Things I Rather Do Than Write My Paper Today

I'm going to write about The Lady Vanishes...eventually.

So I have this eight-page research paper due for my Films of Alfred Hitchcock class. Any topic I want, I just need to include four source outside of our reading material for class and use MLA/APA format. Well then. Seeing as I’m feeling totally unmotivated/uninspired/came up with a vague topic yesterday during the Miami Hurricanes game, these are things I rather do than this paper:

♦ update my blog (check)

♦ do laundry (check)

♦ iron my laundry

♦ go to the bank (check)

♦ go grocery shopping (sorta check)

♦ make fun of Urban Meyer for saying that the 2008 Gators were the best college football team ever. (He’s an idiot.)

♦ watch what I’m sure will be a disastrous Dolphins-Broncos game

♦ start my other film paper due the 1st

♦ start my reading for my American studies class on Wednesday

♦ cook

♦ clean my room (check)

Oh, this is definitely going to be one productive Sunday. How do you productively procrastinate?

~ Sarah

It’s the Great Pumpkin (Cupcakes)

Occasionally, I do something crazy – like spend a whole afternoon baking for my boyfriend and my friends. With Halloween only ten days away (!!), the obvious choice for a seasonal dessert – for me at least – was pumpkin cupcakes.

You start with the above ingredients, plus oil, eggs and water. I basically followed these two recipes, from Very Best Baking and Real Simple. And yes, these are super, super easy to make.

First, I started by following the directions on the cake mix box – very basic. I bought spice cake mix, but you can also use regular yellow mix and pumpkin spice (or cinnamon, ginger and cloves). But hey, that’s an extra step, so I made life simpler for myself.

Then comes the secret ingredient:

That’s right: canned pumpkin. Shocker, I know. You should probably be careful not to buy pumpkin pie filling – I’m guessing that changes things with the recipe.

Let’s not make judgments on the fact that I’m mixing my cupcakes in a pot. The point is to mix in the canned pumpkin with the cake mix. Then pour into cupcake holders to get this:

And then one chemical reaction later (bake at 350℉ for as long as the box tells you too)…

Plus frosting and candy corn for garnish…

Cream cheese frosting is the traditional choice for pumpkin cupcakes, but a) I had leftover chocolate frosting and b) once I made a pumpkin pie in a chocolate crust and it was great, so I frosted some cupcakes with chocolate too.

And really, candy corn is a must – it’s Halloween! I love candy corn, so I added some pieces on the cupcakes I ate – yum! Do you have any fun Halloween recipes to share?

~ Sarah

You Belong With Me

Trench Coat – gift/hand-me-down; Dress – Walmart; Tights – Target; Oxford Heels – Payless.

I’d like to think that Miss Taylor Swift herself would approve of this outfit. Well, she should, considering she designed this sundress for Walmart three years ago, back when I was a senior in high school.

I nearly always get compliments when I wear this polka dot number. Paired with opaque black tights, heeled oxfords, pinned-back hair, a red lip and yes, even some sparkle, I think it’s clear who I’m trying to emulate. And did I mention there’s a bow in the back?

Today was a long and busy day, but a good one. I was at the Seventeen offices today, and I got most of my to-do list done – I consider that a success! Plus, we had lots of girls in for Reader Raves – basically, they tested beauty products that will be released in the spring. I’m a Web intern, but I still had a chance to try a couple things. So that explains the glitter nails.

I should probably start studying for my sociology midterm – it’s tomorrow morning. Oops. Hope you’re all doing well!

~ Sarah

P.S. Thanks to my roomie Alyssa for being my photographer!

P.P.S. I totally forgot I’ve worn this dress on the blog before! I wore it as a skirt to the ballet back in January. Definitely one of my favorite dresses ever.

The Color Purple

Top – Target; Scarf – Payless; Jeans – Target; Rain Boots – Target.

Today, I joined others, including many fashion bloggers, in wearing purple for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. I had a busy day on campus, so I opted for a chunky knit scarf in plum, paired with a tee, skinnies and my anchor print rain boots. But the important thing is to keep in mind that:

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

1 in 3 families are affected by domestic violence. Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behaviors — physical, sexual, psychological, and economic coercion — used by one intimate partner against another (adult or adolescent) to gain, maintain, or regain power and control in the relationship. Batterers use of a range of tactics to frighten, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, often injure, and sometimes kill a current or former intimate partner.

If you are in danger, please call 911, your local hotline, or (in the U.S.) the National Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 799-7233 or TTY (800) 787-3224.

~ Sarah

P.S. And a special thanks to Suze from Miss Vinyl Ahoy for spreading the word on this important subject!

Did You Know…

1 in 3 families are affected by domestic violence. Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behaviors — physical, sexual, psychological, and economic coercion — used by one intimate partner against another (adult or adolescent) to gain, maintain, or regain power and control in the relationship. Batterers use of a range of tactics to frighten, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, often injure, and sometimes kill a current or former intimate partner.

On Wednesday, Oct. 19th, I’ll be wearing purple to help spread the word that abuse is not love. (Check out my fashionable picks for HerCampus Fordham here.)

For more on Domestic Violence Awareness Month, read this post from Miss Vinyl Ahoy.

~ Sarah