Why I Won't Be Marrying My "Best Friend"

We've all heard it before. Some of you have probably even said it. Some of you probably believe it. "I'm marrying my best friend!" I see it on Facebook, hear it on TV shows, everywhere. I'm happy for you all. I truly am. However, I will never utter those words and here's why.

My best friend and I went through college together, we've grown up together, and have supported each other through tough times in our lives. I've seen her through dating her first few boyfriends and moving to Seattle with her current boyfriend. She's seen me date a handful of losers and has been there when I've called her crying at 1 a.m. in the mornings. I understand that I haven't found "the one" yet, but he will never replace her.

To me, I 100% trust both my boyfriend and my best friend, but there are some roles that each of them play in my life that can't be shared. For example:

When I'm having a terrible period and I need ice cream stat. Boyfriend


When I need to consult on female body issues. Best friend


Tell me if the dress I'm wearing is flattering. Best friend.


Pop the pimple on my back. Boyfriend



Complain to someone without them wanting to fix it. Best friend


Model my lingerie to. Boyfriend


Complain about how my boyfriend is driving me nuts. Best friend


Complain about how my best friend is driving me nuts. Boyfriend


Let me inner mean girl out without fear of judgement. Best friend


Help me hang photos for my gallery wall. Boyfriend

Of course these are totally subjective. Maybe your best friend would man up and pop that pimple on your back (Ariel, don't worry I won't make you do this) or maybe your boyfriend is totally cool WebMD'ing your embarrassing girly body issues. But this is how I feel about it.

Another point to mention is what if you that person isn't available? What if my boyfriend is at work and I'm having a panic attack over something insignificant per usual? Guess what, I can call my best friend! Or vise-versa. If I can't call my best friend because of the time difference of Seattle to D.C. I can always call my boyfriend. Also, who's going to be your maid of honor if your best friend is your fiance?! Okay, I'm getting a bit carried away here...

Have you ever had a guy tell you that they need "guy time"? Guess what, it's the exact same situation. He needs his man friend time to talk about poop, farts, and football. or whatever else guys talk about when us women aren't around...I don't know. And that's okay! I think a boyfriend/fiance/husband can be a best friend but for me, they will never be "my best friend." That role is reserved for my best (girl) friend and always will be.

Side note: I'm not getting married any time soon so only time will tell if I end up marrying Ariel...

How do you feel about this issue? Did you marry/date "your best friend"?



a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

59

Subscription Boxes Faves and Fails

Who out there has never tried a subscription box? I'll wait....oh right, pretty much no one. They're so prevalent now. I swear there's always a new one that I hear about each week. I've definitely tried a few of them and there have been some great ones, and some not so good ones.

Here's what I thought of the ones I've tried.

Faves

Barkbox

I love Barkbox, it's awesome. I actually don't subscribe to this anymore because I get a lot of my treats from Chewy, but they were a great subscription. I signed up when I first adopted Starla and had no toys or treats for her. They always sent cute, durable toys and healthy snacks for Starla to try. She fell in love with banana chips her first box. You can customize your box based on the size of your dog. The price depends on how many months you sign up for. It's $21/month for six months.

Stitchfix

 

It's an addiction. I've had three fixes so far and need to go back for another one because I still have $25 in credit. It costs you $20 for a styling fee and then you get sent five pieces of clothing (or 4 pieces and one piece of jewelry). You can keep everything and get a discount, or you can pay per piece. For most of my fixes, I end up keeping about half of the box. They're really good at listening to your concerns about sizing, styles, etc. So just make sure to be very descriptive when you sign up and I'm sure you'll get some good fixes too.

 

Popsugar

Disclaimer: I haven't actually received a popsugar box, but my roommate gets them every month and I live vicariously through her! I love the weird mix of stuff you get in the box. It can go anywhere from books to pillowcases to board games to beauty products. It's $39 a month and you can get $5 off your first (and my first...) box by using code MUSTHAVE5.

Hello Fresh

 

This one is a bit different because it is all about food! One box gets you three meals for two people each. They send healthy options (including veggie options!) that are easy to prepare. For someone like me who is bad at meal planning and creativity in the kitchen, HelloFresh is a great option. They're also flexible, so if you want to skip a few weeks, you can and pick back up when you're ready. You can also trade out meals in your week if it's something you don't like. It is $69 per week. So you can decide for yourself if it's worth it. I think I'm going to go for two weeks a month and do grocery shopping for the other weeks.

Fails

Julep Maven

In my box I received two nail polishes, a lipstick, and a gloss. The lipstick and gloss are great. The shade works perfectly for my skin and I wear the lipstick almost every day. I love that it has a magnetic container, so when I close the lipstick it magnetically closes. But that's just me being a nerd and liking magnets. The fail part about the box is that Julep focuses on nail polish. They sent me two dark polishes (fine, it's Fall) but when I removed the nail polish it not only stained my nails but my hands too! It took a whole day before my hand wasn't blue any more. If you're curious which one it was, it was the Elise nail polish that stained my hands. I haven't had the courage to try the other one yet.

Birchbox
I tried this a longggggg time ago before I was even into reviewing a lot of products on my blog. They're alright. I wish they switched up some full size products with the samples. Also, I wish that they had included a little make-up bag or fancier packaging. With the small products, the box looks a bit empty and left me feeling a bit disappointed. It's nice that it's pretty cheap, but I would pay an extra $5 for a make-up bag to be included or a full-size lipstick.


Trendsend
Okay I'm being a bit harsh here. I haven't actually received my trendsend box yet, but I ordered it two weeks ago and they haven't send it yet! I searched around on their website for a while before noticing it says it can take up to 14 days to send out, so I just reached out to their customer service department to get an update. That's basically the only downfall of Trendsend so far. At least with Stitchfix you can choose the exact date you want it to arrive and can anticipate it. Especially when you have a deadline to return the clothes!

What other boxes should I try?


Linking up with Life with Rosie and Because I Said So.

 

0

Humpday Confessions | One Year Blogiversary

I almost let this day fly by unannounced. It's been officially one year since I started this blog, Alanna & Company. There have been many changes and switches and I'm really glad to see how my writing and posts have improved.Thank you for sticking with me, reading my blog, and commenting! Anyways, I will start off with sharing some of my posts that you may have missed that I really enjoy.

Why Chick Flicks Are The Best

Wine Tricks That Make You Seem like an Expert

Why I Switched from Wordpress.com to Blogger

Girly Things I'm No Good With

Why I'm a Bad Blogger
(a lot of these aren't true anymore which makes it even funnier!)

So sorry, no confessions from me today, however it's still open for you to link-up! Happy Thanksgiving everyone :)

 

Now onto the link-up!

Here are the ground rules for the link-up:

• Each Wednesday create a post about what’s going on in your life and confess!


• Grab the button and include it in your post or include a text link back to the link-up.


• Link up so we can see what you're confessing this week.


• Comment on at least one other blogger’s post from the link up.


• Feel free to share on social media with the hashtag #HumpdayConfessions and I'll retweet.


• Enjoy!

0

Keeping Motivated to Exercise

I've mentioned a couple times how I want to lose weight and my activity goals. Cue eye roll. I've been so bad, and going into this holiday season, I'm kind of concerned for myself. I even signed up for a "Maintain, Don't Gain" challenge at work, so hopefully that $50 spa gift card incentive will help me through the holidays.

I'm actually great at maintaining my weight. Between dog walks and fitness classes, I keep myself pretty active. However, my motivation has been at an all time low this fall/winter time. My commute is longer and a bit more draining, I don't have telework days anymore, and I'm studying every night for the stupid GRE. I try to keep up exercising at least three times a week, but sometimes it's tough to maintain.

Here are the ways I keep motivated to go to the gym and exercise.

Prep my accessories and clothes ahead of time

We have workout classes offered during work on Tuesdays and Thursdays. When I bring my clothes into the office, I can't ignore going to the workout class. Even when I'm at home and want to work out immediately after walking Starla, I change into my workout clothes before walking her. That way when I get home, I feel silly (and guilty) if I change out of my workout clothes into my yoga pants and t-shirt.

Having someone to keep me accountable

I still struggle with this. It helps for my at work classes when all the girls who I work with always ask, "You're going to the class today, right?" but for other times when I'm at home, there's no one to motivate me to get off my butt. Starla even encourages me staying on the couch with her...What I've started doing is talking to people in my gym and making friends. I usually go to the same group fitness classes at the same time. That way they unconsciously keep me accountable when they say, "Missed you last week!"

Setting small, reasonable goals

I started off telling myself that I want to workout five times a week and lose 10 lbs. Yikes! That's terrifying and totally overwhelming. I start off at smaller goals that I can slowly increase as I get better. Right now, it's just maintaining three workouts a week and seeing any sort of drop in the scale.

Rewarding myself

I'm totally about self-rewards. I'm not saying a reward like ordering a large pizza after 30 minutes of working out, but maybe treating yourself to that pedicure you need after you've been to Barre for three weeks in a row.

Not beating myself up

Show of hands who is guilty of this. Me! Let yourself have a day off, or relax your goals during the weekend. Something that allows you release some stress. It's totally okay take a breather day after a long day at work.

What keeps you motivated to exercise? What are your favorite types of exercises?

On a separate note! I've teamed up with a great group of girls to giveaway a Bath and Body Works giftcard. Who doesn't need more apples & cinnamon scented candles?

 

Chemistry Catchet | The Whisper Box |  Blogs Like a Girl | Small Towns and City Lights | Simply Ashley Nicole |  Guenbt | Anchored to Sunshine | Alanna & Company

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

0

New Blog Layout!

Phew! I think everything is now up and running. I started transitioning yesterday and finished up today. Yeah, I'm impulsive and wild about designs. Regardless, I'm super excited about the new layout change. Georgia Lou studios has some really good templates and great customer service, even though I didn't need any help installing this time!

Just a couple updates. There is a featured posts slider. I'm going to be updating it with new posts that have larger images so that picture isn't awkward and blown out of proportion. But in the meantime, I apologize if the featured images look a bit wonky. They're not the right size, but I'm not going to go back and change all my photos. I'll still keep a "pinnable" vertical image in each post but I've moved it down to the bottom of the page, so you can look for the most "pinterest-optimized" image at the bottom of each post now.

Lastly, please shoot me an email or comment on this post if you notice anything broken or not viewing properly in your browser. I've checked it out in Firefox and Chrome, but if you're a mac user and it looks weird on safari, let me know!

On another note, thank you to everyone who has been linking up with Sarah and I for humpday confessions. It was our second week together and we had 18 people link-up! How awesome is that? I'm super thankful to all of you and I really mean each single one of you who takes the time to participate, comment on my posts, and visit my blog. If you are a silent reader who doesn't comment, take some time to introduce yourself. I really try to reach out to everyone as much as I possibly can.



Say hello to this month's sponsor:

0

Perfect Gifts for the Dog Lover

Man's best friend is truly the most accurate
description when it comes to dogs. I have had Starla a little over a year now and she has completely changed my life for the better. She keeps me happy, entertained, and she keeps me healthy.

As a complete pet lover, I get super excited when Starla gets gifts. All pet owners love getting gifts for their pets just as much as they like getting gifts themselves. So here's some ideas of gifts to get for the dog lover/owner in your life for the holidays.

Framed Pictures

I can never have enough pictures of Starla. I have them in my office, in my room, throughout my apartment.

New Toys

For most dogs, toys don't last too long. I've been lucky that Starla isn't too much of a destroyer however, her favorite toys still get pretty ratty after a couple months. New toys are always a great idea.

Toy Basket

Baskets are great to keep toys organized. For dogs like Starla that have lots of toys, a nice big basket can help keep organized and look good in your home.

A new dog bed

Starla loves having comfy beds to sleep in. If the dog likes to stretch out when they sleep, lounge type beds are the best. If they like to curl up when they sleep, cuddlers are better.

Dog Pillowcases

As much as Starla like her own beds, she likes my bed, too. How adorable are these doggy themed pillowcases?

Doggy Attire

With the colder months coming up, some dog attire might be required. I have a winter coat for Starla that covers up her tummy since she doesn't have much fur on her belly. For other city dogs like Starla some winter boots might be something you want to consider. They often salt all the sidewalks around my building and salt is caustic on dog's paw pads. They might hate it at first, but it's worth it in the end.

New Treats and Food

If your dog is like Starla, any and all treats are presents for her. Whether you go for commercial brands or smaller brands, make sure you read the label to make sure they will be a good option for the dog considering any allergies or food sensitivities. I recently heard of an all-american brand called Brother's Complete. They are grain free, GMO free, no artificial colors or flavors, and have digestive enzymes and probiotics in their dry food. Not only that, but they are great for dogs with food allergies! With dry foods like turkey, venison, and chicken they'll have options for whichever your dog likes best. I had been feeding Starla a sweet potato and venison, so when I moved her over to Brother's Complete, we stuck with the venison. She absolutely loves the food and treats.

Just because we're such fans, we've teamed up with Brothers Complete to provide three lucky winners a 10 lb bag of dog food for your dog to try.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What do you plan on getting for the pet lovers in your life?

 

0

Humpday Confessions | Let's take a step back

Phew it's been a tough week since last Wednesday. Let's get right to the confessions.

I confess that

I didn't even hear about the Paris situation until about 5 p.m. on Friday. I almost had to pull over my car so that I could listen on the radio to what was happening. Super shocking and appalling. I can't believe that I didn't even hear about Beirut the day before. I usually try to keep apprised of news daily but I've been out of the loop lately.

I'd be lying to say if I wasn't afraid for DC, too. I know that ISIS is pretty notorious of threats and unsubstantiated claims but after this Friday and now seeing a threat to hit the nation's capital does have me a bit worried. In addition, having a shooter situation this Monday that caused me to work from home has me a bit flustered.

I'm also really frustrated with everyone being offended about this and that on social media. I feel like everyone is offended by something nowadays and we all just need to take a step back and relax. The whole #RedCup situation, completely stupid. Since when has Starbucks had "Christmas" themed cups? Never. They had snowmen and snowflakes. To those offended Christians, sorry but I didn't realize you laid claim to that. Secondly, that people are mad that Paris is "getting all the attention" and that Mizzou isn't. WHAT?! Both issues are important. Let's all just agree to be humans here and take a step back before getting all up-in-arms.

on a happier note, I can't wait for Thanksgiving and I'm so excited that it's next week. This year we're staying at my parent's house and my aunt and uncle are coming up to visit. Which is good because I only get off Thursday and Friday this year. Still no time off since I'm still on my first ninety-days of my new job. What are your plans for Thanksgiving?

I'm struggling with my creativity recently. I'm not sure if my creativity is draining because I'm brain dead from studying for the GRE and prepping grad school applications or it's just that foggy time of the year when I'm preoccupied by other things. Send me some creativity.

I just got my first box of Hello Fresh (Thanks, Cat!) and can't wait to start cooking it up. I've heard some issues about delivery but it actually came right on time for me. Right at 8 p.m. and luckily my front desk called me to pick it up because it's perishable, obviously. Finally good customer service at my apartment! If you want to see me struggle to cook Hello Fresh, definitely come follow me on snapchat @alannaandco. It'll be funny.

I ran for 45 minutes the other day (with a few stops here and there for Starla) and actually felt great. My shin splints only hurt at the beginning and I wasn't dying the next day. Maybe the cool weather helps? I don't know what it is but I haven't tried running since the summer and maybe I'll give it a try again before it gets too chilly outside. How have you been keeping fit in the colder weather?

Now onto the link-up!

Here are the ground rules for the link-up:

• Each Wednesday create a post about what’s going on in your life and confess!


• Grab the button and include it in your post or include a text link back to the link-up.


• Link up so we can see what you're confessing this week.


• Comment on at least one other blogger’s post from the link up.


• Feel free to share on social media with the hashtag #HumpdayConfessions and I'll retweet.


• Enjoy!

0

The Best Places to Shop for Petite

Short girls rejoice! I am so glad that there are now so many more options for petite clothing. Not only am I short-waisted but I also have pretty short legs, and that makes shopping a bit more tricky for me. Before I ran across these amazing brands, my poor mom and her sewing machine were working overtime trying to hem everything for me. Yes, I know, I should probably know how to hem myself at this point, but sometimes your mom likes to do things for you, so take advantage!

Here are my favorite places to shop for clothing that doesn't need to have an extra hem work done.

LOFT

Loft is amazing because almost all of their styles come in petite size including shirts, dresses, and pants! A lot of places only carry petite size pants! This way, you can find a nice "over-the-knee" dress that doesn't fall below your knees!

American Eagle

Yes, this was a place you shopped when you were in high school, but you can still shop there now! I've bought my jeans from them since high school and I'm never trying anything new. I've heard that Gap jeans had a good petite size, and they pants literally covered my feet in the petite size! American Eagle has a short length that is truly short! These are great for wearing with heels or flats and can even tuck into boots nicely. However, if you want to roll these, they'll be too short. If you want to roll it to wear with booties (or something along those lines), get the regular length.

J Crew

I haven't been shopping at J Crew as frequently as I used to because I find their items have been getting more and more expensive! However, their petite section is pretty legendary and has tons of options for us short girls. Not only do they have petite-sized pants, but they have anything from pajamas to wedding attire.

Anthropologie

Even though I'm not a huge fan of Anthro as a lot of you probably are, they have great petite options. They focus on the important things like smaller arm holes, higher knee breaks, and tailored sleeves!

Topshop

I'll admit I haven't tried topshop yet, but I've only been hearing great things and this was recently suggested to me for amazing petite options. You can find trendy pieces, that aren't too expensive, and are ready-to-wear!

Lastly, I'll leave you with some general tips I try to follow for what type of clothing works best for us petite-girls.

What you want:

Heels are a huge plus. Nothing drastic needed, even a 1-2" heel will help elongate your legs.

Low-rise pants also help make your torso look longer if you have a short-torso.

Vertical Stripes give the effect of looking taller and slimmer.

What to avoid:

Crops.

Long, unstructured skirts.

Chunky, big belts.

Shirt-dresses or tunic tops.

Where do you love to shop that flatters your body type?

 

0

Books to Read Before They Hit Theaters

One of my biggest pet peeves is when I watch a movie before I read the book. Most often, the book is a lot better. Sometimes, like the Martian, you get to see two different points of view from the movie versus the book. Either way, if you go to see a movie with me, most likely I'll have read the book before hand (if there is one).

Every year I do the same thing, I peruse which books will be made into movies the coming year and put them all on my library queue. So here's what's on my list for this year.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

Genre: Horror/Fantasy/Comedy?

I haven't read this yet and I wasn't a huge fan of Pride and Prejudice, but I think the mix of comedy with classic characters is going to be quite entertaining. Basically Elizabeth has turned into a zombie-killer since her entire town has fallen prey to a disease that is turning everyone into zombies. Have you all read this yet?

 

The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

Genre: Children's, Classic, Fiction

I know this is already a Disney movie that you probably saw when you were a child but this adaptation will star Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba and Bill Murray! A must-see. Honestly, I've never read the book, have you?

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Genre: YA Sci Fiction

This is the third book in the Divergent series. I crushed through this series a while ago, but they're great reads and even if you haven't started the series yet, I'm sure you can plow through all three before the next movie comes out. My only warning is that the movies aren't very true to form to the books. I liked the books a lot better than the movies. But you should try out both to determine for yourself.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Genre: Fiction

I read this book before I even knew it was going to be a movie (which rarely happens) it was an amazing book and was hard to put down. I can only expect an amazing movie with Emilia Clarke & Sam Claflin in it. It is set to come out in June 2016.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling

Genre: YA Fantasy

Who else was a total nerd and read this book immediately after you finished the Harry Potter series? It's kind of a funny little book, but get to reading it before the movie comes out November 2016 starring Eddie Redmayne & Ezra Miller.

The Choice by Nicholas Sparks

Genre: Romance

I actually haven't read this one yet, so I'm not sure how good or bad it is. However, Nicholas Sparks can usually pull through with a good tear-jerking romance, and I'm sure this one will be just as good as his others. This one comes out soon so put it at the top of your queue before February 2016.

How to Be Single by Liz Tuccillo

Genre: Romance, Chick-Lit (Does anyone else hate the term chick lit?)

I don't think this is something I'd usually put on my queue for reading but it has some good reviews on goodreads and apparently is a pretty quick read. I think the movie will be a great chick flick.

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancy

Genre: YA Sci-Fi

Have you guys even heard of this book? I definitely hadn't. It's a young-adult dystopian future. If you aren't already sick of these types of books (Hunger Games, Divergent Series, Maze Runner, etc...) I'd give it a try. It will be starring Chloe Grace Moretz.

The BFG by Roald Dahl

Genre: Children's Fantasy

I'm kind of embarrassed how excited I am for this. If you haven't read this before, the BFG is a big friendly giant who is ostracized by other giants because he won't eat little children. Then a little girl runs into him and discovers his friendly nature. Plus, Steven Spielberg will be directing.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Genre: Fantasy, Mystery

Even though this book is marketed as a young adult book, I didn't categorize it as such because I really think that all ages can read and enjoy this book equally. It's a mix of fantasy, horror, and mystery and the book keeps you on your toes. Similar to any other creepy horror, guess who's directing it? That's right, Tim Burton. You have until the end of 2016 to read this one.

You can always see what I have on my list to read on my Goodreads account, too!

What I Read

Bossy Pants by Tina Fey
Wicked by Gregory Maguire

What I'm currently reading

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

My Reading Challenge Updates

Total Books this month: 2

Total Books read this year: 20/25

Total Books Read for the Modern Mrs. Darcy Challenge: 8 / 12

 

What books are you looking forward to reading in 2016?

 

73

Humpday Confessions | When Subscription Boxes Aren't Worth It

First of all, I have some excited news to announce. Some of you may know Sarah from Plucky in Love. I just met her about a month ago, surprisingly enough, and both of us were hosting separate humpday confessions link-ups. So today, we've come together and will join forces for a group Humpday Confessions going forward that way you won't have to link-up on both of our sites. You can just link-up once and will be listed on both of our sites. Yay!

I confess that

I had a minor panic attack last week. If you follow me on Snapchat, you would have seen the entire thing. What happened was that I signed up for Julep and they send me a nice dark blue and purple color. Great for the fall, right? So I painted it on and it came on really thick and not very smooth. So I wanted to take it off and re-do the paint job. Here's when it all went wrong. The color barely came off my nails even though I had used a base coat, and then stained my all my fingertips too. It took a good 45 minutes to soak off about half of the color from my fingertips and nails. Such a disaster. Needless to say, I cancelled the subscription. I've had dark colors from Essie and OPI and this has never happened to me. I really did like their lipstick and lip gloss that they sent...

This weekend was literally the best! I met up with a friend this Friday for dinner to catch up. I had some downtime on Saturday to do some laundry and cleaning and then went hiking with friends and Starla on Sunday. The weather was perfectly cool and I'm glad I got to enjoy it before it dropped down into the 40s and 50s this week.

 

the above hunky dude is the boyfriend. I don't know yet how frequently he'll be featured or if I want to share his name or whatever else. I promise that if I do chose to use a nickname for above hunky man, it will be something funny and creative. So if you see him pop up here, that's who he is.

with that said, we're trying to plan an all-inclusive vacation of some sort. Send me your favorite places that you've been. My absolute favorite vacation was an all-inclusive in Cabo at RIU. I love their resorts. I definitely want to do Carribean because it will be quick and easy to get to and from, but I'm over Bahamas and Puerto Rico. Where should we go?

 

Starla is now a fashion model. Do you think she'll be willing to help me model my Stitchfix reviews?

Now onto the link-up!

Here are the ground rules for the link-up:

• Each Wednesday create a post about what’s going on in your life and confess!


• Grab the button and include it in your post or include a text link back to the link-up.


• Link up so we can see what you're confessing this week.


• Comment on at least one other blogger’s post from the link up.


• Feel free to share on social media with the hashtag #HumpdayConfessions and I'll retweet.


• Enjoy!

 

0

Average Daily Struggles

I started writing this post after reading Nina's amazing post about the only way she can keep blogging. If you haven't seen it yet, read it.

To summarize, she feels that some blogs/posts are inauthentic or recycled from so many other posts. And instead of writing a post of "Why I Won't Read Your Blog," (because how many of those posts have we seen?), she encourages us as bloggers to infuse our personality into our posts and really write quality posts.

I definitely continue to struggle with this on this blog as I focus on growing my following, keeping my readers (YOU!) interested, and letting my creativity shine through. I've been writing a lot of "how-to" posts or blogging posts, and you guys love them! I'm happy that you do. However, if you searched google on the same tips I provided, you can find that exact information elsewhere. My blog's name is Alanna & Company, which is essential my brand. My brand is me, so I am going to try to infuse a bit more "me" into everything you see here on this little space. Or a lot bit more.

To branch into a different thought is all about Essena O'Neill and her rant. I'm not going to get into the details of the rant and how we all feel about it. But what I am going to talk about is ME! and not blogosphere/instagram me, the real me!

1. Math

I'm not even talking about my GRE prep math. I'm talking about like tips at restaurants, when you "fall back" an hour for daylights savings time does that mean you gain an hour or lose one, and when my GPS tells me to turn in 400 yards, how far is that really? We gained an hour right? Why is it so dark outside?

2. Fashion in General.
I'm totally not fashionable at all. Luckily, I haven't tried to fake a fashion post on here but believe-you-me I've thought about it! I'm just not stylish. My typical garb is jeans, my really cool walking shoes, and some sort of blouse from Loft that will match anything. Don't even try and think of giving me a pair of colored jeans and asking me to match it with something other than white.

I've come far....but not far enough.

3. Beauty in General.
A little while ago I picked up my friend to go to a birthday brunch. I put on all my expensive ($12 CVS foundation) make-up and think I'm looking pretty fly. As soon as we get in the car, she says "Wait...Hold on," and proceeds to rub my chin. "You haven't blended at all. I can see the difference between your face and neck." Whoops.

4. Tripping

I honestly think it's because of the shoes I purchase. For example, these sandals I purchased are really slippery. Secondly, why did they tile the metro floor?

I was trying to metro home on a Friday night (and I may have had a drink...or two) and I'm walking in my FLAT sandals and trip over my own feet and totally land face first on the metro tiles. I had a bruise on my chin for a week.

5. Inappropriate Exclamations

If a raindrop falls on my head thats unexpected I say, "Ow!", or when I tripped up the metro stairs the other day I said, "Whoopsie!", when someone cuts me off driving I say, "Jesus!" (By the way, I'm Jewish if you didn't know.) I can't...I just can't with myself.

6. Making terrible decisions and making people take pictures of it.

 

 

7. Having a terrible sense of smell.

"Mmm I can really smell the rose and earthy tones in this wine." Ummmm...

Or a even better example was when my roommate was making breakfast and I walk downstairs and say, "Something smells good, what's cooking?" and she responds, "I just burnt toast."

Well there you have it. A whole random list of things I struggle with on a daily basis.

What things do you struggle with?

0

Dog Park Etiquette

One of my favorite activities to do with Starla is going to dog parks. Not only can does she get to socialize and play, but I also get to enjoy some nice outside time! I totally think that all dog owners need to find a good dog park and have some regular dog park outings with your pup. However, dog parks can also be a nightmare if someone is there with an aggressive dog or is disrespectful.

For example,

#TheWORST

I teamed up with my blogging bud, Laura, to discuss Dog Park Etiquette. Let's start with the basics.

Always keep your dog in eyesight

I would hope that you would know this when you have a dog, but I've been shocked about how many owners just sit down, peek at their phones, and lose track of their dog.

Watch your dog and other dog's body language

Definitely give your dog space to grow some independence and play with other dogs, but always be vigilant. Here's a great chart to reference if you aren't familiar with dog body language, are a new dog owner, or just need a refresher.

 

(via)

Anxious and nervous can easily move to agressive. Starla is a herding dog and pretty dominant. I have to make sure that she is playing with dogs that are okay with her play-style (herding & chasing) and make sure that no other dog gets frightened, anxious, or aggressive with her. For example, she loves chasing dogs that are playing fetch and herding them. Many dog just want to play fetch without someone nipping at their heels (Laura's dog!) so I have to make sure that the dog that she's trying to herd doesn't mind. Otherwise, I call her off and keep moving.

Be courteous to other owners

We're all there for our dogs, so be courteous to your fellow dog owners. Please, don't smoke at the dog park. The second-hand smoke is not good for other humans or the dogs. Also, keep the phone chatter at home.

No treats!

I'm sure some people will disagree with me on this but here's why. I know it’s nice to use these parks as a training ground while socializing your dog. And what’s the number one source we all use to train our dogs? Treats! However, what's one of the top reasons for dog-on-dog aggression? Protecting their treats/food.

Secondly, most dogs can sniff out treats pretty easily. So then there's a herd of dogs following one person. Starla's definitely followed a poor guy around for a good five minutes before I had to physically walk her away from him.

If you do want to break my rule and bring treats, do not feed other dogs the treats! You don't know what allergies this dog has, if it's on a diet, anything about this other dog. Unless the owner specifically says that it's okay for you to give their dog a treat, don't even think about it.Save the treats for when you get home and your dog has cooled down. I'm a huge fan of all Natural Balance products. If you haven't tried these dental chews, you need to try them now! Starla's breath is totally under control, they're grain-free, and the perfect size for a quick chew.

Get them at Chewy.com!

Take them off leash!

It's an off-leash park, so let you dogs off their leashes! A lot of owners who aren't comfortable will keep their dogs on a leash, but honestly that's not the best way. A dog on leash is essentially a tripping hazard, especially if the leashed dog begins to play. A scared dog can also get wrapped up in the leash and can hurt themselves. Don't get me started on retractable leashes, either. There are so many reasons to not even have a retractable leash in the first place.

In addition, dogs on leash can feel more insecure because they know they can't escape if they need to, so they can actually trigger fights that might not otherwise have happened.

If you, as an owner follow these few rules, your dog park outings will be much more successful and you'll have a happy, socialized, and tired pup!

Now go head over to Laura's way to see her dog park etiquette tips for dogs!

Have you ever had any bad dog park experiences? What tips do you have to give to other owners about dog parks?

 

0

Humpday Confessions | Fried Foods are not Friends

I confess that...

I love trying out new places for dinner, brunch, and happy hours. However it get's expensive?! When can Bitches Who Brunch just hire me already? (cough...) Or can restaurants just pay me to come there and eat? How do I achieve this?

Speaking of new restaurants, I tried out Golden Brown Delicious (GBD) on Connecticut this weekend for brunch and Oz in Clarendon for dinner. I've been to GBD before for happy hour, which is awesome! They have $3 wines and punches until 7 p.m. which is basically the cheapest happy hour I've found around Dupont so far. However, if you want to go to GBD for brunch, prepare yourself for deep fried everything. I thought it was what I wanted that morning but I literally had friend chicken in a maple bacon glazed donut with a pound of french fries. My stomach was so not happy with me after that.

I knew there was a time change this week but I totally forgot that it meant earlier nights and brighter mornings. I used to walk Starla in the dark, with no one to see my crazy hair, huge coke bottle glasses, and flip flops. Now I actually need to make sure that my hair isn't sticking straight up because people can actually see me in the mornings. Dangit. Also, I used to take most of my blog photos after work with the natural lighting. NOPE. I'm going to have to figure out a lighting situation. How/When do you all take your photos?

I signed up for my first beauty box. I signed up for JulepMaven because I really need to start doing my own manicures and getting more nail polish colors. I didn't realize that they also send you full-size beauty products in your box. I got an amazing lipstick and lip gloss with it too. I love the colors for fall, and they match perfectly. However, their polish is really thick and the brushes are super large. I didn't realize this and globbed it on thick and all over my fingers the first time. I think next time will be better though.

I don't like the new American Horror Story season :( Maybe I just need to give it some time so I can binge-watch it all in a row like I did with the other seasons, but it's just not grabbing me this time around.

some shameless self-promotion, but this is also good news for you! I'm having a quick flash sale for the beginning of November for my ad spots. I'm giving a discount for my top two ad spots (In-post Banner and Big Company)! So come sign up using code "NOVEMBER". You can also read up on all my stats, testimonials, and which ad spot entails what.

 

Now onto the link-up!

Here are the ground rules for the link-up:

• Each Wednesday create a post about what’s going on in your life and confess!


• Grab the button and include it in your post or include a text link back to the link-up. This will be mandatory.


• Link up so we can see what you're confessing this week.


• Comment on at least one other blogger’s post from the link up, if there is more than one hopefully!


• Feel free to share on social media with the hashtag #HumpdayConfessions and I'll retweet.


• Enjoy!

Linking up with Life with Lolo

0

How to Ace Your First Week of a New Job

Starting a new job is exciting, but also stressful. There's always a learning curve in any new office, no matter how much experience you are bringing with you. However, if you start off on a good foot, you set yourself up for success in your new job. Some of these might seem obvious, but maybe not for everyone. Here are my tips to help you ace your first week.

Get there early

Or at least be on time. What would be worse than being late to your first day of your new job, and on top of that you're now flustered (maybe sweaty) and rushed. Why not plan an extra half hour and if you have the extra time, stop by a Starbucks and pick up a latte on your way into the office.

Bring some supplies with you

We would all love to expect a fully-set up office space the day that you start, but many times that's just not the case. Make sure you bring a couple pens, a notebook, and even some sticky notes. My must-have items also include a water bottle, iPhone charger, hand sanitizer, and a change of shoes. But at the bare minimum, pens and notebook for sure!

Ask Questions

For the most part, no one will expect you to know exactly what you're doing the first day of the job. Don't feel afraid to ask questions from your boss, your coworkers, or even your subordinates. When you ask questions, take that handy notepad and write down your answers so you don't need to ask again. Nothing is more frustrating than a new coworkers who keeps asking the same question over and over.

Dress appropriately

Usually HR will tell you ahead of time what type of attire your workplace requires. If they don't, it never hurts to shoot them a quick email before your first day of work. If all else fails, skirt, (shoulder-covering) blouse, and flats can never fail. It's always better to overdress than underdress. I showed up at my most recent job in heels, a black business dress, and a light pink cardigan. Turns out that my new office is casual attire. Everyone was wearing short sleeve t-shirts, jeans, and sandals. Whoops!

Be social media savvy

I get it. Most of the time, the first week is pretty slow. You're being introduced to people, their system, and procedures. Unless you're lucky and get thrown into the thick of it right away, make sure to keep yourself entertained. As tempting as logging onto Facebook and browsing through your timeline might sound, it might not look to good when your IT tech comes up to configure your inbox and all you have up is Facebook.

In addition, if you have any first gut feelings about the job, don't post them. Who knows if you want to befriend a coworker on social media or even if they happen to stumble upon one of your accounts and you have a tweet saying, "zzz snooze fest over here at this new job."

Be friendly

I loved Amanda's girl-boss tips the other day, and I have to agree with her 100%. Even though you don't need to be best friends with all of your coworkers, but you should at least be friendly and approachable, starting on day one! Your coworkers will be more inclined to help you out and show you the ropes if they see a friendly face.

There you have it. If you follow these simple steps, you can definitely ace your first week of a new job easily!

What suggestions do you have to others at their first week of a new job?

don't always have the money to buy these ad spaces...so what do you do then?!

Well, we have a solution for you today...this lovely group of bloggers is giving away 21 ad spaces! That means that one lucky winner will get TWENTY ONE months of free ad space! Imagine the growth for your blog!! Enter now, and good luck!!

Alanna - Alanna & Co // Amanda - Knock on Wood // Anne - Love the Here and Now // Ashley - Simply Ashley Nicole // Christine - Christine Everyday
Diana - Diana Elle // Helen - Hel on Heels // Jessica - Jessica Lynn Writes // Kerri - Hey Kerri // Laura - Life with Lolo
Lindsay - The Flynnigans // Macy - To Travel & Beyond // Mar - T.O. & fro // Meagan - All the Joys // Rachael - The Rachael Way
Sheryl - How to Make a Life
Tayler - The Morrell Tale

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

0