Lots of people miss out on countless good experiences because they consider themselves "adults". They get up in the morning, drink their coffee, drive their fancy car to work, bust their no-nonsense asses all day long, and then go home to go to bed and do it all again the next day. But what about the little joys that can occur in between?
Here is a list of the little joys that I never miss out on because I am (arguably...) an adult:
* singing in the car, shower, at my desk, whenever the mood strikes me * ordering off the children's menu * laughing until I cry or until something comes shooting out of an orifice * making an inappropriate joke (where allowed) * getting really really really excited about something * talking to animals * doing a dance when I get good news (like when I get my People magazine) * galloping instead of walking in the grocery store * rearranging my cubicle and my condo * stealing a lollipop from the bank * dressing up for Halloween in non-trashy costumes * wearing dresses * curling up with a great book that I've read a million times * drinking hot chocolate as soon as the weather dips below 70 degrees * reading my favorite blog (http://www.hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/)
There are countless others that I can't think of at the moment (dangit...) but I'm sure you get the gist. I think it's that my inner-child has no idea that I've graduated college and have a job in the real world. I'm not planning on doing anything to change that either! Or maybe it's that my mind works differently. Maybe it's because I'm left handed. Not really sure. But I'm honestly not worried about it. If people want to get mad, annoyed, confused, frustrated about the fact that I march to the beat of my own drummer, let 'em. I bet their inner-child is pouting and will be throwing a temper tantrum sometime real soon.
So take a second and experience one of your own little joys today. Take the long way home so you can finish singing along to Springsteen on the way home from work. Get up and do a dance with the one you love during a commercial break. Order the chicken tenders the next time you're at a company lunch. Just do SOMETHING to please that inner-child. I promise, you'll be glad you did.
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http://www.tumblr.com/dashboard/22/1342415399
There are a handful of things that this 24 year old is passionate about. The top of the list? Music.
In my opinion music is the most powerful entity there is. It has the ability to make you feel things you might have forgotten. You may not have even known you felt that way in the first place. I just know that I've found myself getting ready for work in the morning or I'm in my car listening to my iPod and a song will come on and I will literally feel the memory that is attached to it. And the amazing thing is that it has the memories can range anywhere from hilarious to heart-breaking. Everytime I hear the song "Still Rock'n'Roll To Me" by Billy Joel I picture one of my best friends Shrimp jumping around in her skinny jeans and screaming this song at the top of her lungs, knowing every single word. When I hear "Come Pick Me Up" by Ryan Adams I'm reminded of a time that makes me ache inside a little. And when I hear "Born to Fly" by Sarah Evans, I'm taken back to the day I realized I really had everything I'll ever really need in life.
Now, perhaps I'm an overly emotional person and that explains why I get attached to songs. But I really feel as though it's not just a personal collection of tunes that I'm attracted to. I honestly connect to almost everything I hear. En Vogue, The Kinks (that one's for you poppa), Matchbox 20, Dean Martin, Lady GaGa... any genre and almost any song, I just get it. And everything is usually better live. The atmosphere is palpable. It's something you can reach out and touch. And it leaves you in a state of euphoria.
Image courtesy of: http://www.flickr.com/photos/johannacarlsson11/4770917393/
I'm also a real snob about lyrics. I dunno maybe it's the English Major in me. But I can't just sit there and let somebody sing the wrong lyrics - it is physically painful to me. I'm really working on that though - I promise. Not everybody has enough time to look up they words to the songs they hear on the radio on the way home, I know, I know.
In high school and college, I wrote a lot of non-fiction pieces. I went through a phase where I wrote a lot of poetry -- even took a poetry class as a junior in college (which I almost failed - apparently I'm not dark enough to be a true poet - fine by me) but throughout all of this, I really wanted to write lyrics. I know the dynamics of writing a good ballad... verse verse chorus verse chorus hook chorus.... but where does the actual music come in with that? My old man is in a band. Maybe he could give me a few pointers. (He tried to teach me how to play the drums, but all that went to hell when I realized I'm a much better air-percussionist than I am a drummer. It's an art, really.)
There's also something special about being the person to introduce someone to a song that they really enjoy. This happened recently with a band called The Temper Trap. I had my friend listen to a song or two of theirs, and she fell in love. It's almost reassuring to know that you really know somebody well enough that you can predict what they'll connect to. It's the same thing with books and movies - or even YouTube videos.
Me:"Dude, this video is so funny have you seen it yet?"
They watch.
Them: "That was the biggest waste of 45 seconds I've ever spent."
Alright I guess not YouTube videos. As stated in my previous post I have a tendency to think some things are hysterical that other people just stare at. Whatev.
But music... music I know.
And as I find out day after day, song after glorious song, music knows me all too well.
Image courtesy of:
http://simplyinspiredbyyou.tumblr.com/post/682039949/by-anna-amphigorously-i-love-this
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Is awkwardness contagious the way yawns are contagious? Because I swear, nine times out of ten, when I'm being awkward (through no fault of my own, mind you), people get awkward right back.
I was born awkward. Words come flying out of my mouth in no particular order and there's physically nothing I can do about it. The only thing worse than listening to an awkward person talk, is being the awkward person who's talking. There's a point in the conversation where I'm thinking to myself "It would literally be less weird for me to just walk away mid-sentence than it would for me to finish this conversation."
So what I want to know is, when I have an encounter with someone who is equally as uncomfortable, is it because they're an awkward human being too? Or is it my super-awkward-personality that's rubbing off on them?
Studies have shown that a sober person who hangs around inebriated people is likely to show the side-effects of alcohol, just because they are around people who have consumed alcohol. (Don't look into this study because I think I may have just made it up.) Is this the same thing with me? Should I warn people right off the bat that I'm awkward and that hanging out with me is very likely to increase their awkward tendencies?
It would go something like this:
"Hi I'm __________, it's nice to meet you! Now just to warn you, I'm going to laugh at my own jokes, quote movies and television shows that aren't well known, fully expecting you to understand them, and over-dramatize about 40% of the goings-on in my life because I'm a little bit sensitive. Sometimes I'll talk in a slightly baby-ish voice and I also do strange accents. I get overly excited when I see animals and I'm not afraid to tell people that I'm obsessed with my cat. Do you think you can handle all this? Because it'll make you uncomfortable a lot of the time... and you'll start to think that you're actually the awkward one because you're not quite sure what it is that's going on. But don't worry. It'll always be me."
I think it's a safe assumption that anyone who knows me can agree with everything stated above. The good thing is that I honestly don't worry about it. I think these qualities are funny as hell. But the friends that I already do have seem to be able to look past all of this and see me for the good qualities I have. I'm compassionate, and I would do almost anything for almost anybody. I'm a fairly good listener and I'm able to see the positive in even the murkiest situations. And I always, always keep in the back of my mind that what we choose to do today determines what happens to us tomorrow. Not to mention I'm a phenomenal dancer and I do kick-ass impressions. Who doesn't wanna hang out with this chick?
Do you have any tendencies that you feel obligated to warn people about before they notice them for themselves and run for the hills? Anything from "I have really bad morning breath" to "I feel compelled to have memorial services for leaves that have fallen off trees."
One of my favorite games growing up was always Truth or Dare. I loved how depending on who you're playing with would decide whether you picked T or D. If you're playing with boys it's probably safer to tell the truth than to do whatever dare it is that they have in mind, but then again, it's most likely going to be more embarrassing to spill your deepest darkest secrets than it would be to, say, stick your head in a toilet. You're never safe no matter what you choose. So why was it such a rush to play?
I've gotten older and though I haven't played Truth or Dare in years, I still deal with the choices every now and again. Is it safer to shut up and do something you're uncomfortable doing? Or is it smarter to (enter John Mayer lyric here) Say What You Need to Say, and deal with the consequences?
Life hands us situations that demand that we make a choice. Speak up, or deal with it. But just like Truth or Dare, you can't be sure that what you're going to pick is the right answer. Unlike Truth or Dare, however, life has a few more rules. Be nice. Be normal. Be professional. Unfortunately for those of us who prefer the "truth" choice, these rules tend to restrict us a bit.
So what do you choose?
My best friend just sent this quote to me, and I can't get over how refreshing it is...
"After awhile you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much. So, plant your own garden and decorate your own soul instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers." -Veronica A. Snofstall
A lot of my friends and family met their significant others when they were very young (church camp, high school, etc...). I've often felt like the odd man out at family functions for flying solo - falling victim to comments like "Mr. Right is just around the corner" and "Oh you're single? Well it'll happen for you someday...". Up until a few months ago these comments used to worry me. What if Mr. Right wasn't just around the corner? What if there isn't a Mr. Right for everyone? Especially me... a girl who is endlessly quirky with bad hair and an affinity towards our fine feline friends. Who wants to be the Romeo to that Juliet?
But over the summer, I made a conscious effort to really be "okay" here in single-ville. I bought my own home, I have a great job and I have some of the best friends and family a girl could possibly ask for ("Mr. Right" comments included...) So really, what's the issue? If I meet someone, I meet someone and if I don't, I don't. I have so much to be proud of and to be happy about (something I couldn't imagine myself saying 3 years ago).
I've always liked the idea that if you stop looking for something, it will eventually find you. Love, a job, the perfect home, your debit card... if you stop searching for things, they always eventually turn up. Life is too short to be on the hunt for perfection all day everyday. Be happy with what you have and everything will fall into place - Lord knows that's a hard motto to live by - it always seems as though life would be so much more perfect with that purse or with this haircut. But if you live your life being happy with what you've already been blessed with, that purse and this haircut can only add to it.
Plant a garden in your soul, and who knows, maybe someday someone will bring you flowers to add to it.
Love to all - it's Friday!!
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/katesokoler/5089467616/sizes/l/in/photostream/
I don't claim to know much about anything. I know a little about some things, sure... but I'm not an expert in any field. What I do know, is that life always circles around. Always. Sometimes for the good, sometimes for the bad - it usually depends on the person - but I think everyone has the power to spin life's circles in certain directions.
Now I'm willing to admit that there are circumstances which we as mere mortals are unable to control. Illness, tragedies, bad hair days... what have you. But generally, we play a pretty substantial role in the way our lives pan out. It sincerely always comes back to the decisions we make on a daily basis. I'm not talking about the decision to wear the red shirt or the blue, to eat the salad or the burger - I'm talking about the decision on whether to be compassionate or to be cold, to be open or to be closed.
Throughout this blog, I hope to prove to people that life (while challenging at times) can go in the direction you want it to go in, but not without some work on your end. I honestly believe that my generation has this sense of entitlement that past generations haven't had. We believe that we should have what we want without putting any work towards it. (Obviously, there are some exceptions to this opinion. I know several people my age who work extremely hard for what they've got and don't plan on stopping any time soon.) Some people see my generation as selfish, some see us as lazy. I'm going to try to prove that it's actually pretty easy (not to mention satisfying) to get the life you want the right way.
Here goes nothing...
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/27655120@N06/3661063362/
