Just another day in the country...

The summer before my freshman year of college, I packed my bags into the back of my car and drove to the big city. Cue the music, feel the rain on your skin, no one else can feel it for you… My blonde hair was whipping in the wind, my shades on. I was starting a whole new life, and although Raleigh, NC is nothing like LA and my life is far from an episode of The Hills, it was really exciting. I’m from a town where if you want to go to a mall, you have to drive forty-five minutes. A town where you can’t talk about someone, because chances are, it’s your friend’s second cousin.

So I did what any big-city-living-in-the-country girl would do; I said eff that and moved to the state’s capitol.

Oh the city; when your skyline came into my view I screamed and threw my arms into the air, excited to reside within your warm arms. For an entire school year, I danced on your bars, shopped in your stores, and fell in love with your boys. But when the summer came, I pulled a Scarlett O’Hara (“Home. I’ll go home…”). I figured the country would give me time to relax, to detox, and, frankly, it was closer to the beach. Things would be serene, and all that.

Yeah, until I smelled my town before I even entered it. Serenity (and the sound of tractors) is only interesting for about a day. I miss the city! I miss the constant buzz, the bars, and the stores! You would think I learned my lesson the first time, yet here I am, my sophomore summer, sitting in a town with a Food Lion and that’s it.

What the hell was I thinking?! Read More »

I have pretty eclectic tastes when it comes to music. I’ll give most anything a chance and find myself loving everything from Kings of Leon to Escape the Fate to Rascal Flatts to Kelly Clarkson. You get the point. So, I was especially excited this week when I saw how crazy different each of the new releases were. I listened to some R&B, I listened to some rock opera, and I listened to some country.  And I liked something about all of it. What can I say, I’m just a well-rounded girl. I like my music like I like my men. Err, lots of it. Read More »

I’m not gonna lie: I was super excited for this week’s latest releases. Not because I love The Fray (though I do), and not because Country’s hottest star was out again (though he is), but because Melinda Doolittle was finally making her mark on the music industry.

Although, the other two weren’t too shabby either…

The Fray- The Fray

It’s been four long years since the Fray’s first release, How to Save a Life. But if you’re a fan of The Fray, then you would probably say their new self-titled album is worth the wait. The Fray is one of those bands with a distinct sound. Many of their songs may sound the same, with their slow starts and instrumental buildups, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. If you like them, of course. After one listen-through of The Fray’s new album, I was already getting the songs stuck in my head. They’re not extremely complex tracks, but they’re catchy and easy to pick up. It’s also the perfect CD for when you’re going through a break-up; even “Happiness” is enough to depress you: “Happiness damn near destroys you/breaks your faith to pieces on the floor.” OK, then. But that’s The Fray for you and, frankly, that’s why I like them. Read More »

It is one hell of an evening. It does not matter which candidate you supported today, we should all be proud of our country and ourselves. Not only did we elect the first black president in American history, but we came out in record numbers to do so.

Our demographic – the “apathetic young people” – stood up and made a choice. We campaigned, we were engaged like never before, and today we voted.

This country is in serious need of a change, and while both candidates were more than capable of bringing that change, Barack Obama has been elected the 44th President of the United States. I know I am not the only one who is excited for him to take office. And I know that his daughters, who are definitely stoked about getting that new puppy, aren’t the only ones excited for him to take office. This country as a whole is ready for Barack Obama.

I could feel it when I was watching the returns. I could feel it when the bar I was in erupted in cheers. I could feel it as I drove back to my house and heard people screaming on the streets.

Today was an awesome day and the next four years promise to be the same.

Yay! Project Runway was so good last night. So good! It was just like old times; the designers got to choose their models for once, which made this is first episode all season where models started to cry and designers turned on one another. A potential catfight between Leanne-inmal and Suede? Where do I buy tickets?

Then the designers find out they have to design for one another, which is when everything got really fun, because their designs had to be inspired by a certain genre of music.

And someone up above was watching over this situation and fulfilled my dreams of finally laughing at an episode of Project Runway by putting the most ridiculous pairings together.

Here’s the breakdown:

Jerell has to be dressed in rock and roll (where is Leatha Stella when you need her?)

Suede must be donned in punk rock attire.

Kenley is to look like a pop star

Korto has to go country.

Leanne has to rock the hip hop look.

Yeah, this is bonafide comedy fo sho. Read More »

Our economy is crumbling, and things just got worse for Bachelors degree-hopefuls, especially those in Massachusetts. Last year, the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority secured over $500 million in educational loans. This year, they’ve announced that they will not be offering loans for the upcoming academic year.

None. Zero. Zip. Zilch. Nada. They didn’t cut their $500 million budget to, say, $250 million. They exed the loans altogether.

MEFA secures loans for 40,000 students who live in Massachusetts, or who attend school there. Unfortunately, this year, the financing authority could not secure the money. Executive director Tom Graff blames “disruptions in capital markets.” So, just like that, 40,000 students are sh*t out of luck.

MEFA is the first to make headlines, but any financing authority could also be treading on thin ice. Which means that students across the country could be forced to drop out of college, or sell their souls to finance a degree that can cost upwards of FORTY GRAND per year at top-notch schools like Carnegie Mellon, Tufts, NYU, and Notre Dame.

When I was in college, I played my cards right, and managed to get through my degree with almost no debt, and decided to pursue a Master’s, rather than join the work force right away. With our declining economy, I am currently paying dearly for that decision. Read More »