Category: Advice

  • MEAN GIRLS & THE ALPHA-FEMALE

    MEAN GIRLS & THE ALPHA-FEMALE

    I, for one, am extremely (ridiculously!) grateful for my girlfriends… they are beyond wonderful and inspiring.  They are beautiful, unique, and I feel lucky to know them.  They are, as I have outlined below, Alpha-Females.  Surround yourself with these women.

    A shot of some of the fabulous Alpha-Females in my life…. A lot of LOVE to them and to many of my remarkable Alpha-Female friends not pictured. I am oh-so-grateful for each of you. xo

    Now… onto the unsavory bunch.  We have all encountered Mean Girls.  However, no matter how rude someone is, I truly believe that it is a waste of your time and energy to be rude in return.  And being mean? Gasp. You, my perfect little lady, would never dare utter negative words about someone.  You are far too busy with your fabulous life/family/career/man to waste your time on such trivial matters.  Below is a profile of a few Mean Girl Types for you to be aware of… But you are only to be that: aware of them.  Do not add fuel to their fire.  These types feed on your reaction… And the only reaction you are to give them is simple.  Kindness.  Kill them with it.  Trust me, it works.  And you leave all the better for the interaction… Poised, confident, gracious and, as has oftentimes happened for me, you may surprise yourself and leave with a new friend.  We women have it hard enough… Raise each other up, please.  Quit it with the tear downs. Now, onto the profiling.

    The Gossip Queen

    She draws people close by telling them hushed, naughty little secrets about everyone she knows.  These “secrets” are likely untrue… but the more farfetched they are, the more attention she receives.  Immediately be on guard around someone who is a gossip.  Just as your mother always told you, “If she talks like that about others, she’ll likely say it about you when you’re gone.”  It’s true.  You should be aware that this girl likely talks about other people because she’s uncomfortable talking about herself.  Insecurity can drive people to do incredibly unattractive things.  I personally despise gossip and feel that it is immature, unproductive, and an indicator of low intelligence.  If you have a friend who tends to gossip, simply refuse to participate.  She will likely feel uncomfortable with your silence/lack of interest and take it as an indicator of disapproval.  You may have to express your dislike for it, but you can do it in a charming way (i.e. “I’m sure we can all find something more interesting to talk about.  Have you heard about the current political situation/sale at Nordy’s/new happy hour spot?”).  At that point, you will either find something new to talk about (a Gossip Queen can be rehabilitated into a good and sometimes loyal friend) or you will not.  If no new topic arises, you may walk away knowing that you gave it the old college try and find a new group of friends (see Alpha-Females below).

    The Anger Management Case

    She rules through fear.  She is oftentimes a spoiled girl who is used to getting exactly what she wants.  Her characteristics are exacerbated through her martini habit.   (more…)

  • The Holidays: Why They are a Wonderful Excuse to be Merry (Even if you Think Your Life Is Mundane Otherwise and, Frankly, if you Feel This Way, I Would Rather Not Know You)

    I was sitting and filling out loan consolidation forms to somehow figure out how to pay off my $100,000+ law school debt and… suddenly… I lost focus. Imagine that? While I was utterly unable to focus on the thrilling subject matter of overwhelming debt, visions of sugar plums began to dance in my head… Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner (cue Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas” playing in my home on constant repeat). But, I digress… In the midst of my lack of fill-out-my-loan-consolidation-papers-focus, my personal focus sharpened. I wanted to take a moment to share it with all of you.  Here are a few reasons to LOVE, Love, love the holidays.

    My sis {right} and me {left} paying homage to the traditional Christmas colors

    1. Gingerbread Houses: it may seem childish and trivial, but this is how I look at it: I can’t afford the mansion of my dreams (quite yet), but I can definitely afford a tub of frosting, a Bing Crosby Christmas CD, some gumdrops (disgusting… but 0h-so-cute), and a bottle of wine. That’s all it takes to have the perfect evening to build a little gingerbread mansion. I say, make a night of it. Invite the girls over and have a holiday sleepover. I even go so far as to build my little gingerbread dream man… As the saying goes, “He’s rich, he’s sweet, and if he misbehaves… you can bite his head off.”

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  • Advice From My Dad… “YOU’RE WORTH IT”

    Advice From My Dad… “YOU’RE WORTH IT”


    It was a Sunday. I was visiting with my dad.  He was sitting in “his” chair and watching the game.  As I rose off the sofa to get a cup of coffee, he asked me to stop for a second.  This was unusual for two reasons:

    1. He talked to me right in the middle of a football play (never happens) and

    2. He said it softly with no demand in his voice, which was a bit unsettling.  He had something to tell me.

    He began, “I don’t want to interfere in your life and I feel happy that I am able to observe as much of it as you currently allow me.  I feel that you know a lot about who you are and that you have a pretty good grasp on things.  [Yes, he truly does speak like this.]  However, I want to make sure you’re on track with… dealing with men.” [This is where I held my breath… A thousand things raced through my mind… I prayed that my dad was NOT going to talk to me about sex… I paused and looked up at him.]

    He continued, “Remember what you are worth.”

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  • My Alphabet… Letters to Live By


    Attitude
    : the most important element of an individual; one’s greatest accessory.  Your attitude defines you.  I try to keep mine positive, creative, open, and motivated.  I attempt to rid my life of those with a constantly poor attitude. One should always attempt to be their best self… and a great attitude is the first step to do this.

    Bikini: an invaluable invention combining scraps of fabric and strategic placement to achieve a sexy summer (or, for those of us who throw fashion rules and weather to the wind {or live in California}, year-round) look. I gravitate toward animal prints, metallics, and things that are crocheted or sequined. Embellishments are always encouraged. With so little fabric to work with, you can’t afford to be subtle. Large sunglasses enhance the effect.

    Cocktail: a delightful concoction consisting of alcohol and mixers. I try not to favor one cocktail too heavily. However, I feel you can never go wrong with something pink. Remember, a cocktail is more than a libation, it’s an accessory.

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  • The 13 Types of Men

    The 13 Types of Men


    I frequently hear the sentiment that men and women can’t “just be friends.”  Though I don’t know if this is true, it got me thinking about what men and women
    can be… Women have a variety of men in their lives and these are just a few of the categories that come to mind.

    1. Platonic Friend – This is the guy to whom you are not attracted.  And never will be.  Ever.  There may be no rhyme nor reason to why you don’t feel an attraction to him, but you just know that he will always be like a brother to you.  To verify that you feel platonically toward him, you should note if you feel a twinge of envy when he has a girlfriend or an interest in someone.  If you’re genuinely happy for him, then feel safe with this relationship.  This is rare.  Hang onto it.

    2. Sexual Tension Friend – This is a common relationship for a man and a woman to fall into.  One of my male friends told me that a man won’t be friends “with a chick unless he thinks that he might be able to [sleep with] her” (he shall remain nameless but, as we were friends, I felt a bit uncomfortable… and felt the need to inform him that he should give up all hope of that ever happening).  This can be an incredibly fun, flirtatious, and interesting relationship.  BUT make sure to maintain the “tension” aspect of this friendship.  If the sexual tension becomes a reality fulfilled and no longer a “tension”, you may lose the lighthearted nature of this situation quickly.  Luckily, it’s easy to find a man to take over this spot.  I think it’s in their nature.


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    3. Bad Boy – The bane of our female existence and the thrill of it.  This guy could not care less about you.  Or at least pretends he could not.  He’s only concerned about himself.  He has a ridiculously sordid past.  Maybe he’s an alcoholic.  Maybe he’s a pothead.  Maybe he rides a motorcycle and is covered in tattoos.  Maybe he has a criminal record.  Maybe he is a cheater.  Maybe he puts you down/bails on you/disappears to ….Tijuana…. for the weekend.  But the relationship is addicting.  Or maybe you’re just addicted to the tumultuous nature of your relationship.  So you tolerate him.  And maybe, just maybe, you’ll be the one he’ll change for.  Get real.  Move on.  He’s a selfish jerk and this whole bad boy thing is working for him right now.  He’ll have another girl on the back of his bike tomorrow.  Get the bad boy thing out of your system and grow up.


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  • Why Falling In Love is a Stupid Thing to Do*

    Why Falling In Love is a Stupid Thing to Do*


    1. You Lose Your Figure: Sure, in the beginning the butterflies may cause you to lose your appetite and the excessive amounts of sex (if there is such a thing as excessive sex) can substitute for your former cardio routine for awhile. That is the lust stage, a stage for which I am a huge proponent. BUT, if you’re not careful, soon enough you will become a complacent, chubby little love slave… spending nights in with your beloved instead of shaking your former tight little body on the dance floor with your girlfriends. Your white wine spritzer will be replaced with pints of rocky road and the passionate, wild sex you used to have turns into cuddling… Avoid this at all costs. Take up yoga, keep up your daily run, and don’t turn into a creature of consumption… when love consumes you, you consume everything else. Consider your waistline warned.

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