Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Blogosphere love

As many of you have noticed lately, my free time has plummeted in the last few weeks.

School is kicking my butt.

I'm working more than ever.

And I'm planning trips that include (but are not limited to) Boston, Cozumel, Washington D.C., and Art Basel Miami.

So I'm trying, and royally failing, at trying to keep this blog alive. So it came down to a very tough choice.

Post crappy posts that I rush and am not at all into on a sporadic schedule or go on blogger hiatus until I have life a little more under control.

So, blog family, I'm taking a break. I'll still be around via e-mail and I'll still keep up with your lives but at least for a few weeks, A Sweet Release will be a very quiet place.

Be happy, stay healthy and good luck in all that you do!

Until we meet again!

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Question: What is wrong with kids these days!?

Answer: They don't know who Paul McCartney is.


On a side note, Nick just introduced me to a YouTube web series called Source Fed and I am officially obsessed. Like, ignoring Grey's Anatomy kind of obsessed. Simple put: Source Fed is everything that should and shouldn't matter to you explained and broken apart by people who vomit words. Enjoy.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

The Great Debate

Valentines Day or Singles Awareness Day. The war between lovers and haters has waged on for well... at least as long as I've been old enough to give 2 hoots about either (I.E. stopped thinking boys had cooties).

I, however, claim total and complete neutrality. Yes, I am in a happy and committed relationship that deserves to be celebrated. No, I do not wish to take a night off work just to brave all of the completely packed restaurants/movie theaters/where ever you choose to go. I love, love but I would rather skip the cheesy boxes of chocolate and continue saving for our 3 year anniversary trip to Mexico. Nick can just buy me a heart shaped tequila shot in Cozumel instead.

So here's a little somethin somethin for both!

The Valentine's Dayers!

The sweetest love story you will ever hear. Grab that box off tissues before clicking here, my friends.

A most sincere Valentine's Day love letter to everyone's favorite odd-ball. Here's to you Liz Lemon!

Our personal love story here! (and also here because I got carried away)

And an ode to the best love poems ever written.

Single's Awareness Day!


Because what's better than hearing Margaret Cho's take on S.A.D.?

Marie Claire's guide to the Anti-Valentine's Day

Grab a bottle of wine, some candy and start searching for these better-off-single flicks!

The best idea I have heard for a Singles Awareness Day party, yet! Even the non-single girls could get into this one!

And what's S.A.D. without an awesomely empowering breakup song. Thanks Katy Brand Perry!


Monday, February 13, 2012

Not all people are good friends


All friends maybe good people, but sadly, not all people are good friends. It happens to everyone every now and again, that person you thought was a good friend turns out to be a bad person in sheep's clothing. 

The Gossip

We all have them, and they are especially prevalent for females. The Gossip. The one that overtime you go out for coffee has something new and juicy about so-and-so. Always knows who's hooking up with who and starts every other sentence "Don't repeat this but.." These are the types of people that make themselves seem trustworthy. They know everything about everyone and even though they repeat it all to you, they somehow convince you they wont tell a soul your secrets

If someone constantly is talking about others, don't be surprised when you finally hear all the negative things they've said about you. Great people talk about ideas. Average people talk about things. Small people talk about other people.

I Have a Dream

Surround yourself with people that have goals in life. Hang out with people who want to go out for coffee and talk political candidates instead of people that want to go out drinking and hooking up with strangers. Meet people at book clubs, not bars. Sure, go to bars, embrace your own sexuality and get a little tipsy sometimes. But everything in moderation my friends. Avoid people who aren't in school, have a B.S. job that they don't put their all into and don't have hobbies that they are truly passionate about. They maybe fun to go out with but in the long run, they will probably just bring you down and try to belittle your goals. 

Speaking of belittling goals…

One extra difficult life lesson to learn is that real friends bring you up, never down. If someone feels the need to make fun of your hopes, belittles your accomplishments or points out your every flaw, then the sad fact is that they aren't really a friend to you or themselves. For some people, the best way to make themselves feel better about screw ups is to bring everyone around them down to their level. Remind yourself that a good friend is no different than a relationship, it should make you a better you. Anyone who badmouths and degrades you simply out of jealousy, isn't your friend. There are enough negative or doubtful voices in our own heads, you don’t need friends that add any noise!

Drama doesn't follow people, people follow drama

I'm sure at one point or another you have met someone that seems convinced that drama is somehow stalking them. Their roommates are always awful, the guy they are seeing is always a jerk, their friends are always stabbing them in the back and their professors are out to get them. Funny thing about that is, 9 times out of 10, all of those problems can be explained away by compulsively bad decision making and an unconscious gravitation towards drama. Sometimes, people have issues. And sometimes they all come at once. But your roommates have ALL been awful? Maybe it's you that's the awful one. The guy you are seeing is ALWAYS a jerk? Maybe you should know better than to latch onto a guy that's been with 10 girls in the past month. Maybe your friends are just stabbing you in the back to return the favor? Perhaps you need to start studying more. Drama doesn't follow people, people follow drama. Whether they realize this or not, is entirely up to them.


So since life lessons, are ment to be taught, what tips and tricks of out with the old do you have to share?


Sunday, February 12, 2012

S**t Julie Says.

No joke, probably one of the best compliments I have ever received is when my friend Jules told me I am exactly like her when she was a 20-something. She is kind, open minded, talented and seriously... funny as all hell. So, with the appearance of all these

"Shit blanks say/ Shit blanks say to blanks"


videos that have invaded the internet, I have decided to share my own version with you!
  • It was sad to hear that Demi Moore is losing custody of Ashton Kutcher. 
  • Can you die from constipation? I'm a little worried with how full of shit some people are. 
  • When people walk away from you, let them go. Your destiny is never tied to anyone who leaves you, and it doesn't mean they are bad people......It just means that their part in your story is over. 
  • Oh. My. Gourd. Becky, look at her squash. It is so big. She looks like, one of those organic farmer's girlfriends. 
  • I'm about to get in the middle of some girl-on-girl action with Aunt Jemima and Mrs. Butterworth. 
  • Lazy Rule #33: If ice falls, kick it under the fridge. 
  • The awkward moment when you set something down for a second and it disappears off the face of the earth...... 
  • Don't confuse my personality and my attitude because my personality is ME and my attitude depends on YOU. 
  • The only people who like drunk people are other drunk people.
  • wag more. bark less.
  • I should run for political office just to see what kind of scandalous dirt they dig up. It would be nice to piece together my twenties.
  • There's a very short list of things you can have in your hand while running without looking crazy.
  • I saw this dude walking down the street dressed as a woman, pushing a pitbull in a baby stroller. Either he's on drugs or I am.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Because sometimes life is just plain weird.

Sammy Witness is protective over many things: her heart, her family, and the quality of her music. This South Florida native has spent the better part of her vocal twenty years of life strumming her guitar with love and conviction. Singing on all matter of things, her original songs convey her keen perspective on society and relationships ranging from broad observations to personal anecdotes. Witty and bitingly blunt, this singer-songwriter promises, "There’s not too much I’m afraid of."



All that, and she has easily become one of my favorite musicians. With a voice that makes her impossible to ignore and a guitar sound that will undoubtedly get stuck in your head, Sammy Witness is a force to be reckoned with. Check out her website and rummage through her lyrical life for yourself, or stick around and give a listen to some of my favorites! I promise you wont be disappointed!

Warning: May contain mild potty mouth





Saturday, February 4, 2012

Life in Generation YouTube

Yup, I'm hopelessly addicted to YouTube. It taught me how to make Eggs Benedict.


Taught me the hard way just why one of the cardinal rules of femininity is "thou shalt not cut thy own bangs"

No picture to illustrate this life lesson.
Just trust me when I say it's awful.

But most importantly! YouTube (and my awesome boyfriend) taught me how to change my own oil! I can proudly say I'm a little more I-N-D-E-P-E-N-T today, than I was yesterday! ...and I feel like Aretha would be proud.


Just please ignore the bangs.





Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Holy Freaking Graduation Announcements.

I've been so so so caught up in just staying on top of all my school work this semester that I wont lie, I was seriously taken aback when I recieved a package of sample Grad accouncements from a local print company! For a split second I think I actually managed to forget that this is my last semester at the University of Central Florida.

The announcements were so pretty and I instantly got caught up in staring at my own name printed on them haha. Oh the little things in life, right? So I got on their website and started checking out the price on these little beauties...

$120 for 25.

Seriously?

I nearly had a heart attack seeing such a big number next to such a small number. So the next logical conclusion? Etsy! Not only were there more different types of announcements than I could possibly have imagined, but they are all personalized and seemed much more "Annika" than the samples the mail man delivered.




Dena Design


Spilling Beans


Tyler Bright Designs

Much cuter, and much more reasonable prices! What do you guys think? I'm leaning to the Tyler Bright one, personally. But who knows!