Mad.

As an advertising student I take great interest in anything that correlates to my field of study, but wait... have I watch Mad Men you ask? No.. what's that?

Yes somehow in my very busy schedule I have not been able to pick up the hit show about an ad agency in the 60's. What I had heard is that it really has nothing to even do with advertising and some people told me that the show was very slow paced and boring. I still wanted to see for myself what the plot of this series was and if it would hit home on the ad junkie I am.

As I watched the first season I realized, yes, I could see where some may say it is slow paced but there was so much happening in the episode. Did I mention I love vintage probably more than advertising? This series if full of vintage everything! Clothes, phones, language, habits, culture, styles, logos, advertisements all from the 50s-60s era. Amazing and on top of that it has so much do do with advertising! There are jokes, major ad campaigns that came out those years and lots of other things like drinking and smoking at the office and well everywhere else!

On a deeper note I realized that this show displays the raw truth about the culture our country lived in that time. Not so long ago either. What's funny is that today we thing that the world is so bad and scary. What this show shows is that people were just as bad back then as they are now probably even worse. Just over 50 years ago we lived in a country that allowed you to smoke at the office, on a train, in a hospital or even while pregnant. People did not know or believe that smoking was harmful to your health. Back then in corporate America people drank all day long at work and then cheated on their spouses like it was no big deal. Actually in the show it seems very common and almost mandatory when your married. I feel like these things still happen in today's society but not like that.

In one episode, the neighbors were over for the son's birthday party and as one of the children knocked over a vase a man slaps him on the face. Then the father of the boy comes over and say "what is going on over here?" I'm watching, thinking that the men were going to argue because he just slapped his son but then the father of the boy asks his son "Do you want some more?" What?! That guy just slapped you kid! Thats just how it was in those days I suppose. This thought brought me to realize that maybe the reason parents today are so lax with their children (making them little hellions) is because they were scolded as children and do not want to subject their children to the same thing. Who knows...

One of my favorite characters in the show is a neighbor to the main character. She is the told of the neighborhood because of the fact that she got a divorce from her husband. So uncommon and frowned upon in that era. As a single mother of two working a low paying sales job to pay the bills all of the other women think of her as foolish to leave her husband. The best thing about this situation to me is the fact that she stood up for herself and is showing everyone that she does not need a man. I love it. Basically the show is letting us watch the era of when women started taking a step to be more independent something women display on a daily basis.

So would I recommend this show even though it does not educate you on the field of advertising and you will probably feel like your getting lung cancer just by watching them chain smoke? YES!! It s more than just a show about the scandalist lives of advertisers, it is a show that is telling America's history in a raw but truthful manner. Watch it. Thank you.

NaNoWriMo

November 1st marks the beginning of NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month!

Ever thought about writing a novel? Well now is the perfect month! Not only are we celebrating all of the amazing Novels out in the world and those who wrote them, but you have the opportunity to join them!

Go to nanowritmo.org and set up your account to get started! This group has created a website to help you complete a 50,000 word novel by November 30, 2012. They have inspiration, pep talks, ways to get help and many other tools to get you through "Thirty days and nights of literary abandon."

Don't know what you would write about in your novel? Doesn't matter! Just start writing! You never know what you will create.


Hopefully I will see a lot of you at the finish line on November 30th and until then Good Will Writing!!

Remember that Time I had Writers Block?

Well I have been thinking about what I want for my life and I am still in the process of deciding some things but on the other hand I have created my ultimate goal for this blog.

So I am really into making old unwanted things into something beautiful that people will love. Hence the name "Reasons to Love." Unfortunately with being a full time student and a part time worker I do not find too much free time to go picking and redo pieces to either use in my home or sell for someone else to use.

I would love to be able to just do that and make a living off of this hobby that my mom and I could do together. She has taught me everything I know and I would love to be able to do this with her everyday.

People who I have seen and researched that do this type of work get most all of their publicity and clients through the use of a blog and various social media outlets. Now with me being an advertising major with a lot of public relations experience, this is right up my ally. A co-worker helped me shape this plan for the future of my blog and here is the gist --

• After the blogging class I am in is over I will be moving over to Wordpress
• I will purchase my domain -- reasonstoloveblog.com
• Malory (my lovely co-worker) will be helping me design my web page and brand myself
• I will create correlating facebook, twitter and other social pages
• I will be using my personal pinterest page for the business and inspirations for my blog
• I will set up an account to start buying, reclaiming and selling my products.
• Hopefully with my determination to reach this goal I can be a successful entrepreneur.

This is my life, this is my dream and I am going to reach it.

Yummy Creamy White Chicken Enchiladas

In my quest to become just like June Clever (From Leave it to Beaver.) If you don't know who that is than you need to learn this one thing about me: I love everything about the 1940 and 1950 eras, EVERYTHING. Alot of my inspiration and morals are based on things from that time. You should look into it.

Anyways....


So I found this simple recipe for enchiladas and decided yesterday morning that I would have a small dinner party to get feedback on how my cooking turned out. Needless to say everyone loovveed the food! They now are no longer afraid to come back and have more of my cooking. The recipe was so easy and very yummy I thought I would share it with you.

What you need:

6-8 corn tortillas (enchilada size)

1 pre-cooked plain rotisserie chicken, shredded (I just used a few pieces of frozen chicken breasts)

1 cup sweet corn

4 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided in half

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

1-1/4 cups chicken broth

1 – 10oz can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

1 – 4oz can chopped green chiles

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon sea salt

 

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Fill the center of each tortilla with a handful of shredded chicken, a tablespoon or so of the corn, and a pinch of the shredded cheese.
3. Roll and place in the bottom of a baking dish with the seam side down.
4. In a pot over medium heat melt the better. Add flour and whisk into a thick paste.
5. Add chicken broth, cream of chicken, sour cream, chiles, salt and pepper.
6. Whisk gently for about 5 minutes until warm and smooth.
7. Pour the sauce over the enchiladas and top with remaining shredded cheese.
8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes and serve warm.

Serve with your choice of side dish (I chose spanish rice)

 

Here is a picture of your finished product!!

 

 

Writer's Block in Life

We all know how it can be to have writer's block. From the professional novelist to the average college student at some point in our lives (or maybe more) we go through a time where we just simply have run out of words to write. Even now as I write this I am struggling to type what it is that I am wanting to say.

I believe writer's block can be more than just not knowing what it is you want your next term paper to be about. Writer's block is when you have lost inspiration, lost sight of what you want or just don't know what you want.

I think it has been a long time coming but I have finally hit my writer's block in life. I had known what I wanted to do with my life, but now those goals seem to have been lost in my life's current path. Some people who have this happen to them see it as a good thing or as something that was meant to happen. Maybe the path they were on was not a good one and some new variable has put them on a brighter one. 

For me, I am currently not sure whether it is a good thing or a bad thing that my goals are changing. I have hit a writer's block in my life story. I had all these plans and ideas of what I wanted to do with my life but now I am just not sure. The things I want to do and enjoy doing don't have a spot next to what is currently taking time out of my day.

No I do not have some addiction or bad habit. I just simply am lazy. I don't know what I want to make of my time so I waste it. That is a hard reality to face but that's what I believe I have been doing. I don't make time to ponder what it is I'd rather be doing and if I do come up with something, I never act on it. It is an awful rut to be in. I can't decide what I want my blog to be, I can't motivate myself to apply for those internships or go to the gym and I have lost sight of what I want in my personal relationships. Like I said an Awful Rut.

What are the steps needed to figure these things out. Do we as humans have what it takes to just let things happen or do we need to take control. Do I have what it takes to do what is necessary?? How do I know what is best for me when I can't seem to grasp what it is that I want?

I see a challenge that I can't muster the energy to take on.

The Future of My Blog

While taking this blogging class I have been able to really look at blogs and see how they are set up and what they talk about. They seem to have everything together! They have a subject or theme to thier blog and they stick to it. Now, i've never been one to be a copycat buuuttt I really think I need to take notes of what I like about the blogs I follow because I don't have a specific subject or theme...

A friend of mine just recently launched a blog and shortly after turned it into a website then created social media sites to go with the site. With in a couple of days of doing this she has already gained tons of readership and gotten an interview with a "Big Time" Celebrity. She wouldn't tell me who so she wouldn't jinx it, but I am so proud and amazed that she created an idea, something she is passionate about, and worked hard to make it happen.

Now alls I gotta do is MAKE IT BIG! I want my writing to have a purpose and create loyal readership so that maybe I can provide some type of help, entertainment, education for people. Sound more like I'm the one who needs help...

I'll practice my writing and figure out what I will be best at writing about on my blog. Until I feel that my blog is ready I will not go seeking for reader's. I want the first impression to be the best impression. 

Inspiration for My House Decor

My Inspiration...

I have finally figured it out!!! After all the years of not knowing what my design style was I think I have finally figured it out.

Rustic Shabby Chic.

Thats it! After all of the criticism that my house looks like an old lady's well its because it is! I love all of my vintage, reused furnature. When I bought my house I had recently started watching Once Upon A Time on ABC and the decoration of Mary Margaret Blanchard's (Snow White) Apartment is sooooo cute. With all of the whites, light pinks, yellows, green and blues it is a fresh breath of air. But here is my problem somehow when they do it, it can work for any season. Winter, Fall, Spring. But when I tried I always feel like it should be spring.

Here is my inspiration...



This is Snow White's house. So crisp with all of the rustin furnature and colors. I truely believe that this style matches her character perfectly and just so happens to match mine as well.

Love Love LOVE the table with different colors and styles of chairs. Can I please just get rid of all my stuff and mimic this apartment???

I can't get over this white washed wood! All of the furnature is so different and goes together so perfectly!

I'm thinking I may need a trip to The Rink...


You can bet there will be some Mary Margaret inspired project coming your way!!!

My Autumn Reasons to Love!

~Here is My Top Ten Must Haves for Fall~

1. Cardi Cardi Cardigans!! Any Color. Easy to add to all of your summer tanks to make a warm fall outfit.
2. Brown Boots <3 Ahhh comfortable, warm and goes with everything. Every girl need a good pair (or two) of brown riding boots

 

3. The Walking Dead Season 3. My Obsession! Perfect for October and Halloween!! A little tid bit about me, I'm deathly afraid of zombies and therefore love zombie movie and now I have a zombie show! It's amazing.

4. Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin Candle and Body Wash from Bath and Body Works. If you havn't smelt this amazing aroma then you havn't lived.

5. My Amazingly comfortable Hammock! It was a gift to myself and with the cooler weather I can finally enjoy it!
6. Apple Cider. Mmmmmmmmmmm! Need I say more?







7.The Kindle Fire A gift from my amazin parent last Christmas. Easy to read a book, search the web or write on my blog from anywhere, even my hammock :)

8. Scarvesssss To where while I am laying on my Hammock with my Kindle Fire and drinking Hot Apple Cider!
9. PUMPKINS!!! Carving, Pie, Scents Everything Pumpkin! I don't know when I aquired this strange obsession over pumkins. Maybe all of the trip to the pumkin patches as a child or all the times I have carved a pumkin and then baked pumkin seeds for a snack. Maybe it is just because a pumpkin is the universal symbol for fall. (Probably All Three)

10. The Brisk Cool Weather in which if we did not have, it would not be concidered Fall! It is the perfect tempurature to just sit outside with a light sweater on and enjoy nature and the beauty of the changing season where everything starts dying to be reborn in the winter. Too Deep? Well get over it that's just what fall does to me.

October Days

With the crisp cool air of October in our midst, I believe it is time for me to set some goals of things I want to get done this next month.

For anyone who doesn't know me personally, I am the type of girl who likes to have a plan. I LOVE to-do lists and seeing them get completed.

My goals list is partially for my and partially for you all, my readers. I would like it to be sort of a Table of Contents for what you can expect to see on my blog this next month.

So here we go...

Goal...
1. Plan and Execute an Amazing Halloween Party with my roommate Bonny

2. Celebrate my Mom and Significant Other's Birthdays!

3. Get caught up on Once Upon A Time and Pretty Little Liars


4. Renovate and Update My Half Bath


5. Come up with some great craft projects


6. Build a Homecoming Float for the Central Student Alumni Association

7. Save $$$ money $$$

8. Attend Some great events to share with my readers!

9. Obtain more readership on my Blog
10. Blog at least 20 times this month

Sounds like a busy month but a fun one filled with Scary movies and close friends. What more could a girl want. 

A Lovely Day at the Oklahoma State Fair!

This last weeked was the last weekend of the Oklahoma State Fair! So sad... I just love going every year its basically my own personal kickoff for Autumn. This year I was able to eat two things of curly fries, a wonderful carmel applel, my jug-o-rootbeer, fried cookie dough on a stick and five corn on the cobs. Now this was in my TWO visits to the fair. NOT ONE! I'm not that much of a fatty. This last saturday I took a few picture of this elderly lady with her beach babe t-shirt.

and here she is petting a stuffed piggy....ENJOY!!!

Cooler Weather = Finishing my BIGGEST renovation

Ready to hear about my biggest renovation of all??..

Well let me start from the beginning....

Being the independent young woman I am, I had been eager to move out of my parents house as soon as I started college. My freshman year I lived in the dorms, even though my parents live in town. As "bratty" as that was I still made a bunch of friends on campus and would never EVER change my decision to live in a cramped dorm for my first year of college. My sophomore year I lived in this dingy apartment near campus and walked about half a mile to class everyday. Worst experience EVER! By March 2011 I had had it with the apartment, the management and my messy roommates that I begged to break the lease and I moved back home that spring break.

Last year I decided to not move out of the parent's house so that I could save money for a trip to Paris, France. Best Decision I Ever Made! But...and yes there is a but. By Christmas, 3 months before my trip, I was losing my mind! I felt trapped with my parents and that the next time I moved out it would be the last time. I found a roommate and we started looking for an apartment to move into in May. My loving parents were concerned that getting an apartment was a waste of money. They offered to help me with a down payment on a house.

One of my mom's co-worker's aunt had a 3 bedroom house they were preparing to sell for $85,000. Now, for those of you not familiar with the housing market this is CHEAP! I was concerned it would be a shack or completely disgusting inside. I was wrong....

It was the outside that was disgusting.. So my BIGGEST renovation has been bring to get this house some curb appeal. With the help of my lovely parents and a very bad hail storm I have been able to paint the front and sides of the house, get a new roof and gutters and give this eye sore a complete makeover. Unfortunately the summer became a hot mess and the paint project had to be postponed. So here is what we have gotten done.

and here is what we lack...

With Fall in our midst this project can get completed and off my renovation list! I'm going to be posting Britt's Renovation List soon so you all can see what I have done and what I still have to do! Please give me some feedback on the house and tell me what you think!

New Additions to the Louvre?!

Only 6 months ago I was at the Louvre and there was no sign of any renovations or additions to this world renowned museum. Today in the New York Times the top story in the arts section is about the New Islamic Galleries at the Louvre in Paris, France.


In 1989 the Louvre added I.M. Pei's Glass Pyramid which is now the main entrance to the Louvre.

It had horrible feedback from the public because of it's contemporary style. Now the new feature for the Islamic Gallery will be a ground and underground level interior spaces with a golden undulating roof.

They did a great job of hiding the project for 10 years! This cost them $125 million! $20 million of that was donated by Prince Alwaleed bun Talal of Saudi Arabia which is the larges single monetary gift ever given to the museum. Can't wait to go back and see it!!!


Read the full story here: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/20/arts/design/the-louvres-new-islamic-galleries-bring-riches-to-light.html?ref=todayspaper&moc.semityn.www

DYI: Melted Record Catch-All Bowls

Here is an easy project for anyone who has a love for music and interesting conversation pieces.

All you need is...

• An oven
• Records (that you do not mind destroying)
• Baking Sheet
• Small oven safe bowl
• Another bowl to use a a formation for the record

Steps..

1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Place your oven safe bowl upside down on the middle of your baking sheet.
3. Put your record on top of the bowl.
4. Place in oven for about 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Take out of oven and quickly place the record in your formation bowl.
6. Form your record bowl however your want it. Do it quickly because the record will cool fast and your bowl will set.
7. Voila! A record catch-all bowl!

Now you can set this bowl by your door to put your keys, on your dresser to put your jewelry or even take it to the office to hold paper clips!

Here are two Reasons to Love the Record Bowl: On top of using it as a bowl, you can also hang multiple record bowls on the wall for a great art piece and if you are tired of the way your bowl is shaped or didn't like how it turned out you can just stick it back in the oven and try again!

Improvement

Here are some questions I am currently pondering and will be working on in the coming week.

1. What area of your blog do you need to work on to improve?
I need to improve my profile and the layout of my blog, including the darn background. I really feel that my site is not portraying the personality I would like it to. Do to my poor technological skills I am having a difficult time getting my page to be what I want it to be.

2. What would make your blog more interesting?
I feel that just the layout being more organized and more "me" the blog will keep readers on the page long enough for them to want to start reading my posts. Then of course having interesting posts no here.

State of The Blogosphere

Ya know when I think of blogging I think of a great place to get my ideas out in public for other people to find useful and a place where I can inspire and be inspired. What I don't think of when I ponder about blogging is about how big the internet is and how many other people are out there that are trying to do the exact same thing. Competition. I should not see this hobby as a competitive sport but people do and thats how the world works and I can either get with it or just  delete my blog now. 

If you look up "State of the Blogosphere" on Technorati they give you the most recent state of the blogging world. What I learned after reading this that there is so many other people wanting to accomplish the same thing as thousands of others. There is a very slim chance that someone's blog will get discovered and become famous or better, make money off their blog. The U.S. has the most bloggers in the world following is England and Australia. Not going to lie to ya'll but I am a bit of a perfectionist and when I do something I want to succeed. I want to have a successful blog, so right now I am going to make a goal for my new blogging hobby. Here it is...

By January 1, 2013 I would like to have 75 followers and at least one post per week with several comments from my lovely followers :)

Think I can do it? Have some suggestions? Leave me a comment!

Love Brittany

Bonjour!

Hello Readers!

I've got my blog up and running but that's about it... I know what I'll be posting and I know what kind of personality I want my blog to have... My personality! Unfortunately I am not savvy when it comes to computers and things as simple as blog backgrounds. I know what I want but I don't know how to get it on my darn blog. As I deal with that I am officially kicking off my blog by tell you all what you'll be able to find on my blog.

I just bought my first house last April. It was built in 1971 and although the previous owners took care of the house there was ALOT that needs to get done to not only update this house but to make it my home. :) The main topics of Reasons to Love will be things like home renovations, DYI projects, organizational tips, ways to live greener, and maybe even a few recipes! Now this is a personal lifestyle blog and I think I live a some what exciting life, so you may even find a few funny stories, places to travel and eat or even some reviews on movies, shows or books. What ever it is that you enjoy I hope I can give you a Reason to Love something for you on my blog. Don't be shy! Leave me some comments!

Love Brittany