I find it a bit pretentious and crazy to actually blog about blogging (Yo dawg I heard you like cars so I put a car in your car so you can drive while you drive!) but count me in as another girl standing up for herself and all the bloggers I know in real life. 

I don't need money or free stuff, I don't get starstruck or easily swayed by things (except chocolates in the impulse buy section). Like pretty much everyone in the entire world I value friendship, laughter, happiness and love. Quite frankly I'm sick of hearing that bloggers are becoming "whores". I don't personally know any bloggers who are trying to take advantage of companies, they're genuinely interested in the brand and are usually getting less out of the collaboration than the company is. This whole selling out misconception is bullshit. I shop at events with my own money, I'm not hard up for cash and I don't want to encourage anyone to buy something I don't think they'll like. What is it going to benefit me or any blogger for that matter to peddle bullshit? Credibility will be completely lost. I know it's not always jealousy but I've heard these selling out accusations from competitors and companies (who I now will not work with), oh and let's not forget the girl who started blogging two weeks ago because she ACTUALLY wants free shit. 

My father taught me that putting importance on money is dangerous. He told me money makes people do awful things to each other when I was too young to even care, I was like shut up dad just give me a ride to Boogaloos. My dad told me that chasing money makes it run away from you and that nothing is free because there's always some catch. He told me that there's a difference between hunger and greed - hunger was fine but never be greedy. Well yay, thanks for talking my ear off for 24 years Dad, it worked.

Yes it's fun to go to a party and take pictures in a photobooth or get a goodie bag but everything in life has two sides - the trick is minimizing the bad and maximizing the good, and seriously, people never really talk about the bad - you try to ignore it and get on with your life because you don't want to give negative things your attention. So perhaps an outsider will think everything is awesome from the limited access that they get to the people supposedly "living the life". We have problems and issues, our family members die, our relationships don't work out and companies screw us over. I try to get real when sharing my personal life but obviously I don't enjoy talking or writing about that all the time. Side note: I can't believe I just implied I'm "living the life" to make a point, where is the douchebag jar? 

The truth is there's a lot of hype involved but blogging started as a hobby for most people and remains their side project. If you don't like it, don't read it and quit caring about stupid shit and other people when you can rather focus on yourself. I won't apologize for loving fashion and beauty. I won't lie about the products I like. I'm not getting thousands of rands to talk to you about anything. I want to have conversations with girls and guys who are interested in the same stuff as I am and I love connecting with people over our shared joy in things.
 
I know people might be sick of hearing about brands but every item featured in every magazine is 'paid' for. Bloggers are more transparent than most advertising avenues in the world, isn't that a good thing? What do we get for this, accused of being product prostitutes? There's a scene in Iron Man where Tony Stark wants a "fucking American cheeseburger" after his experiences being held captive and whatnot. Movie goers and critics freak out at the blatant Burger King product placement and partnership. You know what, I loved that movie and I loved that scene because I'd love a fucking Burger King cheeseburger if I was held in captivity too. Hell give me one now, I like them! Yes it can get blatant and we all know both people are benefiting; money is swapping hands but the bottom line is: I like cheeseburgers, you like what you like and it makes sense to Burger King, it makes sense to Paramount Pictures and the way that one was done, makes sense to me. I don't have a problem with talking about brands, they're part of life. I've always loved how unapologetic Times Square is. All of the lights in Times Square were shut off during the Great Depression and years later it became the tourist trap template of the advertising world. I find the history captivating and I find Times Square magical. It is what it is. 

Who turns down collaborating with something that aligns with you? Other bloggers and I have turned down offers from dodgy brands, brands that support things we don't and brands that want us to pimp out products that have nothing to do with us. I've gotten approached by scuba gear, bathroom decor, gas masks, cheap handbags, math and science programs, hideous jewellery, sanitary pads, furniture and chewing gum to name a few and who do I promote for free? A girl I don't know who recently graduated from fashion school, an aspiring designer, a girl like you and me who's just trying to follow her passion. And I actually want a gas mask so SHUT THE FUCK UP I don't want to hear it anymore. I'm not a product whore looking for a free lunch, I'm Sheri-Lee Greenway and I like cheeseburgers, fashion and my dachshund. Boyfriend's pretty hot too. Don't tell him he's better looking than me. 

Have you ever had someone judge you for something you're not?