Dear Fellow Millennials,

Please stop humble-bragging about being busy. I am not impressed that you worked long hours today/this week/forever. Work smarter, not harder.

"Summertime and the living is easy" is a quote that you should attribute to the late/great ELLA FITZGERALD!!! Not Sublime.

Enough with the overalls. They'll never be cool again, and they flatter no one. Let's leave them in the '90s where they belong. (Same goes for throwback daisy and sunflower prints.)

And finally... Stop staying "I can't"/"I can't even". I'm assuming that this awful trend started when someone was trying to say "I can't even begin to explain/I can't put into words how I feel", and I have one thing to say about that: YOU CAN. Use your words! That's what they're for, after all.

With love,
LL

Father's Day

Father's Day is truly one of my favorite holidays. I always end up a little bit emotional before the day is over.

I was (am) quite lucky to have a loving, giving, cheering dad around. I don't let myself take that for granted.

Seeing so many happy posts about awesome dads makes me think about what my future partner will be like as a father.

And lastly, it's a bittersweet reminder of my Papoo. May he rest in peace.

Soul Searching

I don't want to talk about work too much on here, short of occasionally poking fun at some corporate office stereotypes that I encounter, because my job is boring. I mean, I mostly enjoy it, but trust me, you'd be bored if I posted about it regularly.

I don't talk about my work with friends much, either, except for friends who are coworkers. I feel bored when my friends talk about their jobs a lot, too. (Most of my friends are teachers. Is it just me, or do teachers LOVE to talk about work?)

Anyway, I am a middle manager at a large insurance agency. (See? Boring.) I like my job because my specific role really plays to my strengths (teaching/training/coaching/etc.), I have a lot of flexibility, and I love my coworkers. But it has become clear to me over the last few months that this is not a forever fit for me. It's hard to be a woman in this industry. It's equally difficult to be a bleeding-heart liberal in this anti-Obamacare, for-profit world. But the bottom line is, try as I might, I cannot find it within me to be passionate about commercial insurance.

I had a hard time coming to terms with this for a few reasons.

First of all, I graduated from college in 2007 with a social sciences degree and graduate school in 2010 with a communications degree. I didn't do any internships or have any semblance of professional experience. I was an overeducated server. Translation: I had a difficult time finding a job. In fact, the memory of my last experience looking for a job takes me back to a dark time in my life. And thinking about leaving the company that took a chance on me makes me feel a little bit guilty. These people have been good to me.

Mostly, though, I just don't know what I want to do next, which feels both overwhelming and too familiar.

I'm more of a jane-of-all-trades than a master of one. I've always been that way. I don't really have any spectacular passions or talents (short of being a gifted speller, which (1) we've already discussed, and (2) as it turns out, is practically useless). As a kid, I wanted to be a veterinarian or a meteorologist. But, you guys... science was so hard! In high school, I wanted to be a journalist. In college, I wanted to be a teacher for a while. Then I thought I'd work in publishing. And then I decided I just wanted a cushy government job in communications. And thennn I thought it'd be fun to work in communications or development at a museum. (Still sounds fun! But jobs are obviously limited.)

But there were so many roadblocks. And here I am, working in insurance. Oh, life.

I'm not planning on leaving my current job anytime soon. Until then, I'm doing a little soul searching and focusing on getting more involved in the community so that once I am looking, I'll have direction/possibly some options.

Lower case letters in therapy

Today's topic: therapy. 

First, let me summarize why I'm going to therapy. I was involved in a very scary car accident in October. After the accident, I experienced anxiety on a level with which I was unfamiliar. I have been seeing a therapist regularly since January. I am suffering from and being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder (which is another post for another day).

(For what it's worth, I don't believe that identifying a "why" is a prerequisite for therapy. If you want to go, you should go!)

I am "little d depressed", as my therapist would say.

In therapy, the lower case letter is used as a tool. For me, it gives me perspective. It separates the bad from the ugly. I've experienced trauma and I've experienced Trauma. I don't think I've ever been Depressed. But right now, I am depressed.

What this means for me personally: I sleep more. I hibernate, basically. Nothing sounds more appealing to me than a night in, with Netflix or a good book, avoiding responsibility and human interaction. I rush through my to do list each day so that I can be at home, by myself, as soon as possible. When I have plans, I make an exit strategy before I even show up. I feel less emotionally engaged with... everything.

This usually lasts for a few weeks at a time, and it happens several times a year. It is not debilitating. It does not make me question my worth. But it is something that I have to work hard to overcome when I'm already feeling completely drained.

With all of that being said, tomorrow I will hit the reset button and fight my way back to normalcy. Wish me luck!

The love of my mid-twenties life

(Note: I wrote this yesterday and saved it as a draft instead of publishing. KB's birthday is June 1. Oops!)

I'm still not sure who rescued who. Happy 4th birthday, sweet boy!

You had me at the proper use of "You're"

You know what's newsworthy right now? Spelling. So that's what I want to discuss today. (Grammar and punctuation, too!)

Let me explain why I'm passionate about this issue.

Some people can paint or sculpt or design beautiful things. Many people make music in some way, shape, or form. Other people are natural athletes.

I am a gifted speller.

Growing up, I excelled at reading and writing. (Math and science are hard, amirite?) By middle school, I'd declared that English was my favorite subject, and that never changed. My freshman year of high school, I took my first journalism class, and my writing style evolved. I basically ditched everything I knew about creative writing and 3.5 essays (anyone remember those?) and never looked back. I learned how to be concise. I learned how to tell stories. Most significantly, I learned how to proofread.

Thirteen years later, I've got a Master's degree in Communication, and we all have to deal with social media and a 24-hour news cycle and information overload in general.

WE HAVE SPELL CHECK EVERYWHERE NOW, and still it seems like nobody can spell.

This is a flawless example of a "which came first?" causality dilemma. Maybe we've always been mostly atrocious at spelling and grammar, but it's painfully obvious now because we communicate through typed text so frequently. Or maybe as technology advances, we rely too much on spell check. I don't know.

Here's why I think you should care:

• Being a good communicator is important in your personal life. Do your due diligence so that your loved ones don't have to expel energy translating what you're trying to say.
• Being a good communicator is important in your professional life. For example, as a hiring manager, I notice typos/errors on resumes and cover letters. I also judge a candidate's ability to communicate effectively based on brief email communication and a quick scan of his/her social media profile(s).
• Your children are basically creepy little versions of you. Studies show that if you read, they'll read. If you exercise, they'll exercise. So I don't think it's a stretch to assume that if you don't care about spelling, they won't care either.
• Spell check sucks. (As does auto correct.)
• People who take the time to care about spelling and grammar will tirelessly poke fun at you and your errors behind your back.

Let's make proofreading cool again.

Related: How well can you spell? from WaPo

My Birchbox Favorites

(Based on my limited knowledge of blogging, I think I'm supposed to say that this post is not sponsored. I'm not that big of a deal.)

I've been a Birchbox subscriber for nearly a year. My sister-in-law bought me a (full year!) subscription as a thank you gift for hosting her baby shower. I used to say it was an intriguing concept but not something I'd pay for; however, based on my experience, I will absolutely pony up $110 next month to continue receiving my monthly box of joy.

From the Birchbox site, in case you're unfamiliar:

"Birchbox delivers high-end beauty, grooming, and lifestyle samples once a month, customized just for you."

I love health and beauty products. I especially love to tell people about my brilliant finds. (Lucky you!) I'm not sure that I'll review every product each month, but I plan on sharing my favorite products with you here.

Over the last year, these are the products I've loved:

via birchbox

1. COOLA Classic SPF 30 Cucumber Moisturizer for Face: I should probably admit that I didn't actually buy the full size version of this product ($32), but I would if I wasn't actively avoiding the sun this summer. It isn't thick like my usual sunscreen (I'm looking at you, Neutrogena) and it smells divine. Like a very specific fancy spa I've visited before, but I refuse to name drop. If you're looking for a smooth everyday sunscreen, this is the stuff. If you aren't wearing sunscreen daily, shame on you.

via birchbox

2. Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel Sensitive: Okay, I haven't purchased the full size version of this one either... YET ($39). I've made the sample last for several uses. I have relatively easy skin, but it is sensitive, especially to peels. I love how my face feels after using this product and it doesn't bother my skin at all. I used the sample (0.25 oz) four times, so I know I'll get to use the full size (2 oz) product enough to make it worth the price.

via birchbox

3. Color Club polishes: I'm always excited about new nail polishes. The first Color Club polish I received from Birchbox was the green one in the image above. I like it, but prefer the colors in the Gala's Gems collection (I ordered the set of four minis, $13). I'm not blown away by the quality of Color Club polishes (I usually buy OPI or Ulta), but I do enjoy the colors. Also noteworthy, I got a sample Art Duo pen in my May box and I haven't tried it yet, but I have high hopes!

4. KIND Healthy Grain Bar: I received the Maple Pumpkin Seeds with Sea Salt bar in my March box and I've been trying to find it in stores ever since. I'm about to order them in bulk off of the KIND website. (I've tried the Dark Chocolate Chunk and Oats & Honey flavors, too, and like them both... but pumpkin seeds are my jam!)

via birchbox

5. Sumita Color Contrast Eyeliner: I don't have any interest in the "color contrast" idea behind this product, but I have always had eye-crease-smudge problems with eyeliner on my upper lids and this is the best solution I've found so far. I haven't had to replace my black sample yet, but I will ($11).

via birchbox

6. Stila lip glaze: This has long been a favorite of mine, but Birchbox sent a sample my way and it deserves a shout out. My sample was called "Cupcake" (pictured: "Fruit Punch"). Hate the cutesy names, but love the subtle colors. Lasts long enough for me. (But full disclosure: I'm not big on lip color.)

via birchbox

7. Benefit Big Easy: *Life-changing product alert!* I didn't get a sample of this, but I did find this product through Birchbox (on Instagram, @birchbox). I love Benefit's products. This BB cream is perfect. I traded in my MAC foundation and powder for this. It's the perfect amount of coverage for my skin type and taste. ($38, lasts ~3 months with daily use)

If you like to give super generous gifts (like my sweet SIL), Birchbox is a great gift idea for any friend who loves makeup/skin care products. It's definitely one of the coolest presents I've ever received.

If you are interested in subscribing or gifting a subscription, feel free to use this link.  :)