Of Men in Tights and Destiny

(image via: here.)

Sometimes in life really cool coincidences occur. One just happened to me. And it was so random that I just have to share.

Every October I get super excited about Halloween. Along with getting excited, I get impulsive. At first I thought I wanted to be "all creative" and put together my own costume by mixing purchases with thrift-store finds with diy projects. I decided I wanted to be Robin Hood. I envisioned my cute little green dress from home, green tights, some boots, a bow and arrow, and of course the quintessential Robin Hood hat.

Before finding any of the other pieces of the costume, I came across thee perfect hat on Amazon. It was a good deal---like 10ish dollars and free shipping! I caved. I ordered the hat. And before it arrived via mail, I'd already purchased a costume from the local Halloween boutique. I know, I know. What happened to being "all creative"? Well, time and money. Firstly, I looked ahead at my schedule and realized I wasn't going to have a lot of time to go home and get my dress, rummage through thrift stores, or get crafty. And while some people may argue that it's always cheaper to put together a homemade costume rather than buy one, I beg to differ in this case. I got my costume from the Halloween boutique at a good price, plus 20% off. By the time I would have ran all of the place for different pieces of a Robin Hood costume and used the gas to drive all over town and the two hours to and from home... I decided a store-bought costume was my best bet.

So the Robin Hood hat arrived. I looked at it, admired its cuteness, and wished I would have started planning a costume back in September. But I didn't take it outta the bag. I just stuck it away in one of the drawers of my desk and all but forgot about it. Until yesterday...

You see, I work at a major clothing retailer/department store in the Men's Department. And lately a lot of guys have been coming in looking for pieces for the costumes. (Sweater vests so that they can dress up as old men, a bow-tie so they can dress up as James Bond, etc.) These are creative guys! Anyway, a guy came up to the customer service desk and asked my co-worker where he could get green tights. He went on to explain that he and some friends were going to Vegas this Halloween weekend for a buddy's bachelor party. And they were all going to dress up like Robin Hoods.

So I was all like, "Hey! You're not going to believe this, but I have a brand new Robin Hood hat that I don't need and would love to get rid of."

And he was all like, "No way?!"

I told him the long-story-short version of how I was going to be Robin Hood but changed my mind and ended up with a hat I wasn't going to use. He offered to buy. And I gave him my e-mail address. Then we today at the college library. He got the hat; I got 10 bucks. He was super thrilled and I was relieved of a random costume piece.

Isn't life incredibly random and funny?

MidTerm Update

(image via: here.)

Sooo despite being sick, my actual midterm week wasn't that bad. It's this week that's killing me. Two tests. Ugh. Linguistics today and Middle Childhood Development tomorrow. The Linguistics isn't so bad---I really enjoy learning about how language works, as nerdy as that sounds. ;) Middle Childhood Development though---well, it bores me to the core.

So that's where I've been, my loves. My nose has been in my textbook and my eyes have been glued to PowerPoint reviews.

We've had such a beautiful Indian summer here in Iowa, but this week the weather has changed its mind. The winds blew in along with the cold. Brrrr. There are rumors that snow is in the forecast for this weekend. This weekend! Halloween weekend! I refuse to believe such gossip. And Wunderground shows no little snowflakes so I think I can rest assured that I'm safe to go out in my adorable Halloween costume. :)

Sooo sorry for all you Minnesotans putting up with snow right now!

But I really need some coffee. And I'd love to steal away to the roof of one of the many campus buildings to just take a breather away from it all. Like in this pic:

(image via: here.)

Yes, that would be ideal.

How did you survive MidTerms, lovelies? Any big plans for Halloween?

Favorite Teachers

(image via: here.)

We've all had those special teachers who've really had an impact on us. Sarah of yes and yes, one of my daily blog reads, published a post about her favorite teachers. It got me thinking and inspired me to do the same.

Mrs. Lowry - Jr. High English & Literature
I always looked forward to her class because she was cheerful and fun. Plus, she assigned a lot of projects that allowed students to use and show off their talents and creativity. I loved being able to develop my own project to tie in with whatever unit we were studying.

Mrs. DeJong - Jr. High English & Literature
On one of my creative writing assignments, she wrote that she wanted a signed copy of my first published book. I still have that paper that she wrote that on. Being so young and so in love with writing, it gave me a boost of confidence and inspiration. Someday, when I do get published... she's definitely getting an autographed copy! ;)

Mrs. Slofkosky - Jr. High English & Literature
Sensing a trend here? I just loved my English teachers. This was another woman who encouraged me and challenged me with my writing. I'm a very wordy person and before her class I'd sometimes write 20-page papers... for an eighth grade class! :S Thanks to her, I toned it down to 10ish pages.

Mr. Tarr - Jr. High History
First of all, he made all eras of history fun and interesting. He also assigned projects that allowed students to be wildly creative and I loved that. And even though he taught history, he played a big part in my love of writing. He assigned one paper where we were to write some kind of first person narrative about something in history. I got so into it that I went above and beyond what he asked. I ended up turning in a 79-page story---or novelette. Not only did he read it, but he took it home to his wife and had her read it. Both of them gave such encouraging words. I'm still working on that story six years later. It's changed a lot, but the heart of the story hasn't.

Mrs. Butler - High School English
She was just awesome. Eclectic, funny, smart, encouraging, and a little kooky. She was someone I really looked up to as the kind of teacher that I wanted to be. Plus, she graduated from the college that I'm attending right now!

Mr. Wright - High School Theatre & Speech
This man was by far the most inspiring teacher I ever had. I tribute my love of theatre to him. He retired before I ever got to have him as an actual director, but I was able to learn from by sitting in his class, working for him at the local auditorium, and being directed by him in our children's theatre troupe. I really miss the days when I was able to work for him at the theatre and enjoy his class.

Mr. Burrow - High School Spanish & History
This man was just incredibly smart and super funny. He'd studied for years in Spain and really knew how to open us up to the Spanish culture while learning the language. Plus, he knew everything. And when we got to that point in history class when we learned about ancient history... I gobbled it all up. Fascinating stuff!

Dr. Wiegand - College British Literature
This woman was just cool. She was short and curvy with gorgeous red hair. She dressed with great fashion sense---pretty dresses, nice suits, and the most amazing shoes. I really remember her pair of 5-inch hot pink heels with the big flowers on the toes. She always looked good and pulled together. But... she was absolutely terrifying. She's probably the most intelligent woman person I've ever been taught by---I mean, she was a true expert in her field. The class was hard, but she demanded your best. And while she was intimidating, it worked in my favor. I wanted to do my best in her class. I admired her and wanted her praise. It meant a lot to me to receive an A in her class, considering how hard she purposefully made the course.

Dr. Nakadate - College American Literature
I enjoyed his class because he surprised me every time class met. I'd be assigned to read some piece of American Literature that I often found to be boring and dull. Then I'd go to class the next day and through his lecture and class discussion, I fell in love with poem/story/essay. When it first happened, I thought it was coincidence. But it kept happening and I loved it. Usually it's the other way around. Profs assign a reading, you tear it apart in class, you dissect and analyze every word until you absolutely abhor it. It was opposite in his class. He just had such an amazing, exciting passion for American Literature and his enthusiasm was contagious.

As you can see, I tend to like my English and History teachers. These ones have all made a great impact on my life.

Tell me about your favorite teachers and professors and why you liked them so much.

Edamame | Meet My New Favorite Snack

So Tuesday night a girlfriend and I went out to a Japanese Steakhouse for sushi and martini night. I've just recently discovered my fondness for sushi. (Who knew?!) But my friend introduced me to something that I now can't get enough of.

Edamame!

Edamame is basically immature soybeans still in the pod. The pods are boiled and salted. You squeeze the pod and the tasty little bean pops into your mouth. It's heaven.

After eating edamame as our appetizer before sushi, I was completely addicted. But where would I get edamame? My friend had searched the various grocery stores in town to no avail. I woke up this morning with an insatiable craving for more edamame. So I decided to hit up the Asian Food Markets in my town. The first one was a win.

The edamame comes frozen in a bag---and only $1.50 per bag!! I was so excited that I couldn't stop smiling at the Asian cashier who probably wondered what the crazy American girl was so happy about. Then I hurried home to make my edamame.

First, Boil some water. When the water is boiling, throw in some salt and some Sichuan pepper if you have it on hand---I had it on hand because my roomie is Chinese and she suggested I add it. ;) Add in as many soybean pods as you want. Let 'em boil for a good 5-8 minutes so that the beans inside are tender. Drain off the water, toss 'em in a bowl, and liberally sprinkle on the sea salt. Start eating! They can be served hot or after they've cooled down.

I know this sounds too easy to be true---but that's why I'm so psyched about. The best part? Edamame beans are rich in carbohydrates, protein, dietary fiber, omega fatty acids, and micro-nutrients like folic acid, manganese, and vitamin K. They're a yummy snack with a nutritious punch!

Next time you're out at an Asian restaurant, request some edamame as your appetizer. Or make it at home! Mine really turned out just as good as the ones I ate at the restaurant. (:

Halloween Costume Inspiration 5

AJH Cate Greenland - Halloween Costume! by Fade To Black featuring a print dress

Cute as a button as Minni Mouse!
Polka-dot dress, pink pumps, pink belt, big pink
bow, and black mouse ears a necessity.

Ella: Halloween by gr8scottmarty featuring a bra dress

Gotta catch 'em all!
Yellow dress, yellow sneakers, Pikachu ears,
rosy red cheeks, and red jewelry.

What a Doll by c0lekristine featuring hoop earrings

Get all dolled up by going out as Barbie!
Pink everything and a blond wig. :)

Halloween Costume! by Peter&wendy featuring a sheer blouse

Easy to pull together and always a crowd-pleaser.
High-waisted bell bottoms, hippie blouse,
cute sandals, peace-sign jewelry, braided hair.

New Poll: Halloween Costumes!

If you haven't noticed, there's a new poll over in the right-hand menu beneath the Fall Giveaway section. In the spirit of Halloween, Lovely Undergrad wants to know what kind of costume you'll be flaunting this Halloween.

Will it be something scary and spooky... like a witch or ghoul?
Something cute, fun, and easy to diy... like a pirate or cheerleader?
Something sexy and naughty... like the classic school girl or police officer?
Something pretty and girly... like a princess or ballerina?
Something weird and a little nerdy... like a Harry Potter character?
...Or are you still trying to figure it out?

Leave your costume ideas here in a comment... but be sure to take part in the poll, too!

DownEast Basics Giveaway Winner!

First of all, I'm so-soo-sooo sorry that this winner announcement is delayed. :( Midterms and sickness has definitely kicked my butt this past week... thank goodness I had all those Halloween posts scheduled for publishing or this blog would have been a lonely place.

Now... for the winner. (Drum roll, please.)

Kayla!

Kayla said that she "fell in love at first sight with the Perfect Peplum Jacket in Deep Plum!"

Congrats, Kayla! I'll be contacting you via e-mail with ordering instructions and such.

Everyone else---thanks for entering and stay tuned for more giveaways!

Halloween Costume Inspiration 4

Halloween Costume - Venus, Goddess of Love by imonfirex727 featuring bride dresses

Grecian goddesses are always gorgeous.
Flowy white dress, gladiator sandals, gold jewelry.

halloween costume [= by Bσυиcєxσx™ featuring a cotton vest

Go out as your favorite rhyming trouble-maker.
Black leggings, white tee, black cardigan, black boots,
red bow-tie, Dr. Suess hat, nose & whiskers.

35/5O - Halloween Costume by »»♪♫.AlyssaAtomic featuring nautical jewelry

To sea, to sea!
Sailor dress, white tights, nautical shoes and accessories.

Halloween costume idea #1 Superheroes by Tess.oh.la.la featuring a red skirt

Add glam to Super Man.
Red mini skirt, Super Man tee, gold belt and shoes.

Pocahontas by Miss.Golightly featuring oasis shoes

Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains?
Brown embroidered tunic, moccasins, Native American jewelry.

Halloween Costume Inspiration 3

spongebob~ costume by guardygirl42 featuring crew shoes

Spongebob Squarepants!
Khaki skirt, yellow shirt over white polo, red tie,
striped long socks, black heels. So fun and cute!

Halloween Costume Contest by {tictac}♥ featuring 3 4 sleeve tops

A great idea if you wanna coordinate with your bestie!
Red pants, red & white striped shirt with Thing 1 &
Thing 2 written on it, chucks, wild blue wigs.

[52] Cuz its your time...Time to fly by Colored Girl featuring leggings tights

Simple and so very pretty.
Pink dress, black tights, ballet flats, pretty jewelry.

COSTUME FUN!!! by RluvsG featuring leiber handbags

Fringe dress, vintage inspired black heels, gloves,
pearls, stockings, bob haircut strongly suggested.

Cute Nerd Halloween Costume by Polyvore Tips (: featuring gold earrings

Be the cutest nerd on the block.
Denim skirt, cardigan, knitted vest, mary-jane flats, glasses.

Halloween Costume Inspiration 2

The Librarian by Counterlines featuring a knit cardigan

Gotta love the naughty librarian look. ;)
Tweed skirt, cardigan, high-heeled oxfords,
fancy-schmancy glasses, pencil in hair.

halloween costume by vivalaholly featuring converse shoes

Stand out at a party by blending in.
Blue jeans, red & white striped tank, chucks,
red & white striped hat, big black glasses.

Pirata by mayara! featuring lace up boots

Hoist the jolly roger this Hallow's Eve!
Frilly dress, wide leather belt, lots of jewelry,
knee-high black boots, and a tri-corn hat.

Smurfette Costume by meganashley featuring white pumps

Smurfette = absolutely adorable!
White dress, blue tights and long-sleeve shirt,
white shoes, blonde wig, blue make-up and nails.

Wizard of Oz Costume by maggie * featuring cotton socks

You'll be off to see the wizard in this get-up!
Blue & white gingham skirt, white top, red shoes,
pigtails, toto dog optional.

Halloween Costume Inspiration 1

halloween costumes 2 by bpaula featuring white jewelry

What's more glamorous than dressing up as Marilyn Monroe?
White dress, white heels, blonde wig, red lipstick & nails.

Pippie Longstockings by Faithfashion! featuring vintage handbags

I loved Pippi Longstocking back in the day!
Blue skirt, red & white striped tee, pigtails, boots.

Halloween Costume by je te'aime(e) featuring shoes pumps

Sexy school-teacher, anyone?
Sky-high heels, knee-high socks, curve-hugging pencil
skirt, glasses, cardigan, pencil in hair, ruler in hand.

Happy Halloween! by But does NY ♥ you? featuring vintage sunglasses

Be one of the Scooby-Doo gang!
Red skirt, orange turtleneck, orange socks,
red mary-janes, big black glasses.

lisa simpson by Lizzie *dn_nb* featuring pearl jewelry

Lisa was always my favorite Simpson. :)
Red dress, pearl necklace, saxophone.

Make the most of Halloween!

Get dressed up and go out! Whether you host a small get-together with the girls, get invited to a big Halloween bash, or hit up the bars on Halloween night... this is the obvious and funnest way to spend your Halloween. Costumes are definitely the best part---you get to see who's the most creative and who's got the best sense of humor. Plus, it's just fun to get all dressed up! (image via here.)

Trick-or-treat! Well, college students are bit too old to do that. But it's lots of fun to hand out candy-bars to local kiddies---and their costumes are always so adorable! Check your town's newspaper for when the trick-or-treating goes down. There may also be Halloween activities you can get involved with and volunteer for. (image via here.)

Call on your creative side and carve a pumpkin. Forget the basic eyes, nose, and toothy smile, though. Go for something more fabulous. Your favorite brand of clothes, a cameo silhouette, a pretty damask design, or an artful monogram. If scooping out the insides and carving the pumpkin isn't for you... paint it instead! (image via here.)

Get spooked! At this time of year the haunted attractions are at their peak. Tour a haunted house. Hit up a haunted forest. Or try to find your way around in a haunted corn maze. Getting scared can be so much! Bring your guy for an arm to cling to. Or bring a big group of gals for a bloodcurdling scream-fest! (image via here.)

Read ghost stories or have a scary movie night with friends. Don't forget to load up on junk food, candy corn, and other Halloween-goodies beforehand. (image via here.)

2 Giveaways to Enter!

If you haven't entered either of the giveaways, you're missing out! Enter the Fall Decor Giveaway to win a gift certificate good at any CSN online store. And enter the DownEast Basics Giveaway to win a new arrival.