Eleven Questions

Jolene from Everyday Foodie asked her readers to fill out a little questionnaire. I thought it was a fun way for you to learn more about me, so here are my answers:

1) What are your plans for tonight?
Make tortellini and watch reruns of 30 Rock with my husband. Perfect Wednesday night.

2) What is your favorite perfume?
Miss Dior Cherie.

3) What is your middle name?
Josephine.

4) What has been your greatest personal accomplishment?
That's a tough one! As vague as this is, perhaps it's learning the balance between healthy skepticism and living in awe of my surroundings.

5) How would you describe your fashion sense in three words or less?
Classic yet whimsical.

6) Furthest place from home you have traveled?
Brazil.

7) What is one song that brings a tear to your eye?
There are a few, but "You Hold Me Now" by Hillsong United immediately comes to mind.

8) 3 things you would do if you were bored?
Watch YouTube videos on my phone; read blogs; call my sister.

9) What is your favorite magazine?
Glamour.

10) What do you want to do when you retire, even if it is many, many years away?
See the world and write about it.

11) How many children do you have or do you hope to have one day?
 Two or three.

Your turn! Answer the following questions in the comments, or do a post of your own and link it below. =)
1) Favorite Disney princess?
2) What's the last thing you made for dinner?
3) Favorite sports team?
4) Which three bloggers would you love to meet in person?
5) What's one positive quality about yourself that sometimes gets overlooked by others?
6) Describe your perfect day in ten words or less.
7) Are you a coffee or tea person?
8) Let's pretend genies and fairy godmothers are real. What are your three wishes?
9) What was your favorite subject in school?
10) Weirdest thing you've ever eaten?
11) Most despised chore?

Seven Links

The "seven links" tag floated throughout the blogosphere last year, and I always appreciated reading what other bloggers valued about their own stories. It's a great way to read posts people may have missed otherwise. Since I haven't seen the tag surface in a while, I brought it back for your reading pleasure. =)

Most Beautiful Post

Marriage Advice from a Newbie - Tidbits of wisdom I picked up after two years of marriage. Some are silly, all are true.

Most Popular Post

Everything is Sweeter with Sprinkles, Better with Glitter - After one of my photos was featured on The Glitter Guide tumblr, the blog's traffic spiked.

Most Controversial Post

You Smart, Gorgeous Thing You! - My thoughts on whether a woman's confidence may be connected to how she was addressed as a little girl.

Most Helpful Post

Work it Out - A brief post about my journey with self-discipline, plus some tips to stay out of a health and fitness rut.

A Post Whose Success Surprised You

DIY Glitter Shoes - While there aren't many comments, this post has received the most page views in Swift as Shadows history so far. Guess people really like to bedazzle things.

A Post You Feel Didn't Get the Attention it Deserved

Book Sugar - A look into how my love for books and sweets are connected, as well as my book-selection antics.

The Post You're Most Proud Of

Let it Shine: Boudoir Decor (Part One, Part Two) - I put a lot of time and effort into this post, and it's a good example of working/decorating with what you have.

Now it's time to tag all of you -- yes, YOU. Or, if you've already completed the tag, link to it in the comments below and I'll check it out.

Where Have I Been?

I'd love to say I spent these past couple of months gallivanting the globe, sampling macarons, shopping to my heart's content, rekindling old friendships... But I wasn't, so I can't. Instead, I [insert a very lame excuse here]. I'll spare you the very uninspiring details (too busy, too tired, too neurotic), but until I rummage through my thoughts and conjure up a blog post of substance this week, you can find me where all the cool kids are: on Pinterest. I just started pinning, so my boards are a bit bare. But it's safe to say I've succumbed to the addiction.

Are you on Pinterest? If not and you'd like to start your own, let me know so I can send you an invitation.

Favorite YouTube Channels

I first discovered the world of "YouTube gurus" in 2009. Little did I know that entering "how to do smokey eye makeup" into the website's search bar connected me to hundreds of people who made a hobby (or a living) out of teaching the rest of us how to put on makeup. Shortly thereafter, I discovered a similar community of fashion gurus. Then fitness. Then comedy. Then vlogs (video blogs). That's about how far my list goes, but there are many other types of YouTube personalities out there -- from chefs to singers. And for the record, I hate the word "guru."

Whether you need free workout routines, tips about what to wear to an autumn wedding or just want some comedic relief, check out this list of my favorite YouTubers and why I watch:

Beauty/Makeup

EmilyNoel83 - She's well spoken, does thorough product reviews and teaches you how to do a killer smokey eye (among hundreds of other makeup looks). I always learn something new when I watch her videos.

NaturesKnockout - This mother-daughter duo is focused on providing makeup tips and tricks with natural, organic products. This is another channel where I learn a lot -- especially about the chemicals found in most beauty products.


 
Fashion 

Carahamelie03 - This was the first fashion YouTube channel I discovered, and it's given me so many ideas ever since. She also does makeup tutorials, but her unique sense of fashion is the main reason I watch.

AnneOrShine - She never fails to make any outfit look chic. She updates frequently, and has a flair for unique videos, her most recent being one in which her husband chose her outfits and had to explain why.

HRHcollection - Her style is so refined and professional. The allure of her outfits is definitely in the quality of clothing and accessories. She splurges on classic pieces and keeps the trendy stuff affordable.

 

Fitness

ToneItUp - I can't get over how much these girls devote to ensuring everyone has a place in their fitness community. They offer free workouts that leave me so sore and winded (in a good way!). They also have a nutrition plan available to purchase on their website.



Vlogs

SchuermanShow - There's something so funny and nice about watching other people live their lives, though not everyone will understand why people vlog. I suppose it's what "reality TV" is supposed to be. It's been fun watching this family share a part of their lives.

LeFloofTV (TheSacconeJolys) - Jonathan and Anna have recorded bits and pieces of their daily lives for a couple of years -- and it's nice to be able to share in the ups and downs with them. They recently recorded their marriage proposal video and I cried like a baby.



Comedy

DailyGrace - What can I say? She's hilarious, albeit vulgar sometimes. Her Mon-Fri videos are pretty short, but what they lack in length, they make up for in pure comedy. It's because of Grace that I found out how delicious Bailey's is.

NicePeter - This is the most recent of my YouTube discoveries. He does a variety of videos, but I watch for the Epic Rap Battles of History, which are indeed epic. I mean, how could a rap battle between Dr. Seuss and Shakespeare NOT be? Also vulgar. Oops.



Do you watch YouTube videos? Which channels are your favorite?

You Smart, Gorgeous Thing You!

Bringing you a different kind of post today, so bear with me. Caitlin recently linked to a really interesting article in the Huffington Post. "How to Talk to Little Girls" touched on the often-overlooked notion that when speaking to young girls, many people break the ice with a compliment about her looks. From the article:

Little Maya was all curly brown hair, doe-like dark eyes, and adorable in her shiny pink nightgown. I wanted to squeal, "Maya, you're so cute! Look at you! Turn around and model that pretty ruffled gown, you gorgeous thing!" But I didn't. I squelched myself.

Little Vanessa. I've got the frills to pay the bills.

Author Lisa Bloom goes on to say that today's society values a woman's beauty much more than her brains or personality. While this isn't news, I never really thought of how this mindset affected the way people (including myself) address little girls. The first thing I say upon meeting/seeing a girl under the age of ten is often "I love your dress/shirt/hair/etc. How gorgeous!" or "Look at you, with those sparkly brown/green/blue eyes!" I often point these things out because I don't know what else to say. I hate small talk more than your average introvert, so I rely on these generic exclamations to get me through an introduction. But now I won't. Here's why:

Teaching girls that their appearance is the first thing you notice tells them that looks are more important than anything. It sets them up for dieting at age 5 and foundation at age 11 and boob jobs at 17 and Botox at 23. As our cultural imperative for girls to be hot 24/7 has become the new normal, American women have become increasingly unhappy. What's missing? A life of meaning, a life of ideas and reading books and being valued for our thoughts and accomplishments.

Never thought it about that way. Does this mean I won't ever compliment a little one on her outward appearance? No. I think girls and women need an all-encompassing sort of confidence. As someone mentioned in the article comments, avoiding "superficial" compliments altogether is the other extreme, and can be detrimental in its own way. While I think gender roles are connected to this story, I won't go into detail (at least for now) about my thoughts on the male vs. female brain, but I will say that the article comments are definitely worth reading. 

What are your thoughts on the article?