18 things I've learned at my 18 years of life;

Dear angel,
I'm will turn 19 in a few weeks from now on so I thought that a post like this would be more than appropriate. These kind of posts might be all over the Internet at the moment but I do believe that they're super interesting and inspirational. Which is probably the reason why I decided to post one of my own as well.

1; High school is just a phase and NOT your entire life.

2; Always do what you want to do. Don't let other people control your life.

3; You need to accept that no matter what you do you'll be judged.

4; You can achieve everything you want to if you're willing to work hard on it.

5; Have patience and faith. Things are eventually going to get better.

6; Always think before you talk.

7; Kindness is key. There's a quote that I adore saying always be a little kinder than necessary.

8; TALK! Don't be afraid to express yourself and speak your mind.

9; Stop chasing for perfection, it doesn't exist.

10; Cut the negative and toxic people out of you life. You'll be impressed with how better and happier you're going to feel afterwards.

11; You don't need to plan or schedule something in order to have fun. As another quote that I go by is saying the best things in life are unexpected.

12; Stop overthinking everything, sometimes you just have to go with the flow.

13; Great friends equal a great life. When I was younger my mom used to say that although you can not choose the people you're related to, you C A N choose the people you hang out with. This year I had the honor to meet some amazing people (that I can now call friends) that have completely changed my mood and boost up my confidence. (You know who you are, so thank you for that!)

14; Don't be afraid to say NO! It's YOUR right to choose how you want to live your life and not anyone else's.

15; It's okay to be wrong sometimes. We all make mistakes; some of us smaller, others bigger but that is not the point of life. We are humans and as humans we don't always do things right. But that's okay because our mistakes teach us how to do things properly next time. So don't stress about that!

16; Music makes everything (and by everything I mean E V E R Y T H I N G !) better.

17; Take the blame! It's always easier to blame someone else for something YOU did and not yourself. In order to make things right and find peace within yourself you have to be brave enough to admit that you were wrong.

18; Everything happens for a reason. As cheesy as it might sound I fully live by this quote.

I hope you enjoyed today's post.

PS: It looks like a 140 more people have joined our little community since the last time I posted.
Thank you guys, I do appreciate each and every single one of you.

Don't forget to smile,

xoxo MacQueen98.

a farewell letter to Josi;

Dear Josi,

I can not believe that our first two years of college are over. Now that I'm growing older I'm starting to realize that time does fly fast. To be honest with you I have mixed feelings about this graduation. I'm both glad and sad. Glad; because I got to meet you and sad; because we are most likely not going to see each other again. I'd like to share with you a few things before that happens. You're one of the few people that listened to me whenever I had something to say (I loved our long conversations before, after and sometimes even during class!), you payed attention when no one else really did and that really matters to me. You ALWAYS told me to stay strong, believe in myself and not let other people get inside my skin (I really appreciated that!). I'll never forget the day you offered to take my place in an oral examination in class and shaved me from a very bad grade. You're one of the most well-spoken, nicest, kind and generous people I met in my life. It's sad to think that although we were at the same class for two years we only bonded to each other the second year of college. But that's life and no matter how bizarre and odd that might sound I do believe that everything happens for a reason.

I guess that sums up everything I had to say. It was nice meeting you, Josi. Thank you for making my time in college special. I wish life brings you everything you ever wanted. Please think of me once in a while 'cause I assure you that I will.

Love,
Kat.

 ps: Du bist Wunderschön!

rude;

Dear angel,

In today's letter I wanted to share with you something I wrote a few weeks ago. Everyone has those few certain people in their lifes that are up to no good. Altough it's not always easy to do so, soon or later you have to cut them out of your life in order to bring back the positivity and make yourself happy again.

- - You don't deserve me. All you do is complaining about your life while blaming me for every bad thing that happens to you. You always put me down and make my life miserable. I can't take it anymore. I'm not a punching bag. I have soft skin and I take everything personally. You are the reason that my anxiety increases constantly. I try to hold on, remain calm, talk less and agree in everything you say so I can avoid the drama. But enough is enough. Now I can finally admit to myself the truth that I was hiding ever since I met you and I can finally look you in the eye and say "I'm done, I'm so done with you." - -

xoxo
MacQueen98.

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl; book review

Dear angel,

If you've been following my blog for a while my obsession for books is anything but strange to you. It was about a few days ago that I realized that I haven't posted a single book review since the day I started blogging which is definitely something that's going to change in a few moments from now on. Grab your favorite cold drink and make yourself comfortable because another post of mine is about to begin..

{ Book Review }

As the title already says this book is diary written by a 13 year old Jewish girl named Anne Frank that was hiding with her family for two years at an old's office building loft from the German conquerors during the Second World War before her mother, her sister and Anne herself were killed by the nazi occupation of the Netherlands on September 3rd 1944 in Auschwitz (the notorious extermination center). The entire book is filled with "letters" dedicated to Anne's imaginary friend, Kitty.

I've been craving to read this book for a while, in fact it has been in my reading list for a couple of years. My childhood best friend gave this to me on my 18th birthday without even knowing anything about my bucket list.

personal opinion;

I adored all those feelings the book gave me. It was so interesting reading about a person's life before it ended so cruelty. Anne's diary gave me a better perspective about everything that's being going on in the continent where I live (aka Europe!). Anne's diary is fairly considered one of the world's classics since it was translated in more than 60 languages. In case my opinion means anything to you this book definitely deserves its own place at your library.

Don't forget to smile,
xoxo MacQueen98.

last summer;

Dear angel,

Today I went though the photographs I took last summer while on vacation in Greece. Immediately the memories of it kept my mind captive for quite a while. Last summer was by far the best summer I've ever had. Endless hours spend under the sun, hanging out with old but beloved childhood friends, chilling at the beach, reading a huge amount of literature and poetry, swimming at the sea, staying and waking up late were only a few of the things I've done while on vacation. The freedom and joy I felt while I was back in my home country was something so unique and worth sharing with you all. Aside to that, I found myself writing poetry daily. I guess the sudden climate change must have nourished my writing inspiration for good. I now count down the days until I go back in Greece to create new ones, discover more parts of myself, relax, and have fun.

Don't forget to smile,
xoxo MacQueen98.

tvd; the finale

After 8 seasons of me spending endless hours in front of my laptop screen obsessing over imaginary creations that unfortunately don't exist in real life, tvd came to its end.

I didn't think that this day would come as soon as it did. I casually clicked the 16th episode thinking that it would be just another episode of the last season. When it was in fact the very last episode of the very last season.

Although I'm sad that it ended I have to say that it couldn't have a better ending. This was the second time I experienced the end of one of my favorite tv shows (the first one was Gossip Girl!) and I have to admit that I loved it. It was literally bonding perfectly with all the previous seasons. I loved vampire diaries so much. I am not a fan of sci-fi fiction in fact I hate it but tvd had a special place in my heart from the beginning (and it still has).

But how did it all started?

I remember my 12 year old self randomly finding a video of Damon and Elena on YouTube. After seeing that clip I knew that I had to watch this show. And I did, I even convinced my brother to watch it with me..

At first I was in love with Damon's character but while growing older I started appreciating how perfectly kind and generous Stefan's character really was. The same thing happened with the ultimate otp of the show; Delena. Damon has earned a special place in every girl's heart since he never stopped fighting for the girl he loved, Elena. Speaking of which; tvd introduced to me my favorite musician out there, Ed Sheeran. The song Kiss Me started playing in the background of a Delena dancing scene in front of the fireplace in the Salvatore brother's enormous house and I knew that I had to check this new to me artist out. Since I did the rest is pretty much history.. But then as I was growing older I realized how incredible perfect that friendship that later turned into love of Stefan and Caroline truly was, and I totally fell for it.

As for the naughty ones; Catherine Pierce aka Katerina Petrova is one of the biggest female badass characters ever existed. She was always my favorite female character of the show. (Ninas acting skills were beyond on point to make both Elena and Katherine act like a completely different person while looking alike.)

In that very last episode all of of my favorite characters were brought back from the dead. Besides that, Damon was finally the person his brother always wanted him to be. Stefan was not only the sweet, kind and caring one as he always were but he was also the hero. Bonnie was strong again. Elena was back. Caroline and Alaric created something so special for all of those young and gifted kids of that imaginary world. As for Car; I'm pretty sure that a brand new story is about to begin for her, a stubborn one. It's safe to say that I was crying in my pillow from the very start of the episode all the way to its end. The pairs of the show; Damon and Elena were together at last. Bonnie will always care Enzo with her in way only Bonnie Bennett could. As for my favorites; Stefan and Caroline had what us writers call a tragically romantic ending; like the ones only endlessly and madly people in love have.

That was pretty much it; the end of this post (or farewell letter if you prefer to call it so) to tvd. Spoiler Alert; I'm pretty sure I'll restart binge watching it from the begging very soon. Since I already paid my respect I guess it's my time to say goodbye.

Goodbye tvd; you'll definitely be missed,
Yours sincerely Kat.

The Get To Know Me Tag ft. Elisa //

Dear angel,

For today's letter I teamed up with a great friend of mine who conveniently happens to be a blogger too. We decided to do the get to know me tag together. I've seen this tag in quite a few platforms and I thought it would be a nice idea to do this so you guys can know a little bit more about my dear friend Elisa.

1. Are you named after anyone?
Yes, I am named afte my grandmother.

2. When was the last time you cried?
In an episode of Arrow.

3. If you were another person, would you be a friend of yourself?
I don't really know how people see me, but there are days when I wouldn't even look at myself. But everyone deserves a chance, so maybe I'd try to get to know me.

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?
Like a favorite character once said, sarcasm is my only defense.

5. WIll you ever bungee-jump?
YES, YES, YES!

6. What is the first thing you notice about people?
The way they talk.

7. What is your eye colour?
Brown.

8. Scary movie or happy endings?
Depends on my mood.

9. Favorite smell?
Fresh washed clothes and vanilla (and sometimes flowers).

10. Summer or winter?
Winter, just so I have a good reason to stay home.

11. Computer or television?
Series and movies on my baby laptop.

12. Do you have any special talents?
I can make roses from tissues.

13. Where were you born?
In Thesaloniki, the most beautiful city.

14. What are your hobbies?
Binge watching shows for life.

15. Do you have any pets?
Nope.

16. Favorite movie?
I don't have one but right now I would rewatch The Nerve or The Suicide Squad.

17. Do you have any siblings?
Yes, a 12 year old baby brother.

18. What did you want to be when you grow up?
I used to think that this question meant to go to a good university and have a family, but to do all of that you first need to find out who you truly are. Like the flowers need the sun and water to grow, so do we, we just all have a different sun and a different definition of water.

You can follow Elisa in the following social platforms:
Blog;
Instagram;

Don't forget to check Elisa's post about me here
xoxo MacQueen98.

quote of the day; March 27th 2017

A little reminder to brighten up and make your day:

''Be present. Make love. Make tea. Avoid small talk. Embrace conversation. Buy a plant, water it. Make your bed. Make someone else's bed. Have a smart mouth, and quick wit. Run. Make art. Create. Swim in the ocean. Swim in the rain. Take chances. Ask questions. Make mistakes. Learn. Know your worth. Love fiercely. Forgive quickly. Let go of what doesn't make you happy. Grow.'' - Paulo Coelho

uninspired;

I've been uninspired lately.

Maybe it's because my stress levels are going higher everyday.

All I do is stare at the empty pages of my notebook and feel sad because I can't write. And not writing turns me into a strange soulless person that I can't barely recognize..

xoxo MacQueen98.

quote of the day; March 25th 2017

Just a little reminder for someone very important in my life.

qotd: ''Just because you're lonely doesn't mean you should invite someone toxic back into your life.'' -anonymous

the real problem of our generation;

Dear angel,

Have you ever overthought the idea of perfection? Have you ever strive for it? Have you ever complained or accused your very own self for not being "perfect" or good enough?

If you answered yes to at least one of those questions we unfortunately are in the same page. I won't pretend for a single second that I don't struggle for "perfection" myself as a teenager of this current generation. If you actually take the time to think about it you'll realize how pathetic is to struggle and strive for something that doesn't even exist.

We live in a world where social media are fully in control of our own lives. They tell us the way we should be dressed, look and think. They can also take fully advantage and control of all of the things we say or like. It's sad if you think that the media define exactly what perfection nowadays should look like. They turn us into something soulless and stupid.

Have you ever seen the way our generation treats all of those brave souls that are not afraid to be themselves and are different from anyone else? Be honest for a second and think if you have ever secretly admired anyone that's different from the crowd. Our generation tends to hate and bully all those people that don't fit "their" standards. And the funny thing to all of this is that they are not even their standards to begin with.

See the truth is that we all know but no one really wants to admit nor say out loud is that social media are the principal and determinant reason for every bad thing that's currently happening in the world.

Don't let them control and ruin your life,
xoxo MacQueen98.

The Notebook

Dear angel,

I hope you're doing well. While I was watching The Notebook for the hundredth time something caught my attention and caused me to dedicate an entire post to it. A letter that Noah wrote to Allie couldn't get out of my head. So, I wrote it down. Yeah, I wrote every single word that was in that letter down. To make you feel what I felt, to make you think what I thought..

My dearest Allie,

I couldn't sleep last night because I know that it's over between us. I'm not bitter anymore, because I know what we had was real. And if in some distant place in the future we see each other in our new lives, I'll smile at you with joy and remember how we spent the summer beneath the trees, learning from each other and growing in love. The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds, and that's what you've given me. That's what I hope to give to you forever.

I love you.
I'll be seeing you.

Noah.  

Don't Forget to smile,                                                                                  
xoxo MacQueen98.

What means home to you?

Some of us say that home is a place, others believe that home is a person. I asked people of different ages, genders, religions and cultures this very simple yet interesting question.

"What means home to you?"

"Home for me is a place that you love while you're being loved. A place where you feel comfortable and you can open the fridge at any moment." -E, 31 years old

"A place that I feel safe and accepted. Whatever the circumstances might be." Ε-Κ, 17 years old

"Home for me is my room. Where I have peace, no one bothers me and I can do whatever I want." -G, 15 years old

"For me home is a person." D, 19 years old

"Two words: refuge and nest." -Μ, 49 years old

"For some people it might be a place, a human being or a feeling. For me it's all of the above, which is why I find it so hard to feel like I'm "home" because places are being destroyed and humans are getting hard and feelings are fading away. I admire people who feel like the whole planet is their home, it's inspiring. Maybe someday I'll see it that way too." EL, 17 years old

"Home is a place that accepts me. A place where my family and friends are, a place where I feel safe and loved. It also means my country, my city, the place where I grew up and made all my connections, where I lived my life and found my place in this world. I have a lot of different meanings for the word home but if I could sum it up in one sentence it would be something like: Home is where the heart is." M, 19 years old

"Home is a place you can feel comfortable cooking breakfast in your pajamas. It's also anywhere where you can be yourself without worrying you'll be judged." -D, 17 years old

"Home to me means residence. A place where I can live." -S, 59 years old

As for myself; home is place where I feel safe and accepted. A place where I can be true to myself without worrying that I would be judged about it. A place that's filled with love kindness and happiness.

*A huge thank you to everyone that answered my question.*

What means home to you?

xoxo MacQueen98.

Interviewing a Fashion Blogger: Marta Carvalho

Last year, I discovered Marta's blog through her instagram account and I've been loving it ever since! A few moths ago I contacted her in order to express my feelings about her blog. One thing led to another until I found myself asking for an interview. Since she clearly accepted my offer, meet my internet friend Marta Carvalho.

Hello Marta. I'm really glad to have you at my blog. Can you tell us a few things about yourself?
Hello Katerina, thank you so much for inviting me! I’m a twenty year old fashion design student from Portugal. I’ll be graduating from college next July and then, well, all the options are open.

How did it all started? What exactly inspired you to start your own fashion blog?
I’ve always loved fashion and writing, so fashion blogs in general have been an interest of mine. I created “La Veine” when I started thinking about interning at a fashion magazine and realized it would be nice to have a platform to show other people my articles. So even though my blog is fashion themed, it’s not as visual as the majority of fashion blogs; I write a lot more and cover a variety of subjects!

Describe your style in 3 words.
Random, moody and casual.

What's your go to outfit?
Black jeans, ankle boots, a soft sweater, leather jacket and cat-eye sunglasses.

What's your biggest dream?
Having a job that challenges and fulfills me everyday, and being surrounded by interesting people.

Name 5 things you cannot live without.
Pasta, my weekly planner, mascara, my computer and a scrapbook.

What are your plans for the future?
I hope I can do an internship at a fashion magazine after I finish college, and then everything will depend on the experience I have at the internship. Maybe I’ll start working at the same magazine, maybe I’ll move to another country and find a new job. My plans right now are very flexible because there are a lot of factors to keep in mind, but I’m pretty excited about the unknown.

What advice would you give to someone that wants to join the fashion industry?
Talk to people in person when asking for something (invitations for an event, partnerships, jobs, etc). Writing an email is easier, but if you show up at the place and introduce yourself people will remember your face and you’re more likely to succeed. Everyone in fashion is tired of the lack of human contact caused by technology, even if it doesn’t look like it. Also, don’t give up. Some things are hard to obtain but there’s always another way. At least that’s what I keep telling myself!

Who's your fashion icon?
Lauren Bacall is my ultimate icon, fashion and beauty wise. No matter her age, she always was beautiful and elegant.

Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Living in a cool apartment full of books with my boyfriend and a dog, writing articles for magazines and maybe designing clothes just for fun.

What's your favorite fall trend?
Any piece in dark Velvet.

What advice would you give to your 16 year old self?
Be careful when choosing people to live and to work with.

What's the best thing that happened to you today?
I had some great ideas for my next blog posts.

What's your dream destination? Where do you desire to travel the most?
Italy! I’ve been to Milan already but I want to know the whole country. The truth is, any place in Europe is a dream destination for me.

Tell us something most people don't know about you.
I don’t know how to swim.

You can find Marta's work here.

Thank you so much Marta for answering to all of my questions. I really hope to meet you in person one day. Wishing you the best!

today.

I woke up with a headache.

Maybe because Christmas break is almost over and I unfortunately have to go to back to the reality that includes college.

Maybe it's because I'm getting stressed over it. Maybe I'm not ready to give up on my free time yet.

I might want something else from my life, something that doesn't include my eight hour presence on daily basis. It might be my body's way of telling me to back away because deep down I know that I deserve a lot more than what college has to offer.

xoxo MacQueen98.

the perfect date

Dear angel,
In the begging of August my childhood best friend and I had a lovely coffee date in our small but yet beautiful hometown. After spending hours of giggling at each over's expressions and talking about nothing in particular we left the coffee place, took a bus to the city and bought some lingerie from our all time favorite Italian brand "Intimissimi". This might sound a bit bizarre to you but that's our definition of a perfect date.

I know that today's the first day of 2017 but my mind is still stuck in all those wonderful summer days that I experienced only a few months ago. I'm not going to lie to you and pretend that I captured this shots today when I know that I didn't. This was a throwback letter you -hopefully- enjoyed.

Don't forget to smile,
xoxo MacQueen98.

creative Saturday

Dear angel,

According to a Greek phrase a good day starts with a good morning. Despise the fact that I am Greek I am a truly believer of that phrase simply because no matter what happens afterwards you know you have had a good day. There's nothing more relaxing to do on a Saturday morning than read a really good book, listen to some old good jazz music and write a few thoughts, poems, quotes or stories while laying in bed for plenty hours..

Don't forget to smile,

xoxo MacQueen98.

nightdreaming

{ Serres, Greece }

Dear angel,

The clock says 4 a.m. but I can't sleep. Not right now. I've always loved those quiet night hours.The black sky in cooperation with that priceless silence worth way more than people can realize. Together they create something so poetic and inspiring. They're the simple things that matter to me a lot. Things such as how nice the city looks from the balcony right now or how quiet everything seems to be. I'm way too affected by the view in front of my eyes. Everyone's seems to be sleeping but not me. Writing is the only thing I am sure I want to do for the rest of my life. It's funny how most people don't realize the true power of it. The power of taking you in places you wish where, saying the things you always wanted to tell to those people that truly matter. You might not be able change something you've done in the past but you can always give it the end you secretly wished it had. It takes you in magic places you've never been before. As you can see, writing is my one and only escape from the world we live in.

Yours truly,
MacQueen98.

books n peaches

{ First week of August // Touzla, Greece }

Dear angel,

I've had a lovely afternoon today. After the typical wake up - go to the beach - swim at the sea morning combo I came back home slightly tired. There was nothing better for me to do than consider this as a serious excuse to spend a ridiculous amount of time reading a book. This time I've decided to be a bit fancier than usual though by pairing my natural habitat with a tasteful fruit. Peaches are one of my ultimate go-to fruits for summer. The time went by so quickly with me flipping around my book's pages while tasting a fruit's sweetness.

Don't forget to smile,

xoxo MacQueen98.

Thank You: A special letter to all 10.000 of you

Dear angel,

I hope you're doing well. Although today's Sunday I do have a few things that I'd like to share with you. I can't even begin to explain how excited I am right now. Thanks to all of you we hit 10.000 views in less than two years. It's insane to even think that ten thousand human beings all around the world have spent a few moments of their life reading something that I wrote. Words can't even begin to describe everything that I feel right now. I can't stop smiling. When I first started my blog about one and a half year ago a lot of things (that I'm not much comfortable sharing with you yet) where happening at my life. "Things" that almost broke me. "Things" that made me realize how important life truly is. Thing ms that made me crave an escape from everything that was going on. On February 26th 2016 this place also known as MacQueen98.blogpost.com was found. This blog has had a special place in my heart since day one and still does.

Thank you, for your constantly love and support.
Thank you, for all the time you spent at this platform.
And lastly thank you, for the smile you put on my face.

Yours truly,

MacQueen98.