Sunshine Award

Award season seems to have arrived again, this time courtesy of Tales from 2L Hell. K, a second-year law student detailing the trials (pun intended) and tribulations of being a law student, has nominated this lil’ blog for the Sunshine Award. Of course, I don’t object (so. many. law. puns.). But I will object if you don’t check out her blog.

Rules

1) Give five facts about yourself.
2) Answer the questions your nominator posed for you.
3) Nominate other bloggers for the award.
4) Give five questions for your nominees to answer.

Five Facts About Me

1) I’m allergic to nature. An allergist once tested me for all sorts of environmental allergies, and the test revealed that I’m basically allergic to every type of grass and tree known to man.
2) I’m perpetually cold. Tiny space heaters are my friend.
3) I wasn’t able to move into my current apartment until seven weeks after my designated move-in date because of construction delays. I ended up staying with a friend (who is the most generous and patient friend you could ask for) during those seven weeks and commuted almost an hour to work every day.
4) I think my favorite color is red. That’s right, I THINK it’s red. I dunno.
5) I love picture frames, especially unique ones. I have oodles of framed photos around my office and my apartment. The more the merrier.

Tales from 2L Hell’s Q&A

1) If you could adopt any one animal (domestic or wild) to keep as a pet, what would you adopt and why?
If we are going to be practical about it, I would say a puppy, because duh. Dogs are furry little people, except they are better than people because they care more about their human than they do about themselves. But if I could somehow have my very own penguin, that would be magical. I love penguins because they waddle, they can’t fly (which is weird because they are a bird), and because lady penguins are total BOSSES (they leave their husbands behind to care for their eggs while they hunt for food!)
2) Pretend that whatever career path you’re on, you never chose. What new career would you choose to have and why?
Either interior decorator or graphic designer. I just love scouring websites and stores for decor, and the funnest part of moving into my own apartment was picking out all sorts of cute and chic home accessories. I also love playing around with Photoshop and creating posters, tweaking photos, and making artsy, collage-y wallpaper for my laptop.
3) What is your favorite childhood movie?
The Aristocats. It is easily the best Disney cartoon movie (Finding Nemo is Disney/Pixar’s best animated movie, in my opinion). At the place I interned at last summer, the interns all shared a workroom, and one day, we decided to play the Aristocats soundtrack while we worked. Yes, we were SO cool.
4) If you could eat one type of food (Mexican, Chinese, etc) for the next 3 years, what cuisine would you choose?
Italian. Man, I love me some pasta.
5) What is one legitimately bad habit would you like to break?
I eat out far too much. I wish I wasn’t so darn lazy and didn’t crave cookies and macarons all the time.

Nominees

Cupid or Cats
Young & Twenty
Daisy Chains & Dreamers
Ah, The Country Life

Questions for the Nominees

1) What are your feelings regarding the book and/or movie “Gone Girl”?
2) What’s something you see other bloggers do that you think is strange, annoying, or dumb?
3) What was the last song you listened to (don’t lie and go listen to a cool or indie/hipster song before you answer this)?
4) If you could only have access to one social media platform, what would it be and why?
5) What’s the nerdiest thing about you (ex: your nerdiest obsession, your nerdiest moment, your nerdiest accessory)?

Liebster Award: Part Deux

Y’all have been showering this little blog with so much love lately! I’ve been nominated for my second Liebster Award, this time courtesy of Anne at LOL For My Teen Years. Thanks again for the nod, Anne! And I hope everyone checks out her blog and her other nominees as well.

The Rules

1) Thank the person who nominated you, and post a link to their blog on your blog.
2) Display the award on your blog — by including it in your post and/or displaying it.
3) Answer questions about yourself, which will be provided to you by the person who nominated you.
4) Provide random facts about yourself.
5) Nominate blogs – that you feel deserve the award – that have less than 1,000 followers.
6) Create a new list of questions for the blogger to answer.
7) List these rules in your post. Once you have written and published it, you have to let the nominees know that you’ve nominated them for the Liebster Award and provide a link to your post.

Random Facts About Me

I’m running out of these, so I’m just going to write down whatever comes to mind.

1) The last thing I ate was a cookies & cream macaron that I bought from a local farmer’s market. Today was the first time I tried macarons, and I think I’m in love (my wallet, however, is not).
2) I’m currently listening to “All About That Bass” by Meghan Trainor. I can’t get enough of this song. It is my jam.
3) I just found out that the British constructed-reality show “Made In Chelsea” begins airing new episodes this weekend from its special summer series in New York City, and I’m PUMPED. Crossing my fingers that my anonymous YouTube friend uploads Sunday night’s episode quickly.
4) The highlight of my week was discovering that Ikea will now ship certain duvets and duvet covers to your home. The closest Ikea is 200 miles away from me, so this discovery was a “PRAISE THE LORD” moment.
5) I recently discovered that one of my followers copied post ideas from two of my posts and then also used some phrases word-for-word in her post without giving me a “hat tip” or credit. That was pretty disappointing to see.
6) I can’t wait to see “Let’s Be Cops,” which stars two of the guys from TV’s “New Girl” (Nick Miller and Coach) as two dudes who pretend to be cops. I thought the movie was coming out this weekend, but much to my chagrin, it’s not coming out until next week. When I tweeted my frustrations, the official Twitter account for the movie “favorited” my tweet. I think this means I’m basically internet-famous. LOOK OUT, TYLER OAKLEY AND ZOELLA!

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My Nominees

Young & Twenty    |    Northwest to Newbury   |    Junk of the Heart    |    Europe and Yonder
Undercover DIYer    |    Opinionated Duck    |     Love & Sparkles

My Questions for the Nominees

1) What song is YOUR jam right now?
2) What is a skill or attribute that you wish you had?
3) What do you think is the greatest television show of all time?
4) What, in your opinion, is the best quality of your generation?
5) What, in your opinion, is the worst quality of your generation?

Anne’s Questions For Me

1) If money didn’t matter, what would your dream job be?
Either a cupcakery-owner, the owner of a graphic design company that solely produced frameable quotes and greeting cards, or an interior designer.

2) What is the moment you realized you should start your own blog?
My alma mater asked me to be part of a panel discussion on the versatility of a journalism degree earlier this year. The college students in attendance were all required to maintain blogs as part of their class curriculum. After meeting with those students and sitting back in the same classroom I spent hours in as an undergrad, I realized I’d lost my love for writing during law school. Starting up a blog seemed like a great way to combine all my passions and start writing for fun again.

3) If you could teleport yourself to a place, any place (real or imaginary) which one would it be? (and yes, you can after that go back home :))
Fictional place: Stars Hollow – which is the tiny Connecticut town where the show “Gilmore Girls” is set.
Real place: Present day London.

4) This might sound like a job interview but… Where do you see yourself in five years?
Working for a non-profit or a government agency either as a lawyer or as an advocate for human rights (or maybe both!).

5) Who is your favourite artist (painter, designer, musician etc.) of all time?
Fashion Designer: If we’re gonna go classic, we’ll have to go with Chanel. If we’re gonna go modern day, I’d say Elie Saab.
Musician: Coldplay, followed closely by Train.

6) What food would you never get tired of eating?
Pesto pasta.

7) What task would you like to accomplish today?
I’m buying a giant cat sleeping/play tower for my best friend’s cat today (it’s a long story), and I’m praying that I can make it fit in my car without looking like an absolute fool in the store parking lot.

8) What is your favourite mythological or fairy-tale creature?
The chameleon from “Tangled” or the kitties from “The Aristocats.”

9) How would you describe yourself in three words?
Starbucks-addict. Neurotic. Loyal.

10) Which fictional character do you most relate to?
It’s a tie amongst Rory Gilmore from “Gilmore Girls,” and Nick Miller and Jess Day from “New Girl.”

Sources: Nick, Jess, Rory

11) Who is your role model and why?
My mom. She is the strongest, most level-headed, compassionate, and patient person I know. She has more wisdom and grace than I could ever hope to have, and she is literally the best mother and friend a girl could ask for. If it wasn’t for her, I would definitely not be the person who I am today.

T#G is Back + Inspiring Blogger Award: Part Deux

The Hashtag Generation has officially returned to its regularly scheduled blogging! Bar studying is over, the bar exam is over, and now I have a couple weeks off before I start my new job. This means I’ll be back to posting more regularly and keeping up with y’alls blogs more regularly, too.

Now then, there’s one order of business that is extremely overdue: giving a shoutout to Opinionated Duck for nominating me for my second “Very Inspiring Blogger Award.” The Duck’s blog is a great mix of thought-provoking and interesting content, gifs of Stephen Colbert, and an appropriate dosage of sarcasm. You should definitely add this blog to your Reader. Thanks, Duck!

Now then, y’all know the drill about the award: if you want to participate, you’ve got to write up a post where you 1) thank and link the blogger who nominated you, 2) list seven facts about yourself, 3) make a list of your nominees for the award, and 4) display the award.

Seven Facts About Me

1. I don’t have a favorite color.
2. I had to get my ears pierced three separate times before the piercings stayed.
3. I drink peppermint mocha lattes year-round. Fun fact: you can buy peppermint mocha creamer at your grocery store OR you can buy a whole bottle of Starbucks’ peppermint syrup, combine it with some mocha creamer, and create your own peppermint mocha. Second fun fact: you can order peppermint mochas at Starbucks year-round – not just at Christmastime. All you have to do is ask for a white chocolate mocha with a shot of peppermint. BOOM.
4. I spent a large chunk of my youth under the mistaken belief that I was allergic to peanuts. It wasn’t until I went to an allergist that I learned that I could eat all the Snickers bars and peanut-butter-covered Oreos I want.
5. I started reading “The Fault in Our Stars” two months ago, but I stopped reading it right at the part where I could tell things were about to get tear-jerkingly depressing.
6. I can quote “Mean Girls,” “Legally Blonde,” and “What Happens in Vegas” pretty much line for line.
7. “Gilmore Girls” is my favorite show of all time, and I own all seven seasons on DVD. I used to watch at least one episode every day during college.

My nominees for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award

Blu Chicken Ninja | Filled with photos, book reviews, crafty art projects. There is just so much to love about this blog!

Mystery Squid | Fabulous quotes and gorgeous photos

Pied a Terre Blog | Refreshing, simple, and stunning interior design and fashion inspiration.

Taken by the Lapels | Some wonderful musings about life and fashion and even puppies. I love it all.

Gluestick Mum | She’s got some hilarious anecdotes!

Fat Free Fashion | Clothing, accessories, and makeup posts galore – and all at great prices!

The British Fashionista | This has quickly become one of my favorite fashion blogs.

Vogue and Blah | Another lovely fashion and lifestyle blog

Inspiring Blogger Award

Central Park in April

I’ve been honored with another award, and this time it’s the “Very Inspiring Blogger Award” from super sweet Hilary over at Cutie Cameras. A great big thanks to her for nominating me! I adore her posts about vintage cameras in particular, and you should definitely peruse her blog regardless of whether you’re a photography aficionado. It has plenty of fashion and lifestyle posts for everyone to enjoy. Now then, it’s time to recite the rules of the award:

1. Thank and link the amazing person who nominated you.
2. List the rules and display the award.
3. Share seven facts about yourself.
4. Nominate 15 other amazing blogs and comment on their posts to let them know they have been nominated.
5. Optional: Proudly display the award logo on your blog and follow the blogger who nominated you.

Seven Facts About Me

1) I’ve never broken a bone.
2) I’ve never eaten a hamburger from McDonald’s, Burger King, or Wendy’s. Since I’ve been able to get away with it for so long, I’ve made it a life goal to continue this streak.
3) I loved Volkswagen Beetles when I was a pre-teen. I was so obsessed that I had a collection of miniature replicas of them, t-shirts, Kleenexes (if that’s not weird, I don’t know what is) with tiny illustrations of them, and posters of them on my wall.
4) I designed the header for this blog myself using Photoshop.
5) Sometimes I seriously wonder if I could live anywhere without a SuperTarget or Chick-Fil-A. It already upsets me that there isn’t a Trader Joe’s within 100 miles of my home.
6) I’m an avid watcher of Pretty Little Liars and Teen Wolf. I’m well aware that this makes me sound like a 13-year-old girl. #sorrynotsorry
7) Speaking of watching TV, I’m a big fan of the British “constructed reality” show “Made In Chelsea.” It’s technically not broadcast in the United States, but some lovely person in the UK uploads episodes on YouTube the day after new episodes air and thereby feeds my addiction.

Other Inspiring Blogs

Wandering Rush | So many beautiful photos, and a healthy dose of kitties along the way.

Alexcellent | I just discovered this gem of a blog, and I’m just in awe at Alex’s storytelling skills. Her posts are hilarious!

Love & Sparkles | A great lifestyle blog that goes beyond just fashion, recipes, and decor.

Lady Sarah’s London | A very classy lady’s look at London. Sarah’s photographs exude elegance, and they bring to life the chic image of London that I’ve always imagined.

American Vintage Online | Can I just have all the outfits featured on this blog?

The Fashion Huntress | Want some tips on how to dress well without breaking the bank? Look no further!

Kitt Noir | A mix of classic pop culture, fashion, and more with a modern twist.

A Worried Student | This blog gives us a glimpse inside the mind of every student – but articulates it in a way that I never could.

Violet Key | So. incredibly. chic. I would like one of all the home decor items featured on this blog, please.

Cupid or Cats | Whimsical, well-written, hilarious, and thought-provoking all at once.

Popcorn & Polka Dots (formerly Put the Kettle On) | If you’ve been following me for a while, you probably know how much I love Hannah’s blog. Her treks across England and photographs are superb!

Liz & Lifestyle | The name speaks for itself: it’s a fun lifestyle blog that touches on everything from how to maintain a healthy lifestyle to exciting new interior decorating discoveries.

That’s Just My Cup of Tea | I love the mix of content on this blog. Posts feature things like quotes from John Green, advice on surviving a 9-5 job, and Charlotte’s fashion finds.

A Spoonful of Style | A fabulous lifestyle blog that’s a treat to read. It’s so sophisticated, but so effortless at the same time.

Madsen Style | Another great fashion blog with tons of wardrobe inspiration

Huzzah! T#G Snagged a Versatile Blogger Award!

For once, my tendency to be kind of random and neurotic has paid off: A Worried Student honored me with the Versatile Blogger Award! It came as quite a surprise – he has so many wonderful followers and is such a talented blogger himself that I would’ve never imagined he’d pick me. So, if for some reason you aren’t already following him, make sure you head on over to his flipping marvelous blog (even if you’re not worried. Or a student. Or a worried student).

Anywho, with great power comes great responsibility, and therefore, it is my duty to provide y’all with seven facts about me and a list of versatile blogs that I absolutely adore. Please make sure that you check out all of ’em!

Seven Facts About Me

1. I’m neurotic when it comes to the types of posts I… uh… post. I worry that I write too much about culture, and not enough about jobs, finance, and tech. In other words, I worry that T#G isn’t versatile enough. I guess this award proves me wrong. #huzzah
2. I was born and raised in the South, so it drives me nuts when an actor/character adopts a Southern accent that sounds like it belongs to a person from the 19th century. It’s terribly inaccurate. I’m sure it’s the same way British people feel when American actors (except Johnny Depp) try to put on British accents.
3. When I was like four or five years old, I thought that boxed ice cream cones sold in grocery stores came with a scoop of ice cream in them. I was bitterly disappointed when we’d open the box and there would only be cones, but no ice cream. I was stupid. I was easily fooled by the photo on the outside of the box.
4. I watch “Friends” every night before going to bed.
5. When I was in the fifth grade, a friend told me about this book she was reading called “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” She said it was really good, and she offered to let me borrow it. I declined, and said  “I don’t like that sci-fi and fantasy stuff.” Dumbest decision I ever made.
6. If my entire wardrobe consisted of items from Kate Spade and if my home was decorated with items from Anthropologie and Crate & Barrel, I’d be the happiest girl in all the land.
7. “Finding Nemo” is Pixar’s best movie. End of story.

Even More Versatile Bloggers

Girl dans la Cité
A Little Slice of the Heavens
A Few of My Favourite Things
Coffee & Tacos
Wonderwall

Rules for the Award Winners

1. You’ve got to include the image of the award on your blog
2. You’ve got to write a post in which you link back to the blogger who nominated you
3. You’ve got to list your nominees for the Versatile Blog Award and let them know you nominated them
4. You’ve got to list seven random facts about yourself

Liebster Award Winners

My sweet Canadian law-student counterpart, Dancing Orange, kindly nominated me for the Liebster Award on Friday, and she pretty much made my weekend. That makes two awards in one week! I’m so flattered and humbled, and I’m still just in disbelief that anyone is even reading my blog – let alone considering it worthy of an award. Thanks again, Dancing Orange! I owe you one!

Now then, as part of the award-process, I’ve got to follow some rules, answer some questions, pose some questions of my own, and nominate some other spiffy blogs. Here we go!

The rules

1) Thank the person who nominated you, and post a link to their blog on your blog.
2) Display the award on your blog — by including it in your post and/or displaying it.
3) Answer questions about yourself, which will be provided to you by the person who nominated you.
4) Provide random facts about yourself.
5) Nominate blogs – that you feel deserve the award – who have less than 200 followers. 
6) Create a new list of questions for the blogger to answer.
7) List these rules in your post. Once you have written and published it, you then have to inform the people/blogs that you nominated that they have been nominated for the Liebster award and provide a link for them to your post so that they can learn about it.

My nominees for the Liebster Award

Put the Kettle On – I know I’ve sung Hannah’s praises before, but I just adore her blog so much. I think it absolutely deserves a spot on the list, and it’s a such a treat to peruse. Don’t miss out on her photos and great storytelling!

Collecting Conversations – I started following this blog yesterday, and I’m already enamored. Collecting Conversations has tons of lovely photos, fascinating interviews, and some truly thought-provoking pieces of writing. It technically has just over 200 followers, but I’m going to break the rules and nominate it anyway because I love it so much.

Sarah Marie – A super fun pop culture site that has something for everyone. Anyone who appreciates references to Rory Gilmore, ranking Kate Middleton’s fashion, and binging on Netflix won’t regret following this great blog.

The Royal Post – This is another intriguing royal blog that discusses some rather interesting aspects of the royals’ lives (for example, the history of the luggage that travels with the royals on official tours and the commissioning/sitting for official royal portraits).

Tales From 1L Hell – A law student blog filled with gifs and stories about the whirlwind first year of law school.

Infographics Daily – I love charts, graphs, and statistics, and this blog has all of the above. The topics range anywhere from how long it would take you to binge-watch The OC versus Breaking Bad to crazy facts about sleep to the evolution of the camera.

Cutie Cameras – A fun and whimsical lifestyle and fashion blog that’s filled with sweet pins, clothes, and personal anecdotes.

Honorable mention: A Spoonful of Style – I wanted to nominate this blog for this award, but it’s already received it! Nevertheless, make sure you follow this beautiful lifestyle blog. I have yet to run across a post I don’t love.

Beautiful Bloggers

Y’all, I know my little blog hasn’t been around for very long, so I’m incredibly honored that Hannah at Put the Kettle On has nominated me for the Beautiful Blogger Award!

To be quite honest, I started this blog on a whim at what was probably the least convenient time possible, but I’m so excited at all the positive feedback I’ve had over the past three months. Hopefully I can continue to offer some inspirational, thought-provoking, entertaining, and funny posts for many more months to come.

Now it’s time for me to return the favor. As per the rules of the award process, here are my seven nominees for the Beautiful Blogger Award (drumroll please):

1) In the Heart of Laughter – I love how honest and well-spoken (or should I say well-written?) Elena is in her posts. Her open letter to Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong’o was inspiring, and her discussion of rejection was thought provoking. Do yourself a favor and follow this truly beautiful blog!

2) Love and Sparkles – This blog just makes me happy, pure and simple. From how to create the perfect winged eyeliner (seriously, I’ve been trying to learn this FOREVER, and I think I may finally have gotten the hang of it) to book reviews to just anecdotes about life, Love and Sparkles is just as informative and fun as it is well-written. Um, can you tell I totally love it?

3) C to C Friendspirations – Cat and Cristy are two friends who use this blog as a way to not only keep in touch, but to share some great quotes, design ideas, and recipes with the rest of us lucky readers.

4) Style & Expect – This is a fashion blog that features outfits that are as fashion-forward and fun as they are affordable. Joana is a fashion-designer and businesswoman who uses her wardrobe and beautiful photography to give us all a little bit of style inspiration.

5) Something In Law School – A first-year law student blogs about the trials and tribulations of going through law school. This blogger isn’t afraid to tell you how it is: how frustrating and terrifying law school can be at one moment, and how those same aspects of law school can drive your desire to succeed even more. If you are a law student, a lawyer, or a prospective law student, you should definitely check this blog out.

6) Harp On Life – This is a charming lifestyle blog run by three lovely young ladies – Erika, Gina, and Caroline – that’s filled with yummy recipes (I’ve definitely got a couple of their recipes bookmarked!), makeup tips, career advice, and design ideas. It’s like what I wish my blog could be when it grows up.

7) Duchess-at-Large – As someone who is both a bit of a history nerd and a 20-something who is still fascinated with princesses, I adore Duchess at Large. It focuses not only on the British royal family, but other royals around the world as well. A number of the posts offer some interesting historical context, such as old royal family photos and recaps of royal romances.

P.S. If I could nominate Put the Kettle On, I absolutely would. It’s one of those blogs that puts a smile on your face! Hannah offers a great mix of new music, a look at some of the chic-est clothes and pieces of decor she’s discovered, and personal posts. The best part of Hannah’s blog are the posts about her adventures around England. Her stunning photographs alone make me want to hop over the pond and spend a few weeks in the English countryside! #wanderlust