Today is the day I will publish my 400th blog post on this platform! As happy as I am to reach this milestone, it wasn’t easy to get here. I was on 398 last Tuesday and hit a wall the last week with family stuff coming up; as well as me, doubting my non-binary lifestyle once again and falling into a funk (seriously, why can’t I just live my gorgeous life without feeling guilty in my mind); and, just not being sure what to do about this post.

Regardless of what happened in the last week, I am happy to achieve this milestone. I took part in the Area Contest Monday night. I placed third in Table Topics but if one of the winner drops out, I’ll be on my way to Punxsutawney on March 11 for the Divison Contest. Jim Teague, our Sergeant at Arms for Greensburg Toastmasters, won both the Table Topics and International Speech contests and will proudly represent the club on March 11.

I made my list of what I want to accomplish for February and I’m right on target where I want to be. I’ll be shopping around for activewear the next couple of days and using my Target and JCP gift cards. It’ll be back to Planet Fitness for me soon, as well as walking around the local parks when the weather’s nice. That way I can gauge how far I want to walk on the treadmill. For example, if I walk 2.5 miles, I want to match that or double it on an exercise bike or elliptical. Same goes for calories. I want to match the 300 I burned walking or double it. This blog will also have some fitness posts as well.

I have five Queer Eye episodes left in season 6 so you’ll see a blog post on my top ten favorite episodes early in March. I’ve enjoyed the series and am amazed by how talented the “experts” are at helping people. There hasn’t been a dry eye watching what some of them have done to make life better for their heroes.

One instance came when Bobby Berk (design expert) surprised a dog groomer with a new work van after she spent so much time operating from her RV. The Fab Five ended up trashing the old workspace at the end. Spoiler alert: “God Bless Gay”, the season two premiere, will easily be a top three episode. God bless Mama Tammye!

I’ll be back to Dunder Mifflin in March as I start season six of The Office. I quit watching it just as summer began. I didn’t get to the world famous cold open where Kevin drops the chili! I think I’m going to balance the show with the podcasts (Office Ladies and Off the Beat).

Sorry not sorry if these blog posts are half-assed and tend to repeat themselves. I like to make sure I’m working on achieving my goals. This will be another segment on the platform for the middle of the month. Look for more content later this week including Fashionable Friday and Self-Care Saturday.

I chose not to do my Fashionable Friday and Self-Care Saturday segments this week. Apologies if you read my Fashionable Friday blog before I took it down. I just felt that it wasn’t good enough and I want to provide you guys with great content.

I also decided to postpone my Self-Care Saturday blog post because I’m tying it in to another blog post this week. I’ve been reading about Karamo in my Queer Eye book and picking a lot of great tips along the way for living a better life and being a better person. I’ll get to that in Wednesday’s blog.

This past week started out good. I put in a two mile walk at Twin Lakes. My first walk of the year. I had two blog posts done and ready to go and then, things came up. My cousin/nephew was back at Children’s due to his wounds acting up. I don’t blog about Benny’s health issues because that’s personal and plus, I have enough segments on here to keep this blog active without overdoing it.

It did hit me emotionally and threw me off of my game. I was trying on my new shirts I got from Old Navy and the pics I took didn’t turn out as good, hence why I scrapped the Fashionable Friday blog for this week. Maybe if I was open to taking pics in better settings that would work too (I take pics in my room). Once we turn the clocks ahead and the weather warms up, then I’ll be more open to slaying my amazing fashionwear and showing off my new Spring and even Summer ‘fits.

This week made me feel like I was going back to 2022. Last year I struggled with adjusting to my new work routines but eventually I was able to get it down. I was feeling like I wasn’t loved and getting no support at home for my nonconforming lifestyle. The people I depended on in social media were nowhere to be found and that left me in despair as well.

We all have a bad week once in a while. Things don’t turn out the way we expect them to, and we feel that will be a turning point for the rest of the season, or year. But we learn more from failure than we do success. Just because we fell short this week doesn’t mean we give up. Just because we got a bad review doesn’t mean we stop doing what makes us happy.

I’m a fan of Dhar Mann’s channel and, in light of the news about the strike at Dhar Mann Studios, my opinion is that Dhar needs to take his own advice. I’m talking about the messages he puts in his videos. I’ll close off this blog with my advice to him and the quote that best represents me at this time.

To Dhar, many people experience success and then forget about the people that helped get them there.

To me, being successful won’t always make you happy. But being happy will always make you successful.

Karamo Brown is the culture expert on the Netflix reboot of Queer Eye (2018). He is a former social worker and psychotherapist who starred on MTV’s The Real World in 2004. He is the author of three books, Karamo: My Story of Embracing Purpose, Healing, and Hope; I Am Okay to Feel, and; I am Perfectly Designed. Karamo Brown is also the host of his own talk show, Karamo, which airs on NBCUniversal.

One of my Christmas gifts I received this year was the book that talked about the Netflix series Queer Eye. The title is Queer Eye: Love Yourself, Love Your Life. In it, the show’s Fab Five talk about themselves and provide tips on their line of expertise. For example, Tan talks about fashion while Bobby talks about design. I am in the middle of the book right now, picking up some pointers from culture expert Karamo Brown.

I became a fan of Queer Eye (2018) in September of this past year. Currently I am on season six with five episodes to go. There is a seventh season on the way and that premiere will be sometime soon, hopefully. The Fab Five, as they call themselves, are a tight knit group and their job is help their “hero” make a better life for themselves.

Bobby might redesign a room, living room, or even a patio while Antoni helps that person remember an old recipe or teaches them what wine to pair with a meal. Jonathan does their hair or gives them a facial to help them look more presentable.

Karamo sits down with the “hero” and gets to hear from them. There’s never a dry eye when I’m watching this show because there’s so many moments that make you cry tears of joy. I’ll have a top ten list of my favorite Queer Eye episodes once I wrap up the series in a few weeks.

While reading the most recent chapter, Karamo tells us how to break down in smaller steps what we can do to make a better life for ourselves. Being honest (myself included), most of us don’t know the answer to that question. He also hits on some life skills that we as adults were never really taught in school.

Learn how to budget (your time)

We all need to make a budget for our finances (myself included). But equally as important, we need to make a budget for our time. For example, if we’re taking the time to go to school to better ourselves (just as Karamo was doing), we need to prioritize.

I make a budget of my time every day. How much time do I want to spend on a project or a hobby. When do I want invest my time in my physical or mental health? This is a great thing to do if you want to curb screen time on your phone and use it elsewhere.

Detoxing from your phone

Let’s face it. We’re all guilty of being on our phones too much. The constant scrolling on social media can be a huge time-waster if we’re not careful. It can also have an effect on your mental health if you’re not careful. I know that firsthand.

Charge your phone across the room or, brownie points, outside the room altogether when you go to sleep. It’s possible, trust me.

Leave your phone in the car if you’re eating out. If you’re eating at home, put it in another room altogether. This means less screen time and more conversation. There’s plenty of time to check emails and Facebook notificationsafter dinner. If you really need it with you in the store or the restaurant, just in case of emergency, put it in your purse or in your pocket.

It’s OK to hear the word NO!

Rejection is a part of life. If we get turned down, that God’s way of telling us there’s something better. When one door closes, another door opens.

I wish I looked at rejection that way. I was turned down in a relationship and thought I was in the wrong. I let that decision break me for years and it took a toll on my mental health. I’ve been turned down for jobs before. I let myself think I wasn’t good enough.

I volunteered to be an evaluator for a keynote speaker at a previous Toastmasters meeting. While I got turned down for the evaluator role, this gave me an opportunity to volunteer as Table Topics master. Instead of putting myself down, I made sure my questions would be awesome and get some laughs.

End result: I got many praises from the general evaluator and my other fellow club members, as well as the keynote speaker himself.

I’m going to celebrate a big milestone this week when I publish my 400th blog post. I knew I would make it here one day, but the trip hasn’t been easy. In fact, it’s been difficult to come up with content much less find a device to write my content on. For the majority of the time I’ve been on this platform, I’ve been sending my blog posts from my phone as well as my tablet. I’ve been meaning to cut down screen time on my phone and I thought sending content from my Kindle would help address that issue but it hasn’t. When I was gifted with a laptop from my cousins, I knew it would be a big turning point for me.

I started blogging regularly under The Slippery Rock Toastmaster name in the Fall of 2019. Some of my favorite posts from then include the ones I wrote when I was struggling to hide the fact that I had a crush on a coworker at my old job. When I deleted this blog and opened my present blog in January of 2020, I took a few of those posts and put them on there. Since opening my platform as the Stylish Traveling DTM in January of 2020, I’ve undergone a few name changes and I think I’m going to change this once more to match my Instagram handle.

2020 was the year of starting over, after we were hit with the COVID-19 pandemic.

What was so great about the last year meant nothing after the pandemic put us on lockdown. Things like social distancing, hand sanitizers, and six feet apart became household terms. I had no choice but to start over. That year was devastating to a lot of people, places, and businesses. It taught us to think about what was most important in life. I got too overconfident after launching the blog and flamed out as 2020 went on.

2021 was a year of new traditions & routines in my life. An eventful year, for sure.

If there’s one word that sums up my 2021, it’s this. Change. From my health to my job, to turning over a new decade of my life, change was a constant for me. As for the blog, I continued to struggle with content early on but began to really catch fire once Summer came. I began to invite people in to my new lifestyle as I became non-binary.

My “sister” and fashion buddy got married and I was invited to the wedding. I had the best birthday of my life as I turned 40. My parents started the next phases of their lives as they retired from their jobs. Before all that, I dealt with a health scare that could have been tragic if not taken care of.

I left my job of 13 years and it was for the best. I walked away from the church because I didn’t feel comfortable being non-binary in that setting. However, I’ve been making a comeback. I published my 300th blog post at the end of the year. I hoped to build off that success as 2021 ended.

2022 taught me to love and accept myself.

I adapted to change in 2022, from my job to the rising cost of gas. I didn’t have my community to fall back on, and almost abandoned completely my gender nonconforming ways. My cousin came through and gave me some words of encouragement and everyone else began pulling for me. I would eventually come back around.

I dealt with mental health issues and depression in 2022, which were brought on mainly because of me and my insecurity and overthinking things. The new job and routine took some getting used to as well. I regressed with the blog because I felt I didn’t have much to say and also, because of limited resources. Despite my struggles last year, 2022 would end well.

Conclusion

2023 has been great so far and that break was just what I needed. There have been a few disappointments but I’m working through them. Taking one step forward and three steps back taught me something better would be coming.

I’m more dedicated to the blog this year because I’m able to budget my time more efficiently. Having a laptop helps too, and that also opens up other avenues as well.

I’ve overcome various roadblocks to reach this milestone. For that I am proud, and it’s only going to get better.

Today’s Self-Care Saturday is coming to you… on a Sunday.

I’ll be talking about mental health and sometimes, you just need to take some time for yourself, hence these self-care blog posts. You may put your heart and soul into helping others and never feel like helping yourself nor do you have the time for it. Eventually, you’re working too hard and burning yourself out. That eventually takes its toll on you and that’s why mental health is important. Reward yourself, sweetie. You deserve it.

Jonathan Van Ness of Queer Eye fame really preaches self-care on the show and that in turn has an impact on your mental health. Of course, his thing is all about making the hero look pretty. All the experts besides Jonathan are all about helping that person better themselves and what they do helps that person improve their mental health and well-being.

Here are five steps that you can take to improve your mental health and wellbeing. (Credit to https://www.nhs.uk)

1. Connect with other people

Good relationships are important for your mental wellbeing. They can:

• help you to build a sense of belonging and self-worth
• give you an opportunity to share positive experiences
• provide emotional support and allow you to support others.

I did that today by tagging along with my mom and visiting my aunt and Ben at Children’s Hospital. My cousin is dealing with some health issues and is on a long road to recovery. We even got some fresh air outside for a few minutes and were greeted with a few more surprise visitors.

2. Be physically active

Being active is not only great for your physical health and fitness. Evidence also shows it can also improve your mental wellbeing by:

• raising your self-esteem
• helping you to set goals or challenges and achieve them
• causing chemical changes in your brain which can help to positively change your mood.

Starting this week, I’m going to get on a regular exercise routine to improve my physical health by going to the gym a few times a week and going for a walk as the weather allows me to.

3. Learn new skills

Research shows that learning new skills can also improve your mental wellbeing by:

• boosting self-confidence and raising self-esteem
• helping you to build a sense of purpose
• helping you to connect with others

Even if you feel like you do not have enough time, or you may not need to learn new things, there are lots of different ways to bring learning into your life.

I took up learning a foreign language last year when I downloaded the Duolingo app on my phone. I originally started out by learning Spanish. Now, I’m teaching myself French, Italian, and German.

I’ve been working on this blog since the beginning of 2020 and have been writing long before that.

I want to get back into photography now that I have a laptop I’m able to store my pictures on.

4. Give to others

Research suggests that acts of giving and kindness can help improve your mental wellbeing by:

• creating positive feelings and a sense of reward
• giving you a feeling of purpose and self-worth
• helping you connect with other people

It could be small acts of kindness towards other people, or larger ones like volunteering in your local community.

In the past, I’ve volunteered with another local church for Operation Christmas Child, a ministry that sends shoeboxes full of toys and other gifts to less fortunate children at Christmas. We fill up boxes of 15-20 shoeboxes each and load them onto a truck that delivers them all over the world.

5. Pay attention to the present moment (mindfulness)

Paying more attention to the present moment can improve your mental wellbeing. This includes your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you.

Some people call this awareness “mindfulness”. Mindfulness can help you enjoy life more and understand yourself better. It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.

Today’s fashionable Friday segment is short and sweet. I’ll be talking about activewear, as I will be setting sail on staying physically active in 2023. While my shopping adventures didn’t net much success in store, I think I’ll have more success shopping online this weekend. I’m fine if I plan to go out at some point this weekend, but I want to stay well stocked anyways.

My original plans were going to take me to Going, Going, Gone, and then out to lunch. I even attempted to get a food blog out today as well at Hello Bistro. Unfortunately some stuff came up.

Also, I wasn’t really feeling up to it as the voices in my head were kicking my ass the last two days. But, I was able to cheer myself up watching another episode of Queer Eye. The Fab Five never fails to uplift me after a day of feeling down about myself. Also, Hello Bistro (likely the Monroeville location) will be on my list for a future ‘James the Food Slayer’ food blog. Stay tuned.

So my plans to stay active include making time to run on the treadmills at Planet Fitness, as well as exercising my core muscles. I haven’t been going there since before COVID so it’ll be nice to finally make use of my membership there. It was hard to make time because of my WIS schedule in the past.

I’m in the market for more sweatpants, maybe a sweatshirt to match. I also want some comfy pants to lay around in, or for walking around the park while I listen to my playlist. The possibilities are endless.

I do have a few pairs of sweatpants and track pants, but I’ve had those a few years, and want an upgrade. Nothing wrong with treating yourself. Regardless of what I end up buying, I’m ready to get a regular exercise routine underway and really begin to feel good about myself physically again.

My self-care Saturday post is coming, but first an important announcement.

We’re closing in 400 blog posts next week, and that calls for celebration. I’ll be off next Saturday and have plans to eat out and do a restaurant review as part of my James The Food Slayer segment. People read my reviews to see if that’s where they want to go for a meal, and I’m always happy to help in their choice of restaurant. You may have remembered this as Stylish and Hungry and while I loved the name too, I had to go with something more hip.

And now, on to my feature presentation.

This was a not a good day to be outside unless you really loved the cold. The sun may be out, and I’m trying to make more opportunities to be outside when the weather is a little nicer, but not on a frigid day like this. It’s amazing how the weather has an impact on your mental health.

Beginning next week, I’m going to take time to commit to my physical health. Whether that’s a 45 minute workout running on the treadmill or exercise my leg muscles, or a two-and-a-half mile walk around the lake, it’s time to show my body some love. Not that I didn’t pay attention to it before. I’ll put some gym time on my schedule.

I’m in the market for some new amazing activewear and plan on visiting Going, Going, Gone in the near future for some great deals. They have locations in Monroeville and on McKnight Road.

Some of the benefits of physical activity are that it helps lower blood pressure and decreases the risk of heart disease. I had a health scare back in 2021 and was hospitalized for four days. My blood pressure was off the charts and it was imminent I was going to have a stroke or heart attack if we didn’t address that concern. Fortunately, I was prescribed medication to keep my blood pressure under control. My last visit to the cardiologist was a good one.

Physical activity also helps to promote positive mental health. I was down for most of 2022 because of events that unfolded the year prior and those took a toll on my mental health. Leaving a job after 13 years and co-workers who became family; not feeling like I was supported in my non-binary journey; and trying to figure out a new job and work schedule took its toll on me. But you have to go through the rain to see the rainbow, and that’s exactly what happened. This past holiday season turned out better for me than the last two, and I have more support on this journey than I realized.

While I do get out for a walk or go the gym every so often, I feel my attention to detail has been sporadic and that needs to change. It needs to be more of a set schedule. This can be hard with work and my involvement in Toastmasters but it’s easier than it looks. It’s all about time management, confidence, as well as behavior and head knowledge.

It’s like Dave Ramsey’s stance on winning with money:

What to do isn’t the problem; doing it is

Can you believe we’re already at the end of the first month of 2023? For us that means we’re closer to Spring and longer days with more light and less darkness. In Toastmasters it means contest season is getting underway as speakers prepare to represent their clubs in the area competition. For me I’m getting closer to my beach vacation in Delaware in June.

This segment is a rewind of some of the highlights of the past month. To avoid making this blog long winded and for the sake of time, I’ll use my rule of 3s and highlight those three things that stood out to me for the month. That will make it easier for me when I go to work on the Top Ten of 2023 in December.

New Year’s Resolution? Reading the classics.

We have our resolutions we make when we wipe the slate clean on January 1. Lose weight. Eat healthier. Save money. Be nicer to our family. By the 15th, we’ve reneged on that promise to work out and are eating fast food (part of our busy lives I guess). We’re trying to save money, but have to pay off those bills from the holidays. Being nice to our family? Well you can pick your friends but not your family or in-laws.

My New Year’s resolution? I love books. While past reads have been sports or politics-related, I decided to pick up some of the classic novels. I picked up the works of Jane Austen and Shakespeare and will focus on those in 2023, along with The Iliad and The Odyssey, and the Nutcracker. I’m also reading Michelle Obama’s latest book.

The blog has made a big comeback.

I fell back on posting content to the blog because all I had to post content on was my phone. My cousin Katie, who has her own blog, learned of my dilemma at the family reunion back in October. At Aunt Sue’s New Year’s Eve get-together, her and Brendan gifted me an old laptop which was converted into a Chromebook.

The laptop has been a godsend for me. I’m going to purchase a webcam so I can attend virtual Toastmasters meetings and events via Zoom, plus I can play CD’s (if possible) and upload pictures from my camera. I’ve added some new segments to the platform like Fashionable Friday and Self-Care Saturday. I’m closing in on 400 blog posts next month and, if I keep up my content, an even bigger milestone this Fall.

Like 2022 Never Even Happened

2022 was supposed to be my year as I was building off the highs of the year before. I was growing the blog and I started to find myself when I came out as non-binary. But big changes also happened that year as I left my job of 13 years and came over to Giant Eagle. I felt I was losing my support system that I had in place at WIS. I struggled for most of 2022 with my feelings and wondered whether or not coming out was the right thing.

The latter part of 2022 read a lot like 2019. I was in charge of my happiness and success and not as dependent on other people’s opinions. January made it sound like the past year didn’t even happen. I didn’t feel depressed, nor did I second-guess myself. I got out more (the mild weather had something to do with that), spotted joy in everything I did, and was able to manage my time well. I still had my share of bad days, but the good outweighed them.

I look to continue building off that positive energy as we begin February.

History/Backstory

At the time that I’m posting this blog, another Kings Family Restaurant has bitten the dust. According to TribLive.com, the Allegheny Township location closed on Sunday at 2 p.m.. That leaves the beleaguered family restaurant chain with five locations remaining, and doubt as to whether the chain will make it through 2023. Open stores left include Hempfield Township, Canonsburg, Franklin, Kittanning, and in Ohio, Wintersville.

I posted about Kings when the Delmont location closed in April of 2021. I worked at that location out of college, so the closing hit me very hard. I posted six things about the location, three facts and three things I could have done better.

Yesterday morning, I was hungry for some country fried steak and eggs, so I decided on eating breakfast here.

Service

I walked into the location around 8:30 yesterday morning. There was a Valentine’s Day tree set up in the vestibule. I was greeted with a smile and my server took great care of me. She poured my coffee and took my order quickly. It helped that I knew what I wanted as it made her job easier.

I’ve eaten at this Kings many times and I remember some of the servers from long ago. A few came over from New Stanton when it closed and that helped this location as well as the Frownie. One of the servers from my old store was working there too and she always does an amazing job.

My food came just as quickly as I ordered it and my server made sure I was satisfied. I’ll give service an outstanding grade of A+. I tipped her well too.

Menu

The menus have changed over the years and some things have come and gone. But the selection is still pretty good, regardless. The prices, yes they’re high, but times are tough and the company is trying to remain afloat with the stores that remain open. Judging by the other options they are trying to compete with other chains as well. Cookies n’ Creme pancakes and Nashville Hot Chicken are what’s cooking in 2023.

You have some great breakfast and lunch options available. The Wake-Up breakfast is still a choice, as well as the egg bagel and K-Boy and other craft burgers. Nothing like it used to be though. Soups on the menu include Beef Vegetable and Broccoli Cheese and dinners include Meatloaf and their cod or hand-breaded fish dinner, as well as Chicken Parmigiana. Their famous hot apple pie which was on the menu back in 1967 is still a choice if you have room for dessert.

Grade: B-

Quality

I was very satisfied with the quality of my food. The cooks did an excellent job preparing it. Everything looked good and it filled up the plate. I wasn’t asking myself, “Where’s The Beef?” Coffee was very filling too. I’ll have to come back and enjoy a fish dinner, meatloaf, or hot turkey sandwich because I might not have much time left.

Grade: A

Summary

I made the right choice for breakfast and it’s nice to see that Kings is still operating, albeit with a skeleton crew of stores. The staff loves their work and it breaks my heart to see what this chain has become. I really wish Hartley would have kept it in the family but it is what it is. When you look at Eat’n Park and compare Kings to them, there’s a reason why one is doing better than the other and I really can’t explain it.

It’s official, we’re down to a handful of locations and, if I’m guessing right, Hempfield and Canonsburg will be the last ones to close.

This is one of my favorite segments that I’ll be posting on this blog. Here I’ll post my outfit of the day and my amazing Fashionwear. To highlight my Fashionable Friday I’ll take you with me on whatever journey I’m on. It may be a coffee date, Toastmasters event, or a Target run. I want to share my story with all of you while I continue to learn to love my story.

If I’m preaching to the choir I’m sorry. When I’m out somewhere and dressed up, I feel like myself and feel confident. Do I worry about the past and being bullied for being me? Yes. Do I worry that my family failed me (or I failed them)? Sometimes. If I’m happy and doing good in life then that’s all that matters.

Here are the keys to the game when it comes to my non-binary journey and this segment.

Self-love is key in my journey.

Last year after I came off the highs of 2021, I fell down. Actually, I fell right around Christmastime. I was starting a new job and felt like I wasn’t getting the support I needed for my journey. I was without a church home for the first time in 21 years and still am today though my faith is a little stronger than it was a year ago at this time. I was hiding my true self from my parents and almost walked away from my gender nonconformity altogether. Everything I worked hard for in 2021 I almost gave up in a split second just to please people.

I turned it around in the summer after spending time with my family at the annual Fourth of July picnic at the farm. I broke down to my cousin about all that happened in the last year and we both shed tears. Her husband lent both of us tissues and she gave me some very encouraging words. More importantly, I started to learn to really love myself.

Eventually, everything turned around and I was back to being my authentic, beautiful, unique self. I still struggle at home with my fashion (though my Mom has turned a corner) but feel confident when I go out for coffee or off to my meetings. If people want to say stuff, let them. It shows character when someone acts the way they do.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

You’ll see a lot of pictures on these posts and I believe they tell the story more than what I write. As the old saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words”.

The top two pics were taken in beautiful October weather at Twin Lakes and the Ligonier Diamond. The bottom photo was from last night. I’ve also been watching videos on Instagram on how to pose for photos. How you do it makes all the difference between stylish and frumpy.

I was hoping to get one of me doing one of those poses and pointing at a storefront or the casino entrance. One of these days I’ll collab with a photographer and we’ll get some great headshots.

On Wednesdays I wear pink.

My friend and second momma Paula (Mason) always tells me I look amazing and wishes she had my fashion sense. My sister and fashion buddy Sara (Newsom) told me at the beginning of this journey, “Fashion is nothing to be ashamed of” and to “Be Proud”. The classic line from the movie Mean Girls may just become one of my mantras, plus I’ve ordered more pink now so I can practice what I preach.

Reading my Queer Eye book last night and listening to Fashion Expert Tan France wax style has given me even more inspiration. He, Antoni Porowski, and my boy Jonathan Van Ness aren’t afraid to go to the other side and wear what makes them feel comfortable. Tan suggests trying things on before I buy them. I risk it because I fear people will look at me weird for buying different clothes.

When in doubt I just keep these two words in mind.

“Be you.”