No Plus One At Your Wedding? You May Be Minus One

May 02, 2016 by Cazey Williams in life lessons, Dating, Cazey's Column, Life In Your 20's, Humor

For the past year I’ve watched several acquaintances become engaged, but no close friends. On social media I scroll past bridal parties, wedding photos, and honeymoon humble-brags, but of people whose vows I would never expect to be invited to. I began to question how I had chosen my friends so well that none of them has given into the Power of the One True Ring. Kudos to me, right?

But I've also been disappointed to not be invited to any open bars and/or weekend getaways to Nashville (where every soon-to-be spouse seems to congregate with their besties). How am I supposed to feel like my life is a 30-minute weekly sitcom if I’m not invited to any of my peers’ weddings? Wedding reception episodes always happen by season two a la “New Girl,” “Broad City,” “As Told Over Brunch,” etc.

The closest I came to a wedding invitation was my childhood friend’s engagement. The friend asked for my address soon after, and I kept my calendar open only to realize as the months ticked down that my invitation was not coming. This did not offend me. The last time we hung out was high school and the last time we spoke was eighteen months prior to being asked for my address.

The Wine Trilogy: 3 Years of the Virginia Wine Expo

Richmond Convention Center

April 29, 2016 by Sara Woznicki in Humor, Leisure, Life In Your 20's, life lessons, Sara's Column, Tweets and Mascara

Without question, one of the best days of the year is the Virginia Wine Expo. Ever since moving to Richmond, it's been a Christmas-like tradition every February. I say Christmas-like because the Wine Expo is basically a holiday for wino's like me. You pay about $50 for six hours of endless and limitless tastings from dozens of local wines.

Now that we've been going for three years, it's interesting to take a retrospective look back on how times have changed from the first gander around the Richmond Convention center to the most recent. In reality, In reality, not that much has changed: there's still a ton of good wine to drink, it's the same time every year at the same place and more-or-less I go with the same people. The only real, but very noticeable, difference is really just me. Me and my maturity.

Less than 24 Truths Learned at 24

April 28, 2016 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Life In Your 20's, life lessons

Today is my birthday. In the real world, this means I'm accepting gift cards to Starbucks, Kroger, and Amazon. In the blogging world, this means I'm supposed to deliver a numbered listicle (the number matching the arbitrary year of life where my matter took shape and emerged from another clump of matter) of triumphs and insights from the past year or else promises for my coming year of life. Well, I wouldn't want to disappoint. But I don't have exactly 24 (or 25) revelations to share with you - unless you want to hear my theory that the song "Angelina" on the Lumineers' sophomore album is connected to the song "Slow It Down" on their freshman album.

Instead, earlier this month on my walk to work, I composed the following list of truths I've experienced or reaffirmed this past year. At least if I'm remembering correctly in my old age. And some are revelations, but not all.

Feel free to comment or question what I consider "truths" at 25. Knowledge grows with debate. (Oh, that should be added to the below list!)

Five Ways To Alienate Your Friends

April 27, 2016 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Humor, Life In Your 20's, life lessons

Over the last couple of weeks, I've had some interactions with friends that I think were less than appreciated. I mean, I wouldn't appreciate them. In most circumstances I'm either not sure what I was thinking or I just wasn't thinking, period. Or I was drunk. Either way, I decided I should share these incidents so readers can avoid repeating my prat falls.

The first happened at dinner with my friend. We had finished eating when the waitress came over and asked if she could get us anything else. Maybe it was the pizza, maybe it was the rum and diet, but I said, "Sure, could I get coke?"

Drinks Come With Obligations

April 25, 2016 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, life lessons, Life In Your 20's

Going out is expensive. Covers, tabs, and taxis – these things add up. I’ve long been jealous that women can surpass most of these costs. Many bars let women in with no covers, and then it’s always a lurking possibility that they’ll get free drinks once inside from men at the bar.

Meanwhile, ain’t no one gonna buy me a drink. *sips water*

Stitch Fix: Taking the Personal out of Personal Stylist

April 22, 2016 by Sara Woznicki in Sara's Column, life lessons, Tweets and Mascara, Life In Your 20's, Leisure, Makeup Sales

But the last Stitch Fix I received was such a let down, which it can only be SUCH a let down because I am such an advocate. Things started off a little rough when they shipped my fix a day late, then proceeded to get worse when they mailed it to the wrong zip code.

It was an ominous sign for the impending delivery.

I came home to the box waiting by my door, and I excitedly ripped open the box, slightly nervous as the box was rather light and I had requested shoes. When I get the box open, my heart sinks immediately.

Stranding Strangers in Starbucks

April 20, 2016 by Cazey Williams in Humor, life lessons, Cazey's Column, Life In Your 20's

The last month of my senior year of college, I decided to make money on a weekend trip home. I posted my planned journey on a website two weeks out, and two people messaged me wanting a lift. The one agreed on $10 for me to drop her in Richmond, and the other, who we'll call "Pip," agreed on $20 for me to take him to Virginia Beach. Plus, my dad would probably give me gas money, so I was gonna make out like a bandit. Ka-ching, ka-ching.

Slightly before this trip, I had committed to graduate school in Richmond and created a roommate profile on another site. The weekend before the trip, a potential roommate messaged me asking if I'd be interested in meeting and seeing his place. I said yes and figured I could drop off the first person and I'd just tell Pip he needed to find another ride and he could keep his $20.

Hair is Hair: Healthy Hair Tips

April 19, 2016 by Sara Woznicki in life lessons, Tweets and Mascara, Life In Your 20's, Leisure, Sara's Column

Anyways, I once went to a hairdresser and she told me I had wonderful hair. It's something I've heard before. My hair is thin and straight. It's easy to mange and has natural color fluctuations, which is nice. It also grows really fast, can hold a curl and is generally healthy. It's lovely. Whatever.

I woke up one morning and decided to dye by hair. I went to Kroger, found a Revlon box on sale for $2, so I decided I mine as well go for it. I studied all the color options, and went with "brown," after careful consideration. It seemed safe.

Don't Touch: Millennials and Their F***ing Hugging

April 13, 2016 by Cazey Williams in Humor, Life In Your 20's, Cazey's Column, life lessons

Do you remember back in elementary school when everyone had cooties? Girls and boys didn’t touch lest a flesh-eating infection devour us all. Mind you, this was a particularly heteronormative affliction, but that’s beside the point. At least it gave us an excuse not to touch each other. And I hate touching.

My mom calls it being “tactilely defensive.” She’s an occupational therapist.

Symptom 1: I avoid touch stimulation. Growing up, I refused to wear sweatpants because of the material on my skin.

Running My First Race

April 11, 2016 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Humor, Life In Your 20's, life lessons

I’m known for being a generally fit person. I walk everywhere in Richmond, including the grocery store and work/school, and I lift weights five times a week. I also used to run regularly in college (now I run once or twice or never a week, but whatever). But I’ve never done a race.

Okay, that’s not entirely true. Senior year of college, an organization I was in hosted a 5K fundraiser, so I participated. I almost won, too. Having never done a race at that point in my life and being used to running 10 miles at a time, I thought I’d sprint the 5K. I led for the first mile. For real, I was hundreds of yards ahead of the second person. But one cannot run at 10 mph for three miles. By the end of mile one, I met my mortality. I was lapped twice. By a father and son. Anyhow, they got first and second place, and I got third. Fourth place was my friend who now runs marathons regularly, so it says something that I beat a future marathon runner. Right?

Anyway, that race was $15 and benefitted my organization. I never did another race after that because why pay to exercise? Races are extravagantly expensive. They’re usually upwards of $60 to jog a distance I could do on my own. So what, I get a t-shirt I won’t wear and a medal that I could just order and pretend I earned?