Thought about wearing a bra today, then decided to just...not.

Naturally and undeniably sexy.

So I don't know if this is just a me thing or if many women just get to a certain age where they get sick of being bound up all day, but I am really kind of over conventional bras. Are you?

I remember the early days when I was elated just to be able fit into a bra with an actual cup. And padding? Hello, of course I want it. Have you seen these things? No? Exactly. Padding please. And then you go through high school and maybe you're just trying to look good in your clothes. In college you have to push everything up to be able to compete with 3500 other beautiful women strutting in and out of CEOs and Office Hoes parties (if you went to my school 95% of girls could be Victoria's Secret Angels. I used to think my mom was weird for preferring bras without lining, but here I am 22 and I'd prefer as little as possible when it comes to the suffocation of my chest. 

Ok have you ever fallen asleep in your bra and wake up feeling so uncomfortable that you just wanna rip it off and sleep topless despite the fact that you're sleeping on the couch at your boyfriend's parents' house? It makes you a little angry, doesn't it? And sleeping without a bra feels like heaven in comparison right?

Now there are lots of bras that feel less constricting. Bras without lining, without underwire, sports bras,  bandeaus. If you're like me then they might make you look a lot like you did when you first got a training bra, but it feels different. It used to matter how big your boobs were, but it doesn't anymore. 

It can be liberating to celebrate the realness of your body over trying to match a standard of hotness based on fiction. My boyfriend nobly resents bras for altering a woman's true shape, and I'm sure a lot of dudes would agree. 

Eh...

Kinda cool...

Maybe a little too much...

Ooo chic.

How cute is she.

She was asking for a nip slip in this shirt.

Cool. Comfy. Casual.

Maybe save that for the bedroom, Lil.

Classic and effortless.

Debatable.

Too sheer? Still kinda cute though.

Cute. Sexy.

Maybe it makes you feel self-conscious at first to leave everything hanging out for the world to see. Going braless can be uncomfortable depending on what you're wearing and how much you've got goin' on there, but it can also be incredibly freeing. There's a way to go about doing it without being that lady. What do you think?

Exercise Your Rights As a Woman

In light of an upcoming election that will greatly impact all of our lives, I urge us as a community of women to appreciate our rights and freedoms and to keep our community in mind. We all come from different backgrounds and are capable of uniting to maintain a strong representation of what it means to be a woman.

I encourage you to share your beliefs with your friends and family from a very genuine place. Sometimes it's not about politics. Think of your life and the lives of the people you care about. Sometimes it's hard to care about something that doesn't apply to you, but, on a very personal level, these issues impact many lives.

Imagine that you have a little sister or think about the one you have. What if your sister started having sex? What advice would you give her? What would you want her options to be? What would you want her to have and know if she didn't feel comfortable coming to you or your mom? What kind of mindset should we be in as women? How should we protect ourselves? What would our ideal situation be and what do we need when things turn out as we never expected them to?

Think about the children you might have one day. What kind of world do you want them to live in? How do you want them to perceive women and treat them?

This stuff matters. It's time to talk about it. So let's talk.

10 Things I've Learned From ashleypistole.blogspot.com!

1. When baking cookies, take them out when the edges are brown but "an area about 1-inch wide in the center is still pale."
2. Quinoa is a complete protein, possessing all 8 essential amino acids.
3. Gala and Golden Delicious apples are good for smooth applesauce, while Honeycrisps are better when trying to make chunky applesauce.
4. "Pepita" is a Spanish culinary word for pumpkin seed.
5. Pepitas are an abundant source of many nutrients, which include "amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids [including Omega-3], and minerals such as calcium, potassium, niacin, and phosphorus. They are also high in most of the B vitamins and vitamins C, D, E, and K."
6. Edamame is a great source of protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and isoflavones. 7. "Eating a diet rich in antioxidant foods can help strengthen your immune system, reduce your risk of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases." 8. "Isoflavones can help reduce your risk of prostate or breast cancer, lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of heart disease." 9. Quinoa is gluten-free! 10. How to cook quinoa --> http://ashleypistole.blogspot.com/2012/10/how-to-cook-quinoa.html?m=1 .

"Phenomenal Woman" by Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where

my secret lies,

I'm not cute or built to suit a 

fashion model's size

But when I start to tell them,

They think I'm telling lies

I say,

It's in the reach of my arms

The span of my hips,

The stride of my step,

The curl of my lips.

I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That's me.

~Maya Angelou

Rihanna's Finally Ready to Talk

Rihanna finally speaks out about the last 8 months and how she's grown from the "incident" that has now become legendary. Check it out. 

And I Never Mind

"And I Never Mind" - A sonnet by Tracey Lincoln

Love from a distance learns slowly
Giving what you can for the cause
Forgiving it as if it is holy
Fearing the results of it’s long pause

And you fight for the liberties of your nation
Eyes closing but victory is blinding
Love chases you from battle to station
And I watch eyes open, never minding

The most difficult task is to listen
Never give in because you are strong
Thousands of miles separate our positions
Thus you cannot hear my heart’s favorite song

It sings of longing to melodies of faith
But who knows how long this song can wait

Kissing is divine.

I love kissing. I love even just watching a good kiss. I was just watching Greek and there was this amazing kiss between Casey and Cappie (sorry if I ruined it for you). Maybe I'm alone here, but it's literally almost as fulfilling to watch as it is to do. It's beautiful. And in TV and film it's an amazing feeling because it's usually a culmination of all of these emotions and anxiety you've been feeling the whole time, and then it's all released in one kiss. It's beautiful. Kissing to me is one of those crazy things that show me that there has to be some kind of design to this universe. Like how did humans just come up with kissing? They were like hey, we both have lips and we're both feeling kinda hot so why don't we make them touch? But it ended up being a really good idea! Anyway I don't have much more to say about that. However, I will say that it is not the same experience for me when I have to witness two people who have no kissing chemistry or are just gross and don't know what to do with themselves. That's pretty painful and disgusting for me. So my advice to any actors out there is to practice and like tape yourself or something (just kissing) so you know if you look weird doing it, or have some critique you. That's just my opinion.

Happy kissing!