Happy 420 my fellow earthlings!!!!! It’s also obviously Wednesday and you know what that means; Mid-Week Music Mashup! Trauma made a special edition trippy 420 mix and I must say, it’s fire. The hard mechanical sounds coupled with whimsical beats will be sure to take you on a fast trip. I know that this mix saw me through my morning 420 ritual with good vibes. Today I’m gonna keep it short and sweet. Lets face it, this beautiful day should be spent outdoors (or in your nearest Taco Bell) not behind the screen of my Mac. So I wish everyone a very happy and SAFE 420. May your tacos be crispy, your pizza be cheesy, and your ganja be steezy!

Have you guys ever felt like magic is actually in the air? Well, I feel like that anytime I have to go on assignment to see a concert, but last Friday night I experienced something that I have never felt before. For the first time ever I decided to cover a Folk Music concert. This wasn’t any old show, it was more than that; it was a total experience. The whole reason why I went was to see my friend Margo Segal perform with her mom, Ellen Bukstel. I had seen Ellen perform once before, but last Friday night was a whole different experience. I decided that since it was my second show of Ellen’s that this time I would take notes and cover it, and man am I glad I did. Me coming out to support a friend ended up being one of the most whimsical nights of my life.

Let me set the scene for you guys. Ellen Bukstel and her family live on a large piece of land in Southwest Ranches. In the center of their land is a large concert venue equipped with ample seating, a professionally lit stage, and a large campfire area. As a lover of the great outdoors, I must say it’s one of my most favorite homes to visit. From the moment I got there Margo and Ellen were warming up their vocals and practicing diligently in the main house. While they were getting ready Margo’s brothers were setting up all of the video and sound equipment (yes, it is a total family affair!) When the show was about to begin I parked myself right in front, I decided that for this concert I wasn’t going to miss a thing. With pen and paper in hand, I knew I was in for a treat. Little did I know it may just have been the last concert thrown at what is called so lovingly, “The Shack In The Back”. Since the piece of land was recently placed for sale, this was the final concert on their property in their own venue.

As I looked around at all of the faces around me the one thing I really noticed about Ellen Bukstel’s fan following is their sense of camaraderie. Everyone knows each other and is so friendly, and they were very welcoming to me as well. I got such a kick at watching everyone eat together and help one another. The sense of community amongst these fans was awe striking; I could tell that the folk community was something very special. Folk is a genre based off of story telling with elements of acoustic guitar and the smoothest hint of what Rock and Jazz were birthed on. If you are a Jam Band fan I definitely suggest exploring the world of Folk Music. A genre based on such spiritually cerebral story telling could really only house fans with such spirits.

Ellen Opened the show with a very witty speech and then we delved right into the music. Ellen isn’t just a phenomenal performer, her song writing abilities are also incredible. She writes music that is geared toward social issues and making the public aware of them, but it isn’t all so serious. She also writes very witty songs about women’s issues that will have your side hurting from the giggles. As she played all of her amazing tunes and welcomed guests on stage to preform with her, I was mesmerized. You know you are having a good time when you cant take your eyes off of the stage. That is always how I have judged my assignments, if my eyes start wandering then I guess my attention could be better spent elsewhere. Last Friday night my attention was one hundred percent captivated with all of the pure artistic talent that was presented before me.

After an intermission where I burned a quick doob (I mean come on, I was feeling the folk vibe) I resumed my spot back in front. Margo and Ellen did a duet together that basically brought the house down. It was a spirited song called Real Woman, one line was better than the next. I think this is when the magic really happened that night. Watching Margo and her mom play of each other was incredible. It is always an overwhelming feeling for me to see those types of interactions. As Margo was strutting her stuff on stage, Ellen sang and played the guitar right next to her. It was really beautiful to watch Ellen watch her daughter preform and be able to be up there with her. After Margo performed her song you could tell she was on cloud nine and all of her friends were right there to see it! Last Friday night was magical to say the least, and really turned me on to a whole different world in music. If you guys want to learn more about Ellen Bukstel and her music click the link to find out the next time she is coming to a town near you! http://ellenbukstel.com/

Another Wednesday is upon us and you know what that means; Mid-Week Music Mashup! So hears the deal boy’s and girl’s, I started a stupid ass diet this week. This mix gave me some serious motivation to get out there this morning and run. Trauma really hit the nail on the head with this one. The bass hits hard for the entire 35 minutes of the mix, this was the best tempo to jog to. Then they got around to some hard core Dubstep, while segueing into some Bieber (we all know I love me some Bieber), and then the perfect Tech House ending. I would like to thank Trauma for making my run not so miserable and helping get that good sweat in! If you dig this mix; there are plenty others on the Trauma Music Soundcloud! Click below to subscribe, I promise you’ll thank me later.

I am a huge advocate for chivalry which is a widely known fact, but there is a certain something I see from couples that I just don’t agree with. When a girl and a guy go shopping together there is no reason why you needy women need him to hold your purse. This might come off harsh, but I think for once we should put ourselves in the shoes of the poor guy holding your purse. We all know how much I love list’s, so I thought I could break down my opinion for you guys and dolls, and maybe you can see where I am coming from.

Why your man should not be carrying your purse through the mall.

1. First and foremost, as a woman who enjoys designer bags why would you want your boyfriend holding your coveted Gucci tote? Didn’t you get that for yourself? Don’t you want other girls to admire your style? Didn’t you work hard for the money it took to afford such a bag? Why on earth would you want your man carrying your status symbol? Hold the bag you saved your money for, show it off on your own arm, you earned it not him!
2. Second, if you love to shop you should see it as a sport of endurance. What kind of pussy girl are you if you can’t power shop with your man and handle your own items. I take pride in my ability to multi task and hold a million things with my meager two hands. Ladies, look at shopping as a solo sport, kinda like golf. You shouldn’t need anyone else but yourself to complete the task. What would you do if your man wasn’t there to hold your bag? I doubt you would cut your shopping trip short and leave the mall because your purse just “wasn’t feasible to carry”.
3. Third, let him wander while you get lost in the racks. If you let your man hold your purse while shopping that means he is obligated to stick by your side. That is just unfair to any man, if he has your purse it means he has your phone and your wallet. Phones and wallets are essential to every female shopping experience, so you need them on hand at all times. If you take care of your own purse it lets them roam throughout the mall and go look at whatever it is men like to look at. At the end of the shopping trip he will thank you for not making him endure your tedious try on rituals. And ladies don’t think your slick by making them hold your purse and then putting your phone and wallet in your pockets. Every real shopper knows you never utilize your pockets while trying on clothes. It’s the fastest and easiest way to loose things in any fitting room.
4. Fourth, we already make them buy tampons for us let’s not also give them unnecessary accessories. It really is bad enough that we send our men out for our feminine care products…why are we now giving them our bags? I know when I am dating a guy I like to envision him as masculine, rugged, and challenging. Nothing says “pussy whipped” more than a guy carrying your bag. I like for people to see my relationship as independent and strong, there is nothing strong about a your man agreeably holding your purse. Do yourself a favor for the image of your relationship and carry your own damn bag.
5. Fifth and lastly, men are terribly forgetful! In my own experiences with men I have realized that they tend to have short attention spans and an even shorter memory. The last person I am going to let hold my purse is someone who would put it down and forget to pick it back up. If you don’t hand your bag to your man in the first place this can be a total non issue. If you loose something yourself it’s one thing; but I think we all know if someone else looses something of yours it’s far worse. So keep track of your own belongings if you like them not lost in the middle of forever 21.

To the men out there I hope I have broken your Louis Vuitton carrying shackles and you can now live a purse free existence. Ladies please let’s all be more considerate of the men in our lives. Trust me at the end of the day they will thank you for it.

So, today is the day I quit smoking. That’s right people you heard it here first, (obviously you heard it here first)this is the beginning of my journey towards being a non-smoker. There is nothing I love more than my cigarettes, my black coffee, and my Rock N Roll, but its time to loose one of my loves. Something hit me when I woke up this morning. Nothing literally hit me but I can give a very concise and cohesive list as to why I need to leave the stogies behind.

1. I am sick and tired of my hands constantly smelling like shit.
2. I want to makeout with boys without feeling like my breath reeks.
3. I no longer am comfortable leaving social settings to go outside and have a cigarette.
4. I cannot watch my mom watch me smoke anymore…it just isn’t fair to put her through it (I torture her enough as it is).
5. I forced my dad to quit when I was 11…then when I was 18 I thought it would be brilliant to devour a pack; that my friends is called being a punk.
6. My best friends cried to me two weeks ago due to my smoking habit…I cannot make my friends cry because of my selfish decisions.
7. I have never tried to quit before, and we all know I’ll try anything once (I actually think this will stick; contrary to popular belief I have stellar self control).
8. My hair is my best feature and I cannot deal with it always smelling like an ash tray.
9. My teeth are cute and I would much rather them stay in my head than fall out due to my smoking habits.
10. It isn’t cute or sexy anymore; it’s just starting to make me look like a crack head.
11. My life is important and I am way to intelligent to inflict my own death sentence.

Now that you guys have the gist of things, I think we are all on the same page. It’s time for me to quit…it won’t be easy but I know it will be worth it. I have all the necessary quitting aides (gum, smoke free app, and hypnosis recordings), I have a more than incredible support team, and at the end of the day I really don’t want to be “that girl with the gross habit” anymore. I have every intention of keeping everyone updated on my progress via www.alexisleeproblems.com so keep reading and let’s see if this crazy train has the ability to stay on track for once.

Hump Day is upon us so lets get down with some matrimony chat. This past weekend my best friend decided to take the plunge (a plunge that I have feared my entire life) into the depths of marriage. I had the great pleasure of being her maid of honor. I have never been any type of brides maid before but I must say, I think I totally killed it. With all of that aside I want to get into a very serious and scary epiphany that I experienced as my best friend glided down the aisle on her special day.

For a very long time (26 years to be exact) I just never had any belief in the concept of marriage. It’s always been strange for someone like me to have this negative connotation on marriage. Due to the fact that my parents literally have a fairytale romance. I am just someone who is extremely comfortable alone. Being alone is a much more comforting concept to me than being involved in a partnership. If I am alone I can’t hurt, I can’t be let down, none of my deepest darkest secrets can be spilled, and I can always know that I am the only person harboring exactly who I am.

My non belief in marriage has never ever been a secret. My past with men has been so devastating and painful that no one has ever held my little faith in marriage against me. It just has always been one of those understood things about me. But…I think something within my heart (which I had no idea still existed) has changed, and it has one hundred percent terrified me.

As I watched my BFF walk down the aisle I glanced to my left at her fiancee watching her. He looked at her like she was the only thing in the universe. His eyes spoke an entire story and I just watched it dazzle across his face. Within that single moment he looked at her as if she was a flame dancing in a snow storm, a true physical anomaly of wonder, beauty, and hope. A warmth and love he waited his whole life for, that is what is face told me. And in that single moment something within myself cracked, snapped, and shattered.

A belief that I held so strongly for entirely too long melted away as this mystical flame danced in the snowstorm. Maybe if I’m not alone someone can protect me from hurt. Maybe if I’m not alone someone will shield me from others who could let me down. Maybe if I’m not alone I won’t have to single handedly harbor dark secrets that chip away at who I am every day. Maybe if I’m not alone who I am as a person can just grow and get better than who I am right now. I am now a believer of marriage because my best friend without ever knowing it gave me this new found faith.

We all deserve to be happy and not wander through this existence with just ourselves. Being open to a new concept is scary but, as we all know I really excel at scary. I hope and dream now that one day a man can look at me as the same dancing flame through a snowstorm. Being open to new ideas is important and without this weekends beautiful experience I don’t think my eyes could ever be opened up so wide. So thank you to the new happy couple for teaching me that this life alone is only spent better with someone who knows just how magical you really are. I can now say I am a true believer in not only love but marriage, because lets face it “I Do”, ain’t the end it’s just the beginning.

I am back from my mental health break (yes, I needed one)! Between my mom finally getting back on her feet and quite a bit of bicoastal traveling; I am finally ready to drop some knowledge! This past month I have become very familiar with the term “savage”. When I say “savage”, I am not referring to the well known Pocahontas definition that Disney taught us. The “savage” that I am referring to is more like an action and less of a noun.

Last week I felt it was necessary to let someone know who had feelings for me that I did not feel the same way. I always thought that if you figure out early on in the game that you aren’t interested than you should let that person know A.S.A.P. Apparently me letting this guy down deemed me as “savage”. To my understanding letting someone go abruptly, without notice is considered a “savage act”. As all of my readers know I am not a fan of categorization. I am a firm believer in doing what you feel is right in the moment, and I guess me letting this specific guy go was considered “savage”.

If people want to judge your actions towards others let them, I know I sure did this week. I wasn’t going to fight with anyone because I was being referred to as a “savage”, but I will address it now. Making a decision that is best for yourself and the well being of another isn’t “savage”. It is you doing something to protect yourself and others. If I wouldn’t have let this guy down now, and let it go on for longer, than what does that make me once I leave him out of nowhere after a ton of time has passed? I will tell you what that makes me, it makes me selfish.

The message I am trying to convey here is to always go with your gut instinct no matter what the peanut gallery thinks. Maybe me leaving this guy was a harsh move especially how clean of a break I made, but it was a choice that I made. Never second guess your instinct or question any feeling that courses through who you are. Usually the right decision is the most difficult decision to make, therefore you need to follow through. At the end of the day maybe I missed out on a great guy, but I really never felt an attraction. So, how could I with good conscious string this person along and not let another great girl take a crack at him. You might think I’m a “savage”, but all I think I did was give another girl a chance with a great guy.

If you aren’t feeling a spark immediately don’t sit around and wait for one, because chances are it’ll never happen. If being “savage” is letting someone go and hoping they find someone else better suited for them…well then I guess I am a “savage”. As I mentioned in earlier posts, life is too short to sit around and not be with someone you love. So, if being a “savage” is a part of that quest for me I will happily wear that badge.

Happy Tuesday love bugs! I hope the beginning of the week is treating everyone well! Today’s post has been inspired by the phone calls I’ve been dodging for the past four months. Shockingly enough the calls haven’t been from ex boyfriends…it’s even worse than an ex boyfriend…the calls have been from the Dentist. A fun fact about me is, there is nothing I hate more on the planet than going to the Dentist. I make a concerted effort every day to take good care of my teeth. I think in my twisted mind the better care I take of my chompers, the more likely I won’t have to make a deal with the Devil, walk through the threshold of hell, and sit in that Satanic chair while getting my shit drilled.

Let’s be real I haven’t just been dodging the Dentist for four months…it’s been more like my entire life. There is something about incessant drilling that I can feel right in the core of my brain stem, that I just don’t find appealing. All of the shiny implements lined up ready to orally castrate me, the acrid scent of ammonia disinfectant masked by the putrid floral air freshener, and the scent of latex literally makes my fucking skin crawl. I know, I sound like a total drama queen but this is the realest real out there.

So, for the past four months straight Satan’s receptionist keeps calling me to book an appointment. The original excuses I was spewing were elementary to get out of going. My fake ailments to not land in Satan’s torture chair ranged from the common cold to traveling too often and not being able to set an appointment. Now that Satan’s receptionist is on to my bullshit, I have decided to go off the dental grid.

I have begun my military dental evasion mission by not answering when Satan’s receptionist calls. As time waned on, Satan’s receptionist was beginning to smell something fishy. I have now realized that I must take my stealth mission to the next level. I am now going to change my voice mail message to, “Hey everyone! You’ve reached Alexis-Lee, don’t bother leaving a message I moved to Costa Rica to live out the rest of my days at the sloth sanctuary”. Hopefully Satan won’t catch on to my brilliant ruse…but deep down inside, I know she will eventually catch me and I will be rendered helpless within the grasp of Satan’s unholy chair of tortures.