Living in the city, I try to embrace the urban lifestyle. Since it’s not going to be 98 degrees this afternoon, I’m a pedestrian today. I’ve been driving to and from work (it’s about .75 miles) because I’m a cold-weather … Continue reading
By most standards, I am bad at being a girl. I’m not very domesticated, and domestication tends to come in spurts. I’m not exactly skilled at home decorating, cooking, and cleaning. I’m 22 years old and I’m still learning how … Continue reading
When I graduated from college, I wore these boots. They were part of a giveaway being hosted on my blog with sponsorship from Boot Barn. I wanted the PERFECT dress to go with the PERFECT boots. And I was lucky … Continue reading
Change is scary. Even if my college years haven’t been exactly “easy” they’ve been mine; and despite the fact that I’ve been in a rush to get out, the people and things that kept me sane through this chaotic part of my life have left a permanent mark on me. I am a better, happier, more mature person because of college. And it isn’t just that I’m graduating…it’s that I’m stepping into a new, scary chapter of my life.
I’m moving 500 miles away from home. Kansas City. While that’s less than 1/4 of the distance to California, there isn’t a set timeline. I don’t go there for a few weeks or months and come back. I’m moving there. I’m starting my big girl career. There will be no “intern” in my job title. This is huge. In some ways, it feels like it isn’t real yet. It feels too good to be true.
I’ve worked for years to get to this point. Now it’s here, and I’m nervous. But, there are coping mechanisms for these things. Continue reading
My last post was over three and a half weeks ago. Wow. That’s a long time. It’s because I’ve been busy living real life; sometimes, life goes so fast that you don’t have time or energy to document it. That’s the nature of social media: the thing we often write about and share online, will often keep us from the venues through which we share it.
I only have a week and a half left as a college student. That’s big enough news. (Also, can I take a moment to thank my awesome friends and family for a few early graduation/birthday gifts?)
This “Guy on a Buffalo” shirt was a graduation gift from my good friend Ty LeGarde over at Cowdog Blog. It says “PUNCH THAT COUGAR IN THE FACE.” I like to think the cougar is metaphorical for obstacles in life.
This BEAUTIFUL handmade jewelry box was care of Mike Davelaar, who I got to know through his involvement with The Truth About Agriculture and other agvocacy projects. It’s a one-of-a-kind, unique, beautiful gift. It also came with a very touching letter about the origins of the wood he chose for it.
And my absolutely fantastic family member bought me a….drumroll please…iPhone 4. And I am in love with it. And forever indebted to them for bringing this wonderful technological masterpiece into my life.
But there’s more.
Most of you probably already know this, but I’m sharing it here anyways. Continue reading
Yesterday, I camped out at the campus cafe for a few hours, trying to wrangle my massive to-do list for the next few weeks into a cohesive, doable assortment of tasks that have been prioritized. It’s no small feat, considering the amount of projects I have going on for class and other obligations. I’m a fairly Type A person, a go-getter, a doer, an action-seeker, a mover-and-shaker. Sometimes, it feels much more natural to me to dive right in rather than step back and prioritize, but it’s a necessary part of time management, both in college and in the work place.
Prioritizing happens in more than just time and tasks. Sometimes you have to prioritize what matters to you, personally. Continue reading
I have this thing, it’s called a “Leap List.” To learn about its conception, see this post. To see a fully-updated and constantly in-progress version of the List, check it out here. The whole idea behind the Leap List is to take advantage of the time I have left in my current stage of life (in my case, college). Because, after college, I plan to move away and become a professional, there will be things that just won’t be an option anymore…like irresponsible college student things, and activities that I can only do in this geographical area.
The first thing I crossed off the List? Continue reading
So, it’s no secret that in a few months my life will change forever. My decade-and-a-half run as a student of formal education will end, and the next stage of my existence as a student of life with commence. I’ll be a college graduate, and hopefully a full-time working professional. Every time I consider this, I have a very confusing blend of emotions. Fear and uncertainty, pride and confidence, excitement and exhilaration, sadness and nostalgia. It’s bittersweet, but I’m hoping to make the most of what’s left of my life as an “irresponsible college student.”
Let’s face it, there’s a lot less wiggle room when you suddenly have a nine-to-five and consistent responsibilities. So, I’m writing up a “Leap List,” as my psychology-savvy roommate told me it was called. I’m making a to-do list of things to do while I have the freedom to now, as a college student, before I take that big leap into the next stage of life.
Boot reviews are not new to the ag blogging world. Lots of people write about products they use, myself included. When I was approached by someone at CountryOutfitter.com about trying and reviewing a pair of women’s boots, I said yes…naturally. It’s no secret that I have a boot addiction, and NEW FREE BOOTS are even better than NEW BOOTS. My boots arrived the day I got home from the #Agvodate “tweetup” (if you can call 3 people a tweetup) in Chicago.
No one can deny my boot addiction. This was my final project for my 3-D Design class in the Fall 2011 term. It was a "boot bucket list."
Now, a lot of the boot reviews I’ve seen online have been from working farmers and ranchers. I don’t farm, but I do tend to give my shoes a workout. I had high expectations for the boots I picked, for several reasons.
With these points in mind, I selected a pair of black Justin Bent Rail boots. They’re square-toed and made of a nice soft calfskin. Because of the soft material, I didn’t have to worry as much about breaking in the ankle area and shaft like I’ve had to do with more firm leather boots. These specific boots have leather soles, which was a change from my usual rubber sole choice. (I liked the look, and had had a pair of leather-soled boots in the past, so I figured it was worth a change of pace.)
I had picked out several styles that seemed practical, made by well-reputed companies known for a decent product. The final selling point on the boots I chose was the stitching on the uppers; different shades of white, pink, and teal, standing out against a black background. I also liked the white piping at the side seams. Long story short, I saw these boots, and despite having several pairs picked out, I knew these were “the ones.”
A close-up of the stitching and piping on the uppers.
(The only thing that could have beaten out these ones would have been black boots with red and white stitching. However, I could not find a pair of black boots with red accents that fit what I wanted.)
The first real test of the boots came over the Christmas holiday. Christmas, in northern Illinois, is traditionally muddy and wet. We don’t usually get a good deep freeze until January, so it’s very rare that we have a white Christmas, or even a cold Christmas. True to my expectations, it was a muddy, soggy, wet, nasty Christmas. Living on a property that doesn’t have any grass or sidewalks yet means that going anywhere usually results in a muddy mess. Getting the mail required protective footwear, and because of where I park my car I was almost certain to have a nice thick layer of mud on at least one of my feet, if not both.
The Christmas holiday meant that we were consistently on the go, and my boots took a metaphorical beating from the mud. Despite that, my feet stayed dry and warm in these less-than-ideal circumstances. I’m pretty confident that these adorable Bent Rails would also do a fantastic job of protecting and insulating my feet in a working situation. October grain harvest can also yield conditions similar to those we experience at Christmas; damp and cold, but if the ground is just solid enough and the plants are still fit, you have to keep going.
I’d wear these boots just as confidently in a corn field as I helped with harvest, as I would in the muck and mud of our Christmas rush. Moreover, I’d also feel safe wearing them for animal-related labor, as I trust them to be watertight against manure and urine. (Although, these boots are “goin’ out” boots so if I can avoid getting them TOO stinky, I will!)
The next test came about when my “goin’ out” boots had their first “goin’ out” experience. My best friend’s 22nd birthday falls in late December. I volunteered to be the designated driver, and the evening called for a lot of dancing and running around. (I’d like to point out, I’m a horrible dancer. Like, the worst. And I danced anyway, because it’s fun, and I have very little shame, and my best friend wanted me to dance.) Anyway, I won’t divulge details of what else those boots had to stand up against that night, but they did they job. Very well. My feet, knees, and hips were not sore after a crazing night of adventures, which was refreshing as I have bad knees and hips. (I didn’t expect the boots to support me that well during a night of dancing, but they pleasantly surprised me!)
Now, I’ve had the boots here at school, and have worn them everyday for the first week of classes. After the dancing “tests” I had high hopes for their durability and cushioning during my long walks back and forth across campus each day. I was not disappointed. While these boots don’t necessarily have a fancy cushioning sole, they’re constructed in a way that just fits my gait and foot structure.
Overall, I’ve been pleased with these boots. I’ve had only good things to say about them. While the test-run I’ve given them so far hasn’t exactly been the hardest one, it’s a pretty good representation of the work I’ll be putting these boots through. They’ve stood up to the life of a busy, on-the-go, always-moving college kid. And for now, that’s all I need in a pair of boots.
Final verdict: Justin Bent Rail boots are well-made, attractive, and easy to love. While I can’t speak to them as a work boot, I think they’ll be everything a busy working girl could want in a goin’ out boot, office boot, or everyday-wear boot.
Full disclosure: Country Outfitter, a retailer of cowboy boots, sent me these Justin black burnished calf boots to review.
I’ve never done a giveaway on this blog before. Ever. I’ve had ideas, and if I’m ever more financially stable I have a fun one that I’d really like to try out. However, I’m a broke college kid and it’s cheaper for me to MAKE things than to BUY things. So, this giveaway will cater to the ladies of the audience (or men looking for a nice, handmade gift to give to their ladies).
What I’m giving away on this blog right now, is handmade jewelry made by yours truly.
country nights, city lights 