WO: Weekly Obsessions
I had an influx of ideas for obsessions this week, probably because I’ve been on a spree of volunteer and social events lately. The good news? There’s no stopping in sight. The bad news? I’m running on about five hours of sleep and am not entirely sure this will all make sense😛
- #Brangelina … Meanwhile, Amal Fights ISIS: I was in an inevitable BuzzFeed rabbit hole last night and, naturally, read George Clooney’s off-guard response to the #Brangelina divorce. I was extremely proud to see the related article BuzzFeed suggested was about Amal Clooney (née Alamuddin) and her fight against ISIS. Talk about girl power.
- AOII Alumnae in San Francisco: In case it wasn’t painfully obvious in yesterday’s post, I’ve thrown myself into some social organizations recently. I’m thrilled to join my sorority’s alumnae board in SF as Vice President, and I’ve already enjoyed getting to know more sisters in the area. Check out our FB page to see what we’re up to and learn more🙂
- Junior League of San Francisco: Another fantastic organization I’ve joined as a Provisional (first-year) member is the Junior League of SF. From volunteering to social events and community programs, I couldn’t be more pleased to be connected to such an inspirational group of women.
- “Closer” – Chainsmokers f. Halsey: In my humble opinion, any song that inspires a flood of memes is worth a listen. I swear, I’m not into EDM — I’m too old for it anyway. But with a catchy beat and ridiculously fun lyrics, this one’s getting played out like it’s my damn job.
Images courtesy of: BuzzFeed, FB, ArtPoint, Josep Vinaixa
How-to: Win the Breakup
There there, stock photo girl.
Down in the dumps after being dumped? Dry those mascara tears and listen up: This step-by-step guide guarantees* you’ll win the breakup (which should obviously be your top priority).
Step 1: Get dumped. If you must do the breaking-up, fine, but know you won’t win any sympathy points if you’re the dumper. On the flip side, bonus sympathy points if you’re dumped the night before a couples’ trip for your birthday.
Step 2: Debate internally about posting a public statement. Decide not to, then regret it every time yet another friend asks about your (ex) significant other. Feel like a total dick until you finally post a public blog about it.
Step 3: Feel like a total dick for posting a public blog about it.
I think I just found my Halloween costume.
Step 4: Say “yes” to all social activities. Join local organizations, such as Junior League or your sorority’s alumnae board. Volunteer. Go to the gym. Attend concerts. Get out of the damn house.
Step 5: Create a girl-power playlist. Yes, even if you’re a dude. If you’re too lazy to create one — like you’re sooo busy now — borrow one.
Step 6: Watch “The First Wives Club.” Watch it again. Put on a white skirt- or pantsuit. If you haven’t sashayed and belted out “You Don’t Own Me,” what kind of monster are you?
Step 7: Take this BuzzFeed quiz to see if you are, in fact, winning the breakup. No matter the result, you can pretend you got this:
Step 7a: DO NOT POST YOUR QUIZ RESULTS.
Step 8: Try your damndest to be genuinely happy for them and find happiness in yourself, too. Understand that your time will come — or it won’t — but feeling sorry for yourself isn’t going to help anyone, least of all you.
Did I miss any crucial steps? What are your tips for surviving a breakup, let alone “winning” one? Let me know in the comments below!
*Oh, honey. No guarantees.
WO: Weekly Obsessions
If you’ve read Wittyburg since the very beginning, you know I used to have a lot more to say beyond these Weekly Obsessions. And I love these WOs — more than I ever expected I would. But I lost my way three years ago, when my dad died and I had trouble finding inspiration beyond weekly posts. Hell, I had trouble getting out of bed.
All that to say, I’m so appreciative of those who’ve stuck with me, checking in each week. I absolutely hope to bring you more varied content soon … and I want you to hold me to it this time!
This week’s obsessions are focused on my dad, as we honored his angelversary yesterday. 3 years doesn’t feel like long in the grand scheme of things, but a thousand days without hearing his voice have truly taken a toll. Combine that with an ER trip for my older niece — she’ll be OK, thank God — and yesterday sure was a doozy.
- “M*A*S*H”: There is no other show to evoke memories of my dad than this. He watched reruns religiously, we bought him the boxed sets of DVDs over the years, and I can’t hear the theme song without immediately thinking of him. Even now, if I’m mindlessly flipping through channels, I’ll land on a rerun to follow Hawkeye and crew.
- Boy Scouts of America: My dad donated countless hours to various organizations, but the BSA held a particularly special place in his heart. From helping Brother’s troop to eventually becoming Scoutmaster, dedicating summers and weekends to Camp La-No-Che in Central Florida, and selling popcorn like no other, Mr. Rick lived its mission to the fullest — scout’s honor.
- Brother’s Birthday: I’m such a selfless little sister, aren’t I? Dad wouldn’t be who he was without his first-born, who turns 33 on Friday. Despite spending our tumultuous childhoods tormenting each other, Brother has since become one of my best friends, closest confidants and biggest supporters. 143, Bud.
- “Lookin’ Out My Back Door” – Creedence Clearwater Revival: CCR is so quintessential Slick Rick, without a doubt. Among the songs we chose to play for his services, this one lifts me to another place, puts a smile on our faces, and reminds us of all the good times we had with him.
Images courtesy of: Wikipedia, Wiki again, Not Wiki, Wiki
WO: Weekly Obsessions
Are you ready for some life-changing obsessions this week?! You are?! Hint: This will not include the anger-inducing “schedule” feature on WordPress, since it failed me so hard last week.
Anyway, get set — this is not a drill.
- Hoisin Chicken Stir-fry: I haven’t been shy about professing my love for Blue Apron. And despite some ingredient issues recently, including with this very meal, it’s my go-to for creating delicious dishes. I couldn’t give this any more than five stars, but I would if I could. Check out the recipe here and let me know if you’re as in love as I am.
- Silencing FB Live: If you’re suffering an endless slew of Facebook Live notifications, you’ve wondered, no doubt, how to make them stoppp. I was only seeing the option in-app to turn off individual notifications, but there’s a way to do it from the ol’ desktop that takes two seconds and will save a million headaches. Dramatic, much? This article explains.
- Magz’s Birthday: It’s my favorite mom’s birthday today, and as she celebrates (undisclosed number here), I have to reflect on how much she’s impacted my life. From keeping our family together during tough times to answering all of my “how to adult” questions, Magz is deserving of a gold medal and a fantastic year ahead. Cheers!
- “Starving” – Hailee Steinfeld & Grey f. Zedd: I heard this song on Spotify a few times without realizing how often it’d get stuck in my head after. You may recognize Hailee from “True Grit,” “Pitch Perfect” or the upcoming “The Edge of Seventeen.” Turns out, her pipes sound even better with a little pop-funk in the background.
Images courtesy of: Blue Apron, modified from The Country Caller, Family, Josep Vinaixa
WO: Weekly Obsessions
I say it all the time — because what else is there to comment on besides time and weather? — but did you realize it’s the last day of August?! I’ve already seen pumpkin spice memes and countdowns to Christmas… where does the time go? We may never know.
- “…Why Women Drink”: My women’s group at work frequently shares inspiring and thought-provoking content to consider. This article has a bit of a clickbait-y headline, and some examples are extreme, but I found it interesting nonetheless. The author covers two disparate topics, yet both apply to me as a professional woman who enjoys socializing over drinks. Let me know what you think!
- VMAs: For the first time in as long as I can remember, I didn’t watch the VMAs this year. Pro tip: It’s saved to my DVR, for mass consumption when I have a few hours to kill. Luckily, my trusty news source BuzzFeed provided some recaps to keep me in the loop with the millenials. Because I’m definitely not old…
- MY2K Tour: To prove how not-old I am, I treated a close friend (and myself) to THE concert of the summer for her birthday. 98° + Dream + Ryan Cabrera + O-Town = what more could we ask for? Each act performed originals, covers and medleys that brought us back to the height of “TRL” and boy-band fever. Swoon.
- “Mama Said” – Lukas Graham: Instead of the obvious choice to present a song from the MY2K Tour, I’m keeping you on your toes with this one. You can’t have a sample of “Hard Knock Life” in your hook without it becoming an earworm… just ask Jay-Z. I also can’t listen to this without lip-syncing along like I’m some sort of undiscovered musical talent, so there’s that.
Images courtesy of: Quartz, Indie Wire, AOL (no, really), Instreamentals
WO: Weekly Obsessions
I’ve sat down to write non-WO posts time after time, but I can’t seem to get the words out. There are a multitude of topics I want to cover; and yet, I can’t push through the pain, frustration or sheer madness of it all. Until this wave of emotion subsides, here’s what else is on my mind:
- Salesian Boys’ & Girls’ Club: I recently volunteered for Junior League SF at the Salesian Boys’ & Girls’ Club during their 4th Annual Food & Beer Fest. We served the most delicious deviled eggs, focaccia bread, beer and more while dancing to the DJ’s party playlist and raising money for an excellent cause. I’m legit looking forward to next year’s event already.
- Nook: A friend suggested we try this restaurant Sunday and it became the perfect first half of an eight-hour brunch. Situated right off the cable car line, we sat outside with delicious food and bottomless mimosas (served until 3pm), and chatted endlessly while watching tourists roll by. This one is definitely going in my brunch spot rotation.
- “Amy”: The tragic rise and fall of Amy Winehouse may not have surprised some, given her troubled past. But this incredible documentary gives the public a harrowing look into her private life and demons, plus the people surrounding her during those ups and downs. I saw a screening last weekend and am recommending it to anyone with two ears who’ll listen.
- “Sit Still, Look Pretty” – Daya: If there was ever a modern-day anthem for girl power, this is it. Who can argue with lyrics like “…Then Snow White / She did right in her life / Had seven men to do the chores / ‘Cause that’s not what a lady’s for”? It’s on repeat in my personal playlist, pushing me and other women to be OK with flying solo to take over the world😉
Images courtesy of: Salesian Club, Yelp, Konbini, Genius
WO: Weekly Obsessions
I’ve gone pretty much nonstop since last week, even writing this in between happy hours and other social outings. I’m not complaining, although my marathon of watching Olympics coverage has slowed down considerably.
And, as a sure sign that I’m officially 29, I was just “laying down for a nap” last Friday before this Rave of Thrones event, only to wake up hours later after missing the whole thing.
- Britney/Taylor Mashup Night: I made up for lost time Saturday night with my first-ever visit to famed SF nightclub Bootie, because why else? It was Britney/Taylor Mashup Night! I expected a little more of “Bad Blood… One More Time,” but was truly amazed at the DJs’ abilities to mix Eminem, Black Sabbath and more with the queens of pop.
- Red Dog: Another day, another happy hour. This SOMA bar was the second stop on a night where I said farewell to both current co-workers and former colleagues who were leaving their respective companies. Red Dog was a perfect setting — friendly staff, delicious food and strong drinks.
- Barry’s Boot Camp: In case it wasn’t completely clear, I’m in need of a detox more than anything. Since that’s unlikely to ever happen, I’ve instead taken advantage of promotions through work to try “The Best Workout in the World.” It’s kicked my ass, motivated me and been, truly, one of the best group fitness classes I’ve ever tried. Best of all, the friends I made go with me are still speaking to me.
- Jessica’s “Daily Affirmation”: This toddler’s uplifting pep talk went viral a few years ago, but has recently made a resurgence and I’m not mad about it. Whether it’s your hair or your pajamas or your whole house, I hope you too have things you like and believe you can do anything good!
Images courtesy of: Bootie Mashup, Red Dog, Healthy Happier Bear, Cosmo UK
