life

Let’s not pretend furniture shopping is affordable.  I was fooled into believing I could go buy unique furniture pieces that I loved for reasonable prices due to the fairytale that is: INSTAGRAM.   On my last move I knew it was time to be an adult & purchase my own furniture.  It appears as though everyone else can easily make their home pristine so I should be able to too!  Well well well, little did I know you had to be a multi-millionaire to purchase new, quality, unique furniture that you actually liked.

I don’t know how it works across the world, but that’s how it works in America.

Who would have thought 1 single, basic dinning chair would be $500?  Not me.  I have a new appreciation for fully furnished homes, & Ikea.

Needless to say, I’m glad most of my major furniture shopping is done because it was a fucking gut punch & took a lot of time.  I’m here to help, even if you didn’t know you needed it, you do.  The new furniture experience will hit you someday too.

The perk to badass new furniture?  How your home will make you feel.  The energy can change dramatically when you have furniture that you love – trust me.  After redoing my bedroom, I realized everything else had to change as well.  As painful as furniture shopping is, it’s worth it.

5 Tips For {Affordable} Furniture Shopping

1.  Look For Sales
Yes, furniture goes on sale.  And even then, it’ll be sickening to pay for, but a sale can make it manageable.  I have a Pottery Barn Outlet close to my house & I went OFTEN.  One lucky day that I stopped in the store, all sale pieces happened to be an additional 40% off.  I ended up getting one of my comfy, white sofas for $100!  That’s fucking insane pricing btw.  Try shopping for a badass sofa & you’ll feel me.  So pay attention to sales & outlet furniture stores, that was as close to finding a gold mine as I can imagine.

Better late then never sharing all my favorite things of 2017.  We shall call this a mix up, because why limit ourselves to one category of favorites?  These products were not all created in 2017, rather things I used through 2017.   Weird but true, I typically don’t like something right when I get it.  I put it down.  Stare at it.  And on one random day pick it up & use it consistently after that… or throw it out.

CHANEL Soleil Tan De Chanel

The obvious.  Bronze anything will make my list, just be happy I’m not talking about my at home spray tan.  I try not to wear a lot of makeup most days & bronzer is one of the few products I need daily.  I ditched powder bronzer most of the year for this cream bronzer.  I take a medium sized brush & blend it on my cheekbones to look alive everyday.  Because it’s creamy I don’t feel like it drys me out & I like how it blends into my skin.  I’ve had this one jar of bronzer for 45 years, used it every single day & am just now at the point where I need to repurchase.

ColourPop Echo Park Satin Lip

I’ve had this lip color for a long time & used it almost every day in 2017.  I realized using a natural color on your lips, even without anything else on your face, makes you look like you’re trying.  It’s such a cheat to looking ready, that or a nice lip gloss.  (My fav: here)  This one in particular keeps my lips super moisturized which is hard to do, and doesn’t rub off in 1 mili second.  I put the smallest amount on my lips in the morning after I apply chapstick, and then use my finger to smudge it around.  Au naturel.

I was in a meeting earlier this month & everyone was asked: What is one thing you learned this year?  They asked a lot of hard questions like that…  What’s a trait in yourself that you would not want to give someone else? 

But, one thing I learned this year… Oddly enough, I feel like I’ve had a pretty comfortable year.  The years before 2017 were chaotic & I’d probably respond to this question with answers like: patience, confidence, staying positive, ect.  Moving to Dubai, adjusting there, working there, then moving back, my relationship with Wafiq, his immigration process, being broke, moving everywhere again, needing a job – every year contained variables.  And in the moment, I often felt frustrated – like I was wasting time.  I couldn’t wait to be “normal”.  Get my life on track like everyone else.

Then, this year I finally had it!  Normal & comfortable.  At the very least, it was appearing to be on track.

But, throughout the year, and I think I’ve said this before on my blog, I found myself missing the variables & chaos.  Even being broke!

For example, when you have no money, other parts of your life strengthen.  Your creativity, your imagination, your hustle, your ideas, your friendships.

For example, when you have big life decisions ahead of you,  the opportunity to impress yourself by being brave & making choices presents itself.

For example, when you’re not “on track”, you don’t have pressure or expectations.  People are either disappointed & judgemental OR they’re believing in your journey & supportive.  Relationships are defined.

There’s so much learning happening in the stages that you can’t wait to get through!

For anyone that hasn’t had a chance to read my old posts, below are a few of my favorites from 2017!  Enjoy!
Dating A Muslim Immigrant… During The “Muslim Ban”
Tis a sign of the times…  I love this post because, Wafiq.  What an interesting time it was.  We happened to just be finishing our own immigration journey during this time & learned TONS of immigration info we never knew before.  Which I think is why we were super comfortable.  Even though people were freaking out.  I remember we were happy, lucky & together 🙂

2018 is on it’s way!  Lets set goals, shall we?!

No.

No we shall not.

I thought a lot about this.  The big, long-term beautiful (somewhat vague) end goal is always in sight, but all the others change.  I love it!  I welcome change, even though I fear it.  As ideas & goals shift throughout the year, you create new agendas & updated accordingly.  Which is why, now that it’s 2018 & resolutions are all the talk, you shouldn’t feel pressure to make them.  

I’ve learned one of the worst things you can do to yourself is lose your own trust.  Disappoint yourself.  I know any goal I set on Jan 1, 2018 will end up changing, therefore I’ll end up disappointing myself & losing my trust.  Which is a big no-no.  So, fuck the 2018 goals.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!  Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday ever!!!  It’s a holiday where you eat, relax, meet up with friends/family, eat again, and hopefully be grateful.   This is the bee knees of holidays people, there’s nothing better.  (I also love all the shopping sales that closely follow. Ha!)  But it simply wouldn’t be a Thanksgiving without being able to say what you’ve been thankful for…

Wafiq and I have a ritual of saying what we’re thankful for almost daily. When times were a little tougher I think we would say them twice a day… Taking time to challenge each other in a grateful war always makes the mood brighter.  And it takes your mind off all that negative shit that’s stuck up in that brain of yours.

This year, I have TONS to be grateful for, so lets get into it!

Finally the day has come, we moved into a different space. Remember when I moved into this tiny apartment and I was so happy?  I believed that was literally all I needed in life, a perfect shelter.  I’m still on the small living environment kick, too much space gives me anxiety.   I know most people hate moving but I’ve decided I love it,  I’ve moved a lot and lived out of a suitcase more years in my life than I’ve had a closet.  Not really.

Getting rid of shit is my jam. It gives me the same excited butterflies you’re supposed to get when you see your significant other.  Moving forces you to really purge shit out.  All those things that Wafiq was making us hold on to because “we have space” are officially at Goodwill. And all the stupid clothes, cheap gimmicks and nonsense you can find on THIS list are gone!  Moving is a breeze because all our “things” (besides the bed, sofa, and TV) fit in a few boxes 🙂  Awww my favorite feeling.

One of the many reasons we’re so excited about our new place is that the view is open to trees, no more walking path!   What do you guys see when you look outside your window?  We started feeling a little like we were living in a hamster cage because our windows opened to a walking path that people loved to bring their dogs to, so we happy peeps right now.

As you may have heard, there’s a hurricane that recently f*cked up parts of Texas.  In Austin, we lost power for 20 hours & had wind + rain but nothing much larger than our regular storms.  Please remember, when you’re thinking of Houston and all the damage it’s done, there are several smaller communities that have been damaged as well & also need help + resources.  The less popular babies need attention too 🙂   I have to say, it’s refreshing to run through my Facebook feed and see all my Texas friends coming together to love & support one another.  No more wrestling over topics that don’t serve a purpose or creating fights & arguments because we’re bored.  There was awhile there I didn’t even check FB.  So, proud of Texas right now and proud to be a part of the state.

And mother earth must be freaking PISSED off right now, brewing storms all over the place.  EEEk. I pray everyone stays safe & cuddled with their people. Love love love.

I can’t believe it’s already August.  I’m actually okay with that because, as much as the rest of Austin is loving to complain about the heat, I’m grateful it hasn’t been worse!  Sure, it’s been 106+ everyday but it’s August… in Texas.  Wouldn’t we be concerned if it was any other way?  Not to mention a few years ago we were 110+ for a record number of days before we saw August 1.

I keep drooling over the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, mostly because it’s a fun hobby to engage in while I try to procrastinate on the long list of things I’m actually supposed to get done.

I love hearing people talk about what they’re passionate about, what makes them happy.  Whether that was a time in their life or an event they’re currently going through.  To see them get excited & feel comfortable enough opening up is exciting.  Conversations like these really get me going.

I’ve never been the girl with a long list of friends. I wouldn’t be the one with 20 bridesmaids or 1,000 people at my wedding.   There’s a huge part of me that has always been envious of those people.  They were able to cultivate friendships from high school & college that stayed with them their whole lives.  I love that & am honestly impressed & a little envious…

If you’ve ever struggled finding a good sports bra that isn’t $1,000 then you’ll understand this post.  I played sports a lot when I was younger and have always enjoyed running or working out so a sports bra is an essential part of my closet.  I don’t care if they’re cute,  I care that they hold my ting tangs still.  I HATED the times I’d be wearing a bra that wasn’t strong enough & my ting tang’s bounced around for everyone to see during my runs.  UGH, also so unflattering. Oooga Oooga Oooga. Just no. No. No.