Dragalicious

Only a few days into being 27 and I've already completed another item on my list. For my birthday, some friends and I went to Lips, a drag show in Atlanta.

After reading some of the reviews on Yelp, I wasn't sure that it was going to be worth it. But it definitely was. Sure, it was overpriced, but it's in Atlanta. Everything is overpriced. The show was very entertaining and we had a great time. 

A few things to note:

There is a $10 cover charge per person for Friday and Saturday nights (we went on a Friday). 

If you have less than 10 people, there is a $15 food minimum per person (more than 10 is $25 I think, we had 5 people). 

The food was actually pretty good, I thought. It was the equivalent to most bar food I've ever had. We ordered mostly appetizers and one entree to share amongst all of us. We had garlic bread, coconut shrimp, calamari, two of the combo appetizers which had chicken fingers, hot wings, pot stickers, crab cakes and spinach and artichoke dip, and one order of chicken fingers with fries. Nothing tasted bad to me. I actually really liked the shrimp and pot stickers. The chicken tasted like the kind you buy in the freezer section at the grocery store and heat in the oven but it was still fine.

The drinks were $8.50 each and really good. I had the Drag-o-Rita, Kick the Bitch to the Curb, and Yvonne Lame' Frozen Cosmo.

If it is your birthday, they give you a crown to wear during the show. They also call you up on stage, give you a brownie and insult you a little. It was quite funny and only moderately embarrassing for me. There is a $10 charge for this that is added to your bill. They don't tell you this but it is written on the menu. I knew this ahead of time from reading other reviews. If you don't want to be charged, don't tell them it is your birthday! My friends thought it was worth it to see me embarrassed. :)


The performers were also the servers but we didn't experience any problems with getting our food. We ordered our drinks separately directly from the bar each time. The only thing that took a little longer than we would have liked is getting our regular drinks re-filled. I was pleased with the service.

The show itself lasted about an hour, which is what I expected as there were two shows that night. 

All in all, it was a great birthday experience that I will definitely never forget. 

Getting Crafty- Cork Board Map

I've wanted a map of the US to hang on my wall for a while. I thought it would be neat to have one I could use to mark states I've been to. I found a few different ideas (adding photos in the shape of each state was a good one!) but ultimately decided on a cork board map. I made one for myself and one for Courtney, my oftentimes travel companion, for Christmas.

What you'll need:

• Cork board
• Printout of the US
• Pencil
• Sharpie
• Scissors
• Ribbon
• Hot Glue
• Push Pins
• Stickers (optional)

I bought two cork board's from Walmart (about $8 each). I printed a map of the US using Microsoft Publisher so that I could make it larger than a regular 8x11 sheet of paper, the only size paper I had. I cut out the map and traced the outline on my cork board. Then, I cut out a few states at a time, tracing them from West to East. 

Once I got it all traced, it looked like this. (Side note- I drew Hawaii in the wrong direction on the map below. This was the first map I drew so the second one turned out better.)

I traced back over my pencil lines with a sharpie to make it stand out more.

I found stickers in the scrapbook section at Michael's of all state license plates ($3 each) and I bought large push pins at Office Depot ($4 for 50pk). I hot glued the stickers on the push pins so they wouldn't fall off.

Next, I, with the help of my co-worker, made bows with ribbon I bought a Michael's. I cut a longer piece of the ribbon and attached it in two spots on the back of the cork board with staples and hot glue and then hot glued the bow to the top of the ribbon. (Note- It is better to attached the bow separately so that it does not pull loose once you hang it on the wall.)

I attempted to paint my cork board frame black (they only had one black one when I bought them) but paint wouldn't stick to the frame too well. It worked out though because now it looks artistic. :)

They turned out better than I expected. Now I just have to fill in all of those states!

Also that's one thing off of my list! Technically I'm not 27 yet, but I'm still counting it!

27 at 27

27 is my lucky number. I can't remember exactly how it got started, but my friend Lesley and I have been semi-obsessed with this number since high school.

Anyway... I'm a a few weeks away from turning 27 and thought it would be appropriate (and fun) to make a list of 27 things to do whilst I'm 27. This is also a way to accomplish a few goals. I do much better when I have deadlines. I've searched the internet and my own brain for ideas of what to include on this list and this is what I came up with:

1. Visit a place I've never been. In my case this will be Hawaii. I have been planning this trip in my mind for years and it is finally in motion. This, at least as of now, is the most exciting event happening in my life next year.

2. Take a Class. I'm not sure what kind of class. Maybe painting or cooking.

3. Write a rough draft of a novel or short story. I'll never reach my goal of publishing a novel if I never finish the rough draft.

4. Get in the shape I want to be in. Some people would argue that I'm already in shape just because I weigh less than a certain amount...but to me being in shape isn't about a number. I want to be stronger, more toned and a little thinner. I hope to have this accomplished before my Hawaii trip in May.

5. Eat healthier. I know this is a goal one should always have, and I've been doing better lately. But I would like next year to be about eating more veggies and less Hamburger Helper.

6. Try a new vegetable. There are so many vegetables out there and I'm sure I've only tried a handful of them. I've met many a vegetable I didn't like, but in order to complete goal 5, it would be helpful to find more that I did like.

7. Go to a concert. The last few years I've been an avid concert-goer. I feel like I should carry this on into next year. 

8. Save more money than I did this year. I've managed to save around $1,400 this year, which is pretty good. But I'd like to save even more next year. After all, one does not want to live with one's parents forever.

9. See a play. Another recent obsession of mine. I love plays, high school and professional. My goal is to see at least one if not more next year.

10. Try my hand at photography. I bought myself an expensive camera last Christmas ($450 = expensive to me!) and haven't used it that much this year. Whether I decide to photograph scenery or people or objects, I hope to take more pictures than ever.

11. Do a wine tasting. I've tried a few wine samples at wineries in TN before, but never gone to an official wine tasting. I'm not a big drinker but when I do, I prefer wine. Or margaritas!

12. Eat at a restaurant I've never eaten at before. About a month ago, I went with my cousins and their boyfriends (yes, I am often a 5th wheel) to a Korean Bar-B-Q restaurant. I wasn't even aware such a place existed and no, they do not have what Americans consider BBQ. It had hints of hibachi (they cooked the food in front of you) but was unlike any food I've ever eaten. We had pork, chicken and steak marinated in an assortment of spices, spicy cabbage, bean sprouts, all on either rice paper or large radish slices. Plus we were given several sauces to dip our meat in. The food was really good and I've been dying to take my other friends there. Basically, I want to try a restaurant with food I've never eaten.

13. Along the same lines as 12, try new kinds of sushi. I've had sushi at a Japanese restaurant, a bar a grill (Drake's in Florence, KY) and once from Kroger, but I usually stick to the same kind (shrimp, crab and cream cheese). I want to branch out and try something new. Maybe I can find a good sushi bar to go to.

14. Run a 5K. My friends and I ran in the Color Run this year and had a great time. I'd like to find a new 5K to run in next year. Something fun. Maybe a mud run!

15. Watch Breaking Bad. I've heard this is an awesome show but I've never seen it. I think next year will be an excellent time to do that very thing. Netflix marathon!

16. Make a craft and attempt to sell it on Etsy. I love Etsy and have probably spent too much money on neat things I've found on there. The next step is to sell something myself. I'm not the most crafty or artistic person, but maybe I have an undiscovered talent for jewelry making.

17. Make a T-shirt quilt. I have a collection of T-shirts from back in the day that I do not wear but kind of want to keep. The solution: T-shirt quilt! I could send them off and let someone make the quilt for me (easy way) or I could purchase fabric, dig out my mom's old sewing machine and try to make it myself (possibly disastrous but more fun way). As I get older, I feel like I should really learn to sew. The only thing I've ever sewn in my life was a small pillow in an interior design class in high school.

18. Attempt a new activity. I have a few things in mind that all relate to Hawaii.

19. Have at least one themed party. I love themed parties! My biggest problem is I often spend too much on said parties. We may have to cut back next year, but I still intend to have at least one! (For party themes and ideas, see my other co-blog ourmcworld.blogspot.com.)

20. Bake a new kind of pie. So far in life, I have only attempted two homemade pies, blueberry and sweet potato. Yeah, I know, healthy eating and all that, but I love pie. And everything is okay in moderation...

21. Make a crafty map of the United States. Since one of my bucket list items is to visit all 50 states, I've always wanted a map that I can put push pins or photos of my visits on.

22. Learn how to curl my hair. I am terrible at styling my hair, which is why it is straight most of the time. I bought myself a styling wand on Black Friday so my goal is to learn to use it correctly.

23. Go to a drag queen show. I love watching Rupaul's Drag Race and think it would be awesome to see a drag show in real life.

24. Go glamping. I haven't been camping since I was a teenager and none of my friends want to venture into the woods. The compromise is glamping, or camping with style.

25. Do something that scares me. It doesn't really matter what exactly.

26. Re-organize my closet area. I say area because I don't actually have a shut in closet. It's more of a racks hanging on the wall kind of thing. I'm not sure exactly how I want to re-do it, but I know I want more hanging space for my bags (I have a bag problem!) and a bigger rack for my shoes (I also have a boot problem!).

27. Blog more! I've started a few blogs before and quit them before a year had even passed. And I haven't posted as much on my co-blog this year as I had planned. So next year I vow to try and update my blogs at least once a week.

So there you go. 27 at 27. Can I do it? Stick around to find out!

How Much is a Gym Membership?

Is it a common practice not to post how much memberships are on gym's website? Is this not the age of the internet when the web can tell us all things without us having to pick up a phone and actually talk to someone?

My brother has asked for a gym membership for graduation/Christmas so here is me researching how much our local gyms charge...only no information is to be found on their websites or their Facebook pages so what the heck? Do prices change so frequently that they can't be posted? Do they not want people to know how much they'll be charged in advance?

I guess I'll have to go archaic and pick up a phone. What if I don't remember how to dial?! *joke*

I've considered joining a gym a few times but always talk myself out of it. I wish the park n rec gym I go to for Zumba and Yoga had some sort of membership plan. It is a small gym with approximately three treadmills and four weight machines but at least four nights a week there are fitness classes in their large room and outside. Currently, all fitness classes are operated independently. Money goes straight to the instructor and I'm not sure if the instructor pays the park or the park let's them operate for free or what.

My suggestion would be for the park to pay the instructors a set amount per month and offer fitness passes for say $40 unlimited classes with drop in fees available for those who don't wish to make a monthly commitment.

Right now I pay $5 a class for every Zumba class I attend (approximately 6 per month) and $6 per class for Yoga (4 times per month). So that's $54 a month and no free gym access, small as the gym might be.

I could switch to Anytime Fitness or any number of other gyms (I think they offer fitness classes as well), but I've grown attached to my classes and don't want to leave them. I'm sure a lot of fitness gurus would agree that when you find an instructor you like, it's hard to leave them even when a better deal presents itself.

Speaking of fitness, I found a new workout plan to try! I should preface this by saying that I never stick to workout plans so chances are this will be a failure. But maybe not!

I've recently jumped aboard the Lauren Conrad train. I joined her mailing list and everything! Don't judge me. She/these other two girls has developed what is called Bikini Boot Camp. Since I'm going to Hawaii next year, I've been thinking about my bikini bod and how it leaves much to be desired. I thought I would give this one a try once January comes around. I'd start now but it would be even more of a failure with my busy schedule over the next few weeks.

She usually posts the new year's boot camp in May, but that will be too late for me (Hawaii in May!) so I'm going by 2014's plan.

http://laurenconrad.com/blog/2014/05/get-fit-my-2014-bikini-boot-camp-plan/

I'll update once the new year rolls around and let anyone who may actually be reading this (Are you out there? Anyone?.....) know how it goes and if I mange to stick with it for more than two days. Maybe I'll make it my New Year's resolution and then I'll have to do it. LOL.

Until next time I have a random thought/problem.

iPhone Photos

I was just browsing through a few photos I have taken/screen shot on my iPhone and thought I'd share a few just for fun. And because it's Wednesday and I'm bored. :)

I was searching for ideas for a short story one day and needed a little inspiration. So I handed my mom a brown paper bag and told her to put 5 random things in it. This is what she came up with.

I saw this on BuzzFeed once and found it very hilarious. 

 Anyone remember Rockett's Adventure Maker? Well, it was like my favorite thing back in middle school. I used to make these cartoons all the time. I found this one folded in a box not too long ago and decided to share it on Facebook for all those who used to partake in this awesomeness with me.

 Last February, Dunkin Donuts had these heart shaped pastries of deliciousness. This particular one was filled with brownie batter. Kind of made my teeth hurt with its sweetness, but totally worth it.

Oh the fretful story of my flash drive. It stopped working and...and...took all of my documents into oblivion with it. I don't want to talk about it. 

Photo of my kitty attempting to help paint. Or maybe just nosing in my business like always.

Getting Crafty- Burlap Wreath Edition

I'm not usually that crafty. I spend a lot of time on Pinterest admiring things other people have done, but rarely do I give those crafts a try myself. But one of my co-workers recently got into making wreaths. She showed me how she made them and I decided to give it a shot. This is how it turned out:

Not too bad if I do say so myself.

I didn't take pictures of the step by step but I'll try to explain it. I took a wreath frame like this one ($4.99 at Michael's): 

I bought two rolls of burlap from Walmart ($3.47 each) and two rolls of black mesh ribbon from Michael's ($9.99 each).

All I did to make my wreath was feed the fabric, burlap/ribbon/burlap/ribbon/etc., up through each of the three layers all the way around. The closest tutorial I found is the one below:

http://www.kenarry.com/diy-summer-burlap-wreath/

The M was actually attached to the bow at the top and was given to me by my boss for Christmas last year. I think she got it from Kirklands. I attached it to the top with pipe cleaners. 

It was actually a lot easier than I thought it would be. I did make it twice because the first time I made it too tight. I like wreaths to be floofy. All in all it took me about an hour and a half, but that was making it twice. 

Even if you don't think you're crafty, give it a shot every once in a while. You might surprise yourself.

The Art of Not Being a Loser + Money Saving Tip

Do you ever feel like a loser? Do you ever see an article about someone your age or younger doing something extraordinary and think to yourself, what am I doing with my life?

For instance, I saw two articles today that gave me pause. One talked about a 30 year old woman who was just elected to congress. Personally, I would never want to be elected to congress but I feel like that is a major achievement for someone so young. 

The other article I read was about a 27 year old man who is now a millionaire. He began planning ahead when he was a teenager by saving all money he made in high school, joining the military (free education and life skills), and investing. Once I read about him, I could understand and accept that his path would not have worked for me. But why haven’t I managed to forge my own path? I want to be a millionaire too dang it! Actually, I'm not sure I do.

I suspect that much like people who don't have money worry about getting it, people who do have money worry about losing it. If I ever won the lottery I would tell no one. People already ask to borrow my money and I don't even have that much.

Such a materialistic world we live in. I can claim no innocence though. I love things! Actually, my love of things is why I'm having a bit of trouble saving $$'s right now. 

Since most of you are like me and like to spend money so much more than make money, I want to share my current method of saving. Bear in mind this comes from a single gal in her mid-twenties who lives with her parents.

This past year I've been completing a 52 week money challenge. One of my co-workers introduced me to this last year. Basically, you put back $1-$52 each week for one year. Here's a chart:

Actually, this is a reverse chart. The original chart I found started at 1 and went to 52, but I thought it would be better to start high and end low as I usually have less money at the end of the year.

It’s actually easier than I thought to stick to it. Instead of putting money aside weekly, I have been transferring the amounts per month from my checking to my savings account. (It's all about the interest. I've already earned $0.06!!) I've put my money in for November, only $26. Only $10 left to go for December.

Sure, it’s only $1,378, but that’s $1,378 that has been put aside and not spent on (maybe) unnecessary  things like new clothes or Nook books (I have an addiction to buying cheap Nook books). Eventually I plan to move into my own house and get a new car. My savings this year might not get me that, but it’s an excellent start. Saving this way can also be a good way to ensure you get that vacation you want to take. Now you can afford to take off work and travel to the beach or mountains for a few days. Or help you pay for that Hawaii trip you've been dreaming of forever. (My exciting life adventure next year!)

I’m not sure what my saving plan for next year will be. Maybe I’ll do a repeat of the 52 week challenge. If any of you have tried any other methods of saving that worked out, let me know!

Or maybe I should start trying my luck with the lottery.

It’s like Eddie Popko once said, “Somebody’s gotta win it. Might as well be me.” 

So yeah, it's easy for me to feel like I'm a failure when I look at other people's successes. I'm constantly reminding myself not to compare me to other people, whether it's because they are more or less successful than I am. I try to remind myself how fortunate I am. Count my blessings instead of my shortcomings. It's easy to say that we shouldn't look at these people with a feeling of resentment and jealousy. We should feel a sense of admiration and determination to follow our own dreams. But sometimes following through can be the hardest part.

Actually, in my case, figuring out my dream is the hardest part. 

But I'm still young and have plenty of time to figure it out. I may still be envious of others from time to time, but will strive to remember that my time just hasn't come yet.

So perk up! We’re not losers just because we’re not well on our way to congress! What makes losers is giving up! 

That book pictured above was written by a kid, btw. 

Going on 30...

There are a lot of things you expect to have accomplished by the time you turn 30. As a teenager you think, one day I will have things figured out. I will know exactly who I am and what I want out of life. I will find the perfect career and the man/woman of my dreams. I will have my own house and a car and maybe a few pets. I will be well on my way to having a couple of kids. Life will be so different.

But then, next thing you know, you’re only 3 years away from the big 3 0 and have done exactly zero of those things. 

Sure, you graduated from high school, and yeah, you went to college like you were supposed to. But you majored in business because you couldn’t decide what else to do. Now you’re working as a bona fide secretary, a job which only requires a high school diploma equivalent and pays only slightly better than working as a cashier at a fast food restaurant. You would look for a job in another field if you knew what else you wanted to do, but you don’t.

As for your love life, forget it. You haven’t been on a date in years and the prospects are not looking good. You may very well die alone. And kids? Not likely to happen anytime soon.

You live with your parents because… well, frankly you can’t afford to live on your own. It seems like a sweet deal, only pay a few bills and live in the basement in your own little “apartment”, which works out great until people feel free to let themselves in whenever they want and when everyone calls you when you’re out because they know you’re not home. Not that you stay out late very often because you have to get up for work at 5 a.m.

If your teenage self could see you now…

Does this sound familiar to anyone? 

I’ve spent the last few years of my life watching my friends, Facebook and real-life, getting married and having kids, buying their own homes and working in fields they love. And here’s me, not doing any of that. I've envied those who appear to have things figured out. And maybe (probably) they don’t either. But they blind us all with their smokescreens of happy marriages and babies.

HOWEVER, after all of my initial complaining (see above), I’ve come to realize that life is never going to be some picture perfect dream sequence. Most likely I won’t be married nor ready to have kids at 30, and I’ll probably still be working in the same job 3 years from now. And that’s okay! 

From now on, I'm turning over a new leaf. No more feeling sorry for myself because I won't be hitched by my 10 year high school reunion! No more sulking because my friends make more money than I do! My life is pretty great and it's time to just enjoy the ride.

I'm almost 27 years old and I've decided to dedicate the next three years to figuring out my true passion in life. I like to read those 30 before 30 lists and I may make one of my own. But my main goal is to take chances. I'm a bit shy and my confidence could use some work but I am determined not to let fear stop me. I'm on a mission to find myself.

If somewhere along the way I also find my prince of nothing charming (love Tyler Hilton), then great! But if not, I want to at least reach 30 with a better understanding of what I want to do with the rest of my life.

I decided to start this blog to document my journey to self-discovery. It won’t be of Eat, Pray, Love caliber, but we’ve all got to start somewhere right?