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I'm excited to share some news with you! I am now accepting sponsors! If you are interested, please email me at lrstewar@gmail.com for rates and blog statistics. I'd be so happy to share your blog/website/shop with my lovely readers.

Hint: low rates, my blog has a growing audience, and I will share your amazing blog/website/shop with my blog and social media friends. Win, win, win!

Light & Dark

I truly believe that.

from and its love

Find The Right Guy

I've written on how to be a great girlfriend, but being a great girlfriend is worthless if you don't have the right guy.

Here are some traits you need in a boyfriend:

1. He's always supportive, but honest. There are enough people in the world that try to bring you down or scoff at your goals. Your sweetie should support you in all things you want to do, but be honest enough to tell you when something you want to do really is dangerous to yourself or others.

2. He may never understand you, but he tries and accepts you. I don't think boys will ever understand the brain of a girl (I don't understand my brain half the time!) but the least he can do is accept you for who you are and love every part of you (even the crazy parts!).

3. He is attractive...to you. If you always go for the super model types, you will miss out on a lot of great guys. Finding a guy that is gorgeous isn't everything...but finding a guy that you're attracted to means a lot. If you don't think your guy is hot stuff, you won't last very long, even if he's the greatest guy on the planet.

4. He listens but also talks. A guy that never lets you get a word in would be annoying, but a guy that never talks about himself would also be frustrating. Try to strike a good balance and make sure both of you feel that you've communicated enough and properly.

5. He isn't controlling or a hot-head. Sure, we all have bossy moments or times when our temper flares up. But a deal-breaker for me would be if the guy I'm with tried to control my life and started to tell me what to do, then if I didn't listen, got angry or even physical. Never stay in a relationship if he starts to hurt you, no matter what! If he won't let you have a life outside your relationship, that is also a good warning sign you should break it off.

6. You have things in common and have fun together. A great relationship usually starts when you are friends first. People become friends because they have hobbies or personality traits in common and enjoy each other's company. Try new things together to keep a relationship fresh!

7. Lastly and most importantly, he truly loves you and makes you feel safe, loved, and treats you with respect and kindness!

What do you think makes a good boyfriend? Tell me about your guy who possesses all these amazing traits and why you're the luckiest girl in the world!

Sneak Peak of the New Facebook

Yeah you heard it right, Facebook is changing again. No, its not only the new Timeline on the side or the way pictures are larger or the changes to the Newsfeed. Facebook will look totally and completely different on October 3, 2011. Before you start complaining, let me take you through the new changes to give you a little taste before your profile up and changes on you again!

As far as I know, the Newsfeed won't change too much since it has already been changing lately. You have the new ultra-stalker Timeline on the right-hand side, the new lists to organize your friends, and Top and Recent Stories making up the bulk of your Newsfeed.

The real changes happen when you head to your profile page. As you can see in the photo (below), you are allowed to choose one big "Cover Photo". This is not your profile picture. Your profile picture is the small photo by your name. You can still easily change both of these pictures, but I think the Cover Photo is more of a permanent placeholder for a photo to describe your life.

Next, on the upper right-hand side, you see a list of years and months. Facebook is now trying to act as sort of a scrapbook, detailing events from when you were born up until today. You can now go back and read status updates, job changes, friend activity, and more from when you started Facebook to this very moment.

You can also now view a log of your activity, that is private and for your eyes only. You can see every message, wall post, and comment you write, etc. It is kind of a neat way to remember the past!

The whole look of your profile is very different as well. Your basic information is listed at the top right under your profile picture and next to your recent photos. All of your status updates and wall posts are below in two columns and the photos are much larger. You can scroll down as far as you'd like and Facebook keeps track of the dates for you!

 

All in all, I like the changes to the profile page. I am still getting used to the Newsfeed where I feel they are trying to act too much like Twitter, but I can deal with it. Facebook still rules the world. If you want to update to the new Facebook early like I did, just follow the instructions on this website.

What do you think about these changes? Tell me your thoughts!

Guest Post: Three Creative Ways to Keep an LDR Exciting

My husband (then-boyfriend) John and I had our taste of a long-distance relationship. It was a time when mobile messaging and social networking sites were unheard of (or at least we thought), and we relied heavily on snail mail for correspondence. There were days of hair-tearing uncertainty and fist-eating impatience, replaced by boundless joy when the much awaited mail or package finally came. Suffice it to say our relationship had the proverbial sword of Damocles hanging above it, but we managed to reunite, and eventually marry and start a family.

These days, technological advancements have significantly lessened the anxiety caused by long-distance relationship correspondents, and communication has become real-time and easier to do. Still, many LDR couples find themselves giving up because of misunderstanding or lack of communication. If my husband and I had the kind of communication gadgets and technology today, we would have had an easier time. Below are three of the most creative ways I have thought of doing with the Internet and technological tools:

1. Get in sync for a picnic or dinner together.

Impossible? Not with a web cam and instant messaging system. Even if you live in totally different time zones, planning a picnic or dinner within viewing distance of a cam allows for the miles between you to virtually melt away. Block off a date and time, and plan around the event just as you would a real live meeting. Dress up if you like. It makes for a nice change from all the times that you chat casually on cam while eating and typing (with greasy fingers, most likely!).  Set the table or picnic blanket with elegant dinnerware and converse as you dine.

2. Send care packages just because.

While it’s nice to send out gifts during special occasions, spicing up an LDR sometimes means sending out surprise care packages for no real reason other than to make your significant other happy. You can go with themes for each package, such as Date, Anniversary, etc. Then select certain objects that can go in the package to remind them of that theme. For instance, a date care package can contain long stemmed roses, elegant dinnerware and table napkins, a bottle of wine, and a box of chocolates. Be as creative as you can, and it’s bound to be sweetly rewarded.

3. Make musical compilations to tell the story of your relationship.

Songs have a way of telling our stories for us, so get creative on the mix CDs and MP3 compilations. It could be biographical (a musical set-list that describes your partner) or about where you see your relationship going. It could be about longing, and being hopeful. It could be about anything you feel. There are so many songs whose words you can use to tell your feelings, so start making lists and compilations for your faraway loved ones.  

This guest blog post was written by Kristen Swope, a proud WAHM (work at home mom) to five year-old Isabel, and a loving wife to John. She has withstood the tests of a long- distance relationship and ended up marrying the man of her dreams. They now live in Fremont in a house with a kidney-shaped swimming pool.

What I Plan To Watch This Fall...

One of the best things about fall is finally here: FALL TV! Our favorite shows are finally back and there are plenty of new ones to check out! Here are the shows I plan to tune in to:

Mondays: How I Met Your Mother, 2 Broke Girls

Tuesdays: Glee, New Girl

Wednesdays: America's Next Top Model, Real World: San Diego

Thursdays: Big Bang Theory, The Office

Here's the Fall TV Calendar....Tell me which ones you are dying to watch!

My New Goals For A Better Me

I am always looking for ways to improve myself. I make "promises" to myself about working out more or eating healthier and always seem to break them. This time, I am making specific goals and putting them up next to my mirror behind my laptop, a place I see very often.


1. Take at least an hour a day to be away from technology. I think like most people, I am often on my laptop, cell phone, iPod, and have the TV on almost simultaneously. My Blackberry is with me at all times and I depend on my laptop for work projects every day. While technology is amazing and I love it a lot...at times it is a little much. When my iPod, Blackberry and laptop all buzz at the same time from an email - it can make me frazzled! I want to take an hour per day to step away from my laptop, TV, iPod, and put my phone on silent. This will allow me to work out, step out of the house to run errands, pay more attention to a friend, read, etc.

2. Do yoga once a week. A long time ago when I started to get into yoga, I purchased a bunch of classes at a local yoga studio with a student discount. The last time I went, I realized I had many prepaid classes ready for me that I get too busy to use. I am going to find a class at a good time for me and go once a week until my prepaid classes are used up and then decide if I want to continue practicing further.

3. Save, save, save!!! I am pretty terrible at saving money. I love to shop and try new products. I'm saving up to buy a used car in the spring, so I have to start being more careful with my money. This will be tough but I know I can save lots if I put my mind to it!

I am sure I will come up with more goals, but here is what I have so far! Tell me about your goals!

Importance of Being a Good Role Model

The other day I was at a local festival watching my cousin (9-years-old) compete in the talent show. She showcased her amazing skills in Scottish dancing (something she's only been doing for almost a year) and won first place! I was so proud!

After, I was chatting with my other cousin (11-years-old) and her best friend. Her friend asked if I was Lauren and when I said yes, she told me that my cousin talks about me all the time. "Good things I hope?" I said with a wink. She said yes and my cousin just smiled.

It definitely warmed my heart to hear that my cousin talks about me to her best friend and shares stories about how we eat fruit the same way and funny things I've said. Being an only child and not quite used to the antics of siblings, I sometimes get annoyed with my cousins but I will always love them for who they are.

It also reminded me how important it is to be a good role model. Whether you are a celebrity and always in the news or a regular person with siblings, cousins, or nieces and nephews, it is important to share good lessons with the kids in your life and to be your best self.

You never know who is watching you or looking up to you. It could be your younger relatives or it could be someone you don't even know that well. A good tip is to never do or say anything around people you wouldn't want them repeating about you.

"Do what you love and the money will come."

Some people may scoff at my choice to start my post grad career doing freelance work and odd jobs. It is often quite hard to explain exactly what I do because my schedule changes so often and I do many little jobs. I've definitely heard "Why don't you just get a real job...a 9-5 where you'll make tons more money?" Yet what I'm doing is real...for my happiness and well-being.

I am very certain I would be unhappy with a 9-5, sitting at a computer type of job. A job where I would have to get up early, get ready, sit in traffic, head into an office for eight hours, then drive in traffic home...all while dreading getting up and doing it again tomorrow.

This article describes my point of view perfectly. This man decided to ditch his six-figure earnings "real job" for a no-routine life as a freelancer. The way he writes it is so great and really resonates with me!

While I may never make a ton of money and be able to have super expensive gadgets or a mansion, I don't care. I will gladly give these things up for the happiness I feel day to day. Instead of going to the same place five days a week, I can spend my days writing in various locations, working at home, taking a few hours to see a friend, spending time with my family, babysitting, and where ever else my life takes me.

At times it sure is stressful to focus on different jobs or focus while working at home, but I am lucky enough to have such amazing people I work for. I am reminded that I am doing a great job, even if I get busy and can't get to something right away. They know I will.

I truly believe in the quote "Do what you love and the money will come". I may never be a millionaire, but I know I can live a comfortable lifestyle writing and doing what I truly love. I hope to continue to maintain a "no routine" lifestyle, where my surroundings and daily projects change day to day.

My Favorite Lush Products

Lush is one of my favorite stores because it is so unique and filled with amazing goodies that are great for your skin and hair and the environment too! They sell a lot of organic bath products and even if they aren't marked organic, they are full of natural and safe ingredients. I want to try all of their products but I would spend a fortune in that store! Plus, they always give free samples...

Here are some of my favorite products:

Dragon's Egg Bath Bomb - I am definitely more of a shower girl and rarely take baths, but when the urge strikes, I must use a bath bomb! This one smells amazing (very citrusy) and it crackles, fizzes, and glitters. So fun!

Mask of Magnaminty - I love relaxing with a good face mask and this one rocks! It is made with fresh ingredients that polish your skin and leave it feeling minty clean. My next thing to try is their fresh face masks, but this one is great because it lasts for a few months instead of a few weeks.

Vanilla Puff Powder - I wasn't sure whether or not to buy this one, so last time I was visiting their store, they gave me a sample. You simply dust a little powder on after you put on lotion and it smells AMAZING! I want to get a puff to use to dust it on my skin to refresh my skin. It can also work as a dry shampoo.




Now tell me, do you shop at Lush? Tell me your favorite products that I should try!