The Virgin and the Slut

Are you a virgin? 

This is the big question that some people avoid for embarrassment whilst others relish in the response that they are able to give. It's a simple yes or no question. For me it's a yes. I have not have sex. I'm not in the least bothered by this fact. I have never been in a situation with a guy in which I felt the need to take action to change this either. So it's a fact that I am a virgin. I'm totally okay with that because it's true.  What I'm not okay with is the hoard of negative connotations that are attached to this title. No, I'm not chaste or fallow or inept. I'm not undesirable or uncool and I would call myself anything but pure.  I don't push every guy away or hide from sexual activity. Nor am I celibate, stiff or religiously corrupt and therefore cannot force other people around me to follow my sex free life. 

These are the things that cause us all to lie and keep the real truth to ourselves. I have plenty of girlfriends who are so horribly ashamed to answer the "simple" question even when its asked in confidence and have lied to me about whether or not they have had sex. I know women who sleep with lots of guys, have lots of sex with one guy, have had sex only once, and I also happen to know some other virgins. The sad thing is 75% of these friends feel terrified to admit to the truth about their sexual activities. The fear that seems to accompany this question for many women is what fuels the judgments and accusations. 

When looking at the other end of the spectrum it appears to be no better as the label switches from virgin to slut. The second you lose your virginity people look down on you, it was such a burden to hold the title to begin with yet now you're wondering if you really have lost something invaluable - surely virgin is a better name than slut? You've heard from the beginning that a slut is dirty, diseased, some kind of home-wrecker or whore, or maybe all of that really comes to mind creating the image of a sleazy hooker making a living out of her bad habits. However by dictionary standards the definition is merely reads: Slut, /slʌt/, noun derogatory
, 1. a woman who has many casual sexual partners (synonyms: promiscuous woman). Not once does it mention that a slut is dirty or a hooker or diseased. It also claims that a slut has many sexual partners, which clearly means losing your virginity (which can only happen once) does not make you a slut. Just because your no longer a virgin does not give you the immediate title of becoming a slut, in all honesty humanity just skipped out on a label. 

In all seriousness the problem is that there is no defined in-between state, you’re not allowed to be sitting on the fence because it just doesn't exist. It's ridiculous that for a race that has the need to name and label everything nobody has been able to define what is normal. Its okay to have sex - it doesn't make you a slut if you do. It's okay not to have sex - because being a virgin means only that. We need to stop worrying about what is written on our name tags. The "hello. my name is ..." isn't important. What matters is how you're able to define yourself. 

Later Gator xx

A Series About Sex

Hello!

Over the last few days I've been brainstorming like crazy in order to come up with something a little more interesting for my blog. I want to make a little series of posts that will be up over the next few days dealing with a topic that most (if not all) bloggers try to avoid: SEX. I might just be going crazy for doing it however I've decided to take a massive leapt out of my comfort zone. Addressing the field that makes me absolutely terrified and the most uncomfortable is the action I'm taking to improve my writing. Whilst I'm inexperienced and only 17 I do have my own opinion about things like:

1. The ability to only be classified as a virgin or a slut
2. The unjustified judgement of detached recreational sex
3. The horrors of commitment aka making a sex into a relationship 

Until next time! xx

Road Rage (Off Road Style) !

Hello!

Once more I'm feeling the need to go off on a crazed rampage of hateful feelings, this time directed towards the absolute stupidity of the process needed to obtain a driving licence. In Queensland your 16th birthday becomes this massive deal because of two thing; the legal right to participate in intercourse (a story for some other time) and the ability to walk into the Department of Transport and Main Roads to get a leaner's permit. Now whilst the later option sounds easy as pie please allow me tell you a little tale. It begins on the 13th of April 2012 as I, Mackenzie Pringle, braved the aggravatingly long lines at the Department of Transport and Main Roads to achieve this wondrous piece of plastic that would put me in control of a car. After an hour of waiting I discovered that I didn't have any of the crap I needed to take the test. Disheartened I trudged back home to conquer the road rules another day. 

Later that week...

Everything was in order I had my ID and my appropriate forms all signed and dated, I'd passed several online tests and felt ready to receive my brand new permit. Excitement pumped through my veins as I strutted confidently into that dreadful building once more and sat down for the half hour pounding out the questions in a cinch. Determination cursed through my veins as I handed over the goddamn paper for the snooty lady behind the counter to confirm that I was indeed ready for my license. But no I had gotten too many questions wrong (only three!) so I was sent home with tears of shame for failing a test that stupid macho boys (who flunk all their classes) seemed to be able to pass. 

A whopping 3 months later I did finally achieve my learners permit after I got over myself and my shame. Yet the problems didn't end there. The next step on the way to an open license is getting your P-plates aka your provisional licence. To do this you must have your learner's permit for a minimum of 12 months and you must have driven for at least 100 hours over this period of time. My dad being the protective and worrisome man that he is kept me from constantly being behind the wheel for a good six months so for the final six I have struggled to get up my hours. It's bloody 2014 now and I still haven't reached the big 100. Booking my driving test to earn my provisional license has also added to my frustration as it is proving to be very troublesome. I've had to book my test in the next town over because in mine there are no spaces until mid February in which time I've already moved down south for university and will be about to start classes. 

As you can see I seem to attract the worst kinds of luck when it comes to being put on the road. I'm fed up with the complexities of the process and the little things that the Department of Transport are making such a big deal over. All in all if any one can learn something from my struggles is that if your driver's license is high on your priority list watch out for the mother load of hard work and organisation. Another thing however is to not worry about not getting your license either. A lot of pressure is put on teens these days by their peers who question and judge and my piece of advice is keep it to yourself, don't ask or advertise the maybes because that is all they are and they depend on so many varying factors. If i had the chance over I definitely would not have stressed as much over the fact of being able to drive or gotten so worked up by the anxiety of what people would think if I didn't have that capability. It's your life after all.

Until next time! xx

2013 Beauty Favorites!

Hello!

I thought for this week I'd give you a bit of a review on some of my personal beauty favourites from 2013. This year I've definitely built up quite the collection of products and as a graduating student I had to be very critical of what I bought considering I didn't have any cash to waste. So without further ado here are my top 10 items of the beauty world. 

This year I gratefully discovered Rimmel's Wake Me Up Foundation. I was taken aback when I began using this product as it was by far the best foundation I have ever used. It was brilliant for those school days when I was up at the crack of dawn as it literally "woke up" my skin. I feel immediately refreshed when using this product and i love the slight shimmer infused into the liquid as it really highlighted my face giving it a subtle glow. 

The Tony & Guy Reconstruction Mask is a new addition to my bath/shower products. After going on a bit of a shopping spree I came home with this wondrous deep conditioning hair mask. Before using this product my hair was always a little brittle especially in my ends however after one use I noticed massive changes in the quality of my hair. Now my hair is always silky smooth and feels stronger than ever before which I believe to truly be a miracle. 

Channel. I mean how could this be a favourites post without some good ol' Channel. This particular product is the Rouge Allure Velvet #40. It's such a pigmented lipstick that I find the colour to last for hours without reapplication, it also fades really well turning into a slightly lighter deep pink colour. The creaminess of this lipstick also allowed me to apply to moderately dry lips (when i was to lazy to prepare them) without looking cracked or ruining the stunning affect. 

This was the year of eyebrow discovery for me. This gorgeous little shadow by Artistry that is accurately named Java was the perfect fit for my brows. After dying my hair a very deep brown I needed to match my eyebrows to make the look work for me and that is when I fell in love with this shadow. The pigment is thick enough to fill in all the gaps and isn't crumbly at all so no little dust of brown is ever found on my skin when I apply it. I have loved this so much throughout the year (as I'm sure you can tell as I've hit pan) and I'd definitely invest in it again if I could find it anywhere.

Nivea lip balms have been my saviours during the dry winter months of 2013. The particular balm that shown is here is the Milk & Honey version as it is the only one I seemed to have on hand. However I have gone through various tubes of this stuff and have been through the entire range throughout this year. I love having it in my pocket because it's such a perfect size and really has come to the rescue many a times. 

Cinema by Yves Saint Laurent has undoubtedly been my scent for 2013. As you can see I'm down to my last dregs of the bottle and have become very sparing with it as I am so reluctant for it to run out. It has such an elegant and glamorous smell that reminds me of all things Gatsby. It's both delicate and fresh mixed in with something sinister and sweet and will always be one of my most loved scents as it is so complex and changes throughout the stages in which it is worn. 

How hard is it to find a good tinted moisturiser? Very, right? Well I can confirm that the Olay Total Effects Touch of Foundation Day Cream is the way to go. I have a number of days in which I do not want to wear foundation for various reasons yet still need to go out and wouldn't dare brave it with a naked face and this is where this product has come in handy. It so creamy and light and you don't need to worry about streaking when it dries. It even has SPF 15 so it was definitely a go to product in the summer months. 

Of course Maybelline's The Falsies is going to make it on to this list. It is the best range of mascara's out there and no matter how hard I tried to find a substitute for a bit of change I just couldn't. That said this particular bottle is "Flared" and whilst the photo doesn't really display the brush it curves and dips very differently from the other brushes in the range allowing for a thicker application on the outer lashes. 

I always struggled a bit when it came to perfectly matching my winged liner. I went through liquid, gel and pencil eyeliners to no avail until I discover the L'oreal Lineur Intense. I assume it has something to do with the brush that makes it so easy to apply, I can literally make the perfect winged liner look almost instantly with this wonder tool. I have this in the shade Black Mica but I will definitely be going to scoop up the liner in a brown shade when I see it on sale. 

Last but not least comes the L'oreal Gentle Eyes & Lips Make-Up Remover. I have actually lost count of the number of bottles I've used of this throughout the year. Applying a little squeeze on a muslin cloth or face washer and then holding against my heavy eye makeup for 10 seconds or so would literally dissolve all traces that anything was there at all. I use this product each and every time I take off my makeup and it has become a regular part of my nightly routine. 

Until next time! xx