Bringing Christmas Back

My family’s hitting that awkward age where all the children have grown up and adults feel like there’s no need for getting into the Christmas spirit anymore. Like, we all know Santa doesn’t exist so why decorate the tree? And why wrap presents when you can just give cash in a red envelope?

Well, I say nay to that! Nay to that!

First, I hung a wreath up on our doors (lights will hopefully come later once I find out a) how to hang them b) how to light them without getting myself electrocuted). It’s just the right cheery touch to welcome someone in.

Next up, I intended to revive postal services again by mailing a few of my dearest with Christmas love. Who doesn’t like receiving mail, right?

I didn’t plan a good system this year though. Post-it lists and using mailing labels 5 sizes too big do not pretty Christmas cards make. Next year, I’ll try harder!

I even started doing some gift wrapping! I really do love gift wrapping. I should open my own gift wrapping business. Any takers?

And a present to all my dear blog readers…a revamped Media Maid layout thanks to the talented Modeh!

May your Christmas be bright.

PS. Just learned this week that Christ was NOT born on Dec. 25th! Nonetheless, his love is so real and deep, hallelujah!

posted by Janice | Comments: 0 | Blog, Personal

I Love Ebay!

Thanks to maid of honor duties for Miss Helena, a very important one consists of picking out THE perfect maid of honor dress.

Because this is Helena we are talking about, no pastel concoction purchased from Macy’s will do (although if you did find your dress from there, kudos to you!). I decided to venture to Ebay for my shopping needs.

And I got hooked.

At first I wasn’t really sure how to use this complicated e-commerce site and ended up bidding on a whole bunch of dresses in the same color and style just because I can. And then I realized, “Oh crap! I actually have to pay for them!”

But I’m slowly growing into a sophisticated Ebay shopper, picky about my merchandise, savvy when bidding.

The best part would have to be when the package arrives in the mail.

So of all the things I’ve already bought on Ebay, (which is not a lot, okay? I don’t have like, a whole secret closet stuffed with lawn chairs, owl watches, and juicers) my favorite would have to be this:

Guess what this is! Guess what this is! Okay, I’ll tell you.

‘Tis a monopod!

This contraption holds up my iPhone and smaller cameras and I get to wave it around and film people!

Here is a ROUGH first video:

What do you think? Do I have what it takes to be the next Steven Spielberg? (And I’d just like to state for the record that the shakiness and the blurred video image is an artistic choice, okay?)

posted by Janice | Comments: 8 | Blog

How To Procrastinate Properly

Nuts…

posted by Janice | Comments: 2 | Blog, Job, Magazine, Writing

A Work In Progress

This blog, like myself, is always a work in progress.

I’m so blessed to have my good friend Mohamad constantly helping me tweak to make The Media Maid more visually and technically appealing.

As you can see, new changes have been made (Cleaner banner head! Ads! (Welcome BlogHer!) and more changes are soon to come.

Your thoughts are always of utmost importance. I mean, after all, I don’t write on a public blog for myself only. I obviously want people to read it. So please let me know what I can do to improve this blog for you and for me.

…No naked pictures. I’ll leave that to the celebs. *wink wink

posted by Janice | Comments: 2 | Blog

Good Mood Quote of the Day: 2 For 1

“When I grow up I want to be a little boy.”

~Joseph Heller

“The pursuit of truth and beauty is a sphere of activity in which we are permitted to remain children all our lives.”

~Albert Einstein

Growing up is hard, but I try to keep a childlike innocence and exuberance to all I do. If that makes me a tad immature or naive or foolish then so be it. At least I’m having fun.

I like kids. I like Lily from Modern Family. She is adorable. Happy Friday! Thank you for voting!

posted by Janice | Comments: 2 | Inspirations, TV

Good Mood Blog of the Day

“Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.”

~Brian Tracy

I am a really awkward person, did you know that? I know. Shocking, right? An example of my awkwardness:

I went to a party and ran into this girl that used to date one of my old high school classmates.  I had always seen them around together in past gatherings and we semi-recognize each other in a hazy fuzzy way.  She was dating the guy really really seriously for a number of years but I had heard that they had broken up recently.  So, at this particular bash, I was not that surprised that she was there with a completely different dude. What I was surprised was what came out of my mouth:

Me: “Hey, you’re Girl, right?”
Girl: “Yea, hey nice to see you.”
Me: “You used to date HighschoolClassmate, right?”
Girl: “Uh yea,” (eyes her new boy) “We broke up.”

Obviously.

Me: “Oh, sorry to hear that.”

Awkward silence ensues for 10 million years.

Me: (waving gangly arms around frantically) “Hey, I didn’t just make things awkward, did I? Did I?”

Yep. Told ya I was awkward.

But if you think I’m awkward, you ain’t heard none of my friend, Josh Lehrman’s stories yet.  This awkward man blows my awkward woman out of the water.  Luckily, Josh also happens to be an exceptionally talented writer who turns his life’s chagrins into nuggets of comedy gold. And he’s offering these nuggets on his blog, It’s True Because It’s Funny. Josh makes clear that some of his tales are tall but that’s okay because they’re so freakin’ hilarious, you’d want to read it anyway.

I want to make people laugh like that. Give me a chance to do so as a Good Mood Blogger! Just found out that sometimes you can trick the system by going on your browser, clicking out of it and clicking back in a few minutes/hours later. So if you have time, help an awkward girl out? Thank you!

posted by Janice | Comments: 0 | Blog, Friendlies, Inspirations, Writing