True summer is a garden of pink roses in full bloom.
How it feels to be in an abusive relationship, part 2
This is a letter to my younger self. This is part two; see part one.
The whole reason people are in abusive relationships is that they will put up with practically anything for the sake of the relationship.
What people don’t understand is the fact that you’re willing to “put up with it” is the result of abuse—not a personal failure to stand up for yourself.
My best colors in gowns
As a true summer, my best colors are pink, purple, blue, green, and pale lemon yellow, plus grey, taupe, and silver-white.
Note: The women below are not true summers, but they’re wearing colors that are (or close enough to illustrate the idea).
Sky blue
My best colors
How it feels to be in an abusive relationship
This is part one. See part two.
This is, word for word, what I wrote in a journal entry many years ago. I got myself out—this all happened before I started travelling. Still, it is only now that I have become fully aware of what I went through and of the danger I was in at the time.
What makes a color cool vs. warm?
We’re often taught that cool colors are blue, green, and purple.
Whereas warm colors are red, orange, and yellow.
Seems simple.
But then why do we call some whites “cool” and others “warm”?
And how can a lipstick be “blue-red”?
It’s enough to make you feel like the hapless Cinderella, unable to choose between cream and ecru dinner napkins.
The answer is:
Three life-changing books
For everyone: Will I Ever Be Good Enough?
Will I Ever Be Good Enough?: Healing the Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers by Karyl McBride
To paraphrase the wonderful Captain Awkward, “This book is for everyone, woman or otherwise, whether your mother was narcissistic or not.” [1] It is life-changing.
Four-ingredient chicken soup
I always wanted to make my own chicken soup, but the recipes seemed so complicated. (Looking at you, Binging with Babish, whose recipe includes at least 11 ingredients and three fresh herbs.[1])
Public service announcement: You don’t need all that stuff!
Chicken + onions taste great on their own. Add some carrots for color and variety, and some ginger for dimension, and this is a filling, warming, MINIMAL-EFFORT meal.
My worst colors
As a true summer, here are my rules.
(This post is illustrated with looks I love—on other people! I think every celebrity pictured below looks awesome, even if some of them aren’t necessarily wearing their best colors.)
No orange
Five decor trends I hate
1. Exposed lightbulbs
People think they look trendy and industrial.
They look like you can’t afford lampshades.