cake batter blondies, things christian girls say, and awkward selfies.

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Something I’ve always found humorous is what people search to find GML. You guys…I get some WEIRD ones. And raunchy ones. And ones where I can totally tell who searched it 😉

Anyway, I recently saw Brittany’s post addressing some of her most searched terms, and I thought it was such a fun post idea!

So here are some of the most searched terms that lead to GML + my commentary.

 

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life in nyc blog – nailed it.

how to get a job in new york – It’s not easy, but not impossible either. People get jobs here every day! Here are some of my tips.

cake batter blondies – my most popular post ever! For good reason. Also – my most ripped off recipe :/ But we won’t go there.

Cake Batter Blondies

make brownies with cake mix – what initially led to the Cake Batter Blondies idea. Just follow same steps but with chocolate cake mix.

red velvet brownies from cake mix – are you noticing a trend here? Sorry for all the link ups, but here’s that recipe!

how to wear clothes that do not flatter me – but why…? I can’t bring myself to give suggestions for this.

things christian girls say – hahaha - “I’ll pray about it,” “I just had revelation,” “#blessed,” “my body is temple,” “I need to journal about this” … (this guy nails it)

living in new york pros and cons – they’re always changing depending on the season of life you’re in, but here are some of mine. Right now I’d say the biggest pro is the endless possibilities, and just how magical it is (yes – it still feels that way 3.5 years later!). The biggest con is that I miss having a car.

why is there so much pressure for girls to settle down – is there? I think it depends on where you live and your upbringing/social circles, but either way I wouldn’t give in to it. Do what makes you happy, and do what’s best for your future life/family – not what you think you’re “supposed” to do.

i’ve never asked my self about why life is like this – like what? I’d say keep asking those questions and see where it leads you.

how to make girl friends in ny – been there, I can relate! My #1 tip would be to just keep putting yourself out there and embrace any opportunity to meet new people. Here’s a post I did with tips on making friends in New York, and one on making girl friends in general.

wise words to say to a girlfriend – that she’s beautiful, duh! And tell her the truth about whether you really like her outfit or not. She may not like it at first, but she’ll appreciate it later.

i never wear heels so difficult – the struggle is real. Practice makes perfect! Investing a higher quality shoe helps too. Or just embrace that sassy little height of yours.

tapas restaurants in west village – there are SO many, but I love me some Alta.

best girl blogger – oh shucks, stop it.

awkward selfie – (s) are the best selfies.

i just cant help myself not to love them cupcakes – I feel you.

buffalo stuffed avocados – it’s not actual buffalo buuut here ya go.

so hard not to text him – so maybe you should just text him? Unless he did something horrible…then don’t. Or if he’s dating someone else. Or if he’s in prison. Ugh there needs to be a texting manual.

how to chat with a new girl you met last night – just be yourself! Girls dig that. Maybe even make a phone call out of it.

girl who lives a full life – what I aspire to every day.

why is finding work in new york so hard for Australians – is it? I know/meet a ton of Aussies here! We like you :)

something amazing is about to happen – I couldn’t agree more.

 

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Just out of curiosity, how did you stumble upon GML?

if i’m being real…

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I miss the good old days of blogging. The days where not everyone and their mom had one. The days where blogs were BLOGS and not informational websites or online magazines.

On a completely unrelated note, most of the time there’s a lollipop hidden somewhere in my purse.

99% of the spring/summer clothes I’ve gotten recently are white.

When I say “whatever, I don’t care” - it means I definitely 100% do care.

I eat at least a spoonful of peanut (or almond) butter a day.

I was on a date last week where a guy made me feel dumb for believing what I believe. I didn’t like that.

Speaking of the opposite sex, I think this quote via Pinterest really nailed it.

I don’t own any designer clothes. Not by New York’s standards, at least.

Going to the movies is one of my tippy top favorite things to do, but I haven’t been in months.

Did I really just say tippy top?

I’m really good at glamorizing/romanticizing things. It’s a blessing and a curse.

I’m trying to become a better listener. I think I’m already decent at it, but I want to be better.

I’m also working on being less hard on myself. So far, so good!

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Your turn! Be real with me about…something. Anything.

what i hate(d) about blogging.

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This post is one that I’m surprised I haven’t written yet. It’s based on something that goes through my mind every single time I hit publish on a post, or share on my gazillion social media outlets.

(It’s funny, though. When I was done writing this post I changed the title to hate(D) because I suddenly became FREE from what I thought I hated about blogging. Don’t you love it when that happens?)

Thanks to Clare and her post from yesterday for inspiring me to share my thoughts on this. Clare addressed the issue of feeling the need to censor herself on her blog, and I couldn’t agree more. For me, though, the pressure to censor myself has less to do with my blog readers and more to do with my real life friends, acquaintances, and various relationships.

Over the years I’ve definitely gotten to the point where I’m comfortable sharing my blog with everyone I know – I tell friends about it, post it on my personal Facebook, and even refer to myself as a blogger when asked my profession. Considering how I was almost embarrassed about GML at first, I’ve come a long way when it comes to being proud and confident in being a blogger.

The difficult part now, though, is coming to terms with the fact that I’ve opened myself up to so many people’s opinions and criticisms that a normal person would just never have to face. It can be uncomfortable to realize that people (whether they’re people I know or not) can know things about me that might take months or years for someone to learn if I didn’t have this little old thing called a blog.

But you know what? That’s just something I’m going to have to deal with. I know for a fact that this platform was given to me for a reason, so I’m willing to take whatever comes along with that.

I think that what it all boils down to is that having a presence on a public forum like a blog has forced me to learn what it means to be fully and unapologetically myself.

So yes – I take pictures of my food.

I share TMI sometimes.

I wear too much makeup sometimes.

I had adventures in Tinder.

I take selfies, and I love other people’s selfies. SELFIE SELFIE SELFIE.

I don’t have a “real” job.

I’m a Christian that goes clubbing.

I overuse emojis, Pinterest quotes, and hashtags.

ac77a7f60b1fe38df48ec264bbba3261

So if you want to follow my blog, my social media, or just have me in your life – that’s what you’re gonna get. Welcome to girl meets life.

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If you’re a blogger, is this something you can relate to? If a blog reader – would love to hear your thoughts on this!

 

Some related posts:

adventures in tinder.

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A couple of months ago I posted about the dating app revolution that is Tinder. Well, a few days after that, I started using Tinder for myself. You know, for research purposes 😉

Honestly, I was really wary at first. I didn’t think Tinder was “my kind of thing” (which, I was right about). But after that original post I got a ton of readers asking me to review it. And I reminded myself that it is just an app, after all.

I stopped using Tinder a couple of weeks ago for reasons I’ll explain in a bit, but it was definitely an interesting experience that I’m excited to share about.

Here are the pros and cons I learned from using Tinder.

tinder

the pros of Tinder.

1. it builds confidence.
I get asked out here and there in “real life”,” but it’s quite the confidence booster to see that guys I found really attractive thought that I was as well.

2. it greatly opens possibly.
This one is pretty obvious – on Tinder you become open to meeting hundreds or thousands of people that you might not otherwise. I’ve heard of many people meeting their boyfriend/girlfriend on Tinder so…who knows!

3. it’s free, uncomplicated, and can be fun.
Tinder doesn’t have the commitment level of online dating, which might appeal to a lot of people who want to meet new singles without spending money or creating a full profile. Not to mention it’s simple, and can just be plain fun.

4. it’s (oddly) like meeting people in real life.
This is something my friend mentioned before that I did find to be true.

5. it’s a learning experience.
I’m a big believer that being self aware is really important when it comes to dating and being in a relationship. Using Tinder helped me realize more about what I like, need, and deserve when it comes to dating.

tinder_match

the cons of Tinder.

1. it seemed like a lot of people view it as a game, or just a means to hook up.
This was the main issue for me. I’m definitely not saying that all guys view Tinder this way, but most of the guys I chatted with…well, it ended pretty quickly when I could tell we didn’t have the same intentions. I definitely chatted with some decent guys too, but I guess got sick of “weeding through” the others (then again, I suppose that’s life in general when it comes to dating).

2. you don’t always know what you’re going to get.
This is something I knew going into using Tinder, and it can definitely be fun to meet someone for the first time without knowing much about them. But even though I saw pictures and chatted with guys before going out with them, it’s still essentially a blind date. I much prefer having met someone first to gauge if there’s at least a bit of a connection before going on a date.

3. I wasn’t coming across my “type” of guy.
The reason I put “type” in quotation marks is because the older I get and the more I date, the more I realize that I actually *don’t* have a type. However, for me it’s important to date a guy that’s a) a Christian and b) looking for more than just a hookup. I’m *not* saying that those guys can’t be or aren’t on Tinder, but I didn’t meet any in the 2-3 months I was on there.

tinderlogo

So as you can see, I actually came up with more pros than cons with it comes to Tinder. However, with where I’m at in life right now, the cons (especially #1 and #3) are “bigger” enough than the pros that I’ve stopped using Tinder. So while I wouldn’t say Tinder is terrible, I’m personally going to keep at it the old fashioned way.

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Have you tried Tinder? Which of these do you agree/disagree with most?

ask G, part 6.

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1. Can you tell us the story of how you and Jessi met and became best friends? – anonymous

We first met at Liberty Church! Then we saw each other again at a church Sisterhood event, talked about my blondies (haha), went out to a friend’s birthday party afterward, and literally became best friends within a few weeks. And we’ve been ever since!

2. Is there anything you won’t/don’t blog about? – anonymous

I don’t really post about my dating life because it just seems…weird (especially in the beginning stages of dating someone). When I’m in a serious relationship I’ll post about it.

I also try not to post often about (bad) things that I’m going through in life. It’s not that I’m trying to hide anything, it’s just that most of those things are actually pretty dumb, and I hate to put off a “woe is me” attitude when I know that I’m actually very blessed.

3. I just graduated college and ended a relationship with my boyfriend of 3 years. I want to start dating, but I’m so nervous and don’t know where to begin. What’s your best piece of advice for dating in your 20s?? – Allison

I can definitely relate. I went through a similar situation, and honestly I put off dating for years because I hated the idea of it. I have a lot of thoughts on dating/relationships, but I think the biggest thing is just don’t over-think it. I can only speak from personal experience, but any time I over-think I find myself not acting like myself, and being yourself is so very important when it comes to dating (and any relationships, for that matter). Go easy on yourself, enjoy the time getting to know a new person, and observe the interaction/how you feel. I feel like we tend to over-complicate things when it comes to dating/relationships when it should really be quite…simple.

4. Who is your celebrity crush? – Adam

Can I name a few? 😉 Bradley Cooper, Jon Hamm, and Charlie Hunnam.

5. Do you have any tattoos? – anonymous

Yes, I have 4. Soon to be 5, possibly!

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Please note that I’m *not* an expert and that this advice is based solely on my own experiences and thoughts. Have a question? Feel free to leave it as a comment on this post or ask me anonymously.

Do you have/want any tattoos?
Celebrity crush?

match.com singles in america event.

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Yesterday while everyone was a NYFW event of some sort, I went to an event for something I’m much more interested in – dating!

The Match.com 4th annual Singles in America panel was held at Toshi’s Living Room in the Flatiron Hotel.

For about an hour guests mingled, enjoyed snacks, and special Valentine’s Day themed cocktails by Vangogh Vodka.

Then, it was time for the discussion! On the panel was Millionaire Matchmaker Patti Stanger, celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, Relationship Expert Dr. Emily Morse, Cosmo Sex & Relationship Editor Anna Breslaw, and Biological Anthropologist Dr. Helen Fisher.

For an hour they discussed all things dating and relationships based on a recent study done by Match.com. Here are some of the tidbits I found to be most interesting:

 

* the top 3 things people notice first in a person are: 1) teeth 2) confidence 3) grammar

* most people no longer follow the “3 day rule” of calling after a date

* according to Patti, NYC girls should go to the suburbs to meet guys

* according to Emily, “the issues you have on the 3rd date are issues you’ll probably have forever.”

* bars are statistically the worst place to meet people

* people are now meeting online more than anywhere else

 

I was definitely surprised by some of those stats. It was really fun and insightful hearing about the study, as well as the thoughts/opinions of the different experts.

Which of those statistics do you agree/disagree with most?

What are the top 3 things you first notice in a guy/girl?