Woo-spiration: The Power of “I Can”

SO I haven’t written on this thing in like over a year probably. Ah well, it’s going to be okay. Here’s a mini update:

1. I have lived in Denver, Colorado for a month now.
2. I will attend the University of Denver starting August
3. I moved primarily to close the gap on a long distance romance.
4. We aren’t together anymore.
5.I watch this guys youtube channel daily.
6. I’m about to start back blogging!!

Alright now you’re caught up with my life…let’s get on with the post and the power of I CAN!

The other day I was working the fitting room at Target, and the mound of what we like to call “abandoned” clothing, was stacked about as high as the ferociously beautiful Rocky Mountains themselves. In lieu of walking away and saying heck-no-forget-this-****-it-will-take-me-forever-to-put-this-crap-up, like my mind begin think, instead I would say things like:

**I got this!

**I know exactly where all of this stuff is!

**These clothes will not master me!

Now, I know all of this seems super corny and forced (actually, the latter is kinda true), but I kid you not it changed my energy completely! I began to find things with ease. I’m not kidding; it became fun when I was relentlessly confident and played around with what once seemed an extremely daunting task. The mere words gave my entire body such a boost, that I literally could not be stopped! Everywhere I turned I could find exactly what I was looking for….and some.

This can metaphorically help all of us in our daily lives. How many times do you let yourself have that oh-heck-naw-i-aint-doin-this mentality when things get rough?

STOP IT NOW!!

You can do it. Here’s what you need to do.

Step 1. Choose, Think, and Speak Better Words
Step 2. Relish in the results of completing step one.

El Fin!!

Day 17/30: So guilty of this…

Generally speaking, this phrase sums up my life perfectly.

lilkunjBigWorld

I signed up to Pinterest last night. I actually have no idea what to do with it or what it’s for, but this picture came up on my Pinterest newsfeed equivalent. So my life may not be a mess, but there have been times when I’ve thought I’ve cocked things up (a certain exam at uni springs to mind) and then I’ve been guilty of consoling myself thinking “ah well at least my dress/shoes/outfit/false eyelashes” are awesome.

 

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Woo!Threads: Burgers and Bashful Whips

This post is pretty stupid, and created mostly to help you combat the monotony and drudgery of your day. That is, if you have that kind of day; your day might be excellent as is.

photo credit

So basically, we personify our vehicles, and we food-ify ourselves! Allow me to explain.

My vehicle has a first name; it is “Nikki.” It has a last name too: “No Minaj.” That statement is not completely beside the point of this post, but it is a tad irrelevant. Anyway, today we are discussing vehicle personification, and self food-ication (totally not a word by the way), simultaneously.

In all honesty, this post is simply to highlight a couple of items that are on my wish list, and emphasize the irony of their relation. Earlier this year, I decided that I would like my second car to be a jeep, and that I specifically want those fabulous car eye-lashes on it. I have decided that the color will either be white or green, and the name is still to be determined.

In contrast, California’s own Local Celebrity has a wonderful springtime friendly “burger” dress, featuring a wonderful burger (I don’t even eat them), on the front! I mean, who wouldn’t want to appear as a tasty treat to say, everyone, for an entire day? Take a look at this beauty:

photo credit

All in all, I just find it so interesting that while we attempt to morph our cars into people, we morph ourselves into objects, sandwiches even!

Go Figure.

Would you ever lash your car up? Or food-ify yourself?

Woo!Threads: 7 things every female needs at Jury Duty

 

 

You can tell by the look of the envelope that the end of this story is not going to be good.  Alright, so you’ve received that pesky letter in the mail that it is your “civic duty” to possess.  You know what I say to that? Civic Duty, Schmevic Duty.  Jury Duty, in reality, sucks.  However, since there is no way around this obligation other than to be sentenced to jail time or fined, it would behoove you to suck it u and make the best of it.  I can say that is nothing at all, I learned some things about my fellow jurors, law culture, and even got a free lunch. (yay!)  At any rate, here are a few tips for women on how to survive Jury Duty.

 

1. Uggs

I am aware that not everyone loves these fugly shoes; however, I do because wearing them is akin to walking on air. point. blank. period.  I made the grave mistake of wearing a suit and heels to jury duty.  Don’t make that same mistake.  Attempt to look as grunge as physically possible.  Trust me on this one.  Hopefully it will work in your favor. 

2. Snacks

O.M.G. In the words of the late Michael Jackson, they don’t really care about us!  Seriously, try your best to smuggle in some snacks.  I can’t guarantee that this will work, but you should certainly try.  I paid 0.85 cents for a bag of chips that started below the fifty percent line on the bag.  That is what I get for trying to eat organic chips. #terrible.

3. positive Attitude

This is the most vital thing that you can bring with you.  This situation will flow much more smoothly if you can find at least an ounce of a sense of humor within yourself.  Even if you are lacking in that department, just smile more.  Trust me, it works.

4. ipad, Laptop, smart phone

 

Bring Something! Sudoku, Temple Run, or portable Scrabble….(there’s an app for that, right?) Anyway, I would hate for your tombstone to read: “Died slow death at jury duty due to immense boredom.  Come on, how would your family feel about that?  I made the mistake of bringing none of the above with me, seeing as my current phone is dumb as a bag of rocks, and I woke up far too late to scramble and grab my computer.

5. Nap prior

 

Self Explanatory.  You need this.  If you neglect this, you will feel it.  They do not allow jurors the luxury of slumber.  Get over it.

6. J.U.I

 

Myself and my fellow jurors coined the phrase J.U.I (Juror under the influence), after I mentioned how uber cool some libations would have been during the juror selection waiting process.  Intoxication would not have been very conducive to the task at hand, but it sure would have passed the time faster and taken my mind away fro the fact that I was making like a dollar an hour! 

7. Make yourself love wasting time

This is the next important after positive attitude.  Seriously, don’t under estimate the power of being an unapologetic time waster.  As a very cynical and sarcastic erson, although it is our civic duty to articulate in Jury Duty, it is also a major inconvenience and therefore a time waster in my book.  However, just force yourself to love wasting time, smile, and you will make it through!

 

Do you all have any other Jury Duty stories, or more examples of what to bring with you during this wonderfully wasteful experience? 

 

Answer that! 

 

xo,

Denia

 

Books vs. Kindle

Woo!Tunes: Her Vagina Isn’t Handicapped

One woman utilizes lyricism to explain you that her vagina is not stifled

“Sex, beauty, and the thrill of climax–like certain pages of this magazine arguably suggest, remember–are about the standardization of unachievable ideals. Sex, as far as the public is concerned, isn’t for everyone–it’s for the select few who deserve it. And yet, some of he people featured herein are probably too bloody concerned with themselves to unhinge enough to orgasm. Rather silly.”

This is the most profound revelation within the Flaunt article, because it captures the true social implications of sex and who should be satisfied with and enjoy this act. In the article, Martinez defends her reasoning for creating music to express herself on the topic of sex. She does this mainly by highlighting the power that music has to convey messages clearly and plainly.

“You don’t have to jump around to do music. You can develop the lyrics, and feel the lyrics.

And she does just that. Check out her video on youtube below:

Women Woes and Woos: If you’re not so good without a plan B, they got you!

Back in my day, this is to say that I really have a day, to my minimal knowledge vending machines were primarily for snacks. Well, at Pennsylvania College, and many more college campuses, vending machines are actually changing lives in ways much deeper than satisfying grumbling stomachs.

According to the FDA, vending machines aren’t limited to cheetos and candy–but they are perfect for administering plan b pills to college-aged women. Plan B, or emergency contraception(EC) for preventing pregnancy after participating in unprotected sex, is available via vending machine, and has been for three years at a campus located in Pennsylvania.

The machines are strategically placed in the health center, and only available after checking in and showing identification. Let’s face it, Drake may be fine and dandy without a plan b, but this is certainly not the reality for everyone. Ms Magazine sums it up in this way:

“The university began making Plan B available after a survey concluded that 85 percent of students supported easy and affordable access to emergency contraception. Each dose of the drug costs $25, and that’s the same amount the university pays from the distributor–which means that no state-supported or taxpayer dollars are used for the program.”

This seems to be a fairly rational hybrid of accessibility and preventive measure for unwanted pregnancies.

What do you guys think about this? Would you like some hot fries with your contraceptives? How about a Snickers?

I kid, I kid.

Woo or Boo? Feel free to comment below!

Woo!Tunes: Ladies Rock Camp Atlanta 2K13

Women. Guitars. Drums. Bass. Amps. Mics. Activism. Paying it Forward. Music Education. Artistry. Lyricism. Feminism.

They all meet annually at the Ladies Rock Camp showcase. This year it was held on Sunday, February 17th, at Karvana. I am awfully excited that I made it out to the show this year. I was astonished and amazed at the production; it was increasingly apparent that the ladies gave it all that they had and left it on the stage!

If you are unaware of what Ladies Rock Camp is, it is a fundraiser for Girls Rock Camp ATL–a program dedicated to the empowerment of girls ages 10-16 through music education. It is basically a larger function of the week-long camp for girls, and it is also way more intense I must say. The participating and dare-I-say-daring Ladies are given a mere three days to learn their contributive role in the band in preparation for a show. At the show, they debut the song that they have created collectively. Anyone who has ever performed and prepared for a performance, or learned to play an instrument, is aware of how tedious and frightening a feat like this could be!

This year it was held at Karvana Coffee, which was a pretty cool and trendy location in East Atlanta. The turn out was excellent, and I was fortunate enough to get a seat rather close to the front! I have some photos of the different bands below to share.

What I love most about this organization, however, is the overarching theme of “doing your best.” This is an excellent mantra to live by in life. It is often more liberating and rewarding to give anything you do your absolute best, than it is to “win.” This is something my mother always told me, but I am not sure if it ever really sunk in. I digress, the teamwork and effort demonstrated by these women definitely served as woo-spiration for my week!

What do you guys think of this woo-tiful cause?

Woo!Threads: The originator of the Playboy Bunny ….Outfit.

Have you ever wondered where that delectable, notorious, sultry playboy bunny originated? Me, too.

I’ll be the first to admit that I love learning new things. I donned a bunny costume for my first hollowed outing in college, but I had no idea who the originator of the design I was sporting was, and this year in honor of Black History month, Huffington Post enlightens us on this subject.

Her name was Zelda Wynn Valdes, (which is kind of fun to say), and the fashion designer certainly paved the way for what would eventually go down in history as a renowned staple outfit. Her tenaciousness granted her the opportunity to make a plethora of women look ultra sexy, highlighting their every curve; the woman truly make an impact As the Huffington Post States:

“From dressing Hollywood darlings, Playboy Bunnies and ballerinas, Zelda’s legacy is long and enduring — a fact that she was certainly proud of.”

This definitely serves as a woo-spiration. Your dreams, whatever they may be, can definitely come true is you strive to be the very best you that you can at what you do! Albeit super duper cliche, this statement really does ring true on an abundance of levels.

What do you think of the the fashion-conscious, legacy leaving designer? All I can say is that, she did that!

Allowing an evolving man to cook for himself, could this be the new way to his heart?

Cooking is the way to a man’s heart.
He who finds a wife, finds an in-house cook

Okay you got me, so I sort of remixed that last one.

For decades, and under many Western households, women have been the centerfolds of all things stomach satisfaction. It was refreshing to learn of one girl’s desire to treat her brother during the holidays by demanding the toy company, Hasbro, take a second look at it’s Easy Bake Oven marketing.

If there is one thing I have learned in this life, it is that if you feel a certain way about something, more than likely someone else feels the exact same way, or has felt that way before. The sentiment rings true even in the arena of–wait for it–toys! Modern day activist and big sister McKenna Pope did an awesome thing for her little brother by getting a petition signed so that he could have an Easy Bake Oven for himself. He simply wanted the toy sans pink flowers, glitter, and girls dancing in the commercials. He inadvertently requested an Easy Bake that catered to him as a little boy.

On the ABC News video the young boy makes the claim: “I want a dinosaur Easy Bake Oven.” The aspiring chef sure seems to know what he wants out of life, and that is never a bad thing.

I remember the Easy Bake Oven when I was a child, and sure enough, I recall it being a toy specifically geared towards little girls. I can also say that it never crossed my mind that perhaps a little boy may also want to cook without feeling like he is unwanted in the field, or that he is somehow oddly different for wanting to do this. The Culinary industry is an awesome aspiration; we all have to eat, people!

What do you think of the courageous McKenna Pope and her influential activism? Do you think you would buy one for your little boy, sibling, or relative?