And the Liebster Blog Award Goes To... Belle Vierge!

Y'all.

The funny and colorful Kristen over at Mama Winkle's Blog nominated me for a blog award!

The Liebster Blog Award is given to bloggers by bloggers. It is a way to acknowledge each other and say “You're all sorts of awesome." It's only for blogs with 200 or less followers, so it’s also a great way to spread the word about smaller blogs and get them more readers and followers! When you receive the award, you post 11 random facts about yourself and answer 11 questions from the person(s) who nominated you. You pass the award onto 11 other blogs (make sure you tell them you nominated them!) and ask them 11 questions. You’re not allowed to nominate the blog(s) who nominated you!

My 11 Random Facts:

1. Harry Potter is my favorite book series, hands down, but Philippa Gregory is my all-time favorite author.
 

2. I love pretty much any beverage or food with lime. Diet Coke with Lime, gin & tonic, Bud Light Lime. I haven't bought them in ages, but the tortilla chips with lime. Yummy.
 

3. Before last summer, I thought koozies were the most stupid thing ever. But now I have at least one in my purse at any given point in time, and I rarely drink canned beverages without one.

From @SrattyStyle

4. I started questioning my sexuality in middle school. I finally realized I was bisexual halfway through my senior year of high school. I never told a soul until one fateful evening in London, many many years after I'd graduated high school.
 

5. I like to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, but I don't like to prepare them.
 

6. I miss being paid to cook dinner for myself and three kids. I ate so healthily last year. I'm already struggling to maintain a good diet cooking for one. =/ 

Roast beef with roasted carrots and potatoes.

7. I have a thing for elves. I think Legolas is the sexiest Orlando Bloom has ever been.
 

8. I am so blessed to have the friends that I do, but sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of good friends I have. I worry that I'm not a good enough friend to them. I wish I could spend more time with each of them.
 

9. I don't understand people who carry a balance on their credit card unless it was for an unexpected emergency expense. Example: when I had to pay for six cavities all at once. Or for a gap in income. I get paid this week for the first time in seven weeks. I'll pay off my Visa in full easily, but I'll have to carry a balance for a while on my American Express (but I currently have 0% APR). And this wouldn't be an issue at all if I hadn't needed to spend about $500 in medical expenses. It's just not that hard to spend only what you earn.
 

10. Sometimes the boyfriend and I skype, but don't really talk. We each do our own thing and just comment if we feel like sharing something. I just like seeing the little video of him in the corner of my screen. #lesigh
 

11. I calculate my gas mileage every time I fill up. Lately it's been really good, about 28-31 MPG, but today it was only 25 MPG. To quote my bestie: boo hiss!

These are the questions Kristen asked me: 

1) What is your age? 20-something ;)

2) Where did you grow up? A small town in the South. I miss it, but I could never live there as an adult. I was the only self-declared feminist in my graduating class...

3) Where is your favorite place to go out to dinner? I usually prefer eating out for lunch than for dinner. It's usually cheaper and more casual. Plus, I like cooking dinner with my friends, family, and/or boyfriend! If I'm going to a chain restaurant, I love Applebee's, IHOP, O'Charley's, Outback, etc. But I prefer going to local eateries whenever possible!

4) What is your "go to" meal...that one meal you love to make on the fly and is really easy for you? Does a peanut butter and jelly sandwich count? No? What about a bowl of cereal? No? Okay, then. I made this for lunch yesterday. I make two pieces of French toast (crack an egg into a bowl, mix in some soy milk, sprinkle some cinnamon; dip sliced whole wheat bread into the mixture; fry in butter), but then I use the French toast bread to make a peanut butter and honey sandwich. I also drizzle a little extra honey on top. If I have a banana, I slice half into the sandwich.

5) What's your biggest pet peeve about your significant other? The boyfriend is perfect. I don't know what you're talking about... Except for his aversion to vegetables... But at least we present a united front against onions!

6) What's your most proudest parenting moment? (If you don't have children, then name your own proudest moment) I'll meet you halfway! My proudest moment as an au pair was when Sam* stopped making gender generalizations. At the beginning of the year, he would make comments like, "I hate how girls don't like sports." After a few months, Sam carefully worded his statements like this, "In my experience, with the girls in the 5th grade at my school, I'm not speaking for all girls everywhere..." So proud.

7) Do you have any goals you are working towards? If yes, what are they? As the boyfriend so eloquently put it "Get hitched." But that's been a lifelong goal, and I see no point in rushing things just because we're at the age when everyone else is tying the knot. My other lifelong goal has been to become an internationally-renowned author. I'm slowly working on that... My three sets of memoirs (high school, college, two years in France) will probably come out first, and writing this blog helps me examine my life thematically, as opposed to just chronologically. From there, I'll publish my fiction. Feminist young adult retold fairy tales, most likely...

8) When you sleep in, what time constitutes "sleeping in"? On a weekday, sleeping in is til 10am or later. On the weekend, I didn't sleep in if I wake up before noon.

9) What is your daily make-up routine? Most of the time I don't wear make-up. If I do, I usually dab a little mineral foundation underneath my eyes, blend two mineral eyeshadow shades on my lids, and swipe on some lip gloss. The full routine is rare. Mineral foundation, mineral blush, three eyeshadow shades (usually mineral, but not always), mascara, lipstick, lip gloss.

10) What drinks are in your refrigerator right this very moment? Soy milk (for mac&cheese and hot cereal), Diet Coke with Lime, iced green tea lightly sweetened with honey, Mountain Dew (for the boyfriend).

11) And finally, what do you love the most about blogging? Connecting with people across the globe.

I'm passing this award onto:

1) Pearl at The Rarest Pearl, obviously. One of my online best friends.
2) Ashley Marie at Chickadette. I've promised her a guest post twice now, but I've barely had time (til this week) to write in my own blog... Soon, I swear!
3) Christina Ruth Johnson, a blog of all things beautiful to us artsy fantasy nerds. 
4) Classy in K.C. She wrote a guest post for me!
5) Dr. Juris at Eventual Lawyer. A feminist law blog? Yes!
6) Shoshanah at From L.A. to LA. Nerdy bibliophile blogging about wedding planning. So many creative posts! 
7) Lo at Our Crazy Ever After. I'm cheating here. She has over 200 followers. I don't care. She's wonderful. 
8) Katie at Read.Write.Love. I confess, I only skim her dog posts when I read her blog, but I enjoy everything else! 
9) Michelle at Southern Ambition. Honest, colorful, southern! 
10) Blass at Southern Love. One of my favorite people from twitter. Love her to pieces. 
11) Four awesome ladies at Victorian Swag. History, romance, and FEELINGS. 

I know at least one of these people in real life... But I'll never reveal who! #anonproblems

Questions for my fellow bloggers:

1) Why did you start blogging?
2) What is your favorite city in the world?
3) If you could relive one 24-hour period, what would it be and why?
4) What is your greatest triumph thus far?
5) What is your guilty pleasure?
6) How many of your real life friends read your blog?
7) Which Harry Potter novel is your favorite?
8) Beach or mountains?
9) Which celebrity should be your best friend?
10) Who is your favorite Disney princess?
11) What is your Halloween costume going to be this year? 

*Not his real name. Obviously.

You have read this article beauty / blog award / blog readers / diet coke with lime / feminism / marriage / meme / nanny / questions / real life / sexuality with the title meme. You can bookmark this page URL http://myclosetnadinesh.blogspot.com/2012/08/and-liebster-blog-award-goes-to-belle.html. Thanks!

My Big Boobs, My Business

Tonight I want to discuss something near and dear to my heart… Literally.

Boobs.

Big boobs.

Teeny tiny ribcage, and my cups runneth over.

My boyfriend just unhooked my bra to encourage my writing. He’s so sweet like that.

I don’t just want to discuss big boobs. I want to discuss how people react to big boobs. How people treat those of us who have big boobs. How people can’t look past a bra size.

How people call me a slut when I show just a hint of cleavage.

Just an FYI for any new blog readers. I’m a virgin, so I’m pretty sure I am NOT a slut.

I had major writer’s block while working on this post the other night. After sleeping on it, I realized the source of my struggle.

Boobs are such a complex subject that I can’t just devote a single post to it. My thoughts were seriously all over the place. I went from ranting to discussing awesome bras to explaining my big-boobed perspective.

Tonight, I’m going to rant. I’ve written about slut-shamingbefore. Tonight, I’m writing about boob-shaming.

Found all over the Internet; I used weknowmemes

I hate this meme, but I do love some of the reactions to it. Then last week, I very stupidly watched a video posted by the controversial anon BHDC on twitter, who did her own little “boobs in your shirt, not in your shirt.”

Am I the only one who’s noticed that the biggest critics of big boobs are the girls who don’t have any? Don’t get me wrong, small-chested women are just as beautiful as we big-boobed ladies.

But.

They need to shut the fuck up about boobs.

Here’s a good rule of thumb for commenting on any topic ever.

Thou shalt not pass judgment if thou cannot understandeth.

Obsessed with Busty Girl Comics

I don’t tell people of color how to overcome racism… because I’m white. I don’t tell my twin brother “I know you feel” when he’s in the hospital… because I have Crohn’s disease, not brain cancer. I don’t tell my boyfriend how to do his job… because I’m not an engineer.

Since it’s near-fucking impossible to have “inappropriate” cleavage with small boobs, then don’t fucking tell those of us who have big boobs to keep our boobs in our shirt. Because you will NEVER fucking understand. Your incredibly male-gazed point-of-view on “appropriate” or “inappropriate” attire is based on a total misunderstanding of anything bigger than a B-cup. Seriously. The only women who ever had a problem with my cleavage were B-cups or A-cups.

I both love and hate the “Real Women Have Curves” campaign. I understand its purpose: to embrace women of all sizes, not just stick-thin models. But some women are naturally skinny, with few curves. They are beautiful too. They are real women. Their small boobs are still awesome, because boobs = awesome.

They just better shut their fucking mouths about my boobs.

Edit 01/26/2013: One of my many best friends pointed out that she understands what I mean by this, but someone who hasn't known me since freshman year might be confused and/or insulted. 

Let me clarify. Wearing a sexy, attention-getting top is perfect for Friday night. Not for Monday morning, or any time at work. Someone without big boobs is capable of understanding this distinction of when this top is (in)appropriate. Wearing a tube top to work is inappropriate because it's inappropriate, not because I show more cleavage in a tube top than the average woman.

However, this has NEVER been my problem, or the issue people take with me, and thus I didn't even realize clarification was needed. If you can wear my cleavage-baring button-up blouse, but in your size, to our job, then I can too. Hence my inclusion of the Busty Girl comic. And that is the kind of judgment I receive. For wearing the same styles that my beautiful, but small-busted best friend might wear.

You have read this article advice / BOOBS / cleavage / feminism / friends / meme / personal post / real life / slut / stereotypes / twin brother with the title meme. You can bookmark this page URL http://myclosetnadinesh.blogspot.com/2012/08/my-big-boobs-my-business.html. Thanks!

2011 In Review

1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?

A thousand different things. Traveled by myself for two weeks. Visited Norway. Made the first move with a guy. Interned with Delta Nu*. Lived in the Northeast. Fell in love. Started my first relationship. Lots of fun, intimate things as part of said relationship.

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I didn't make any concrete resolutions last year. Something about reading more classics and reading more books in French. I did read more classic literature, but not very much in French. Oops. This coming year, I want to track my expenditures again and keep a tight budget like I did when I lived in France.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Not this year, no.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

A wonderful woman from my church had had Parkinson's for a long time. She died this year.

5. What countries did you visit?

Well. I lived in France and the States. I visited England and Norway.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?

A job with a real salary and benefits.

7. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

May 12. I left my favorite country in the world, and I don't know when I'll be back. :( July 29, first date with the the now-boyfriend. :)

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I continued to follow my dreams. Once again I put my happiness above financial security, and it's worked out so incredibly well for me. I have three new best friends, a boyfriend, and an awesome network of connections because of choosing my summer internship over a year-long internship.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Not writing more. I had a goal to write 150,000 words this year, but only intentional writing counted. So these blog posts, yes. Emails, no. Fiction, poetry, etc., yes. My personal blog posts (travel writing aside), no. I only hit like, 40,000 words or something sad like that. Granted, it is more than I've ever written before (not counting stuff for school).

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

No!!!!! After starting 2010 in the hospital, 2011 was awesome!

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Train tickets and plane tickets for traveling.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My twin brother has completely turned his life around, and I couldn't be prouder.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Americans in general...

14. Where did most of your money go?

First part of the year: rent, food, train tickets, hostels, plane tickets. Summer: food, alcohol, gas, clothes, shoes. End of the year: Starbucks, plane tickets, clothes.

Most of my money has gone towards traveling.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Going to Norway for the first time and meeting all my family there!!!

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?

This is the first time I've really gotten into Adele, so I'm going to say anything she put out this year. And the Glee mash-up, of course.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

i. happier or sadder? Happier, since I just spent the holidays with my family.

ii. thinner or fatter? About the same, I think.

iii. richer or poorer? About the same as well, except even more on my own and less dependent on my parents (but I still owe them money).

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Writing!!!! Traveling, although I did travel as much as I could afford to do.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Um. Can't think of anything. It was a pretty balanced year.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

With my family :)

22. Did you fall in love in 2011?

Yes! With the boyfriend. ♥

23. Did your heart break in 2011?

Yes, but I'll always love Mark* as my best friend.

24. What was your favorite TV program?

Glee, same as last year.

25. Where were you when 2011 began?

In Montmartre.

26. Who were you with?

A friend of mine and about a gagillion other people.

27. Where will you be when 2011 ends?

Probably at home. Yup, I'm just that cool.

28. Who will you be with when 2011 ends?

My parents and one of my best friends from high school.

29. What was the best book you read?

Just one? Seriously? Either The Help or The Hunger Games trilogy. Oh, wait, or The Picture of Dorian Gray.

30. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I got really into Adele this year.

31. What did you want and get?

An internship with Delta Nu. :D

32. What did you want and not get?

Total financial independence. I'm getting close!

33. What was your favorite film of this year?

Is it sad if I say The Muppets Movie?

34. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I went out to dinner with my co-intern and summer roommate Lauren*. You can probably figure out by now how old I am, but I'm not telling!

35. How many different states did you travel to in 2011?

Um, my home state, the Midwestern state where I was this summer, the three states in-between my home state & the Midwestern state, the Northeastern state where I currently live... So six. French regions? Four, I think. Norwegian regions? Two. Then London. So about thirteen overall. Give or take.

36. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?

The same as always. Some combination of bright American casual and dark French sophisticated.

37. What kept you sane?

My besties, my family, my blogs, my followers on twitter, and MY BOYFRIEND. Oh, and Starbucks.

38. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Ummmm, Naya Riviera from Glee. I just couldn't help myself.

39. What political issue stirred you the most?

Gay marriage legalized in New York!!!!!

40. How many concerts did you see in 2011?

Not that many. The Beach Boys this summer!

41. Did you have a favorite concert in 2011?

The Beach Boys this summer!

42. Who was the best new person you met?

My summer besties: Lauren, Hardy, and James*. 'My' kids.

THE BOYFRIEND.

43. Did you do anything you are ashamed of this year?

Nope!

44. What was your most embarrassing moment of 2011?

Nothing comes to mind.

45. What are your plans for 2012?

Move to Canada with my job, move to the Midwest and find a new job, figure out if I want to marry the boyfriend once we're living in the same state (you can't jump into these things, especially via a long-distance relationship), blog more often... Yeah, that's about it.

*We're all good on the fake names, fake sorority, right? Awesome. Just checking.

You have read this article best friend: Hardy / best friend: James / best friend: Lauren / best friend: Mark / Canada / family / France / Glee / literature / love / marriage / meme / movies / music / real life / television / twin brother with the title meme. You can bookmark this page URL http://myclosetnadinesh.blogspot.com/2011/12/2011-in-review.html. Thanks!