Leave the Pieces

Hello!
Thank you to everyone for putting up with my anxieties and frustrations lately. I think I'm okay now. Work has gotten a lot better after I bought a bunch of coloring books (only $1 each!) and craft supplies from Michael's. I just need to keep the kids busy so they stay out of trouble. Now I can stop stressing about work and start stressing about school, which to me is now a lot easier to handle. I have midterms coming up in a few weeks so I'm sorry if posting slows down a little. I still don't know which direction I want to take my blog, but I think I'm just going to go with the flow. I want to keep blogging and that's what I'll do.

I'm thinking of doing another 21 for 21 challenge this season, but with the weather being so bipolar lately, I don't think it'd be a good idea right now. I'll probably get to it once the weather stabilizes. One of the items that will definitely be a part of this upcoming challenge will be this green skirt. I love it so much that I bought the peach version (which arrived in the mail today), and am thinking of picking up another color or two.

In the middle of taking these photos, I realized that I had already worn this tank this week. It was already past 12:15 (I need to get to work by 1:00) and I hadn't eaten lunch yet, so I didn't have time to change. I remember being teased in elementary school once for wearing a top two days in a row (I was kind of a loner back then...), but we're adults now and I'm pretty sure you've worn a top twice in a week before. Don't worry, I won't tell if you don't. I really need to start buying more lace tops since this is my only one. More lace, less stripes.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! I don't have too much lined up other than catching up on my classes and working. I'm off to watch the latest episode of Project Runway now!

Until next post,
Jasmine

PS. Don't forget to enter the Transient Withdrawal Fall Giveaway!

outfit: cardigan -- gap; lace tank -- f21; bow belt -- anthropologie; red bow -- etsy; green skirt -- aa; flats -- topshop

Transient Withdrawal Fall Giveaway

Giveaway Closed!

Hello!
Missed the Chictopia 10 Conference this Fall? Not to worry, here's your chance to win a goodie bag from the conference. Jen is also hosting a giveaway similar to this so now you have two chances of winning. While we were at the conference about a month ago, we both thought it'd be a good idea to giveaway a goody bag since we both reached milestones on our blog (I reached 200 followers and she reached 500). Like her, I have stuffed this bag with extra goodies.

I just wanted to take this time to say thank you to you all for reading my blog. I know I'm going through a rough time in my life right now, but your sweet comments really do brighten my day. Read on to see how you can enter.

The winner of this giveaway will receive:
--A Boy Meets Girl tote bag
--A pair of American Apparel neon biker shorts
--The American Apparel Unisex Viscose Sexuali-Tee
--A pair of American Apparel spiral tights
--Huge Lips Skinny Hips lip gloss
--A notebook
--A pack of Silly Bandz
--An Alexa Chung inspired Silly Band from Madewell
--Aveeno Skin Brightening Daily Scrub (my current favorite)
--A Ballet Slippers Pendant Necklace.



How to enter this giveaway:
1. Must be a follower via Google Reader or Bloglovin'. Tell me which one you use.
2. Leave your name and email address if I can't find it via your blog.
3. Tell me how you found my blog and/or what you love about/think I could work on my blog.

For additional entries (leave a separate comment for each):
1. Follow me on Twitter.
2. Become a fan on Chictopia.
3. Blog or tweet (@jazzyhwang) about this giveaway and copy me the link.

This giveaway is open to everyone. The winner will be chosen via a random number generator and will be announced here. This giveaway will end Oct. 15, 2010.

Good luck!

Until next post,
Jasmine

Slow Me Down

Hello!
Don't you ever just want to post the pictures without providing commentary? I have been staring at this screen for half an hour now, debating whether I want to talk about how much work has gotten better; or how school sucks; or how ordinary my day was; or how my outfit put itself together subconsciously because I saw how lacking I was in (obvious) stripes and bows in my last outfit. Right now, I don't want to talk about any of that. Sometimes, I don't know the difference between a diary and my blog other than that my blog is public, which kind of defeats the purpose of it being a diary. I said in my last post that I am craving a change, but I just didn't know what it was. I still don't know what it is. I'm not really sure I have the time to give it some proper thought since work is on my mind from the moment I wake up until I fall asleep. There are too many things going on in my life right now. Something or someone somehow is always neglected. I am physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. I really just want get away so I can sleep for days.

The other teachers at the school preschool are like me and also have two jobs. I just don't know how they do it since they also have kids. I think the reality of doing what you love may not be enough to live on has suddenly hit me. I knew going onto this career path that teachers were at the bottom of the salary pool, but I never knew it'd be that bad. Being rich isn't a huge goal of mine otherwise I would've tried harder in Biology, but I don't want to have to work two jobs for the rest of my life. On top of all this, I have been having problems at home and also realized that even with my two jobs, I cannot afford to move out, which only reaffirms the harsh reality of being a teacher. Albeit both of my jobs are part time, and Orange County is one of the most expensive places to live in, but neither detach from the possibility that I may have to work two jobs in the future. I am completely lost as to what to do. Ever since I started pursuing this career path recently, I haven't been able to find my footing and it's starting to scare me...

Until next post,
Jasmine

outfit: cardigan and striped top -- gap; skirt -- uo; tights -- f21; oxford flats -- aldo; belt -- zara; bow pin -- madewell

Empty Streets

Hello!
We took these photos right before work, like right before I got in the car to drive to work, hence the pretty view of my neighbor's houses and cars. I am back in tights and it feels so good! Now that it's been raining, it's starting to feel and look like Fall around here. Leaves are littering the streets now, and greens are slowly turning more and more yellow. I can't wait until it gets a littler colder when I can bring out my beanies and scarves again. I think I can be a Fall person after all!

I went shopping this weekend, finally. It felt so liberating! I took my best friend to Zara for the first time and found this amazing belt. For some reason, it reminds me of Power Rangers. I must be hanging around kids too long since I almost want to grab the buckle and shout "It's morphin' time." It's definitely a nice change from my usual bow belts. In fact I'm not even wearing a single bow today, which is strange because last night I made a massive order of bows on Etsy. I don't know what prompted me to do that especially since I have a great collection of bows already. I think it was because I was browsing through Bonnie's blog, Flashes of Style, and I realized I didn't have a good white bow so I immediately went to Etsy to find one and I ended up purchasing 5 bows. I can't wait to get them! This is my new skirt from Gap that I got a few weeks ago. I can't believe this is my first striped skirt. You'll definitely be seeing this skirt and my new belt a bunch from now on.

I have been contemplating the future of Transient Withdrawal these past few days. After the Chictopia 10 conference, I know I didn't want to brand myself. I don't need a third job right now, but where do I go from here? I'm really not sure my style can develop anymore, and I'm not really sure I want it to develop anymore. I know what I like, and I know what looks good on me. Despite my current attempt to stay away from stripes, I know I'll always go back to it. It's just what I'm most comfortable in, and I think it's what I look best in. I also know I won't stray much from my current outfits. Do I continue with this blog even though it has fulfilled one of its purposes of helping me find my style? I have made so many amazing friends through this blog, but I know these friendships will continue whether I upkeep this blog or not. Don't get me wrong, I love this blog and I am thrilled that it's getting bigger. I just don't know where to go from here. For some reason, the quote "With great power comes great responsibility" from Spider Man popped into my head (I really am spending too much time with kids...). No matter how cheesy that quote is, it has some truth in it: With my blog getting bigger and bigger, I want to be going in a good direction because more people will be reading it. I'm just not sure which way that direction is...

Until next post,
Jasmine

outfit: cardigan and skirt -- gap; lace tank and tights -- f21; belt -- zara; flats -- aldo

So Contagious

Hello!
Mission Eat-Breakfast-Take-Pictures-Make-Lunch-Before-Noon was a success this morning; although, it could be because my dad woke me up at 8 a.m. to tell me that we're expecting a cable guy some time before noon. But I'll just give myself the benefit of the doubt that I would've woken up when my alarm rang.

Last night, I got two striped tops from Gap. They were on sale for $10. They're the same top, just different colors. I seem to buy tops by the multiples there. I just can't help myself because I can never choose which color to get (and they're almost always on sale), so why not get both? I remembered this morning when I was taking pictures in the backyard that Jen got a striped top from Gap while we were in NYC weeks ago, and sure enough when I checked her blog afterward, we share another striped top from there. I even styled it similarly with a navy skirt, but I added my usual pops of red. This is the newest addition to my bow belt collection. I found it on sale at Anthropologie and I love it. It's a more subdued version of my other bow belts and definitely work appropriate. I got a few strange looks from the parents when I wore my other bow belts a while ago, so this one will definitely fly under their radars.

I think I'm going to stop buying striped tops for a while, at least until I can comfortably splurge on Saint James striped tops. My closet really has become all striped tops and little anything else. While I know it's my signature, it's actually kinda scaring me. I know these Gap tops will last me a long while (my H&M ones have lost their shapes over the year) so I'm going to try my hardest to buy new things or buy nothing at all. Robert said last night that my purchases and items that I take with me to the fitting room have become predictable. He has even started pointing out striped things in the stores to make the process faster.

I can't believe it's October now. Time has really flown by. The weather has been crazy. Yesterday I saw two rainbows during sunset and lightening at night; and this morning I heard thunder but didn't see any rain. All the while it's still hot.

Until next post,
Jasmine

outfit: