The Recent Utopian/Dystopian/Armageddon/Zombie Apocalypse Book Fad

Over the past year, I have fallen prey to the book craze that followed the Hunger Games: flooding the market with novels filled with futuristic societies and their ensuing "Big Brother" problems. I think what draws me to these types of books is what draws me to books in general. We read books to escape our everyday lives.What is more of an escape than a society that does not exist, and what is more thrilling than the small possibility that it one day could? In these dystopian-type novels, the authors have to do a lot of "world-building", which is a great way to not only intrigue readers, but also a way to fill pages.  The success of Harry Potter was built on world-building. J.K. Rowling successfully created an entire wizarding world, complete with laws and history, that "existed" alongside the world we know today. 

In these futuristic novels, the world-building is highly concentrated on political and governmental structure. Usually there is some breaking point that occurred in America's past, that either caused the country to split up or a government crackdown to create order, for example: Hunger Games (government crackdown after rebellion), Divergent (people split into factions after too much fighting), Legend (country splits in two), Reboot (Texas secedes), and Taken (country splits in two). Matched might be the only one that is far enough in the future that a history of how we got there is not really given. 

In all of these books, the people in each of these imaginary societies are stifled in their decision-making regarding their own lives. Their jobs are decided for them. In Hunger Games, you are stuck in your district, and each district has one industry to work on (lumber, fishing, agriculture, coal). In Divergent, your faction leaves you with a specific and small amount of job choices (Abnegation is government, Dauntless is security, Amity is crop-growing). In Matched, you are given a test that determines what job you will have.  In some, their romantic relationships are decided for them. In Matched, you are given your life partner, and in Taken, you are told who to procreate with.

There is certainly a formula, and even though I easily recognize the formula just by reading the back of the book, I am still drawn in. Have you read any of these books? Are there any others you would recommend? I am always looking for new books to read. Add me on Good Reads here! 

Beachbody Insanity: Day One....The Fit Test

Two years ago, I bought the Beachbody Insanity DVDs. It was one month before I was starting law school, and I naively thought I would be able to carry on through the second month once I had started school. Didn't happen, needless to say. I got through the recovery week and never started the second month. Last summer, I tried to get my boyfriend to do it with me while we were staying at his parents' house, but we only lasted a week due to his family being in and out...never finding a time when we could take over their living room.

Today, I am trying for a third time! Hopefully my willpower is better now. At the beginning of this summer, I read a book called "The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg. (I highly recommend it.) He stressed the obvious importance of consistency in the beginning of forming a new habit, but he also warned against changing too many habits at once. If you can force yourself towards your goal (be it flossing, going for a run, going gluten-free) consistently in the beginning, eventually your brain will take over, and you will no longer have to think about it. (Like driving your car from work to home.)

After reading his book, I decided to change one simple thing that had been negatively affecting my life: my Diet Coke addiction. I had come to hate water, and needed anywhere from 3-5 cans a day to avoid crankiness. I had tried quitting before, and usually only lasted 3 or 4 days before sliding back into old habits. Usually those trials were in conjunction with major life changes, including general health goals like losing weight, getting in shape, eating better, etc. I put too much on my plate for my brain to form any lasting habits. It has now been 54 days since my last sip. The thought of Diet Coke makes me cringe now, imagining all the chemicals flooding into my body.

A couple of weeks ago, I felt I was ready to try another habit: my carb queen addiction. While I don't believe completely cutting all carbs out of my diet is the answer, I knew that I was eating far more carbs than necessary, sabotaging my weight loss goals. I vowed to heavily cut back on any pasta, breads or desserts. I haven't had pasta in weeks (usually I would make some form of pasta or rice every night for dinner), I only eat bread occasionally when dining out, if it is on a sandwich, and I try to have dessert only once or twice a week. I find that I don't even want carbs anymore.

While I have gone for a run or lifted some weights here and there this summer, I have not consistently worked out. Next habit to tackle: getting in the habit of working out 6 days a week. Hopefully I will be able to ride on the successes of breaking the last two bad habits to create a good habit! I've lost a total of only 5.5 lbs over 7 weeks, so hopefully intense consistent exercise will rev up my metabolism and inspire me to eat even better.

Day One: Fitness Test Results
1. Switch Jacks: 45
2. Power Jacks: 40
3. Power Knees: 68
4. Power Jumps: 20
5. Globe Jumps: 5
6. Suicide Jumps: 10
7. Push-up Jacks: 10
8. Low Plank Oblique: 25

The hardest part was the cardio aspect for me. My muscles could have done more reps, but my heart was beating too fast and I needed to catch my breath. Anyone else have success with the Insanity program? What were your results after the first fit test?

John Frieda Go Blonder Spray/Conditioner/Shampoo and Paul Mitchell’s Platinum Toning Shampoo Review

I just wanted to do a post on the John Frieda Go Blonder Series, because I have heard so many online horror stories. Not everyone has a bad experience! Let me go through a little of my hair history, so you can see if your hair might have the same effect.

May 2013:

You can see I had med/dark brown roots with highlights that had grown out into an almost accidental ombre look. Summer was starting, and I wanted to really lighten up.

At the very beginning of June, I asked a hairstylist to lighten my base to a light brown with naturally blended dark ash blonde highlights. This is what I got (6/11/13):

Tiger stripes. Kill me. She darkened my base, and gave me UN-natural chunky orange highlights.

Take Two: I went to another stylist, who wove in tiny full head highlights to try to break up the dark. Then she gave me as much toner as she thought my head could handle to help with the orange. I ended up here (6/12/13):

SO much better. (Trust me, I was too embarrassed to even take a picture of the tiger stripes with my hair down). But I could still see some of the chunky highlight in there, despite her best efforts, and my hair still wasn’t as light as I wanted it to be.

Take Three (6/26/13): I went to one last stylist who restructured the highlights, and gave me a haircut. This is what it looked like after:

Much much better, but there was still darkness and brassiness, in my opinion. At this point, I decided to take it upon myself to do the rest. 

I bought John Frieda’s Go Blonder Series, which I had heard mixed reviews on, but decided to give a shot. I knew I was taking a risk since this product ADAMANTLY tells you not to use it with brown hair. However, I figured since I had a lot of highlights, I might be able to get away with it.

I washed my hair with the shampoo and conditioner (which I think smell amazingly citrusy/herby), and then put my hair up into sections (4 horizontally) after lightly towel drying it. I then sprayed each section from root to tip and blow-dried before moving on to the next section. I sprayed enough that every part of my hair got sprayed, but not enough that it was soaked or dripping by any means. After my whole head was done, I went over it with my Chi straightening iron. (Directions say for maximum lightening, to use a straightener or curling iron) Here are the results after the first time (7/10/13):

My hair definitely looks a little dry and you can see a few brassy streaks, probably from some of the darker pieces. I decided to buy a toning shampoo to take out any brassiness or orange that might occur, because I had a nightmare experience with Sun-In as a naive 13 year old in the summer by the pool. When I went to Ulta, they recommended Paul Mitchell Platinum, as it has a high pigmentation of purple. After the first session, I used the toning shampoo twice, and then decided to go for a second session (7/16/13):

I feel like there is a large difference in brassiness, and my hair is much brighter if not lighter. My hair is also in much better condition than the first time I sprayed, because I have been diligently soaking my hair in conditioner in the shower.

I’ll update with the next session! Let me know if any brunettes have experience with using these products!

Pinterest Recipes: How were they really?

After over two years of obsessively pinning on Pinterest, I realized how much I treat it like a junk drawer that I throw crap into for fear that I will someday need it. I am making a resolution to start DOING things from Pinterest. (However, house decorating and traveling will have to wait until I graduate from law school).

Here are some recipes that I have ACTUALLY tried and how I felt about them:

Raspberry Beer Lemonade: http://pinterest.com/pin/250301691760174537/

Refreshing. Delicious. Do it.

Frozen Yogurt Bites: http://pinterest.com/pin/250301691760172555/

Underwhelming. By the time they froze….I didn’t care anymore.

Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes: http://pinterest.com/pin/250301691760172485/

A bit sweet, but fun for a spin on your average chocolate or vanilla cupcake.

Pioneer Woman’s Au Gratin Potatoes: http://pinterest.com/pin/41939840252966521/

Holy $#!T. These are good. Like the next day I helped myself to three helpings for breakfast, which turned into a midmorning snack, and then it was basically just lunch.

Grilled Chipotle Rubbed Steaks with Lime Butter: http://pinterest.com/pin/41939840250343267/

Yuuuuuum. This recipe is so worth it.

Cinnamon Sugar Doughnut Muffins: http://pinterest.com/pin/41939840252377427/

So great. Very simple. Gone in 10 minutes in a house of law students.

Mr. B’s Bistro’s BBQ Shrimp: http://pinterest.com/pin/41939840253010862/

So technically I uploaded this one to Pinterest…so I already knew it was amazing. My boyfriend and I went on a trip to New Orleans this summer, and I got this dish. It’s actually not BBQ’d, but sauteed in a pan. The only change I made was that I added some white wine to it. You could seriously drink up the sauce like a soup.

What are your favorite pins that you’ve actually tried?