Shakespeare, Mountains and Being a Dad

Shakespeare, Mountains and Being a Dad Yesterday I headed out to the Mountains in Utah with a bunch of youth, including my daughter, who are part of a Shakespeare club.  Were going to a Shakespeare camp Today I should be having a ton of fun, even though I dont have internet connection (Im writing this Sunday night). Its hard to peel myself away from WORK, but isnt this what it is always about? Im sure Im making awesome, lifelong memories! Love you Sam! Shakespeare, Mountains and Being a Dad Yesterday I headed out to the Mountains in Utah with a bunch of youth, including my daughter, who are part of a Shakespeare club.  Were going to a Shakespeare camp Today I should be having a ton of fun, even though I dont have internet connection (Im writing this Sunday night). Its hard to peel myself away from WORK, but isnt this what it is always about? Im sure Im making awesome, lifelong memories! Love you Sam!

Slay On Your Vacay

Slay On Your Vacay It’s that time of year again where you start to think about a new destination for your summer holiday. Perhaps you are off to party on one of the Greek islands. Or, maybe you’d like to let your inner child out and head over to Disney World. Believe it or not, this can be the perfect vacation possibility for couples looking to have fun without the typical drinking and dancing. You might have even already chosen and booked your next vacation. Now, it’s time to get ready and make sure you’re on the way to slay on your vacay. How do you do this? Well, you should definitely look at the summer style trends, find out what’s in and out this year. You might want to get a new hairdo to match your carefree attitude. You may even want to think about getting that tan early before you ever get on the plane! Luckily, you’ll find all the tips you need right here, and we will make sure that you look absolutely incredible on the beach. But first, we have an important question that must be asked. Are you beach body ready? Getting The Beach Bod Don’t worry if you’re not, hardly anyone is. After all, summer might be right around the corner, but Mcdonalds Monopoly is right now so we wouldn’t blame you if you’ve struggled to drop that dress size. Luckily, there’s still time to make things right, and if you work at it, you can drop those pounds in the limited time that you have left. To get started let’s think about your exercise routine. If you don’t have one, make sure that you squeeze in forty minutes of exercise three times a week. That’s all you need unless you’re in a worse state than you would like to admit. If that’s the case, it’s best to workout every other day. But the truth is it doesn’t matter how often you’re working out if you’re not completing the right exercise. You need to focus on the problem areas of your body. For instance, it’s possible that that tum is starting to look a little like a drum underneath your shirt. If that’s the case, focus on crunches or situps. If you want to lose weight sit-ups are your go to move and if you just want to tone up, get the crunch down. The trick behind a good crunch is that you lift up until you feel the pain. Yep, sometimes fitness mantras are completely true. Or, how about those legs, are they looking a little flabby? Mountain climbers would be your best bet here. No, we’re not talking about heading out onto the hills. Simply adopt the pose of a press up, and lift each leg as though you’re climbing a mountain. You’ll soon see impressive changes so don’t skip leg day! Sagging buttocks? Squeeze in a few squats before your morning routine, and you’ll soon find it tightens like you want it to. Of course, exercise won’t do much if you’re still eating a terrible diet. So, think about cutting out all the junk and definitely take deserts out the equation for the next few months. If you do this and you’re honest with yourself, we think you’ll definitely be ready to buy that bikini. Of course, looking good on the beach isn’t everything. A Few Shades Darker Image Source Usually, there’s a time at the beginning of a holiday where everyone feels out of place and uncomfortable. If you’ve headed to a tropical destination, you’ll be surrounded by people who have already achieved their killer tan, and next to them you just look like a pale fish. What’s the solution to this issue? Tan before you go! Make sure that you are at least a couple of shades darker before you even get on the plane. To do this, there are a few options. You can head to a tanning salon, buy a spray on tan in store or head to a professional beauty parlor. Now a tanning salon will get you the closes to a proper, authentic, natural tan. But if you’ve heard of the dangers of this type of treatment you might be eager to avoid it. It is possible to get a great looking tan from products you can buy in store and essentially DIY, but you have to be very careful. If you leave it on too long, you could end up looking like an orange mess, and we’re quite sure you don’t want that. This is why getting it done by the pros is the best option. It also avoids you having any weird areas on the body where you haven’t tanned properly. Once you’ve got your tan sorted, you’re probably going to be thinking about getting your summer wardrobe which is a smart move. So, what type of styles are in fashion this season? Perfecting Your Summer Style Image Source Well, this year, bold is big, and that means you can choose vibrant, neon colors for your outfits mixing and matching them. So, for instance, you could have a neon pink tank top with yellow shorts. Color blocking is going to be very popular this year so don’t worry, you won’t look out of place with these type of styles. Of course, if you want to stand out a little less, you can think about opting for cream and white colors for your wardrobe. On a practical level, these will keep you cool in the hottest climates and style wise they just make you look clean and simple. You can never go wrong with a little minimalism for your wardrobe. As for the beach scene, you may want to think about going retro. If the latest music videos are anything to go buy, vintage and retro styles are back in this year. So, have a look for swimwear with frills polka dots and the type of styles that wouldn’t look out of place in a 70’s summer flick. Also in style are shoulderless tops and subtle crops. Showing some skin has gone ultra classy this year with minimalism being the key. Giving a little tease or a glimmer of mid drift is more fashionable than wearing a top that ends above your belly button. If you are opting for a crop match it with high waist jeans to look effortlessly chic. When You Have A Brand New Hair Do Image Source You’ll look absolutely stunning as you step off the plane for your vacation. There are lots of choices to choose from when you restyle your hair for summer. If you want to stay cool and carefree, you can choose the ultra short, pixie cut. This has recently re-entered the fashion scene thanks to Emma Watson and Katy Perry. It can look absolutely fantastic with the right stylist. Or, you could head in the completely opposite direction and choose longer locks. We’re pretty sure Charlize Theron was wearing hair extensions for her luscious and beautiful hair in The Fate Of The Furious. So, if you stared at the screen and thought ‘that’s the summer style I want,’ this is your answer. Alternatively, you can think about changing up your hair color for the summer vacay. Miley is leading the way here with the return of her long locks and the ends dyed blonde. It looks fantastic and could certainly be the inspiration for your summer style. Weird Blends That Are In The Trends Image Source If you thought vintage bikinis were a weird fashion choice this year, you haven’t seen anything yet. There are plenty of other odd little details that are nevertheless definitely on the fashionable scene for you vacation. For instance, you must make sure you get your very own large, floppy hat. You know the kind that can be spotted from a mile away? Yep, that’s the look you should really opt for this season. Although we have a sneaky suspicion, it’s just a way to make smart sun sense seem stylish. Other oddities? Well, you should certainly think about heading back to the 50’s for some glasses that are like cats eyes. This just proves that if you wait long enough, everything comes back in style eventually! Accessorize Image Source Finally, those cat glasses from the 50’s are an example of one of the summer accessories you should purchase for your vacation. There are plenty more. Big neck jewelry is definitely in and right now. High waisted shorts, a white crop and a large necklace could be the perfect outfit if you’re heading on a clubbing vacation with the girls. Or, you might want to think about getting a smartwatch to show you are tech forward and completely in sync with the latest trend. You might think this is quite an expensive accessory purely for style purposes. However, you’ll probably be surprised by just how many people will be wearing this type of accessory on their next vacation. Not to mention the Raybans worth hundreds of dollars. The lesson here? There’s no such thing as overspending on your summer budget. Looking good is definitely going to cost you.

The F Word Coming to Terms with Feminism

The F Word Coming to Terms with Feminism Feminism. It’s a loaded word. Depending who you ask it can have a positive or negative connotation, and people’s individual definitions start to stack up pretty fast. Ive never liked the word feminism. I’m one of those people who has often referred to it as a term for man-hating women pushing to have more rights than men. Hearing from a few male friends, they feel that the word “feminism” simply sounds like it is about championing women over men. And since sexism and genderism have already been taken, perhaps we need to be looking at the meaning of feminism more than the word itself. I believe it is time to take a step back and get to the core of what it truly means to be a feminist. Revisiting Feminism At its most basic point, feminism is about women having equal opportunities to their male counterparts. This doesnt mean that there should be sex-based affirmative action where women who are underqualified are selected for opportunities simply because they are female, but women should be allowed to try anything. In [amazon template=productasin=B00IY1JCTW], the comedian says, “Stop telling girls they can be anything they want when they grow up. I think it’s a mistake, not because they can’t but because it wouldve never occurred to them they couldnt.” Using Silverman’s quote as a true example of women being able to think and do anything, I have three resilient examples of the strength of women that come immediately to mind. I think first to my sorority (actually a fraternity itself because the word sorority was not in use at the time of its founding), which was established by a few strong, educated women who believed they should be allowed to have their own organization. Not simply be pinned as honorary members of a men’s fraternity. I continue to give back to this organization as a volunteer so that the strengths of my sisters both young and old are nourished and developed, demonstrating our myriad of abilities in our businesses, our communities and our families. I think secondly to the United States Navy. (Yes, the U.S. Military made this list.) A notification due by July 1, 2015 will determine whether women will be allowed to qualify as Navy SEALs starting in 2016. Women testing for this opportunity must meet the same requirements as their male counterparts. The success in this story is not how many women will actually be accepted, but that a trial run of 30 female candidates was successful and the outlook is favorable for women gaining the opportunity to try for admission into one of the military’s most elite ranks. Finally my mind turns to A Mighty Girl, which self describes as “the world’s largest collection of books, toys, and movies for parenting, teachers, and others dedicated to raising smart, confident, and courageous girls.” A Mighty Girl champions girls to have a realistic view of themselves and to pursue any dreams they choose, letting young women know they can succeed in their own right. The work of A Mighty Girl puts into action Silverman’s words â€" don’t tell girls they can’t do something because they would never have supposed otherwise. Feminism and Career An article published earlier this month in Newsweek titled “What Silicon Valley Thinks of Women” (the magazine’s cover image is a basic tell-all), shows just how relevant career resources for gender equality are today. Sites like GlassCeiling.com, a career resource site for female entrepreneurs, and Glassbreakers, a “safe, supportive and dynamic online community for professional women,” are continually relevant for women looking to make something of themselves in all areas of what is still a very male-centered business world. Recently, Abbi Gabasa, Managing Editor for Ms. Career Girl, Jason Batansky, the company’s owner, and I had a wonderful opportunity to speak with Tim Muma at LocalJobNetwork.com about Ms. Career Girl and the importance of having well-rounded career resources geared specifically for women. Listening to the shared views of Abbi, Jason, and myself as we spoke with Tim, I found opportunity to revisit the idea of being a feminist, and not in my own preconceptions of it as a radical label, but as a title of strength and opportunity for women to continue to grow and succeed in business and in life. As we say at Ms. Career Girl â€" you CAN have it all â€" a booming career, a happy family, loving relationships and a solid sense of self, that is, if you put in the conscious effort to claim it. It is with my newly defined understanding of the idea of feminism that I will continue to educate men and women, and push for gender equality in life and in the workplace. As a friend said recently, “Weve got to fight this good fight together. And it’s not just women. Men need to be supportive too, they have to believe in equality, too.” Have something to say about  Alissas thoughts on Feminism? Let her know in the comments below or tweet us @mscareergirl.