Author Archive for Ash
Ashley Ambirge is the sarcastic, brash, hot-sauce-addicted founder of The Middle Finger Project, where she gives the evil eye to mediocrity, while inspiring readers to flip a cordial bird to the shoulds, and live how they want. Whiskey shots strictly optional.
Live Alive, Not Just a Life: Guidelines for Rebelling Against “Reality”
Death happens, and as I watched as the ambulance carry away the woman who had just suffered a head-on collision, I couldn’t help but reflect on the unpredictability of life. Imagining my own sudden death, I began to ponder the implications, including what would happen to this website. How would readers ever know? [...]
How Societal Ideals Conflict With Societal Goals
Between some deep thought, some Ayn Rand and more Vienna Fingers than I really should have consumed, this, friends, is my conclusion: USA? We’ve got some issues, yo.
It all started way back when, say 3 days ago, I was furiously writing in the notebook that I keep with me in the car and–yes–might have [...]
All Wants Are Not Created Equal
So, I’m usually not a big fan of dichotomies. When it comes to black & white, I’m all sorts of shades of grey–maybe with a splash of red–and I’m happy with that. It’s flexible. It allows me to grow. It allows me the benefit of perspective. It allows me the freedom to be me without [...]
Perhaps The Preamble Should Read: We, The Robots. (Prove That You Aren’t, And Win $100)
The negative effects of socialization. AND…An introduction to the HULA HOOP CONTEST 2010! (Get out your video camera and get ready to free yourself of unnecessary inhibitions!)
Surprise Yacht Party, And You’re Invited. (Bring Your Dancing Shoes)
For my readers. With love & a high five, Ash.
Your Language Is Holding You Hostage (And Why I’ll Be Flying Obama’s Private Jet As A Result)
A critical look at how the language you have available to you inevitably affects how you perceive the world. It’s deep–hold on to your hats.
Education & Wage Slavery: Hand In Hand?
A no-nonsense look at the education system’s hidden agenda–why we’re being taught what to think, instead of how to think, and how this affects not only us, but the bigger picture at hand. Put on your thinking caps for this one. (P.S. Please don’t egg my house if this makes you angry.)
THE NO-DRINKING CHALLENGE, or Why I’m Going To Be Bitter This Month
Fellow blogger Kristin Norris of Instigationology publicly challenges me to a month of no-drinking. Check out the link to the official video.
On Authority: The Blogosphere/Real World Divide
There’s a converse relationship between authority in the real world and authority in the blogosphere–but regardless of context, does actual authority actually exist? Or is it all just a matter of perception?
The Flawed Cycle of Success That Could Be Causing You To Fail
We’ve got a love/hate relationship with the word “success”–by standard definition, it’s measured as a black & white outcome, but perhaps that’s the wrong way to go about it.
Red High Heels, Slaughtered Pigs & Why Being Unsure Is A Good Thing
A rendezvous with culture shock in Costa Rica–how can we determine right or wrong, if we’re judging using a separate set of rules for truth?
Tired of Having A Neverending To-Do List? Use It To Your Advantage
At what point did productivity become worth dying for? At what point did we stop feeling, and just start doing? At what point did our lives turn into a never-ending assembly line, where the work is never done and we are never done? And at what point did we become okay with it?
Is Lifestyle Design A Manifestation of Perfectionism In Disguise? A Self-Reflection
Is the battle for self-improvement an elusive one?
One Big, Fat Mistake To Avoid On Your Path To Awesomeness
The distinction between desires versus dreams, and why it’s important to remember which is which.
Why Seeking A Meaningful Career Is Bad Advice
A career is a glorified version of a job–you aren’t the product of the tasks you perform, but rather, the experiences you’ve had. You are not your career.
You’re Not Drunk, But Your Vision Is Still Blurred – One Reason Why Religion, Marriage & Even Education Sucks
Common “absolute truths,” such as our version of what an education should look like, a good job should look like or even a good person should look like are all just one model of reality and as such, aren’t absolute at all.
33 MORE Tell-Tale Signs You’re a Closet Lifestyle Designer – PART II
Part II of the sarcastic, silly list series that might indicate whether you’re an unconventional thinker. Can you relate?
If You’re Wrinkly, It Better Have Been Worth It: A Stern Talking To My 90 Year Old Self
A letter to my future self where I ask some big, life-changing questions–are the things I ultimately expect out of life in line with my actions today?
The One Thing That Can (And Will) Mess Up Your Life…If You Let It
There’s no such thing as luck, and if you’re banking your life on getting lucky, you might as well plan for the worst. In terms of lifestyle design, the word “design” implies “deliberate intention.” So if you want control over yours, it’s time to get up, get out there, and BE DELIBERATE AND INTENTIONAL.
Don’t Make Me Say Staycation
You don’t have to travel to have the life of your dreams; lifestyle design places an arbitrary emphasis on travel, but it’s not the be all end all solution. A smart, sassy, hard-hitting guest post by Andrew MacPherson, author of Rules Optional & Sail to Trail.
Rebellion is Sexy: One Really Big Reason Why You Should Do It Now
Think critically about the things you do in your everyday life–does everything you do actually make sense, or do you do it just because that’s the way it’s always been done? I argue that it’s an unfortunate case of the latter.
The Smart Ass Guide to Dealing With Dream Zappers (Guest Post @ Free Pursuits)
Do people tell you that you should be more realistic? That you’ll need to join the real world someday? That your ideas will never work out because of x, y and z? Check out the uber popular guest post I wrote for Free Pursuits.
Dealt a bad hand in life? Learn How to Snub Your Circumstances & End Up With a Royal Flush
“I got dealt a crappy hand of cards” is not a valid excuse for your circumstances; you’re in control of you. Bluff your way right into a royal flush.
Why I’d Rather Be a Mexican Immigrant Than a Corporate CEO
Defending Mexican immigrants, and how they’re just like us lifestyle designers. Viva Mexico!
VIDEO-Introducing TMFproject’s OPERATION: GET EXCITED
I lauch Operation: Get Excited with the goal of showing people that they can lead excitement-filled, passionate lives starting TODAY. Regular video series depicting me trying new activities designed to push my comfort level. This episode? Salsa dancing. Ole!
Become a Corporate Drone in 30 Days or Less: Step-By-Step Instructions on How to Stop Thinking for Yourself, Kiss Ass Like a Pro & Wear Black Like a Champ
A hardcore tongue-in-cheek look at what your life will look like upon entering the corporate world. Reader beware: This one’s harsh.
Tales of a Terrified Lifestyle Designer
On restlessness, and its source–an intense fear of mediocrity.
Give Me Liberty, Or Give Me Death – Fate Versus Choices
A major diss to the concepts of “fate” and “destiny,” and a discussion on the power of individual choice. “You are not a marionette. You are a human being with opinions and emotions and likes and dislikes, and you’re also a human being who is entitled to what it is they want out of life. All you’ve got to do is choose it.”
33 Tell-Tale Signs You’re a Closet Lifestyle Designer
A fun, sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek list of indications you might be an unconventional thinker. My favorite is still number one!
Why Lifestyle Design Is Like Working at McDonald’s – And Why It’s a Good Thing
The distinction between “be” and “do,” and how too often, we make the mistake of confusing the two. You are not your job. (And how lifestyle design can help out in this department.)
Meaningless Sex & Lifestyle Design: Sorry, Cutie, Last Night Didn’t Really Matter
Everything in life is arbitrary–for example, the “fact” that you “should” be working between the hours of 9-5. Discussion on how even our language and emotions are arbitrary until we attach meaning to them, and how we can leverage this concept to gain greater control over our lives, eliminate fear, and release our inner bad ass.
Lifestyle Design: The New Arch Enemy of Dry Cleaners Everywhere (And Possibly Your Mom, Too)
A look at how social conditioning makes us do things we don’t even want to do, and we don’t even realize it–and how being creative and doing things a bit unconventionally can pay off exponentially.
25 Ways to Become An American Overnight (Without a Visa)
A tongue-in-cheek list of all of the things you should be doing in order to be a proper American. Heavy on the sarcasm.
