My 'Ah Ha!' Moment

I feel like this has been a groundbreaking week for me, for a couple reasons.

First, it started with Emily posting on an article she read, called "Revenge of the Introverts." Now, I never thought of myself as an introvert before, and this is because I had the wrong definition of what an introvert is. After reading excerpts from the article, it it so damn clear: I AM AN INTROVERT! This explains SO MUCH of who I am and my behaviors, that I can't believe I didn't realize it before.

I feel enlightened.

As Emily and the article explained, introverts are not shy, we just "recharge" by having some alone time, whilst extroverts recharge by socializing. In the past, what people took as my shyness was actually my brain shutting off after too much socializing. It's extremely draining for me to hang out with someone ALL DAY LONG. I start to get a little moody, and on top of that, I just. don't. want. to talk anymore! I want to think think think...

This leads me to what else has made this week eye-opening. I took an IQ test (administered by my psychologist friend Bethany) and it revealed a lot about my personality. I scored 108, which is an average score; however, that score is actually an average between a verbal and performance score.

So get this, I scored 122 (well above average) in the verbal section, but only 94 (on the lower side of average) in the performance section. This means I think about EVERYTHING. And I think SO MUCH it is almost a brain overload. This affected my performance score (where I had to put things together and such) because I would second guess myself by thinking too much.

While having high verbal scores shows that I'm excellent at writing, understanding and explaining (anything logical), having low performance scores shows that I can be apprehensive about doing things. This includes taking chances, or being spontaneous.

This shows me that I need more of a balance. Life is about balance, right?

Bethany said that one great thing I am doing to achieve that balance is my Turkey plan. Going to another country, living there for a year and literally pushing myself out of my comfort zone can only make me more well-rounded. Because for once, I'll be doing something BIG without over thinking and talking myself out of it.

So, those were my revelations this week...and they've helped me to realize that there's a reason I am the way I am. Simply, this makes me smile. For once I feel like I'm not abnormal; rather, I belong to a big group of people who are just like me...and we matter just as much as the extroverts.

My Homie's Wedding ♥

Everything I could say is better said through pictures:

Jaclyn's dog Frankie :)

Hangin' with Elvis in downtown Nashville.

Very beautiful bride!

Back of the dress.

Bride and the Maid-of-Honor, October 23, 2010

Happy Couple :)

A game of pool after the wedding. hehe.

Pack My Bags, Head to Nashville...

(a picture of me and Jac, circa 2006)

A friend of mine told me, "One thing I don't get is someone that hates country is going to Nashville."

I know, RIGHT? But it's not by choice!

I kid, I kid. I'm sure I'll like what Nashville has to offer, but what I'm really going for is my buddy Jaclyn.

JACLYN IS GETTING MARRIED AND I AM THE MAID OF HONOR!!!! AHHHH!

The day has come for me to witness a best friend marrying. weird. But exciting!

So as you all have probably figured out, I'll be gone for a few days. See you all next week!

Perfectly Acceptable Ashley

It's very acceptable:

• to steal food off someone else's plate (when going to dinner with them) because you believe in the preschool motto "Sharing is Caring" and hey, you just wanna be adventurous and try different foods. What's NOT acceptable is to call me a 'mooch' because of my curiosity :P

• to make a HUGE DEAL when Adam Levine points at you from the stage at a Maroon 5 concert. So yeah, he's just a person. But let's break it down: He is a hot, sexy man-singer with gyrating hips, and he can point at me anytime he'd like to!!

• to consider dating a great guy that you've met, even knowing that you may be leaving for Turkey soon, making the timing a little inopportune. However, I never date, because I'm too analytical, and I think too much...and so...I believe it's perfectly acceptable to go with the flow without trying to plan too much. I might write more on this later...but that's all I'll say for now. My lips are sealed!

• to sing along with this song:

hahahaha!

ONE Heck of a Saturday!

I am VERY giddy this morning, especially after last night! Here are the reasons:

• It's raining outside. YES! San Diego has actually been getting fall weather!

• I'm drinking Peppermint Mocha Creamer. AHHHHHH! My favorite! You don't get it--I wait for this creamer to come out all year long. It makes the mornings actually enjoyable!

• I went to the Maroon 5 concert last night and it was OUTSTANDING. OUT-STAND-ING. Easily in my top 5 favorite concerts. Adam Levine channeled Mick Jagger last night with his dance moves, and was a deviant little sex fiend on stage...and the ladies in the audience ate it up! ha.

• I got in free to said concert last night. How? I volunteered for a cause that Maroon 5 supports, and Bono helped start. It's called ONE. Check it out, it's definitely a worthy cause that's trying to end world poverty and the transmission of HIV from mothers to babies (mainly in Africa). After volunteering, my handy little wristband got me 5 rows back from the stage. FIGHT WORLD POVERTY AND THE SPREAD OF HIV? Check. GO TO THE MAROON 5 CONCERT? Check. I think that's a pretty productive night :)

• Oh! And because I was wearing the ONE t-shirt at the concert, and so darn close to the stage, I pointed to Adam Levine during "Sunday Morning," to which he pointed right back at me, after seeing me represent his cause! I GOT POINTED AT FROM SEXY ADAM LEVINE. HECK YEAH! It was like a "Thank you" and "I see you!" all wrapped into one. hahahahaha! (I sound crazy).

Pretty damn good Saturday night, if I do say so myself.

Favorite Thing Thursday: YouTube Make-Up Gurus

Whoa, I am majorly hyped up on coffee today....weeeeeeee! But, I'll save my love of coffee for another Favorite Thing Thursday post.

Today's subject is a little more unique than coffee, it's about a specific genre on You Tube that I have come to love.

Ok, some background on me and make-up. I love make-up. I have always loved make-up. I remember putting on lipstick one day in the fourth grade (some outrageous color, no less). My mom took one look at me and smirked, and the kids at school had a laughing fit, but I didn't care. Make-up was a newfound love.

Middle school brought on the obsession with glitter rollers (oh god!) and well, glitter EVERYTHING. High school is really where I started to learn the tricks of make-up, and always had fun applying my blue mascara (which is suddenly back in style?).

Nowadays, I don't wear a ton, and I totally believe that girls should accept themselves the way the are, and all that inspirational talk. But, MAKE-UP is FUN! You can't beat a simple, sultry red lip, or a beautifully defined eyebrow.

Although I have an apparent love for all things make-up-y, I still don't know everything about how to apply it. That's where the make-up gurus come in! I first stumbled upon a make-up guru by accident, typing in some word into YouTube, and having her come up in the results. Ever the curious girl, I decided to click her video. "What's this?" I thought to myself as I watched the girl give a make-up tutorial.

I loved every second. I copied the look on my own. I had found a new hobbie.

For any blogger out there who loves make-up, and may want to learn a thing or two, I highly recommend watching these fun videos. What's cool is many of these girls have gone on to start a business because of their video queen statuses. I'm gonna have to say it: Girl Power!

Wow, I have regressed back to the 7th grade in this post. ha.

Here are my two favorite YouTube Make-Up Queens:

1. Bubz Beauty

My favorite "guru" because of her super cute personality and really good make-up and hair tips. She's kind of a genius!

2. Pixiwoo

I love these two English Chicks. They are funny, inventive and true experts working in the make-up field.

Ahem...

Don't mind me changing around my layout...it's not done yet, so forgive the messiness!!

P.S. The tile in the background is a traditional Turkish tile, in case you are wondering why I chose it. ^_^

My Oven GF

I wanted to do a quick spotlight on my friend Jackie's blog, because she is in a food competition and needs some votes!

BELIEVE ME, she is a cooking master and deserves the support.

Read her blog (with delicious recipes) here, and vote for her here.

:)

Cemiyet (Part Four): Not-So-Plain Jane

I haven't done this series in awhile, but it's still alive!

Cemiyet, which means community in Turkish, is a series I started long ago in which I showcase a blogging friend of mine and everything that makes them great. It's also so you all can meet each other and find each other's blogs...because every blog I showcase here is a gem, of course. Without further adieu...

Not-So-Plain Jane

Meet Jane.

See Jane write. See Jane showcase her clothes. See Jane crack hilarious jokes.

Jane is not just a fashion blogger, she is a funny fashion blogger, a rare find indeed! I found Jane's site, What Jane Wore, randomly...so random, in fact, I don't really remember how!

Jane is so friendly, she commented on my blog numerous times, sharing silly You Tube videos and and just conversing with me as if she had known me for years. She's got a down to earth kind of humor, and I find her completely relatable in all her posts. Not only does she talk about fashion, but she slips in a few comments on life in there. I find her to be an excellent writer who produces easy, fun reads. I always enjoy my time on her blog, checkin' out her outfits, and checkin' her out to boot! *whistles*

She's cute, she's fun, she's great to add to any community. Thanks for joining mine, Jane.

You can find her in my side bar under "Jane's Addiction," since I like to rename all your blog titles. heh heh.

The Little Ashley That Could

I am finding a way around the problem of a seemingly jobless Izmir. I've been messaging EVERYONE in Turkey through Couchsurfing.org and asking them if they know any language schools or anyone working at a language school.

(p.s. I LOVE Couchsurfing.org for so many reasons!)

And did you know? Turkish people are so damn friendly that they've not only responded to me, but they've been talking to their friends for me about possible jobs.

I will find a way. I will get a job. I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.

And can you tell I've been antsy this week? I've written a post everyday to release some tension!

Perfectly Acceptable Ashley

It's perfectly acceptable:

• to forgo the gym and instead have a piece of coconut cream pie for breakfast. Mwahahaha! Mmm...I ♥ coconut.

• to be a girl who knows how to jump start a car, change a tire and do an oil change. Yep, I know how to do all three. Ladies, it is MORE than acceptable that you learn, too.

• to support Joey Fatone's campaign in getting *NSYNC to have a guest appearance on Glee; furthermore, it is even MORE acceptable to still love a long-gone boy band.

Are We There Yet?

*sigh*

I'm going to come off as a little moody here (since I was all excited last week), but oh well.

So as I have been applying to jobs in Izmir, Turkey, I'm realizing that there are not a lot of job opportunities in that specific city. I've also gotten one rejection from a school that said I didn't have enough experience. Fair enough. I'm just a little sad about not getting an interview with that school, because it's a good one!

So...although my plan was to just stick with Izmir (for MANY reasons), I think I'm still going to apply to places in Istanbul.

My cousins warned me about the chaos of such a large city and how it might wear down on me. I don't disagree with that assessment. Did you know that Istanbul is the 5th largest city in the world and has a population of 13 million? THAT'S HUGE. In fact, that's the whole reason I was looking to stick with the smaller city of Izmir.

However, as I'm noticing my job prospects shrinking in Izmir, and my growing desire to live in Turkey, I'm going to include Istanbul on my list.

Advice from my family on where to apply is going to be crucial, as they know the good and bad areas of the city. And any advice from you all is appreciated. Especially you, Emily--since you've been through all of this!

I'm a little anxious right now about all of this. I have a frantic want to just do this already! But I know I need to take caution and be patient when choosing something so important.

Overall, I know that I think too much...and I need to just let this process unfold the way it is supposed to. It's just so hard when you want something SO BAD!!!

The Brilliance of The Social Network

I was enthralled by this movie. Yes, completely enthralled.

This is not a film about facebook. It's about the creator of facebook and his twisted, sad life propelled by his want for acceptance. This is also a film about human nature, greed, and how we react when money is added to the equation. More specifically, this about the lawsuits filed against Mark Zuckerberg and his billion-dollar empire--even his best friend sued him!

(credit)

I'm not sure how much of the movie is true, or if Mark Zuckerberg is that much of a lovable asshole in real life. I say "lovable asshole" because as you watch this movie, you both hate and love Zuckerberg. He's a megalomaniac, yet he's highly relatable--this is because the very thing that haunts Zuckerberg at the end of the night is the very thing that we all want; of course, to be loved.

Highlights of the movie:

• Amazing script! Since we are all literary lovers here in blog world, you'll appreciate how superb the writing is.
• Great acting that had me on the edge of my seat (seriously). Even from Justin Timberlake (why is he so talented with everything?)
• Philosophical aspect that was intellectually stimulating.

My rating: ★★★★ <---the last four-star rating I gave was to (500) Days of Summer, which was kick ass, so this is a big deal!