New year, new me... okay same me, but with a new edition of one of my favorite blog posts! There are some new members of the Actually Tho community so I thought it was the perfect time to reintroduce myself and answer 20 of my favorite questions, inspired by Vogue's 73 Questions Series.
Let’s jump right into it!
What's your go-to coffee order?
These days, it' a large hot latte with non-fat milk! But, even when it's cold I sometimes go for an iced coffee too.
What's your go-to cocktail?
Spicy margarita with a salted rim always!
What's your full-time job?
I work in the Department of Undergraduate Admissions at a local university.
What's your favorite time of the day?
I never thought I'd say it, but I love early mornings, like 6am-7:30am!
What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?
I've been lucky to receive some pretty fantastic advice over the years. But if I had to pick the best life lesson/piece of advice it would probably be this: Natural talent without hard work won't amount to all that much. My parents taught my brother and I that while we may be naturally gifted in one area, if we didn't combine this with hard work it would never matter.
This advice helped me develop a strong work ethic and a desire to continue working hard. I also think it's nice to be able to identify your natural gifts, but also recognize where hard work will help you even more.
What's the best purchase you've made under $100 over the past 6 months?
This hat from Pretty Neutral! I've been a huge fan of this online boutique since it opened and I swear it's one of the only places I'll buy clothes online from! The owner, Amanda, is a Kentucky based blogger that I found through going to Pure Barre in Lexington and I've been a huge fan since! So of course I had to support her new business when she opened this online boutique!
I'd been looking for a hat just like this for months and I couldn't find the right one - until this popped up on my screen! It fits perfectly, no awkward gap between my head and my hat, and it doesn't get in my eyes. You know all of those annoying things. But possibly what I love most is how well made it is. It keeps it's shape, it's so cute, and it's super easy to add to any outfit on days when I'm really not feeling the whole washing my hair or even styling my hair thing.
What's the best purchase you've made over $100 over the past 6 months?
Okay, it's not a product but I'd have to say the most recent photoshoot I did with Kristina Nalette from Kristina Nalette Photography. She's a natural light photographer in Vermont and I absolutely adore her! She took all of the pictures in this post and she's done my high school senior photos and my brother's senior photos.
I just love how kind and thoughtful she is and she really makes the entire shoot so fun and easy! Truthfully, she is one of those people that makes you feel so confident. Not to mention it was freezing when we took these pictures and she made the entire thing feel exciting and helped me forget how absolutely frozen I was.
What can you never leave the house without?
My airpods. I use them all the time. I use them walking to and from my office, when I work out, when I'm running errands, and even when I'm working on different projects.
I love to be able to put on a podcast, audiobook or playlist and just focus (or zone out) and have some time to myself.
The worst thing though is when I forget to charge them...tragic.
What's your ideal weekend?
A morning Pure Barre class, followed by grabbing breakfast at my favorite diner in town and then having absolutely no plans. I love planning (as evident by all of my posts on it) but I also love having some time to be spontaneous and do whatever I want.
My favorite weekends are the ones where I really just focus on what I want to do in the moment, whether that's staying in and spending time with Wrigley, or going out and connecting with friends!
If you could move to a new country tomorrow, which would it be?
Ireland, no questions asked!
What's your favorite holiday?
CHRISTMAS always and forever! I still have my tree up!
Iced coffee or hot coffee?
Truthfully, hot coffee first thing when I wake up, but after that I typically go for iced coffee. Even if we're supposed to get "arctic weather" this weekend.
What is your favorite color?
Pink! But I wear mostly neutrals or blues!
What do you miss most about living in Kentucky?
My friends 100% but also Old School Coffee, and of course UK!
What is your favorite thing about living in Vermont?
All of the local businesses. There are so many family owned coffee shops, restaurants and businesses that I've grown up visiting and there's always new ones starting! I'm not sure what it is, but something about Vermont screams "Shop local".
What is your comfort movie?
Oh gosh, probably any of the Harry Potter series (except the 2nd one - not my favorite) or any classic Disney movies.
What is a must have work item?
Besides the obvious (i.e. my computer), I'd have to say a notebook. Whether I'm brainstorming ideas, taking meeting notes or keeping track of information on calls, having a notebook handy helps me avoid missing any important details!
What was your favorite vacation?
Oh, wow, this is hard because I love every single vacation I've been on. But, if I had to choose I would say this last family trip to Disney was pretty special. I was going through a lot in my life and I was beyond stressed so this trip came at the perfect time.
I also hadn't seen my family much in the year and a half leading up to the trip because I was living in Kentucky and they were in Vermont during the beginning of the pandemic.
This trip was so laid back, the weather was amazing and we really had the best time laughing and spending time together.
What is your favorite Amazon purchase?
This dress! I wore it to my cousin's wedding this past New Year's weekend and it is amazing! It is so flattering, so comfortable and really affordable! It made me feel confident and I seriously didn't want to take it off. I mean I'm trying to find reasons to wear it because I love it so much! It also comes in a ton of different colors and it's got some different style options too!
What are you most excited about in 2022?
Feeling settled and working on my goals! I know it sounds cheesy but I really am looking forward to a year of working on everything I want to achieve.
I finally feel like I'm at a place in my life where I feel happy, and settled and can properly dedicate time and attention to my goals and that's an exciting place to be in!
There you have it, 20 questions to help you get to know me better! I want to get to know you too, so comment on my latest Instagram post and introduce yourself!