I've been in a stupor for the past several days, unable to function much aside from being glued to weather reports and pray endlessly for relief for a land and people I love so much. The inundation of the Gulf Coast is heart-wrenching, unprecedented... it would be completely unbelievable to fathom 50+" of rain falling in four days if our TVs and computer screens weren't drowning in the now-familiar images of families struggling to find higher ground, to start piecing their lives together. While my family is much further inland, I have had dozens of friends affected by Harvey--some quite drastically.

The most magnificent showings of love have poured out over, over and over again... neighbors rescuing neighbors, strangers risking their lives to save their fellow man, highways full of flat bottom boats, volunteers who have lost so much, and in the midst have stepped up to serve the needs of others. Celebrities and corporations have given generously toward what is expected to top $160 billion in damage. But Houston is in for a long, long recovery... as are the smaller surrounding towns like Rockport and

People all over are antsy to give back and to help where they can, but it's really crucial to bear in mind what is actually needed and what would be an added burden. Here's a short list of a few ways you can help:

• Give blood. This is monetarily free, so desperately needed, and requires only your time. I have such a phobia of needles, but largely due to my dad's influence, have given blood often--it's not terrible, and you almost certainly will save lives.
• We've all seen the one-liners about how easy it is, giving to the Red Cross--but in case you've been under a rock, you can text HARVEY to 90999 to donate $10 that will be added to your phone bill next month. It really doesn't get any easier (and you can do it multiple times!).
• Diapers are in desperate need. There are several ways to contribute these, and here are three different places (in the same vein, I believe wipes and feminine products are also in demand as well).
• The images of animals left behind have just ripped my heart out... a few causes that are on the front lines of Houston saving the fur babies are the Houston Humane Society, Austin Pets Alive and the SPCA.
• If you like to show your generosity via wardrobe, there are so, so many ways to contribute here... I purchased this shirt (#TEXASFOREVER), but there's also this shirt (made by none other than my go-to t-shirt place in college), and this shirt too. Because can you really ever have too many t-shirts?
• James Avery is giving 100% of its proceeds from the purchase of this adorable charm to Harvey relief efforts through September.
• If a more traditional approach is your style, The Salvation Army and Coalition for the Homeless are excellent places to toss your cash too.
• And finally, I'll be giving all my Beautycounter commissions from now through the end of September to relief efforts. 

Just find a cause that speaks to you... that's what matters. This is such a short compilation of the dozens of ways you can give back. And people really, really need it right now, y'all.

Texans are known maybe most famously, for being stubborn and prideful... and they've no doubt put that on display for the country to see over the past week. To quote a meme I saw yesterday, "if you thought we were prideful before, you should see us when our boots dry out." 

I can't wait to see y'all come back, stronger than ever.

hey, hey, hey... how's it going? Just like that, August is here. I'm skedaddling off to for a long overdue trip home to Texas next weekend, and my heart is just so happy. While the summer in Nashville has been pretty brutal, heat-wise, the days have been good to me, and I know my time at home will just add endlessly to that bucket of gratitude.

But enough about that... here's some goodness for you:

• I never knew why the "no white after Labor Day" rule came about (and yes, I adhere to it)... but now I do. 
• Speaking of whites... I hosted a favorite things party a couple weeks ago and ended up with a new Essie polish--the perfect, elegant, pinky, white nude (and I feel like I've tried them all). 
• Haim hits it out of the park again. And I love how they spell out all of the background of writing this kick-ass new album. 
• Anyone else totally weak when it comes to Wikipedia rabbit holes? Here's one of my favorites... 
• This piece about French moms is just endlessly fascinating to me. 
• Perspective is an amazing, earth-shattering thing. 
• How cool is this infographic, showing how common each birthday in the year is?? (fun fact--mine of November 24th is the 352th most popular!)
• Steel Magnolias was one of the first non-Disney movies I ever remember watching--always surrounded by the women in my family, naturally. I even portrayed M'Lynn on stage when I was a freshman in high school... and after all immersion, I still never knew the full back story until this week. So fascinating! Can you believe it's been 30 years?
• Venmo shares all of our spending secrets. I've thought about this a time or two, and it's hilarious to see someone else having written out what has crossed my mind.
• Were you part of the masses who read "When Breath Becomes Air?" What very well might be my favorite book I've read this year, completed by the author's wife. Such a heart-wrenchingly raw and beautiful love.

Have the loveliest weekend!

In the interim while I figure out what to do with this thing, I thought I might press on with corralling some of my best recent finds... this is seriously one of my favorite kinds of posts, as I am perpetually that girl who has to tell absolutely anyone and everyone who will listen about the latest cool thing I've happened upon. So... you're welcome.

• Canceled my cable recently (jubilance!) and I try to listen to TED talks in the morning when I get ready in the absence of my morning news. With this one though? I found myself breathless and tear-stained between blowdrying my hair and refilling my coffee. 
• I love the idea of curiosity cabinets... so dreamy and classic. What do you think?
• After nearly a year of searching, my beloved church announced its new lead pastor this week (a cool message from him here). The general consensus I've heard is that everyone is really, really excited. 
• Such an achingly beautiful piece on motherhood. 
• I just won this cookbook as part of an instagram giveaway (lucky me!) and am really loving it. Homegirl is local and I have the hugest girl crush. 
• Speaking of local... Paul McDonald is the latest jam master who I can't get enough of. Listen to this really cool version of one of his latest singles. Careful--it's addicting. 
• Pictures of hipsters, taking pictures of food. Because you haven't seen enough of it IRL. 
• I just, rather impulsively, hacked my hair off at my shoulders and am loving the playful, summery update. I end up wearing it like this a lot... what's your favorite summer go-to style?
• The Madoff scandal remains deeply fascinating to me (one of my favorite books came from that, here). Did you watch the HBO movie too? I thought it was pretty intriguing, based on what I've read of the stories. 
• Trader Joe's snack round-ups are the best... probably because I'm so accustomed to shopping for the same ol' things, I usually overlook the goods (prep yourself for mango overload here). One noticeable item absent from this list? Jalapeño lemonade. Y-U-M. 

Hope you and yours had the loveliest Fourth!

I've been around these parts for a while. I've dashed to the keyboard to discuss a lot over the years--mostly light-hearted banter and ridiculous commentary, but being the open book I am, I've never found much to be off limits. And yeah, from time to time, I spilled out something deeply meaningful to me--usually about big loss--but lately, I find myself flailing when it comes to my role as a blogger. I know so many of you've been here too.

Blogging for me began forever ago... (xanga, anyone?). I prided myself on not selling out to what blogging has evolved to. Yet as blogging has become less and less about quality written content and more about sleek graphics, linked shopping sites and splashy ads, I find myself more and more disoriented. I feel a sense of contentment getting my words on a screen, but never set out to lock down any amount of income with them. Not all that suddenly, there doesn't feel like a ton of room for my "brand." (and yes, I shuddered a little, typing that).

I've long considered an aesthetic revamp, but deep down, I don't know that that will ignite the mind shift that I need to earnestly keep at this in a way that I'm proud of. I can't see myself falling away indefinitely, but I definitely need to adjust a bit.

A big portion of my back-burner blogging can be blamed on all of the life I've been living, which is a pretty fantastic reason for an inadvertent hiatus: new job (that isn't exactly limited to 9-5), all of the extra-curriculars, a wonderful boyfriend, my attempts at a social life, the very occasional night to myself... on one hand, there's plenty to discuss--and on the other, there's just no time or energy. Similarly, while my unbridled efforts of covering every detail of early 20-something life really fit that era of who I was as a human being, I don't exactly subscribe to the same manner of thinking anymore. I still firmly believe there's a beauty in vulnerability that may be unparalleled by anything else--but there's also something to be said for clutching the sweetest of memories close to heart.

So, I think I'll be back... soon I hope. But it'll be a little different... plenty of list round-ups of what I've stumbled across lately, lots of photo coverage of Maizie, and sure, a peek into my personal life here and there--but different, too. So much has yet to be determined, but I hope you'll stick around.

In the meantime, I've also dreamt up a little Nashville blog that I hope to dive into in the not too distant future.

xo