myself. I complain about non-originality when I know for sure people couldn't care less for most of my posts. And the hypocrisy goes on...
• I enjoyed the Twilight series, and I'm passing on my book set to my future kids because I know they would enjoy it, too. No matter how truly badly written it was.
• I want kids, and I want to have them soon.

I'm sure I have more to say, but I want to keep this first post short and not too overwhelming. That being said, I hope that whoever takes on this challenge -- and I am challenging all my fellow bloggers to do the same -- would not only make this whole transparency thing a one-time thing on our blogs, but a potential habit. I find that vulnerability makes this whole business of blogging, not just a business, but a meaningful endeavor for both yourself as a writer, and for your readers as well.

Giving My Inner Beach Girl a High Five

I posted this picture on Instagram (follow me: wearebiology) and thought that I should blog about how I came up with this hairstyle that I am currently obsessed with.

I got the idea from YouTube beauty guru, missglamorazzi, who did an awesome tutorial on what she called No-Heat Summer Waves, which is precisely what it is: a safe, all-natural way to achieve these lazy, beachy waves perfect for the spring and summer.

Here's how I did it!

Start with damp hair!

After washing my hair last night, I let it sit for a while inside my 'towel turban' while I did the rest of my night routine (i.e., lotion, brush teeth, skin care routine, etc). After about fifteen minutes, my hair was about 40-50% dry.

Condition for texture.

This is optional, but you can spray some leave-in treatment or put on some styling cream, which would give more texture and hold for your waves. I used Aveeno's Nourish + Condition Leave-In Treatment.

Braid away!

In missglamorazzi's tutorial, she did a single braid down her back, since she has finely textured hair. I have a lot of hair on my head, so I decided to do two braids, just to make sure that the waves stand out.

Voila!

After leaving your braid(s) overnight, this is what you get! Pretty cool, right? It's such a laid back but still pretty look that's perfect for the spring and summer. Once you've unraveled your waves, don't forget to protect them with hair spray or anything that would help hold the waves the entire day.

Try it yourself and let me know how it goes! Happy summer!

Giving My Inner Mexican a High Five (and a taco)

Happy Cinco de Mayo! In celebration of all things hot, spicy, and fun this beautiful fifth of May, here are five ways to give your inner Mexican a high five.

Strut that 'stache

Cinco de Mayo means Cinco de Mustachio! Contrary to popular belief, absolutely anyone can grow one.

The next best thing to Mexico is....

...the U.S. state named after it. Well, maybe not. But I love my state, and I think you're going to love it here, too!

Salsa competition

Whether it's the dance or the dip. I have to warn you though, my boyfriend makes the best homemade salsa in the world.

Stuck with airport food?

Some airports (LAX for one) have really good hole-in-the-wall Mexican food stalls. Of course, don't forget the Dos Equis.

Soak up the sun!

Whether you're in Cabo, San Diego, or a remote island in the Philippines, Cinco de Mayo is the best day to book that trip to the beach and get your much needed vacation and tan.

Have a hot and spicy Cinco de Mayo! Cheers!