Another beginning to a great week ladies and gentlemen! I want to thank everyone who reached out to us with all of their well wishes and good vibes about my mom’s surgery last week; the Fellner Clan appreciated it immensely!

As of today I am excitingly counting down the days until I leave for Houston! Now as you all know I love traveling very much and do it quite often; but even the most seasoned travelers have their shortcomings. I will be the first person to tell you all ,that I have less than perfect organization skills. So for me packing is really difficult and I tend to forget things. Today I wanted to break down a few fail-proof packing tips that really help me when I am preparing to go on a trip!

1. Take Inventory! prior to getting my luggage down from the attic and fantasizing about my travel looks I take a complete closet inventory. You need to carefully dissect what you already have in your closet, so you don’t waste time and money buying things that already exist. It also helps as a bit of a wakeup call to tidy up. The more organized your closet is, the easier it is to find what your looking for.
2. Make A List! Once the inventory has been taken, make two lists. One list will be specifying exactly what you are missing. The second list will highlight exactly what you have. This way there is no excuse for any forgetfulness.
3. Respect The Pullout Method! When taking your closet inventory, start pulling out things that catch your eye. After you have pulled out the pieces you think are pack worthy, lay them out and physically start building your outfits. Once your outfits have been selected hang up all of the clothes you have picked and DO NOT put them back in the closet. I have the luxury of a clothing rod in my room which I use to hang my packing selections on. If you don’t have a clothing rod then laying everything out on a couch or bed will do just fine. If you would like to take it a step further you can also snap some photos of the outfits. If space is limited in your packing area the pictures will be much easier to look at then a ton of outfits spread out everywhere.
4. Packing Is Not Like The Price Is Right! I know going over or under on a gameshow might seem fun, but there is nothing fun about under or over packing. Over packing just makes clutter and under packing just causes stress. Carefully plan out your outfits directly relating to the activities you will be doing while traveling. Do not just throw shit in a bag and hope for the best…Nothing is worse than waking up day three of your vacation and realizing you are short 4 pairs of panties…
5. Double Wrap Toiletries! I am very guilty of being a girl who is a little over obsessed with their beauty products, with that being said my toiletry bag ends up monopolizing 85% of my carry on. What I like to do to avoid explosions or spills, is to wrap every toiletry individually in Saran Wrap and then package it further into Ziplock Bags. This way if there is a leak or spill it will be held within the Saran Wrap!

I live by these top five tips and they so far have never let me down! I hope everyone is getting their summer travels in and enjoying all the places you’ll go!

Happy Hump Day ladies and gents! It feels great to be back to blogging after a lovely staycation. Between parties during the holiday weekend and having the house to myself…well lets just say I was a very busy girl. Now let’s get down to the nitty gritty!

So, I hope all of you are familiar with the term Fuccboi; if you aren’t let me give you some clarification. A Fuccboi is a millennial modern day term for Douche Bag. The Fuccboi was an elusive creature but now they have multiplied and are really infiltrating the dating ranks. Girl’s across the country have not stopped attacking these boys for what they are…but has no one considered what they were prior to being a Fuccboi? Have none of these girls really taken the time to dissect why the male population has turned into a mill of identical Douche Bag Drones? Well, I have thought about it and I think I might hold the answer.

Ladies it’s all of your faults. We have turned the male population into a bunch of Douchey robots. At some point or another these guys were normal. They picked you up for dates, they paid for your dinner, they bought you flowers just because, they dressed like adults; but something switched. At one point or another the tides turned and these men turned into Fuccboi’s. We put so much pressure on the men we date to be a certain way. We want them to dress like Bieber, treat us like Mr. Darcy, party with us like Chris Brown, and love us like John Legend. We have created such a contrived structure for what our archetypal male should be that our wants have been granted but our needs have been diluted.

We want so bad to be with a badass who loves us like a saint. This is your wake up call ladies…STOP APPLYING PRESSURE. The more you push these ideals on your man the faster you loose the guy you fell in love with. Start appreciating the guy your with instead of changing them. I know from first hand experience how to create a “Fuccboi Douche Bag Dickhead” and it’s just as easy to make one as it is to not. We push our idealistic thoughts and desires into someone so hard that they loose themselves and what you are left with is a badly behaved boyfriend. We push and push and push, until we have nothing left to instill in our men and end up being left high and dry.

We need to stop pushing and start reeling them back in. Let them know they don’t need that dumb ass hair cut. Remind them that you love your man for who he is and not what he is wearing. If he doesn’t get a pair of Yeezy Boosts the world will not end. Speak to them respectfully so you will get that back in return, and always remember never compare your man to another. The reason this chain is so infectious is because of us girls and it’s time to make a conscious change. Stop talking about Fuccbois because the more you talk about it the more they multiply. We won’t have to complain as long as we don’t create them. Just remember to appreciate who your with and why you originally made the commitment to be with them.

Today’s title might seem a little redundant but follow me here. I am someone that is constantly balancing two careers. On one hand I am a self published writer, who hosts a blog, and writes for other publications; and on another hand I am a partner in an Event Planning Firm. My life’s dream since childhood was to be the next Hunter S. Thomson. The reality of my life is that since dropping out of college, I have immersed myself into starting my own event planning business with my mom and nurturing it to what it is today.

8 months ago my dreams of becoming the next Hunter S. Thomson fizzled away and became something even better. I took a break from the event planning business and decided it was time to chase my true passion  for writing. Chasing my passion for writing became more like a marathon and less of a race. I had to split my brain in half and figure out how to market myself, my writing, and my brand. Once I honed in on exactly what I wanted to accomplish, I gave birth to Alexis Lee Problems. This blog has taken me very far in the short 8 months of operation; I have been published since then, have been sent on journalism assignments, and have covered some major music festivals. Never in my wildest dreams did I think all of these wonderful things could ever happen to me.

But wait…what is that I hear…another baby cooing in the wings. A hiatus I decided to take from my event planning business became me missing and yearning to plan a kick ass party. This is where I decided to remain indecisive. I have learned through many experiences to never close open doors to your future. I will never decide to do just one thing. I will remain indecisive, and continue my journey.

Just because I plan parties doesn’t mean I can’t write, and vise versa. Yes it’s a lot to put on my plate, but good thing life isn’t just a one course meal. I have learned, and will keep learning to love my two children. My first child being my event planning business, who is a hormonal preteen. And my second child who is my journey through writing. My writing child is a cute adorable baby who hasn’t given me trouble…yet. My indecisive decision has led me to the happiest point in my life thus far. No matter what, if you have a passion and a drive you should go for it, whether it’s one thing or multiple. Never ever let anyone tell you no, and kick ass at all that you do. Just remember your creations are your children so treat them with care, kindness, and love them unconditionally.

Between hashtags, followers, likes, and throwing shade; Instagram has become the number one social standard and status to follow. Gone are the days of your “Myspace Top Eight”, we have welcomed a different aspect of social media into our lives. Where Myspace and Facebook were originally engineered to target students and the younger set, Instagram has knocked down the age walls. Instagram is a way to peek into celebrities lives, and make you feel that much closer to the lime light.

Instagram has also turned us all into a social network driven obsessive bunch. You can’t go to a party without a full reel of selfies while you’re getting ready, to the pregame shots, to the actual party snaps, and then the goodnight bed time selfie. Instagram has turned us into hyper self documenters. There isn’t a delicious meal we don’t capture to publicize on Instagram. Instagram is becoming the number one marketing tool. Who needs commercials and radio jingles, when at any given time this multi billion user application gives you the opportunity to blast any product.

Has it made us a little bit more vain and caddy…the answer is yes. We use Instagram to show off and exploit our lifestyles. You can sit around and wait till your picture hits that “11 like count” and not be stressed out that your picture wasn’t up to par. You can tag your location and friends, to make sure everyone is getting the full effect of your particular lifestyle. I admit that I am just as much a slave to Instagram if not more than others. But I honestly don’t know if I am okay with The Instagram Effect; maybe we should start savoring instead of snapping our lives. Let’s remember what its like to live in the moment, enjoy the who you are with, and the wonderful places you go. A picture here and there won’t kill us, but let’s just chill on those filters for a minute.

Hey everyone, I hope the weekend was filled with fun! I took this weekend as an opportunity to stay home and binge on Netflix and snacks due to the fact that my partner in crime was on vacation in New York. A really weird comparison dawned on me while I was elbows deep in Flaming Hot Cheetos; I realized that everyone’s group of friends can be categorized by a deck of playing cards. Now I know this may seem a little abstract…but I think as you read and start comparing who you surround yourself with, you will agree. Lets face it everyone in your crew has an importance, significance, and underlying roll. Just like in a deck of cards, you can’t play the game unless you have a full deck!

The Queen
The Queen is the leader of your pack. She directs your deck in any which way she sees fit. She is the friend that always has the plan. Whether or not she executes the plan or condemns her peers to do her bidding. If The Queen is in control, one way or another what she wants to happen will. You can expect The Queen to take forever to get ready, no matter what the time constraints are, I mean the party doesn’t start until The Queen arrives. She is the girl in your group who demands a certain level of respect at all times. Whether that respect is reciprocating within your friend group is questionable. A girl like The Queen will not ever be told no, under any circumstance. As the matriarchal member of your group you look to her for guidance.

The King
The King is typically athletically inclined, he is that guy who can eat whatever he wants without gaining a pound. Most of the other males in your friend circle look to him for their organization. The King usually has a steady monogamous hookup or girlfriend. He is always put together and really has few enemies. He leaves the drama to the ladies, but never denies a girl of a helping hand or some sage advice.

The Jack
The Jack is the all around good looking friend, whether The Jack be a guy or girl. They are usually good at everything. The Jack is the one you can always call to lend a helping hand. The Jack is also looked to for being level headed and logical, without a Jack in your circle chaos could ensue. The Jack is fearless and good at nipping rumors in the bud. The Jack is the glue, and is usually closest to The King and The Queen.

The Joker
The Joker’s name almost provides enough of a description within itself. The Joker will always be there to provide a laugh when morale is low. He has nothing against anyone in his circle, and is always up for an adventure. The Joker generally acts as a problem solver; because lets face it who doesn’t  prefer solving conflict with laughter? The Joker will never weigh you down with their own problems, and always will let the others vent to him. He internalizes his struggle and translates it into laughter. Without The Joker on your team be prepared for a lot of turmoil and very little fun.

The Ace
Last but not least we get to my favorite member of the deck, The Ace. The Ace is your whiskey sipping mysterious friend. You know who I’m talking about; effortlessly tousled hair, always shows up fashionably late, and always looks like they just walked out of a photo shoot. The Ace will always bring a different date to all social outings. The Ace’s Instagram is inexplicably interesting; photos at 5 star hotels, pictures of The Ace in $500,00 cars, or The Ace amongst super models at an event. The Ace usually has a dope job but never talks about it. Without your Ace your group automatically drops down 10 cool points.

I hope this was a fun and interesting comparison for you guys! Just remember if you aren’t playing with a full deck, your house of cards will be sure to topple!

Hello readers! For the past 10 days I have been on radio silence. Memorial Day Weekend was a weekend of loss for my friends and family. My best friend lost her grandmother, and one of our childhood friends passed away as well. I was having a really hard time finding my voice to write for the past ten days. With emotions running high, writing inspiration ran low. Between helping my best friend grieve for her grandmother, I had to wrap my head around loosing someone my age with such a bright future ahead of himself. Today I have found my voice through loss.

Above is a picture of Alexis Lee prior to learning she ever had any problems. The picture above is a happy go lucky 3 year old. In the photograph I am walking forward. Do I know where I was going…I couldn’t tell you, but I was moving forward. At 3 years old there is no hurt, there is no pain, there is no suffering. You concern yourself with skinned knees and who has the best Barbie collection. Sometimes I wish I could tap that 3 year old girl on the shoulder and tell her about how her life was going to turn out thus far. I wish I could hold her and tell her that the world is cruel, that people will leave her, and that sunshine only comes after a storm. I wish I could hold her hand and direct her to the right choices, I wish I could tell her she was going to hate college, I wish I could tell her to always think twice before acting. I wish I could tell her, her heart would be shattered more than once before turning 25. I wish I could let her know that cutting her hair into a bob when she turned 18 was a bad idea.

No one has that third person power to tell their younger self how life will turn out, but as the past ten days have crawled forward I understand that. I want everyone reading this to let this soak in. Hug your parents, let your mom bitch at you, listen to your dad’s crazy stories (no matter how many times you have heard them), accept your friends for their faults, don’t hate your exes. Life is a roller coaster, and last time I checked you can’t get off a roller coaster once its began. Don’t let life swallow you, don’t let pain cripple you, and never ever let anyone tell you no. Keep pushing forward, use the time others weren’t given to improve who you are.

Just please everyone remember how lucky you are every day to be here on this crazy earth. Always keep that 3 year old in mind before you make a decision, because at the end of the day I know I am still that little girl walking forward. I will never let the wonder out of who I am because that makes me Alexis Lee. Stay genuine and love as much as you can while you can. We are only given one ride on this roller coaster called life, so make sure you use that one ticket exactly how you want to.

Thirsty Thursday is here and its totally time to get weird! Speaking of thirst…I feel like everyone is guilty of a little thirst in their life. A thirst for knowledge, a thirst for attention, a thirst for booty; what I have collected is that the thirst is real! I am the first to admit that I may or may not be guilty (totally guilty) of being a little attention thirsty. It’s okay to know exactly where you fall on the thirst spectrum, but it’s not okay to be obviously thirsty all the time! Here are some quick tips to hide your eager beaver ways and appear way cooler of a cat than you are!

• Mind yo damn business! Yes, I know asking uncomfortable personal questions is entertaining. And lets be honest who doesn’t LOVE to read someone else’s text messages over their shoulder, but you gotta take it down a notch. People will open up to you more and feel more at ease with you, if you just take a chill pill. The more you listen instead of interject the more you will get out of someone. Yes, it may be a much more boring way to get the information. You would usually take the route of being obnoxious and obvious, but people will like you more. Instead of being known as the nosey prying friend, you can flip the script and be the good listener.
• You don’t have to yell, we know you are here! This is something that I struggle with all the time! I constantly feel the need to speak more and louder than everyone in the room. Do I think I’m great; yes, but I do not need to scream to let the world know it. Instead of being the loud friend, switch it around and depend on your wit and intellect to let people know your presence. The way you act in a public setting is usually a really good telling of who you are in private. Don’t ruin your image by acting out just to get noticed. Let your subtle actions of knowledge and intellect take you farther.
• We all know you are single, no need to rent a billboard! Guys and girls alike share a common love for social media. Whether its Instagram (my drug of choice obviously), SnapChat, Facebook, or Tumblr we all have grown to rely on our social networks one way or another. Nothing on this planet is more obnoxious and irritating than people preaching how single they are on the internet. Since we rely so highly on these networks for social interaction, the last thing everyone wants to look at is you preaching to the choir of single people. If you are single that is great for you, just keep it to yourself unless asked. The last way you are going to end up with someone is by the following:
  • Screaming all over the place of how single you are
  • How no one will ever be good enough for you
  • Telling the universe how much you hate your ex

People will find you much more approachable and easier to talk to if you follow these guidelines. Dare I say it, you might actually make some friends! I hope this was a metaphorical Gatorade for everyone, consider the thirst quenched!

When you walk into an event and you are immediately offered Sangria or a Moscow Mule you should already feel like you are in the right place. Last night my three close friends Kevin, Chase, and Emily Maddox (who happen to be siblings) threw a musical showcase. Not only are they all Mozart talented but they all happen to be geniuses, (I can vouch for their collective genius, because without them who would have done my homework all 4 years of high school) did I also mention that all three of them are ridiculously good looking?. The showcase focused on familiar sounds with a little Maddox flavor sprinkled on top.

They have trademarked an incredible style that mixes classical with new. Swag Session’s is what they like to call it, and I must say every single bar and note is dripping with swag. It’s a rare feat to take classical piano, heavy bass, and drums and create covers of Hip-Hop hits like “Look At Me Now”. When I listen to their covers I totally forget about Busta Rhymes and Chris Brown and only see The Maddox clan. They have a unique way of removing your past notion of certain music and replacing it with their own twist.

All three siblings are classically trained musicians and are all around bad asses. I mean it’s not everyday you get to sit in a chic living room, eat catered chipotle, sip out of this world cocktails and be utterly entertained. The music was perfect, the vibe was close and familiar…but the best part was being mesmerized by sheer uninterrupted talent. To watch three people that share such a passion and are so good at what they do is really out of this world.

Luckily you guys can experience The Maddox Music Group for yourself! They have a heavy schedule of gigs they play, and you can also hire them for any event! I am lucky that I can enjoy them and their music whenever I please, but if anyone is interested in hiring or watching them all of their information can be found right here!

Maddox Music Group

http://www.maddoxmusicgroup.com/#mmg

https://www.facebook.com/maddoxmusicgroup