Being Wary of Awareness

Is it me or does it seem that October is like Everything Awareness month? I'm not complaining, being aware of causes and conditions is overall a good thing.  It just feels like all I'm hearing lately is that it's National ______ Awareness Month!  

The big one is Breast Cancer Awareness and the sea of pink we will find ourselves in throughout the month of October.  Again, awareness is a good thing and finding a cure would be amazing.  My only word of caution would be to be aware of where your charitable donations are going. (For instance, you wouldn't want to purchase a $50.00 pink ribbon product only to find out that $0.50 goes toward finding a cure right?)

(ps: this pic of Mitch is also my laptop's background)

Animal wise it's also Adopt A Shelter Dog Month and National Pit Bull Awareness Month.  Shelter pets are a cause near and dear to me...just ask my dog Mitch.  A great thing about shelters is that you can donate items that are needed directly to the shelter (blankets, toys, treats and much more).  I love that Best Friends LA has an Amazon Wishlist where you can send them items they really need directly.  As far as Pit Bulls go, I have to admit that the majority of my education has come from Animal Planet's Pit Bulls and Parolees show...they too have an Amazon Wishlist or options to sponsor a dog (Click here for a direct link to their site).

Awareness good...just do your research.  Here are a couple of links that breakdown info on different charities:

Charity Navigator

Charity Watch

In case you were wondering October is also (but not limited to) being: Eczema Awareness Month, National Bullying Prevention Month, National CyberSecurity Awareness Month, National Fire Prevention Month, Eye Injury Prevention Month, National Physical Therapy Month, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and National Down Syndrome Awareness Month.  There are many more causes out there, this was just a small sample.  

What causes are near and dear to you?  Please share in the comments and help spread the word! 

Carry all...all that I carry in my bag

I love flipping through a magazine and seeing a "what's in my bag" article.  I don't know why other peoples bags fascinate me so much but they do.  Hopefully this interests you too, otherwise you are not going to enjoy this post. 

1. My bag itself is generally from a TJ Maxx or Ross...I go for the pleather/man made faux leather. 
2. My wallet is a little Betsey Johnson that I picked up at a Nordstrom Rack forever ago...also a big fan of Target wallets.
3. Lush Lip Service Lip Balm, I have about five of these floating around my life at any given time.  I use it throughout the day to keep my lips soft and I also use it for my cuticles occasionally. 
4. Nars Lip Gloss in Orgasm.  I love this pink with a little orange shimmer. I'm not one for a bold lip color (as much as I love it on others) this one is just pink enough.
5. Hello Kitty Band Aids, you would not believe how handy it is to have a couple of band aids on hand.  Not just for myself, but to hand out in a very minor emergency...best part being when a guy needs a band aid and I offer up Hello Kitty.  
6. Eminence Tea Tree & Mint Hand Cleanser...this has a fresh minty scent and feels moisturizing as well.  Sometimes menus just seem a little iffy.
7. Nail file...I try to keep one handy (heehee handy) just in case of a snag.
8. Tweezers, because sometimes you have a couple of minutes in the invisible bubble of your car and that rear view mirror catches every stray brow.
9. NYX Blotting Paper: another small just in case item.
10. Pill box, I try to carry a couple of migraine meds...because there is nothing worse than a migraine. Nothing.
11. A fan, I picked up a pretty one for a couple of dollars a while back and it has more than paid for itself.  Baseball games, Monster Truck shows, waiting rooms...just bring a little breeze you can bring with you. 

My current go to hair style

When I pull up my hair in a ponytail or messy bun-like-thing I am made very aware of how fine my hair is.  That is why this is my current go to, a little up and a little down and very very easy.  Easy is what I need, there is a reason that I didn't go into Cosmetology.  This style seems to work well with every type of hair too (long/short/thick/thin).

My hair is stick straight too, if I add a little wave with a straightener/flat iron I use a little hair spray to make it stick (not sticky).  I use Jason's thin to thick **(very light scent, light hold).  If I'm on day two (or three) hair I also use a little dry shampoo too (fave being Lush's No Drought).  I love this dry shampoo...a little goes a long way and I've had this current bottle for a long time.  I only wish it came as a shaker.  

**A note on Jason's hair spray: Shop around, some prices are better than others.