A Light of My Own

The Song of the Week: More than Life by Whitley

2011-12-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

With a charming acoustic sound and soothing vocals that would warm even the coldest heart, I find this song to-die-for. This song is for fans of Iron and Wine, Jack Johnson and anything acoustic. If you're looking for a quiet night by the fire with a cup of hot cocoa or are facing a breakup, More than Life will be the perfect addition to your night's soundtrack. In addition, you can listen to more music from this artist via his Myspace.

The Greatest Show

2011-11-29T21:44:00.001-05:00

I can't even begin to express my love for ABC's Modern Family. The show is comedic genius. When I watch television or movies I make comparisons and connections between the characters and the people in my life. What I love about modern family is that my mother's personality aligns completely with that of Claire (the mother in the series), my father with Phil (who plays the role of the father), and I, of course, am so Cam, the glamorous, melodramatic gay guy. It's funny how comedy is most successful when it can be related to the life of the viewer. It's the one truly mature feature of human nature-whether we realize it or not, we all have the ability to laugh at the ridiculousness in ourselves and our own lives. But that's my deep thought for the day. You should all watch Modern Family, it's only in its second season!

Happy Holidays!
Anna

The Secret of the Week: Baby Oil

2011-11-28T17:12:00.001-05:00

My closest friend Sarah always considers me a well of random knowledge. We always try to pick out strange qualities about each other and she claims that I "always spurt out random facts that no one else knows" and she wonders where I get them all. So, here is one of my greatest gems. We all know it is beyond important to exfoliate regularly but what next? After you've rinsed and before you dry off, rub on a coat of Johnson & Johnson's (or a generic brand) baby oil. It seals the moisture into your skin before it all evaporates. You can then dry off. During the winter months when my skin is at its driest, I like to add a layer of my favorite lotion but if you don't have extremely dry skin like I do, it's really not necessary. You'll immediately feel the difference. Good luck and let me know what you think!

Happy Holidays!

Anna

The Christmas List 2011

2011-11-27T11:35:00.000-05:00

Each and every year I am expected to write a Christmas list. Each and every year I receive nothing or next-to-nothing from that list. I don't know why I even bother. Yes, the lists from when I was very little were often three pages long (and color coded! I was an organization freak even back then) but, in recent years, they've only included five or six items. This year, my list is extremely simple but includes some big-ticket items because my family adores going-in on gifts with each other although it always ends with confusion over who owes whom what. Oh well, here it is:

Pottery Barn Teen, "Dorm Trunk" in black, pictured in white:

UGG Belcloud Snowboot:

Sperry's Top-Sider Pelican Rain Boot:

Skullcandy Riot White/Chrome Mic'd Earbuds:

And that's that. I did include some suggested gift cards to stores like Aerie, my favorite bra and underwear location, Express, G by Guess, American Eagle, etc. and a couple of random, cheap ideas like slippers. It's strange how, as I get older, my list choices become more and more practical. I've always been practical but now that I have a job and truly understand what goes into earning a dollar, I'd never ask someone else for something I didn't truly need. There's no problem with splurging every so often on yourself, but asking someone else to throw away money on something you'll probably throw away yourself is immoral in my mind. I guess that's a good little piece of advice for the day, only ask others for something you need. Otherwise, you're simply taking advantage of their generosity.

Happy Holidays!

Anna

The Interview

2011-11-26T10:37:00.001-05:00

There are exactly two months between today and my interview with the communications program at Montclair, my college of choice. While my stats and achievements are well above the average for MSU, I'm still very nervous. It is a highly competitive program and the only one I want to be a part of. All of my eggs are in one basket, so to speak. There are numerous websites devoted to preparing kids like myself for interviews and college itself, my favorite being CollegeFashion, and I've perused them all. However, I can't seem to focus on what to do, what to say and how to act. All that's on my mind is what to wear, of course.
I intend to do my "Interview Outfit" shopping over winter break with my mother in attendance. My mother has been through this process many times as she is currently in the process of earning her doctorate so her guidance will be appreciated. My inspiration and desire is a combination of these two looks:

An outfit worn by Lauren Conrad:

And a look created specifically for interviews by my beloved CollegeFashion:

I'm absolutely in love with nude pumps as depicted in "The Girly Girl" look but I'd like to add a bit of class with Lauren's blazer, perhaps in black as opposed to cream considering it will be winter. Now, for the meat of the outfit represented by Lauren's tank top and leggings combo and the beige dress in CollegeFashion's look, I'm not so sure. I love both styles but I'm not sure how to mesh them together. Maybe a beige dress and black tights? I do love black tights, I wear them all the time. In fact, some might consider black tights and a skirt or dress to be my signature look. But Lauren's top is to die for. Oh the difficulty! I guess it will all depend on what I find while shopping.
Speaking of shopping, I'm thinking Express, G by Guess, Charlotte Russe, Tilly's, Wet Seal and some online shopping at Urban Outfitters? It's unfortunate that those stores are all my area has to offer unless I want to drive 20 minutes to walk around Atlantic City in the freezing cold in order to avoid dropping a milli at the Pier.
I'll be sure to update with more ideas and post my final look before the big day. In addition, I'm thinking an interview-inspired make-up and hair tutorial? We'll see what I get around to. Either way, the day is approaching and I'm surely stressed but the holidays will calm me down. In fact, I'm off to go decorate now!

Happy Holidays!
Anna