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Art by: Rafael Alvarez I've pretty much realized by this point that very few bloggers out there have anything of substance to say. With most of us out there being females, and more than %75 percent of us talking about topics like fashion, makeup, hair, and "lifestyle" which amounts to little more than recipes, $60 throw pillows, and fruit infusion water bottles. What I'm getting at here is that watching "fluff" bloggers take the spotlight is really disheartening when you're trying to actually say something. I try to be completely honest in my posts. Giving people ways to tackle problems in their lives no matter how big or small. Self confidence, reaching goals, and doing what you love. But because I'm not teaching the perfect contour, where to by the latest shag rug, or even worse, passing off the latest overpriced product...my reader count remains embarrassingly low. It's more than frustrating actually. It makes me want to punch every ...

I like really love starting projects. Can you tell? But this project is a big one, one that will take most likely the entire year of 2017 to reach it's full potential. I'll need friends, partners, and possibly a kick-starter... The best part about this project is that I get to empower other creatives while also empowering myself. One of the things I see across my social media, and one of the things I've noticed I face myself, is that creatives need other creatives to get most projects off the ground. Whether it be a critique or a partner, creatives are constantly searching for the "other half" of a great idea. Writers need Illustrators. Musicians need Videographers. Photographers need Graphic Designers. The list goes on and on. In it's early stages (like right now) Maker Mashup exits solely as a Facebook group and its parent page . Bringing creatives together in a more chaotic place than I'd refer, but everything has to start somewhere. B...

"I try not to expect things from people because that's how they let me down." New Year, new mindset. At least that's what's going around right? Give it another week and most of the people who are all talk around the start of the new year will fall back into routine. It's sad, but they're annoying and it's true. I on the other hand am not slowing down. Being happy and doing something worth remembering come 2018 is high on my list. With these goals in mind I've been trying to pay close attention to how other happy people are so d*mn happy. One word; EXPECTATIONS. As in lower, of course. Having no expectations at all can cause more harm than good. But I've learned that a good balance of expectations as they relate to reality, can have a better outcome. Try to rethink the equation as reality over expectation instead of the other way around. Meeting new people, for example. The reality is that they don't know you and that they cou...

I want to take a minute to explain why people my age are not in my inspiration pool. First, it has nothing to do with them and everything to do with me. This year is a year of learning how to properly express emotions. As odd as it sounds, there are quite a few I'm not very good at. Happiness for others, especially for people my age for example, comes out in the form of the big green monster. I'm talking about jealousy. I suffer with it pretty greatly and confronting it here where everyone will now know is a little scary. But what's a step forward in the dark. Right? The whole "everyone has their path" theory infuriates me although I know it to be true. Our backgrounds and personalities lead us all to different jobs, homes, cars, friends, and talents. Alas though, my clear understanding of the theory doesn't mean I'm able to quell "it"  from coming out. Now the monster's level of ferocity varies from person to person. From family...

I'm not 100% sure what my resolution(s) for 2016 even was... I'm sure I set one; pretty sure anyway. But then again I don't know when I finally realized that resolutions are pretty stupid. I mean, it's mostly just something no one ever completes right?  I guess it's just not for everybody. There are those people who can set and reach clear goals of any difficulty. I, unfortunately, am not one of those people. I've learned over this past year that I just sort of need to live "free form". I don't really meet goals or milestones and when I don't I feel like I failed somehow.  I'd rather feel refreshed and excited by trying something new or completing something old than like I have meet goals to please others or myself.  Because let's be honest, those resolutions aren't really for you. If they were they'd be personal, not blasted all over social media so we can feel good about others seeing how hard we're trying...

2016 Eisner Award Winning "Paper Girls" So what you probably can't tell from my absence is that I've been secretly working on "Project Motivation". I talk a lot about making lists, getting things done, and tackling personal projects; as well as being tired, worn out, and just plain not in the mood. All the while "Project Motivation" has been a go. Christmas was the best time to really put things into action. I got the whole week off from work which was much needed to recharge and focus on things I really wanted to do. I spent time with family, my boyfriend, and my fur babies and recently finally went shopping. Getting mostly things to change my living space up including a new desk and trinkets to draw me back into drawing and designing. I grabbed a graphic novel I've been wanting to start and fun bits and bobs. The major bits of "Project Motivation" have been set into motion or completed. Create a Workspace Create/Upd...

In a nutshell, I'm tired. And not the you're not getting enough sleep kind or the you're working too hard kind. If anything I'm not working hard enough! No, this tired is perpetual. Some days are better than others, but all in all I've realized I'm just a "Sleepy" type. With this realization I came to the conclusion that it's ok to be tried. Young adults get a lot of crap from "certified" adults about being tired. Like we don't work as hard or do as much, therefore our tired to them just sounds like lazy. Millennials are easily one of the hardest working age groups although it's not necessarily documented/paycheck type of work. We are the kings and queens of side hustles and personal projects. We refuse to work jobs we dislike and usually end up forming fruitful work environments for ourselves and our friends. We're bloggers, artists, podcasters, DJs, photographers, fashion designers and the list goes on. We work ...

It's thanksgiving and I know MOST of you are more excited for Black Friday than you are for free food. As a young person on a budget, the idea of  low prices on things we can't usually afford gets our blood pumping. But what if you could shop like this all the time? I could go into a long lecture about large companies, manufacturing costs, price inflation, and a all the little bits and bobs that most consumers don't understand when they're paying $40 for a sweater that cost $8 to make. (yeah, I just challenged your shopping choices) . But instead what I'll do is share with you why small businesses matter, why "Buying Local is Better", some of my favorite local shops, and what it's like being the child of a small business owner. To start, the definition of a small business is an independently owned and operated company that is limited in size depending on the industry. So a bakery employing 10 people and a manufacturing facility employing under...

My last hiatus was long and much needed. Feeling ALL the feels, getting sick, working on side projects, and just being completely exhausted in general kept me from thinking straight enough to form sentences; let alone a blog post. The hiatus was initially kicked off by the beginning of election season and all the horrific stuff that seemed to follow. 2016 has been a pretty gross year and I think everyone is just ready for January. Even as I tried to think of things to update you on I found it hard to maneuver around the stuff that sucks. But I did it. I've been ignoring ANYTHING and EVERYTHING to do with the election. And not just the presidential election. In my hometown of Baltimore, even local elections are smothered in controversy and sheer stupidity. Corrupt politicians trying to run again and young newcomers claiming they know how to fix everything. Don't even get me started on the presidential election. I know who I'm voting for and that's all that matte...

Celebrating my triumphant return to the blog with a Religious Holiday that represents the start of a "new year" for pagans and also celebrates the lives of those who have passed on.  Halloween as a religious Holiday is a joke to most as the real purpose of the Holiday has been mocked through the years and has now become a corporate fueled holiday, much like Christmas. For me as a new pagan, and as one who is leaning more towards the practices of herbal-ism and mediation, my Samhain (SAH-win) focuses on reflection and renewal.   But here's some stuff you probably didn't know; All Hallows Eve, Saints Day, and Halloween are Christian names. Most of today's Halloween practices are christian ones. Pumpkin carvings to ward off spirits and dressing up in scary masks was the christian way of "protecting" themselves from the Celtic practices that they believed were bringing evil unto the world.  Dia De Los Muertos is closest to the TRUE S...

I've noticed that at this point in my life A LOT of my peers are doing things that I find myself turning my nose up at.  They're buying houses, getting married, and having children. This is all fine and good for them, but I feel like I want to live a little more before I make these steps. Have some Chelsea time before I settle down. Now I'm not so out of touch that I don't have obligations and priorities. I'm not out here living it up and doing whatever I want. But between the Needs and Wants, I try to find a middle ground. Hence my Adult Life Checklist.  I chose 30 solely because I wanted to make sure I lived before I started making huge decisions like marriage and where I want to live for the rest of my life. Also, I can barely remember to feed my cats and myself sometimes, so feeding a little human is out of the question. Conquer a Fear - Now I'm not talking about locking myself in a room with a huge spider and sweating it out. I m...

I've narrowed my search range for inspiration by a lot. If you haven't noticed, I haven't been posting. As I stated in my last update it's a struggle to not be influenced by so much negativity when that's all there is these days. I could bore you with my adventures in the nerd-verse but I'd rather not... So instead what I've decided to do this next week is attempt to educate. I don't know a lot about certain topics but I'm willing to study and make sure I cover things with accuracy. Once a light is shined on certain situations, people who were ignorant can see them differently. This recently happened to me and it felt good to have my eyes opened, even though I felt a little like a fool. My education and upbringing does not mean I know more or less; it just means I know different. What I'm trying to say is that I'm tired of running head first into the ignorance of educated people. We suffer from a disease that makes us feel like w...

I've been trying to get away from all the negativity I see online these days. Although I haven't completely purged all technology yet, I have been debating it. Negativity isn't the only thing bothering me lately. I already care too much about what people think, and social media is not helping. Everywhere I turn people are crying for attention. There is no more actual CONTENT in the world anymore. And it's making me so mad. My Instagram feed is full of shallow females, pompous males, politics, and crappy brands. I literally shake with the want to punch the next person I see in the face. My blog content is being affected as well. With such a crappy mood and all signs pointing to such horrible things on the internet; I can't seem to pinpoint a topic that isn't around people dying, racism, hatred, or bickering over petty games and ideas. Detoxing the negative-nancy's, trolls, and instigators in my digital life might help. I'm avoiding the follow...

I don't know what I'm supposed to do or say in these situations. So in turn I choose not to watch the videos, I choose not to follow the cases, and I choose to stay quiet. Why? I don't feel as though i'm someone in a position to have an opinion about all this. This is not to say I don't feel a certain way about what I see. It turns my stomach and it scares me. Because only being afraid of receiving a speeding ticket is no longer enough, I'm now afraid of loosing my life. Cue eye-rolls from people who question my "blackness". My early opinions were along the lines of "Well if they just listened..." "If they cooperated..." "If they watched their tone..." The way I saw it, most people of color lacked a respect for law enforcement. But now these things no longer apply. Now even cooperating can get you shot. What is respect if it's bred from fear? I refused to believe that cops could be so cruel and downr...

Miss me? My hiatus was much needed and very refreshing. Even though I didn't cover everything I wanted to... I did manage to get some stuff done and have some meaningful revelations. New Pets - My first pet and first cat, Oliver, passed about 2-3 weeks ago. It was very painful for me as I felt as though I could have or should have done something. At 4 years I felt like it was way too soon. But there is only so much I am in a position to do for a pet. I have since been blessed with two black fur-balls of love that remind me of him everyday. New Job - I landed a new job almost completely by accident and it made me feel as though the universe was really looking out for me on this one. MaddGear Pro Sports reached out into the world when they were ready to bring on a Jr. Designer when they found me on Indeed. Take that LinkedIn! After one really chill interview I was told I'd be joining their team. At a time where the global office will be moved from China to the US the offi...

I hinted really heavy at this in the last update. Given I also promised a few posts before the next one – but anyway ... In short, my blogger mojo is gone. And in shorter, my life needs me. My interests lately have just moved to other projects and I can't seem to focus on writing good posts with meaningful content when my mind is someplace else. I plan to be back to posting by July 4. See you then.

THERE HAS BEEN A LOT GOING ON. My complete lack of posts in the last week is directly related to what has been happening in my life. "An Unfortunate series of Events" is the best way to put it all together. It was a confusing mix of sad and happy times that demanded the full extent of my attention. I suffered several loses including my great grandmother, a classmate, and one of my cats. I took the time to cancel and start new projects, invite new pets into my home, and manage to smile despite so many negative happenings around me. It's also been hard to focus through how many horrible things the Media keeps throwing out into the world. And please excuse me but I've decided to keep my position on such matters to myself.  In a nutshell mu mind is elsewhere when I should be making time and brain-space for this blog. I've prepared two more posts for this week but otherwise I still haven't managed to really get back my energy. At least you'll hear f...

I used to be that person. Full of complaints with no solutions. Now I'm the person that will still complain (only the truth!), but I also make an effort to get off my butt and DO something about my "problems". The things I hear and see vary from things people want to do, to places they want to visit, and life changes they want to make. If you have so many gripes... why not just do something else? There are so many factors to consider when the time comes to make a change. I can promise you that I understand it. Some changes will greatly affect other things in your life while others will have no affect at all. For example, wanting a new job will affect the current job, the skills you may have to acquire or sharpen to switch, the time it will take to apply (and schedule interviews) , and the change to your income can affect your life negatively or positively. While on the other hand wanting to do something simple like learning to cook is as simple as GETTING OFF Y...

I actually haven't been up to much in particular. At least, not enough to really explain away my absence for the past week and half.  In truth, my routine fell apart. I lost all control of my schedule and my health so it took it's toll. Staying up late to game, stressing over work and bills, and somewhat losing the want to create hurt my sleeping patterns which triggered migraines. A chronic ailment I've usually managed to keep under wraps with proper sleep and eating habits.  Today is the first day I've felt pretty good and can reflect back on what I did manage to accomplish in the past few days.       I got to feel old and really proud as I saw two of my younger cousins off to prom and attended one of their graduations from my own Alma Mater. It was a graduation filled with 160 years of tradition with white dresses and a dozen red roses. It was very nostalgic and emotional for me and I'm very proud of both them. I've also slowly tried ...

School is out or finally over, no work on Monday, and it'll be hot and sunny all weekend. (In my hometown anyway) What are you going to do? Hopefully not sit in the house.  Now I love to do nothing as much as someone can love a thing. I literally make plans to do nothing and get pretty upset when those plans are ruined. But I've been slowly trying to do more because FOMO has ruined many a summer and spring break for me. Pull out your pen and paper kiddies; we're gonna learn some stuff today.  FOMO = Fear of Missing Out Fealing like something fun is happening somewhere without you. Although usually (in my case anyway) it's fact. Receiving or seeing a picture of your "friends" doing something awesome without you is easily the worst feeling. I'm training myself to not immediately feel as though they purposely left me out and instead think along the lines of positivity.  GOMO = Going Out More Often Is as easy as it sounds. It's the ...