25 Days of Christmas

For my last blog, I have decided to honor ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas with ending with a list of 25 things I love about Christmas:

1. Christmas movies
2. Starbucks Peppermint White Hot Chocolate
3. No school
4. Flannel Pj's with reindeer all over them
5. Going to look at Christmas Lights with my friends
6. Seeing the Nutcracker
7. My parents playing Christmas music 24/7
8. Putting ornaments on the tree - all 400 + of them
9. Sugar cookies with Santa's face on them
10. Live nativity scenes
11. Shaking presents under the tree to figure out what is in them
12. Receiving all the holiday cards from old friends
13. Shopping with my dad
14. Making Fudge... it is finally cold enough!
15. Reading The Night before Christmas
16. Waking up super early to open presents
17. Getting to see Family
18. Everyone is friendlier
19. Making gingerbread houses
20. Standing under mistletoe
21. The smell of cinnamon rolls Christmas morning
22. The smell of pine everywhere
23. Christmas sales
24. Turning on the tree for the first time
25. The sound of sleigh bells

The true meaning of thanksgiving...

It's not the Food or the Family it is... Football.

If your family is anything like mine, Thanksgiving revolves around football. We decide what time to eat based off of what time the game starts. And everything is set up so we don't miss one minute of the game. Although I completely go along with this tradition, because well I love football too, I sometimes wonder about it. Thanksgiving is supposed to be about family, right? getting together and enjoying each others company... but then I realize what a better way to enjoy each others company than doing something we all love to do... watch football.  Every family has their own tradition - whether it is playing flag football in the yard, intense family games of pictionary, or sitting around watching football - every family has their own dynamic and that is what is so great about thanksgiving. It is a time to be with family and do what you all love to do.

Now I just can't wait for half time to get a second helping of the Thanksgiving feast.

Lost Arts

Our Generation is Lazy - including myself. We are too happy with having things pre-made that no one takes the time to learn how to make things ourselves. People of the past took joy in creating things from their own two hands, which people today take joy in never having to do. It is quite sad.

When I was young, my mother taught me to sew - something that I have learned comes rather in handy now days - but as simple as it was to learn I am one of a few girls my age who can do this. It is quite pathetic. We are so trained to rely on things being made for us that we cannot actually appreciate when things are well made or  detailed.

I am fortunate enough to have had a least a few glimpses of these trades in my life - but still there are a lot of things that I feel are being lost forever. It is up to my generation to learn these techniques before there is no one left to teach us. It is something to bond us to our past - something mothers teach daughters who turn into mothers who teach their daughters etc etc etc.

But still many of these arts will be lost. I hope to learn some of them - but I cannot be held accountable for everything. Maybe if we sat down and learned how to do these calmer activities the hustle and bustle of the rest of our lives wouldn't make us so stressed out...

Crochet

Needlepoint

Calligraphy 

A progression of thoughts

Toy

Train

Smoke

Cigarettes

Cancer

Astrology

Psychics

Magic

School Bus

Children

Play grounds

Swing

Dancing

Shoes

Lace

White

Snow

Bunny

Easter

Sunday

Morning

Sickness

Medicine

Doctor

Needles

Shot

Gun

Safe

House

Party

Game

Cube

Block

Toy

Poetry

It's something I have never been good at. Something about having to rhyme my words and make a beat using syllables has never come naturally. I love to write, but prose is where my words flow from. But despite my lacking skills there is something in me that is drawn to poetry. I think that most things people cannot do they are drawn to. Like a straight haired girl curling her hair while a brunette turns blonde I love poetry. The emotion that can be found, the honesty, the sorrow, the laughter, the joy - it all is beautiful in its own right.

In grade school you are required to read famous poets - from everything that speaks to your soul directly to poems that make no sense at all. But all of it beautiful.

Later in life I was shown slam poetry. Live readings, where you see the poets emotion on their faces, you hear it in their voice and I was mesmorized. 

The skills I was lacking portrayed so eloquently in front of me. Yet I am not sad. I enjoy the gifts of others, and i hope you can too. 

Here are two of my favorites:

Stop Regretting

New Random fact about me: I took tae Kwon Do for 12 years and am a black belt. Now do not worry, I'm about as passive as they come - yet I still get so much joy from kicking and punching in a controlled environment.

Its been about a year and a half since I have taken my last martial arts class, and that saddens me. I honestly wish I had the time to continue, but thinking about how much I miss it reminds me on how much it has meant to my life.

Out of everything I have done, it has been the most life changing. As strange as that might sound it is very true. Everyone goes through things in their life that make them stronger and shape them to be the person they are now.

Before I took Tae Kwon Do, I was shy, timid and clumsy - but through the journey of getting my black belt I found myself. I became a young woman through Tae Kwon Do, which is why I still hold it so dear to my heart.

Now looking back on my life, I love looking at all the steps that got me to where I am. People often say they would take things back if they could, but I disagree. Sure I regret some of the decisions I made, but still those mistakes along with the triumphs made me who I am - why would I want to change that?

So next time you are regretting the past, think of the present and be happy in where you are now and what is to come in the future. Every day molds you.

Wow

When Emptying out my purse today, all I could say is wow. How in the world do i fit all these things in here? So for your entertainment I will list everything I found...

my wallet
sunglasses
greeting card
two sticks of gum
tom thumb directory
granola bar
empty orange
tic tac box
alpha chi pin
sonic mint
6 pens
8 lipsticks
3 movie tickets
bottle of Tylenol
$4.28 in change
three journals
one philosophy book
3 articles
5 graded homeworks folded
2 headbands
2 brochures
various feminine products
8 recipts
coin purse
3 pencils
4 highlighters
and a lot of wrappers

maybe I should clean my purse out more often...

but then again contained clutter is sometimes better.

My top ten favorite things... in pictures.

(in no particular order)

Lemonade

Music Boxes

Aprons

Autumn

Gummy Bears

Shoes

The Beach in Puerto Rico

Pajamas

Anne of Green Gables

My Dog Dominic

People are strange

People have weird obsessions, which causes even weirder you tube videos. If you have ever just rummaged around you tube you will find all sorts of crazy things. Including very strange videos on cats. Now I am not a cat person in the least - dogs all the way. But one of my good friends loves cats and found this video and showed it to me. After watching it I have to say I actually laughed very hard. Now warning it is very strange - yet catchy. So be warned it may stick in your head - like so many horrible things do.



Now you are probably thinking I am crazy now for posting this. But that is the point. The things people post on line are CRAZY. But that is only a by-product of people being crazy. We all are unique and find joy in the strangest things. Whether it be my friend loving kitties or an obsession with shoes. People are strange. Don't judge, because you are strange too.

Being Bored on the internet

If you are anything like me, you get bored often. And when I do I usually turn towards the internet - because lets be honest there are many hillarious sites to cure this problem.

Since college I have been introduced to some of the most funny, addictive, entertaining sites. These include:

My life is average:

http://mylifeisaverage.com/

Dear Blank please Blank:

http://www.dearblankpleaseblank.com/

and

Total Frat Move

http://totalfratmove.com/

Each of these offers something unique.

My life is average - gives you hope in the world and gives you something to relate to.

Dear Blank please Blank - makes you laugh at all the things you wish you could say

and

Total Frat Move - lets you laugh at the ridiculousness that is fraternity and sorority life

I am very grateful that bored people like me have come up with these hilarious sites where people can post the funny and ridiculous things in our life. So next time your bored check out one of these website and be prepared to laugh your socks of.

Why would anyone date T-swift?

            In honor of her new CD coming out I have decided to include my rant on this blog:

Okay so seriously have you listened to any of her songs? All she does is bitch about past relationships. Now don’t get me wrong. I like her music – but if I were a guy… she’d be the last person I would want to date. Because I would know for a fact, if I dated her I would at some point end up in a song – likely an unflattering one. That’s not necessarily the way I would like to become famous. Sure she is beautiful and I am sure is a nice loving person - but does  any guy really want to get known as the one who broke her heart... again. No. 

Yet, time and again another dumb boy tries and fails and ends up in yet another hit single. Cool and all - but there is a difference between being famous and infamous. 

Here's a look at one of her songs:

           

Maybe if she came up with a new topic for a songs she would become more dateable….

Halloween

Another excuse to look slutty?

If you go through the womens costumes in any Halloween store you will find one of two things. Either some hideous costume where you have to dress up fully covered head to toe with some felt like fabric that makes you look: fat, five, or prude. OR you have to dress like you are about to “walk a street corner”. It is disgusting, yet for some reason every year we put up with this and put on some costume that either flaunts our stuff or hides it all. Its amazing to me that there is no middle ground. So for now, I boycott Halloween, and instead pass out candy. (On for you, two for me)

p.s. if you don’t believe me just take a look at this website:

http://www.spirithalloween.com/womens-costumes/

Human tetris

If anything can make me laugh it is this:






Silly? yes. Dumb? yeah. Perfect solution to being bored? Most definitely.

There is something about Japanese game shows that is pure perfection - possibly the wonderful execution of physical comedy that can make you laugh so hard your stomach hurts. I hope this brightens your day.

Alone in my thoughts

I recently realized that I am different than most people. I drive in silence. No music, no talking, no nothing. I can drive for extended periods of time, just lost in my thoughts. Although this probably creeps most people out I much enjoy it. It is a great way to decompose from the day and just be still. Too many people have to be rushing all the time. Even in the car they play loud heavy metal music jamming out. No wonder people are so tired all the time. We are constantly going going going - which is why I enjoy my few moments of stillness. I challenge you to drive in silence. Try it out just once, resist the urge to turn on the radio or get on the phone. Just drive and see what happens. You may surprise yourself.

Guilty Pleasures

You know those things, that you secretly love -- but don't necessarily want to shout to the world... Yeah I have a bunch. But today I have decided to share one with you, because well I if I like these things - I shouldn't be embarrassed.

my number one guilty pleasure is.....

Keeping up with the Kardashians
a very overall trashy and useless show that I have gotten sucked into. For some reason despite the fact that I know I am watching trash, I can't help it. It keeps me entertained through the entire show.

So in honor of my guilty pleasure here is an episode, enjoy!:











So remember, own up to your guilty pleasures. You like them for a reason. Don't be afraid to let people see all sides of you.

Dyslexia

My freshman year of COLLEGE, I was diagnosed with dyslexia. 

Yes that was very late in life to be finding out, but I had never been tested before in high school - because well despite being dyslexic I was making good grades. So much so I was 11th in my class - but yet I had to go 18 almost 19 years before finding out something that would have been fairly important to know earlier in life. 

Getting tested for dyslexia was the strangest process I have ever done. There were so many random tests where I had to repeat things forwards, backwards, upside down, and side ways. I never know what was going to come up next. But after numerous tests I found out what I had suspected for a while. I mean seriously I can't tie my shoes - something was wrong. 

After finding out I have taken some steps in my study habits to help myself out, but I still can't get over how I went so long without knowing.

One of my best friends little sisters is currently getting tested - but it was a long struggling battle with her school to let her. Because well according to them - she is doing just fine (Above average) in school and therefore doesn't need the help. The public schools in the area don't care if you may have a learning disability if you are passing the classes. This bothers me. Instead of helping their students thrive to the greatest of their abilities, they just want these kids to get through the system. Fortunately for people like me it wasn't the hugest problem - because despite it all I was still able to make good enough grades to get into a good school that would then test me. But for others that are so fortunate they are being stepped on and pushed under the rug because the schools don't "have time" to concern themselves with students besides the trouble makers. 

It's sad what some school systems have turned into - and it concerns me for the future of these kids. 

Just something to think about...

Why I love sharpie:

While taking a drawing class in Italy I discovered my love for sharpie. It is so freeing. The quick movements of the pen and so precise and harsh against white paper – yet at the same time can be delicate and smooth. But more than anything I love the quickness. I don’t have to wait on mixing ink or smudging carcoal – I can just draw. I feel uninhibited and completely lost in a drawing.

I wish everyone could find that one activity that makes them feel that way. Completely separated from the world, and in peace with your own thoughts. It is definitely something to be treasured.

Here are some of the sharpie drawings I did in Italy. Enjoy.

How hulu ruined my life...

http://www.hulu.com/

When I first moved into my apartment I made the conscious decision not to put a tv in my room. Because honestly I don’t trust myself not to watch it 24/7. I am addicted and I knew if I didn’t make myself get up and walk into the other room to watch tv I would be screwed. I would never leave my bed.

Unfortuantely I forgot about Hulu. My favorite website. So much so that it actually my homepage on Safari. (pathetic I know) Hulu has turned me even lazier than I ever expected to be. In the morning, instead of getting up and getting ready and starting my day – I just turn over grab my computer and watch something on hulu. I tell myself that I need this 45 minutes to go from being asleep to awake – but in actuality – I am just plan addicted to Hulu. With as busy of a schedual as I keep – I rarely have the time to watch my 15 shows on the day and time they come on. So instead I lay around in the mornings and nights too lazy to get up and walk the five steps to my  tv (Where I could have set the DVR) and watch Hulu.

I might as well have had a tv in my room – but at the same time I feel even if I did. I would still be sucked into watching hulu on my computer.

We are a society of technology and a society that likes instant gratification and Hulu is fuelling my fire.

Although I am chastising myself for being addicted – I’ve added the link so I will not be alone. Get addicted. Lets lay in bed and watch together. 

Quizzes: getting to know yourself.

People are addicted to personal quizzes. What Disney princess are you? What type of shoe are you? What board game are you? What type of movie are you? All these ridiculous titles that suck people in by making them wonder…”Idk… what am I?” So people sit there mindlessly and go trhough 20 minute long quizzes just to see what forest animal they are – because in some way knowing will make my life better.

I am all for better understand yourself, but for some reason I don’t think that going through some quiz is the way to do it. Instead keep a journal, sit with just yourself and think. It’s not as scary as it sounds. If you take the time to get ahold of what is going on in your life and how you react you’ll be amazed at what you learn about yourself.

Don’t be afraid to know you. But I promise going through mindless quizzes is not where you will find your answers. 

http://quizilla.teennick.com/

A day in the life of a penny

Today I woke up in a wallet.  After several boring hours, I finally felt myself being transported. As I played around with my fellow nickels and dimes a cold hand removing me from the place I called home abruptly interrupted me. Now I had been transported to some sticky gross cash register at a convenience store in exchange for a pack of gum. Seriously? Is this what I am reduced to? But regardless I got to spend the next few minutes talking with some other pennies listening to their life story. It was amazing all that they had seen. Then again I was interrupted and taken from my new friends and put into the hands of some soccer mom getting her caffeine fix. At least her new wallet was a nice clean place for me to take a nap. Hours later I could hear her kids playing around her demanding they see me. Unsure what was going on, I got excited that someone actually wanted ME. But then as a little grubby hand was shoved into my new resting place and snatched me away – I realized something was terribly wrong. Then after a few seconds of this little kid mumbling something under their breath – I was hoisted in the air only to find myself drowning in some sort of fountain. I had never felt so wasted in my life. I had basically just been thrown away – left to sit and rust. Hours later after being left with my own thoughts while all the other lost pennies just lying lifeless next to me, a strange man reached in the water and grabbed a handful of us. He was dirty and very excited to have just gotten a few dollars worth of coins. As he darted towards the nearest store to buy some sort of junk food – I was then placed in yet another cold dark cash register. Fortunately I didn’t have to stay long before a nice little boy came and took me home. Exhausted from the day – I was worried where I would end up. And then I saw it. The shiny porcelain pig, that all pennies dream about. The place where we can sleep and talk and have fun with all our friends for extended periods of time, before finally being taken back to our first home – a bank. As I was dropped into the little slot on the top and clinked down with the rest of the coins I let out a sigh of relief. Even the most eventful day, could have a calm wonderful ending. 

The unexpected

Tonight I was rattling my brain to figure out what to write this blog about. I took a break to go to church, where I am a youth group leader for the senior high girls. Sitting there I realized how much these girls have impacted my life – which to me was a funny thought because that is exactly what I am there for. I am there to serve them and to help them grow as people. But unexpectedly I was the one changed. They impacted me in a way I didn’t think was going to happen. They have shown me unconditional trust and love and I will be forever be grateful.

This reminded me of all the unexpected things in life and how wonderful and beautiful something unexpected can be.

An A on a test when you thought you failed

The boy you like admitting he likes you to.

A rain storm in the middle of a drought.

A kiss that catches you off guard.

Things I want to do before I buy the farm

Write a book

Ride a motorcycle

Do a zip line in a rainforest

Get married and have a family

Go to law school

Finish a jigsaw puzzle of one solid color

Sleep in a tree

Learn to surf

Go to Prince Edward Island, Canada and see Green Gables from Anne of Green Gables

Go to Greece and paint the city

See the Louvre

See all the Smithsonian’s

Go white water rafting

Happily ride a roller coaster

Become fluent in Spanish
Sit front row at a Rock concert
Learn how to ballroom dance

Be involved in the production of a TV show or movie
Visit every state in the US
Swim in every ocean
Visit every vineyard in California
Road trip from California to New York

Build my dream house

Swim in a waterfall

Work with kids

Race a car on a racetrack

Bake a three-tired fondant cake

Make a difference

Puzzles

People and Jigsaw. I have a deep love for both. I love diving into the depths of a person. I love sitting at a coffee shop for hours getting to really know what a person is about and letting them get to know me. Everyone’s life is a fantastic story filled with drama and romance – happiness and sorrow. It amazes me how that contours a person’s life and their outlook on life. We all have a uniquely beautiful story and I think it is our job to tell them to others. That way we can learn and heal together.

Just like a jigsaw puzzle. The more time you spend with it the more pieces get put together until finally you see the beautiful picture in the end.

Just be careful not the tear it apart again.

Class Room Dynamics

The other day I was sitting in my Philosophy having the best discussion I have yet to have all semester. It was riveting and exciting and productive. As we debated “what law is” I looked around the room and realized just why my class was going so well.... That one girl who sits in the back – wasn’t there. 

Everyone knows that girl. The girl who doesn’t read for class, but thinks she has all the insight. She asks questions by saying “Wait… I think I heard somewhere that umm…  but I don’t know I may be wrong but ummm idk… what do you think?” or asks brilliant questions like “wait what does officer’s mean?” She inhibits your learning and doesn’t seem to understand how the whole class is not revolving around her weekend plans.

I wonder what goes through her heads, but more importantly I wonder what goes through my teacher’s head. I noticed that day in particular that every time she raised her hand he rolled his eyes – which gave me hope that at least he noticed it too.

Classroom dynamics can make or break a class. In this case one person was able to  brake it. But at the same time I have been fortunate enough to have had many classes with great dynamics. It makes me wonder if in a perfect world we could not only choose our teachers but also our classmates. 

The Lone Star Sate

My roommate is from Colorado and we recently had a conversation about all the “you know you are from ---- when…” jokes and how they are funny because well they are true. After Reading many You know you are from Texas when jokes I found myself dying laughing for this very reason. 

I love being from Texas – and I realize we are very proud people, but I don’t see that as a bad thing. We have more spirit and are not afraid to express it. But as much as I love Texas when my Dad rambles off phrases like “Out yonder in the Paw Paw patch….” [yes Paw Paws are a real thing  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pawpaw ] I become very aware of the fact that Texans are indeed a unique breed – But I sure am proud to be one of them!

For your reading pleasure:

You know you're from texas when...

• You no longer associate bridges with water.
• You can say 110 degrees without fainting.
• You eat hot chilies to cool your mouth off.
• You can make instant sun tea.
• You learn that a seat belt makes a pretty good branding iron.
• The temperature drops below 95 and you feel a bit chilly.
• You discover that in July it takes only two fingers to drive your car.
• You discover that you can get a sunburn through your car window.
• You know the best parking place is determined by shade instead of distance.
• Hot water comes out of both taps.
• You actually burn your hand opening the car door.
• No one would dream of putting vinyl upholstery in a car or not having air conditioning.
• You break a sweat the instant you step outside at 7:30 a.m. before work.
• You realize asphalt has a liquid state.
• It's so hot the birds have to use pot holders to pull worms out of the ground.
• It's so hot that potatoes cook underground and all you have to do for lunch is to pull one out and add butter with trimmings.
• It's so hot farmers are feeding their chickens crushed ice to keep them from laying hard boiled eggs.
• You only know five spices: salt, pepper, Ranch dressing, BBQ sauce and ketchup.
• You design your Halloween costume to fit over Wranglers and cowboy boots.
• The mosquitoes have landing lights.
• You have more miles on your tractor than your car.
• You have 10 favorite recipes for deer meat.
• You've taken your kids trick-or-treating when it was 90 degrees outside.
• You think sexy lingerie is tube-socks and a flannel nightie with only 8 buttons.
• You can write a check at Dairy Queen for two Hunger Busters and fries.
• You attend a formal event in your best clothes, your finest jewelry and your cowboy boots.
• People grumble about Noah letting coyotes on the ark.
• The preacher says, "I'd like to ask Bubba to help take up the offering." and five guys stand up.
• A member of the church requests to be buried in his 4-wheel-drive truck because "It ain't never been in a hole it couldn't get out of."
• When it rains, everyone is smiling.
• The choir group is known as the "OK Chorale."
• The Pastor wears boots.
• Four generations of the same family sit together in worship.
• There is no such thing as a "secret" sin.
• Baptism is referred to as "branding."
• Finding and returning lost sheep isn't just a parable.
• High notes on the organ can set the dogs to howling.
• People wonder, when Jesus fed 5,000, whether the two fish were bass or catfish.
• The final words of the benediction are, "Ya'll come back now, ya hear?"
• It's a common misconception that everything is twice as big in Texas, really, everything is 1.965 times bigger, but we round up.
• It's a common misconception that the women have big hair. In fact this was outlawed in July 1977. There is a task force and they are doing their best to reach every last woman. Bear with us.
• It's a common misconception that JR Ewing still lives here. That was a TV show people! Come on! Chuck Norris, on the other hand, is a real, karate-choppin' Texas Ranger.
• It's a common misconception that we have killer bees, fire ants, gigantic roaches and mosquitoes and other awful insects, tornadoes, hurricanes, and damaging hailstorms. We tend to think of them as a few bitty bugs and a bad hair day.
• It's a common misconception that everyone speaks with a Texas accent. Y'all just don't know what y'all are talkin' about.
  
  
  
  
  

Snooki: What is the World coming to?

As I turn through my people Magazine I roll my eyes. Yet another article on Snooki? Really? Is that what are world is coming to? Now day’s we have Jersey Shore themed parties, bump its and fist pumping everywhere. Not until recently did I give in to society and watched a clip from the Jersey Shore. Within five minutes I couldn’t handle it any more. What happened to Andy Griffith and Leave it to Beaver?  Shows that didn’t involve casual sex and foul language.

Our societies values seem to be going down a slippery slope. Nothing is private anymore. Even the People Magazine in my hand is an outrage. Once upon a time the only invasion of privacy came from your nosey next door neighbor. Now days, its everyone. People can search you name and look there is your facebook with all your information and pictures. Not that technology is bad – but how we use it can be destructive. It was originally supposed to be helpful and constructive – now a large sector of the world wide web is dedicated to adult videos.

I think I may have been born in the wrong era because the more I see of Snooki the more I want to run in the other direction and climb into bed and watch TV land. Today I challenge you to instead of watching some trashy reality show, grab a book or at least watch an episode of Andy Griffith and relive the good ol’ days. 

How to be a Friend

Be a giver

Be a listener

Be a secret keeper

Be a secret teller

Be a good time

Be a shoulder to cry on

Be reliable

Be courteous

Be a cheerleader

Be loving

Be honest

Be a fair fighter

Be a forgiver

Be non judging

Be a hug and a smile

Be a night on the town

Be a day on the couch

Be a phone call away

Be there forever

Be a friend

"Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, impossible to forget." anonymous 

Be a truly great friend. 

As I look down at my notes I laugh...

not just because I have doodles all down the side of my page. But because of my handwriting. Within a Page of notes I have just experimented with 5 different handwriting. Print Bubbly. All CAPs. Fancy Smancy Cursive. Fast Print. Lazzzzyyy runned together cursive.

In first grade they taught us how to write our letters. We had extra big paper and extra big pencils. They taught us using exercises with connect the dot letters and examples of how our letters should look. But 15 years later our handwritings are not so cookie cutter. We each have an individual style of writing unique to ourselves that is almost completely impossible to replicate. It is also fairly easy to match handwritings to loved ones. I have found several old notes from friends that were unsigned yet I knew exactly who they were from. These tiny changes between how people write their letters is so amazing – that there could be that many ways to just write the letter H.

Pet Names

No I’m not talking about Bengie and Max. I’m talking about those names of endearment our loved one’s give us. I am very guilty of using them. Dear, Love, Darling – are among my favorite. 

But as a creepy guy put his arm around my neck and called me Baby I realized how odd someone our pet names are. But more specifically I question the ones that have to do with food. Do I really want people to refer to me as edible? And why are certain foods better pet names than others?

Muffin

Cupcake

Pumpkin

Pudding

Sugar

And this transcends over languages:

In France one of their phrases translates to: my little cabbage

And in Spanish: My half and orange means my soul mate

Before we know it we will be referring to our friends as Broccoli. 

The key to any relationship is communication...

if this is so, my generation has a problem – and I am partially to blame.

As I send my best friend a fifty word text with not one punctuation mark, she replies with only:

“please add commas – you made no sense”

Whoops. Commas…. Commas what are those again? Oh yeah those beautiful things that add pauses to sentences. Wait. If I want to send a text quickly I need to delete those. They are not necessary right? Only one more button I have to click while trying to text and drive. Might as well save a life and just be confusing. Grammar is unimportant.

Sad but true. These days most of our conversations are sent through texts, instant messages and emails. Unfortunately these forms, although convenient, are lacking one major thing. Voice Intonation. Something only an in person or a phone call can have.  It’s the thing that divides the happy “sure” from the sarcastic “sure”. Otherwise how else is the person I am talking to supposed to know how I feel about them asking last minute to pick them from the airport at 3 am all the way across the metroplex? 

Jeggings

Denim Leggings. Really? Have we sunk that low that pants are too much of an effort that we must sink down the slippery path of fashion suicide. But at the same time I sure history has said that before. Fashion is always changing – and that is a good thing. It changes with society, with technology, with people. Nothing stays the same. So why should fashion? Maybe in a few decades I will see jeggings as classic fashion – but for now I think they are absurd.

Here is a look at memory lane

Inner Artist

Each of us have an inner artist. Whether it is through the words we write, the things we paint and draw, the food we cook, the photographs we take, the music we make – We all have an inner artist and beauty can be found anywhere.

Personally one of my favorite ways to channel my inner artist is through my doodles. I love just grabbing a piece of white printer paper and a sharpie and seeing where my mind takes me. Or looking back at my notes from class and seeing all the little pictures that frame them. Even the tiniest doodle can have something special. Never be afraid to let your inner artist take over – even if it is just for a second. 

Doodles that inspire me:

My favorite TV show

The Nanny. How do I love thee. I am pretty sure I have every episode memorized from beginning to end and have seen each at least 10 times. Sad maybe – but I love it. But in recent years I have noticed how the Nanny has shaped my view of life. I started watching the nanny at the young age of 6 (WAYY to young for a regular Nanny watcher). I sat in front of the tv every night and watched the sexual tension between Fran and Mr. Sheffield and laughed when it seemed appropriate although it would take me years to fully understand all the jokes and innuendos. Now days I have noticed that everything from which side of the bed I sleep on to how I view relationships can be attributed to all the episodes I watched. Unfortunately now I realize that is just crazy and I can’t line up my life to Fran Dresher – although I will definitely continue to watch the Nanny religiously on TV Land. But now I see the power of the media and how it can affect me if I let it. 

My orange Tennis shoes

This morning I put on my brand new Orange tennis shoes. As I slipped them on I was reminded of what kind of statement they make. I want to be different. I want my tennis shoes to not get lost within the other thousand white and black tennis shoes there are running around campus. I want to be bold, unafraid to stand out. Why is it these days – that different has become bad. Shouldn’t different just be considered unique – but no people hide their differences and try to be the all the same cookie cutter people. Stop this. Different is good. Different is fun. Different is interesting. So I challenge my peers. Be Bold, be different. Wear Orange tennis shoes.

What is inside my mind? Mind Map

I have so much more random thoughts in my brain than I ever thought. For those readers who don’t know what a mind map is I’ll explain. Basically it is a creativity tool where you write down your paths of thought. You start with one word or concept and branch into either three or four sub topics that relate to the first word. For example my main topic was bar and I diverged into Soap, Candy, Pub and Exam. From there you keep making branches from each word until your page is full and you have this jumbled web or words. It was actually really exciting to see where my mind would take me. It taught me that I know many more words than I think, and that I am capable of creating some rather cleaver connections and ideas.

P.S. while discussing this project with my best friend we came up with a really good question. In class everyone had different main topic words – But I think it would be interesting to see if everyone had the same word if our minds would diverge the same way or differently. Part of me wants to say that they would be similar – but at the same time looking at my mind map seems to be very unique to me. I think this would be an awesome experiment that I will definitely need to try someday.

Examples of Mind Maps: