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Another writing of mine published on Blue Jeans Journal! A short poem ~ xx

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My short essay was featured on a friend’s new writing publication. enjoy ~~

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SIES MARJAN AW18 BY ROBSON STANNARD

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Ugo Rondinone

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Rural Ireland in the 1950s/60s by John Hinde

source

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NICOLA DEL ROSICO‘ s Apartment and Studio, Gaeta, Italy, 1979

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Ruth Asawa, Number 1 - 1955, 1954 (refabricated 1958)

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Alexandre Benjamin Navet at Galerie Derouillon October 18, 2019

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Star crossed loves: Fashion and Ethics

     You ever want to buy nice clothes that aren’t made by companies that hurt the environment and/or people in other countries? Ya, me too. It is a difficult predicament, sadly, wanting to shop as you please while also hoping no one starved while being employed to make that shirt or those socks. Woof. And there are no major sites on who to stay away from or who to favor, forcing me to scan through articles and websites that seem more or less accurate. 

     I bring up this sad and tragic dilemma only to share a company that has been on my radar for a while-- I hope to use this as a space to share things that I find and like, something that I have difficulty finding to my taste preferences-- Everlane! They make great looking and fitting clothes at affordable prices and with complete transparency about their methods. I highly suggest checking it out-- I just got my first pair of shorts that I can’t wait to wear. 

     Any who, please stop shopping at Zara (listen, the clothes are pretty but the quality is NOT and the company is hideous, and that’s period) and please let me know of how you satiate your desire for people and the world to not be treated poorly and also your desire to look fly and cool. 

xo

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Treat Yourself ! Actually !

     I, like many, am all in on the treat yourself movement branded by Parks and Rec. There is certainly a consciousness about needing to care for oneself, that you will not receive all the love and care you sometimes need from without so you must reach within and put yourself to work. You must put on your own metaphorical oxygen mask before you can help others put on theirs; Ru Paul preaches: how can you love someone else if you don’t love yourself? And beyond others, what’s wrong with wanting to help yourself be the best you can be?

     This treating of oneself can often be used to justify an extra dessert or four or staying up to watch a show, but I was suggested by someone (I know I did not make this up but I cannot recall who passed this wisdom along) to try and “treat” myself in ways that actually are treating myself, not seeming gifts that only actually allow you to put off important tasks, stay up too late, or contribute to an unhealthy habit. World’s longest sentence? Perhaps! All that to say, why not aim for treating yourself in a way that improves yourself, a gift that maybe takes slight effort but will give you peace and happiness in the long run. 

     I am not on some moral high ground to pretend that I do not treat myself to chocolate absolutely every day and I still pretend that my sleeping habits are better than they are in reality (this feels big admitting it!), but I have tried in the last few years to every so often give myself gifts that improve my life-- cleaning my apartment to help clear my mind, taking five minutes to meditate to relax and help myself move through the day less anxiously, going for a run or taking a ballet class to keep myself in shape and help myself sleep better at night and express some creativity. There are other ways, but these are examples of things that I do not necessarily do regularly without any thought, they require a little effort and time I do not naturally want to give, but result in me being much better for it. 

     After a semester of laziness and sadness in college, I realized that wallowing is absolutely essential at times, but it is also essential that I treat myself to these things that will pull me up. Spending a whole weekend laying in my robe absolutely can fill a chasm in my vacant heart, but only to a point. Making a point to moving and wiggling my bod a little bit each week has been an incredible realization and discovery-- what can feel like a chore I have worked to make into a special gift to myself. Chocolate in healthy doses is a pure mood enhancer. Spending the time to write something on this blog when I have been wanting to for years is supremely uplifting my night. 

    I write this only to share-- nothing to prove only to share. Sharing in this way can feel often promotional and simplified, but I hope only to offer a point of view to consider. Clearly some seemingly insignificant post on facebook or mention in conversation has affected by own point of view and perhaps I can share that with someone else. 

Happy wiggling and chocolate eating. 

xoxo 

Blake 

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