Quiz Time

No, don't worry, not for y'all for me. I saw the cutest Cosmo-like quiz floating around online and I had to take a crack at it. You can find the original quiz here at Two Thirds Hazel and I hope y'all enjoy learning a little more about me!

The Importance of Seeing Just How Far You've Come

When you are living your life it's hard to see just how much progress you have made, how much you have grown as a person and how different things are than a year before. Sometimes though, we get to see the progress and the result is (typically) amazing. 

Early last winter I was hired to be a Youth Girls Lacrosse Coach. Bringing a sport like Lacrosse to a state like Texas is the ultimate challenge. This state is all about club soccer and it's hard to find your fitting as a club. I've spent the last year teaching girls about a sport that I love and trying to help them become better athletes (and in general people). We've had a lot of losses. A lot of mistakes, fouls and all around embarrassing moments.

I didn't think anything had really changed during that year.

Until this weekend. This weekend we played a tournament all day Saturday and today and my girls killed it. 9 wins, 1 loss and 2 ties. To teams that are more "planted" and to girls with more experience.  My girls showed me just how hard we've worked over this year and the results were amazing. 

It's easy to get caught up in life, to run around, getting jobs done, fulfilling commitments, but I want y'all to remember to sit once and a while and take it all in; see how far you've come. The results may surprise you.

Photo Catch Up

I'm working a lacrosse tournament all weekend (Yay!) but that doesn't leave a ton of time for blogging-- it does leave a lot of time for getting sunburnt (oops). I've decided today that I'm gonna catch you up on what I have been doing over my little blog-break through some Instagram pictures--Hope you enjoy!

This is a recent picture from work. Gotta love that indoor life while it's still cold out. It's amazing to see how fast kids can really pick up a sport and it's been amazing to watch them grow over the past year. I hope I have good news to tell y'all once the tournament is over! 

I was having a hard day not too long ago. Internship interviews weren't going as planned, school was getting to be too much and we were rapidly approaching Valentine's day (I'm single and I'm enjoying it, but being single on Valentine's day is still #rough). I decided to visit Brewed coffee shop at it was absolutely amazing. Great mood (totally tumblr-esq), delicious drinks (pictured here is the grasshopper) and just completely relaxing. I sat back and read some C.S. Lewis and cleared my mind and I cannot wait to go back--I hear the food is to die for.

This is me and my friend Courtney hanging with one of the members of our homeless family on Valentines day. Fort Worth has a huge homeless problem and it has been such a joy meeting underserved members of my community and really getting to know them for who they are, not for who we see when they are on the side of the road.

And lastly, this is my friend Julie and I on a recent night out. Growing older definitely has its downsides (hello working all weekend), but I do love that as a Junior in college, life is less of stressfully running around trying to meet everyone, do everything and more about just having a good time with your friends. 

Well, that's all I've really been up to while over my blogging break: working, dealing with school, chilling with homeless friends and going out on occasion. Wish me luck tomorrow! We've won 4 games...hopefully we can win more! 

What have y'all been up to lately?

xo

Be Where You Are, and Help Where You Aren't

Remember (all those years ago) when iPhones, Smart phones, even cell phones weren't part of our daily lives? You actually spent time with those you love, ate meals without checking Insta and just decided to be where you were, in the present, enjoying the company of your friends? I don't know about y'all, but there are times when I wish I didn't have my phone. 

via http://paigeeventually.com/2012/12/18/be-where-you-are-free-printable/

From phone stacking to just basic self-dicipline, I've tried to get better about "being where you are", but sometimes I need an incentive. Now through UNICEF, at tap.unicefusa.org (on your mobile device) for every 10 minutes you don't touch your device, 1 days worth of water is donated to a child in need. How cool is that? You can be where you are, and help someone where you aren't all at the same time, without much stress or hassle. 

Check it out today!

There's Something Wrong in the Ukraine

The situation in the Ukraine is reaching a fever pitch with the EU imposing sanctions and the U.S. considering it. The Ukraine has been on the precipice of all-out chaos for the past several months, and to understand what all is happening now, we have to look back to then.

This is the Ukraine, it gained it's independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. They have a President and a Prime Minister, but the former is the official head of state.

The BBC reports that the reason behind the current conflict in the Eastern European country is due to President Viktor Yanukovych rejecting a deal with the European Union in favor of receiving money and strengthing ties with Russia. Official protests started in November of 2013, with the most violent flare starting on February 18th.

Here are some pictures from the protests and the resulting violence from Talking Points Memo.

Also, here is a video that shows more of what Kiev is like on the ground with the protesters. It is called  "I Am a Ukrainian"

With the death toll climbing and civil life deteriorating, what is America supposed to do? As a foreign actor, we tend to "police" other countries, but this isn't a small squabble and if the protests continue the way they are going, we may be seeing a government change.

The European Union has decided to implement sanctions against Ukrainian officials by freezing assets and imposing travel bans. Sanctions have always been a sticky situation for countries because they tend to not impact the way they are meant to (they are much more likely to impact a farmer than a government official); however, the EU seems confident that these sanctions will encourage change in Ukraine.

After all of these developments, and a failed attempt at peace, President Obama is considering imposing sanctions. Whether they will be sanctions on goods, or be more like the EU sanctions, we don't know. 

What do y'all think we should do?

Impose sanctions? 

Military aid? 

Sit back and wait?

What do you think?

The Value of Being Uncool

Let's face it. From the day we understand the social hierarchy we are born into, we want to be cool. Think back to middle school (I know, its cringe worthy). If you were anything like most people I knew, myself included, you just wanted to be cool. From having the "right friends" to having the "right stuff", that's the stuff that completely suffocated most of us through middle and even high school.

When I finally got to college, and after I survived sorority recruitment, I just wanted to be me. I didn't want to spend all the time wondering if I had the right friends or stuff or ideas. I wanted to be me. While I love my friends from middle and high school (and I would never change our friendships), I especially love my friends that I've made here, simply because none of us care about being "cool". Staying in because we are tired? Tumbling and sharing the weirdest jokes? All fair game with my friends. We love each other for who we are, not who we are trying to be and I urge each and every one of y'all to find these relationships. 

I think Phillip Seymour Hoffman said it best in Almost Famous, "The only true currency we have in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool". 

Attention Seekers February 18th: The Good, Bad and Beautiful

Long time no see y'all!

So...it took a lot longer than I anticipated getting back into my "school" routine. The days have been flying by and I still don't really feel like I know what I'm doing. I do know enough though that it's time for me to get back to doing what I love: blogging on Pearls & Political Science. I've missed y'all so much and I am just so happy I am back and I really hope that y'all will get excited for what I have in store for the rest of the year.

To get back into the swing of things, I want to show you what have been my "Attention Seekers" for the past several weeks. Sit back, relax and get ready for "Attention Seekers": The Good, Bad and Beautiful Edition

1. Dale Partridge

Dale Partridge is founder of Sevenly.org and all around great guy. He writes blog posts daily about living life the way it should be lived, and how to get the most out of life experiences (from the large to the seemingly insignificant. Recently he's discussed topics that include, 5 Timeless Secrets to a Perfect Life, 3 Hard Truths About Liars and 3 Acts of Bravery That Could Change Your 2014.

Partridge's blog is the electronic equivalent to a cup of tea. It warms you, energizes you and comforts you all at the same time.

For this next one, what I mean by "bad" is that it is bad how many times I've listened to the same song.

Drunk in Love by Beyoncé

This track slays on its own. Easy. But then everyone and their mom decided they needed to make it better by making a remix. I'm talking everyone. Kanye, The Weeknd, T.I., Diplo. You name them, they remixed it. But I don't care. They are all amazing and I could listen for days on end. I think someone wise once said, "We accept the Drunk in Love remixes we think we deserve" and I couldn't agree more. I think we deserve all of them, so I accept all of them. Check'em out!

Finally, The Beautiful.

I was ULTA the other day and a something blue caught my eye....well Hello Sailor!

Y'all must think that I've lost my mind, but Hello Sailor by Lipstick Queen is really a God-send. Recently in fashion, My Lips But Better has been so popular and I never really knew what to do, how to figure out how to get it. This bad boy knows exactly what to do. Extremely sheer, Hello Sailor is all you need to wear day or night lips-wise to feel glamorous and while style hydrating your pout.

Check it out for yourself. This is what Hello Sailor looks like on!

From: shefinds.com

So there it is, the Good, Bad and Beautiful and I am again so, so, so happy to back with y'all to talk what about what really matters: Lifestyle and the Politics that enable us to life that lifestyle.

xoxo