Some Of My Met Gala Favorites

The Met Gala was on Monday and if you love fashion, this was the place to be! At $25,000 a ticket, one has the right to dress and express themselves in pretty much  any way they choose. This year's theme was "China: Through The Looking Glass".  I chose a few of my favorites!

Beyonce - Again and again she pushes the envelope, this time in a gold sequined, chiffon number that leaves little to the imagination. If you got it, flaunt it? 

Anne Hathaway - I do love her as an actress. She gives every role she has her all. This gold lame, chain mail number makes her rail thin body look like it almost has curves! Her face is so beautiful that she can do anything with it.

Jennifer Lawrence - As far removed from Katniss as she could be in this faux two-piece body conscious dress. Look at the necklace she is wearing!  I'm still trying to decide if I like it with the outfit or not!

Helen Mirren - What a classy look. How old is she? She is a UK National Treasure. She looks stunning. The earrings accent her outfit so well, along with the clutch!

Sarah Jessica Parker - Who could pull anything like this off? I actually like it! She looks like an evil witch queen from a 'Game Of Thrones' novel. But if you're going for that look, she pulled it off magnificently!

Selena Gomez - Not sure I understand what she is trying to pull off. Maybe she's going for the naughty nun look! What makes it turn from elegant to slightly ridiculous is the head piece.  

Katie Holmes - Tom Cruise's ex is looking mighty coy these days! The front of her gown is very demure and then she turns around and it's very daring! It makes for a bit of a surprise. Well-played!

Kate Hudson - Kate was accompanied by the designer who designed her dress - Michael Kors. The dress is very detailed in its stitched design. The train is just right and the front is well-proportioned and flattering. I'm not sure what it looks like in the back, but the front is gorgeous.

Which outfit is your favorite? Which is your least favorite?

A To Z Blog Challenge Reflection + Motivating Monday Link-Up

 Having just completed my stint as an A To Z Blogger and having mostly survived the challenge, I come away with a few brief words of reflection. 

• It is possible to write every day! I now know I can and do have things to say daily. 

• It is not possible to write a great post every single day!  There were days where I threw things together just to be able to say I posted that day.

• Sometimes a bad post will get traffic, but usually it's a fluke! It happened for me but I think it was coming off the heels of one of my better posts. The good post drew some repeat traffic and I'm sorry to say, those that came back were probably disappointed with the next post. Lesson learned - when you have a great post, come up with another great post so you can retain your traffic!

• I found some great new blogs that have great material--blogs that I want to check out again and again. Most likely I will visit some of these blogs to find posts that I'd like to feature on Motivating Monday. So you A To Z Bloggers, watch out! I'll be visiting!

Today is Motivating Monday!  We all need a little motivation!  I, for one, love to explore other sites for motivating, mostly non-sponsored posts, tips, pictures and videos!  If I happen to find a great one, I'll link it up and share it with you on Twitter via the #MotivatingMonday hashtag!  It's like being featured!  Sometimes I miss some amazing posts.  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize! Don't be shy--I'm really very supportive!  Remember, any link to your posts helps your blog numbers increase!  To start things off, here is a great quote by Zig Ziglar!

 

Z Is For Zeal #AToZChallenge

This has been quite a marathon. The A To Z Challenge is finally at an end, and I'm hoping I went after it with zeal. I have to say, I probably couldn't have done it without Alice from Softball Alice. Thank you, thank you, my friend! Cookies for you tomorrow! They are good, I sampled some!

Zeal is a word that isn't used quite as much as it was years ago, but it is still pertinent. Consider these great quotes from those who knew!

"Just as food eaten without appetite is a tedious nourishment, so does study without zeal damage the memory by not assimilating what it absorbs." --Leonardo da Vinci

 

 It is fascinating that the great artist had this insight. Is he saying that studying is really quite useless unless somewhere in the process you become motivated by what you are studying? Wonderful teachers can instill that kind of zeal in a student if they are experienced in their field. Not only do teachers need to have knowledge of what they are teaching about, they also must have skill in imparting that knowledge so that it is interesting on some level. After that, it is the responsibility of the learner to take that knowledge, become absorbed in it, learn it and then make it a part of you! I believe that those kinds of teachers are rare enough. That is why I believe in rewarding skilled teachers. 

 

"I believe that fitness needs to come from within you. You need to respect your body. Only then will you have the zeal to maintain it. For me, keeping fit is a part of my lifestyle." --Arjun Rampal

 

I believe that Mr. Rampal is saying that you need to respect your body more than you love food. That is hard, because food is so good! I don't think that one has to be a glutton to put on a few extra pounds. I eat a fraction of what I used to eat and I exercise every day. But I would not call myself the epitome of fitness. It's hard to respect a body that doesn't respond to the added nutrition and exercise I give it. Maybe I should try harder. But I love to do so many other things. I'm not sure that I deem it worthwhile to devote hours and hours to physical fitness and nutrition when I could be doing other things I also love to do. I know the hard-bodies of the world would disagree with me strongly. But I say life is more than worshiping my physical body. I also have a mind that I love to develop with zeal!

 

"Experience shows that success is due less to ability than to zeal." --Charles Buxton

All I can say is the Kardashians are the epitome of zeal! More power to them!

 

Y Is For Yowzers! #AToZChallenge

 Yowzers! Here, once again, is Alice, from Softball Alice, a great writer and life-saver. Please give her blog a visit! She rocks!

I am taking a writing class and in our textbook, there is a chapter
that mentions that all writers have the right to be off topic.
The topic I chose for today was York, after I had asked my family via
a group text to give me suggestions for words that start with the
letter Y.
See, with my siblings, we chat all the time via text even though we
are miles away from one another. One of my favorite traditions that we
have via text is that I will start a conversation about the day of the
week and then follow it with a word that starts with the same letter
as that particular day of the week.
So like today it would go: "Hey, it's Wednesday."
"Wicked"
"Worried"
"Winner"
"What?"
In order to get over my creative block, I opened this game up to them
today by saying:  "Give me good words that begin with Y.  I've got a
blog post to write."
These are the responses I got from my creative family:  Yugoslavia,
Yearning, Yikes, Yippee, Yesterday, Yonder, Yack, Yodel, Yonkers,
Yammer, Yoda, and Yolks.
So.  Yugoslavia, a country I probably will never visit.  Yearning,
something I do for a second child.  Yikes, what I say when my students
are weird or inappropriate.  Yippee, what I say when the day of work
is over and what I say real loud when the last bell rings before
summer break.  Yesterday, is in the past; leave it there.  Yonder,
what people in the old days said about stuff a ways away.  Yack, what
I do when I think about onions.  Yodel, Jewel Kilcher does it well and
I suggest you check it out.  Yammer, like a hammer but different.
Yoda, character cool he is.  Yolks, the wonderful gooey part of the
egg and I like mine sunny-side up!
Well, there you have it.  Random can be very fun, don't you think?

W Is For Words #AToZChallenge

Once again, Alice from Softball Alice  has stopped by to help me out because A GAL NEEDS...friends who write! Stop by her blog and give her some love!
Words have power. If they didn't, the works of Shakespeare, Hemingway
and Dickinson would mean nothing.

But really, words are power and the written word makes our words
timeless. By writing, we are able to communicate our inner-most
feelings and also leave a piece of us on this planet forever.

That is the biggest reason I write, so that my words and a little
piece of me can stay here forever because I will not stay forever.

What we say can also have lots of power. I don't know how many times
what somebody said about me cut me to the core.  Just a tiny hint of
negativity can make me double guess myself and be filled with doubt.
So many people are broken these days because of what has been
said to them, whether it be about their physical body or about their
personal characteristics.  Sometimes it is easy to point out the fault
in others and forget that we also have faults.

If only we were brave enough to always lift others through our words.
The thing with power is that we have the choice to either impact our
world through positivity or through negativity.

Because of this power, both with written and spoken language, be
careful.  You never know what impact you can have on this world.

V Is For Violin #AToZChallenge

I used to play the violin. It has been years since I've practiced or even played. The callouses that build up on the tips of a violinists fingers have long been gone and it is actually painful to play for any length of time. I wish I had kept up with it. Maybe I could have learned how to dub step and made a career out of it.
(My wishful thinking at play here) Lindsey Stirling is my violin idol. She uses her violin as a cool prop and she dances to her pre-recorded violin music! It's awesome! But you can always google her. Right now, it's all about me and my violin! I'm playing my version of the theme from Ken Burns' Civil War Series aired on PBS some years back. Pardon the mistakes. I didn't have time to do many run throughs at all, so this is truly me, pulling it out after years of non-playing! View at your own risk!
Regardless of whether or not I am good, or whether I have or haven't played in awhile, the fact is that my life has been enriched because of music. I have been cheered up when I was sad, enlivened when I was out of energy, calmed when I was a nervous wreck and inspired when I needed solace. The fact is that music can and does change a person. I feel that listening to good music can influence us for the good!

U Is for Umbrage #AToZChallenge

I take umbrage to the following things:

• When my shows get erased on T.V. before I watch them. I have a few select shows that I wait for the perfect time to settle in and just watch! I only watch t.v. certain times of the week. I get my drink, my food, my cuddle blanket and am entertained for an hour or so. It's the best! It's such a let-down when my shows come up missing because they've been erased either accidentally or because they haven't been deemed important.

• Jackasses driving jacked-up pick-up trucks. They're just plain rude! On two different occasions I've taken severe and direct umbrage with them. One of them rammed into my car and took off, thinking he was going to get away with it. (I chased him down and he paid for my next car). Another time, one thought he was so cool, cutting me off in the fast lane, blowing black smoke in my face and throwing up a rock into my windshield making a giant crack. I didn't get that one paid for because it wasn't worth chasing him down! I'd rather not have an accident, when all is said and done!

• People who throw me under the bus for doing them favors. There is nothing sadder than someone who you think is your friend, and then you find out that they don't give a rip about you. As a matter of fact they think nothing of any goodwill you have done for them and will instead use the old "I'll make myself look better by making her look as bad as possible" trick.  Enough said.

• People who use dog poop bags incorrectly. Dog poop bags are to be thrown away in a trash receptacle once they have been used. You don't fill them up with your dog's excrement and just throw them on the ground. That makes it worse than if you did nothing at all.  At least dog poop is biodegradable!

• And finally, have you seen the video about the guy dressed up as a pan handler in the streets of  L.A.? Instead of trying to get money, he was trying to give it away. People were taking umbrage to the idea that a beggar was trying to give them money. It made them so insanely mad. They cussed at him, they told him they could buy him, they told him he needed to work to get where they were. Fortunately, there were a couple of people who got his message and acted accordingly.

Everyday we have plenty of things to get angry, offended, stressed, or take umbrage to. But doing so only contributes to our own unhappiness. We (myself included) should choose not to let the little things get us down. Hopefully we can learn to laugh at the little disappointments and insults that inevitably come our way and instead do more to help others. I know I'm not perfect yet, but I'm working on it. What about you? What do you take umbrage to?

T Is For Take Me Out To The Ballgame #AtoZChallenge

Today I am so excited to introduce Alice from Softball Alice. She is a full-time P.E. teacher at the school where I work and a writer as well! She will be doing my T post today!  Stop by her blog and give her some love!

I often find the words of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" running through my mind. 

If you are a baseball fan, you probably get this, if not, I feel you may be missing out. 

 This song is sung at every baseball game played anywhere.  It is as much of a part of the game as the ceremonial first pitch or singing of the National Anthem. 

This tradition, referred to as The Seventh Inning Stretch, has gone on for about a hundred years.  Between the top and bottom of the seventh inning, everybody stops, stretches to loosen up from a few hours of sitting and then sings these famous words: 

"Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd;
Just buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,
I don't care if I never get back.
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win, it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game."

Take me out to the ball game.

Seriously, in my single days, I would have said yes to any man who offered this as a place to take me out.  In fact, that is originally what this song was about.  Katie Casey was a woman who didn't really want to go to a show and she denies a suitor by saying:  "No, I'll tell you want you can do, take me out to the ball game."  The original first and third verse, which were all about this woman who was obsessed with baseball were dropped to the one verse we now sing at games. I love the history of the song, because you could replace Katie Casey with my name!  

Take me out to the Crowd

I am not a fan of crowds, but there is really something special about sitting with a bunch of baseball fans.  We get the passion and love of the game and for a few hours, we become family.

Just buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack

So, I can't eat either of these treats anymore because of an allergy, but seriously, if you haven't enjoyed a Dodger Dog or any hot dog at a ball park, you are missing out.

I don't care if I never get back

Going to a baseball game for me is like a three hour vacation.  All worries and all cares just escape me.  The green grass and manicured field are relaxing to me.  The sun on my skin while sipping a Diet Coke, takes me away to a far off beach.  It's a vacation and I really don't have to even leave the city.  And I could care less if I ever get back to those cares and worries of everyday life.

Let me root, root, root for the home team, If they don't win, it's a shame.

I have been to a lot of ball fields.  Each team has it's own traditions and culture and to me that is awesome.  I will usually cheer for the home team because I respect those home traditions and culture but if the Dodgers are the visitor, sorry I'll be cheering for them. (Sorry to the Arizona Diamondbacks two years ago!)

For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out, at the old ball game.

The game has not changed since its beginnings in the 1800s.  The history is what makes this game great.  So, don't strike out; get out and enjoy at least one baseball game this year.  You won't regret it.

S Is For Sweet Treats #AToZChallenge

Today I paid a visit to my friend, Simone. She is from Brazil. and is the best cook ever! Everytime I go to her house she gives me something she has made. So as you can imagine, I go and visit as often as I can! Today was no different. She is getting ready for her daughter's baptism. It is a very special occasion in the LDS church. It is 10 days prior to the event and already she is preparing the food, with some help from her friend, also from Brazil.

Brazilian Sweets Are Delicious!

The children love to help!

Vanilla ready to be rolled in coconut

Yum, tastes like chocolate truffles!

Rolling the balls in organic coconut

Vanilla encased in plum shell

In Brazil they make little balls of sweetness, rolled in coconut. They are delicious! She was kind enough to give me some samples of each kind! She was also kind enough to allow me to take some pictures of the process. Enjoy! Wish I could give you some samples of these wonderful morsels, to pop into your mouth! My favorites? The chocolate ones of course. They resemble truffles!

R Is For Rock Star #AToZChallenge

Today I am so excited to introduce Alice from Softball Alice. She is a full-time P.E. teacher at the school where I work and a writer as well! She will be doing my R post today!

I rock. I am a rock star. No, I do not play the guitar, drums or even sing. In fact, I can rarely keep in the same key when I do sing, but I do one thing extremely well: Rock my one-year old to sleep. 

This is a daily occurrence sometime between 8 and 10pm. I am not one of those parents that has a spot on consistent routine. Sometimes, we are just too busy living so bedtime is later. Sometimes, we are exhausted because of all the living so bedtime is earlier. 

It may not be a constant time everyday but there is a definite routine to prepare for rocking. 

I parent a little boy. Boys are filthy. They see mud and think: "I need to be one with that."  There must be some sort of force field that pulls them toward the dirt and grime. Because of this strong force field, our routine starts with a bath. 

Once the filth is removed, it is time for some light reading. This allows time for the boy to dry and to begin winding down (Boys seem to never stop moving. They are like little wind up toys. They go and go and go until they can't go anymore.)  

Next, we get dressed for bed. Because of my kid's wind up toy ways, I let him watch videos of trains on my phone while I dress him. I first get him diapered (hopefully before any urine has escaped onto me or the furniture), and clothed (it's always footie pajamas because every kid looks cute in footies, and then his feet don't freeze.)

He then watches videos while I get his bottle prepared (Yes, he is close to two and still takes a bottle to sleep. I baby him and that is completely fine with me.)

Eventually, he comes and finds me to request his bottle. This is where I become a rock star. 

This gig doesn't pay much but I think it is worth much more than mosh pit making sounds. I don't get notoriety for this gig either, but I am important to one little person and that is all the fame I need. 

He slowly drifts into complete relaxation and then to sleep.  Sometimes it takes twenty minutes, sometimes only two.  I sit and ignore him until he closes those little eyes, but as soon as he does, I stare and stare.  

Soon, he will be too big for this.  Soon, I won't get these moments.  So for now, I will stare with complete love and adoration.  For now, this is the best gig in the world.