Spring Wardrobe Wishlist: Work Edition

Yes, I suck at blogging because I get distracted by life and end up leaving it be for a month.

Basically I had a Supernatural marathon trying to catch up on the 9 seasons. (I finally did holla!)

Anyways, I recently interviewed for a job at a law firm- I didn't get the job, but it opened my eyes to how much I'll need to update my wardrobe if I want to work in an office that actually enforces the business casual dress code (My current job claims to, but I argue that the majority of lower level people take a lot of liberty on the casual side of the dress code).

Don't get me wrong- I do own several nice pieces, but I'm missing a lot of basics!

So without further ado I present my Spring Wardrobe Wishlist: Work Edition

1. Grey Pencil Skirt- I currently own a black and patterned pencil skirt, but I'm missing grey which will work nicely with my extreme paleness. Black can be so harsh sometimes and though I wear it a lot, I love using grey as a neutral.
2. Grey Dress Pants- Again I own dress pants- black, grey and tan. My problem is that currently most of my work pants don't fit correctly, are old, or falling apart because they are cheaply made. I recently bought I beautiful pair of black dress pants from Banana Republic and it was love at first site- especially since I was able to get them for under $40 thanks to an amazing sale. I want to find something like that again- only in grey because like I said before, I love using grey as a softer neutral.
3. Black Heels- You think I would have these considering I work in an office right? Apparently this is incorrect and I've never noticed. I own black heeled-ankle boots, black open-toed heels, black heels with a funky strap, and countless other pairs that are various colors, but somewhere along the line I forgot to buy a basic pair of comfortable black heels to wear at the office. It's time to change that.
4. Bright Colored Cardigan- I wear cardigans all the time and I own several different ones, but it's time to update and purge through the ones I own. Cardigans are great for a typical day at the office or adding en extra layer to a dress/ outfit to add a finished look (Plus they are beyond comfortable). I have a weird pet peeve where I don't like my arms covered with a full length sleeve, I always end up pushing my sleeve halfway up my arm because I get irritated. So I'm looking for some spring colored 3/4 sleeves cardigans because they will be the perfect touch to my work wardrobe without being too formal (something I get called out on every time I over dress at my current job).
5. Patterned Blouse- I own blouses in a few different colors. I love wearing them and I feel so put together in them, but I have one flaw. I'm afraid to try a patterned blouse. I always end up buying solid colors and that can get so boring! I think I could handle a subtle polka dot or animal print as long as the pattern was neutral enough to pair with multiple colors of blazers or cardigans. I don't want to buy a top that ends up only working for one or two pieces in my closet. Wish me luck on this one.
6. Stud Earrings- I'm terrible about jewelry. Half the time I don't put earrings in and I walk out the door in my signature silver pendant necklace from my boyfriend, my class ring from high school, and a ring I acquired last summer from Yellowstone. I want to find some nice basic studs that have a little something to the design so I can feel like I'm trying though in reality I just threw them on last second. I love these knot earrings I found on pinterest and I'm inspired to find a few pairs of studs.
7. Statement Necklace- I am super super picky about necklaces. For years I wouldn't wear anything other than a simple short chain with a small pendant on it. I thought all other necklaces were gaudy and stupid. This past year I've graduated to long necklaces with a pendant or fairly simply design. That's a huge step for me, but I'm going to try to take it a step further now and buy a statement necklace. The one pictured above is one of the few I actually liked. I'm tempted to hunt that particular necklace down. This is really stepping outside my comfort zone.
8. Black Leather Riding Boots- Ok so maybe this fits more in the casual category, but I do occasionally wear my brown leather riding boots to work. It's a nice change from wearing heels all the time and they can really be dressed up with the right outfit. I desperately want a nice black pair made with real leather versus buying a cheap pair from target. This is going to be that special "just for me" gift I'll give myself once I find the right deal :)

What about you guys? What are your must haves for the office? What's something you're dying to grab this spring?

Let me know!

Ash

A More Beautiful Life

Jealous of all those girls that seem to have perfect lives and faces displayed for all of social media to see?

Don't be. Your life is every bit as amazing as theirs is and you should never be ashamed with what you bring to the table.

Want to know as secret about those girls?

Let's use me as an example- I consider myself decent looking, fairly average in the grand scheme of things, a typical every day person you could say.

Below are two photos, one is how I generally look on a daily basis as I tend to be lazy about hair, makeup, contacts etc. The other is a picture of a "me" that doesn't exist 99.5% of the time. Can you guess which one is which? (Hint: the one with glasses is my daily look)

 Surprise! Normally I'm not all dolled up and looking "fabulous" 

Want to know why? BECAUSE LOOKING LIKE A MODEL TAKES FOREVER.

Seriously guys in that second picture I have a spray tan, topped with self-tanner topped with foundation to smooth out my complexion. I have about a pound of mascara on each eye, eyeliner, eye shadow, and lipstick on. My hair was colored and trimmed just days before this shot was taken. I whitened my teeth with whitestrips for weeks and ultimately the photographer still airbrushed my skin/ whitened my teeth. Do you not understand how many hours of my life I wasted for one photo where I look like a completely different person? One where I did only half of what some girls do to put on makeup (Have you seen the number of different makeup brushes girls have?) These girls spend ages going through strict routines for cleaning their skin, applying make-up, working out, and eating healthy all to have "that look". It takes time, money, and lots, I mean LOTS, of dedication.

And you know what? That's 100% okay for them. These girls find beauty to be an important aspect of their life. Girls like this want to put in the time and effort to have flawless skin, a perfect body, perfectly shaped eyebrows. I look at their blogs and I envy their ease at looking so flawless while I'm sitting at my desk with slightly messy hair, little to no make-up and multiple acne spots covering my chin. At the same time I know I don't want to be one of them, not because I think they're shallow, but because of one simple fact.

I'm lazy and I don't have a ton of extra income. Do I really want to spend all my time making myself look like another person? Do I really want to throw my extra income into the expensive makeup because I think I'll look better? And when I say better, I mean that much closer the "perfect"? They say, "But it's only $20 dollars and it really enhances the make-up you wear". Christ, it took me 22 years just to feel justified spending more than $20 on a pair of shoes. 

Looking perfect online is exhausting people, and I for one am not going to even try to convince you my life is a fairytale filled with beauty and perfection. The real world is far more imperfect, and in my opinion, much more interesting. I don't want to belittle those of us women who pursue their ideal looks- brava to you girls because you have ten times the dedication that I'll ever have. For now I think I'll leave that sort of thing to those girls and focus on other areas of my life.

Cheers,

Ash

Bitter Cold and Productivity

Good morning people!

In case you didn't know I live in that freezing cold tundra known as Minnesota where currently it's -15 F or  about -26 C. Basically it's really, really cold outside. School has been closed for the fourth time this winter because of the extreme cold being so unsafe for anyone, especially children. It only takes minutes for exposed skin to get frostbite and believe me, it's painful. 

And I live here. In all honesty I don't see the great need to complain though. Minnesota is beautiful and unique in so many ways. Yes, it's freezing outside and I definitely won't be caught wandering the streets until it warms up again, but people seem to forget one tiny detail- it's still a comfortable 60 degrees (Fahrenheit) or so inside. If the heat goes out, then and only then I might start to panic, but for now I'll take my warm beverages and extra sweaters. (I live in scarves during this time of the year!)

Love this scarf- so soft and so comfy! 

Scarf 1
Scarf 2
Scarf 3
Scarf 4

On the productive side, I'm currently sending in for my high school transcript- I repeat high school transcript (something I haven't used in 6 years) so I can start taking some classes at a community college to help boost my grad school applications

Fingers crossed it works :)
ash.blogger.mn@gmail.com


Cheers!

Ash

A Better Future

Alright, today I'm going to tell you the truth about my life:

I really don't like my job. 

Whew. I feel better getting that off my chest.

But seriously, it's not that I'm ungrateful because I'm very thankful I at least have the job I have. In fact I'm thankful for both jobs I have. Though my dance team coaching job is more for fun, my main job is a help desk position. This means I provide computer support for my company. I only work part time because they don't have the budget to hire me on full time. Not the point of this post.

I don't like my job and it's effecting the rest of my life. Let that sink in for a few seconds. The fact that I don't feel fulfilled doing what I do has changed how I look at the rest of my life. I've settled into a routine that isn't amazing, but is comfortable. I don't shoot for anything higher because I've come to accept that I'm not meant to shine. 

Isn't that a terrible way to look at life? 
Personally I'm not okay with thinking like that anymore. Why shouldn't I be able to do something more with my life? Of course the normal worries and doubts always hit me:
- not enough money
- not enough time
- not enough experience

Hey want to hear a joke? 
Going to college thinking you'll get a good job just because you have a degree.
Hahahahahahaha. Ha.

But enough of that "finding a job sucks" talk. Guys, I'm doing it, I'm going to make my future better. I am so bloody bored with being the me that I am currently. So I'm going back to school, or I'm going to try. 

Step 1. Contact my high school- you know that building you spent four years in, but haven't set foot in since you graduated- and get my high school transcripts over to the local community college so I can start taking classes there to boost my grad school application.

Step 2. Find a part time job or volunteer opportunity to work in an area similar to what I want to go to grad school for. This is going to take some research on my part.

Step 1.5 Find a full time job that pays the bills so I can afford to do all this- I send out applications weekly, haven't heard any positive responses yet. Never give up, never surrender or something like that...

That's about all I have planned so far, but honestly that's going to take up the next year of my life. I'm going to roll with it and we'll see what happens.

If anyone has any suggestions for getting into grad school throw them my way!

ash.blogger.mn@gmail.com

Cheers!

Ash

The world of "beauty"

Hello everyone, it's been a few days and I've been doing a lot of thinking. Lately all I seem to read about on facebook is why fat shaming is bad, why the thigh gap obsession is bad, why magazines are bad, why we're all beautiful. Honestly I'm very happy that so many people are similar minded in that we don't all need to be size zeros to be beautiful.

I'm going to try to word this as best as I can because it's not my aim to offend people. All to often I see the words "love you the way you are" which I completely agree with. We should all be comfortable in our own bodies and find the beauty we all have. I'm not saying don't be happy as you are. It's just these articles say love yourself if you're a size 20 or if you're a size 6. Be happy with the way you look and embrace your beauty that you have. Great, great message... except one tiny little thing. I swear my entire life I was taught in schools that we come in all shapes and sizes, but some are healthier than others. If you're 100lbs over what is considered a healthy weight for your body than I think that you should maybe consider that, though you love yourself, you're not treating your body as though you love it. 

I guess ultimately I wish there was a bigger push for a healthy life style versus what lately seems like skinny girl shaming. It's not healthy to be under weight. It's not healthy to be over weight. You want to live a full and happy life? Why not focus taking better care of it? I get that we're busy people and rarely do we have the time or money to look like those women and men on tv, but we don't have to. Celebrities and models get paid to look a certain way- something I've always thought was stupid and completely unfair- we don't. I don't have to be a size 0 to feel beautiful, but I could cut down on the junk food I eat. I could also try to make sure my life is just a little bit more active. Who physically doesn't have time to add a twenty minute walk? Or ten minute ab work out in the living room? Honestly there's even exercises you can do sitting at a desk all day. 

We don't need to lose a bunch of weight or have the perfect six pack, but we should consider taking better care of our bodies. Do you really need a whole giant bag of Doritos? Because honestly I think I'm not a terrible person telling you the answer is no, you don't. It tastes good, so eat some of it, but why do you need to eat the entire bag? 

My challenge to women is not to settle. Our bodies are what gives us life and to treat them poorly seems like a great insult. I'm not saying you're fat. I'm not saying you're a bad person. I'm not saying you have to agree with my opinions. I am saying that I believe there's a beauty to taking better care of ourselves, no matter how small the change is. For me, I'm trying to switch my caffeine habit over to green tea and follow the very very basic workout guidelines I set for myself. For others it could simply be taking your dog on a fifteen minute walk before work, cooking a home meal with fruits and veggies instead of going to McDonalds, or drinking more water instead of pop. Like I said, little things because I'm not going to lie, taking better care of your body does make you feel better. You have more energy and life seems brighter. I know I'm not the only one who feels this way.

If you could make one change in your life to live slightly healthier what would it be? Try it out for two weeks and tell me how you feel after. I'm a week in to my "healthier living" and I can already feel less tired, less stressed, and more alive.

ash.blogger.mn@gmail.com

Cheers,

Ash

Being grateful

Gratefulness 

This is a trait that should be valued, but often is forgotten about. Think about your day so far. Think about the conversations you've had with friends/co-workers/family/ etc. How many of those conversations involved at least one complaint about something? I bet you that at least once today you've complained about some aspect of your life. I do it all the time and I wish I didn't. In fact starting with this post I'm going to actively work on complaining less. 

How often do we find ourselves beginning sentences with " I hate" or "I wish --- was different" or "--- sucks"?

Why talk like this? Why set yourself up for a negative thought? In all honesty would you rather focus on the good things in life or the bad? If you answered "the bad" I honestly have nothing more to say to you. Enjoy being unhappy, but keep that negativity out of my life.

My last post alone should be evidence that I don't spend enough time simply enjoying life. Everyone look at the big fantastic world outside your window. What if you'll never be a millionaire? What if you'll never have that dream job you want? What if that guy you're dating right now breaks up with you a few months down the road? Stop worrying about it. Stop worrying life won't work out exactly how you had it planned. Stop focusing on what you don't have and instead focus on what you do have. You have to start with the foundation and work your way up. 

Give it a shot people. Stop at your desks and quietly reflect on what you do have. Be thankful you are fortunate to have something when so many have nothing. That F on that paper or that annoying co-worker that said something rude, is not going to matter down the road.

Cheers,

Ash

Frustrations of high school dance team coach

Hello folks,

Guys, I don't know about you, but I find working with teenagers exhausting. Was I really this difficult 6- 8 years ago? I love dance and I love teaching others to dance, but as the season gets more and more busy I find myself struggling to stay sane for the remaining weeks. I've composed a list of just a few of the frustrations I deal with on a daily basis.

Why coaching is aging me:

• Girls being late to practice- if practice starts at 3:30, that doesn't mean show up at 3:30, that means get your butt moving because practice has started.
• Girls skipping practice- I know what twitter is, I saw you tweet about going to the mall. Not cool.
• Parent's lying for their child- who does that? Just admit you're letting your daughter skip practice and stop babying her, we still find out the truth eventually. No your precious angel does not still deserve to perform this weekend because she chose to put her social life ahead of the team. 
• Unexcused absences- We have utilized facebook, email, and our own cell phones. You have zero excuse why you shouldn't be able to get a hold of us and explain why you can't be at practice. Furthermore we have told you at least ten different times that a parent needs to excuse you. This isn't rocket science. 
• Dance groupies- girls who join the team to get the clothes and then quit. I want to punch you. 
• Cell phones- touch your phone one more time at practice. I dare you.
• Hypochondriacs- How can you possibly have so many illnesses/ issues with your body? If something is going to restrict your dancing every single practice, maybe you should look at a different activity.
• My personal life- girls, stay out of it. I'm not your BFF, I'm your coach. What I do on the weekends when I am not working is none of your business. Don't ask me how much I drank or if I had sex with my boyfriend. Those are not appropriate topics.
• Lack of respect- just because I'm not working with you personally at this moment doesn't mean I can't see you in the corner of my eye sitting there doing nothing. Stretch, practice a skill without me, help a girl struggling. I'm not your babysitter.

I don't know about you, but I feel better after getting that off my chest. If anyone else feels the need to rant about something that bugs them please feel free to either email me personally or comment below, I'd love to hear from people :)

ash.blogger.mn@gmail.com

Cheers,

 Ash

A New Adventure

Yesterday at work I got the opportunity to tour our Youth In Government program as they had their annual conference. I can honestly say I had no idea such a program existed. It's amazing how big the program is and how amazing these high schoolers are!

For those of you who aren't aware of the program, YIG is a chance for 8th-12th graders to participate in a mock government. Students can work their way through the court system, House of Representatives, and one ambitious student even gets elected as the Youth Governor! These kids vote on bills, learn about lobbyists, argue in court, and so much more. I've never been that into politics before since I tend to believe that as a whole politicians are more concerned about getting things their way than actually helping people- not the point of my post though haha.

I met this year's Youth Governor and let me tell you, she is amazing. She's this beautiful young lady that's a senior in high school that is so polite and charismatic that I was blown away when introduced. Guys, this girl is is this tiny little thing and yet she commands more respect and authority than most adults I know. She was brilliant and confident while being humble at the same time.  Basically after listening to her talk to our group for ten minutes it made me:

- rethink my high school choices

- rethink my college choices

- feel completely inadequate as far as my life choices 

- feel utterly humbled beyond any level I've been to before

  

Bonus: I've never been to the capital building so of course I had to take pictures. I can not believe how beautiful the building is!

Cheers!

Ash

It's the small things...

So today is going to be a long day. Between two jobs I'm looking at not getting home until 9 pm. I was grumbling about it this morning until I realized that moaning about a long day isn't going to help the situation. Instead of complaining I'm better off trying to focus on the good things that today will bring.

Here's a list of some things that tend to brighten my day:

1. Coffee drinks- delicious and energizing!
2. Chocolate- the darker the better
3. A warm car- it gets really cold around here!
4. Naps- nothing better than crawling under the covers for an hour or two to recharge
5. Hot water in the shower- talk about a relaxer
6. Scarves- seriously guys, I think I have over 20 and I try to wear a different one daily
7. Books- I could read for hours upon hours and never tire
8. Finding new blogs to read- I love "meeting" all these real women on these blogs and getting a window into their lives, it's amazing and a bit humbling :)
9. Good morning texts- Every morning I get a good morning text from the love of my life and it never fails to make me smile
10. Waking up next to my puppy- He gives me the cutest little sleepy face every morning and we cuddle for at least fifteen minutes before I'll get out of bed. I could write an entire book about how wonderful my little pup is.

Like I said, simple things. Life doesn't have to be this great cosmic mystery. We are here to build ourselves a life and do with it what we will. The hope is that we'll do some good with the time given to us.

I'm off to a tour hosted by one of our youth departments, but everyone have a fantastic day!

Cheers!

Ash

Change

Change can be both frightening and exciting. As we grow we constantly change the little details of our lives.

 Four years ago my biggest change was when I went from a dark blonde to bright redhead.

           <-------------->

Two years ago my biggest change was graduating college.

Last year I got a puppy.

This year one of my changes I want to make is how I live a healthy life. So I'm posing a challenge to myself. I can actually thank my co-worker for bullying my to commit to a three month challenge to live a healthier life. I'm not doing anything crazy or outrageous. I'm not going to start a crazy diet. I am not going to become addicted to working out for hours on end. Basically I'm challenging myself to add a healthy routine that just about anyone can fit into their week.

First Objective: Limit the fast food.

This is going to probably be the hardest one for me since I get a craving almost daily for fries or other greasy foods. I'm going to try to cut down to only eating fast food 4x a month, less if I can. This is going to require me to make more lunches when I can't get home for lunch. This also means I'm going to have to limit myself to grabbing a quick meal with friends. This does not include eating out at actual restaurants. Lately if I'm going out to eat somewhere nice it's more than likely going to be sushi or something that is not a normal part of my meal plans. This also only tends to happen if it's date night with Frank. We'll see how this goes!

Second Objective: Stretch 4x/ week for 10 minutes.

Ok so I've been a dancer most of my life and four years ago I use to be very flexible. Now that I'm not as active and I don't stretch regularly my flexibility is suffering- at least from my point of view. Of course my friends point out that I am still far more flexible than they'll ever be, but I miss the old me. I'm going to try and bring her back. Stretching is also amazingly good for you. I don't care what any health study says about stretching before participating in sports, I'm talking about that hour before you go to bed when you're laying around and watching tv. Stretching is relaxing and a great way to quietly focus on any little thoughts you might feel. I use stretching as a form of meditation and I'll never give it up. Stretching also prevents some injuries. The more flexible you are the less likely you'll pull that muscle when you bend down to touch your toes ;) Honestly I'm no medical expert, I just am a firm believer in keeping myself flexible!

Third Objective: 2 hours of actual exercise a week.

I don't know about you guys, but I hate running, I hate lifting, I hate most traditional workouts. They're boring and leave me shaky, gasping for breath. Granted they're good for me, I understand, but my desire is next to nothing when it comes to going to the gym. This part of the challenge will be hard because I'll either have to suck it up and do a traditional workout or I'll have to get creative and look into fitness classes etc. I wish I could find an adult dance class or two that I could afford- that would fit me perfectly. We'll see what I come up with for this part. Right now I'm considering home pilates and some sort of quick cardio. Maybe a muscle sculpting 5 minute workout blast or two. I'm not trying anything crazy remember? I'm trying to stick to a lazy-ish version of living a healthy life that might inspire my fellow lazy people (United we stand!)

Now that I've ranted away for an un-godly amount of time I'll leave you all. I hope everyone has a fantastic rest of the week and if any one wants to share and health related goals with me I'd love to hear! Maybe we can motivate each other?

Ash

New Year, New Me

Hello and welcome,

I have started a blog several times before and some how they've all faded away one by one. This time around I'm determined to push through and make this into something that lasts!

My name is Ashley and I live in Minnesota. I graduated college in 2012. I'm terrible at remembering to pay my bills, but I've managed to stay on top of them. I love most furry animals, especially dogs and horses. My puppy is the love of my life, my other is my boyfriend. He lives in Chicago so we have been working through a long distance thing- not the point of this post though. I'll save that story for another day perhaps :)
I love to read making Belle my favorite Disney princess, Ariel is a close second- gotta love redheads. I don't like my job, mostly because I don't feel like I'm any good at it and it fails to motivate me. I love to dance and I've danced the majority of my life. Some day I want to open a dance studio. Maybe it'll happen, maybe not.

Now that you've read a random blurb about me I'd like to do a stereotypical New Years Resolution post.

It's 2014, that means everything and everyone should be ready for a fresh start. I never set resolutions. I never follow them. It's a week late, but strangely I'm motivated to try this year. The short and sweet of it; here's my list of things I hope to accomplish this year

1. Write on this blog as often as I can
2. Work out and get my body back into the shape it use to be in
3. Write 100 pages of a book
4. Get a new job (full time)
5. Build a lasting relationship with my man
6. Pay off one of my student loans
7. Become a neat freak
8. Learn three new and useful things
9. Learn one more since I don't like uneven numbers
10. Go somewhere I've never been

It's not the craziest list I've ever made, but it's also not a walk in the park. My message to you all- If you have a dream or goal I wish you the best of luck and may you all succeed!

Ash