Dear Bonnie….

Dear Bonnie,

I cannot believe you are gone.

My heart sunk to my toes the moment that I read of your passing, and frankly, I immediately started crying in disbelief. There are so many things that I wish I could say to you–that I wish I had thanked you for. So I’m writing this letter to you on the very blog that you inspired me to begin, in hopes that somehow, somewhere, you’re able to read it.

Bonnie, you were the first person at MSU that looked me in the eye and told me I could do anything that I wanted to. You told me I had potential. You told me I was a good writer, that I was forward-thinking, that I was innovative.

I met you when you came into my JRN 108 class with Geri Zeldes during my first semester at Michigan State. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life yet. I was scared. I was lost. You came into that class and you told us all that we should, right now, make a brand for ourselves–pick something that we’re good at, and just do it. I remember thinking to myself, “Well. I love to talk, I love to write, and edit video. Making people smile makes me smile, so I love to do that too.” 

I immediately went back to my dorm after class and stayed up all night creating Every Day by Tay. And, even if this sounds dramatic, creating this blog changed the direction of my life. It gave me a place at MSU.

Bonnie, Every Day by Tay has given me so many opportunities and opened so many doors for me–all because of YOU. It has introduced me to internships, jobs, freelance opportunities, friends, and collaborators. You did that. You made such a difference to me. So, thank you.

Thank you for putting a freshman JRN major on a Digital and New Media panel, when I had no idea what I was talking about. 

Thank you for not only always sharing my work, but praising it, on your many community journalism pages.

Thank you for always weighing in on my videos, letting me know what you thought of all my writing, and sending constant words of encouragement.

Thank you for helping me realize the power of one voice, of one video, of one blog.

Bonnie, you made me feel like a superstar. Because of you, I know that I can do anything. Thank you.

You are so, so missed.

Love,

Tay

Four reasons summer just needs to get here already

Okay, I know. I know. The blog is called “Every Day by Tay” and the last time I posted anything was in February. Well here I come, trodding back to my almost long-forgotten blog with my tail between my legs. Womp womp.

Anyway! The good news is, is that we are months closer to summer than we were when I last updated this dear ole blog. So to brighten things up a bit, here’s a list of four reasons why summer just needs to come over, sit, have a drink, and stay awhile.

 

1. Driving with the windows down. Come on now, I know you breathed a sigh of pure relief and joy when you read that. You totally just imagined going for a long drive, blaring your playlist of guilty-pleasure country songs, rolling down your windows and letting that warm summer breeze waft in. I mean, sometimes this thought alone can get me through the day.

2. Ice cream. Ice cream is cool, but it’s definitely not the number one reason that I’m looking forward to summer. I mean, summer, for me, is definitely not just an excuse to eat my weight in mint chocolate chip. Definitely not…

Nothing says stylin’ like your very own cut-off cat shirt.

3. Traverse City. I don’t know where you’re from. I don’t know what your summer plans are. But I do know that you need to drop everything you’re doing, and just visit Traverse City this summer. I mean, as a kid who spent every summer on the beaches of the Grand Traverse Bay, and laying out on the hammock at our lake house up there,  it’s possible that I’m a little bit biased. But regardless, you just, you need to go. There are cherries! And movies! And Moomer’s Ice Cream!

4. This outfit. As soon as we hit our first 85 degree day, I promise you all, I am whipping out this outfit. That cat shirt and those patriotic shorts have been hibernating all winter and they just need to come out. I mean, COME ON. Look at them. Ow. Ow.

 

Dear Winter…

Oh Winter, you and I used to have so much fun together.

Dear Winter,

We need to talk.

We’ve been together for a few months now, and at first it was great! You were so cool and, it was really, really refreshing. Those quiet cold nights where we would watch the snow fall and blanket the entire world were so nice. You made me feel so warm and cozy, letting me curl up with a blanket and some hot cocoa for hours, all snuggly and content. I got to wear my favorite boots and all my cutest scarves. It was the best, and I really started to think that I never wanted you to leave.

But lately, Winter, something has changed about you. You’ve become frigidly cold and unforgiving. You are constantly in this stormy mood! Honestly, some days, I’m scared to leave my apartment, because I never know what sort of crazy gusts of rage you’re going to throw my way! You’re so unpredictable now. I wake up each morning, and I have no idea what stormy mood you’re going to be in. You’re just, you’re not letting me go anywhere, and I’m feeling very claustrophobic. Frankly, Winter, it’s scaring me.

If you don’t warm up soon and stop these stormy fits, well, I may just have to call it quits. It’s not me, Winter, it’s definitely, definitely you.

Why family game nights are highly under-rated

This blog post is inspired by the very rare and very raucous Benson family game night that occurred tonight. We played “Masterpiece,” this art auction game from the 1970s, where you bid on art throughout the game, and who ever ends up with the most money and artwork value, wins! My mom used to play the game when she was a kid, and was really excited to show it to us. Now, I know that “family game nights” don’t always sound like the best way to spend a free Saturday night, but, just for kicks, I’ll give you five reasons why they are so highly underrated—

1. Think back on it, when is the last time that you and your family (parents, siblings, etc) all got together under one roof? I bet it’s been a really long time since you’ve all been together just for the sake of being together. And isn’t it great? Spending time with people who are just as weird and odd and fun as you are is really, truly refreshing.

2. It’s an excuse to drink wine and eat pizza. Lots and lots of pizza. We got Hungry Howie’s. I may have ate 8 breadsticks throughout the course of the evening. It may have happened.

3. You often laugh so hard that you start to cry. Whether it’s laughing over bad game choices, horribly executed poker faces, or just the ridiculousness of family rivalries, it’s certain that a family game night will always make you laugh so hard your belly aches and tears flow down your cheeks. I mean, unless you’re playing Monopoly. In that case, nobody’s happy, and someone is probably going to die.

4. For my family at least, it’s an opportunity to bring out old toys and photos between rounds in the game. Playing “Masterpiece” was a huge flashback for my mom, so, of course, she ran up to her closet and showed us some of the other toys she played with during her childhood. Meet “Little Miss No Name.” (See right.) Let’s just say…I may not be sleeping tonight.

5. In mere seconds, your family members become your worst enemies, and also, your best friends. In the end, spending time with family is what it’s all about. You get competitive. You laugh, you cry, you drink wine and you eat pizza. There is nothing more heartwarmingly weird than spending a night playing games with your family.

So you should do it more often.

Looking Local: Ray’s Ice Cream

If you’ve never heard of Ray’s Ice Cream, and you’re from the Metro-Detroit area, then you’ve probably been living under a rock your entire life. Ray’s has been around FOREVER, and I thought that it was about dang time I shared it’s awesomeness with all of you.

Rating: A solid 5 out of 5 stars.

Ray’s is just…classic. Awesome ice cream, great flavors, and great prices. Whether you’re going to get some of that classic soda-fountain vibe, or if you just want to eat some damn good ice cream, go to Ray’s.

To spice it up a bit in this edition of Looking Local, Curtis and I decided to tie it into the Winter Olympics, and test our endurance in a rare “See how long you can last eating your ice cream outside in frigid temperatures” challenge.

I’m not going to give anything away but… I think I won.

My advice: Whether it’s 10 degrees outside or 100 degrees–Ray’s Ice Cream is always a good choice.

I’ve moved to a new place, and I’m looking local. If you have any suggestions for places I should try in the Detroit area, leave a comment, or give me a shout! You stay classy. For more, go to http://everydaybytay.com.

Why Valentines Day just…isn’t that bad.

Hi! My name is Taylor, I’m single, and I don’t hate Valentines day. I know I know I know, you can go ahead and take a minute to let this sink in. Calm down. Get your heart rate down to normal. I’ll wait.

Are you good? Good. I’ll move on.

I bet you wish you were this coordinated on Valentines Day.

I have always loved Valentines Day–whether or not I’ve had a date. Now, don’t get me wrong, of course having someone special and romantic to share V-day with is really awesome. It’s a great feeling! There’s candy and roses and cards with little glitter hearts on them. I mean, when you have someone special to share it with, what’s not to love?!

And I can totally understand the other side of it too. Valentines Day can seem really sucky when you feel alone and like you have no one to spend it with. I have definitely been there. It’s a day where everyone seems to be coupling up, and it can be a total bummer if you’re not one of them. But in life, attitude is important. So just, ya know, hear me out.

In my own personal experience, I know of roughly three different types of opinions towards Valentines Day. There is the “I have a date to share this day with, and isn’t Valentines just grand?” view, there is the “Oh gosh, everybody’s got somebody but me (cue the Hunter Hayes/Jason Mraz duet) and I’m sadly single and I’m just going to mope all day,” view, and then (bum ba da dahhh) there is the view that I have:

Seriously, what’s NOT to love about these guys?

In my opinion, Valentines Day is just about love. It doesn’t matter if it’s romantic love, parent love, friend love, cat love, roommate love, or love for the bag of Dove chocolates sitting on your kitchen counter (and trust me, I have A LOT of love for the bag of Dove chocolates sitting on my counter right now.) When I was a kid, every year I woke up to a Valentines Day card and a giant Reese’s heart from my mom sitting on the staircase ledge outside my bedroom (and one year, she was even my secret admirer…er.) Mailed cards from my Nana and handwritten notes from my friends are some of my most cherished Valentines. In elementary school, I spent hours picking out the perfect perforated V-day cards to give out in class (Spongebob, FTW, duh!)  And I have about 4 pairs of Valentines-themed socks that I unashamedly wear all year round. That last one is not really relevant, but oh well! I just wanted to share.

Valentines Day is just a day to remind everyone who you love in your life, that you love them. That’s all. This year, I gave Valentines to my parents, my roommate, best friends, and yes, even my cat, Oz, got a Valentine. So spread the love! And Happy Valentines Day!

Also, if you’d like a laugh, check out Josh Groban’s take on Valentine’s Day here!

5 Reasons why winter makes you age

Is it bad I’m legitimately excited for Thursday?

1. Staying in is suddenly so much more appealing than going out to the bar. I feel like a bit of a curmudgeon about it, but then again, I don’t really care. Guys, I think the last time I went out to the bar it was 50 degrees out. And even then, I’m pretty sure I was complaining about how chilly I was. But I mean, seriously. LOOK AT THIS FORECAST.

2. Napping. I just had one of those, “Oops I just fell asleep for two hours!” moments. Because, oops! I just fell asleep for two hours.

I bet you want a roommate that matches your decor now, huh?

3. Soup consumption. Eating nothing but soup for three months straight doesn’t sound gross or disgusting at all. It sounds good, appealing, fantastic even. Bring on the veggies! The potatoes! The cheese!

4. You’ll spend so much time inside your house or apartment, you will begin to get excited about the most menial things. Like vacuuming your rug, finishing a new crossword puzzle, mopping the salt out of your entryway, getting a letter in the mail, finding out your roommate matches your apartment decor, discovering that your streets have been plowed, and realizing your love for NPR. Wow. I just, I need to get out more.

5. Knitting. Today I knit two hats. Sorry, I am not sorry.

5 ways I know that I am definitely NOT turning into my mother.

As we age, I’m sure we all start to see similarities between our parents and ourselves. But me? Pshhh. No! Never! I am nothing like my mother. And here’s why:

1. We definitely do not have the same fashion sense, let alone the same wardrobe. I mean, just look at the picture here to the left. Clearly my hair is parted on the opposite side, we are wearing shirts that are two totally different shades of gray, and my scarf is a COMPLETELY different pattern than her scarf. I mean, there is also no way that we are both wearing the exact same white denim vest underneath the scarf. That would and has never ever happened….

2. We do not like the same type of food. My mom and I go to Leo’s Coney Island for lunch about once a week or so. And every time she orders the same thing, and it’s just so gross– a Greek salad, with no chicken, and EXTRA beets. EXTRA beets? I mean, eew! Beets are gross. The Greek salad that I order every time has NO beets on it, and extra chicken. We are SO totally different. 

3. I do not like to dance like she likes to dance. When I was a kid, my mom used to sit me down in the living room, put on our Michael Jackson’s Number 1’s DVD, and make me watch her dance for hours on end. Now don’t get me wrong, it was totally entertaining, but in no way did it ever spur a love for ridiculous dancing in me. I mean, me, dance? Never! I have never ever danced around to Bruno Mars’ “Treasure” in the kitchen with my mom, laughing so hard our sides hurt and we forget why we were in the kitchen in the first place… I mean, no, that’s ridiculous! 

4. We do not have the same sense of humor. I did a “Looking Local” with my mom a few months back, and it was a total bomb. We just didn’t click, because she and I do not find the same things funny. I mean, the proof is HERE. Neither of us laugh at all during the whole video. 

5. COMPARE THESE TWO PICTURES. I mean, I just don’t see the similarities. We don’t even look related!

Well, I mean, in all serious, I guess being like my mom isn’t such a bad thing.

Happy Birthday, Mom! You’re like a great bottle of wine–you’re only getting better as you age. Love you! Also,go ahead, comment on this and wish my mom a Happy Birthday! I know she’d absolutely LOVE it. 

 

For more, go to http://everydaybytay.com

The one thing you need to do in your 20s

1. Stop reading all the lists about what you need to do in your 20s/post grad life/etc. Guys, no one knows what they’re doing. We’re all just winging it. I’m winging it. You’re winging it. Even the people who look like they have it all together are still just winging it.

A few months ago, I sat down and wrote a blog post to “all 20-somethings.” I was super proud of what I wrote, and I really enjoyed writing it, but I’ll let you in on a secret—I have no idea what I’m talking about. I’m learning, and I’m totally just winging it. And that’s okay!

And do you have to follow my advice?! No way, Jose. You do you! You wing it, however you want, in your own way. If I could insert a thumbs up and a corny wink here, I would.

And, to make you laugh, here’s a picture of a dog, who (guess what) is also just winging it.

Looking Local: LC’s Asian Kitchen

Ever been the only customers in a Chinese Restaurant? Well, that’s what it was like at LC’s Kitchen–and it was both fun, tasty, and hilarious.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

From wonton soup, beef and broccoli, and tasty fortune cookies, this place has all your indulging Asian cuisine staples. For some great service, and a quiet, laid-back atmosphere, LC’s Asian Kitchen is the place to go.

I’ve moved to a new place, and I’m looking local. If you have any suggestions for places I should try in the Detroit area, leave a comment, or give me a shout! You stay classy. For more, go to http://everydaybytay.com.