Kitten Adventures

Kitten Fever - No Longer an Urban Myth

So... it is kind of a total cliché that college students are obsessed with the idea of getting a pet as they break out into independence, and find that they have a need to love and be loved.  Now, here I sit, typing away, admitting that that is exactly where I have landed myself.  His name is Jack.  Jack Daniels, once again another cliché.  I find myself at a loss, finding every day a new day to conquer because I have never had a cat, let alone a kitten, because chihuahuas were the closest thing I ever had to a cat.


BUT.....
I wholeheartedly love this little troublemaker.  I find myself covered in scratches but I will prevail!  I have already started weaning the little baby off of the bottle feed onto actual solid nutrients and I can't wait for the day that I don't have to take ten minutes to prepare his morning formula mixed with canned cat food to make a gross, gruel-type porridge for him to consume.

Weird Tendencies
I find out new things about Jack all the time, he is learning so fast it is amazing!  He learned how to use the litter box after his first time, can climb onto my bed that is 3 feet off of the ground (wow!) and he has a strange thing for my laptop key board.  Every time I turn on Netflix (re-watching Gilmore Girls currently), Jack will get on top of my keys and will fall asleep!  I am trying to keep record of his size and cute firsts, so here's a treat, his first time riding a long board:

There will be more, I PROMISE!!!! #kittenlife #JackDaniels

Taking it to the races

I am live blogging right now from the Pi Kappa Phi fundraiser on Hayden Lawn to raise awareness for The Ability Experience!  Currently, I am riding a stationary bike that cannot be stopped!  If you can, come hangout here and talk to the cyclists!  It's a party with music and a  baby chick and baby duck chillen on the side lines! 

How to Balance your life in college

It's a typical Wednesday night, stress is aching in your chest as yet another assignment has crept up on you and procrastination again has proven to be a major bitch in your life.  What can I say, we all do it, we all find ourselves in close case, sometimes actual, panic attacks that really grab us from the gut and induce heart-like palpitations.  Why do we do this?  Why do we, as a community, reinforce and almost encourage procrastination among one another?  It is simple: we want to do it all.

WHY?????????????????????????????
Because we're masochists.  Not in a literal term, but yes, ultimately we push our limits and boundaries, put ourselves in very uncomfortable situations because we can't say no to something because we're afraid of missing out.  But once you say no, OH MY GOSH it feels so good you want to say it to LITERALLY everything.  Where are the breaks on this word vomit!  But in all seriousness, you have to find a middle ground, and trust me when I say, "I know this is difficult" because yes, it hurts, it really does because we feel obligated to our friends, or we feel obligated to ourselves to do everything and be everything we ever wanted to be!  AHHHHH it is madness.  Get a grip, say no a couple times a day, but don't let that give you a reason to submit to a life of "hermitude", no that is not a word, I know.  But really, cut yourself some slack, take a breath, be aware of your mental state and if you are on the edge and might fall off.  Be a friend to yourself and ask, what would I advise a friend in the same situation to do. you'll find that you are way more merciful and understanding.  

ANNNNND that ends my rant for the day.

Feeling stressed?

It is OK to admit it, we all feel it sometimes, sometimes we're overwhelmed by it, sometimes we're motivated by it, and other times it can cause health problems.  Stress.  We deal with it on our own terms but the fact is that you have to deal with the best way YOU can.  I know that I am stressed out by the big things and the small things only because they have one common factor: me.  "I could've done better", "If only I would have..." and don't finish that sentence.  Stress is inevitable and it's a real bitch sometimes, nagging and degrading your self confidence, but at the same time it is 100% necessary in order to keep yourself going.  If you don't have any stress in your life right now, something is wrong, it's too quiet.  You need noise every once in a while to get yourself pumped, set yourself under pressure and perform for an audience.  But don't take yourself too serious, but serious enough right?  I don't know I'm still figuring it out myself, but there has to be a method to this madness!

How to save money in college

Hey guys!  We can all come to agreement that college is VERY expensive:( but there are many innovative ways that you can save your piggy bank from some strain:

1.)  Try as often as possible to eat at home

It is very easy to pick up the phone and order pizza instead of prepare a meal at home that requires a stove top, but in the end, you can save hundreds of dollars by making your groceries really stretch into several meals.  However, it is very important to by the right portion sizes; DO NOT by in bulk when you are buying for one person, you will not eat it all, trust me!  Instead, buy groceries every 3-4 days that way you can have a prepared menu of what you will be eating and how fast you will go through with it.

2.) Go thrift shopping!

Ok, it is time to accept that you are a broke college kid!  Your parents money and patience may be running thin for you and it is time to venture down new financial avenues.  Thrift shops are a great resource to look for every day items, whether you need pots and pans, or a new wardrobe; it may take time and energy to sort through the trash, but underneath there is always a hidden treasure waiting for you!

3.) Save your change

This was a hard one for me because I lose my change everywhere, but once you have a designated spot to store your excess change, it really adds up!  Having a jar on your desk or in your closet can really motivated you to collect more and more wandering nickels and dimes, and before you know it, you have an extra $30 ready to go!   

4.) Make your coupon book your best friend

There are always free entertainment books waiting outside your bookstore and let's face it, they have become a paperweight on your desk.  Well instead of letting it collect dust, go through and highlight any of the deals that you could use such as takeout food coupons, (for those late nights when you need to splurge) or service coupons for your car, as well as if you get your nails done, they always have great deals for mani-pedis.  Really invest time into using all your resources!

Photoshop practice

What feminism should be about

Alright, so the word "feminist" has taken a bad connotation in today's world; when people hear that someone is a feminist, they jump to the idea that this person is obviously a woman that hates men, doesn't shave her arm pits, and thinks that stay at home mothers are their enemy.  Well, I think that the word "feminist" should represent a PERSON who has strong beliefs about the importance of not only equality between all genders, but also in the equality of all races, ethnicities and social classes.  Men are not the enemy, they are victims of prejudice as well, the enemy are the ignorant, those who can't look past a woman's appearance and see her for the person she is.  I think that we all need to gain perspective on what we are fighting for, and let's be honest, "77 to a dollar" argument is more misleading than most can see.  According to the Washington Examiner, the wage gap is created by choice in occupation, not in discrimination http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/a-yearly-reminder-that-the-gender-wage-gap-is-due-to-choice-not-discrimination/article/2563010.  What I am talking about is respect.  Respect is what seems to be the missing puzzle piece, and this comes from how we are raised, and what we are brought up in.  There is a huge problem right now with how women view themselves, and how they allow men to treat them and this problem is caused by the media, especially pornography, and hollywood's depiction of how relationships between men and women are today.

Women don't believe in Prince Charming anymore, and why should they when they are taught to believe that he doesn't exist.  Instead, they are brainwashed to believe that if a guy buys you anything, you owe him.  Well guess what, next time go dutch!  Prince Charming is out their, he is just not the same prince as the one hand crafted by Disney; he is his own individual who needs to meet the right girl that brings out the best in him and vice versa.  A relationship is two sided, and as it has been written in Perks of Being a Wallflower, "You except the kind of love you think you deserve". 

Emma Watson is a great spokesperson about women's rights and including men in the battle for gender equality.  http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/comment/articles/2015-03/emma-watson-male-feminism-7-rules-heforshe-facebook-q-and-a

Another sponsor that has led the way with campaigns promoting women empowerment is the Always #likeagirl commercial:

Like a girl is one of the best campaigns that was meant to empower women to throw #likeagirl.  Although the campaign had some backlash from "Menninists" after it was aired during the Super Bowl, I still think that the underlying message of being proud of who you are no matter your gender is important.  We all should feel comfortable in our skin, man and woman, without prejudice and disrespect clouding how we are seen as a person.