Fashion Friday: I wasn't fashionable

This is a red letter day. 

I didn't wear anything worthy of fashion friday this week. :( 

So here's a picture of a dress that I really really really want.

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I've begged my boyfriend to get it for my birthday...in two months. As a wise man once said, "It will be mine. Oh yes! It will be mine." 

Thankful Thursday: Seester #1

Today, always really, but especially today I'm thankful for my oldest sister, Emily. 

Sorry, boys. She's married. 

Without going into too much detail, my life as of late has been busy and stressful and recently, the proverbial excrement has been hitting the fan frequently. She's been so great about encouraging and listening to me throughout all of it. Pointing me in the right direction while still taking the time to hear what I'm saying. Sometimes I need a lot of words from her and sometimes all I need is the "I understand how you feel" approach, and she always seems to know what to say. 

My sister is my best friend...you kind of get to be when you share a room with someone for the first nineteen years of your life, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I feel like our bond is more than family and it's more than friend. I don't really know what it's called, but I believe it's unbreakable. 

Love you, Em

Wedding Wednesday: Stability or Stilettos?

For today's Wedding Wednesday, I want to talk about an oft under-looked element of a bride's attire...the shoes. Now, maybe for some brides, this is the feature they've agonized over the most, but for every wedding I've been a part of, the shoes were not a focal point. At my sister's wedding, I helped her slip into some high-heeled strappy sandals and at my best friend's wedding, she opted for foot jewelry for her outside wedding. Both were appropriate to the bride.

But I can't make up my mind (big surprise there). I don't know if I want to go for some knock-out wedding heels or a pair of understated flats for comfort. So what do you think? 

Stilettos?

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Or stability?

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Tidbit Tuesday: Best friend

Copyright 2014 Molly O'Sullivan

I had a best friend named Daphne and she was wonderful. She was the first best friend I'd ever had so it was unavoidable that I made a mess of her life.  

Musical Monday: Eyes Wide Open

Let me tell you, folks, I have been DANG productive today...which is why Musical Monday is a little late. I did homework for 75% of the day, went to class for 10%, and worked for about 15% and I'm drained. I still have more work to do before tomorrow so I'll leave you with what I'm listening to at this very second.

Gotye is an absolute genius in my book. I got to see him in concert a little over a year ago and it was a blast. I love this song. So much raw emotion. 

*sigh*

Alright, back to work. 

Love,

M

Sunday Fun-day: This here valleh.

On today's Sunday Fun-Day (or evening, as it were) a band which is near and dear to my heart won their fourth Grammy for the song 'From This Valley.' 

Let me tell you, folks, it absolutely crushes me that Joy and John Paul no longer make music together, but the two records they have released are hauntingly beautiful. So, without any further adieu, here's the song that won the Grammy tonight. 

Love,

M

Selfie Saturday: Continue?

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Stop right there.

Yes, right there.

That thought entered your mind when you read that.

The situation.

The circumstance

The reason.

The person.

It applies to you. 

Will you continue to allow it? 

Fashion Friday: Print

I've decided to highlight the outfit that I wore yesterday. It was bitterly cold yesterday (see last night's post about the 14 degree wind chill) and my boyfriend was sweet enough to snap a few shots of me in the icy wind before taking me to class. :) 

Shirt: JCPenney ($20ish)
Cardigan: JCPenney ($25ish)
Boots: Target ($30)

The shirt is a couple years old but I absolutely love the print. It's perfect from September-January and I love it!

I bought these last semester and was pretty hesitant to do so because it seems as though boots like these dominate Pinterest and cliche sorority fashion, but I love pairing them with jeans and dresses for a sweet autumn outfit. Not to mention, they're really comfy for boots!

It was cold enough to cry, yall.

Love, 

M

Thankful Thursday: Coats

Y'all.

 Today, the wind chill is 14 degrees.

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 So, today I'm ultra-thankful for my coat. 

It sounds old hat, maybe, but when it gets unforgivingly cold like this, I start to think of all the people who don't have coats or hats. It makes me want to cry. 

It also makes me thankful for my coat. 

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Seriously, y'all. How awesome is this. It's a body coat. 

Wedding Wednesday: This cake, y'all

I'm almost 100% positive that I want pink and gold as my wedding colors, so my Pinterest wedding board is completely devoted to this color scheme. Posted below, is a picture of a cake I pinned a few weeks ago and I can't get over how gorgeous it is. I wants it.

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Tidbit Tuesday: Closure

I know it's late, but here's a tidbit for your Tuesday. :) 

Copyright 2014 Molly O'Sullivan

I was in a bad car accident when I was ten. My whole family was in our van and my parents put all of us kids in trauma counseling. I remember sitting on the couch with my sister, Valerie, as she recounted all of the horrible things she'd been seeing in her dreams since the accident. The lady, Gail was her name I think, asked me what I remembered seeing and it was the strangest thing because all I could truly remember was driving along and then suddenly looking over and seeing my sister with blood and glass all over her face. Gail said that my mind was keeping me from seeing bad things in my dreams and that was what our brains sometimes did to defend themselves. To my mind, blood, glass, and my screaming sister were bad enough. Later, I overheard Gail telling my mother that once I was older I might want to see another therapist who could help me draw those bad thoughts out of my mind so I could have closure with my trauma.  

Musical Monday: Out Tonight

It's been a Rent kinda day, so here's one of my favorite songs from the musical for your listening pleasure. :)

Love,

M

Sunday Fun-Day: Unite!

Today is Sunday Fun-Day and this is what I have to share with you today. Because it's awesome.

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Selfie Saturday: Letting go

It's Selfie Saturday! Don't worry, no actual selfies in this post! Selfie Saturday is all about taking care of yourself, so today I want to talk about letting go. 

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All of us have something that we need to let go of, be it a place, a person, a season of life that no longer is, a memory, or an event that shaped us. Everyone is holding onto something heavy and whether or not we realize it, it is dragging us down. I'm doing it. So are you. So what can we do about it?

Letting go looks different for everyone, so I can't definitively say what it is. But I think that when you evaluate yourself seriously and deeply, you'll know exactly what letting go means for you. The prospect of doing whatever it is may scare you. I know it scares me. But may I please encourage you to consider what it could do, not only for you but the others in your life? Understand, that I am probably the worst example of someone who is skilled at letting go of extraneous things. I'm an emotional pack-rat and I hold on to places, memories, people, and events as though they were my most precious belongings. It's hard to let go of things that aren't good for us, but maybe shedding some light on some of the reasons why we should start the process of removing harm from our lives will help give us that little nudge out of the door.

Realize that letting go is not the same as giving up.

One of the biggest excuses I feed myself when faced with the choice of holding onto something or letting it go is that it would be wrong for me to give up. Because giving up is for losers, right? And I'm a winner! I don't quit. Hear me out: letting go is quite different from giving up. Giving up and letting go both involve forfeiting something, but the stark difference between the two is what is being forfeited and the reasons why you've chosen to forfeit. I would say that those who give up, give up on something or someone because of an unwillingness to persevere through a particular situation. Giving up also implies that the thing with has been forfeited may or may not have been worth fighting for. Giver uppers do not know. 

Those who let go realize that what they have chosen to eliminate is a harmful presence in their life. They know that holding onto whatever it is has proven repeatedly to be toxic. They, and others, can see the negative fruits of the presence of what they've chosen to live without. 

Those who let go know that removing something from their life will make them healthier, stronger, better people. 

Letting go will ease emotional burdens.

I can personally testify to this. As I said already, I am not an expert in this department, but I know firsthand the feeling of release and contentedness that comes when I make an active choice to let go of something harmful. I feel lighter and more able to do the things I love. More excited to pursue the good relationships that I have. Ready to find new joy. The initial process is hard and it can hurt, but it can also be freeing as it is the beginning of your journey to acceptance, closure, and peace. 

Relinquishing the harm in our lives forces us to rely on God for emotional strength. 

"Give your burdens to the Lord and He will take care of you."(Psalm 55:22a)

It's important to keep in mind, throughout the whole process, that you are not alone in your struggles and pains. God is ever present and a constant source of comfort to you, regardless of what is going on. He wants you to give Him your troubles and sorrows because when you do, you've given Him a place of greater importance in your life than whatever is ailing you. A place where He carries you through whatever struggle you have and where you are forced to rely on Him for strength, peace, and healing. 

What is is that you need to begin letting go of? How can you begin? 

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Fashion Friday: Plaid

It's the first Fashion Friday and I was going to do a brand new outfit but I really wanted to showcase what I wore for the photo shoot Ben did when he helped me take the pictures for my about the blogger section. So here's that outfit in all its plaid glory!

I got the jeans from American Eagle for only $25! They're dark wash ankle jeggings
and they're so dadgum comf. 

These shoes are the newest addition to my closet. They're Mossimo
by Target, but I got them from Plato's Closet for $10. Total steal.

I bought the plaid shirt from JCPenney for $30ish.
The cardigan is from Old Navy. I don't know how much
it was because I borrowed it from my sister. :) 

Thankful Thursday: Ben

So today is Thankful Thursday and I'm going to be typical and start off by highlighting my sweet man to start things off. In case you didn't see in the about the blogger section, this is Ben. 

Isn't he fine?! 

Ben and I met last year around Christmas time at a volunteer event at our church. I love our story so much, but that is another post for another day! We celebrated a year of togetherness on the tenth of this month so recently I've been thinking of all the reasons why I am thankful for this wonderful man. I could come up with a long list of specific reasons why I am thankful for him but I think I will hone in on just one. 

He loves me.

 It sounds simple and you might think I'm copping out on digging deeper into the recesses of my consciousness for a more intellectual reason, but the harder I think about this, the more fervently my consciousness dwells to this fact. Ben loves me. He loves me when I am kind and when I'm mean. He sees me during my most selfish moments and loves me the same as when I'm having a good day in that department.

 (Have I mentioned that selfishness is probably my biggest problem? Well, there. I just did) 

His view of me isn't changed depending on what I've done for him or how I've acted. Ben cares for me and loves me regardless of what I may or may not be. I think the reason I came to feel for him so quickly was because of the way his affection, which later grew to love, echoed the sort of love that is of Christ. The sort of love that doesn't let go no matter what you've done. That's the sort of love that makes a relationship last. A love that realizes that the other person has the ability to absolutely destroy you with what they do and say. But instead of running away, runs toward you and embraces you as you are. This is the kind of love that Ben has shown to me and even though we aren't married, it reminds me of the way Christ commands husbands to love their wives. This is the kind of love I've prayed for. God is good to bless me with what I don't deserve. 

Wedding Wednesday: To look or not to look...

Welcome to Wedding Wednesday! Today's post is about first look photos. 

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In modern American culture, it has been traditional that the groom is not allowed to see the bride until the ceremony. The concept of doing a first look photo session with your almost husband/wife is a fairly new idea. This past year, I had the honor and privilege to be a part of two very special weddings. They were also quite different in the department of first looks. 

At the first wedding I was involved in, the groom did not see the bride until her father walked her down the aisle. And in the second wedding, the bride and groom shared an intimate moment with a first look photo session. 

I'm sure if you Google this topic, you can find a plethora of articles about why or why not couples should do a first look photo sesh. So you're probably wondering why I'm even writing this post! 

Truth is, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I THINK I'D WANT TO DO!

Now, I know what you're thinking. "Molls, calm down. You're not even engaged." Yeah, I know, but I think about my future wedding a lot. A lot. And I like to know what I think about colors, dresses, ring shapes, etc. First looks happens to be one of those things that I just can't make up my mind about. 

On one hand,  the idea of maintaining tradition appeals to me because of the thought of Ben seeing me for the first time in my wedding dress (and wedding hair and wedding makeup and wedding shoes and wedding giddiness) as I'm walking to him makes me get all giggly and excited. Cause he won't be expecting it. I won't be able to anticipate his reaction. And it'll make for great memories. And pictures. 

But on the other hand (am I starting to sound like Reb Tevye yet?), I've heard that the experience of seeing your almost spouse in a quiet moment before you go into the ceremony is intimate and special. I also like the idea of doing a first look because I'd LOVE to have a picture of each of our faces when we see each other for the first time on our wedding day. I'd also like to have a quiet moment with Ben when we can just be together without taking photographs. If I know myself at all, I'm certain I will be an emotional train wreck on our wedding day. I'll be nervous and anxious and I think having a moment alone with Ben before everything will help slow us down so we don't miss each other in the hubub of the day. 

So, no big conclusions reached today on my part but what do you think? Traditional no-show before the wedding or an intimate first look session? Tell me in the comments! 

Tidbit Tuesday: aus dem Roman

It's Tuesday! Which mean fiction. 

Tidbit Tuesday, like it says under the tab, is the day when I post something I've written recently. This will be the first time I've ever posted my own personal fiction. I know it's only an excerpt, but it makes me nervous just the same. No matter how successful or experienced the writer (and, for the record, I don't claim to be either of those things) I think all of us are hesitant to put our work out there. Heck, I still can't really eat breakfast without getting stomach gurgles on the morning of a workshop. 

Ah, but power, love, and sound mind over fear, yeah? Here goes nothing. As it says under the tab, I'm undertaking a novel writing project this year and it's about a high school teacher who is trying to find out which of his seemingly peaceful students is planning the shoot up the school.

The following excerpt is from the point of view of the school's headmaster, Saul. 

Copyright 2014 Molly O'Sullivan

(The following material is original work written by Molly O'Sullivan. Reproduction without attribution is prohibited)

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Saul lived in Willet Bend, the best of the upscale living areas in the city, in a two-story brick house. It had hardwood floors and sunken windows which allowed passersby a peak of the fine work done by his personal decorator. Saul's mother, a southern bell at heart who'd never had a fine thing in her life, had always thought that a single man needed a fashionably savvy woman to decorate his home for him, so that his rooms did not turn into bear caves. It had been quite a while since Saul had had any woman in his life, so he figured a professional decorator was the next best thing. Saul left his car in the driveway and went in through the front door. He could understand why some people hid their cars in garages, though no one in town would have dared to touch any of his things, but he never knew why they rarely used their front doors to let themselves in. To Saul, there was little else that made him feel quite as prosperous as walking into his splendidly large house through the front door. Strolling through the pristinely cleaned foyer, observing the fine art he displayed, and hanging his coat on the rungs which were lined up by the staircase produced a surge of satisfaction that he was sure few other men felt.

He found his daughter in the study, his study. 

Musical Monday: Firewood

Welcome to Musical Monday! 

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I'm really happy today is Musical Monday. I'm a little bummed because I'm currently nursing one of the worst sinus infections I've ever had. But happy is more fun than bummed, so I choose to feel more like that. 

Anywho...

Today I'm happy to feature Regina Spektor's Firewood as the first Musical Monday song. 

Lyrics. 

I've been listening to Regina since junior high school and to be honest, she's not one of those artists whom I feel like I can listen to over and over again. I can only take her in small amounts most days and it's not because I don't love the music or her style, though to many she is definitely an acquired taste. I think she's a brilliant lyricist above everything else. 

Regina's music is heavy to me. It is full and deep and most days, I'm not in a place to understand what she's saying in any particular song. But every once in a while I'll listen to one of her songs, be slain by a single verse or line, and harp on it for hours or days on end. And recently, her Firewood has put me through this lovely heartbreaking process. 

I used to write big long song analyses and, to be honest, they drained me. I'd get sick of the song I was studying and I don't want to do that to Firewood, so I'll just jot down a few of my thoughts.  

I believe the song is ultimately about how people deal with nostalgia or past seasons of life. Sometimes, people look back on the times that they consider to be their golden days and are so downtrodden that those days no longer are that they feel as though nothing in their life will ever make sense again. The message of the song, I believe, is about learning how to remember the past with fondness without letting it keep you from moving forward with where you happen to be now. I love how she doesn't just leave the song there on that thread, but goes on to articulate that our humanity often gets in the way of go-getting attitudes -- that even though we make resolutions about not living in the past and moving on with life, emotions are powerful and sometimes they take over our common sense and resolve. It's a very human experience to feel pain even when we've made up our minds to be strong. 

I admire the songwriting so much because of the way Regina uses imagery to convey her thoughts and uses a physical object, the piano, to ground us in a single dimension to which she repeatedly returns. 

It makes my English major nerd sensors tingle a little. 

Do you like this song? Have you ever heard it before? What are your thoughts? 

Until next time,

M

Sunday Fun-Day: If you are here, you are awesome.

It's January 12th, 2014 and Days of the Week launches today!!!

Now that you know I am not afraid to post unattractive pictures of myself,
are you not 100% more likely to come back??

I am here.

You are here AND I'M FREAKING EXCITED ABOUT THAT. 

Welcome to Days of the Week! Today's post will be short and mainly introductory. You can read all about Days of the Week Blog (DOW) when you click on the links to your left. You can check out each day's topic and you can also read a little bit more about me. But you don't have to. :) I'm SO excited to get this little blog project off the ground and I look forward to blogging a bunch in 2014!

A few things...

1. You can click on the social media icons to follow Days of the Week on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. There's also an email button so if you're not on any of those websites, you can shoot me an email and say hi! (PS: it would make my life if you emailed just to say hi :D ) Subscribe via email, follow the Twitter, like the Facebook, and invite your friends, too! 
2. Be on the look out for Days of the Week's Instagram. It's coming soon!
3. We're going to have SO much fun. But don't let me hog all of it! YOU can get in on this fun, too. Check out the topics of the days (links are on the left) and participate with me! Use Facebook or Twitter and hashtag whatever day of the week you're doing (i.e., #MusicalMonday or #FashionFriday) and tag/mention Days of the Week so I can see your awesomeness. And if you don't want to use social media, email me your Days of the Week greatness and I might feature you right here! 
4.  
   

Check back tomorrow for #MusicalMonday! It'll be great. 

Love,
M