Friday, December 30, 2011

What are you doing?


#btv #nye ring it in.

We all know your all going to be drinking tonight- the question is: WHAT WILL YOU BE SIPPIN ON TO RING IN 2012?

Need some ideas?

Tablespoon is my personal fav for drink ideas! Here's a couple for this NYE

I'll be trying this one:



  • Recipe adapted from Absolut.com
  • 2 oz vodka
  • 2 oz cranberry juice cocktail
  • 1 oz ginger infused simple syrup (see below for recipe link)
  • champagne, to top off glass
  • fresh cranberries for garnish, if desired

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Critiquing.

I got a critique on one of my post today that really upset me.

DON'T SAY SOMETHING TO ME ABOUT THIS IF YOU'VE ONLY READ ONE POST. 
Especially if this one post was directed at you. 


ASdfas;dk gh;eauhy aughera uipth rpisthuaerpiuht a;dgbhlkjs fepasg


This is my blog. You have your books.
I can say what I want too. The constitution says so.

IF IT ANNOYS YOU GO READ THE NEWSPAPER OR SOMETHING ELSE MORE INTELLIGENT.


#ugh

The Terrible 4.

I have four younger siblings, and four different parents.
Sometimes I get confused which are the adults and which are the children.


All four of my guardians are unique individuals, that all bring something to the table. They each have their strengths and their weaknesses.
It can be quite frustrating dealing with parents, and even more difficult dealing with two sets.

I have learned, by the age of 21, how to deal with my parentals. But at times, it still is incredibly trying to my psyche.

Especially when the decided to act like their shoe size versus their age. 

Why am I allowed to judge their parenting skill, as their child?
O I'll TELL YOU WHY!

1. Because I am the oldest
I have watched my parents raise their own children. I have no older sybillings to talk to and see if it's mom or dad being crazy, so I turn inward.
I am the only child with my unique set of parents and with that I am allowed to judge them, all of them.

2. I am the only one that deals with all four of them.
And yes, I do use their strengths and weaknesses against one another. Only because I know what good people they can be when pushed.

3. Because I love them.
I judge them and I yell at them and I hate them sometimes. But I will always love them.

Any child of divorce can relate to how nut-so it is having multiple parents.
Mine are insane, in their own ways, and that's fine.
I would not be who I am today if not for the people who raised me.


Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Holiday Meltdown. 2011 Final Reflection.

Today I had my Holiday Meltdown.
Not a breakdown. Simply, a #princessprobz, meltdown.

I cried to my mother.
This tends to happen over/ after the holidays & after spending too much time with the family. I have a lot of family. With a lot of family, come tons of family drama. I would rather not delve into it, honestly. Especially on the internet- now that would be a lot of drama. One thing I know, however, is:
we drink a lot. Mom's side, dad's side. All of 'em.

So the fact that I sobbed for a little isn't that big of a deal.
I'm fine. I always am, and I always will be.
But I was thinking in the car today ( I ponder a lot in the car, my time to think)
that I wanted to do a:

~Final Reflection for 2011!~
This is my final reflection for the year, 2011.
I promise to stop talking about this year, after this post.

2011 has been a big year for me! lots of changes- good and bad.
Should we do a pro and con list of '11?!
Looks like we've already started.

Pros: I've continued to more, and more, find myself and figure out what I want.
con: being i.n.d.e.p.e.n.d.e.n.t. is... hard.

Pro: new friends!
con: losing some old ones.

Pro: being more vulnerable to people...
con: I HATE THIS, it scares the shit out me

Pro: becoming more confident in me
con: I tend to talk a lot more (this is a con for others)

I could keep going and going but I'll end it there (with only 4).

It's been a year of learning, as well as giving and receiving.
I have made huge changes. I have my own life. I am finally happy and I know what I want. I have a plan, for the first time in a long time. 

2011 was eh... 2012 we're doing big.
I got my dress, I got my shoes, and I got my new hair! Annd I got my gal pals! What more could you ask for for New Years?!

Can you say lobster and champagne? Yes please!
2012, I'm ready
What do I do when I'm tired of reality? I exit.

After my meltdown with my mama today,
we went and saw a movie (me, mama and the Bill Casey a.k.a. dad):
we saw:
The Artist


Omg. This movie, was so perfect. I loved it.
It was a silent film. Amazing right? 2011? A silent film? So great.
I could keep going about this film, but honestly I won't. Go see it and experience it yourself.
My favorite thing to do, is go and discover new films. I'll tell you this much: this is a must-see. So see it. Now.





Go see it. Anyone and everyone.


Monday, December 26, 2011

The Latona Explanation


Christmas is over. And we're back from Jerz, thank god.
Every holiday, with my Dad and co., is spent in NJ.
Do not get me wrong, I love this little state. 

And I have, drunkly, backed up my crazy [drunken] Jersey bitches many a times and will always do it.
















But the car ride to Jersey every year... is... kinda like this...

and makes me feel like this
 
#ugh. 

If you haven't met my family on my Dad's side...
you really wouldn't understand how hectic this ride to and from Jersey can be.
I'll try and sum it up: 
before we even got in the car and started moving, my 11 year old sister, Mae, was screaming about sitting in backseat, saying she "couldn't move her feet". My response: "You don't need to move your fucking legs- your sitting. And your the smallest so who do you suggest goes in the back? Sit down and shut the fuck up, Mae."
You think I'm obnoxious and self obsessed...




Meet the 11 year old mini me. 

Jayden is my 14 year old brother, who is slightly autistic and has ADHD. Please don't feel bad about this. It's annoying versus a burden. He constantly is swearing, screaming, and referencing south park. He also has an opinion on everything, that could rival politicians. He has more passion than anyone I know. 

My step mom, Nan, is a loud redhead, from Philly. That about sums it up right there. She's an artist at heart and can't be tamed. She's also jewish. 
My dad is the foster of all these children, including me. He's a nut job chef that loves the clash, phish and fish... 


Luckily, it always #settles, at least by mid ride. I usually end up riding shotgun and become the designated DJ. The kids get Nan with them in the back.
With the help of my entire family we put together a killer and immensely diverse playlist. 
So here is it:

~Latona's 2011's Last Car Ride Playlist~
1. Anything Phish 
2. The Sex Pistol's version of "Stepping Stone"
3. Florence + the Machine- "Cosmic Love" 
4. "I Can't Make You Love Me" either the Bon Iver version or the Adele cover
5. Anything Wilco 
6. Natasha Beningfield "Unwritten"
7. Amy Winehouse "Addicted"
8. "Father Christmas" The Kinks
9. "Girls" Animal Collective
10. Panda Bear Tomboy
11. Lady Gaga
12. Girls new album Father, Son, Holy Ghost
13. Passion Pit
14. Patti Smith: Horses- one of the most amazing albums ever
15. Dawes Nothing is Wrong track: "Time spent in Los Angeles"
16. Jackson 5 "ABC 123"
17. Imelda May
18. "All I want for Christmas is You" Mariah Carey Ft. Justin Beiber

Featured Pandora station: 
Lana Del Rey

If you want to hear some of the latest and greatest music check out Zachary Allott's [with collaborative effort from @austinegarrett] Music Blog. All Over
They are my children and I love them more then you.
And they most likely listen to better music than you do so check it, bitches.
Especially, if your not musically incline. They'll help you out. 

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas Mother Fucks.

MERRY CHRISTMAS 

#Ugh holiday headache. 

Hope santa was good to all the Nice ones out there, and hope all the hoes got coal. 

Thank the Durgin for this one.

I got everything I wanted. EXCEPT THE FUCKING iPHONE, but it's coming soon so chill social networkers. 

Happy holidays love you all. 

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Holiday Special

Because clearly I haven't  done enough already...
But Christmas is a DAY AWAY SO WHY NOT JUST ONE MORE ??


Ya'll know at this point how much Yab loves film, so how about some Christmas movies?!
Yay!

Ok here 10 of my favorites, not in any particular order:

1. Love Actually
If you know me... you know how completely obsessed I am with this movie.


2. Christmas Story
Although Love Actually is one of my most raved about Christmas films, A Christmas Story definitely is my favorite. I've spending Christmas with Ralphie for as long as I can remember.

3. Prep and Landing 
So this one's not really a movie, it's better. It's only about half an hour and it's totally punny. It's a cartoon and it's absolutely adorable! Mary is the one that introduced me to this- obviously- and it's tradition we quoted it as much as possible come the holiday season.

AND this year they came out with a second one! Prep and Landing: Naughty Vs. Nice

4. A Wonderful Life

My mother and I are currently watching this film. Mary Beth thinks this is not the best of Christmas films... "Wonderful life? Who likes this movie? THIS IS NOT A WONDERFUL LIFE!" Thanks MB. But now that Clarence, the guardian angel, is on the screen she's smiling and really enjoying it.
It's a total staple and it teaches us a lesson too, like all good holiday films should.
Don't forget to listen for the bells this holiday.


5. Home Alone 2
This ones not only one of my favorite Christmas movies but just one of my favorites! So the fact that it takes place in New York during the holidays is just awesome!

6. The Santa Clause 

Every family has their Christmas movie. For me and my brothers, this is ours. This is the very first Christmas movie I watched this year and every year.

7. Polar Express 
This is my tear jerker for the holidays. Ugh it's just too cute to die for. And who didn't read this book as a kid? Super well done and super cute. Sold.
I still hear the bells.



8. Elf
Will Ferrel as a giant Elf from the North Pole... Who couldn't love that? Throw in some family dramas and finding the meaning of Christmas and BAM that as instant a win as instant Hot Coco.

9. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Classic. Not much else to say but that.


10. Bad Santa
Bad Santa is just Bad. It's the one naughty film were allowed to enjoy! Because it's about christmas! #veryfunny #verynaughty


Honorable Mention: Black Christmas
It's Christmases only [successful] horror film... Not that Christmas ever needed one to begin with...
Never seen it, too scared, but if your into that kinda thing check it out. (the original)
freaky... 

SorrythatI'mnotsorry if I didn't include your favorite. These are some of mine. 



Friday, December 23, 2011

The Gift of Giving.

S0oO0o
there's been some controversy over what the different ways of gifting over the holidays are 'called'. I'm here to clarify.
For all you people not from the Philadelphia area aka fuckin weirdos.

1.)
So, first off you have your basic gift giving on Christmas. 'Presents under the tree' we'll call this, as there really is no official name. This usually includes immediate family and each gift has the name of the giver as well as the receiver.





2.) 'Secret Santa'

"The basic concept of the Secret Santa game is simple. All of the participants’ names are placed into a hat, box, etc. and mixed up. Each person then chooses one name from the box, but doesn't tell anyone which name was picked. He/she is now responsible for buying a gift for the person selected."
This is from SecretSanta.com
So that's clarified.






3.) 'Yankee Swap'

"In Yankee Swap each participant brings a wrapped, unmarked gift and places it in a designated area. Guests are given numbers as they arrive, or their names are randomly drawn, and they select and unwrap gifts from the pile in that order — with a twist. The person who receives the number 1 will pick a gift (that is not their own) from the pile and open it for all to see (or models it, reads it, or demos it). During the selection of a wrapped gift, the participant may visually inspect the gifts, pick them up and/or gently shake them. The person who receives number 2 then chooses a gift and opens it, and then must decide whether to keep it or swap it for the first player’s gift. Each person in order then gets to select a present, open it and decide whether to keep it or swap it for any other gift someone has already opened. Opening of gifts and swapping takes place until all the presents have been chosen. Finally, the person who picked first gets to choose from all the gifts or keep what he/she has already received. In the end, the gift you are holding is the gift you take home."
Again this is from SecretSanta.com
SOO
Basically the Yankee Swap is MY version of a pollyanna.

3.) 'White Elephant'

Ok so the White Elephant game is very similar to the Yankee Swap. Except there is more emphasis on the steal. Everyone brings a wrapped gift. All the gifts get put into a pile. Names are drawn. The first person inspects all of the gifts and then chooses one. After the first person the second person can either steal or choose a new gift to unwrap. This continues until everyone has a gift. If throughout the game your gift is stolen you get to choose a new gift.

Another difference in this swap, is the gifts themselves. The presents brought in this game are suppose to be gag gifts, or items you have lying around that you, yourself, have no use for.

The White Elephant, is also sometimes referred to as a Chinese gift exchange.

4.) 'Pollyanna...'
Soo here is where the controversy lies. In the dictionary the word pollyanna means:
An excessively cheerful or optimistic person.
...
Not in Philadelphia. Here we do a gift exchange (similar to the Yankee Swap) that we call a Pollyanna
See I'm not crazy. 

In Philly and the surrounding areas we make up our own words for gift exchanges. Like Pollyanna and Chinese Pollyanna.
WHATEVER. Sucks to sucks.
We're still cooler and use a better vocabulary then the rest of you.
There is a big difference between the Yankee Swap and the Pollyanna, basically a Pollyanna's more fun. SO HA!

Any I forgot? Let's hope not.

Christmas Special.

Here's something for all you scrooges out there:




Sad about the snow rain?
GO TO GOOGLE
TYPE IN "LET IT SNOW"
PRESS ENTER. 


Happy Hoe-li-daze.


A Few of My Favorite Things

Despite the lack of snow, it's two days away from christmas... WHAT!?


So ~Besides cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudels~ these are a few of my favorite things, right now/ my 2011 christmas list:

Numreo Uno
The iphone, obviously. The fact that I don't have it yet is killing me on a regular basis and needs to change asap. White, black, 3g, 4s, I don't give a fuck, just gimme NOW.
But white please, thanks.


2) hard drive because if my itunes library ever goes, LIKE IT DID LAST WEEK, I'm going to literally murder someone.
This popsicle one is freakin adorable. I want. 

C- CHELSEA HANDLERS BOOKS. All of them.



Number FOUR is also books 
LAUREN CONRAD'S BOOKS.






To follow up on that photo...
5 ombre hair. 
o wait I got that!
Thanks to my darling sorority Big Sister @alishadurgin
I have found a new hair style. No good picsies yet but stay tuned

Honestly there's not much else I want this holiday!

Really, I got everything that I had wanted, already. 
I'm home chillin with my family, relaxing from work for a few days. Soon I will be off back to Burlington to continue work and celebrate the new year. 
What I really wanted for Christmas was to come home and see my family. And I got too!

The only other thing I could possibly think of is this:
If you think I hate you, fuck off for the holidays. Thanks!

Merry Christmas to all and to all: have a drink for me this season!
Check out this Egg Nog martini recipe from CakeStyle!


Combine 2 ½ ounces of eggnog with 1 ounce of Van Gogh vanilla vodka and ¾ ounces of Amaretto in a shaker and shake over ice.
Strain this into a chilled martini glass and dust with freshly grated nutmeg or cinnamon.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Rain, rain, go the fuck away.

It was not a good day for rain today yesterday.




I feel like crying.

#exhausted.

I'm tired of trying to figure everything out. I'm tired of trying to not focus on figuring everything out. My back hurts from working. My head hurts from thinking. I was in the car for seven plus hours today and I'm done.
I'm still recuperating from the excessive amount of drinking that ensued last week.
And now everyone is leaving me. Specifically ALLI FRANTZ. jk love you (hay chek out her  travel blog!!) 

I'm tired, and done, with 2011. 

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Hair of the Dog.

As a follow up to my moral hangover: let the bender continue

Honestly, as the blog says FUCK YAB.
Let it be a battle cry to all.
F[uck]S[shit]U[up] ERDAY.


Raging on a smaller scale tonight, but of course there will be leather.




Exposé.


I'M HAVING A MORAL HANGOVER. 
what else is new.



First of all, my fucking itunes library deleted its self. SO FUCK EVERYTHING. I have to slowly import it all back as to not break my fucking computer. So, I'm listening to Take Care on repeat.

FUCKING JUDGE ME. 
I care way too much what other people think and I wish I didn't. 
But here's the thing- I run my mouth and talk out of my ass a lot. 
For that, and here's the one time I'll say it 
I'm Sorry.




Here is an embarrassingly large photo from freshman year, that I took- wasted.
This my apology flowers for anyone that I  have pissed off.  


But at the same time
If you actually know me, then you know when I'm serious and when I'm not.
And you know that the most important thing I have is my friendships.
The reason I love burlington so much is because, despite all the heartbreak it has cause me the past couple of years, I have met the most amazing people here ever.
I've also met some fucking douche bags, but you take the good with the bad.

I just want to put it out there- and the point of this post- I'm not very cool.
I think I am and I tell myself everyday that I'm the shit. That's just to get through the day.

I’m not cool. I come off as cool every once in a while, but I soo am not cool. I am like the opposite of cool, I’m like cool’s akward younger sister. That’s just fucked up a bunch of times.

But I’m real. I’m an honest and genuine person. What you see is what you get. I don’t try to be something I’m not. Ya I fucking love weed, no I’m not a stoner. Ya I have major party girl problems, no I’m not a drunk- ok maybe. Ya I like to get it in, no. I am not. Not. A slut.

So, what this comes down to, is if you don't know me... Fuck off.


Keep my name out of your mouth, and grow the fuck up. We are not in high school anymore. You might think we are but we're not. If I say something to you then fucking say something back to my face.
In my opinion I'd rather say something to your face than behind your back.

And if I'm saying something to your face that you don't like DEAL WITH IT. You don't always get what you want. Here's your dose of reality, bitch. Idgaf.

But, really though, the only people I dislike, have given me a reason. I don't just hate on people, I am so not a hater. If anything I try to make things better with people I should just forget about.



Wednesday, December 14, 2011

A Quicky



While I’m on this movie kick, let’s switch to TV shows.




SHAMLESS



If you have not seen the Showtime show Shamless, then you probably don't have Showtime BECAUSE IF YOU DID, you would be watching it now. It is absolutely hysterical.
It reminds me of my life. No, actually it makes me feel better about my life.
It’s fucking funny and raunchy as shit.

And the only reason I am watching Showtime right now, in my college apt at 2:30pm, is because I live with 2 boys.
And one of them just got a 60 inch big screen. So now we obviously have Showtime. and HBO. and Starz.







From sex on the kitchen floor, to blatant penises, to blow jobs with parents presents, this show... is just... shamless.



And of course... There’s love O0oO0ooOoOo!





“Because you - you think like that, and Jenna doesn't. Jenna dances for an audience. You dance like there's no-one else in the room... Your life's not simple, Fiona, and you can't stop it from showing, because you're no fake, you're not lost, you don't need finding. This whole city belongs to the Jenna's, but I'm sick of them. I swear, Fiona, you're nothing like anyone I've ever met. You make me want to enjoy my life again..."





Fiona's life makes me feel better about myself, but it also gives me hope. This young girl is able to take care of a drunk father as well as the rest of his kids- her syblings. 
And through all this hardship she still has managed, not even on purpose, to land a dream boat. That wants to be with her. And genuinely wants to get to know her. 

"You don't know anything about me."
"THEN TEACH ME"

That is the boy I'm waiting for. 




And I think we can forgive Justin Chatwin, aka Steve, for being Canadian with those looks.
But Steve is not the only hottie on the show. Lip Gallagher, aka Jeremy Allen White, is just so dreamy as well, and super badass. And he's amerrican!
.
Dibs.



#mylifeat21.