Cheers!: 2014 please be good!

Cheers!: 2014 please be good!

                                         


                              I always grow plagued with some sort of anxiety while faced in the leading hours of the upcoming year . My heart rejoices as it beholds the anticipating hearts of all around the world, New York's celebrations being documented in the preceding moments of the ball drop in the heart of Time's Square. I repeatedly tell myself "It's the last few moments" of that current year, the number dimming with every passing second. It's sort of bittersweet, and I won't deny that my grip remains white knuckled and clasping that current yet diminishing year as I watch the final moments of it progress into it's death. In fact, I might even go so far as to call it somewhat terrifying, the thought of a new year. Perhaps that can be blamed on the fear enthralled in the virus of uncertainty. 

                  But then, at the same time... there's a part of me can't help but rejoice with the knowledge that a new beginning is yet to come! A new year, a year fresh with new adventures and explorations, lessons to learn, moments to cherish and add to our collective memories as well as brand new people to meet and treasure deep inside of our hearts. I suppose whilst letting go of the past, learning to move on from what was, we'll be blessed with new experiences to forever cherish. Besides, we're not leaving the current year empty handed! Our hearts and minds bear plenty of jewels and endless gifts granted from the occurrences of the dying year. And with that said, I shall bid farewell to 2013! Here's to a new beginning, a brand new venture in life! I shall finish, however, by thanking 2013 for all of it's precious memories, the ones I'll carry into this next one! So, here's to 2014! Please be good! 

Cheers, everyone!;)

xoxo~ Erin ;)

5 Golden Rings: Remembering the 12 Days of Christmas

                                                           5 Golden Rings
                  Remembering of the 12 Days of Christmas

                                           Call it lazy if you'd like, however, this Christmas season has been loaded with hustle and bustle... especially for me as I embark on the seemingly endless demands of my recently acquired job! Perhaps it could be blamed mostly on the 5 a.m. to 2 o'clock p.m. shifts that drained me in particular. One thing's for certain, however... and that's that there have been no Christmas posts whatsoever on my part, something that I find to be a great and most unfortunate side effect of my chaotic new schedule! 

(No snarky comments either! Working hard's a huge adjustment for me...)

 I just love Christmas... ah! I simply adore it!!

Yes! I'm the girl who has Christmas music blasting in her headphones and on the radio, who loves baking cookies and pies and making snowmen and decorating the tree, so, I suppose if it weren't for my beliefs as a Catholic (that with the 25th of December, Christmas has merely just begun), I'd be beyond devastated at the realization that my opportunities for Christmas posts has already been closed!

 To most out there, with the stroke of Midnight on the 26th of December, it is quickly to be arranged for all of the glistening bulbs laced over the frosty rooftops to be taken down and stored away for next year as soon as possible, the light encrusted pine tree in the living room faced with an appointment with the Waste Management truck the very next morning.

  

    As for all all of the Christmas items at your local gift-shops, they are set to be marked down in the early hours of that morning as well, their meager prices intended for getting rid of all of the store's Christmas merchandise as quickly as humanly possible.

                           But, if you ask me... everyone could stand to slow down about a gazillion notches. Save that pine scented greenery for a little while longer and let those jewel toned lights sparkle on for a few more weeks. It's still Jesus' Birthday for goodness sake! Why take down the decorations when it's only just begun? Haven't you ever heard of the "12 Days of Christmas"?

Why, it's only the 5th day of Christmas today, not 5 days after the end but the beginning of the Christmas Season! Christ's birthday goes on until at least the Epiphany, when we commemorate the special visit from the Three Wise Men to Jesus, each of whom bore precious gifts to offer the Infant King. 

So, with all that said... please remember that Christmas is not over but has merely just begun. Think of the song "The 12 Days of Christmas". It's only the 5th day and there's still room for plenty of evenings spent watching some classic Christmas films 

       

some Hot Chocolate and sugar cookies in hand, a fire crackling nearby.

                      Perhaps it takes extra care to ensure the safekeeping of Christmas spirit especially when the commercialization has faded and the focus begins to drift towards other Holidays. Growing up, I had a friend who's family would wait to distribute Christmas gifts, one on Christmas and the next eleven every single following day in hopes to commemorate the continuation of Christmas as well as the easily forgotten "12 Days of Christmas". Perhaps it'll take little traditions like that in order to keep the spirit blazing inside of you even after the 25th has passed. Host some Christmas parties, watch some movies, blast your favorite Christmas songs, and just remember to keep it up even when everyone else has stopped!;) 

So, Merry Christmas, my dear, dear readers!

Keep the Holiday Spirit alive and have a fabulous evening! xoxo

~Erin <3

Gaining The Courage to Sparkle

             Gaining The Courage to Sparkle



Every now and then we all start to feel inferior, our lives unmeaningful, our entire being worthless and insignificant. At least, I know that I tend to experience painful flare ups of these feelings every once and awhile anyway! 

On the other hand, however, as rarely as most wish to relay it, I'm beyond certain that we are all faced with these bursts of turbulent insecurities. In hopes to keep this post short and sweet... immediate in gaining a clear point, I shall finish off by assigning all of my readers a little bit of homework. Get a sheet of paper, then a pen, take a moment and then begin to jot down all of the things that make you beautiful! And no, it's not conceited or self-absorbed to do so! Sometimes we deserve to take a moment to focus on all of our good points as opposed to all of our negative ones. We tend to focus on the negative aspects of ourselves far often enough!

We can definitely be our worse enemy in the department of self-assurance and confidence tends to primarily grow demolished by none other than our own doubts and criticisms. Just take a moment to do the task I assign. I don't want you just to read it, think "Oh, that's a good idea!" and not do it. It's extraordinary, the positive impact such a little act can have on one's self-worth! So, do it! Don't rid yourself the opportunity to rebuild your confidence, even if it's just for awhile. When you start to feel down on yourself again (which I can assure you that you will), just take out that list, read it and jot down some more positive notes about yourself! Don't let your insecurities drown you from the opportunity to shine! You're a beautiful person, whether you think so or not, and you most undoubtedly deserve to reveal the beauty God gave you!

Have a wonderful Wednesday afternoon, my Beauty Queens, and never let the shadows of self-doubt cripple you from twinkling!;)

~Erin <3 xoxo

Remembering Gene

                                     Remembering Gene

                   With her satiny raven black curls, sparkling aquamarine eyes, high cheek bones, ruby red lips and porcelein complexion, Gene captivated all who beheld her on the silver screen.

Just as her career in Hollywood was sky rocketing as quickly as possible, however, the actress would be forced to resign her stardom to her countless psychological afflictions. As her fame and publicity dispersed in the midst of the various shock treatments she'd be forced to undergo, however, her fans would never cease to remember the undimming effects of both her exquisite beauty and charming screen personality. So, in honor of her Birthday the 19th of this month, I have compiled a list of 19 unknown facts about the legendary actress. Enjoy!;)

(1.) Born in Brooklyn, NY on the 19th of November in the year of 1920 to both Howard Sherwood Tierney and Belle Lavina Taylor. 

(2.) One of the highest acclaimed beauties of her time. 

(3.) Married to the renowned French-born American fashion designer (1941-1952)

(4.) Her father who set up a corporation, Belle-Tier, to support her acting career would later steal all of her money. 

(5.) Columbia Pictures signed her to a sixth month contract in the year of 1939.

(6.) Humphrey Bogart who would star opposite her in the film "The Left Hand of God" immediately saw signs of mental instability very similar to the signs found in his own mentally unstable sister in Gene. Bogey would proceed to support her during production by both feeding her her lines and enouraging her to seek psychological help.

(7.) She would later attempt to flee "The Institute of Living" in Hartford Conneticut after a total of 27 shock treatments but was later caught and returned.

(8.) Had been romantically involved with JFK at one time

(9.) She would later become an outspoken victim of shock treatment claiming that a large portion of her memory had been destroyed by it. 

(10.) Faced suicidal struggles and was readmitted to Menniger Clinic in Topeka Kansas after almost jumping from a ledge 13 stories high. 

(11.) Would be released from Menniger the following year after a treatment consisting (in it's final stages) of working as a sales girl in a large department store.

(12.) Would attempt to make a comeback in a film offered to her by 20th Century Fox in the film "Holiday for Lovers" (1957) but was forced to quit due to a bout of unbearable stress.

(13.) Tierney later dropped out of the film and was readmitted to Menniger.

(14.) Made her official screen comeback in the film "Advice and Consent" which was released in 1962.

(15.) Had two daughters named Antoinette Daria Cassini and Christina Cassini with first husband, Oleg Cassini.

(16.) Tierney's contraction of rubella would be the cause of her daughter, Daria's premature birth which would also cause her to be deaf, partially blind with cataracts and faced with severe mental retardation.

(17.) Tierney would later blame herself entirely for her daughter's various ailments after learning that the cause of her contraction of Rubella had been caused by a fan who would later confess sneaking out of quarantine (infected with Rubella) to meet Tierney at her Hollywood Canteen appearance. 

(18.) Tierney's autobiography entiteled "Self-Portrait" in which she candidly discussed her life and how it had been affected by mental illness would be released in 1979.

(19.) In her younger years won the heart of Prince Aly Khan. 

(20.) Lost her battle with emphysemia and died in the year of 1991. Her bout with emphysemia had been brought on by years and years of smoking. Gene had taken up smoking years and years before in hopes of lowering her voice as she'd felt that her voice sounded like "An angry Minnie Mouse." 

And in the end, despite all of her bouts with crippling depression and psychological ailments, her fans will never cease to see her as anything but her captivating and beautiful self, the image she left behind in her early appearances on the silver screen. 

Below you'll find part 1 of 5 of her biography "A Shattered Portrait"

Happy Birthday, Gene! xoxo


~Erin <3

The Value of Self-Assurance

"Nothing is impossible, even the word itself says I'm Possible"~ Audrey Hepburn

The Value of Self-Assurance

Learning to Believe in Ourselves

                            I might as well coat the saying in caps lock, maybe then I'll be able to denote the value of this three worded bit of advice! But then, perhaps the saying has grown too cliché  for anyone to really care anymore. Maybe it's become worn out, a mere whisper, like the ashen cobalt of a pair of once vibrant sapphire jeans, the weathering of time causing us to forget it's radiance. I suppose one can easily compare the tattered affect left behind by overuse to the washing machine and the pair of blue jeans. Maybe a few gallons less of laundry detergent could've prevented the color from dispersing. I suppose, however, that overuse and abuse can't be the only factors to blame in the sayings' dimming. Obviously these factors dictate the fact that it has become spread too thin. Sort of like a three inch square of butter spread over a dozen pieces of toast... it can only go so far and bear but a certain density on each slice. Like a child over indulging in candy, the sweetness, the delightfullness of the flavor diminishing with the queasy affect that gluttony can leave on every one of it's victims. Maybe that's what it was that destroyed the value of this saying... gluttony. But then, perhaps it's currently hackneyed status can also be blamed on the weather and toll that time can have on anyone and anything! Either way, however, there's no denying how clichéd the term has grown throughout a series overdoses and negative effects brought on by age. But then, I suppose nothing can lose it's true beauty, it's true worth, even despite it's withered appearance. Maybe, like the pair of discolored blue jeans, we merely have to look closer to understand it's beauty. Perhaps we ought to study deeper into it, truly dissect it to understand the genuine advantages woven inside of it. It's almost like looking deeply into the denim to spot those soft whispers of sapphire concealing themselves beneath the wear and tear of old age. Ah! yes... and now, here it is, that overused saying I've been rambling about, to... '"BELIEVE IN YOURSELF".

"Always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don't, then who will, Sweetie?"~Marilyn Monroe

It's a saying that moms, dads, aunt, uncles and grandparents repeat over and over to us while we struggle in the midst of our teen years and early adulthood. I suppose that due to the fact of hearing it so frequently we grow accustomed to merely nodding our heads, agreeing to it and then sweeping it back under the rug, we grow programmed to lose sight of it's real importance. One thing, however, that we must ask ourselves is... "Do and have I genuinely believed in myself throughout the years?"and "Did I miss any opportunities of obtaining a higher place in life, a greater stature of success due to the underestimation of my own capabilities?" Well, have you? I know I have! And far too many times at that! So, in conclusion to this thought, I want you to always remember the first and most vital ingredients towards the road of both achievement and success, to... "BELIEVE IN YOURSELF". In the end, after pleasing God at all times, our sole purpose in life exists primarily in our state of self-satisfaction, the outlook we bear on our purpose in life. An unhappy person is most likely disheartened due to the death of his self-worth, his inspiration to keep on chasing after his dreams. When one gives up on himself... life becomes far from worth living.

You see, in reaching for the stars at all times and never growing discouraged by the seemingly trillion mile distant from those glittering diamond-like spheres spread about that velvety onyx sky, our hope will never dim, our self-worth will never fade and die. Success also exists in the strength to believe that you CAN while all others tell you that you can't. So, never stop chasing after your dreams, never grow discouraged, but, most importantly... BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!

                           

xoxo ~Erin

Vivien's 100th Birthday

                                 Vivien's 100th Birthday


              I remember a couple of years ago, holing up in the basement, my eyes pasted to the computer screen as I drank in the life of one of Hollywood's greatest actresses, Vivien Leigh... better known as Scarlett O'Hara from the classic and astoundingly successful film "Gone with The Wind" in which she starred alongside a dashing young Clark Gable. My mind floats towards her legend, especially on this Nov. 5th, the 100 year anniversary of the astoundingly beautiful actress' birth, the day her charm first debuted itself on this earth. That's when it all began! And although this astoundingly beautiful British actress' presence has been been long absent from the cameras and sets of Hollywood, her legend shall blaze on in the spark of her roles in such notable films as the Southern Belle, Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind and Blanche Dubois in A Streetcar Named Desire. So, in her memory on this special day, I have compiled a list of 10 fascinating facts about the gorgeous screen legend. enjoy!;) 

(1.) When she started working with a talent agent at the start of her career, her married name had been Vivian Holman. Despite her agent's wishes to change her name to "April Morn" she instead opted to switch the spelling of her first name from Vivian to Vivien and then decided upon the last name Leigh, after her husband Herbert Leigh Holman.

(2.) Vivien Leigh could never seem to forgive the first critic who had referred to her as "a great actress" for, in her opinion, it left her with, in her own words "such an onus and such a responsibility" of which she had been simply "unable to carry".

(3.) Vivien ultimately won the role of Scarlett over Paullette Goddard, Jean Arthur, and Joan Bennett all of whom had been narrowed down for the role. 

(4.) The parents of both Vivien Leigh and Scarlett O'Hara were from French and Irish descent. 

(5.) In the famous "I'll never be hungry again" scene in which Scarlett downs a radish and then vomits, the sound of vomiting had to be recorded by her costar Olivia DeHavilland, the reason having been speculated as to have evolved around Vivien's refusal to make such noises due to her idea of it not being very "lady-like".

(6.) Vivien Leigh was paid between $25,000 to $30,000 dollars for her role as Scarlett O'Hara in "Gone With The Wind" while her costar, Clark Gable was paid $120,000 dollars for his role as Rhett Butler. 

(7.) The actor who played Beau Wilkes (Melanie and Ashley Wilkes' young son) in Gone With The Wind later stated that Vivien had been very kind to him and was "one of the loveliest ladies" he had ever met.

(8.) Vivien was 25 when she played Scarlett O'Hara while the actress who depicted her mother was merely 28 yrs. old, scarcely three years older.

(9.) Tennessee Williams (the author of "A Streetcar Named Desire) said that Leigh as Dubois was "everything that I intended, and much that I had never dreamed of".

(10.) Vivien Leigh was later noted to have claimed that it had been her role as Blanche Dubois in A Streetcar Named Desire that had finally "tipped me over into madness". 

And that concludes our post, my lovely readers! You now know 10 new facts about Vivien that you'd probably never known whilst looking upon her sparkling sapphire eyes and beholding her mesmerizing performances amidst the silver screen. So, with that said, cheers to Vivien and a Happiest 100th Birthday to her! May her legend live on for hundred years yet to come! Have a wonderful Tuesday night, my Beauty Queens! xoxo <3