Auld Lang Syne

Like Michelle Williams from Destiny's Child, New Years Eve is the subject of neglect amongst winter holidays. As I do with most underrated aspects of culture, I've deemed New Year's Eve as my favorite holiday. Other than the renowned New Year's Eve ball dropping in Times Square, there's a lot of creative freedom for you in inventing your own traditions to ring in the New Year.

Although our traditions may vary on this holiday, it seems that there's an overarching clarity on this night for one and all. In the first minutes, days, weeks, of 2014 we're most inspired to make the "could-have's" in years past into "will-be's" for the year ahead.  

While my whereabouts on the last day of December have always changed from year to year, I've always relied on listening to 'Auld Lang Syne' as the year comes to an end. When Lea Michele made her own rendition of the song a couple years back, somehow 'Auld Lang Syne' became even more festive. Have a listen, as you create memories tonight that will pave the way for 2014. 

Continue to find inspiration, and keep your wine glasses full this year. 

Cheers. 

Book Review: Mrs. Kennedy and Me

On the night of Nov. 22, 1963, Jacqueline Kennedy emerged from an Air Force One aircraft in Washington D.C. shedding her position as First Lady of the United States, and adopting widowhood. Following the bronze shroud of her husband, Mrs. Kennedy donned a pink Chanel suit with blood-red indications of where she coddled her husband’s head earlier that day. The 35^th President of the United States had been assassinated and the reverberations would resound throughout the nation for years to come.

Last month marked the 50-year anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. While President and Mrs. Kennedy have garnered regal, celebrity-like statuses in America, their contributions to the nation went far beyond their photogenic qualities.

With a working insight into the life of Jackie Kennedy, Clint Hill, the Secret Service agent assigned to Mrs. Kennedy’s detail for the Kennedy administration, along with journalist Lisa McCubbin, recounts Mrs. Kennedy as a bold leading lady for her family and beyond in the biography, Mrs. Kennedy and Me.

“At the time, I don’t think Mrs. Kennedy realized the tremendous influence she had, but for those of us around her, it was impossible not to recognize. Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy had become a star,” Hill writes in his portrait of Mrs. Kennedy.

From her playful humor, to her well-cultured perception of the world, Hill’s writings enable readers to accompany Jackie Kennedy in satisfying her curious heart. Be it on horseback with her children Caroline and John in Virginia, or as a tourist in France, Italy, Greece, Pakistan, Italy, etc. unaware of the indelible traces of diplomacy she left from place to place, Hill's memoir depicts the actions that Mrs. Kennedy made with genuine intentions, no matter the setting.

Forever more, Mrs. Kennedy will be paired with her timeless elegance as First Lady of the United States. It's a trait of her that continues to gleam from tabloids to television screens, but her fluidity as an intellectual and a leader cannot be silenced. And sentiments from the man sworn to protect her, Special Agent Clint Hill, serve as a reminder of Mrs. Kennedy’s dimensionality as a woman, beyond that tragic day in Texas. 

Order Mrs. Kennedy an Me on Amazon.com here.

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Winter Trail Runs: Pollock's Bench

Feasts of the festive season may be coming to a close, but your lack of motivation for running in the cold is unwavering. With many weeks between New Year's resolutions and the warmth of spring break, there's no sense in waiting for 'ideal conditions' for running.

If there's snow on the ground, taking to the streets for a run during the winter is a daunting task. Instead of hurdling icy patches on neighborhood sidewalks, try out your favorite local trails.

This week, I took to a trail that my soles have long ago memorized - Pollock's Bench. In my hometown of Fruita, Colo., there are a host of trails in the fingers of the Colorado National Monument. Laden with a layer of snow, the trail relieved me from jumping over ice and mud. You might have to work a little harder to trek through the snow, but it's worth it if you think back to that second helping of grandma's dessert last week.

Winter isn't exactly our ally in running endeavors. But with moisture-wicking layers and a handful of regular running regions, you can make your own ideal conditions.

Running Tip: Dress as if it's 10 degrees (F) warmer than it is outside, and you'll be more comfortable during long runs.

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Square One in Style

In many of my favorite films from my teenage years, if there was a young protagonist, I could be sure that they would be rebellious in some form another. Lindsay Lohan in Freaky Friday defied her mother in all of her gothic glory. Even Violet, in The Incredibles was too suave with her jet-black hair to be bothered by her parents for much of the movie.

While I did have a head of frizzy hair that could have easily set a scrawny teen off balance, I didn’t not attempt any acts of rebellion as a kid. Instead, I expressed myself with what I wore. In the rural town of Fruita, Colo., I was at an advantage against my peers who opted for Wrangler denim or Volcom tees. Although, I was an offender of donning four-too-many pairs of skater shoes without any ability to maneuver a skateboard.

Thankfully, my sense in style has progressed. To add to that, I’ve recently found a blog, titled Scout Sixteen, which features current, young fashion. One of the most noteworthy aspects of the blog is that the author of the blog, Justin Livingston, understands the versatility of his readers. Adventuring as a twenty-something can’t always call for a suit and tie, and his blog posts address this fact with looks that include denim, sweaters, and the like.

Drawing inspiration from Justin Livingston, at Scout Sixteen, I’ve added a ‘Style’ dimension to A Furled Brow. And if your own style staples include sweaters from your granddad’s era to layering outrageous graphic tees, I hope you’ll follow along. 

Check out my favorite post from Scout Sixteen here.

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