Thursday, December 30, 2010

PonchoMeg: The Modern Bohemian's Guide to a Happy New Year

The new year is almost here!  Oh the excitement!  Oh the anticipation!  Oh the fear of those new year resolutions!
To help get you all ready for the new year, I have some great resources for you.  Enjoy!

New Years Eve Entertainment

Make Money Online in the New Year

Work Towards Your Fitness Goals

Be ALL About Self-Improvement

Go "GREEN" in the New Year


Happy New Year!
Peace and Love, 
Meagan

P.S.- I thought I'd share a few of my favorite pics from the blog this year as well.  Are any of these some of your favorites too?

My baby Ava!

Baby L. at the March for Babies

My first REAL Tigers game! (As in... not on TV)


Grand Rapids' Electronic Music Night

 My homemade Halloween costume.

Yay, Squirrels!

Poo Poo Paper!



Thursday, December 9, 2010

What the Modern Bohemian's Been Up To...

I am a lucky girl.  So much good stuff has happened recently!

First, I got to go to Grand Rapids and work on a movie with 50 Cent!  That was really awesome.  I had a great time.  Then, that same day, I got to go see "White Christmas" at Cornerstone University (for free!) with my friend Kelsey, her hubby, and another friend of theirs (Rb).  I was surprised to see that I knew someone in the cast... a young lady I've known for years and years since she was just a little thing.  So that was amazing too!

On Saturday, I went back to Grand Rapids to see the exhibit at the Grand Rapids Art Museum on Princess Diana that is touring around.  It was such a moving and worthwhile experience.  Princess Diana has always been an inspiration to me because of her volunteer work, her positivity, her support of the fine arts, and her sense of beauty, grace, and class.  Seeing her gowns, letters she received and sent, pictures, videos, and all the condolence books that were sent to her family (among many other things) was just an indescribable experience for me.

What else have I been up to?  Ah yes... working.

I have been assembling a gift guide for the blog that should be ready soon. Yay!  I've also been writing articles (like this one on Wilhuff) and promoting.  I'm also WAY into Sponsored Tweets.  I like Sponsored Tweets because I get to pick what I advertise and how I do it.  So I promote companies, products, and ideas I believe in, not just whatever ends up being offered.  Plus, it's been pretty steady work so far and I'm obsessed with Twitter, so it's a good combination! haha

Last night, I had a singing gig where I got to sing Holiday songs and Christmas carols for two hours!  It's my 3rd year doing it, and I just love it!  It's so much fun!  Getting to go caroling (inside where it's warm) and getting paid for it.  Pretty groovy.

I think you're caught up... though sometimes I forget things... that's okay.  I can keep things mysterious and keep ya coming back for more! ;)

Peace and Love,
Meagan

Saturday, December 4, 2010

List My Five Lists: Christmas Quotes, Christmas Movies, How to Shop for Hippies & Bohemians, & More!

I write for List My Five, an amazing website where you can share fun lists (and even make some money too!)  I wanted to share some of my recent lists with you, as they relate to December and the Holiday season.  I have more to do, but here is what I have so far:


If you were born in December (or just want to know a little more about December) then check out:

If you're looking for some great Christmas Quotes, check out:

If you're looking to donate to charity, check out:

If you are looking for some great ideas for Holiday party food, check out:

It's a Wonderful Life (60th Anniversary Edition)      How the Grinch Stole Christmas      Elf (Infinifilm Edition)

If you are looking for some great Christmas movies to watch, well...
 let's just say, I have a LOT of options for you:

White Christmas (Anniversary Edition)      The Holiday      National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (Special Edition)

If you need some ideas for shopping for your hippie, bohemian, free-spirit friends and family, the following lists should help you out immensely.  One is Michigan specific, but if you live in Michigan, it's an awesome bonus I guess! haha  Check them out:


I hope my lists can help you out this December.
If you want to read my other lists too, just look through all of them by going to my

Peace and Love,
Meagan



Monday, November 29, 2010

PonchoMeg's Thanksgiving Weekend of Greatness

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday (if you are in a place where you celebrate Thanksgiving that is... otherwise, I hope you just had a wonderful weekend).  My weekend was pretty stellar.

It all started on Wednesday for me actually, as I had to prepare my very own gluten-free Thanksgiving dinner to take to my mom and dad's house.  My mom bought me groceries so that I would be able to make it all, and I am so grateful for that.  So yes, Wednesday, I started cooking.  I made the GF spinach and artichoke dip and GF bread.  It was fun, and... a success!

On Thursday morning, I got up early, made half of my bread into gluten-free stuffing, stuffed my GF turkey (there is meat with gluten in it, believe it or not),  and got my turkey in the oven.  While it cooked, I did laundry, watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the dog show, did some writing, and reflected back on Thanksgivings from my past.  It was awesome!

Scene It? SquabbleFinally, once everything was cooked and ready, I hauled it out to my parents' house and got to have a nice, family dinner with my mom, dad, sister, brother-in-law, and Kiki (my parents neurotic but lovable calico cat).  We also watched home movies and played Scene-it Squabble (girls won!).  It was a great time.

Friday was fairly uneventful, but I did get to see my former roommate, A. (who I miss constantly) so that was cool.  Oh and I faxed my stuff back to the unemployment office again.  (Hopefully this time everything is clear and I can get paid.)

Saturday, we celebrated my dad's birthday early (his actual birthday is today) by taking him to see "Megamind" (WAY good movie, btw) and eating dinner at Outback Steakhouse . Why Outback?  Well, originally, we were going to go to Applebee's, but they don't have a gluten-free menu.  Outback does, and has great food all around.  Plus, my dad got a free Birthday sundae (and no singing or clapping, which, as someone who used to work in the food service industry, he finds to be embarrassing and degrading) so that was good.  After that, I got to hang out with my friend Chin and a few other friends and we watched The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard.  It is a WAY funny movie!  If you haven't seen it yet, check it out.

Days Gone ByeThat leads to Sunday.  Sunday was another awesome day. Will's parents took us to see the Children's Ballet Theatre production of "The Nutcracker".  And with that, the Christmas season officially started for me.  It was awesome.  Sunday night we hung out with some friends and watched "The Walking Dead," which, if you aren't familiar with it, is an amazing show on AMC.  I am so into it, but there's only one episode left in the season I think!  Ahh!! What will I do!?!?

Then this morning, I had an interview. An interview!!  Oh, I am so excited.  It's been awhile since I've had an interview, so that was amazing.  Not only that, but the place is awesome!  If I get the job, I will be teaching but without having to constantly fight for my job or for validation like I've had to do in the past as a music educator.  Wow... that would be so awesome...


Pilot [HD]Anyway, now I am home, ready to work on some writing (even if I get this job, I'll still be doing my writing).  But I also have to prepare for my second interview tomorrow. (That's right, they want me to come in for a second interview! Ahhh!!! :) haha)  Also on the agenda for tomorrow... watching myself on Detroit 1-8-7!  Yes, that's right: the episode that I was a part of is airing tomorrow at 10:00 pm (Eastern/Standard time) on ABC!  I am SOOOO excited!  If you watch Detroit 1-8-7, look for me and my car.  My car is a maroon/wine colored Saturn Ion that should be in some shots and I am wearing a goldish-brown dress coat over skinny jeans and a printed shirt.  Good luck spotting me! haha

Well, I think that's about it.  But before I go, I'll leave you with a few new websites to check out:








Here's to a good week. :)
Peace and Love,
Meagan

Friday, November 19, 2010

Peace & Love & Follow Friday

Hello all.  Well, it's been a pretty interesting week.  I'm learning the ropes of being poor and realizing how many things I took for granted the few times I have had money as an adult.  This is good, because one day, when I do actually have money again, I will know how to make it stretch AND I will be more grateful for all of the things that I will get to do that I can't do now (like... going to the movies or being able to buy craft supplies or going to P.F. Chang's or being able to buy things with cash instead of pennies...)  So yeah... it's definitely a good learning experience.


So what's been happening.  Well, I have been doing a LOT of writing.  Not a lot of sleeping.  And I've been hanging out with friends, cuddling with Ava Boo Boo, and just living my crazy Bohemian life. :)

And the Westboro Baptist Church came to town.  But not in great numbers.  Apparently, there were only about 3 of them outside of East Lansing High School yesterday. (I decided not to go so as not to give them any fuel for their fire.  I really do just want peace and love.)
In any case, the students showed them that we didn't need any hate coming from them in our community by doing their own peaceful counter-protest.  Read more about it here: NBC News Article on WBC in East Lansing


Anyway, on to today.  Well, today is Friday, and as some of you might know, Friday is "follow friday" on Twitter.  So, I, like many others, having been finding new people to follow today and promoting people to follow as well.  In my "follow friday" adventures, I found a lot of interesting websites to check out.  Here's what I came across:

Located in Ohio.  Seems like a neat place.  Plus, I gotta represent for anything "Great Lakes." haha

I get excited whenever I come across people trying to promote peace.  

I'm a follower!  I can't wait to read more.  It seems like there's a lot of stuff here to help people & the world.

One Life. One Planet. Live Deeply.  
I am definitely interested in knowing more...

I will definitely be spending more time on this site too.  Check it out if you want peace.

Clothing for people who love peace and love.

I know nothing about this site yet, but I like the idea of a record company promoting peace.  So yeah... I'll have to look into it more...

Heroes working for peace.  Awesome.

He appeals to me because he believes in sharing creativity, thoughts, and ideas on the web.

If you're looking for a new book, here's an author I came across today.

Musician / Geek / Thinker / Blogger

And these next two are not new finds, but two sites I just think you should check out. :)

Google offers helpful tools to communicate with people all over the world; even if they speak a different language.

My brand new website.  All about PonchoMeg: The Modern Bohemian on the web & in life.

And I really don't know what else to write about.  So I will leave you with all that for now.  Now, if you have any great sites about peace, love, creativity, giving, writing, hippies, bohemians, etc. that you like, please share them in the comments so I can check them out too. :)

Peace and Love,
Meagan


Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Highlights of My Bohemian Weekend (Featuring Furry Friends)

This weekend had a lot of good things in it.  I saw a lot of friends, my sister and her new husband got back safely from their honeymoon, Tum won some pizzas for all the guys, and Will bought some groceries.  Mmm... real food.

In addition to all that, I also got to go to a craft show with my mom in Mason, MI.  It was a great time.  She got a lot of cool stuff and even bought me a snowman! I love him.  He's sitting on top of my entertainment center smiling down at me as I write.

My favorite part of the weekend though?  Putting out the pumpkins from Halloween.  Why?  Well, because when we busted them up and put them out back, the squirrels loved them and went crazy over them!  Check it out:









I LOVE SQUIRRELS!!!!

I know some people have a hard time understanding my love of squirrels and my desire to feed them (most notably, my mom) but there is just something so magical and cute about squirrels.  Maybe it's the puffy tail.  Or... maybe I like squirrels because they are like gypsies.  Hmm....

Anyway, the other thing I did this weekend was research, write, and read.  When I wasn't at the craft show or outside with the squirrels I was working.  But I think it's gonna pay off.  I got an interview with Wilhuff I can work with, lots of new ideas and outlines, and most impressively (maybe): a series of 12 lists on List My Five that give fun and helpful information on your birth month.  If you want to check them out, just click on your birth month below:

May 

And that's about it.  Oh, except I  forgot to tell you... I got a call from the unemployment office today.  I have to call them back tomorrow.  And talk about what?  I don't know... maybe I just have to beg them to help me! In any case, please wish me luck!  This Bohemian needs some money soon!!
Peace and Love,
Meagan

Friday, November 12, 2010

The Westboro Baptist Church Has Decided to Protest in East Lansing

Yes, that's right.  The Westboro Baptist Church, best known for their hate, their unwelcome attendance at military funerals, and their ridiculous need for public attention have decided to protest a high school in East Lansing, MI.  Really?

Apparently, they believe that the students at East Lansing High School are horrible people because a large number of the students e-mailed WBC and told them of their disapproval of their methods, actions, and statements, especially the protesting of military funerals.  Instead of taking these e-mails as constructive criticism and positive outreach (or as a wake-up call!), the WBC has decided that East Lansing High School students are, as one person apparently said, "sinners and brats."  What?

Here's a article from the State News that will give you a little more information on this event:
Westboro Baptist Church to Picket East Lansing High School

So what am I going to do?  Well, first of all, to all the people at WBC, I hope you know that I still love you, even if you think I'm a sinner and you don't love me.  I believe that you have a right to your beliefs, even if I disagree, and I believe that you have every right to express your beliefs... but I too question your methods, actions, and statements.  There is a better way to bring people to God for sure!

I am reminded Rev. Rick Boyd at First Christian Church here in Lansing.  One of the times that I attended services there, he told the story of Jesus and his meeting with a woman at a well.    It goes a little something like this: there's this well.  A woman is there, all alone, getting water and Jesus offers her life water (not like the brand... but like, eternal life water.  God stuff.)  He doesn't ask her to change, he doesn't ask her to be something she is not, he simply offers her all the goodness and greatness of God with no judgement, no conditions, and no hesitation.  WBC, if you are as close to God as you seem to think, you should know that the way to move people, to inspire people, and to save people is to love them as they are, without judgement and without hate.  You may offer to tell them about your points of view, but you have no right to ask them to change... or to hate them if they don't.

Now I am not really a Christian, and even I am appalled by some of the things that the WBC has said and done.  I can only imagine what it must feel like for someone who is a good, upstanding Christian to see this group go against the teachings of Jesus Christ so often and so aggressively.  To those people, I say stand strong.  Don't let this group bring down an entire culture of people who are good and true and strong in their beliefs.  Love them, learn from them, and just continue to be good Christians.

As for me... I am contemplating attending as a "counter-protestor," but only if it will all be peaceful.  As of right now, it seems like it might be, so maybe I'll be there.  If I am, I'll be covered in peace buttons and spreading love.  Maybe I'll have a sign or maybe I'll bring my ukulele and sing or something.

If you want to protest this awful behavior as much as we Lansing/East Lansing residents do but you live far away, you can still do your own protesting AND have a positive impact on society.  Donate to some great causes that the WBC would probably say were... not so great.  Some suggestions:

Donate to the Human Rights Campaign
Working for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Equal Rights

Donate to Organizing for America
Developed by the Democrats to help with campaign costs.  Basically... if you like Obama, and you want to show WBC what's up (since they think that he is the Anti-Christ), donate to something that could maybe put him in office for a second term.  That'll show 'em!

Donate to one of the amazing charitable organizations on this list: Support Our Troops
From giving financial aid to families of service members who have been killed in action to showing your support with a yellow ribbon to learning how to send care packages and donations to both wounded soldiers and those still in action, everyone can find a way to help out here.

Check out the Three Faiths Exhibition at the New York Public Library, now until February 28, 2011.
Co-sponsored by the Coexist Foundation, "Three Faiths" will set, side by side for the first time, the New York Public Library's collection of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim manuscripts. Awesome!
Coexist Bumper Sticker
While you're at it, buy the Coexist Bumper Sticker.  Put it on your car or on your fridge or on your guitar case or wherever!  

And I'll let you know how it all turns out.

Peace and Love,
Meagan