Skinny Shaming: A Horror Story

Okay, well, if you won’t say it, I will. I have skinny shamed someone at some time in my life and I am truly sorry for it, and most importantly, I won’t be doing it again. Skinny shaming, similar to slut shaming, is taking hits and  making rude or unnecessary comments about a person, regardless of gender, who happens to be “skinny” or petite. Haven’t we all done this though? Most likely, and this isn't something to be proud of. It has a lot to do with society, the media, large corporations and commercial advertising. Ill present what one as a reader would need to know to correctly understand the story that I experienced and reacted to as a woman who thinks all people are beautiful, unique, and deserving of respect.

 Victoria’s Secret released an ad for a new line of bras called The Perfect “Body”. I underlined that because yes, Victoria’s Secret put the word body specifically in quotations and I think we can all easily see why. If VS hadn't put the word body in quotations, the whole world would have gone ballistic. That ad was not aiming to sell a body ideal. The ad is trying to sell you a bra that is more comfortable and form-fitting. The way one interprets the world around them is up to them, but I can’t sit back and let the world hoot and holler over this without getting my 2 cents in. The women who model for VS train like athletes, they eat healthy, they have children, families, and most targeted for debate, a career. Why should they, or you, or anyone else be the targets of ignorant people who take comfort in calling someone else “too skinny” or “too fat”?

 I have something very important to say to any and all people, particularly women, who have a problem with models who are considered tall, as in over 5 foot 10 inches, and are below a certain weight class: Stop. Stop having a problem because a woman is tall, thin, and may be paid to wear clothes or lingerie and have their picture taken. Tall thin people or models aren't making you any larger, any less beautiful, and any less intelligent because they are tall thin people or models. You are making yourself what you want to be. Unfortunately, if one eats unhealthy fattening foods and do not exercise enough, yes, they will gain weight. If they don’t like that, they have to change it. One is in control of themselves. No one should have to feel sorry for someone being unhappy with their own body or unhealthy, but more importantly, one shouldn't think that it is even mildly acceptable to take hits at anyone, not just models, because they are "skinny" or "fat". This includes the following types of comments:

-     

               " This person must be anorexic or bulimic, look how skinny he/she is”

-          “You need to gain/lose weight” “Are you eating enough?”

-          “Why are you so skinny? People don’t like men/women who are too skinny.”

 What if someone walked up to you and directly took a hit at something you can’t control, or working on? What if you are confident being tall and thin or short and curvy, and someone said that wasn't okay? It’s a different story however if you are truly anorexic or bulimic. Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa are mental and physical illnesses and should be treated with care, and by a doctor, but no one with an illness should be ridiculed for it. The best applicable cliche here? If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all.

What sparked this debate is something I found from my (ex) 
favorite magazine, Cosmopolitan. They tweeted an article from their website, where in this article they called the models in the VS Perfect “Body” ad “Stick-Skinny”, and were condoning this by also posting a picture similar to the original VS ad of average height and average and overweight women in bras and underwear not made by VS or even a part of the Perfect Body line. This picture was posted just to take a hit at models who are tall, fit, and thin. 

Excuse me, WHAT? I cannot believe that a magazine committed to “Fun Fearless” women would think it’s okay to call another woman “stick-skinny” and then applaud another irrelevant photo that isn’t trying to sell a product, and is only trying to prove something wrong, hurtful, and pointless. The second photo shown earlier in this blog features ONLY average height and average weight women, and women who are overweight, just to take a hit at the models featured in the VS ad. May I be so bold as to remind the Cosmopolitan team that the November issue from 2013 FEATURED Miranda Kerr, a former Victoria’s Secret model, on the cover? They also have featured models like Karlie Kloss and Doutzen Kroes in advertisements in their magazine. There isn't a damn thing that is “fun” or “fearless” about publicly skinny shaming another person or group of people. If Miranda Kerr for instance saw that now, how would she feel? How would any of the other models feel? I shudder to think that they might have become so used to the skinny shaming that it doesn't bother them anymore, but at the very least, a defiant confidence would come as a result. Is it now okay to bash any woman for any reason? Bashing and emotionally harming because she’s “skinny” or “fat”? Tall or short? “Pretty” or “Ugly”? “Nice” or “Bitchy”? No. Every woman on this planet should treat others and be treated with respect and kindness because we seem to be forgetting something really important here that is bigger than any corporation or any ideal or any comment made: We are all Human Beings. We should not be subjected to cruel judgments and wrongful stereotypes by the way we look, where we come from, how we behave or act, or choose to dress.

I tweeted back in disgust as a response to Cosmopolitan, and I’m not alone in my opinions. 


Quite a few had tweeted back something along the same lines that I had.What Cosmopolitan had said and done on their site and what the second photo shown above has said of tall thin women wasn't okay, necessary, or fair. It was skinny shaming. The same thing goes for women who are curvier or larger than others. They should be treated with respect and kindness and with the same care as anyone else of any other size. That is what is right and fair.

I can only hope that this fraction of a much larger problem can 
begin to be solved and reworked to be a lesson and a triumph, not 
an ongoing lazy river of shame, hurtfulness, and disrespect. Remember, you could be part of the problem you are trying to avoid. Be kind to all people at all times, no exceptions. 

Love Always, for any size and any shape, B 

My Strange Addiction: Victoria's Secret

I know I have a problem. I mean, can you blame me? It’s not like I’m hurting anyone! But I guess you’re right, I need to face my addiction head on. Okay. Here it goes.

I’m addicted to Victoria’s Secret.

(As I wrote this, the song “Calling All Angels” by Train came into my ITunes shuffle. How appropriate and oh, so perfect)

When I say I’m addicted, I mean it. And with every aspect, I’m obsessed with shopping at the VS stores, I’m addicted to PINK, and I’m addicted to the VS Fashion Show that comes on ever year around November (Which means it’s coming up soon for the 2014 year!)

I re-watch the fashion shows so religiously I can tell you who wore the fantasy bra which year and how much it was worth that year. Personally, my favorite year was 2012 when Miranda Kerr wore the blue pearl fantasy bra. For those of you who are not as crazy about this spectacle as I am, the fantasy bra is so expensive and so beautiful it’s mind blowing. These bras cost literally millions of dollars due to the diamonds, pearls, and various gemstones that are put on it, and most years the panties that are made to match are also pretty fantastical. Definitely not your average panties to wear while shopping for the groceries.  

I love the VS Fashion Show, and I have made a promise to myself that if I grow to be tall enough, that I will go to wherever the open calls are, and audition for the show. Rumor has it the minimum standing height is 5 foot 7 inches. I’m 5 foot 5 inches right now, and I pray for 2 extra inches every night before I go to sleep. The idea of being in the show is absolutely magical. It would be a dream come true if I could walk in the fashion show, even just once. I think there is nothing more beautiful than the creations from the Victoria’s Secret team, and I would even love to be a part of the designing of these outfits. The imagination and the skill and the time put into the show is a yearlong process, and for a show that’s an hour long including commercials that is a great amount of work and love and tailoring for each outfit. And the ideas never quit coming! Every year there are new segments with funny, beautiful, and original ideas. The show is completely worth watching.

When I go shopping, I have a plan of attack, and you better believe I am attacking Victoria’s Secret and the PINK store vigorously. A little fun T.M.I fact about me, every single pair of panties in my drawer are from VS or PINK and all of my favorite bras that have lasted forever have come from VS. I have a whole collection of the body mists, of which “aqua kiss”  and "secret crush" is my friends and my favorite scents so far. And the Victoria perfume? One of my favorite perfumes ever. All of my favorite yoga pants and sweat pants and hoodies and tank tops have come from PINK. There is nothing better than having a pink polka dot bag, exploding with tissue paper in your hands. Shopping there makes just makes me happy. I also have always wanted to try on the big feathery wings on the mannequins, but I try not to tell anyone about that.

I also admire the models very much. They pull such a diverse group of women with different looks, different personalities, different styles of walking, and make the show flow perfectly. I love Karlie Kloss, whom was picked in 2011 for the show. She has such a beautiful all American girl look and from reading interviews and articles about her in different fashion and lifestyle magazines you can really get a feel for how genuine and sweet of a person she is. I also love Behati Prinsloo who recently married Adam Levine from Maroon 5, who is from South Africa and has such a quirky funny disposition. Adriana Lima is also one of my favorites because she has such a positive mindset and a family oriented lifestyle, but manages to stay relevant in the world and in the media, which I highly respect. All the models are real women with lives and a job and priorities. It just happens to be one of the best jobs on the planet.

 All of these women have amazing and admirable qualities that Victoria’s secret will take into account when they choose them to be Angels. I admire that they look for beautiful, positive, happy, healthy women and indirectly make them role models for young girls. It’s inspiring when you hear a story of a woman who worked hard to get what she wanted and achieved that goal and is now living her dream, regardless of what a young girl wants to become in life, that’s a very positive and important message that should be projected onto the youth of America. Working hard and playing hard is a concept that should be instilled in this and the next generation.  

Now, here are some of my favorite outfits and shots from various VSFS's:

Very many times when I explain this idea to people in my life, they have remarks regarding the models being “too skinny” or scandalous for being shown in lingerie. My counterargument is you can clearly tell, these models eat properly and exercise to look the way they do. If I may be a frank, there is no eating disorder or diet pill or cheat method in the world that will make you look the way these women do. A healthy meal plan and exercise are the way to go, and important for any woman at any size, because regardless of a number on a scale, all women are beautiful.

To some people, Victoria’s Secret may just be a bra and panties store, but for me, it means so much more than that. It means confidence and comfort. It means all women deserve to feel sexy, just for themselves. It means beauty and free pantie cards in the mail.

Love Always, B

P.S. Maybe I’ll  be sending all my readers air-kisses from the runway someday! I love you guys! 

O-Town: A Biased List of The Best Places and Things To Do

               Orlando, Florida is obviously known by most of the world for being home to Disney World. Big Whoop (even though I love Disney world so much and have secretly wanted to be a Disney princess there for the last few years because you get paid $9/Hr to be a princess, sign autographs, hug children, be beautiful,  take pictures and have someone to do your makeup and hair every day you work. Kinda like Kim Kardashian, only instead of hugging children you make a huge ass of yourself on TV. Literally.)

When people who don’t live in the Sunshine State think or hear “Florida” I’m sure the first group of nouns and adjectives they imagine are as follows:

-Hot                             - Theme Parks                        

- Peninsula                   - Tourists

-Gators                        - Really Flippin’ Hot              

- Hotter than Hell        

-Beaches

-Swelteringly Hot

-Everglades National Park

- Partying in Miami

-Hurricanes

- 401K's and Elderly Folks (They have the best stories and they're so nice!)

              
You get the picture. Florida is only truly enjoyed by the people who don’t mind the heat, are looking to retire and escape the winter, grew up here and really never considered leaving, or by families and people that Florida has a hate-love relationship with: The Tourists. There’s a really great and diverse population of people in Orlando, and with that diverse group of people, amazing places to shop, eat, and visit.

1.   
  Dandelion Café

            The dandelion café is absolutely amazing! Its located close to downtown Orlando and as far as lunch goes, I would suggest getting the tea of the day (get it sweetened if you like sweeter teas versus more plain and earthy tastes!), and a bean burrito with a side of hummus and carrot sticks. And to complete your experience, get a vegan cupcake! Now, hear me out, vegan desserts are better than regular desserts, and you can tell the people that make the Publix cookies in the bakery that I said so. The desserts are sometimes kind of big, so I’d bring a friend with you to help finish it.This café is always full of friendly staff and I’m pretty sure it used to be a house due to the set up and the look of the interior. It’s a pretty and bright little place with a lot of flowers out front. Some nights, they have live music and everyone sits outside and hangs out, and it truly is awesome. I’ve never spent more than $15 dollars for lunch there, so its also reasonably priced. I came across the Dandelion café one day with my dad and we decided to try it and it was well worth it.

 

2. 

    Palmanos Café

(I’m a big fan of cafes, alright!?) Palmanos is one of my favorite places to get a latte, besides Starbucks of course. Palmanos is located on Park Ave. in Winter Park, Florida, and has reasonably priced delicious food and manageable portion sizes. I always get the “Sofia” which is a pressed turkey Panini with red onions and cheese, and I drink a Jones soda with it. This used to be the place my dad and I ate every Sunday after church because our church was right around the corner. The staff and owner are great, always friendly and they value their customers and take pride in the food they serve. The inside of Palmanos is small but tasteful and well lit. I love the décor, it feels like what a coffee shop should feel like. The location is great because once you’re finished eating, you can stroll up and down Park Ave. Palmanos is the real way to enjoy your Sunday funday. There are a lot menu options to choose from and Palmanos has free Wi-Fi. I really do love coming here and am itching to go back soon and get my favorite sandwich!

3. 

The Millennia Mall

I was hesitant to include the millennia mall because I could go on and on about this place. This mall is upscale, clean, and beautiful and just oh so shiny. Everything sparkles. The world is a better place when I shop in the Millennia mall. The design, the architecture, the shops, the restaurants… I was in love when my parents first took me there at least 10 years ago. Mind you, the inside of this mall isn’t even close to being outdated. It’s timeless. I’m a better, more stylish, lavish, and wealthy person at this mall. My favorite stores that are included in this mall are Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, Kate Spade, Chanel, Victoria’s Secret and of course, Tiffany’s. There’s a very special story between me and The Tiffany’s in the Millennia mall. I had painted a tiffany box painting and on my 17^th birthday my parents snuck the painting of out my room while I had been out at the beach with my friends. My dad brought me to the mall “just to walk around” and knew that as soon as I saw the Tiffany’s store, I’d want to go in and look at all the sparkling, shiny jewelry in their incandescent glass cases (Particularly, the engagement ring I’m hoping I receive from my future husband). When I walked in, and short cute brunette woman asked if my name was Robby.

        Of course, I’m a little creeped out that this woman knew my name, but she said to follow her, and when I did there was my painting that had been sitting in the Tiffany’s store all day long because my mom had brought my painting there early in the morning and spent the day in the mall, waiting for the evening so my dad could bring me in and surprise me. Next to my painting were three little tiffany bags, which had a necklace, earrings and a bracelet that were a part of the silver “Return to Tiffany” collection. I cried. Best birthday ever. The Millennia mall is a magical place that gives me a substantial desire to acquire a high paying job so I can afford Christian Louboutin shoes and Louis Vuitton purses. So what if I’m a little materialistic?

4.      Ethos

A little vegan restaurant at the end of Park Ave. that I love! They also have amazing food and amazing vegan desserts. I first went there with my best friend Katie, and it was fantastic, we had a great time and good food. It’s not super expensive and has a simple but functional design on the inside. It’s worth a shot even if you’re hesitant about trying vegan food! (Just don’t ask me what’s in vegan mac and cheese that makes it so good without real cheese)

 

5.    Hamburger Mary’s

I’m gonna tell you up front, this place is the physical embodiment of a flamer. And it’s amazing. On Saturday nights, there’s a hilarious drag queen show that is just so funny and entertaining. I absolutely love it. I’ve seen a lot of bachelorette parties there and they always have a great time. The food is beyond anything you’ve ever had before ever. Comfort food is an understatement; this restaurant will make you call it quits on your diet faster than you can say “I’ll have one of everything, please!”

 

Ive lived in Orlando my whole life and I can tell you living here? Life’s always a party and you find the best places to eat, shop, and visit. And these are just a few of my favorites, the list is practically endless. Of course, a great Floridian never reveals all of their secrets!

Love Always, B 

Orange Is The New Black: The Verdict Thus Far

As all of my friends and family well know, I'm a big fan of Netflix. Netflix is the way to my soul, along with Swedish fish, iced coffee and stilettos. I started watching Orange is the New Black, and I really am enjoying this show more so than I thought I would! I can say this show really makes viewers evaluate what types of dangers, circumstances, and emotional situations people, particularly women in this show, would be experiencing in a prison. If you're interested in starting this show, I would highly recommend it. It strays from the typical themes and plot lines of most other popular series.

Orange is the New black (or OITNB) follows Piper Chapman, played by Taylor Schilling, who is engaged and turns herself in when it is discovered that she had a previous life of working with a drug cartel, and had a romantic affair with the female head of the cartel, Alex Vause. I personally love Alex, her look, and her personality. Piper makes body care products and humorously brags that her and her partner and best friend are selling their products in the store Barneys. She is engaged to a shy reserved man named Larry, who I think is a big wuss, although he is very sweet and admirable by choosing to stay with his wife when she goes to do her time, which she is sentenced to 15 months. Piper and Alex are definitely two of my favorites on this show.  

Chapman (In the prison they reveal in the show that you're called by your last name) meets a very large array of inmates. Usually the different races tend to stick together, but regardless Piper meets many different women with all kinds of different backgrounds and reasons for being in prison. My personal favorites are Yoga Jones, who keeps a very calm and tranquil disposition and teaches yoga classes in the prison. I love her voice and the flashes of wisdom and humor the viewers come across. Poussey Washington is a very dynamic and beautiful character whose background and story I've yet to learn about, but I do know she was named after a place in France and is best friends with another inmate Taystee, whose friendship I admire and would really like to see more of as I venture into Season 2.

I also love Officer Bennett, Ms.Claudette, Red, Nicky, Sophia...The list continues. 

The only character that drives me up the way is Tiffany Pennsatucky. I cannot stand this girl, her voice, her teeth...I shudder at the thought. Shes not a favorite of mine, and isn't likely to become one. 

One of the best aspects of this show is that you learn about a lot of the other inmates back stories and their reasons for ending up in prison. This show has a way of showing the viewers that not everyone who is in prison should be labeled a "criminal" and that everyone makes mistakes, some people just pay for them differently. A round of applause for this Netflix Original, I am a fan! 

Love Always, B 

PS. "I threw my pie for you" 

Megan Strandberg: A Blog Post Just For Her

Where do I even start. This girl is crazy and beautiful and strong and hilarious and a horse-loving barefoot child. And shes been my best friend for 15 years. People usually are like wait what? 15 years? And that's really how long we've known each other. Me, Megan and our other best friend Katie all grew up in the same neighborhood since we were very little, and we've done everything together. Without her and Katie, I wouldn't be the person I am today. 

Megan is hardheaded. I think its weird that she puts barbecue sauce on everything. Like corn and BBQ sauce? I wont lie, its actually quite delicious. Megan is adventurous and brave and a bad-ass. I keep a list of things she's said, and I'd like to relay one of my favorites of those things to you, my readers, now:

At lunch one day, in the midst of high school lunch conversation, Megan Marie remarks the following:
"Could you imagine the cops busting in and breaking up a shrimp fight? I wanna buy some shrimp from the pet store so I can fight them like RAAAAAHHH!" 

First of all. What? 
This is my proof shes crazy but also completely hilarious. She doesn't even mean to be funny, it just happens that way. 

Megan loves animals and I think shes gonna be one of the most incredible vets ever. (I'm really hoping she'll get in the horse birthing business so I can watch a live horse birth.) Megan played volleyball her freshman year and she wasn't half bad. I loved coming to her games and supporting her. Megan introduced me to a lot of really amazing people at Lake Howell High, were I recently graduated (Class of 2014! Go us!) Shes going to be a senior next year at Eustis High school and I am so proud and happy for her. 

I know shes gonna do great things. There's no underestimating Megan because she'll come out of nowhere and exceed your expectations. Shes one of the most unique, likable, and sweet people you'll ever meet. 

Her horse is an beautiful majestic asshole. Renegade will step on your iphone and step on your toes and buck you off of her and take off running with you. She loves pouch applesauce and mints. She will also eat steamed soybeans with sea salt, which I learned the last time I was at megans house. Renegade is a best friend to us. We've painted her hooves and braided her hair. We've put sunglasses on her head and taken selfies with her. We sat on the ground next to her while she eats she watered down sloppy feed because she had a tendency to choke. Fun fact, horses cant throw up, so you need to manually un-choke a horse which involves a lot of work and a hose. She is a huge angry bitch to be completely honest, and we love her so much. I was so happy Megan finally got her horse, her bad bad horse. 

Megan is passionate and thoughtful and imaginative. She makes delicious pancakes and shes very generous. Shes the easiest people to be around. Theres no pressure to be anyone but yourself. You can just sit around and say nothing and enjoy each others company, or be laughing in her Honda and singing along to songs. We took a vacation to the Keys last summer and that was one of the best vacations I've ever been on. And the inside jokes we have, oh my goodness. I can't even go there. 

Megan is my best friend. I love her so much and I can't even say everything I want to say about her because then I'd be writing a novel. Megan is the best friend that is like a body part you need. Not like an eyeball, like a heart or a brain. Or a liver, you cant go on very long without a liver. She never gets tired of hearing my silly dramas over and over again. Shes one of the greatest people in the whole world and I don't know a life without her, and I do not ever want to imagine life without her. 

Love Always, B. 

PS- Jill's mom would really like this blog, don't you think?

An Intervention

I know. I know.
 I know I have a problem. And this problem has been occurring for a long time...I think I was about as young as 5 or 6 when I first used...I stopped for a long time, but the craving just came back full force into my young adulthood. Its a real problem, and Its now time I address the problem, and the first step is admitting it. Alright. Deep breath. I can do this. 

Hi, My name is Robby, and I'm addicted to Swedish Fish. 

I'm not kidding. You know those red, yummy, delicious fish in that shiny yellow bags with that classic font reading...."Swedish Fish"? Yeah. Im very obviously addicted to them. Ask any of my friends, anyone who follows me on twitter, my parents, the people I went to school with...I have a problem with swedish fish!

Maybe a year ago, I wanted to grab a snack from Seven Eleven. Innocently enough, I grabbed a bag of Swedish Fish and thought "I haven't had these in forever! Whats one bag gonna hurt, right?". 
Nope. I was wrong. I was so wrong. I buy these things constantly, If I don't have them when I want them, I talk about them usually until they're in my possession. Its bad. I do not get tired of eating them. I'm eating them right now as I write this blog post. 

I remember about two weeks ago, my boyfriend Ian and I ventured to the beach with some of his close friends and his siblings, Emily and Adam. When it came time for lunch, we went to subway and boom. The craving struck. I had to have some Swedish Fish. Ian and Emily thought it was totally ridiculous, but hear me out, I have a problem, remember? We walked to Walgreen's and I almost had a withdrawal right there in the store when I couldn't find them. Eventually I found them and payed for them in whatever change was left in my wallet. I spent literally my last penny on Swedish Fish. 

I drug Ian through Walmart because I was looking for the 6 pound bag of Swedish Fish they had the last time I was shopping for groceries. The 6 pound bag was not there, and needless to say, my heart was broken. I mended that wound with a large bag of fish.

Although my addiction is real, and its ongoing, I'm not greedy! I always ask the people around me "Hey, want a fish?" This is the kind of question that If you don't know me very well, you'd be confused and ask for an explanation.  But most of my friends and family will accept a fish or two when I offer. 

Perhaps one day this addiction will subside. I doubt it. I mean c'mon, they're a fat free snack, they don't melt in the hot Florida climate, and they don't leave any sticky or weird feeling on your hands. You always know what to expect when you eat a Swedish Fish. Sweet, sweet happiness. 

Love Always, B

My New Addiction: Hot Yoga

Happy Friday!!

I've been practicing yoga since I was about 14. What initially drew me into yoga was a pose I saw a woman do in a tampon commercial in Seventeen magazine (I'm not kidding, but I wish I was).  

I thought to myself, "There is no way this is physically possible....This isn't real!" 

Until I googled it. The pose is called crow pose, and it is very real my friends. I found out my mother can do it, my best friend can do it, and my boyfriend did it in 10 seconds of me showing him how to do it. Needless to say the yogi was outyogi'd. 

I still cant do the stupid freakin' crow. I am clearly not yet worthy of the crow. I can do a few headstands, which really brought my ego to life, but I am determined to be a master crow poser. For those of you who don't practice yoga, crow pose looks like this...

Crow pose is all about core engagement, balance, and arm strength. As well as not throwing your face directly into your mat. Other than that, your chances of living through this pose is pretty good!

My goal after crow pose is to be able to get into Scorpion pose, which is one of the coolest looking poses in my opnion! One day, Ill be able to do this...

Stepping away from the whole crow issue, yoga has become a huge part of my everyday life. Although, it wasn't till more recently that I decided to try hot yoga, which is a whole new sweaty monster in itself.

First off, there's no cell phones allowed in the studio, which is the best rule of them all. Going off the grid for 90 minutes is needed, healthy even!

The room you're practicing in is also between 95 and a 101 degrees Fahrenheit, at least at the yoga studio I attend, those are the lowest and highest temperatures I've noticed during class. Its a dry heat, and you need to drink water like a camel. It sounds like torture, but its one of the most relaxing, challenging and fun workouts I've ever done. 

The self-exploration and finding your strengths and weaknesses builds on a very healthy and happy mindset, and really lets you get in touch with yourself and your soul. I get excited before I go to yoga, not to mention this workout makes you sweat a lot more, and according to my best friend, we'll look like Doutzen Kroes and Miranda Kerr in no time. Love that!

The best part about people who avidly practice yoga? They tend to be friendly, calm and very non-judgmental people. If you can't do a certain pose or need to modify a pose for your body, no one even thinks about judging you. You do your own thing, man. 

Call me crazy, but after a hot yoga class, my mind is so clear I swear I can usually SEE things better, literally. Its the best feeling in the world!

If you've considered taking a yoga class, DO IT! Try it at least once, and I can almost promise you wont regret it. My tips for the young grasshoppers include...

1. Bring lots of water to hot yoga, you will be a water worshiper by the end of class. 

2. I always want a light snack afterwards, so bring a Luna bar as a little something to hold you over till your next meal.

3. Buy a thicker yoga mat, you wont want your elbows, knees, feet, hands or shoulders to suffer because your mat is too thin. I would suggest the GAIAM yoga mats, they're comfortable and have super cute patterns to choose from and can be found at Target. 

4. Bring a towel to place OVER your mat. I know it sounds silly, but you will be slipping and sliding in your own sweat. Plus the towel keeps your mat from getting a funky smell.

5. RELAX! Leave your worries and later engagements and responsibilities elsewhere. 

6. Don't push yourself too hard, listen to your body, but don't be afraid of a challenge

7. Wear yoga pants, something you can open your legs up in so no one see your business, and a tighter top. You spend some time in an upside down-ish position, especially in downward-facing dog pose.  

8. Bring a friend! It makes it much more fun. Me and my best friend make faces at each other while were in childs pose and its hilarious. 

9. For inspiration, I follow +Kerri Verna (Beachyogagirl) @ash_constance @dms_yoga, and cool yogis like them! They have great tips and super awesome poses and lots of positive energy!

10. Lululemon has awesome yoga clothes, as well as forever21's fitness line, and Victorias Secret PINK yoga pants are amazing! 

So, what are you waiting for? Go try some yoga!

Namaste! ॐ

Love Always, B 

A Letter To Dan Harmon

Dear Mr.Harmon, 

I can't really even begin to say how much everyone here misses you. There's not a day that goes by that we all don't think about you or talk about you or remember you. I cant believe its been almost a month since you passed away. And frankly, I don't think its fair at all. I guess life isn't very fair though. I get dealt the hand with the father who has a brain tumor and skin cancer and tons of complications as a result, and the healthy active man passes away. It makes me angry. It makes me scared for my father, but it also makes me appreciate still having my dad around just to talk to. 

Just your absence is the saddest thing. And I know that I'm the one who needs to be supportive and strong for Ian and for Emily and everyone. I kept that Great Smoky Mountains quarter you gave me because I told you about my coin collection and how I didn't have the Great Smoky Mountains yet. I look at it sitting on my dresser and thinking about how never in my life would I thought that a quarter would mean so much to me. Just like the Jimmy Buffet chap sticks you gave me that are flavored like island-y drinks. And the salt life shirt I borrowed the day we played tennis. I really suck at tennis, but any time I did something right, I got a high five or a enthusiastic "Awesome!" from you. And whenever I'd put the tennis ball way out to the left or into another court, you would come show me what I did wrong.

 I would have never said it then but that meant the world to me, because my dad is too sick to play tennis or any sport with me anymore. 

I remember going and playing volleyball at UCF with you and Ian and Adam and Em. You, Emily and I made a great team and those were some of the best weekends of my Senior year because for just a little while, I was spending time doing something awesome with people I love, apart from all the schoolwork and the studying. 

You were like another dad to me, and even those times you were picking me up from my house and it was just you and I in the car, It was never awkward at all. We would talk and share ideas the whole way to wherever it was we were headed and meeting everyone else. I could tell you were an amazing dad to Ian and Emily and Adam. The way you and Mrs.Harmon would talk and interact made me smile and laugh. You were the kind of person who made other people just feel good about life and the future and themselves.

 I only knew you for the amount of time I knew Ian, which is a little over 2 years. Those 2 years were probably the best 2 years of my life, and the time I got to know you was cut entirely too short. You took me to my first soccer game, and my first hockey game, and my first college football game. There were countless times you made me and everyone else laugh so hard it almost hurt. You were so selfless and did so much for other people without expecting anything in return. Singing in the car with you and Emily were some of the best car rides. 

Mr.Harmon, you were the type of person that made the little things count. Like a quarter and some chapstick. A tee shirt and a day well spent playing volleyball. A classic song on the radio. A strike at the bowling alley. 

I cant promise that me and Ian will be in love and together for ever and ever, but what I can promise is that he will have a best friend and a counselor and a musical reference and a scrabble opponent and a cheerleader for his whole life.

 I can promise that Emily will also have a best friend, and a role model, and a student, and a personal stylist, and a comedian, and a therapist and a big sister with her for as long as possible. 

Adam will always have someone to compliment his facial hair, and ask what team he's rooting for, and someone to make fun of when I sunburn my face with sunglasses so bad I look like a raccoon. And Mrs.Harmon will have someone to give her some extra smiles and hugs and laughs and conversations on the couch and recipes to talk about and someone to help garden with, and of course, lots of crazy energy to deal with from yours truly. 

I will never regret always making Ian wait so I could say goodbye and goodnight and give you a hug before I left the house. And even sometimes when I would awkwardly say I love you, I really did mean it. I'm glad I said it that last night, and when I said see you tomorrow, I really wish I could have. 

Thank you for being you, Mr.Harmon. You changed my life and you made me a better person. Ill never forget you. I love you. 

- Robby 

Grey's Anatomy: The Verdict Thus Far

Netflix: One of the great joys of life when your life on any given day involves sweat pants, a couch or bed, and a laptop. Recently, I've begun watching the show Grey's Anatomy, which all in all, I'm enjoying greatly. It has the romantic aspects, as well as the medical and anatomical as the title of the series suggests, and tons and tons of surgeries, which every so often have a fair amount of blood, carnage, and extreme situations. This show is well worth the binge-watching. If one would be interested in starting a vicious cycle of watching whole seasons in one day, I would suggest reading this at a later date, because spoiler alert, obviously. 

Currently, I'm on Season 2: Episode 10, and this episode had me considering the overall characterization and exploration of the emotional and mental states that can result greatly from working long shifts in a largely successful hospital. Each episode has commentaries at the start and finish from the main character Meredith Grey, who in my opinion is fantastic and driven, but always looks like shes about to burst into tears. 

The cast of this show is well put together, although the behaviors of the surgeons and surgical interns seems to be inappropriate at times which makes the show harder to believe and honestly, harder to follow if you missed a few episodes. Overall, my favorite characters are Meredith Grey, Izzy Stephens, and George O'Malley. I may have misspelled their names, but if one watches the show, they know very well who I'm referring to. 

My opinions on the characters is this:

Derek Shepherd, who was Meredith's original love interest in the show, ends up having a beautiful wife who works with babies, named Addison, whom Derek had complications with and was looking to divorce. She would have been one of my favorite characters, but she and Meredith are in a very classy battle of winning over Derek and I want Meredith to be happy. Not to mention that Addison cheated on Derek at one point in time. 

Derek is clearly a very good surgeon and neurologist, but lacks the problem solving skills to decide whether or not he wants to divorce his wife and be with Meredith, or if he wants to continue to stay with his wife because shes his wife. He ultimately chooses Addison, although he already is revealing signs of wanting Meredith back.

 McDreamy is indecisive, but God, look at that face. 

I like the chief of medicine, he is running a very organized hospital. I like Dr.Burke because hes a calm and intelligent surgeon. I'm not a huge fan of Christina because she will cut anyone down and out to scrub in on a surgery. Being driven is a good thing, but not when it means pushing people out of the way to get what you want. She is also untrusting and impersonal. 

Izzy is sweet and hardworking and makes very reasonable and valid points, and hasn't made any stupid decisions yet, so I am a fan. I like George because hes also sweet and smart, but has a tendency of choking up when a serious decision or action must be made. He also likes Meredith, but has not attempted to tell her even once, so hes kind of a big chicken. 

Dr.Bailey is nicknamed "The Nazi", and she is the only person who has real logic, professionalism, strength, ability and wisdom. She acts in a way that a real person would act and wants to prepare her interns to the best of her ability. Dr.Bailey is a badass, who is also pregnant which I found out in the last few episodes.

I hate Dr.Kerev. He is rude, mean, hurtful, indecisive and clearly has a God complex with the mentality that some tasks are too small for him. Hes extremely good looking, but again, sucks as a person. 

The overall content and performances by these actors is fantastic, and I would highly suggest watching this show if you're a fan of the technical but also the emotional and moral. Good job, ABC Network!

Love Always, B

The Bachelor and The Bachelorette: A Satirical Analysis

One of my best friends and my favorite pass times is to sit on the couch in old baggy sweatpants, stuff our faces with food, and discuss (harshly judge) the personalities and looks of both men and women on the Bachelorette or the Bachelor. If you ask me, this show really captures the essence of true love and magical moments experienced by the most elite young members of our society. 

I think there's nothing more sexy than a twenty something year old cell phone salesmen from Michigan wanting to sweep me off my feet in front of America and all the loving people who watch this ingenious show. For those of you who aren't familiar with this spectacle of love and faith and devotion, what are you doing with your time? Certainly not educating yourself on the art of modern romance. 

Sometimes we get wonderful exotic men like Juan Pablo on the show to really spice things up and show us that "es okay" to love multiple women at once, but "es okay" to also not love any of them. (I mean c'mon, you know there are some serious red flags when even his family are warning you about his habits.) I will say that all the women had some genuine concern for Camilla, Juan Pablo's daughter, which really struck my heart. I mean, what woman wouldn't be thrilled to be a stepmother to a child that is more bilingual than you are? (And Camilla obviously did not like any of these women, you can see this obviously by her silence and body language when she met the last contenders of Juan Pablo's...dare I say, love?). 

Now, in all seriousness, I very much did admire Sean and Catherine from Season 17. They appear to be real people, in love and complete with quirks and morals and problems and a past of their own. What struck me most about Sean and Catherine is they waited till their wedding (which was beautifully broad casted on the abc network) to consummate their love, which seemed to shock America greatly. In my opinion, after filtering through 25 women, was a very gallant and admirable decision for them to have made. Cudos to Sean and Catherine. (And if you watched the final Bachelor episode featuring Juan Pablo and his parade of emotions and rude comments, Sean and Catherine's expressions made me laugh more than Nicki's awful personality and frankly, her serious compatibility with Juan Pablo). 

This show is extremely hard to describe, before you know it, your hands are at the bottom of a bag of smartpop white cheddar popcorn, and you're questioning your life choices at 10pm at night on the eastern seaboard. But you know next week you'll do that same thing...and es okay. 

Love Always, B

Self Image Issues: The Skinny On Why They're Not Cool

Self Image issues are by far one of the worst calamities of our time that face humans, women especially, of any age. There's nothing that gets under my skin more or as quickly than when someone has only negative things to speak of about specific parts of their body. This may be one of the most harsh and abrasive things I've ever wanted to say about diets, weight, beauty, image and food so badly that I've created a blog to discuss it, but I want to start off by saying the following:

1. No one cares if you want to lose 10 pounds when you look great now. Keep it to yourself. I'm proud of you, but still mildly uninterested. 

2. Along with not caring, we (family, friends, waiters, twitter) don't want to hear it. Its annoying hearing you say you "cant" eat something and go on and on (and on and on) about it because of the weight you're trying to lose. Quit making me feel bad about enjoying a piece of birthday cake, after all, birthdays are natures way of reminding us to eat more cake!

3. Stop talking about your workouts. Keep it to yourself. Again, We don't care, although I'm glad you're active for the sake of your overall health. Maybe those endorphins will help you realize that true happiness isn't losing weight and not eating girl scout cookies. Have a damn cookie, but stay active. 

4. Don't talk about food. Don't talk about junk food. Don't talk about healthy food. Its only how many calories? OhWaitIDontCare. The only time I want you to hear about food from you is if it's what we're preparing for dinner, what we're ordering at a restaurant, or if the food you're eating tastes good. 

5. Stop counting calories and only eating, and I quote, "700 calories a day". The average healthy woman eats between 1,949 calories down to about 1,535 calories a day in her lifespan progressively between the ages of 20 and 70 (according to healthyeating.com). You're a psycho if you actually count every little thing you eat for the sake of losing weight to be "skinny" (on the contrary, if you have to do so for legitimate medical reasons, this does not in any way apply to you). You also may want to check and see if the oxygen you breathe has a calorie count as well, in which case if it does, try to cut down on breathing as well. 

And Self image issues go way further than just weight! It goes to height, voice, hair, skin, complexion, smile, even feet. Let me shed some light on the subject. First of all and most importantly, everyone is beautiful inside or out, or both. Its what you do with that beauty, how you carry yourself, and how you make other people feel about themselves and their beauty that counts. I don't have self image issues because...

1. God made me this way. He made me with curly hair and dark eyes and ruddy skin and a sharp nose and strange feet (the toes next to my big toes are longer than all the others, and frankly its weird, but I'll take it). But God also made me healthy, and strong, and flexible and more important than anything: smart and happy. 

2. I love my body. No, really, I love the way I look. When it comes to my reflection, I'm obsessed with it. I love to look at and admire myself. I may be narcissistic, but hey, I know its better than the alternative of picking myself apart in front of the mirror. I love my thighs and my tummy and my knees and my shoulders. I love my pores and my hair and my teeth and my smile. I am not nor will I ever be perfect. But I love myself, which allows me to know how to love others and make them feel good about themselves. 

3. My boyfriend thinks I'm hot. His opinion and mine are the only ones I really keep track of. 

My advice?

 Love yourself. Treat yourself to clothes that make you feel good. Wear pretty lip gloss. Have a piece of the birthday cake.  Get your hair done. Go play a sport you love. Paint your nails. Go exercise with a friend for fun. Make something new. Compliment someone. Be genuine and Be kind. Find a role model. Try something different today. Do something that makes you feel good about yourself, remember that feeling, and cling to it. You're beautiful each and every day that you live. 

Love Always, B   

Coco The Mexican Hairless with Hair

I remember the day very well. Me and my mom had gone to look at dogs while my dad was out of town in the Bahamas. We were "just looking" (Not true). We had browsed a lot of puppy stores and places until we came to the Flea Market. Me and my mom and very big Flea Marketers. We used to go and look at knockoffs of everything and anything. We came up to a small pet store and behold, sat a litter of Mexican hairless puppies. While the other 3 or 4 hairless puppies slept in a pile together, one small hairy puppy yapped at us through the bars of the cage. He had big brown eyes and a cute black square nose, and his fur was the softest I'd ever felt. He was one of the cutest dogs we'd ever seen, and we held him for almost an hour before we left. I had begged my mom for the puppy, knowing she's wanted him too. 

Not even an hour later we were in the car. Me, Mom, and our puppy who would eventually be called "Coco" for Coco Chanel, (he also happened to be a Cocoa color). The name suited him perfectly. Me and my mom drove around to find a place to buy all the things we'd need for our new puppy, my first puppy. Afterwards, we took coco to introduce him to my grandparents, who loved him instantly. Coco met Mitzie, my grandmas Yorkie, first. And watching them play was the happiest thing. I was only about 9 or 10 at the time and me and cocos first picture together was precious. He was sitting on the wooden plank that was the handrail of my grandparents huge porch, with my hands wrapped around him and my face against his back.

As the years went on, the pictures flooded in. Pictures with clothes and sweaters and coats and Halloween costumes. Pictures at the Ponce Inlet dog beach. Pictures with shared ice cream cones and pictures of bedtime. Pictures of him sleeping, pictures of him playing. Videos of his tricks my mom taught him. Coco was incredible. He was always happy to see you when you came home. He was the first to greet you when you came home and the first to sit on your lap when you were on the toilet. Coco loved children, If he so much as saw a kid he wanted to interact with them and enjoy a good petting. When we took coco to the park or to Lake Eola, kids would overcome their shy reserves to ask "Can I pet your dog?" Coco was practically iconic. He meant everything to me. He was my best friend and the one person who would come and lick my face and sit with me when he heard me crying from stress or anger or sadness. He knew how to make people feel good. He was a real dog. He made his purpose other people, never himself. 

We had coco for 9 years, which in retrospect was nothing at all. Not even a fraction of the time i had intended to love him and be with him. About 3 weeks ago, coco began to get sick. He wasn't eating like he usually was. He was tired, didn't want to do much besides lay on his bed with his blanket and his favorite toys. We found out later that he has lung cancer, and that it has spread. We kept coco for about 5 days after we got this news. Those last 5 days were made to be the best five days he would have. He had all his favorite foods, he went to the beach and saw the dolphins at ponce inlet one last time. I carried my now skinny dying dog across the beach in his red blanket as he fell asleep against my shoulder. It was the saddest thing I ever had to go through. I'm a firm believer that things happen for a reason and there's always a good side. In that situation, there was no good side that was worth losing coco over. 

On February 4th me and my parents took coco and put him to sleep. We promised him he wouldn't suffer, and we kept our promise. I still miss him and the fact that hes in Heaven makes me sad...but it also makes me happy to. He knows peace. He knows absolute beauty and happiness of his own. Hes with all the dogs my friends had ironically lost just weeks before himself. Coco is free, and hes still here. At first I was angry with God. Now I understand. This wasn't meant to make people sad, or make people feel sorry. This was meant to be a solace and an affirmation of love, and a reminder to love your dogs and take good care of them. You never know when you're seeing the last of them. 

We love you coco, We'll be missing you and some day, seeing you. 

Love Always, B