Fueled by Fantasy.

RIP Blogspot

2014-10-26T18:55:00.000-04:00

Moving over entirely to fueledbyfantasy.com
Will eventually be it's own hosted webpage, but for now
I'm playing with the design of my tumblr.

Thanks!

Fueled By... Office Supplies?

2014-08-16T20:02:00.001-04:00

On my list of quirky attributes, I'd say my love of functional & aesthetically pleasing organization isn't too crazy... but my love for office supplies is almost unhealthy! I'd say I buy at least 20 different things from the Target $1 bins every time I shop there. I like crazy patterned notebooks, writing pads, & post-its. Coordinated folders and binders in matching colors and in vary materials make me swoon and excited to find reasons to use them. I've learned over the years that my passion for design isn't to create complicated, crazy graphics... rather just embracing the collection of very minimal, functioning & colorful pieces.

I've been in debates over taking my blogging elsewhere (note: like my own domain) & lately it's been rather disheartening to keep track of my own scheduled writing times & posts. I also know that I want to get some items for my new desk at work! I can't help but think maybe what I need is just a little work space inspo?

Did you even know you wanted a copper cup for your pens?

Pretty, right?
Don't even get me started on GENERAL home design...
I've been spending too many years building houses on the Sims.

Xoxo.

Fueled By... Fridays!

2014-08-01T17:08:00.000-04:00

Just a quick FBF; I'm so excited that it is the first of August & this was the first week of my new job! I've been very happy this past week... especially because now I feel more comfortable saying that Fall is on it's way... meaning soon there will be many more camping & hiking photo shoots!

As per usual, I've been taking photos of my cats, of course! I put this one on my instagram out of pure shock that I got both Aly & Ivy in the same picture... which is a rarity in itself!

I cannot believe that they are 13 years old...

We've been harvesting our garden, as well! We finished our first trial batch of pickles, including using some of our wares to make this silly little veggie tray the other night.

Oh, yeah, and I spent some time last week buying $2 Purple Velvet maxis at Salvation Army.

Also, work pants.

I've been taking VERY good care of my Disney Blog!

It has been an absolute blast lately setting up my queue.

Bought some old Disney books at Re-Uzit for .50 cents.

I love having some classic Disney art around.

I've been making all sorts of random crafts,

I want to start making cute desk decor out of all of my random supplies!

Index card holder? Yes!

Been in the habit of packaging all of my eBay supplies up really nicely... Maybe because I buy SO MUCH $1 bin items at Target, might as well start using them!

I'm heading over to my beau's for the weekend. What are you doing?

Xoxo.

"Like A Disney Princess" Now Accepting Affiliates... Sort Of!

2014-07-28T11:26:00.003-04:00

Like A Disney Princess, my Disney themed Tumblr page, turned 2 years old very recently! I've not only had a ton of fun running this blog, but I've also had plenty of success with it, too. (I JUST hit 11k followers recently!)

Statistics from LADP.

Now, I'm looking to use this mediocre (I'm humble, I'm sure there are bigger, better blogs!) level of success to help out other Disnerds who are small blog & business owners. Check out the new affiliates page on LADP if this would be a beneficial partnership for you! I'd like to start doing some free sponsored materials as well to help jumpstart some freelance blogging.

Drop me an e-mail if you're interested in partnering up!

Xoxo.

Fueled By... eBay!

2014-07-24T12:53:00.002-04:00

Over on my Tumblr network, I have a blog called Fandom-Finds that I'm sure I've talked about before. This is the blog that I use primarily to promote really cool merchandise from all facets of Entertainment, including fandom art & products of characters from books, movies, TV shows, music, etc. It's no surprise that I use Amazon Associates in order to monetize this content as it is the most convenient & beneficial service, but since Amazon has such a great back catalog of these items from a marketplace of both public & individual private sellers... really, I just really using it to feel as though I am blogging with a sense of purpose! I like being able to create my own branding materials and organize my blog theme for ease of use; I consider it pretty great practice for when I launch my own business in the future.

Besides the content on that blog from other retailers, I also like to sell my own products & other items. Lately, I've been using my eBay as side income to help me through finding a new job. It only seems fair that on this eStore, other than my used clothing & home goods, that I should also additionally offer up some of my fandomware as well! Here's a few things up for grabs on my eBay store right now:

Toy Story Women's T-Shirt (Size S)

Portal 2 Women's T-Shirt (Size S)

Marvel Women's T-Shirt (Size L)

Mickey Mouse Women's Long Sleeve Top (Size M)

Cool, huh?

Xoxo.

Fueled By... Fridays; Self Love Edition

2014-07-18T12:48:00.001-04:00

Within the last few days, I've made the biggest step in all of my years of managing my own outlook with Radical Self Love... I took the plunge and committed myself to orthodontic braces!

Don't mind the extra cheesy, big smile selfie! I don't think there has ever been a picture taken of me with an open mouth before in all 21+ years of my life. Honestly, I think they make me look pretty cute, if you don't mind me saying so!

How is this radical self love without true acceptance?

My only real concern, before & during this treatment, was the way that my smile, or lack there of, conducted my personality in professional environments. I didn't mind if anyone else has judged me solely on my appearance in day-to-day social settings, those I usually just let roll off my shoulders. There has always been something holding me back in high pressure moments that maybe I was having a hard time portraying with a closed-mouth smile.

I know I've always held myself back from smiling much, because I felt as though my teeth were saying more about my abilities than I could. I thought I couldn't be taken very seriously in the world of Entertainment or Media, where it is all illusions of grandeur & a detail oriented market; it seemed like I myself didn't take care of my appearance, when I was absolutely was truly just terrified by it! I may have this time where I look & feel a little bit younger, but I know the end payoff will be well worth a little bit of a soreness!

Lucky for me, I don't have any incredibly complicated appliances yet, just some simple brackets, wire, & some rubber bands for good measure. There was talk of an orthodontic TAD for a while... and that was sort of a back pedal moment for me! I definitely just made sure to follow through with something desirable with a trade-off, because I truly know that this is such a brave action to take. And of course, I'm happy to say that I accented my brackets with purple bands for a little extra. & I couldn't be any happier.

Is there anything that you have ever wanted to do, as a true act of kindness towards yourself, but were too scared? Tell me about it!

Xoxo.

Magick; July 2014

2014-07-14T11:12:00.001-04:00

(Psst... a logo prototype!

Not quite finished yet,

but this is a good start,

don't you think?)

I have to be honest here. Whenever I set a schedule for myself, relating mostly to personal goals in creative matters, it's like an alarm goes off in my mind to prevent any magical thinking from happening. I sort of regress and lose speed on my projects, & end up no longer feeling that I am able to conquer my own mind. Whether this is a lack of focus or an instinctual reaction to a lack of self esteem about what I think I'm capable of; I've come up with a few ways to fight the wicked beast of procrastination!

Set up a creative space.
Luckily for me, I spend about 50/50 (okay, more like 90/10 considering I'm always spending time at boyfriend's... more on that later) outside of my house, away from my desk... which is obviously not very productive. My desk is actually an Ikea table, topped with sparkly candles, seashells, & further surrounded by a menagerie of chaos... and cats. While I certainly wouldn't call 'Fueled by Fantasy HQ' a mess, I do think it's an open, productive environment and a personally inspiring one none the less. I wish I had more space for storage & supplies, but sometimes you have to work with what you have! You should take the time to figure out whatever works best for your optimal creative aptitude and take advantage of even the tiniest corner to unleash some portals to your inner demons. Don't use this space for much else, so when you settle in (pro tip: turn off wi-fi if you can!) you'll actually focus on your drawing, writing, painting, etc. & not just Google cats and look up your faux symptoms on WebMD for the entire hour you've set aside to get work done.

Spend time alone, relaxing.
I am always teased that I don't necessarily like to do things outside of my home alone. I once squawked at the thought of doing a hike by myself. Squawked. Like a bird. I generally like to venture out with a friend, to at least to have someone to talk to & help get through boring tasks, together! I'm also guilty of, on the off chance I do shop out by myself, having my phone in my hand & chatting with a friend for the entirety of my solo trip. While certainly this is a great way to stay connected, it's not necessary. It could really be an hour or two spent preparing in my head for game time, thinking about a funny pun to use later in a post or even something stupid you could do with Iggy Azalea lyrics. It's not helping anyone at all when I don't give any time strictly for thinking, reading, writing, or drinking wine in the bathtub. Most of the planning for my creative output happens in the bathroom, with Twilight Zone fan fiction and candlelight. (Ohhh, so romantic!)

Set time aside for learning new concepts/techniques.
This is a big problem for me. For example, considering I haven't been formally trained in graphic design, I have to think outside of the box & learn as I go when I am working on something. I don't tend to want to rely on using creative commons materials, considering that I like to create things from scratch. For me, some days when I open up Photoshop or Illustrator, it's more about playing with a new tool or some feature I haven't used yet. I'm also still not entirely keen on CS6! But with enough time playing, I think anyone can learn a new skill easily on their own. Finding guidance through forums & especially free tutorials available on YouTube, it has become easier & easier to learn anything... with enough time & patience!

Set realistic goals.
Sure, it'd be optimal if I had the time & the ideas for 3+ blog posts a week, enough content for a podcast every single Tuesday, the time for proper make up application and confidence to create a YouTube channel, & had the ability to still have time to eat, sleep, & continue my job search... oh AND maybe see another human being during daylight hours. It can be hard, but don't overcomplicate things for yourself. Start slowly; add on more over time. Don't think you're going to be an overnight success... & always have fun with whatever it is you do creatively. I definitely can attest that it's much easier to be working at full speed when you remove the stress of wanting to have thousands of readers/fans or generate side income, it's more important to just enjoy the time you spend creating meaningful content.

This may have been more for me than for you, but isn't that really what personal blogging is all about? I do however hope this puts something helpful in perspective for any one who reads through!

Xoxo.

Fueled By...Fridays; Summer Edition

2014-07-11T14:20:00.000-04:00

It's been a wonderful past few weeks, if I do say so. The magic of this lovely summer weather has been helping me feel extra energetic & motivated to progress forward with a few old projects. I've been in this mode of reconstruction, too; the past few days, I've been recovering from having my wisdom tooth removed (Sorry the story isn't that great, I only had one, but apparently I'm a baby when it comes to pain!) & I've had plenty of time to work on my projects and even re-do my resume. I think the extra rest & excuse to focus on only a few things at a time, gave me the confidence to send off my info to some jobs I never thought I would have in the past!

The garden my beau & I have been working on since Spring has been growing quite wonderfully! Our cute little squash are getting so much bigger. It's one of the easiest plants to grow with a very high yield. Definitely always going to have one of these in the mix each year. If I'm correct, these are our Butternut Squash as of today.

Before this past week, I've went to Hersheypark a few weeks ago with a friend; it wasn't a busy day at all, with overall clear skies & low lines for the rides & the waterpark. I should not have done Skyrush right away in the morning... it set such a high par for the rest of the day!

A photo from White Rocks, just a little mini hike during the day with a friend.

I've also discovered the best piece of advice for anyone to get really into their projects. Give what you do a name & brand everything! It's such a fun way to integrate motivation & passion into what you like & want to do with your time. Fueled By Fantasy has always been my starter into most creative projects, just a prototype to experiment with. I like my simple color palettes & even my self-made photo-shoot area for my eBay items. Featuring my 13+ year old kitten Ally taking center stage, just as she prefers all of the time.

I'm currently putting together a visual resume/portfolio booklet to score a new graphic design position, & putting some time into seeking out the older materials that I've put together for this project. Sometimes, it's a great idea to look back & see how much progress you've made! Please wish me luck.

Xoxo.

Also...less than a week until I get my braces!

Fueled by... New Tech!

2014-07-09T11:50:00.001-04:00

My experience with Apple products tends to become a somewhat furious time when a device begins to work improperly... their seemingly idiot-proof operations sometimes get in the way of many to be able to actively solve their own issues. (See my Mac semi-rant here.) My main problem with a simplified "user-friendly" design in terms of an operating system, and even with the concept of a simple touch screen device design in general, is the complete lack of user-serviceable parts & fixes when something begins to work improperly. This is definitely an issue that I have found that I take into deep consideration with most Electronics that I like to use. It always seems like when it comes down to a technical problem with most of Apple's device, the only option is to take the product into the Genius Bar... & I have learned to absolutely dread going to the Apple Store.

So, after I somehow managed to crack my old iPhone 4 to bits, from what I thought was only a small, single drop to the bathroom tile floor...

I took my long overdue upgrade from AT&T & got a Samsung Galaxy S5! Even better than the discounted price still available on my account after a year or two of neglecting to opt for a new phone, is that I decided to get the newer release of the S5, the "Active" version!

Pictured above is the Samsung Galaxy S5 ACTIVE in Titanium Gray.

"The Samsung Galaxy S5 Active has a 5.1-inch screen with resolution of 1080 x 1920. A quad-core 2.5GHz Snapdragon 801 CPU is under the hood along with the Adreno 330 GPU. 2GB of RAM and 16GB of free memory is on board. The back and front facing cameras are 16MP and 2MP respectively. Android 4.4.2 is pre-installed out of the box."

Product Description quoted from Amazon.

Here's a photo from CNET that might help show you the difference between the original & Active release.

A few weeks ago, by the time I've written this post, I had picked up the phone from my local AT&T store. When I first unpacked the phone I did have a bit of a glitch with Google authentication, giving me a "Google Play Services error," but it was nothing that a quick factory reset didn't fix. I must have done something wrong the first time I booted up the device or have accidentally removed the Play Store from my device in an excited fit of joy from having that level of control. I absolutely LOVE the live widgets, too! (Shown on right.)

There are some differences I have noticed by comparing my phone with my boyfriend's first edition Galaxy S5: but everything so far has made him almost sort of prefer my model to his. Mine may lack a fingerprint sensor, but the sturdy construction of this smartphone is definitely well worth that the lack of that security feature. Also, my access to Activity Zone (courtesy of an additional button on the left side of my phone) makes for a fun time tracking our hiking trips & inspiring to spend a little more time using the S Health apps for monitoring my overall well-being. It's definitely not a necessity to a device, but it sure is an awesome new feature to have.

Have I mentioned I love having buttons on my phones? Because his phone does not have the standard home button & two touch accompaniments; BUT my friends, the Active has three wonderful buttons for navigation! Not to mention, a fabulous camera (!) built into a phone that is so durable, I cannot wait to take it out on the Appalachian Trail with me!

Things to Mention;
I was excited for this change of pace because I've used Android operating systems before, since I once owned & rooted my Kindle Fire. (A friend is currently borrowing this device from me to use an e-reader for her college books... don't even get me started on how much money she is saving by using digital versions of her textbooks!) But what I really love about this new Samsung device in particular, as with any device that relies on the Android operating system, is the complete customization that is implemented into almost every aspect, without having to jailbreak or root much of anything. You could still potentially modify anything you'd like, much like all Androids, but I honestly am really happy with it so far and don't see the need to alter any of it's software... not just yet!

I also did not think very far ahead in terms of being able to transfer seamlessly from myMacBook to this new device. I've already spoken openly about my plans for a new Windows based PC, but now may be the time, as I've had some troubleshooting issues connecting my new phone with my old computer. (Which has been fixed with the proper use of Samsung Kies!) So far, I've fully switched over from iCloud services to using DropBox & Google Drive to access most of my files. I've finally made the switch to EverNote as well for my day to day memos & to-dos. I like the use of short recorded sound clips, because REAL TALK: sometimes I think of something while driving and I like to just talk to myself!

Xoxo,
Coming soon will hopefully new episode of my podcast series, sociallyfluxxed! I had my wisdom teeth removed yesterday, so I will spending my recovery time script writing, & hopefully creating my new new mini-series on self-love & self-care by documenting my journey with orthodontics. (It just needs a quirky cute name, really!)

EDIT: In regards to my partner's S5, he ended up with a common Camera Failure bug that shipped with the first editions of the Samsung Galaxy S5s at their initial release. He had his device for approximately two months before this bug affected his device. Here's some information regarding this issue & about how the contacting customer support with your manufacturer's warranty will get you a new device in a matter of days.

I'd also like to point out, when my partner got his new device, the location of the water damage indicator has been moved on the newer model S5s due to the abuse of users removing them! Our location AT&T location actually had no idea about this change in the hardware until they sent us all the way to the warranty/device service center about 45 minutes away. It was all in good fun, plus we got a chance to stop by an amazing local brewery on the way home, so going out of our way was sort of a happy accident!

sociallyfluxed, a podcast by fueledbyfantasy

2014-06-05T19:25:00.001-04:00

Click here to download my first solo podcast! This is just an introduction for the series & what I'm going for in terms of why I am creating this podcasts. If you want, you can also follow the sociallyfluxed Tumblr, sign up for the RSS feed, or just stream it through it's own Tumblr post!

This is about to get really exciting! Thanks for all of your support.

Dreams: June 2014

2014-06-02T10:14:00.000-04:00

I made note that last week marked that it has been one year since I departed the Disney College Program. It was certainly a bittersweet time in my life, to leave behind the friends I made, all of the memories of time spent in my first apartment with my best friends/roommates, & of course, moving out of the place where dreams come true. In the past year, tons of great & terrible things have happened to me! Lately, I haven't been up to anything too, too crazy...

Except, well, my tire sort of exploded on the highway on my way to work about two weeks ago. Since I work about 45 minutes away, I'm pretty much on an excused leave... except that now there's so much damage to my car (and it already was slowly dying) I think that leave could end up permanent until I find another car... Also, I really want my castle vinyl decal back.

In the mean time, I've been driving my boyfriend's car for simple errands. Funny enough, the same day that the gay marriage ban was lifted in my home state, I saw this Subaru driving around with this "Don't mess with marriage!" bumper sticker. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I will still laugh at you if your opinion is about putting irrational limitations on other people's choices.

In the spirit of springtime, I've been sort of hoarding plants in every space that I inhabit. Tons of succulents, cacti & even a big aloe vera. I also took over a whole section of my boyfriend's back yard to plant a garden! We sort of ran into some de-mulching issues & tons of mushrooms in the unused plant bed... but I think we figured it out!

Since I can't really go anywhere or do much of anything, I just like hiding in the woods. Last week, we found some cool Pink Lady Slippers on a short hike. These mini trips have been inspiring some massive urges to take advantage of living so close to parts of the Appalachian Trail. My boyfriend & I have decided that we're going to start attempting to do the majority of what our home state's trails have to offer. Maybe eventually I'll feel comfortable enough to attempt the entirety of the trail, southbound from Maine!

We found a spot that we really like camping out, but we're still lacking some gear that we are going to need in order to fully enjoy a multi-day trip just yet. Example? A sleeping bag is just not sufficient at times to keep you entirely warm, at least in terms of ground temperature. While we also want to be romantic on our trips, we also want to be practical. So we're currently looking for a sleeping pad and/or an inflatable mattress (but that really feels like cheating!)

My favorite resource for all of the stuff we need for camping & backpacking? REI! It's quite a drive to get to the nearest outlet location from where we live, but Kenny & I think the trip is totally worth it. The beau signed up for their co-op & got a bunch of awesome coupons we've been taking advantage of. Part of the deal of joining REI is when you become a member, you get a dividend check back at the end of the year that's 10% of the money you spent! We already know we've spent enough in the past few months, he'll be able to load up on some great stuff for next year.

I've been taking the time to spy on all of the tadpoles that are inhabiting all of the puddles in the area we like to hike. I've taken tons of pictures for my instagram of them. Who doesn't love froggies?!

I just plan on spending as much time as possible outdoors this summer, completely avoiding the overbearing thoughts of trying to have my life together. Maybe I'll just spend my 20s backpacking instead of struggling not be a statistic (unemployed college graduate, much?)

For more updates, check out my other accounts: Tumblr ♥ Instagram

& check out my other blogs: Like A Disney Princess ♥ Day Spent In Wonderland ♥ Fandom Finds

Trying to Spring Forward;

2014-05-01T13:45:00.004-04:00

There's quite a difference between the blogging I actually manage to post versus the kind of writing I want to share throughout cyberspace. Unfortunately, I do have quite a strange fascination with surprise! myself & my own interests... which sometimes makes me worry about who even cares what I have to say? when really I know that there are others who feel this way, too, who might also want to read about the same kinds of things I want to talk about! For me, my lack of self-confidence and blogging don't necessarily go hand-in-hand (I'm looking at you, beauty bloggers...) as I find myself with countless drafts and even fewer final posts.

Radical Self Love was the first blog I came across that changed that for me. I've been trying to create my own little RSL routines, which is pretty much where this blog started from. However, years later, I still have plenty of ideas for collab projects with my friends to take up my time, hours of Entertainment I need to subject myself to (Currently my borrowed copy of 'A Game of Thrones' is staring at me.) and work to abolish the guilt I have about only having the drive to find ways to be more productive but not really doing anything. Those days are hopefully coming to an end as I have a couple of things going on that I'm working to completely revamp my two (disclaimer: monetized) blogs:

My blog about the Disney universe: I generally post & reblog photos & content from the Disney Princesses, but also ancillary characters, Park photos, and random edits of my own. I recently hit around 10k followers on this page, which is honestly one of my proudest moments. (Don't judge how boring & simple I am!) I have the absolute deepest love for the Disney community on Tumblr (despite the current arguments over Frozen's characters) and it's been a great influence on my life outside of the fandom. This is how I ended up finding out about the Disney College Program, which is a part of what changed my life forever, for the better, might I add.

This is my newest blogging attempt (inspired by my most recent usage of Amazon Associates vs. Google AdSense, I will comment on this at a further time after some trial runs!) that will focus on providing material from a wide variety of Internet media & fandoms, most often merchandise. I plan on posting content from tons of different elements of pop culture, movies, TV shows, and other Entertainment franchises. (I created this logo using the font 'Rainfall,' which might be one of my new favorites!)

Everything I have been trying to work on within the last year I feel is catching up with me, in a way that makes creativity & actual output rather difficult because of how much I stress over how little I have accomplished. I've been try to read up a lot about inspiration, symbolism, & overall creative methods to finding the kind of passion I used to have. Rather, I still find that at the end of the day, my dreams, fantasies, whatever you want to call them, are the main reason for continuing with any and all projects because of the thought of just, wouldn't that be awesome?

Fantasies; April 2014

2014-04-07T19:00:00.005-04:00

I know that I talk a lot about my focus on the importance of dreams, whether they are oriented more towards practical endeavors, such as finding a job that could be a part of my overall full-time career path, or simply my fantasies of getting my Hogwarts acceptance letter. (Still going strong a decade after my 11th birthday... thank you HogwartsIsHere!) I find that I spend most of my time immersed in a multitude of TV series', video games, & other artistic works. I do enjoy these hobbies, despite their negatives (being sedentary & introverted) but I do worry that I spend far too much time with my Entertainment needs, not unlike others within my generation. I do however feel my participation is still with good reason and/or with justifiable excuses! Example? Harry Potter has taught me more about friendship than any other franchise or self-help gurus.

Much of the science fiction & fantasy genre really is but a question of "What If?" What if an alien species overtook planet Earth? What if we rid our society of disease, only to introduce worse mutations? It's a question of creativity, of wonder, of what, about how you could do something if it existed in real time. Creativity is an exercise, much like working a muscle, to always be thinking ahead and to get even better at doing so. I think it's more about learning from others to learn more about yourself, at least when it comes to well-written material. Within the past few years, instead of looking at my hobbies as a way of self-destruction, I have sort of dedicated myself to thinking more, talking less, & exercising my brain in many, many, many ways. Isn't it nice to feel as thought you've justified your love for something grander than yourself? In other, less thought provoking news...

On the left: Kenny & I made friends with some deer outside his bedroom window in the trees at his house the other day! We caught a few stomps from the doe on video, even strangely communicating with it a bit. On the right: And like always, I like to snap pictures of his chubby kitty sleeping, like a creepy old cat lady I am.

SPRING IS HERE... sort of! I've been trying to wear dresses & skirts as often as possible! & I was kindly treated to this Banana Republic dress (on the right) at the outlets that was 50% off! I love shopping sales & clearance a little too much.

Oh, the interesting things outside my house. My cacti is continuing to grow, despite already growing through the shelf it sits upon. We might try to replant it someday soon, but have yet to find the courage to risk snapping it in half! No comment necessary with the sign I got a picture of on the road the other day, really.

I've been trying to draw more, despite not really being that great at it. I'm more about being crafty, all D.I.Y., and just making up weird combinations instead! I drew some Elsas the other day & I've been putting together a collection of some cute mini frames. My life isn't really that artistic in the slightest, maybe just purposely a little strange instead.

In other news, I've just starting experimenting with an Amazon Associates account & I might end up using it a bit more than my current use of AdSense for my blogging needs. I don't take my monetization very seriously, but I do however find it sort of interesting to dabble in with my personal accounts. If my thoughts & opinions are provided for free to a company that will somehow generate profit from my information, why can't I take that responsibility into my hands to do as I wish? Just a thought.

Xoxo.

My Disney Side;

2014-03-21T13:44:00.004-04:00

Besides working on my own site & occasionally writing this personal manifesto of sorts, I've also been hosting Like A Disney Princess on Tumblr for the past two years. I've posted some of the things that I've done with LADP a few times here before, but I haven't really talked about my goals or what else I've done with my fan site. Realistically, I do it because I love it! I've been a self-called Disnerd since my first trip to Walt Disney World when I was eight years old. My parent's house is so full of Disney memorabilia from years past, I've even begun selling it off on eBay for them! So far, the blog has gotten a lot bigger, & it's really great connecting with other Disney fans, especially since doing so motivated my interests in getting involved with the Disney College Program!

Disney has been such a big part of my life & it always will be. I became interested in Travel & Hospitality when I was little, which is where I found my way to to trying to become an Entertainment professional. Traveling to the Parks each year was something hopeful I could look forward to, even through all of the awkward phases of growing up, the frustration, even during the struggle to find myself in my late teens... but every visit to Disney World held me together, & the cast members at Disney were ALWAYS there on those vacations, supporting every single person, family, couple in attendance, ensuring that you will have the best time of your life while they host you as a guest in their Kingdom. My time during the Disney College Program really helped me reach goals of giving back to those who once gave so much to me.

Career wise, I've decided against working for the Disney Company. I just want to preserve that Disney magic I've always fantasied about.
Luckily, I've found more opportunities, closer to home, closer to what I've always imagined for myself. Maybe one day I'll return to Disney & feel that magic yet again.

Xoxo.

So Far in 2014; Changes

2014-03-04T13:15:00.000-05:00

My past year has been filled with lots of love and celebration that needs more than just a Valentine's Day or a random blog post. With my boyfriend & I marking our first year together, in addition to celebrating the 7 years of friendship with my first lady, Celine... there has never been a better time for me to step up and start doing the things I want to do with all of the supportive vibes coming my way.

I take each month, each week, each day as a new beginning as much as I can. Last week, my employer let me go due to financial stress; but at the same time, I myself felt a sense of relief because I was no longer passionate about my position there. I couldn't find a sense of fantasy about what I could do with it down the road. When my future feels bleak, I know it's up to me in that moment to change pace!

I'm happy to announce I'm going back to my roots and my original career goals within Travel & Hospitality. My confidence struck a major chord when I was invited to work in Guest Services this summer at Hersheypark! While this is just a minimum wage clerical position, this is still the first step in what could be a very rewarding career in my home state.

To really get things going, last week I cut off all of my curly, frizzy & unmanageable hair! I am currently the owner of a wonderfully perfect pixie cut. I missed having a short, messy style since I've been letting my hair grow for the past two years. It is refreshing & liberating. Bonus points: My boyfriend offered to make the appointment for me in exchange for a promise to not complain about my hair anymore.

This winter has been absolutely beautiful, but I am so over all of the snowfall and awful driving conditions. I cannot wait for Spring & the blue skies to commence, to start hiking and going back outside! Regardless of my situation, I'm never going to stop working on getting the things that I want. My partner & I are looking for our first house, maybe even our first pet together. I just want to take things as they come, but I am more than excited for all of it.

More personally and creatively, I've had some debates of turning the aforementioned podcast into an attempt at a YouTube channel, but yet either requires the investment into the required technology and professional editing software that none of those involved can afford. In better news, we have our concept finished for a comic series (!!!) and just need to properly storyboard our first few issues, layout our character backgrounds, and story arcs. And when I say we? I leave my friends unnamed as to let them live in infamy as my friends who share the same motivational issues. (You're welcome.)

Xoxo!

I Missed The Bus; 2014

2014-02-06T09:09:00.000-05:00

Photo From Tumblr

For the past month or so, my laptop has been in a back & forth bind with Apple. It's infuriating, yes, because it does seem every time I get the hang of regularly posting, I fall back in love with my Instadiary assortments, and I think of great new things to discuss on the web... then my MacBook takes a dive into an abyss.

A while ago, I had many issues with the OS X installation of Mountain Lion. My hard drive didn't really enjoy the process, and "failed" while stuck in an infinite loop. This problem was solved, however, by a fresh install of the entire OS and I didn't have many problems with it until.... Mavericks released! The same thing happened again on this install, and at that time, I lost all of the work I had done for my internship with Shocktoberfest. (I did finally learn to back up my drive. Thanks.) Fast forward to now, when other parts of my computer start to act up... After spending a day failing to boot, I drove my Pro the half hour or so to the nearest Apple Store. The "Genius" tried to solve the problem by replacing my hard drive- and when I picked it back up a few days later, they hadn't even bother to test for other hardware malfunctions. Thank goodness for AppleCare, though, because luckily I didn't pay a dime for the $800+ of work they would of charged me.

Maybe they could reimburse me for my gas for how many trips it took due to their negligence? (Excuse me for being such an over-privileged, entitled cis millennial for a moment. Bad customer service infuriates me.)

This brings me to the moral of the story: This won't be the last time I'll complain about Apple.

By now, I'm at least returning to my regular, therapeutic writing programming. The concept of Fueled By Fantasy is one of my greatest passion projects, the problem and the struggle with it is just truly in it's execution. But, at the very least of my computer struggles, I should be glad I didn't have to waste my time on obligatory Christmas & New Year's posts for this year. Cheers!

#WinterProblems

2013-12-09T16:08:00.006-05:00

Today, I had to shovel a few inches of snow off of my Taurus with a Starbucks cup I had crumbled under my car seat, because I don't carry a scraper like a normal Northeastern gal. I'm hoping this is just a common mistake of new drivers like myself. (Especially ones who didn't spend the prior Winter months in their home state!) If this joke doesn't find it's way to a punchline involving myself and my awful habits that make me seem like an over entitled millennial, please feel free to let me come to my own conclusions.

Other than the aforementioned Winter hysteria that is my current life, and that of trying to mold back into being accepting of the snowfall, I will continue to dream longingly of the clear skies of Florida! I'm finally back on track at home (or so I say, every time!) I've been trying to remind myself of the things I need to restock up on to live back at home... for starters, warmer socks and maybe even some fleece lined leggings. & I've been busy brainstorming new ideas for what Fueled By Fantasy truly means to me... and what it could mean to others! In terms of what I have dubbed my "headquarters," I never fail to find adorable little things for my desk in the $1 bins by the front entrance or on the clearance racks at Target! I hung those letters up for less than $3 and I couldn't any happier to see my mantra every single day. I also find office organization to be a tag I spend a lot of time searching through on the web. I know that I will make sure to have an office space, or even a corner rather of my first place that will be all mine. Also, my eBay account has been giving me a lot of great opportunities to declutter!

I found a new full-time position through Craigslist (who would of thought?!) and I'm going to be able to start planning towards moving out and into a new place with my beau. But let's not get too far ahead... it's time to get through the remainder of this year, including the Holidays, which I will try to avoid a lot of kicking and screaming through. To help cope with the struggle of busy shopping complexes and annoying relatives, I got a white glitter light up tree on clearance at Michael's for 60% off. I covered it in clear and purple gem stone ornaments from Target, and even some clear bulbs that I hung with purple paperclips! If something purple & glittery isn't going to help me prevail through the dysfunction, I really don't know what will! I also found that in almost all of my selfies in my bedroom, there is a cat lurking in the background. This photo was meant for the upcoming Romwe review that I've been meaning to post!

Lastly, I came across this article by James Altucher that Gala posted in her e-mail blast about the 5x5 trick today. May I suggest spend some time thinking about and implementing this into your life? I drew up a little graph and I was shocked by the results and how badly I need to change some of these regularly occurring bad habits.

Xoxox.

Thing I Love Thursday; Autumn Leaves & Pumpkin Everything

2013-11-07T11:50:00.001-05:00

My, my is this post long overdue! I've been neglecting my blogging over the past few months. I've been quite busy, but also very content and excited. At this point, summer has come to an end & I've settled back into my life here in Berks County. While I will always miss the Disney magic, I'm certainly back into the mindset of magic-making on my own! I've moved into a higher plane of thought, in my opinion. Not to mention, I've relocated myself out of just merely a shrewd existence in my parents basement. (The second floor is an improvement, right?!) I finished off my college degree & NOW I can focus on myself. I'm decluttering my life & getting ready for my next steps, a.k.a trying to somehow manage to act like an adult. I've spent a lot of time re-visiting my happy places in my hometown that I love (for instance, the Pinnacle!) & of course, a lot of my free time will always be spent in breakfast heaven at Tomcat Cafe on the weekends (far too often, perhaps...) When I first got back from my Disney bubble, I was working at a small cafe in West Reading, but I have decided it's time to aim a lot higher for myself. I want to be independent again like I was during the DCP, minus all of the housing rules, o' course. I turned 21 in September, and I finally feel as though truly, the only person holding me back is myself.

Back in September, I landed my second internship in my desired industry, by working under Patrick Konopelski, owner of Shocktoberfest and the director of The Zombie Mud Run events! It has been an absolute blast getting to know the way a true position in my field feels, even if I am just working on small tasks day to day. I was along for the ride during our national media attention regarding the Naked & Scared Challenge; our Unknown haunted house was featured everywhere from Jay Leno's opening monologue to a letter written to Ellen on her talk show. Definitely on par with my experience working for the Mouse.

In October, my sister got married! & I was one of her lovely bridesmaids. It was an absolutely beautiful wedding, even though I am not fond of the concept of marriage for myself, I found myself extremely happy for them. My sister got married at the Capitol building...and I fell in love with it's charms. I loved the mosaic floors & all of the deco theming. My boyfriend and I had a great time (can't ya tell? Wedding photobooths are the best!), & just hanging out in Harrisburg for the weekend. We went out and about together... and our hotel room had some interesting quirks. We will never forget finding that bible in our room. Never ever.

For now, I'll be spending some time defending the citizens of Gotham. All & all, I've had a great start to my Autumn season... now I'll just ride out the holidays and see where life takes me. (Apparently with a better skill winging my eyeliner!)

I've also started an eBay store to sell off some of the clutter I've found. Check it out, fueledbyfantasy! Not everything is posted yet, but be prepared for tons of clothes, tech & nerd gear, & maybe even a few hand made surprises here & there!

xoxox.

#$%! Yeah, Friday; Home For Summer

2013-07-25T13:35:00.002-04:00

There has been one word that I haven't been able to get out of my vocabulary since leaving the place where dreams come true: magic. Every day, whether it's the weather or the way my boyfriend does something, I find myself defining the coincidences and unexplainable, wonderful things in my life with the phrase. I'm pretty sure this isn't bad leftover nostalgia from Orlando.

I've started working at a local West Reading cafe where I am dubbed Sam #2! My Canadian version got me the job, & now we're spending lots of time together before she heads back to Canada for school. As of right now, we're in the process of starting a podcast to stay in contact while she is away! (More details to come, it's going to be pretty bitching if I say so myself!)

Other than that, I'm working through school & trying to piece my Pennsylvanian life together. Living with my parents is pretty taxing after being on my own for the first half of this year; I'm already in the process of saving money for my next adventure of moving out & onward. I guess having my Boston Terrier around isn't so bad for now!

Adventuring around & learning some new skills isn't a bad way to learn my time. Learning how to shoot is one of the most strange experiences of my life, considering I used to be so intimidated by guns & the like. I don't really have much of a problem with it anymore; as I think it is much more important to be able to defend myself.

Being back in my old bedroom is kind of a shock every morning, as I've been so used to the plain white walls of 14203. I missed being able to light incenses & draw, or having little plant friends in my windows. I've been steadily working on my visual journal/radical self love bible in my spare time, as I've finally found a good way to recycle my 5+ years worth of Cosmo issues!

I'm having a great time with the summer weather, being with my friends & my beau, & of course, settling in to a new sense of freedom in my familiar environment. Will I ever return to Disney? Who knows. I'm completely okay with the unknown & taking in as much as I can to figure out what I want to do & where I am headed.

If you're a fan of my NSFW posts, stay tuned for info about my new collab podcast project!

Xoxo.

Fueled by... Gaming!

2013-06-20T16:40:00.002-04:00

I would just like to pull myself out of my state of being a sobbing mess on the floor for a moment after completing Bioshock Infinite to just clap and give a round of applause. I know a lot of people who did not enjoy this game, (I'm thinking of one friend of mine in particular who bashed it until I got to play it for myself!) but honestly I had a great time with it. It was full of surprisingly fun gameplay (for me, at least, I will admit I am terrible with FPS; I play the genre strictly for the stories) and intricate, mind blowing plot twists. I don't even know where to go from here.

photo by songbird-sings

I must say that Elizabeth is probably one of my new favorite female characters from a game that I've played in a long time. She's the intelligent and bookish Rapunzel of Columbia, who carried herself extremely well as an in-game companion. Nonetheless, I have been searching through the cosplays of her many, many game outfits since the game's initial announcements. Now excuse me while I daydream of opening tears to other dimensions, particularly one where I played this game sooner...

xoxo

EDIT: This is also a fantastic article discussing the story line and choices of Infinite.

Fueled By... Technology!

2013-06-16T11:15:00.001-04:00

I finally completed something I've been meaning to work on since I bought my Amazon Kindle Fire in 2011... I found a way that worked for me to install a custom operating system without completely destroying my tablet! These kinds of endeavors have always been difficult for me to accomplish, or at least blocked, by my use of a MacBook Pro over a Windows based system. I know now that I am not alone in these pursuits, within the limitations of using OS X.

While most consumers either don't know or are too concerned with voiding their warranty on what could possibly be an expensive mistake on one of their electronic devices, I feel that this is a wonderful thing; to be in charge of the technology you own and the way you choose to use it. Whether or not these kinds of tech manipulations void a warranty or not, I find these kinds of modifications to be a relieving way to break new life into all sorts of old gadgets. I respect all of the efforts from those who crack and code these programs and create the assisting software that can enable the average user to try roots and mods themselves, for the pure joy of it. While I am generally tech savvy, there's no way I could do what these in-their-spare-time (and for free?!) developers do. It brings me to a point where I have to ask; Why shouldn't we have more power to be able to use the technology that we purchase how we see fit?

I compiled the source links that I used to take my original model Kindle Fire to Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. Thanks to anyone who was involved in the compiling these guides & downloads! I used the first link to guide me through the process (long after I almost bricked the device on my own!) There's no humility in learning from your mistakes.

Kindle Fire How-To & Q&A
Kindle Fire Utility (Device Access)
TeamWin TWRP (Recovery Mode)
Android Developer Kit (Device Drivers)
Jelly Bean 4.2 ROM (Alternative OS)

Xoxo.

DCP Adventures; A Finale & A Monstrous Summer

2013-06-03T11:50:00.003-04:00

Well, folks, I have graduated from the Disney College Program! I have completed my program, said my goodbyes, & left Disney property; & now I'm currently staying with my Aunt & Floridian family outside of Tampa before returning home next week. I have to say, participating in the DCP was one of the best decisions I ever made, if not the best thing I could of done to prove to myself that I am truly capable of doing whatever the hell I want. Next stop? Who knows. Here goes my final DCP instadiary;

Things that I will miss from Florida the most? My trips to the Premium Outlets in my free time before work, after work, days off, whenever! I loved my solo time, sipping on Starbucks & roaming through Charlotte Russe & Papaya. Too bad I don't have any of these stores close to home. (Or maybe that's a good thing for my wallet...!) There's no way I can financially handle such an expensive, although admittedly therapeutic, blatant materialistic habit.

People I will miss from Florida? My roommates, of course! But also my girl Ashlynn. We worked together on Right Block, & she'll still be there until the beginning of August! I don't know if I'll ever have the chance to visit her in Colorado, but I sure hope we remain friends for a long time. We're a silly duo. Patrick thought so, too!

I cannot deny the beauty of Hogwarts castle, shining in the sun after a rain storm. That's just the embodiment of some poetic beautiful fandom feels in a photograph. I'm very glad that I have gotten to enjoy the Wizarding World as much as I have since arriving in January, & I am certainly excited to see what happens following all of the hype for the plans for its expansion! I just love all of the details in the shops and even in the Forbidden Journey's queue line; although I would like to see more variety in the product line-up.

The one thing I have on my agenda before I move back home, is I need to see a real, beautiful gator. I see all of the Florida tourist gator merchandise in every store, tempting me... I just wouldn't be a true swamp family member if I didn't at least try to catch a glimpse of a gator getting its wings! I also plan on finding gator jerky for my beloved, since that was his one request before I return home.

I will miss the Disney atmosphere of chaos and confusion, guests finding their way around & stumbling from one attraction to the next. I will miss overhearing all of the shows with live, loud music, and the characters that greeted me every single day. I will miss pin trading, because that was my absolute favorite part of my job in Merchandise!

I will miss all of the pretty Disney merch that I got to see everyday! I will not miss stuffing my face in the Parks all the time! (My body will thank me for this later down the line!) Especially on one of the last nights, when we got a Kitchen Sink at Beaches & Cream! It was an absolute nightmare, but also extremely delicious for the four of us girls to try to conquer!

My last images of the castle to have until my next visit. A beautiful, skylit fuchsia castle & a great shot of Mickey & the Electrical parade. I have such fond memories of my last night in the Magic Kingdom with my ladies, I'll never forget the way it felt on that warm pavement that last night, holding back my tears as Wishes lit up the sky above us. If there is one thing to wrap up what I have learned from my experience in Disney, it's that wishes & dreams do come true, but you still have to work like hell towards them!

This will be my last DCP Adventures instadiary, of course! I will continue to write up posts about the DCP itself, maybe to provide more information for other hopefuls. I'd love to be able to answer any and all questions that I can to better help others enjoy their potential time at a DCP term of their own!

Xoxo.

DCP Adventures; April Showers & May Flowers

2013-05-17T00:51:00.000-04:00

It's strange to think this will be one of my last "DCP Adventures" posts... But we'll get to that later!

At the end of the month of April, I took a weekend flight home to see all of my family & friends. This trip gave me a lot of reassurance for my recent decisions to not stay in Florida following my College Program. I spent the majority of my time with my lovely boyfriend, most notably our hike together to the highest point in Pennsylvania on a Sunday morning.

By the time I returned back to Florida, it was time for my roommate & most importantly one of my best friend's 20th birthday extravaganza! We rented a pontoon boat out on Bay Lake & spent the morning cruising around and clearly not following the majority of the "No Wake" signs... Whoops!

That same afternoon, we happened to stumble across the remains of two old Disney World attractions! You could see what I would assume to be the docking area of the Discovery Island (Cove, perhaps?) in the center of the lake, with some of it's buildings relatively intact. On the right, we saw the old watering hole of Disney's River Country waterpark! It's strange that the majority of these structures were never demolished, but rather reclaimed by nature. They were a rather beautiful sight to see!

That evening, we found our way to the Magic Kingdom for our reservations at Be Our Guest, the newest restaurant addition to Fantasyland, home of Belle & the Beast. Never have I been so taken aback by a restaurant setting before, & it honestly was the best meal I have had at Disney. (Of course, I'm using the amazing ambience as my most defining decision making factor!)

At the end of our meal, we did try the grey stuff... and it was absolutely delicious! Lynn blew out her candle for her birthday & it was a beautiful end to the evening. I also happened to find the Beast at the end of our night & managed to snap a few photos with him!

In my off time, I always wind up at the Vineland Ave outlets to shop around for things that I shouldn't be spending my money on... Wink. I did get a taste of my old urges for D.I.Y. from this great ombre sweater from Papaya, hoping to recreate my find once I return home at the end of the month! More importantly, I managed to attend my DCP Graduation ceremony, and got my first graduation hat ever! I think it's quite fitting for my tassel to swing from an ear hat instead of something more traditional.

One night last week, I got to see one of my favorite bands play at the House of Blues! Alkaline Trio is probably one of my top 3, if I had to make one! Bayside was fantastic, & I can't help but listen to them nonstop now. I don't know why they weren't in any of my playlists before. I was extra excited when Alkaline's setlist just happened to feature one of my favorite songs ever, "Clavicle."

I've been spending as much time as possible in the Parks lately, trying to make sure that I get the most out of these last two weeks here in Orlando... although I am delighted to be able to return home. To see my kittens again, to really get to spend time stirring up new adventures with my friends & my boyfriend, & of course, to lounge in my wonderful bed!

Xoxo.

DCP Adventures; Early April Edition

2013-04-14T19:34:00.000-04:00

As I sat in my apartment today after I woke up, I thought about all of the changes and the things that I have done since moving here, to Florida, for my program. I've been slowly noticing newer habits; some good, some bad, some a pretty satisfying change to be finally experiencing. The little things that have been altered by this experience, tweaks like an overhaul of my wardrobe choices can be attributed to the contrast of Florida weather... or y'know, maybe the real excuse is my increased confidence!

A friend of mine from work, my roommates & my pseudo brother John all spent a day at the Magic Kingdom together last Monday or so. We had lunch at the Whispering Canyon cafe (pictures from this exist, but might be part of a separate review of Disney dining later on!) I spent some time alone while they attended class, & I gave into temptations to empty my bank account through gratuitous amounts of cotton candy, Mickey pretzels & the LeFou's Brew from Gaston's Tavern. I also, for the first time in 13 trips to Disney World, actually watched the Dapper Dan set!

I took a picture of my losers on the tea cups, & they looked absolutely adorable. Later, I got a great shot of the Wishes finale over the castle & it just so happens to look a bit like a Hidden Mickey!

Since starting the program, it's almost a constant that every day that I have off, I end up at Starbucks & going to the mall or to the Outlets. I actually had the experience to ride the H bus to the Florida Mall on a random Thursday off with my two roommates & I had a blast spending half (or more, if we're going to be honest here!) my hard earned Spring Break paycheck! I took part in a glorious Forever 21 & H&M haul, & then of course wandered off to old favorites like Old Navy; check out this badass Rockabilly piggy bank! I was so tempted to pick one up.

Of all of my finds on my mall splurge, I got this amazing dress from Forever 21; this pattern just seriously pays homage to Kelly Bundy's style ala Christina Applegate of the 90s & the cut is just simple vintage retro. It fits me so comfortably; which is why of course, I wore it to the Swamp Family meet up at Downtown Disney on April 7th! I met @grav3yardgirl, one of my favorite YouTube personalities & swamp queen. She was such a sweetheart! Unfortunately, Disney security busted up her mob pretty quickly. (Of course, it was a violation of the first key to have so many people there, blocking an entrance to the World of Disney store. Understandable, but still a little disappointing.)

Thinking ahead, I picked up tickets for one last Orlando hoorah, to see Alkaline Trio for my first time! While I may or may not spewing tears of joy to finally see this band live, I also just love the House of Blues as a venue; I just avoid it at all other costs for the absolute mess it becomes as a place for CPs to party. Just not my kind of scene, but it's still an amazing place to see a band! (*See, Coheed show back with Kenny in March! Fantastic time.) Celine sent me a care package of deliciousness & I literally survived off of it for a week!

For this weekend, I'll be in Clearwater with my Aunt on a mini vacation. I went to the beach today in my flowy, floral grandma dress & my new floppy sun hat. My Aunt, my cousin & I walked along the beach, and I just let myself enjoy the sand & the sun. Completely calm. Let's hope the de-stressing lasts throughout my upcoming 10 days in a row of work! I just have to remind myself that at the end of that 2 week rainbow, I return home for the weekend to see my hometown & my boyfriend & my friends, & maybe then I'll get around to updating again!

The most important things for me to focus on currently are my own feelings regarding where I am heading. I've learned that this internship has brought me to the conclusion that my experience here is meant to be enjoyed. I don't want to make any decisions about whether or not Disney is what I want, career wise. I won't let anyone make that choice for me, either. What I do want, is this continued momentum to find out more about what I do want. I can tell you that right now, I do know that path is leading me home!

See ya real soon.

xoxoxo.

Fueled By...Fridays; Spring Break & Easter

2013-03-29T12:45:00.000-04:00

It's that magical time of year at Disney again, where the Parks are packed to the brim & all of the CPer's hours are overflowing out of straight time. The weather feels just as beautiful & confusing as ever; dipping well into the 30s & 40s in the morning and reaching the 70s by the late afternoon sunshine! This year Easter falls in March, making Spring Break's holiday limited time magic extra special with the Flower & Garden festival & decor spread all over Epcot. It's certainly worth the trek into the crowds for a peek at Mr. & Mrs. Easter Bunny themselves... maybe!

Left: Displayed in the Expo center, Disney unveiled Vera Bradley's Disney collection that is releasing this fall. I'm honestly not sure how I feel about it. I do have some complaints: namely, the lack of hidden mickeys in the intricate designs of the paisley print. I don't like how Mickey & Minnie just sort of appear, rather than being worked more into the print itself. Right: Easter egg hunt outside of Innoventions! I wasn't sure if there was an age limit, but I would of loved to try my hand at it!

Left: I'm a pretentious b!tch at Starbucks every day that I have off. I always end up at the Outlets, namely because it's walking distance for me & an easy place to find things to do. I have a tendency to order the exact same thing, a flavored frap with soy milk... but with globs of whipped cream. Sorry I'm not sorry that I'm not necessary lactose intolerant, but more like "dairy sensitive!" Right: Hipster Instagram shot; my best friend brought me my favorite lace up black boots from home when she came down to visit & I am in love with wearing them with all of my dresses during the Spring in Florida. Signature style for me right now.

Left: Most importantly, my most recent doses of fantasy; I traded in a bunch of games & my handheld Playstation Vita & picked up these beautiful babies at GameStop. Sadly, I don't have my system with me in Chatham, but I do have my 3DS. I'll be busy playing through Luigi's Mansion for the next week or so, in the small amount of free time that I find! Infinite will have to wait, or at least, will happen whenever I can sneak over to my friend's apartment & play well into the middle of the night when they let me! Right: Addicted to this song right now, playing in my head on repeat. No idea why, it's not like I've never listened to it before. Aesop Rock is lyrical genius & I absolutely appreciate such articulate rap.

xoxo.