Boo Hoo

I recently read this article ("Millennials Are Crybabies" - radaronline.com) and I found it to be pretty humorous and (unfortunately for us "Millennials") true.

So, I got to thinking (as I've been rumored to do on occasion)...

As individual "Millennials", we've grown up being showered with praise and been told how "special" and "unique" each and every one of us is. Now, this is a nice idea, but clearly it has gotten out of hand. We have become a generation that expects BIG praise for little work. Essentially, we give ourselves too much credit. I'll admit it- I do it. So do you. Don't lie.

I can think of certain people that are consistently underachieving while acting as though they've just prevented a semi from falling on a nursery school for babies with AIDS. By having every single kid grow up thinking they were already accomplished and "special" does something to a person's ambition and drive, not to mention how uninspired to be interesting and innovative they can be. Sure, we are all different, and sure we are all equipped with traits to excel, but let's not put the carriage before the horse, people.

Personally, I am disappointed in my generation's consistent "middle of the road" view of things. No one wants to really inform themselves too much because, well, they don't have to; they're already special. The more informed I become, the more I wonder why an awareness of the world around us (that would eventually lead to a better understanding of one's self) was not instilled in us early on.

Thanks to the fact that 2008 is an election year, this has become even more evident. I've talked to people that vote for candidates simply because their parents said they should, or because the candidate "seemed cool" (thankfully the best candidate also happens to be the coolest), OR they just don't vote at all because they don't know where they stand, but they DO know how to pop, drop and lock it, so that has to count for something, right? ;)

Here's what I'm getting at (if you're too lazy to try to figure it out)- we've been raised with a sense of false entitlement and it has manifested itself into every part of our lives. We are "eh" about most things because we've been allowed to be...heck, we've even been praised for it. When we get to these new, big kid jobs that require us to form thoughts that may deviate from the comfortable norm with bosses that don't care that you can tie a cherry stem in your mouth, we feel attacked.

...and THAT, my friends, is why Millennials are crybabies.

We need to internalize this idea of excellence. Not many folks spend a lot of time trying to be excellent.

- Barack Obama (The Coolest Cat in the Running)

Do yourselves a favor and download India Arie's cover of Don Henley's "Heart of the Matter". (Of SATC trailer fame)

It almost makes you want be in a situation with an ex you still love, but are getting over, as you hear they have moved on to someone else.

(Operative word being "almost")

Little Man LIVES!

A few years ago, Rachael and I found an amazing little creature in the basement of her grandparent's cottage in Kentucky. We dubbed him "Little Man". He is a legend.

So, imagine my surprise (and delight!) when he popped up on Perez today! L.M. was compared to the charming but ambiguously homosexual, John Travolta!

It's the little things in life, people...or, in this case, the Little Man.

I Do Mean To Get Carried Away...

Few things get the estrogen flowing quite like Sex and the City. I could go on about how it is in the top ten favorite things of my life, but I won’t bore you, and plus, the movie isn’t even out yet, so I’ll wait to ramble until then.

Anyhoo, thanks to this one reality star I hang out with, I started out my day ALL SMILES because of this trailer.

I know, I know- I’m really upset about this “Big leaving Carrie at the altar” thing too, but still…this is pretty exciting. I am making an EVENT of this- swanky outfit and maybe even an up-do!

PS- I like how Charlotte's Asian daughter actually resembles her...

Coooooooool

Sometimes I see things like this new Lego watch and wish I had an excuse to not only buy, but use them. C'mon, you have to admit this is totally rad.

This Just In...!

This April I'll be going to New Orleans for a week to do some Katrina relief!

I'm going with a group from church and I'm totally jazzed! I've wanted to do this for a long time, and I'm really glad to have the opportunity!











(A blog with ALL exclamations! Woooo hooo!)

Honest Abe and the Funky Bunch

When I was about six years old, my grandparents bought me a set of paperback books about our presidents. I enjoyed them. I even read some of them multiple times...all thirty six pages!

My favorite was the Abraham Lincoln one. (I know, how original.) Anyway, sometimes I'd just open up to the back page and read about how he was killed and then I'd force some tears because it was so sad. That's right- I used to spend my first grade time forcing myself to weep about dead presidents.

Anyway, here's to Abe (and all other notable and inspiring presidents). Let's take this day and reflect on times when the Leader of our Nation/The Commander in Chief/The Big Kahuna was actually intelligent and worthy of the Kahuna throne.

A Blogentine

I thought I'd take this opportunity to send a "Blogentine" (I know, I kill myself!) to all of you.

Gentlemen, think of it as a little glance into the complex mind of a straight woman.

Ladies, I know you feel me.

I've come to realize that we are in the midst of some sort of epidemic. There seems to be some sort of "bug" going around. Don't worry, girls- only in rare cases do we catch it. It seems as though mostly the fellas are susceptible. I've been doing my research, and although I am just an amateur when it comes to these matters- I think these boys may have caught something in…

…college.

Yes, this pesky bug may have been lurking in our beloved, collegiate hallowed halls, or in public bathrooms, dorm rooms, bars and even (dare I say!) frat houses! It is seemingly very contagious and even genetic in some families. And ladies, although it is rare that we catch this "bug", we CAN be carriers- passing it along from one guy to the next. Tragic.

I didn't even really plan on researching this epidemic, it just sort of annoyed my girlfriends and me so much that I couldn't avoid it anymore…I just had to over-analyze. We sat around restaurants, bars, basements and cars (hey, that rhymes!) going over our repeated qualms with these boys (unfortunately when they have the disease they can't yet be referred to as "men") and found that we had a real problem on our hands.

It seems as though these infected boys don't really know what they want (confusion), and they say one thing, but mean another (mood swings). They also seem to be lacking consideration (disconnected) for the lovely ladies around them.

Does this sound familiar yet?

Ladies, have you ever gone to a party and found yourself sitting in a corner, talking to a charming, attractive, witty guy for an hour or more? After this seemingly obvious connection has been made does he get your number, seem very interested, and then never call? Yep. It's the bug.

OR, do you ever find that you meet a guy out, have a great time, stay in contact for a bit and then come to find that it seems as though your dreamboat has fallen off the planet. You think "What did I do wrong?! Did I come on too strong?!" Well, maybe you did- I wasn't there, but if you're relatively normal, you probably didn't do anything wrong. He probably just has the bug.

Boys, do you find that you're relating to any of this? Do straight men even read my blog? Who knows? Chances are if a straight man is reading this he probably has the bug, but is exhibiting "denial" symptoms…either that or he's my dad. Hey Dad!

I know what you're all wondering…what about a cure? It seems as though the bug is something that is cured with a little thing known as "maturity". Shocking, I know.

Throughout my sitting around, being annoyed research, I've come up with some "at home" remedies:

Boys- First off, look up the words "considerate" and "consistency" and memorize the definitions. If you're considerate enough with a woman to be consistent, you may end up with something very good. If you are inconsistent, she will become annoyed by you and have little hope in the fact that you're the great guy that you think you are, because you're probably giving yourself too much credit anyway.

If you find you are interested in a young woman, please do not "half pursue" her. Do you like it when you only hear half a story? No. If you like her and want to take her out, do it. If you think she's cool, but realize that you don't want to date right now, then don't keep the cool, smart, funny girl around for the booty call. She's too cool, smart and funny for that. Call up that girl that sends you random, drunk texts saying "wut chu up 2 kutie". She probably lacks just enough self-respect (and intellect) to come right on over. Besides, if you're still in the booty call business, that's just the girl for you. Lucky for you, there is a SURPLUS of amazing, beautiful women out there just WAITING to be treated like the amazing, beautiful women they are.

Ladies- unfortunately we are slightly to blame. I know, I know- it's hard to hear, but listen up- I'm thinking that if we want a man, we should start holding our boys and ourselves to a higher standard, otherwise we'll be stuck with the doofballs that actually do want to go on dates with us, but spend half the date talking about their ant farm…OR the guys that start picking out baby names on the third date (no offense to the kind of girl that likes that kind of thing, but c'mon- that's weird). So, let's hold out and hold up, okay? Hold out for the gents that test "negative" for the bug (and any other disease for that matter…) and keep the standards up.

I think the above mentioned remedies (along with plenty of sleep and lots of fluids, of course) should help turn the bug around in most cases, and in those cases in which they don't help- please seek professional attention immediately.

Oh, and I have no future plans involving medical school, but I do plan on continuing to sit around and bitch about the male species with my friends.

Happy Valentines Day!

Celebratory Snippets

What girl wouldn't want to be surrounded by beautiful men?


Gabes is Dustin's most impassioned fan.
(Damn you, Dick and Danielle! He could have been the champ!)

Twenty-three never looked so good

If my Friday night was any indication of how my 23rd year is going to be, then I suddenly don't feel so grumpy about growing up.

It was a complete and total blast and I think everyone could agree. I consider myself so blessed to have marvelous friends that come together and give me the ultimate celebration.

I draw this weekend to a close with a smile on my face and a spring in my step.

Thanks, y'all

:)

Ve-licious

Some peeps don’t believe me when I say Veganism is painless, guiltless and wonderful.

The proof is in the pudding (or in this case, the cupcakes…whichever).

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18713211&ps=bb1

Giddy Up, 23!

Those were the days...

Sure Can!

So, you may have seen this "Yes We Can" music video by Wil.I.Am-

...it's pretty cool, but a little cheesy. Some of the celebs in it aren't very admirable, nor well known. I feel like he may have just sent out a mass text and hoped for the best. I was hoping that maybe Oprah, Paul Newman or someone of that credibility would pop up...but no.

Anyway, I'm posting this for two reasons-

1) I think this is actually a very cool mix of an outstanding and inspiring speech by the man that I feel is best suited to lead our country. (Obama, not Wil.I.Am- tough call, I know)

2) Scarlett Johansson takes herself so freakin' seriously in this video that it's absolutely hilarious.

So, enjoy!

I did :)

Deju Vu

The saying, “People don’t change, situations do” is one that’s been rolling around my head for years now. I used to diligently collect quotations, starting some time around freshman year of high school, and I presume this was one I picked up from one of the lame, “inspirational” quotations pages I used to frequent.

For whatever reason that quote stuck in my brain…I think it may have had to do with the matter-of-factness of it. “This-is-a-fact-!”…and it was short. I remember identifying with it during my first year of high school, while I longed to be back in the eighth grade with familiar surroundings and the friends I loved best. I remember that quote scaring me. It is an “as opposed to…” kind of statement. Like, “as opposed to people just suddenly changing, they change as a RESULT of...” (Duh, I know)

I guess the part that bugged me most was just the change in general…whether I liked it or not, SOMETHING was going to change. I was to expect that if the people in my life didn’t immediately change; the situations would, thus ultimately changing all of us. (For an over-emotional, over-nostalgic 15 year old, this made me very, very sad.)

It is now eight years later and I find that this little saying still gnaws at me from time to time. I am post-college now and it’s a scary thing. I don’t know what I expected to be feeling right now, but it certainly wasn’t this. I don’t think I expected to feel so conflicted about what I’m exactly supposed to do with my life. Suddenly I find that I am identifying with my 15 year old self in an all too familiar way. No, I don’t want to be back at school and no, I no longer frequent lame, “inspirational” quotations pages (nor do I sport blue eye shadow) and in fact, I don’t want to be back anywhere, but the growing pains feel oh so familiar.

My situation is changing…has changed, and not since 1999 has a progression been so bittersweet. I am losing certainty, losing touch with people I don’t want to lose touch with, and watching once solid relationships get tested by, well, the change in situations.

Ouch.

Where to, buckaroo?

The friends I’d loved best when I was 15 are now people I have “remember when” conversations with when I run into them at north side bars every two years…and what’s familiar to me now bears little resemblance to the cozy halls of St. Raymond School…and hello! That’s definitely a normal/good thing!

I should probably surrender to this time in my life as one of self-insight and growth (albeit painful). This is just about the most normal kind of transitional thing young adults go through, right? I mean, have you SEEN The Graduate?! Anyway, I like to think that if I play my cards right, I may just end up a wiser 31 year old, looking back on my uncertain 23^rd year, thinking “at least I’m not posting lame, ‘inspirational’ blogs anymore…”

;)

Boogie Woogie Vegas, BABY!

So, I just watched my DVR'd episode of Oprah featuring none other than the Divine Miss M., Bette Midler. If you know me at all, you know that just the simple combination of Oprah and Bette fills me with great joy. (Here’s where you envision me staring up at the TV screen with a creepy/excited grin for the whole entire segment.)

Anyway, Bette was on the show to promote her new gig taking over Celine's spot in Vegas. Bette is 62 and just signed on for a two year deal. Um, if I have half that much energy when I'm 62, I'll be very, very pleased.

Snicker at my love of Bette all you want, but I'll have you know that her December 2004 concert was one of the highlights of my life. I kid you not. I feel secure enough to say that I know good music and I know good performing, and this was the ultimate in ANY kind of show I've seen.

That being said...

I've never had much of a desire to go to Vegas. I mean, I guess I'd like to see all those lights on the strip one day just to say I’ve seen them, but it's really not on my list of interesting or enlightening places I'd like to go. BUT seeing Bette live and in person in a warm climate IS. So, I've decided that at some point in the next two years I am going to go to Vegas! I'm going to go and soak up the sun, drink, and dance my ass off to Miss M. I have no doubt that it will be completely divine!

I’d say “hold me to it”, but I’m pretty much married to this plan already!