On the Cusp

I am so ready for autumn - you have no idea. But I also recognize that this time of year can be stressful for a lot of people. It's the beginning of the school year, it's the end of the fiscal year and time to balance budgets in a lot of companies, illnesses like the flu ramp up again and Seasonal Affective Disorder rears its ugly head.

Those of you who can't fully enjoy the autumn season have my sympathy. This post is for you.

Well, it's for all of us really, but especially for you! 

Here are 5 relaxing ways you can pamper yourself this fall:

1. Start Dry Brushing

Not only is dry brushing great for exfoliating your skin, it also increases blood flow and stimulates the lymphatic system which can boost your immune system and your mood.

2. Paint Your Nails a Fall Color

Put away the creme polishes and the barely there pink and nude shades, autumn is the time to break out the vampy reds, purples, and blacks. Copper is a good choice for those wanting to stay in neutral territ…

Can you believe this is Round 4 of my Five Unpopular Opinions series? You can find the previous three here, here and here - make sure to give them a read and fight me on any you disagree with. That's the whole point, after all.

So, your favorite internet contrarian is back with five more opinions you likely won't agree with. Let's get started:


1. Bernie Sanders is a schmuck and so are all his "bros".
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2. Pumpkin Spice Lattes are actually good. (The ones from Caribou, anyways...)
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3. Korean Red Pepper belongs on everything. Eggs. Mac'n'cheese. Pizza. Chocolate. EVERYTHING.
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4. Summer is a terrible season.
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5. Self-tanner looks horrible on most people. 


Disagree with me? Perfect!

Libra is said to be diplomatic, harmonious, and a lover of all things beautiful. They value intelligence, high art, and often have refined taste. Curiously, they are the only sign represented by an inanimate object (the scales) and they function best at moments of stable equilibrium or balance.

That's what all these teen magazine astrology sections would have you believe, anyways, and there's probably some truth to it. I'm a Libra after all and while I can't mould myself to 100% of these so-called Libra traits...some of it is pretty spot on.

I try to see all perspectives and analyze or present them fairly. I am the least confrontational person you will ever meet. I have a particular aesthetic I am rather fond of and enjoy surrounding myself with the quirky things I personally find pleasing and yeah, maybe I spend just a little too much on Korean skincare products. 

Here's the thing about air signs though - we're flighty. And we're insanely indecisive. 

Do I …

Content Warning: Discussions on weight, body size, dysphoria, gender identity, self-harm, and mental illness


According to Wikipedia, Body Positivity is a social movement rooted in the belief that all humans should have a positive body image, while challenging the ways in which society presents and views the physical body.

You're living under a rock if you haven't at least heard of this concept.

And it's true - we should feel good about the body we live in. Barring one's thoughts on reincarnation, this might be the only body we get to experience the physical world in and we deserve to feel at home and comfortable in our skin.

The body positivity movement wouldn't exist if so many of us didn't though.

It's about more than just weight.

I'm not going to tiptoe around what I want to say here  - you've read the blog title so I'm sure you've got a pretty good understanding of where I'm going with this.

Bodies are wonderful marvels of the natural…

This is a cop-out of a blog post, I'm aware, but lots of other bloggers I follow and love post some kind of "list of links" piece once a week or month...so I'm hopping back on that bandwagon as well. Because on ocassion I find interesting things I'd like to share and isn't it better to just include a bunch of links and let you peruse them at your leisure?

Thought so.

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As I mentally prepare for a third date (Curse of the Third Date is totally a thing, by the way), I find myself wondering what happens if, afterwards, you're still not sure if you're really into a person. I know my issue is that I just take an epically long time to warm up to someone new and get comfortable around them...but how does it work for others?

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Do you deal with a lot of anxiety or have a loved one who does? Worrying that your anxiety is a burden on others (or not knowing how to help relieve that burden from an anxious friend) can really add to your stress levels.

Turns ou…

#ootd
I took significally fewer Outfit of the Day shots over the last two months, so here's what I've more or less been wearing throughout June and July!


* Handmade Dress featuring the most fantastic fabric print ever: Elvis Presley's military records. <3 



* Mustard yellow cardigan, Egyptian-print blouse, cropped denim and the famous leopard loafers. * White crop t-shirt, burgundy pencil skirt, large black vest and leopard heels. (I'm seeing a theme.)


* Floral wrap top, light-wash denim, sandals. 



* Striped t-shirt, skinny jeans, the best damn utility jacket that ever was, leopard loafers. Duh.



* Black tank, cropped denim, sheer button down dress (worn open), leopard loafers * White button down, light-wash denim, large black vest, neon sneakers.  


* Navy blue work dress, leopard loafers. * Stripey wrap blouse, cropped denim, and those effing loafers.

Quite a few of my favorite Youtubers have been 'repping' this company and their products lately (like Sharmander and Caricakes - who also have their own affiliate boxes) and after reading a ton of reviews about their Green Tea Powder Wash and the Vitamin C Serum I knew I had to check it out.

So, one afternoon, during a boring work shift, I popped onto their website to see what was up. And this limited-time deal struck my fancy: #thegoodpackage for $80 containing only cruelty-free products w/ proceeds going to an animal charity.

How could I say no?


So what is Wishtrend?

Basically, Wishtrend is a retailer in Korea that offers their in-house brand along with a few other ethical beauty brands. They have select locations in Korea, but ship worldwide. Frequently they have package deals you can buy, such as the one I purchased, and they tend to be great deals since you get a ton of freebies with them.

Wishtrend also partners with influencers, as I mentioned above, and you can get a lo…

10. What's one thing I would like to do less of and why? How can I make that happen?
I want to hide less from the world.
True, I'm an introvert and solitude is often my happy place.
Also true that the world at large can be scary, especially if you're awkward at human interaction or don't know if you're confident you could survive a violent encounter with a stranger...
I'm quite an anxious person and that has definitely held me back over the years from trying new things. I would really like to find ways to ease, slowly but surely, out of my comfort zone in order to actually expand it.
I could do this with the right people, I suppose. Those I trust and feel comfortable with gently encouraging me to go somewhere new with them or attempt an activity out of my wheelhouse. Again, I'd have to be insanely comfortable around that person...and that can take a while for me.
There's so much I'm probably missing and I don't want to anymore. Baby steps, right?

11…

Taco Bell ain't got nothing on this place. 

Taco Libre - a fixture over in West Saint Paul - opened up its new location in Lowertown a few months back and when I heard they had a beer wall full of self-serve taps, I had to check it out. Don't get me wrong, I love a good taco place, but I really did come for the beer experience.

Located: Near Wabasha and 5th in downtown Saint Paul
Hours: 10am - 9pm
Menu: Click Here




Brick walls and exposed duct-work don't really set it apart from any other establishment in Saint Paul that's trying to be cool, but Taco Libre made up for the bare bones aesthetic by installing a tap wall with more than 20 options to choose from - much of it craft beer. You can also pour yourself a pint-size Margarita and after a few of those, who's going to complain about the decor?

They have a variety of tacos, burritos, bowls, and something magical called the Machete that I haven't tried yet - you'd have to tag team that monster but I'm game i…