If you're reading this, I'm currently on a plane to New Zealand.
(Well, assuming that my flight left on time.)



I will be spending the next month...


Visiting Hobbiton...


Hiking Mt. Doom...


Checking out glowworms...


Jumping off bridges...


...and driving on the wrong side of the road.

I WILL RETURN JUNE 4th!

~Jessica

A while back, there was a South Park episode in which all of the Mexican immigrants in the U.S. decide to return to Mexico because they realized that it actually sucks less in Mexico than it does here in America.



It was a fairly humorous episode.

Today, I read this article about how the net immigration rate has dropped to zero because apparently... Matt Stone and Trey Parker were right.

Seriously, America?

~Jessica

I was reading an article earlier today about how a bunch of people are up in arms about the fact that a woman who appears to be fairly average-sized has been told that she is too fat to be a plus-size model. Now, I will be the first to say that any designer or clothing company has every right to display their clothes as they see fit. No offense, but skinny jeans look best on, you know, skinny people, so if someone wants to send a stream of toothpicks down the runway to show off this season's new version, it's their right to do just that. It seems almost oxymoronic to expect them to trot out a group of size 14s, just like I wouldn't walk into a plus-sized store expecting them to carry something in my size. Some fashions are designed to flatter a certain body type, and if someone decides to fill their store window with emaciated mannequins, or banners of full-figured women, it is entirely within their right to do so.

But you know what else? If I disagree with the standard of beauty that is being displayed in that storefront, I also have every right not to shop there. And so do you. And that's the part that I don't get. If you're so offended that such-and-such a store, or so-and-so designer isn't projecting a viewpoint that you agree with, don't shop there. If you don't like that a certain magazine only ever lets skinny girls grace their covers, or you disagree with one that glorifies curves whether they're healthy or not, don't buy it. If you want magazines to start running more photos of women who look like you, start buying magazines that feature photos of women who look like you, whatever that may mean.

There are plenty of industries that are actively looking to make you feel bad about yourself in order to promote their product, and convince you that you really need to join their gym, and use their shampoo, and scrub with their face wash, but the fashion industry isn't one of them. They want you to buy their clothes because you think they look good on you, so if the way they advertise those clothes doesn't make you feel like they would look good on you, LET THEM KNOW THAT! Because at the end of the day, they don't really care how you feel, but they do care about profits, so if the fact that their advertisements are alienating a certain demographic is going to cut into their profits, they might be willing to change their tune. But that only works if you put your money where your mouth is and stop supporting companies who in turn support ideas that you don't agree with. And this goes far beyond the fashion world.

I'm sure most of you are aware of the reaction to Starbucks' decision to openly support gay marriage. About 25,000 people decided to boycott Starbucks. And 640,000 people signed a Thank You card to the company. The internet was peppered with tweets and pictures of people who are more inclined to stop in at Starbucks for their morning cup of coffee because of the fact that their moral beliefs were being upheld by the company.

We saw the same thing happen with Planned Parenthood - Susan G. Komen pulled funding, donations to Planned Parenthood ballooned, public outcry was loud, and they reversed their decision - and Bank of America -They tried to institute a $5 fee for debit card usage, customers threatened to (and did) move their accounts elsewhere, the fee was dropped.



We as consumers have the power to choose who and what we support, and we need to wake up and realize that without our support, companies will be forced to choose between changing their perspective, or failing. If enough people boycotted a certain company because it was doing something unethical, or that was not in line with your viewpoint, what do you think would happen?

In this day and age, it has never been easier to find out where the products you use in your day to day life are coming from, or who and what the companies you give your business to are supporting. It's simple to get the low-down on companies, and see what kind of ideals they are projecting. Are you sick of Kim Kardashian getting loads of undeserved attention? Don't support the gossip rags that follow her around. Are you really into supporting your local economy? Sacrifice convenience and support your local stores instead of a chain. Are you interested in getting jobs back to the USA? Support companies whose products are manufactured here. Are you exhausted by the photoshopped cosmetics ads that portray an unattainable idea of beauty? Snag your cosmetics from a company that doesn't advertise in that way, or better yet, forgo them all together. Do you find KFC's treatment of the animals that go into their meals despicable? Get chicken from a local farm, or a chain with better reputations or standards.

As much as I am frustrated by the fact that the world revolves around the Almighty Dollar, you have a fistful of Almighty Dollars at your disposal, and who you give them to is your decision. And when It's really easy to sit back and company about how this company or that company is doing something you don't agree with, but you know what's even easier? Simply taking your business somewhere else.

~Jessica