Memories: Old Fashioned Days

This Thursday marks the beginning of a summer tradition in my hometown: Old Fashioned Days. However, this year happens to be a very special one: not only is it the 50th anniversary of the festival, but also happens to be the last.

Old Fashioned Days has always been a final summer celebration in my town. It is one event that (whether you like it or not) brings the entire community together for a weekend.

My family has seen OFD  at its best and worst. Some years were certainly more enjoyable than others, but no amount of disappointment has prevented us from returning every August.

Sure, it is usually the same old carnival food, parade, bands and games every  year, but I think what keeps people coming back are the memories they have made because of those things.

The Parade

I certainly don’t remember being there, but we have photographic evidence of me at less than 6 months, albeit asleep, in a stroller at the parade for the first time. I guess it’s no surprise then that even at the age of 19, it is still something I hate to miss.

The parade is the official kick-off for Old Fashioned Days. On Thursday evening, everyone in town (or so it seems) crowds around the Main Street area to catch a glimpse of the floats, baton twirlers, marching band, antique cars, and annoying politicians as they head down the road.

Here I am at two years old snacking on my favorite food, popcorn, and anticipating the parade’s arrival:

Years later I became involved in a baton twirling group called the Hightoppers and went from being a spectator of the parade to a participant.

As much as I love performing, it loses its appeal quickly when the temperature climbs up into the 90’s. The day pictured above was so hot that our coach had to keep spraying us with water while we were marching, trying to prevent girls from passing out.

After a while, my parents and I decided baton was too much of a commitment, as it was often a hassle getting to all of the parades.

The following year, it was more enjoyable when the parade rolled around and I was able to sit down and appreciate it like everyone else.

I will say that I did gain respect for any individual who chooses to march on a road in ridiculously hot and humid temperatures with the sun beating down on them. It isn’t an easy task.

The Festivities

Along with the parade, there are three more days filled with various games, contests, and entertainment. Saturdays tend to attract families because that is when most of the contests take place, and it is particularly great for kids.

One of those activities includes a Frog Jumping Contest, which I had never even come closed to winning. I either did not have the gift of “frog-whispering” or was always stuck with some rather stubborn amphibians.

Despite that, at the age of three my picture somehow managed to make its way into our local paper, stating that I had snagged a prize.

I did not, but enjoyed the momentary fame nonetheless.

My favorite event of OFD has always been the Children’s Pet Parade. Kids gather in the village square with their animal friends for quite an adorable contest. Most of the pets usually have costumes and often match their enthusiastic owners, but there are other categories such as best trick, smallest pet, and most unusual pet, to name a few.

I entered for the first time with my cat Binx in 1998. At only two years old, he took home the prize for Largest Cat.

I decided to enter in the costume contest again in 2004 with Frodo, my guinea pig. We didn’t win, but it was still fun to participate.

In my opinion,  Saturdays during Old Fashioned Days are by far the most entertaining. There is a watermelon eating contest, greased pole climbing contest, horseshoes, games, and more to keep the family occupied.

Even with the busy schedule of events, nothing beats indulging in the greasy food and “people watching” on the steps of the fine arts building. We may have to race to claim our spot, but it is so worth it. It’s a tradition of our own, and we laugh about it every year.

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While there are many aspects of Old Fashioned Days I would love to see improved, it still saddens me to think that after this year it won’t be around for future generations. It is the one thing remaining in this town for people to look forward to every summer, and I can guarantee that its absence will not go unnoticed.

TCA Style Report Card

With every Hollywood award show that I watch, I often find myself paying more attention to the fashion than the actual awards. Now, I certainly don’t claim to be any sort of fashion expert, but I do enjoy critiquing the stars’ outfits after the night is over.

Here are some celebs who (whether good or bad) stood out on the 2012 Teen Choice Red Carpet:

Zoe Saldana

Grade: D

For a summertime awards show, this outfit definitely lacks color. It looks too much like a drab curtain. The fact that the “dress” is actually two separate pieces put together doesn’t help the issue.

Taylor Swift

Grade: A

Even for something as casual as Teen Choice, Taylor always looks so classy. I love the simple elegance of her dress and her hair style compliments it nicely.

Demi Lovato

Grade: D

It’s difficult for me to pinpoint exactly what bothers me about this dress. I think it’s a combination of the colors, the pattern, and the feathers; it’s just not a good match. I also found the ponytail wrap to be unnecessary.

Carly Rae Jepsen

Grade: C

If the skirt wasn’t so incredibly short, Carly’s outfit wouldn’t be so bad. Not only that, it’s difficult to tell where the blazer ends and the skirt begins. The individual pieces blend together too much.

Hayden Panettiere

Grade: A

Hayden’s outfit is playful and flirty, which really captures the atmosphere of the TCA’s.  Not only that, the dress also fits her petite frame perfectly.

Nina Dobrev

Grade: B

While not the most exciting dress,  it’s simple without any tacky prints or decorations. However, the slit by her right leg is awkward . It gives the illusion that part of the dress accidently got tucked into her underwear.

Jordin Sparks

Grade: C

I truly don’t care for dresses with curtain-like bottoms because I don’t find them to be very flattering. It also bothers me that her shoes don’t accessorize well.

Victoria Justice

Grade: B

I really like the print of this one, but not the style. Personally, I think it would look better as a short or long dress, but not a mix of both.

Selena Gomez

Grade: B

Selena’s dress is a bit short, but I do like its bright color and style. However, I did think that her hairstyle fell a bit flat.

Chelsea Kane

Grade: D

I know this is a casual awards show, but I think this is pushing it. A cute tank (instead of long sleeves) might have helped the outfit, but probably not by much.

Justin Bieber

Grade: C

This certainly isn’t the worst outfit I’ve seen, but the shades, army print shirt, and white pants combo just doesn’t do it for me. I think a new top could easily have bumped up this outfit to a higher grade.

Darren Criss

Grade: C

Once again, a more interesting shirt could have made this outfit far less drab. A white tee is certainly simple, but maybe a little too much so.

Kevin Mchale

Grade: D

Nothing matches here at all! While a zebra print at least would have looked less odd, the animal print pants just needed to be ditched.

Widow’s Peak Woes

For years I struggled to hide the fact that my hairline came to a triangular point at the top of my forehead. As a young child it was not very noticeable, but certainly became more prominent in my pre-teen years.

While the peak may not have been as obvious as Eddie Munster’s, it was still something that I preferred to have covered.

Through some experimentation, I began to learn which hairstyles worked best and which should probably be avoided by someone with my hairline.

If you are like me and have suffered from widow’s peak woes, consider some of these hairstyles as a solution:

Straight Bangs

Whether you opt for the heavy or light style, straight bangs are an easy way to cover up the peak. Even if your hair is in a ponytail, braids, bun, or headband, you can guarantee that your hairline won’t even be noticeable.

Swoopy/Side Bangs

An alternative to straight bangs, this particular style is nice because it tends to be a softer look. Another suggestion is to part your hair to the side so that the bangs sweep across your face.

Long Layers

If you want something similar to a side bang but don’t want your hair constantly on your forehead, long layers can also work to your advantage.

Styles to avoid:

Tight ponytail/bun

Pulling your hair straight back can accentuate your peak even more, so you could try leaving a small section of hair down to drape behind your ear.

A center part

If you part your hair in the middle, it tends to draw the eye right to the peak. A common suggestion is to change it to a side part to avoid this direct line.

Remember, there is nothing wrong with having a unique hairline. It is your choice whether you want to hide it or flaunt your Widow’s Peak proudly.

Clean Up Your Online Image

The Internet is always abundant with opportunity for those who choose to take advantage of all it has to offer.

Yet it can also be dangerous.

Thanks to the Web, it has become very easy to have your life become public to the world. This can sometimes lead to an unwanted reputation that can be difficult to shake.

For example, when your future employer does a “Google” search on you, the last thing you want him/her to find is those trashy Facebook photos you took on a Friday night.

A sarcastic tweet could be taken as much more than a cruel joke, a drunken Youtube video might give the wrong impression , and an inappropriate Facebook status could lead to a loss of respect.

Think of the Internet as your very own portfolio. Would you put something in it that you would be embarrassed to show other people (such as employers, professors, relatives, co-workers, etc.)?

Doubt it.

Here are some suggestions on how to clean up your online image and avoid any awkward or unpleasant consequences that could occur:

*Avoid posting embarrassing or mean tweets about a person if they have the ability to see it.

*Keep your Facebook profile picture appropriate; it’s the first thing people see when they go to your page.

*If you still have use that e-mail account from middle school with a username like boycrazy91, it’s time to make a new one.

*Refrain from sharing graphic and vulgar material on your Facebook newsfeed. People may be offended and get the wrong impression.

*Do not tweet or make a status about how wasted you were the night before. That’s not something the world needs to know.

*Never brag about engaging in an illegal activity. Not only does it make you look bad, you are setting yourself up for being reported. (Though you obviously should avoid this behavior in the first place!)

There’s nothing wrong with keeping some things private online. Not everything on the Internet is intended for public use. However, if you are worried that some aspect of your “Web Portfolio” might offend someone, embarrass yourself, or damage your reputation, think twice about where you are posting it.

R-e-s-p-e-c-t: Roommate Rendition

When you are living in close quarters with another person (or multiple), you are bound to come across unavoidable issues every now and then, but consider how many of these problems could be avoided if roommates learned to respect one another from the very beginning. This should mean everything from property, values, rules, and even feelings. If each person vows to follow this agreement, then you can avoid creating an unnecessary, hostile environment.

Take a look at some of the most common roommate issues and how showing respect could prevent them from happening:

Scenario: At first you thought your roommate just had a similar wardrobe, but after seeing her wear all too familiar outfits for days, you have come to the conclusion that she is definitely wearing your clothes.

Problem: Raiding the other person’s closet without permission

Prevention: If you are not okay with her outfits coming from your closet, make that clear from the very beginning. There is no rule that says roommates should consider each other’s personal belongings to be communal. It’s also important to remember that even if you are okay with sharing clothes, she might not be. Always ask first.

Scenario: You could tell early on that you had a messy roommate, but you never imagined that it would get so bad that you couldn’t even find your belongings.

Problem: No room to move

Prevention: Living away from home means no parents telling you to clean up your room. Your roommate should not have to take their place. Avoid this issue from the beginning by keeping your items in your space.  Try to keep your own area as neat as possible too because your roommate is not going to want to have to stare at a big mess all day.

Scenario: It seems like every time you try to study or sleep, your roommate finds it the perfect time to Skype, listen to music, or watch a movie.

Problem: Disregarding need for quiet time

Prevention: With everyone having different schedules, it can be difficult to adapt to habits that vary from your own. While you may like to study with background noise, your roommate might find it distracting. The best way to compromise is to assume that certain activities call for minimal noise, unless you and your roommate come to another agreement.

Scenario: Your roommate acts friendly to your face, but then you find out that she’s been texting, Tweeting, and posting cruel comments about you on Facebook behind your back.

Problem: Two-faced behavior

Prevention: Yes, there are going to be things about your roommate that bother you, but taking out your frustrations by posting all over the Internet is not the way to go about it. If you have an issue, talk to her about it in person to work out the problem. Or, if it’s just a minor pet peeve that confrontation can’t fix, just let it go.

Scenario:  Ever since your roommate and her boyfriend began dating, they decide to spend the majority of their time in your room, leaving you absolutely no alone time.

Problem: Constant third wheel

Prevention: There’s nothing wrong with wanting to spend time with your boyfriend, but you shouldn’t force your roommate to do so, as well. Keep your room hang-outs to a minimum, as well as excessive PDA that could make your roommate feel awkward.

When it comes to roommates, the best way to maintain a peaceful environment is to follow the Golden Rule: “Treat others the way you want to be treated.”

Bra Faux Pas

Let’s face it; there are a ton of rules in fashion.

I’ll admit that I only know the basics, but it’s enough to keep me from walking out the door looking like a clown. (Even though I have left the house with tags still on my clothes on mutiple occasions, but that’s another story…)

However, my biggest fashion pet peeve is when women allow their bra to show with an outfit.

If done right, other people shouldn’t even be able to tell you are wearing a bra.

There are so many shapes and styles out there that it makes it easy to avoid the frequent strap exposure that so many women regularly deal with.

No more excuses!

Avoid common bra faux pas by wearing the right kind of bra for your top.

Here are some suggestions:

Style: Convertible

What It’s For: Just about anything. Save yourself the hassle of finding the right bra, and buy one that works for almost any shirt style.

Style: U-plunge

What It’s For: Deep necklines. If your top does not have a built-in bra or you just don’t want to go without one, this is perfect for those low-cut pieces that won’t work with a regular bra.

Style: Strapless

What It’s For: Dresses or shirts where noticeable bra straps could make the outfit appear tacky. Just be sure to find one that fits properly, to avoid any embarrassing slips!

Style: Bandeau

What It’s For: Anything strapless, but without a deep neckline. This is yet another option for when you want your bra to stay hidden.

Style: Racerback

What It’s For: Tank tops or dresses with a similar racerback style. Unless you are wearing a spaghetti strap tank, I suggest you opt for this type of bra.