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Thoughts on Growing Up
by Kelsey

Growing up is hard, y’know? Here are some notes/thoughts on it:

  • The majority of my pictures now have frames around them.
  • Early is not 8 AM. Early is 4:00-5:00 AM. I am now a morning person. Not an early riser? Judgment.
  • At some point, you will need to stop eating trash and fill your body with things it needs. They will become things you want.
  • That said, no amount of healthy eating will prevent sickness or death. Indulgences are okay.
  • You will never leave Target without spending at least $50. Ever.
  • Children hate naps but need them. College students love naps and need them. Adults may or may not need naps, but they want them. But naps give adults “nap hangovers” — pounding headache, sensitivity to movement, nausea. Day sleep = no night sleep. You are not a cat.
  • The majority of your adult morning will be spent procuring caffeine (or talking about that pursuit with your co-workers).
  • Also, break room coffee isn’t coffee. Don’t trust anyone who says otherwise.
  • Leisurely mornings are the best things in the world. The. Best.
  • Making my bed is not optional.
  • Friendships will never be as effortless as they were before.
  • Everyone is biologically predetermined to “like” water. It keeps you alive. Drink it, you’ll feel better. (And don’t contaminate it with those BS flavor packs).
  • Cleanliness is a form of self-care (may have stolen this one from The Killing).
  • Skincare regimes are now a thing.
  • The first ten years after college will be the hardest years of your life.
  • Walk in the door -> Sweatpants.

 

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Good luck out there, Everyone.

Fall Vibes
by Lindsey

Fall is less than a month away. Living in Tennessee means the cool weather hasn’t yet arrived, but I know it’s coming. I see you, crispy leaves. Come at me.

I know most girls (and boys) get excited about a change in the seasons, so consider this my homage. Behold: The things I love about fall, and the things I want to do/accomplish during this marvelous time of year.

Loves

Fall Dressing: One word: cozy. Tights and boots and sweaters and jackets and scarves and every other cuddly piece of clothing I own will be put to great use. I’m one of those people who sleeps best cocooned under the weight of five blankets pulled to my chin, so I feel very comfortable dressing for chilly weather. Plus, I feel like I dress better in the fall. Layering is my game, and it’s a hard game to win in the hotter months. When the cool breezes start blowing, no one will judge my choice to wear a denim jacket. (I do wear denim in summer. It’s called personal style, dad.)

Return to Academia: I miss school. I really do. Fall reminds me of the time in my life where my ultimate goal was to learn. (It still is, but less formally so.) I think that’s why college Homecomings often happen in the fall. It’s nostalgia on steroids. New school supplies are a thing of beauty, too, yeah? To quote my favorite Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan movie:

“Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.”

If a man ever sent me a bouquet of pencils, I’d probably swoon and lose an eye. Take note, gentlemen.

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Halloween 2013. With hat, witch. Without hat, Stevie Nicks. Good either way.

Holidays Ahoy: The best holidays take place in fall/winter. Halloween has candy and frights. The Halloween episodes of television shows are just the BEST. Everyone is listening to spooky podcasts and reading scary books, too, right? Just me? Then, Thanksgiving has family and warm fuzzies. My mom makes the best dressing (or stuffing baked outside of the turkey for those readers not living in the South). Finally, we head into Christmas with all the festivities that entails. Woot!

Goals

Makeup Shake-up: Honestly, I don’t wear much makeup, and I’ve been wearing less and less of late. Really, If I have a lipgloss or balm, I’m good to go. I’ve come a long way from my middle school days of purple lipstick and hot pink blush. However, I want to start taking better care of my skin this fall. I’m currently eyeing this combo SPF cream. Also, I’ve always wanted to be one of girls that can wear red lipstick during the day without anyone blinking an eye. So, you know what? I’m going to be that girl. I’ve purchased Fire Down Below from NARS, a deep blood red. Basically, I’m majorly inspired by Jamie Beck’s no-fuss, classic look. (She even has me considering oxfords. No small feat.)

IMG_4217Copy Starbucks: You thought I was going to talk about pumpkin spice lattes, didn’t you? Well, you’d be wrong. I spend waaay too much money on Starbucks’ matcha green tea lattes. I’m addicted. This fall, I intend to learn a copycat recipe. Buying matcha is expensive, but there must be a way!

Plan Better: I’ll make this short and sweet. I haven’t been using my planner and I should. Lame, right? Well, I need to better track my time. Also, I’m a homebody, and I’m perfectly okay with that. However, with all the fun fall things? I need to plan to get out of the house.

Fall, y’all! What are your plans?

Fear of Flight
By Lindsey

If you know Kelsey and I well, you know we like to travel. We actually make for really great travel companions. We we both believe that after a tiring day of cultural attractions, one should get dinner to go and eat in hotel beds whilst wearing jammies. (I know you’re excited about our future travel posts.)

Plane - LindseySAnyway, we sisters share another travel tendency: we both fear flying. By fear, I mean almost panic-attack inducing, stomach jumping, seat-neighbor asking if you’re okay kind of scared. For me, I hate take-offs and landings. Once I’m in the air (assuming that air is smooth as silk), I like to see the tiny houses and colorful patterns of farmland far below. For Kelsey, it’s the opposite. She feels trapped while on the flight and loves watching the plane inch closer and closer to the ground. Maybe we both like control. Maybe we haven’t flown enough. Maybe everyone is born with fears, and this is our shared space in which we try not to barf and cry.

Some of you may be thinking, “What wimps! I love to fly!” Well, for those of you who lack natural empathy and call names, this Buzzfeed post should give you a little insight into the terror we experience.

Why am I posting this now, you might wonder? Well, this Friday I’m flying for the first time in almost a year. I’ve been trying to mentally prepare. This means I:

  1. Don’t watch the news. Unsurprisingly, disasters make me even more nervous.
  2. Download great podcasts. My current favorites are Slumber Party with Alie and Georgia, Welcome to Night Vale and Radiolab.
  3. Wear comfy clothes. I have a giant cardigan picked out already.
  4. Have plenty of reading material on hand. I read magazines during take-offs and landings, Kindle books the rest of the flight. I’m just going to air my shame and say this: I downloaded the Fifty Shades of Gray Trilogy to keep me busy. There’s nothing like poorly written sexy books to keep the mind off crashing! (I also downloaded this book and this book to make up for that choice…maybe.)
  5. Keep a prescription anxiety pill in my purse just in case. I’ve never actually had to take an emergency pill, but knowing it’s there makes me feel better, like a tiny, chemical security blanket.

For those of you who also hate high-speed trips through the air, I thought I’d share some more resources from around the web.

Any other tips for me? Wish me luck.

Oh, hi.
by Lindsey and Kelsey

Welcome, reader. First off, you are looking fabulous.

Next, you may be wondering, what is the Left/Right Blog? What kind of content will I see here? Why should I stick around?

Well, we – Kelsey and Lindsey – are sisters and writers who aren’t among the lucky few that get to feed our creative sides during our 9-5 jobs. Enter the Left/Right Blog, a place where we hope to nourish both sides of our brains, all while sharing and creating community (with you lovely folk). We’re planning content that runs the creative gauntlet including:

  • delicious recipes and drink concoctions (because no shame)
  • book recommendations
  • travel plans/wishful thinking
  • contemporary and classical movie reviews
  • TV show round-ups (the legit good and the guilty pleasures)
  • links and discussions on the latest tech and science developments (Fun science, you guys. Be cool.)
  • cats
  • and more!

Basically, we plan to share insights into the lifestyles of the young and the introverted. While we’re very different people, we hope our shared interests will inspire and entertain you. We’re glad you’re here.

Want to know more? Visit our About K/L page.