Saturday, November 26, 2011

Bohemian Hippie Gift Guide 2011

It's that time of year again! The holidays are upon us it's time for us to do a little hippie, bohemian, free-spirit shopping. Whether you are the hippie, bohemian, or free-spirit or the people you buy for are, this guide can help you find all the best gifts for the holidays. You can even do a lot of your shopping directly from this blog! So sit back, relax, & enjoy as I present you with the Bohemian Hippie Gift Guide 2011.

BOHEMIAN HIPPIE GIFT GUIDE 2011

Gift Ideas

Books, Movies, Art, and Music
Ukulele
Leg Warmers
Lava Lamps
Glow in the Dark Stars
Pay for a friend or family member's recycling services for a year
Gift cards
Ponchos
Posters, and wall decals
Incense
Pipes, water pieces, vaporizers, one-hitters, grinders, and other "tobacco" paraphernalia
Tickets to a play, musical, art show, concert, festival, etc.
Door beads
Bean bag chairs
A variety of teas and/or coffees
Anything with peace signs on it



Homemade DIY Gift Ideas

Blankets, towels, scarves, purses, socks, hats, sweaters, slippers, etc. (crochet or knit)
Candles
Soaps, scrubs, body washes, lip balms, perfumes, etc.
Gift baskets
Artwork
An original song
Baked goods (sugar cookies, fruitcake, breads, etc.)
and so much more! Be creative!

Great Websites to Shop On

Helpful Resources


Charitable Giving Ideas


It's always a nice idea to give in your own name too. Perhaps you can donate to a local food bank, homeless shelter, or animal rescue this year. You can always donate to your favorite charities as well, during the holiday season and all year round.


I hope that this guide will help you out this holiday season, and I hope everyone enjoys this beautiful season of giving and sharing. Remember, it's not about the tangible gifts you can hold in your hand, but about the gifts of love you share between humanity, family, and friends.
Happy Holidays!

Peace and Love,
Meagan

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Wow...it's been awhile

Hello friends. Wow... it has been a LONG time since I updated the blog. This is probably for many reasons, some of which include just being super busy living, the fact that my blog was semi-hacked for a bit, & the fact that we have had issues with keeping our internet over the past few months. But I am here now, so I will give you an idea of what life has been like.

Well, back at the beginning of the summer I made an interesting choice to quit my job (with no back-up plan, really) because I was unhappy with the amount of work as compared to compensation, the wear & tear on my car, & the dishonesty that I had to endure (& be a part of) while I was there.  Maybe it wasn't the smartest choice just to pick up & quit, but it is what it is.

So to make ends meet, I donated plasma often, sold a lot of my stuff, taught music lessons, & began modeling for art classes at Michigan State University & for local photographers.  I also took my 403B money from when I was teaching & used it to pay lots of bills. But... I was (& still am) pretty broke anyway.

But even though I had no money & no prospects, I lived a happy existence.  I was in "Annie" at Riverwalk Theatre (as Bonnie Boylan, Cecille the French Maid, a homeless person in Hooverville, & an NYC resident), I made a lot of new friends, & I even entangled myself in a bit of a backstage chemistry with a charming & handsome 37 year old. I also went on an amazing getaway with my mom to The Homestead Resort in northern Michigan. We climbed Sleeping Bear Dunes, got massages at Spa Amira, had an elegant dinner at the fancy dancy restaurant at the resort (where I was charmed by a handsome waiter who looked kinda like Robert Downing Jr.) & visited the Amber Elk Ranch, where we got to feed Elk as we road on a wagon through their habitats. It was awesome.



In addition to all that fun & intrigue, I also became an official member of the band The Sunset Club. So I started gigging with them more & being more involved in the song writing process. (I even got to be on the radio with them for an interview & two live songs. AWESOME!) I also started working on my songs with Will (which we will be recording soon. I'll keep ya posted.)

(The Sunset Club after our radio interview/live set)

So the summer went by nicely, with "Annie" & the trip & The Sunset Club & just getting to hang out with all my new friends at parties, concerts, & incredibly fun (& occasionally wicked) bar nights. But when "Annie" came to a close, the weather began to change, & the 403B money ran out, I started to get a little depressed. It didn't help that Will & I were having problems either...

So what did I do? I broke things off with Will (with the condition that we could still date to try to work things out in the future), I did more modeling, taught more music lessons, & I got a new job as a nanny to two amazing kids!

That kind of gets us up to speed.  I am still working as a nanny, still teaching lessons, & still modeling. I am also taking more responsibility in The Sunset Club & gearing up to audition for another show at Riverwalk. So I am pretty happy, & grateful that I have what I do.  But I am a bohemian... so I simply crave more.


What more could I want you ask? Well... a job that pays better would be nice. Benefits would be nice (especially dental insurance as I need to get pretty much all my teeth capped.) I could really use a different place to live with fewer people coming in & out all the time. (Don't get me wrong... I love having people over. But sometimes it ends up feeling more like a hostel, a cheap motel, or some kind of "magnet house" for all the other poor hippies & it's just too much to handle.) I would also like to do more acting, singing, & modeling & of course finish my book!! I also want a garden someday soon... & a dog, & hopefully in the next few years, a baby. That's right, I said it. A baby. My sister & my best friend are both pregnant right now, so I know I have a bit of baby fever, but honestly I never imagined having my first kid past 30 anyway, & I'm getting close & it's making me worry that I won't ever be stable enough financially & romantically to have kids. So I'm thinking about it a lot.

I'm sure there's more.  But this is getting pretty long winded as it is.

I hope you feel a little more up to date on my crazy Bohemian lifestyle. Come back soon; I promise not too wait as long to write again.

Peace & Love,
Meagan