Brunch Attire

Hi everyone! Not too much has happened since I was out of school for the entire week (!!) other than my official self-diagnosis of extreme cabin fever. Even with the streets plowed it's been a bit of a struggle to get out of the house so when the snow finally began to melt I practically jumped at the opportunity to take a few pictures outside before heading out to brunch with some friends. Here they are! 

sweater (sold out but similar)//madewell - jacket (old but similar)//burberry - jeans//jcrew  - boots(sold out but similar)//target

xoxo, LC

Let's chat about: The Martian by Andy Weir

I am hesitant to call this a review, because to be perfectly honest, what qualifies me to review anything? I guess no one really needs any sort of qualification to post a product or restaurant review on the internet but still, to label this post as a "review" seems so official, and significantly more boring. 

So I've decided to call this a chat. Granted, it's more of a one-sided chat, and the topic will be about a book- but nonetheless, this is a chat, not a review. Let's get into it!

If you read my last post (which you totally should btw,) you would know that I watched Interstellar a few days ago. And it totally blew my mind. Now I don't want to spoil anything so I won't go into details but let's just say that I will never look at the space time continuum the same way again. Not that I did too much looking in the first place, but still. Wow. 

Anyway, I guess I was in a 'space-y' mood , and needed a book to read whilst stuck inside so I happened upon the Martian in my kindle library. 

It had been so long since I started and finished an entire book, just for fun, and when I was a kid I used to read all the time. I mean I didn't even know what Disney Channel was until I was probably 7 or 8. TV just never interested me, and I went through tons of books. I used to devour any book I could get my hands on.  

And I didn't realize how much I had missed it until now.

The Martian in a word was: awesome.

It was a little science-y for me as someone who hated Chemistry, but other than that it was an easy read, appeared to me to be quite plausible, (anyone who knows any better feel free to call me out on that) and I loved it. It became a little redundant towards the end, I mean I get it; he has a life-threatening problem, and miraculously solves it using science and old tools. But still, overall a fantastic read. It only took me a day to finish it, and the science of it didn't steer me away. I was able to understand most of it, and when I didn't it didn't stop me from understanding the situation as a whole, or what was going on. It really pulled me in, and is an easy read for anyone looking for a quick fix because you won't be able to put it down.
And to be honest even though I don't usually like super science-y science fiction novels, I felt like the exact science in the book added rather than took away from its quality. The only thing I thought was missing in the movie was the science; without exact proof the film felt a bit far-fetched. So while it may be a bit daunting, it really made the whole thing believable, and even more compelling to read.

I think the main problem people have with science fiction is that you are forced to suspend all beliefs and just think, "Okay, so he can do ____. Got it." and just assume that in some hypothetical future, it could be possible. But with The Martian, you didn't need to do that, because everything is actually possible.
Another aspect of the book that I felt the author did an amazing job of was developing each character. In many science fiction books, the characters and their personalities remain untouched. Weir did an amazing job of covering all his bases about how a man being stranded on Mars would affect everyone else involved, like the crew and the higher-ups in NASA on earth. The additional conflicts between the people on earth in their attempts to save Mark Watney added to the suspension of the novel and hooked you in even deeper.

Overall: 9/10
Would definitely recommend!

xoxo, LC

Jonas is upon us...and here's what I've done

I HAVE OFFICIALLY MADE IT HALFWAY THROUGH JUNIOR YEAR. 

That statement definitely deserved all capital letters because whether I did as well as I wanted to, or got as much sleep as I should have, I made it; and for that I am proud of myself. Not to mention that it was pretty touch-and-go for a while and I seriously considered dropping out of high school altogether and becoming a nun. Maybe not a nun, but I'm sure you get the point. 

Anyway that is where I've been for the past few weeks, last week was finals week and I was supposed to take the SAT this morning, (thank you @jonas for postponing that) so I've been a little busy, holed up in my room with study guides and textbooks. But I'm back now, just in time for one of the biggest blizzards Maryland has ever seen. 

So far I have been trapped in my house for almost a day. And it's getting pretty cramped in here. Not really of course, but not being able to go out has taken a toll on everyone, especially my dog who has become significantly crabbier than usual. This has effectively ruled out puppy snuggles, which I think is extremely unfair. Just thought I'd mention it. 

Furthermore, my options for things to do in the house, have grown dramatically boring. At this point I have been cordially invited to do a few of the following:

-fold laundry

-take SAT practice tests

-help shovel the driveway

-workout

-clean out my closet/room 

-read a book

So you see, as a way of avoiding the aforementioned tasks, I have comprised a list of things that I have noticed so far, as a result of being stuck inside. 

If you're trapped inside like me, then please feel free to partake in a few of the following as they have proven to be quite effective at combatting boredom. 

1// It has come to my attention that the "news teams and weather people on TV need restricted access to their thesauruses." (direct quote from my mother)

Last evening, when it was hardly misting and there were less than 2 inches of snow on the ground, the snowstorm was described as "crippling." According to the Washington Post a few days ago, the "epic blizzard" is "virtually certain to pummel the Washington area..." Those words seem a bit dramatic to me, and as of right now I have felt no cripple or pummel, but we'll see how it goes. 

2//Interstellar is the most mind-boggling movie I have ever seen.

I was literally speechless after watching a movie that took me on the longest emotional roller coaster of my entire life. I don't want to spoil anything but let's just say that there were multiple points where I actually gasped out loud and put my hand over my mouth and almost cried. I will not be sleeping soundly until I'm 124 years old. wink wink. 

3//Madewell has a great blog.

I am a firm believer in the clothes that both Madewell and J. Crew produce, but I did not know that Madewell had a blog until recently. (I think J. Crew might have one too.) They post really cool links, like this awesome personality test that I took that I feel added some serious depth into what my life is like and has the potential to be. I will be checking it out regularly and will be diligently reading up on their tips for a capsule wardrobe this weekend.

4//There is a difference between a snowstorm and a blizzard.

As I mentioned before, Jonas has practically forced boredom onto me, so I decided to do a little bit of research, (to be read as: a google search) on what actually makes a blizzard different from a snowstorm. Because why not?

According to Wikipedia:

"In the United States, the National Weather Service defines a blizzard as a severe snowstorm characterized by strong winds causing blowing snow that results in low visibilities. The difference between a blizzard and a snowstorm is the strength of the wind, not the amount of snow." -Wikipedia

I'll bet your life is significantly more fulfilling now that you know this information, you're welcome. 

5// Casey Neistat has the most interesting content on the internet.

Watch his videos, you'll be inspired to do way more than you thought possible, and learn a thing or two about being a quality human being and remaining humble. If you decide to ignore this then you might actually be a horrible person. So I suggest you check him out. 

6// I have become quite good at the board game Blokus.

For those of you who don't know what Blokus is or how to play it, I leave you with this link to the rules and regulations because I am far too lazy to type them up. 

Growing up I played with my parents all the time, and now a snowstorm blizzard isn't complete without a a few games. I used to stink, but after years of practice I have become a (self-declared) blokus master. Just so you know my stats, out of the last three games we've played, I have won two and in the last round I got rid of all of my pieces. I hate to lose, so I play with no mercy* (just ask my parents) and will continue to win for the rest of the weekend because I am absolutely unstoppable. 

*As of right now it should be noted that this snowstorm as forced me to focus in on highly unimportant things, such as, hypothetically speaking, winning a board game, and if this goes on for much longer I could possibly lose the affection of every living person in my house. Will send for help if it reach a critical point. 

7// I have seen far too many photos of Bean Boots on my instagram feed. 

I love instagram. I also love my Bean Boots. I am very aware of the fact that there is a whole lot of snow outside in a whole lot of places and Bean Boots were created for withstanding snow, but if everyone who I follow on instagram would please take a chill pill and relax with the pictures of feet in the snow, it would be much appreciated. Thank you for your time, sorry for being such a complainer. 

It is here that I leave you with some low-quality pictures of Jonas taken from the warmth of my home, as that is where I have been trapped for the past day, and will most likely remain trapped for a while. Stay warm!
xoxo, LC