Pearls and A Pistol

Back to Blogging!

2010-03-01T21:31:00.003-05:00

Hey lovelies!

So I haven't touched this blog in over a month. My life has been nonstop chaos, and I haven't had a spare moment to breathe! Between applying for scholarships, doing homework and studying, work, meetings, sorority events, and being sick, I've barely gotten enough sleep let alone had time to blog.

But now, my life has finally settled down and I'm back to blogging for real this time. I have a bunch of books and movies to review, along with some advice posts, personal posts, and just plain fun posts brewing in my mind and ready to be put into words. Spring break is next week so I'll have lots of time to write a bunch of posts for you guys. :)

Also, I recently got a Tumblr, so if you want to follow me there, you can find it here.

Lots of love!

♥

So Apologetic

2010-01-21T18:25:00.004-05:00

Alright lovelies, I know I've been a horrible blogger and haven't had any posts lately. My life has been pretty hectic, and I'm gonna let you guys in on the excitement in this post.

First off, I'm back at school now, and classes started this past week. I'm still trying to get into the swing of being back at school again which makes things a little hard. Also, I'm mid-sorority recruitment, so the majority of my time is spent at the house for either rush rounds or pre-round decorating, etc. On top of that, I have work for the sites I write for (miseducated.net, mookychick.co.uk). So my life is pretty crazy. Not to mention the fact that I need at least a little bit of sleep.

I tend to forget I'm human and take on way too many projects at once. I love being busy though, it makes me feel useful and gives me assurance that I'll definitely get a job when I graduate. Everyone always calls me a workaholic, and maybe I am. For me though, doing work and writing are things that make me happy and make me feel like I'm actually doing something worthwhile, rather than spending all my time watching reruns or hanging out in the lounge.

After this next week is over, I'll definitely be back to focusing on this blog since sorority recruitment will be over. Be prepared, I have some fun things in store!

♥

Nintendo DS Review

2010-01-10T21:14:00.002-05:00

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So, my mom bought me a Nintendo DS for a birthday present and I decided to review it here. I got the cobalt blue one, and I love it because the blue is actually sparkly! I only got two games since Best Buy didn't have the best stock, but the two I got are pretty awesome as far as I can tell.

The DS itself is super light. You might even think it was poor quality if you weren't familiar with how good Nintendo products are. There is a place to keep the stylus built into the system, and the whole thing has a rechargeable battery so you don't have to worry about replacing them every few weeks. It even has a built in program/game that I haven't quite figured out yet. The battery lasts 15-19 hours on a full charge, so it has a really good amount of play for each battery charge. The graphics are also pretty nice for such small screens. The DS even has a port so you can play Game Boy Advance games on it.

The bottom screen is the touch screen that you use the stylus for, and the top screen is where you can see what you're doing in the game. The controls are easy to use and the system is incredibly portable.

The two games I got were Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time. I've played the Kingdom Hearts one more than Final Fantasy, but they're both awesome so far. They're the standard play as a character through different missions type thing, but one is Disney (♥) and the other has lots of cute animals (even though you have to beat them up).

Overall, I give the Nintendo DS a four out of five. It just feels like you could break it in a second, and even though the color I got was pretty, there isn't much variety. The price is definitely reasonable though ($129) and there is a huge library of DS games to choose from.

♥

An Incredible Website

2010-01-08T09:06:00.003-05:00

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I just discovered this website: herfuture.

And OMG I am in love. It's run by the author of Add More -ing To Your Life, Gabrielle Bernstein. On the site you can make friends, find a mentor, be a mentor, find internships or jobs, look for interns or employees, join groups, find inspiration, and so much more! It's the perfect site for creative women.

I just ordered Gabrielle's book, and I cannot wait to read it. I definitely recommend joining Herfuture.com. Go check it out!

♥

The Benefits of Keeping a Journal

2010-01-07T10:41:00.004-05:00

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For years I always tried to keep a journal. Every time I would try, I would write maybe one or two entries, lay it aside, and completely forget about it. This year I decided it would be different. When school began to get stressful this past October, I started a journal simply as a method of venting. I've been keeping up with it ever since.

But everyone uses their journals for different reasons. Some use them as planners. Some use them to record their dreams when they wake up. Some use them as art books. But the benefits of keeping a journal are infinite. They can keep you organized, focused, calm, and inspired.

First, it serves as a record. If you write down things that happen, you can look back at your journal years later and take a stroll down memory lane. They can also act as planners if you choose. Like I previously mentioned, journals are excellent venting devices. If you're stressed, angry, sad, or feeling any other overwhelming emotion and you just don't feel like talking to someone, write it down. I've looked back at some of my entries and laughed at how hard I was writing because I was angry. I've even put holes in the paper before! I've been known to leave tear marks, too, when days were really hard. But when I'm finished writing, I always feel better. You can use them to doodle, make collages, write poetry, make lists, etc. The possibilities are endless!

Journals can be housed in anything. They can be kept electronically (in the form of a Word document, as a blog, etc.), or you can have a hard copy. They can be in Moleskines, binders, spiral notebooks, little kid diaries with locks, or even a stack of napkins stapled together. Let it be whatever you want it to be: it's your journal! Your journal can be private or you can show it to all your friends! You can choose to hide it in your sock drawer or carry it with you in your bag everyday.

If you think you'll have trouble keeping up with it, put it somewhere you'll see it everyday. If you keep a separate to do list or planner, make it a point to list journaling as a task. And journaling isn't for everyone. If you keep trying to keep one, maybe it just isn't your thing, or it isn't the right time in life. It took me years before journaling became a part of my life.

My advice is to try it out if you don't currently keep a journal. Give it a shot. You'll never know how much it can make a difference in your life unless you try. Good luck!

♥

The Best Types of Days

2010-01-06T18:20:00.000-05:00

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Do you ever have one of those days that you look back on and think, "That was a really good day"? I mean days made better by incredibly simple things. Here is my list of some of the best types of days.

Days when it's snowing or raining outside and you don't have any obligations, that are spent on the couch with a blanket, hot chocolate, and a good book.
Days when the sun is shining and the temperature is perfect, that are spent walking barefoot in the grass with your camera in tow.
Days when your pets are in the mood to snuggle, and spend all their time curled up on your lap (or close to you if the pet is too big for a lap).
Days after you've cleaned your house/room/desk and you have a completely clear environment in which to create.
Days where you receive mail, whether it be a package of books from Amazon, a vintage dress from eBay, a postcard from a pen pal, or a letter from a relative.
Days when you come home stressed from work or school and turn on the TV to find that your favorite comfort film is about to begin.
Days when you wake up to an encouraging email or text from a close friend that starts your morning off right.

What are your favorite kinds of days?

♥

Cute Surprise

2010-01-06T07:39:00.001-05:00

Want something that will make you squeal with glee? Click on this link. I have it bookmarked so whenever I need a little boost of happiness, the cute little thing is right there.

♥

Quote of the Week #1

2010-01-05T20:37:00.001-05:00

Instant Beauty

2010-01-05T18:26:00.002-05:00

Lately, I’ve just been bumming around the house. This means sweatpants, no makeup, hair up, etc. But I’ve thought about some ways to still look gorgeous WITHOUT effort, and that happen instantaneously. Here is a quick rundown on how to achieve instant beauty.

1. Smile! It not only makes you feel good but it makes you really appealing to others.

2. Drink lots of water. This cleanses your body and makes your skin glow, without makeup.

3. Have good posture. Shoulders back, head up, eyes forward. Looking poised always makes you look gorgeous.

4. Last but not least, confidence! If you act confident, you will look and feel confident. And confidence=beautiful.

So there you have it! Four easy and instantaneous ways to look your best, without putting in effort on makeup, hair, or your outfit.

♥

New Years Resolutions

2010-01-03T19:04:00.000-05:00

So, it's January 3rd, meaning that it's time to get cracking on those resolutions. What are mine, you may ask? Well here they are, and believe me when I say I'm dead set on keeping EVERY SINGLE ONE of them.

1)Surround myself with positive people only. End all unhealthy relationships. Seek out those who raise me up, not put me down.

2)Stay positive myself. Make things happen that I want to happen.

3)Write in my journal at least every other day.

4)Stick with this blog and make it the best it can be.

5)Keep my room clean and organized.

6)Use my planner religiously and don't lose track of things I need to do.

7)Exercise more and eat healthier.

8)Make time to read for fun.

9)Be completely honest with people. Speak my mind. Say what I'm truly feeling.

10)Learn to better manage my money.

Ok, now that the resolutions have been made, how do we go about keeping them? Try writing out a list of your resolutions, photocopy it, and paste it EVERYWHERE. In your bathroom, above your bed, on your desk, on your mirror. Seeing them all the time will get them ingrained in your brain and help you follow through. By the end of January you'll realize that you're following through on all of them and you'll keep up even when you remove the lists. You can also recruit a buddy who shares some of your resolutions to keep each other motivated.

Another trick is to reward yourself. For every week you follow through buy yourself a little treat, like a new headband or a cute pair of tights. For every month, make the reward bigger, like a book or a cd. If you follow through all year long, go all out on your reward and buy that Betsey Johnson dress you've been eying or the Ed Hardy bag you've been stalking eBay for. Think of the rewards as icing on the cake. Not only will you be doing everything you wanted with your year, but you'll be getting treats along the way.

It's time to get cracking! We have a bright new year ahead of us, so what better time than now to do everything you want with your life? Good luck!

♥

Hey Readers!

2010-01-03T15:33:00.000-05:00

Hey party people, welcome to pearls and a pistol, my new blog! This blog will soon be full of posts regarding art, music, film, fashion, literature, advice, my personal life, and everything in between. I've had blogs before but have never been fully dedicated to them, so I have decided to be firm in sticking with this one. I hope you guys like what I post, and I can't wait to get started on things!

♥