Lists

Three Things That Make Fall My Second Favorite Season

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

For me there’s nothing like wearing a pair of colorful shorts, a bright tank top and comfy flip flops while spending the long days beneath the shining sun. Maybe drink some freshly squeezed lemonade after taking a stroll along the beach with my feet in the ocean, toss a Frisbee around in the sand, wind down at a barbecue for dinner and then eat a fruity Italian ice, followed by roasting marshmallows beneath the glistening stars, laughing with my friends and catching the leftover hint of suntan lotion swaying in the warm air. And I must mention that driving with the windows down and radio up is what gets me from point A to point B. But it’s time to stop fantasizing about the past because today marks the first day of my second favorite season on our pretty earth: fall. Or autumn, as some of you may like to refer to it as. First of all, let me just say that I’m a fall baby — I trickled down to this earth like a leaf in November — it’s embedded within who I am. Right behind summer, so super close to it, just a tiny little nudge away from it in my heart lies my adoration for this gorgeous-stricken season, and here’s what I love most about it: Read More

Things I Hate About My Commute

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

On average, it takes me about an hour to get to work, and the ride home usually stretches out to be about 15 minutes longer. During my rather frustrating or overly boring drives to and from my job, I’ve noticed a few small things that never really bothered me before have now become overly annoying. These unenjoyable occurrences include:

The red lights on the ramps before entering highways—“One Vehicle Per Green,” states the sign in big bold letters below the light that can’t seem to decide if it likes being green or red. I passionately hate these stupid lights. Personally, I don’t see the point in stopping at a red light for a second and a half just a few feet before entering a highway rushing with stressed out, competitive maniacs on five different pills, soaring at least 70 MPH and angrily jerking their steering wheels to fly their dented SUVs with ugly stick figure families on the back windows into the next lane because the guy in front of them is only going 68 MPH as he looks down at his iPhone 5. Read More

Things to Do When Someone is Staring at You

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

Dog_Stare

Herro. (Note: This image is not mine.)

People like to stare at you for a number of reasons. They like the way you look, they don’t like the way you look, you have something on your face, etcetera. I found myself in this somewhat awkward situation not long ago, as I was standing in line at the bank to deposit a rather puny check of mine. I felt the eyes of another crawling up and down my frame, from the corner to the left of me. With a quick glance I saw her, and then focused my attention to the back of the balding head in front of me. I still felt her eyes. She was waiting for her obnoxious grandmother to dump her life savings into the coin-counting machine. I soon passed my deposit slip and check to the teller, took my receipt, and turned around. My eyes met the young woman’s, and what did I do? I smiled. Lame, I know. I should have done one of the following.

Wink. They won’t see this coming, and will be aware that you know they were staring. They’ll most likely force a quick laugh,  flush with embarrassment, and be done with it. Or maybe this can backfire and they’ll mistake your flick of an eye as a signal to initiate some small talk. It depends on who this person is. Use your judgment.

Have a staring contest. Hold your gaze. Don’t submit to them, even if your eyes are drying up. Fight the blink. You’re better than them.

Pose, pretend to be a model. They won’t expect this from their eye candy. Flaunt it.

Make the craziest face you can possibly make at that moment. Scare them off, you lunatic. They won’t know what to do, but I can guarantee that their eyes will roam elsewhere. That, or they’ll keep their eyes shut for days. This will be especially funny if you make eye contact while creating your monstrous facial expression.

Give them the thumbs-up. Aw. They were praising your body with their eyes. How nice. Let them know you appreciate their existence.

Point, gasp, and run. This will teach them that staring is indeed very rude. Make sure to glance back a few times as you’re sprinting away. After a few seconds, steady your pace and act as if nothing happened.

Flip the bird. This one is daring, but they will most likely be speechless. Or not. (Warning: this may turn violent.)

Scorpio Season

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

It’s Scorpio season! I’ll let you other stars peek into the mind of a Scorpio just this once.

Scorpios can be difficult to really know, and it takes time to understand. Upon first meeting one, most see them as serious, though polite, or a bit quirky and uptight (mainly at work or in a professional atmosphere). Once a Scorpio feels connected with you, they’re laid back and always looking to have fun.

Scorpios finish what they start, no matter how much time it takes.

This sign doesn’t forget anything, ever. They’ll remember all they’ve collected about you, even if your lives crossed for a short period of time. Read More

Ways to Express Yourself

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

Keep a journal. It’s a great way to let your emotions flow, whether you write about your day, jot down some poetry, or  just doodle in it. It’s a place you’re sure to stay true to yourself, as well as a place where you can see how you’ve grown.

Be yourself. Trying to express yourself doesn’t mean acting like a different person. Find something that is you, whether it’s gardening, drawing, or cooking and go deep within it.

Find a place that inspires you. Maybe you like a calm, peaceful place outside where you feel free to let go of the day and think. Maybe you have a colorful room that gets your creativity flowing. Or maybe you like sitting on a bench watching the happenings of a busy place. Wherever it is, lose yourself in it.

Decorate. Having your own room is the perfect place to really make it yours. Bright colors, neutral colors, posters or paintings on the walls. An open room or a room with shelves cluttered with knick-knacks. It’s even better if you have your own house or apartment to really get expressive. Go crazy. It’s yours.

Dress. Your appearance itself can have a lot to do with self expression. Be comfortable in the way you do your hair and wear your clothes. This is you.

Music. You can play it, sing it, or listen to it. There’s nothing like a good song to let out how you’re feeling. There are songs for any kind of emotion.

Art. Draw, paint, sew, mess around with clay. Create something from your mind. There’s nothing else like it.

Tips To Make A Bad Day Good

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

Exercise. This always works for me. Go for a run, ride your bike, do yoga, walk your dog. Endorphins can reverse a bad mood in no time!

Go to sleep early. It’s true that things usually get better in the morning. It’s a fresh start for a new day.

Talk to somebody you’re close with. Vent to someone who understands you for some comfort and good advice. Getting negative thoughts off your chest will help clear your mind.

Do something for someone else just because you can. This will automatically make you feel better about yourself. It’s magical.

Make a happy list. Remind yourself of everything that makes you smile. There’s nothing like triggering positive memories or goals you know you can reach.

Get fresh air. Sometimes all you need is a step outside to breathe and collect your thoughts.

Change up your look. Buy some new clothes or style your hair differently. When you look good, you feel good.

Snuggle with your significant other. Being reminded that you are loved and cared for will brighten up any lousy mood.

Snacks That Will Make You Miss The ’90s

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

DunkAroos – More cookies than frosting, every time. Tasty, but as a kid, I was disappointed when I had to scrape up what was left of the frosting tucked into the corners of the little square to get my fix.

Handi-Snacks – I don’t know about that “real” cheese, but I’d day dream of these things as I waited in the classroom for lunch time.

Gushers – No question about it, these explosive treats were in every kid’s lunch box.

Fruit By The Foot – You always had the longest one, even if you really didn’t. Looks of envy swung your way if you whipped out this edible, artificially flavored rope of plastic.

Fruit Roll Ups – Who didn’t enjoy unraveling these masterpieces to pop out Nickelodeon characters, Sonic the Hedgehog, or some random made-up shape? Unfortunately, there were those who just stuffed them in their mouths without appreciating the designs sketched into them.

Welch’s Fruit Snacks – Bursting with flavor, there were always handfuls to share with the pairs of hungry eyes around you. Always something to marvel at when some of them were stuck together.

Lunchables – Made you feel like you could cook. Lunchables seemed more like real food compared to what the other brown-baggers discovered. There was a moment of pride when you slapped that glossy piece of turkey on that giant cracker and topped it with that overly bright slab of cheese. The half-filled packet of special sauce gave it that extra kick. Read More

35 Things I’m Inspired By

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

I can go on and on, but below are some things that come to mind when thinking about who and what I’m inspired by. I wrote this list in no particular order. I’ve read some other lists and it really says a lot about who you are. Definitely give it a try.

1. Travel writers/journalists

2. Listening to the memories of elderly people

3. People who love animals

4. Documentaries about animals, nature, science, or history

5. Runners

6. Paintings

7. Knitting

8. Open mic poetry readings

9. Musicians who write and perform their music

10. The sun rising or setting over the ocean

11. Finding shapes in the clouds

12. People who find the light in tough situations

13. Cleverness

14. Those who give just because they want to Read More

Sayings That Make No Sense

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

A collection of sayings that have made me wonder why the heck someone would say such things in the first place.

I saw it with my own eyes – To my knowledge, it’s not possible to see anything through someone else’s eyes.

It’s always in the last place you look – Why would someone keep searching after they found what they were looking for?

New and improved – If it’s new, it hasn’t been available for improvements. If it’s improved, it’s been around long enough not to be considered new.

Shit happens – Why would someone bring up such a topic?

I don’t mean to interrupt – Oh really? What were your intentions then?

You can’t have your cake and eat it too – The purpose of cake is to eat it. If there’s a piece of cake in front of me, it’s going down.

Break a leg – Are you supposed to try so hard at something that you somehow manage to break a leg? Not worth it.


Who I Remind “Them” of

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

It’s happened to everyone. Someone you know, someone you just met, a complete stranger — “You know who you remind me of?” It can be a compliment or it can make you totally self conscious. It can be based off of your looks or things you say, anything that’s a part of you that reminds someone of someone else. Here are the people and animals, yes, animals, that I’ve reminded “them” of…

Bérénice Bejo. This is my most recent one. She stars as Peppy Miller in The Artist. Two nights ago, I was eating lasagna with my family and my grandmother, who recently watched The Artist, told me I reminded her of “the actress in The Artist,” and said, “She’s even got the mark on her face.” She told me we have the same facial expressions. I’ll have to see for myself.

Phoebe Buffay. I wasn’t sure how to react to this one. I see Phoebe, from the show Friends, as a doof who can be overly clumsy and annoying. I was never much of a big Friends fan, though I do enjoy the show and have seen enough episodes to form my opinion on Phoebe Buffay. While irritating at times, she can be funny because she doesn’t care about what the people around her think about her actions, openness and honesty. I think that’s what my father’s friend meant when he said I reminded him of her. We were in a public place when I blurted out something unladylike, but I was just speaking my mind. Makes sense to me.

Cheshire Cat. Almost everybody knows that grin.  Apparently, I’ve got it. A few years ago, I worked at a plant nursery, and my assistant manager told me numerous times that the way I smiled reminded him of Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. He said it always looked like my mind was was up to something behind that wide smile. You never know!


Avril Lavigne. “Oh my god, you look like Avril Lavigne.” “Hey Avril!” “Where’s your sk8r boi?” I’ve heard it all. Especially when I was a teenager. I dressed in a similar style, wore dark eyeliner, and dyed my hair lighter. I was seriously called Avril at least twice a week. When I was a teenager, I could agree. But these days, since I’ve ditched that look, I don’t really see it. Last year, though, while traveling Europe with my brother and his friend, his friend never called me by my real name, but, instead, of course, Avril.

Matilda. You know, the little genius brunette girl with the magical powers in the movie, Matilda, from the ’90s. My first boyfriend’s mother was convinced that I was somehow related to Mara Wilson. She called me “Matilda.” She even wrote it on Christmas cards. I’ve never heard her use my real name. She said everything about me reminded her of that little girl. The only resemblance I saw was the brown hair. Oh, and the magical powers.

Jessica Biel

Jessica Biel. According to many, I resemble Jessica Biel, and I seem to get that more as I grow into a mature looking adult. I take that as a very big compliment because physically, Jessica Biel is in top-notch shape. And to top it off, she has a dazzling personality. I’m nowhere close to a carbon copy, but that compliment is always a complete happy mood booster.

Who do you remind people of?