Jessica Jarchow's Crazy Talk: Bore Me Not

In this day and age, thanks to a slew of new technology and the arguable loss of innocence (which I’ll go into another day), I can sometimes feel as if my surroundings are lack luster. So many look, talk and think the same…without paying attention to detail or fantasy. I wouldn’t know from personal experience, but it seems as if it would be challenging to stop and smell the roses if you’re glued to your Iphone updating Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, and whatever other social networking sites have been born into existence during the 2 minutes it took for me to write the previous sentences. I won’t get upset at my comrades for, well…boring me :)

Why? Because Saul Steinberg said, “The life of the creative man is lead, directed and controlled by boredom. Avoiding boredom is one of our most important purposes.”

Saul should have said creative “person”, the sexist bastard, but his point still rings true for us womenfolk.

When you bore me, I promise to flourish. When the club looks like an Urban Outfitters made love to an Armani Exchange and then their lovechild vomited all over…I will come dressed like a babydoll from your favorite fable.

Having a bad day? Feeling the blahs? Want to make new friends?

Put a pearl on it!

If you’d like to feel special, MAKE THINGS SPECIAL. This truly isn’t brain surgery folks, but still I’ll elaborate anyways because #$%^, that’s the whole point of this isn’t it??

Living your life in theme and taking fantasy out of bedtime stories and into reality can be exhausting if your heart’s not in it. One must, however, fake it ‘til they make it and that is what I’m asking of you.

Mondays will continue to just be Mondays unless you decide to make them something more. When dressing for the day, I typically first decide on the “personality” I wish to relish in at that given moment. Feeling like a gloomy bitch?? Better bust out those dom boots and heavy eyeliner. Channeling a delicate country rose? Lace, pastels, heavy sighing is a must. I’m a firm
believer in soaking in your moods as opposed to brushing them under the rug. When you’re sad, don’t fake a smile….dress in black and mourn…maybe even yell at a stranger. Get it out of your system!! It will make you feel better, I promise.

When living in theme, you must pay attention to details. There’s absolutely no point in half-assing your look and mood with an out of place hairdo. If its 20s theme, learn to fingerwave for Christ’s Sake. Decide if you’re a coquettish minx or a White Knight sort of gentleman, because afterall attitude is everything. For those less theatrical, if today’s theme is Black and Red…well, keep it black and red. I mean, that’s rather obvious.

Dedication in how you present yourself to the world is as symbolic as it is literal. When you’re proud of what you’re bringing to the table, those at the table will know. When you bring a little magic into the day to day, you’re doing a civic duty really….mostly to me of course, I’d appreciate you all to spice it up a bit.
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::Jessica Jarchow resides in San Diego, California and is the Office Controller and a Project Manager at American National Investments; and a Lifestyle Contributor at JarrettHill.com,

::Follow Jessica on Twitter @VelvetCloche

Have You Heard!? - Alicia Keys

Cameron Ducker brings us the new and hot music for the week. Here now is Alicia Keys' new song Doesn't Really Matter.

Doesn't Really Matter - Alicia Keys

::Cameron Ducker resides in Atlanta, Ga and is the founder of popular music and entertainment blog MusikChild.Blogspot.com, and is the Music & Entertainment Editor at JarrettHill.com

::Follow Cameron on Twitter @Musik_CD

Duly Noted: I Choose on Monday I’ve reached a fork in the road of my life...

We're starting something new at JarrettHill.com called "I Choose on Monday." Inspired by lyrics from the India.Arie song, "I Choose," every Monday we'll offer you a way to give the ordinary week that follows a little extra. The song is posted below, we'd suggest playing it while reading... enjoy.

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"I’ve reached a fork in the road of my life..."

Every day when we wake up we find ourselves at the proverbial fork in the metaphorical road. We can a shot to get up or just lay there. We vote for getting up and being productive or taking a personal day. We decide to be happy with a bounce in our step, or we can find ourselves upset about something that happened in the past (whether last month, week, night, or even when we woke up - it’s all the past). The fork in the road often has more than two prongs, sometimes many more. But the beauty of life is getting to choose which direction is fitting for you today. No one else gets to choose, no matter how hard they may try, how you feel today.

Even if you’re at work, in the middle of the day, or sitting in a class -you’re at the fork. Which way do you go? Good day or not so great one? Happy or angry? Grateful or indifferent?

Whatever you choose, “ain’t nothin’ gonna happen unless [you] decide.”

I had to tell myself that when I wanted to start this site, and chat with you all every day. I had kept telling myself “when I learn web design, I’ll do it.” “When I have more time to devote to it, then’ll be the time.” “In a few months, things will be so much easier, and I can start the site.” None of those times has ever shown up. Ever.

I realized “ain't nothing gonna happen unless I decide.” So I set a date, started preparing, and walked into the woods. I’m finding my way through the trees every day, but it only happened because I put one foot in front of the other.

Now let’s hope when I reach a fork in the road in the woods, I go the best direction - not just the ones that always look the easiest.

Have a stellar Monday and an even stellar-er week.

All this fork talk has got me hungry... gotta go.

j.

shelby.on.style - Fashion Dictionary

This week's Fashion Dictionary entry is: Romper

[ˈrämpər; ˈrôm-]

1. One that romps.
2. A loosely fitted, one-piece garment having short bloomers that is worn especially by small children for play.
syn. jumper

ClickThePic: To see this romper, and so many more, at Nordstrom.com
(NOTE: It's on SALE!! Was $98, now $64)


ClickThePic: To see this romper, and other jumpers, at UrbanOutfitters.com
(NOTE: It's on SALE!! Was $58, now $29)

::Shelby Stasenka is a Fashion Designer in Los Angeles, California, works with Apliiq, and is the Fashion Editor at JarrettHill.com

::Follow Shelby on Twitter @LuckyDolll

Sarah Boren: Friend of Food | Local Secret, Hidden Gem!

It’s the start of a new year, and while there are to be many great changes ahead, you don’t have to wait for someone else to help bring some of those changes about. There are a few things you can change in your own life that can have a beneficial impact on your economy as well as your own personal well being.

So as your food advisor, I propose that you try something new. Almost every town, and at the very least each county, holds a farmer’s market. Some of these run year round and some only run through the late spring and early fall months. Information about when and where local farmer’s markets are taking place can be found quite easily by searching “farmer’s market” on Google.

Now I’m sure you’re asking me why you should go to the farmer’s market. What can you find there that you can’t get just as easily at your local grocery store? Well, to begin with, they are the easiest way to get the absolute freshest produce possible. Most of the fruits and vegetables being sold at a farmer’s market were either picked the day before or earlier that morning. If you’ve never experienced truly fresh food, that should be reason enough for you to check one out. The majority of the growers often have samples of their produce for you to try, which is especially nice if they carry a type of fruit or vegetable you have never tasted before. Something you didn’t even know existed could turn out to be something you love!

For the most part, they are selling things at a discounted rate from what you will find in a grocery store. (And who can turn that down these days?) Furthermore, most of the people who are actually selling the produce to the general public are also the ones who grow the food. Meaning that they have a great knowledge of everything they sell. They can show you how to pick out the product that will be best suited for your particular application. Don’t be afraid to ask them questions!

As a result of venturing out to your local farmer’s market, you will not only have the opportunity to get some really fresh food (that also happens to be good for you), but you are also supporting your local economy. You will be keeping your neighborhood farmers from going out of business while sustaining your produce needs. It’s also a great little adventure for the whole family or with a group of friends.

To top it all off, a number of farmer’s markets also provide free (often live) entertainment while you browse around!

Here's an excellent website LocalHarvest.org, it'll help you find the farmer's market closest to you, but there is also tons of information about great food, it's many uses and so much more. Happy shopping and eating!

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::Sarah Boren resides in Fairfield, California and is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy; and Food Editor at JarrettHill.com.

::Follow Sarah on Twitter @iluvtremonti28

:Farmer's market photo courtesy: myinwood.net

This Week on JarrettHill.com!

Jessica Jarchow's Crazy Talk: Welcome to My Party

Almost 12 years ago, I met a brilliant man who was just a boy then, who by no stretch of the word changed my life’s course. Jarrett Hill is something of brilliance and everyone would expect a friend to say that for another, but I don’t believe it to be that simple. Things with me are never simple, just so you know now.

See when I was just a young little thing meeting someone whose personality shone the way Jarrett’s did and still does, I was nothing short of petrified. To be young is to be insecure and shaky, like a fawn struggling to use its legs for the first time. Your life is finding yourself and testing everything from the water to your parent’s patience. I could tell you all the things I wanted to be, but would stumble over my words to tell you who I actually was. Jarrett, though he may have been in my same boat of exploring his identity, didn’t let anyone see that the way I did. Being around him allowed me to open up, crack jokes and laugh during what was a very dark period in my life. I met a kindred spirit and I latched on as tight as I could. Even when we went separate ways for a while, I always had him with me.

Today, I’m anything but meek and mild. I’ve come to own who I am and who I want to be and work to bridge the gap between the two every day. I am a fat femme with an affinity for all things polka dotted, vintage, luxurious, dangerous and rich in feeling. I am fully dedicated to my self-appointed role as advocate for a better world. This means I will get on my soap box as much as my dear Jarrett will allow and speak to you about body acceptance, ignorance, racism, classism, sexism and my general love/hate relationship with pop culture. It means you’ll get a step inside my day to day, allowing you insight on what I believe to be a very small sector of publicized life…the confident, self-loving fat woman.

See, I believe I am more than just a fat woman, don’t get me wrong. The issue is that I believe most everything I do and feel is reflected in my relationship with my body, my fat body. From the obvious issue of clothing to some less obvious choices like career and music preferences, my fat body is always at the forefront. Some may immediately think this is an issue of being slave to one’s body, but I see it as the Hot Fat Girl Revolution.

My homegirl, Ani Difranco said it best when she said,

I have had something to prove
As long as I’ve had something that needs improvement
And you know every time I move
I make a woman’s movement
First you decide what you’ve gotta do
Then you go out and do it
And maybe the most that we can do
Is just to see each other through it
– “Hour Follows Hour”, Ani DiFranco.

Every time I dress in an outfit that celebrates my thighs and heavy belly and dance right in the middle of the floor…I’m making a statement. I’m letting you know happiness is tangible in whatever suitcase in which you hold your soul and that society’s negative body talk is for the birds!

The thing with being fat is, like other prejudices, they feed (no pun intended) on each other. For instance, being fat is different for women than men, African American than Caucasian, and so on and so forth. It also becomes a class issue when faced with the reality of limiting choices for moderately priced plus sized clothing, as most retailers charge for extra fabric or only carry plus size in their high end brands. When a fat person takes the elevator, they’re lazy… but when they’re on the treadmill, they’re ridiculed.

It’s very easy to get down and feel helpless in my mission, but then I remind myself that in the grand scheme of things, it was practically yesterday I couldn’t vote, wear pants and/or date a black man - and really that’s all I’ve ever wanted in life.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the inside of my head - now, do not make any sudden movements...

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::Jessica Jarchow resides in San Diego, California and is the Office Controller and a Project Manager at American National Investments; and a Lifestyle Contributor at JarrettHill.com,

::Follow Jessica on Twitter @VelvetCloche

Special Report: Atlanta needs your help...

Click over to ShaunInTheCity.com to see how you can help victims of the storm surge in Atlanta. People need clothes, food, money, toiletries, etc. Thank you so much for your help...

Aram: Around the World | Mexico’s celebration one year into the economic crisis

My grandma used to say that the less money a bank has, the bigger its facade is built. This is the same interpretation that I give on Mexico’s reactions to an economic crisis that began over one year back and that has differently impacted countries around the globe. Last week, the celebrations where eminent. Like many other countries in Latin America, Mexico is around the corner to a two-hundred year period of independence. Have counter-crisis policies been so effective to leave room for festivities? The answer is sadly not positive.

Ever since the end of 2008, Mexico’s government has continuously failed to analyze the scale of the crisis and what the correct means to deal with it are. Meanwhile, academia sustains a never ending debate that hasn’t been able to dent the political decision-making process in the matter. Thus, the on-going crisis has not seen obstacle that interferes with its tendency and this has resulted in a serious and wretched set of predictions regarding this year’s total GDP and unemployment rates.

The traditional mixed feeling of partying while things are just not fine was hugely exacerbated this year in the country. Year after year, September is the all-mighty, nationalist and unification provider in Mexico. On the night of the 15th, the National Palace became the country’s favorite attraction when to everyone’s surprise, it turned into a gigantic canvas in which an amazingly colorful and vivid light show was projected. But what is going across the world while Mexico celebrates its tragedy?

By November of last year, China modified its macroeconomic policies and made them flexible in order to maintain its export's stability. Alongside, in October, tax exemption to exporters of products that are heavily transformed in the country grew significantly. In December, the State Council approved nine policies oriented towards national finances in order to foster economic development within.

A particular example of this is the Chinese government’s support to the “ten industry vigor plan”, which selects the automative, steel, textile, equipment manufacturing, shipping, computer and electronics, light, petrochemical, nonferrous metallurgy and logistics industries. With this, they expect to solve medium and long term issues such as low productivity and ad valorem due lack of technology. In the short run, this will maintain economic growth stability while augmenting domestic demand and employment.

In a globalized and interdependent economy where the strings of a crisis pull and push equivalently regardless of distance, the dynamic seems to be to fix as much as possible while keeping balance. Whether it is through injecting money flows to particular industries or protecting sensible areas for growth, each country sees for itself and debates solutions.

However, while Mexico’s facade keeps big and beautiful, China sticks to the Mandarin character configuration of the word “crisis”: challenge and opportunity. With this, they dare to slap the crisis away and keep the negative consequences to a minimum. Will Mexico stand up to the challenge or will it simply hide away its lack of structural response? Stay tuned for the answer...

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::Aram Barra is the Events Coordinator at the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Mexico fesmex.com, the Latin America and Caribbean representative for Youth R.I.S.E youthrise.org, the Projects Director at Espolea, Espolea.org,
and the International Correspondent for JarrettHill.com.

::Follow Aram on Twitter @AramBarra

Duly Noted: "Ugh, okay! Bless me."

Lately, I've been annoyed. Boots. [Boots - (adj.) a lot or an overabundance of; very; to excess. Ant: very little]

My life's great challenge right now is not having a car. As I wrote before, I know I'll have one when I'm supposed to, but even that is tough to hold onto when you're approaching your third hour on the bus, just trying to go get to class for the day.

Recently though, I've had an increased annoyance with this because my job requires a lot of hours from me on the weekend, very early in the morning, and pretty late at night. Due to the bus schedules, I have to sometimes go in the night before work, to be able to be on time (actually quite early) for our morning newscasts. Likewise, when I work a late evening show and then an early morning show the following day, all that ends up translating to me having to stay at work overnight. Really fun. Really.

The other day while I was sulking, being frustrated with my transportation dilemma, and competing in the pity olympics, I heard in the back of my mind a quote from The Secret. It said that we have to be grateful and appreciative for all that we have in our lives before anything else can come into them. Then, I realized some things:

A.) I have a job. More than one in ten people residing in my state do not.

B.) I'm paid pretty well. By comparison to a lot of my peers, I'm getting paid pretty handsomely per hour. (now, if I could get more of those hours... Lol)

C.) I have a job working in an industry/field that I've wanted to be a part of since I was a little boy. So many people have jobs they hate, working in fields they have no interest in, or actually don't enjoy at all.

D.) My job allows me to work out in a nice gym that is inside our building, do my homework in my spare time, have longer than average breaks, and lastly, I get to meet and work with some pretty interesting people every week.

E.) The money I make allows me to live in a location I love, in a nice home, and afford the costs of the public transportation I rely on for work and school.

There is actually a longer list of the inherent blessings my job offers me that I could compile, but the point is this: everyone could probably cite a list of challenge with their jobs, their loved one(s), roommates or friends, school arrangement, etc. But what's on the list of the blessings? What makes the list of pros?

Is there not one thing that you can name that is pretty good about what whatever your thing is? (Pause for just a brief moment and think about that.) Ok, now is there a second thing? No matter how big or small that thing may be..

All in all, we've got more than enough to complain about in today's world. The Secret would say, "What we focus on grows." Henry Ford would say, "Whether you think you can or you think you cannot, either way you're right." I'll say, "Your abundant focus on your happiness or your distress, will determine your days."

Note that. Duly.

Live from the bus,

j.


Me at Work: Signing off to the viewers in the 11Alive News Weekend Mornings viewer chat.

Duly Noted: When Your Batteries are Low...

Recently, I had the privilege of attending one of the first tapings of 'The Mo'Nique Show' (BET's new late night show premiering Oct 9th). I expected to get there, laugh and have a good time, go home, and move on. Not so much.

Mo'Nique... Mo'Nique was so much different than I anticipated her being. I expected her to be funny, of course. But I didn't expect her to be at all profound, so sincere, or so very warm to every single person.

She often spoke to the in-studio audience, giving positive uplifting words to the "wiser women" in attendance, instructing on being respectful of each other, the importance of us supporting each other in all that we attempt, and so on.

After the taping concluded, she exited the stage to a smaller room and invited each audience member to come meet and hug her as well as take a professional picture with her. She was visibly very grateful for each person's presence, thanking us all for our patience and participation in the day's show. I was quite blown away by her spirit and generosity, especially after attending other tapings with far less gracious and humble hosts.

I recently tweeted about how every time I'm in a studio, an audience, at a talk show taping, etc. I'm consistently in a prayer asking when my time will come to be the host, the lead, the voice... knowing it's coming closer and closer.

I always hear the Lord reminding me to "just be patient. Just get the lessons. When you get there, you'll need more than what you've got now." Each time I walk away with so much more than I ever expect. Sure enough, while we were seated in the second to last row, in an audience of about 150, I was one of 5 chosen to come on stage and dance around with Mo'Nique and music legends Ashford & Simpson during their perfromance.

As I stood there on the stage looking out a the audience, waiting for the taping to resume: "Patience. I haven't forgotten you, Jarrett." My inspiration batteries: recharged.

What re-charges your batteries? What jumpstarts your inspiration to keep moving forward toward your goals? If you know what it is, find some time to go get more of it from time to time. And if you don't know what of is, pray and ask to find it - because when you do, there will be nothing better to help you keep your eyes on your own personal prize.

"Patience. I haven't forgotten you."

Duly Noted.

j.

'The Mo'Nique Show' premieres on October 9th, on BET For more information visit BET.com

Duly Noted: What we ask for...

Again, I'll be brief ::huh::... I'm supposed to be napping, but this just dawned on me.

I've been praying for the Lord to give me a car, and the resources to maintain and use it (gotta ask for what you really need, and all the cords and cables that go with her too). I just tweeted a little bit ago about asking the Lord to bringing me "a nice car soon."

I then thought, "maybe asking for a 'nice car' and 'soon' is a bit much." But then before I could punctuate the sentence with a period, the next thought was, "you believe God can do soooo much, but you think asking for a 'nice car' and 'soon' is a 'bit much?'

I remember hearing a preacher say, sometimes we don't ask for things big enough, we often beg and plead to God for things we can do ourselves. We ask for things that are so simple that we don't offer the Lord the opportunity to do the types of things that would bring about a mighty testimony. We ask for things that would bring the 'God is good' testimony, not the "Excuse me, let me tell you what MY God did for ME!" Mhmm, you know what I mean.

We believe God has done all of these marvelous, majestic and miraculous things but we minimize God's capabilities when it comes to our own lives. Why ask, "Lord please let me find an apartment," when you could ask the Lord, "please bless me to own an apartment complex"? The types of blessings that bless us, but also bring about a blessing for others. Why not ask the Lord to do the grand things that we know God is capable of doing and stop minimizing ourselves and what we want?

Minimizing what we ask for... do we think it is about our lack of faith in the possibilities? That's about us, not about God.

Boldly go before God and ask for the great works that you need in your life, and don't be afraid to ask for what's in your heart... it's not like God doesn't know what's already in there. Right?

Mhmm, noted... duly.

Best,

j.