To Overthrow the "Entitlement" Mentality

See all those successful people who you admire and envy? Those individuals who have accomplished their dreams and contributed to society? Most aren't extra special nor do they have an incomprehensible IQ. Most just tried until they accomplished something. Failure did not stop them and neither did people's discouraging remarks.

Probably one of my largest pet peeves is when people hate on the wealthy or successful, screaming at them to "give me some of that."Though I'm sure some have inherited the money, it was earned none-the-less. I'm obviously not talking about bootleggers or illegal money-making scheme, but as far as the honest money-maker, it takes work.

Whenever I walk around Boston or any city in general, I wonder to myself who the owners are of all of the successful businesses.
How did they begin? 
How did they excel? 
What does it take to accomplish something hard?
Work. Time. Dedication.
For the most part, nothing came to the developers easy, whoever they may be.
They sweat. They stressed. They endured. They probably failed many times.

It seems to me that my generation of Americans has lost their sense of pride in working and have fallen into a mindset of entitlement.
"I deserve this because....
I'm an American.
I'm a woman.
I'm a minority.
I'm a teenager.
I'm a cat (haha just kidding.. but really)...."
The list could go on and on.

I'm sorry to break it to you, but we don't deserve anything. We never have.
We all have dreams. We all have passions. We all have talents.
But alone, these things cannot be cultivated without work.
Hard, honest work.
I think about all of the different passions I have, all of the people who have helped train me to accomplish these passions and all of the different possibilities in them.
I don't know what I'm going to be or what difference I will make, but whatever it is,
I'm going to be it and make it well.

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going." Ecclesiastes 9:10

In this incredible country, we can pretty much choose to do anything. We can choose to be anything.
The sad truth is, many of us waste it.
The government just gives us things, we take it and it makes us lazy.
The hard-working, honest living is shriveling up into oblivion for many of my generation, and it breaks my heart.

"In all labor there is profit, But idle chatter leads only to poverty."
Proverbs 14:23

Don't just talk about it- DO IT. Get up, work and do what you were made to do.

Working was never a curse, even before the fall of man.
God worked (and He also rested). (Genesis 1 & 2)
God also created mankind to cultivate the earth we've been given, with whatever occupation.

²⁷ So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. ²⁸ Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Genesis 1:27-28

Work was created to glorify God and to minister to others (which also glorifies God).

"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
1 Corinthians 10:32

I've been doing a study on Proverbs 31, which is specifically about what a virtuous woman looks like, but the concepts really are applicable to all human beings. She works with her hands willingly, she has integrity and ultimately she is looking out for the good of the people in her life (Proverbs 31:10-31). She is not lazy and because of her hard-work, her whole family benefits.

Hard work with the talents God has given us BREEDS success. Yes, this earth is not our permanent home, but God put us here, nonetheless, and He expects us to serve Him in all we do.

To the Talented and Planning Awkward Couple- Subco Edition

Oh, awkward couple who I saw while in line for a sub, I promised you a blog post because I did not just see you once, but twice in the span of three days being awkward (both times in the same place, might I add).
[In honor of you, I will scatter various pictures of awkward couples around this blog post].

Flower Power

Same awkwardness, same place, around the same time?
That, my awkward friends, takes talent to accomplish. Or maybe skillful planning.
Possibly a mixture of both.

Planned, talented awkward couple soup.

Adventure-seeking couple

Now, let's take a look at the planned and talent portions of the blog post:

PLANNED:
- Happening to somehow manage to be the exact amount of people in front of me in line (both times).
- Happening to be in line for the same meal both times at around the same time.
- Happening to partake of the same awkward actions both times:

• pinching each other and giggling (pain is so cute)
• rubbing each others sides (sometimes, if you rub their side just right, they might do a trick)
• poking noses (..they may as well throw in some baby talk too)
• stroking hair (I just have nothing to say about this)
• gazing into each others eyes (because what is more romantic than standing in line for a sandwich?)

World's Best Dad

TALENT:
- Happening to be equally awkward both times.
- Happening to be awkward enough to catch my attention both times.
- Happening to not let go of each others hands the entire time
(Seriously though, props to you, folks! That takes intense focus and extreme perseverance. It should be an Olympic sport...)
- Happening to be so awkward both times that you won yourself your very own blog post.

"Everything else is black and white, except for our bond."

So, couple, well done at achieving your own blog post!
You have accomplished both talent and excellent planning. Be proud. Be very proud.

Also, thank you for allowing me to take part in your special moments before I ate, and not after.

"I buy books like most women buy shoes."

Most women struggle to walk away from a pair of stilettos and would much rather walk away with them. In a shopping bag. And with less of a checking account. 
Some women have their infatuation with nails, makeup and clothing.
Brand names, bright colors, glitter and pink.

While I love being feminine and as much as I love buying dresses and other female favorites (apart from shoes.. I hate shoes), I have a slightly different obsession.

Books.
 

The word itself gives me chills. No really, I have goosebumps as I write this. That is the level to which I love books. Classic books, Christian books, books about people, books about places, books about cultures, books about life... books books books. I love books.

Mind you, I have not read every book in my collection. Someday I will, but probably not before I'm finished with college.

I have a lot of books in my collection... and here's why.

I have a problem.
Book sale? I'm there.
$.25 book rack at my library back home? Yes.
Book section at any random store? Never leaving the aisle.
Library? O_O.
Yard sales with books? Making those people rich.
Used book store? In love.

Just as a typical female melts at the sight of a beautiful pair of Prada shoes or vibrant Sephora eye shadow, so do I melt at the sight of a used book.

"Why used? Why not new?" you may wonder.

Used books hold a special place in my heart. The thought of someone else having read that exact book before me is enthralling, their heart captured by the story and their mind quickly formulating a detailed, personal image.
New books, though holding a wonderful smell and smooth feel to the pages, have not been broken in, and there's just something about a book that has been broken in already.
I feel like I should be someone who likes to break in a book, and sometimes I suppose I do.
However, especially if it is a classic book, the older and more used, the better.

My collection is growing which I am thankful for, but until I read all of these books that I have purchased over there (and spent next to nothing on each one.. I know how to bargain hunt, people. I pride myself in this skill), I need to stay out of any sort of discount or used bookstore.

Valentine's Day, starring Will Smith

As Valentine's Day approaches, I think to myself, "Self, this disease called 'relationships' has eaten all of your best friends. It seems as though you have gained an immunity to such a disease. Bravo, young lass, Bravo."

Seriously, I think I'm the only one left. I feel like Will Smith.. I hope my dog doesn't catch this disease so I don't have to strangle him (and I don't even have a dog, so this could be interesting)...
Or what if I start making friends with manikins? I HATE MANIKINS. We all know they're frozen people (I blame my sister for instilling this irrational fear into my mind). Oh no. I refuse to be friends with manikins. I will sooner become friends with the flesh-eating zombies who have been infected with such a disease.

Yes, I did just write a paragraph comparing Valentine's Day to I Am Legend.

They are basically the same thing. Pretty much. Almost.

So, what am I going to do now that I've survived this epidemic? I think I'm going to learn lots of new useful skills. Like nun-chuck skills. Because we all know that guys like girls with skills. [Bet you haven't heard that quoted in quite a while]. TINA YOU FAT LARD.

 
I'm not even sure what I was originally blogging about.
Oh yeah, gaining skills. So, other than nun-chuck skills, maybe I should learn karate. I mean, I might need to learn self-defense. Who doesn't? It's a useful skill. Or... cake decorating.
Or I could write a book! That sounds more down my ally.

What should the book be about?
A manikin who strangles his llama? That would be the most terrifying book of all time.

I believe it's time for this post to end.

Coldplay to Glorify God?

As a Christian, is it a sin to listen to non-Christian music or Christian music that is "emotional" and not "coming right from Bible verses?" Is it a sin to watch non-Christian movies or enjoy culture if it isn't meant to praise God?

I'm just going to go ahead and nip this in the butt..... NO.
This whole mentality is, quite frankly, ridiculous. How the idea that creativity is sin is beyond me.

Now, if said music/movie/art is a stumbling block in your personal walk with God or is blaspheming/dishonoring God, then yes, it is a sin.

However, I find that many Christians who point their fingers and shout "If it has a beat and isn't hymns or choruses, then you are not walking with God!" in their mommy voice are simply just harboring a Pharisee mentality and not Biblically backing up their arguments. At all.

Sorry if that's harsh, but not sorry.

Now, let me start off by saying that just because it's not blatantly "Christian," doesn't mean that God doesn't use it nor does it mean He can't be glorified by it.

My English professor this semester made a beautiful point in class.
People often gawk at the fact that we in a Christian university read, learn and study works of literature that are not written by Christians, do not present Christian messages and often display ungodly ideals and mentalities. So why do we study them?
What he said truly inspired me. "Just because it isn't a Christian work with Christian morals, doesn't mean we can't see pieces of God through man's creativity. Just because there may be mentalities we don't agree with in them, doesn't mean that we can't learn more about God and man from them."

Obviously he is not saying to fill our minds with horrible things or dark worldviews that will corrupt our minds. The Bible says to think on GOOD things.
Here's what he WAS saying: Often times, art (any form) is not created to point to God, but yet it still does. Man is God's creation, and though man may be far from God, man still has within his or her inner being, the knowledge and recognition of their Creator. Therefore, man's insight (whether Christian or not) does, in a way, teach us about our Lord and Creator and also teaches us about the nature of man in comparison to His GLORY.

Example:
Coldplay. Non-Christian band. Secular worldviews presented through their lyrics.
However, through their music and lyrics, I often see their longing for God, man's need for the Lord and their desperation for meaning in life, encouraging me to reach the lost for God. Through their music and lyrics I also can see a beauty of creation, an appreciation for obscure beauty and glimpses of nature, helping me to further understand my Maker and his beauty in creating music, life, human beings and just this world. Such music, though not written to glorify God, brings out in my heart and mind a sort of appreciation for God and his obscure characteristics that DOES bring Him glory.

This is an example of how contemporary culture can point people to Jesus unknowingly.

With that said, maybe it doesn't work like that for everyone. Maybe not everyone is a right-brained nut who sees God's beauty and majesty through tearful tunes and deep, poetic anecdotes, and that is ok. But for people to call those people ignorant who DO find beauty and appreciation of the Lord through those things, THAT is not right and not their place to judge or condemn.

Romans 14 blatantly speaks against judging others based on what they celebrate, how they eat, how they go about certain things...

Obviously, this is NOT in reference to an overt sin. Anything that directly goes against God's Word SHOULD be judged, especially among Christian brethren, because THAT is Biblical, and God is the ultimate judge
. 
But, condemning others for certain preferences in what type of culture they partake in is absolutely UNBIBLICAL and arrogant.

Sorry if I stepped on toes, but ya know... welcome to the blog of Daisy Wolf. 

Sunny days, white gloves & tryptophan

So, it finally happened. Finals are over. The rain cloud above my head seemed to finally go away and the sun decided it was its turn to keep me company. Who knew the sky was blue behind those grey distractions?

What's left? Well.. now to clean the entire room. By tomorrow. It's ok though. Maybe I'll find all of the things I lost this year (once I have the capability of sharing these stories, you better believe I will, but until then, you all shall be left in suspense). Maybe I'll find golden treasures beneath the surface of my mound of stuff. It's amazing how much stuff I have that I don't need. I mean really.. who needs that pink striped ribbon that's in my desk or the knitting kit that's been in the box since last Christmas (sorry Grace.. I'm really going to use it this winter, I promise).

So anyway, once the room is clean, then awaits the RA banquet. Not really sure what to expect for that, but I suppose it will be like most college events- forced fun. Hip hip HIZZAH. Wow, I'm a bad sport, but I feel as though my readiness to be home overcomes any sense of friend-making abilities I currently possess. I don't know about everyone else, but the adventurous side of me got sleepy ever since I consumed unhealthy amounts of tryptophan (I'm thankful for... TURKEY)! That's right. About three weeks of comatose adventurousness. And I'm not even sad. It's just been one of those semesters.

But yeah... then Friday will be an entire day of seclusion ... JUST WHAT I'VE ALWAYS WANTED. In case you couldn't tell, that was sarcasm. Obviously being in isolation for 24 hours is the most cruel punishment for an extrovert.
However, amongst finals, I have definitely not given God the time He deserves in my life, so maybe this day of solidarity silence will be a great time to have some time with Jesus!
YAY JESUS TIME!

Wow this is the most A.D.D. post. I guess all of my posts are pretty A.D.D. though... I don't even know if people read them. Whoever reads these posts must be pretty patient....
I would accuse finals of being the culprit of my current insanity, but we all know that writers are really just this weird. Actually, I can't even attribute my weirdness to being a writer. I'm just a weird person.

So now that we've all come to the conclusion that I'm weird, I'm going to end this post. Hopefully my next post will be less random and more filled with substance.

People > Stuff

Why are there so many people in the world who feel left out, hopeless, alone and meaningless?
Because the attention that should be going to them is going to STUFF. That's right. Material.
I'm not saying Black Friday in itself is this evil institution of man, but I do believe that people are extremely mistaken and blinded. Trampling people in order to get stuff-- that is what our country has resorted to.

Where is the love? Stolen by things that don't matter. Devoured by products and retail and STUFF. If our love is being captured by those things, they are not going to what love was made for: PEOPLE.
As a believer in Jesus Christ, I believe that my purpose to be here on this earth is to:

1. Glorify God.
2. Love people.

That is why I'm here. That's who I am. That's what I'm called to do. LOVE.

This town, this country, this world has lied to each individual and told him that THINGS will make you happy. MONEY will suffice. STATUS will bring meaning. ENTERTAINMENT will give me a reason.

No. NO. NO..
PEOPLE. People are what make up life. The world is made up of PEOPLE.
People who need love.
People who need friends.
People who need hope.
People who need Jesus. 
Money won't bring them love.
Stuff won't bring anyone love. Just an empty need for MORE.

On our death beds, we will not remember the things we owned or the places we've been, but the people we were with.
The people we made a difference to. The people who made a difference to us. PEOPLE. 

Time is ticking. Stuff doesn't leave or grow old with time, but people do.
Who am I taking for granted? What am I letting distract me?

Princess Heather and the Swinging Suitor

Last night, my best friend Heather couldn't sleep, so I decided to tell her a bedtime story via Facebook chat.
Below is the result. Enjoy!

"Princess Heather and the Swinging Suitor."

Once upon a time (cause every story has to start with that if it's going to end well) there was a beautiful princess named Heather.

Now Heather liked lots of things like flowers and pumpkin munchkins and anything that did not contain dairy products.

She loved music and dancing, and when she was alone she loved PR.

So one day, Heather decided to gather up all of her favorite things and make a song about it.

She decided it would also be useful to sing the song to a multitude of children during a thunderstorm.. and then eventually use the drapes to make them clothing. ("Sound of Music" reference).

While this seemed illogical, Heather decided it was worth the joy that she would bring these children.. and maybe it would bring her a wonderful prince, because everyone knows that princesses all eventually marry a prince... they don't marry anyone less noble. Unless it was Hugh Jackman. Who is a Duke. ("Kate and Leopold" reference).

So anyway, off Heather went, drape-clothed children, favorite things and all...

into the woods they roamed. Dancing and singing and playing with gnomes, until a giant possum emerged from the depths of the darkness.

 The giant possum made its way towards Princess Heather and the children as they stood frozen in their tracks, frightened and confused.

"Why is there a giant possum in the woods!" yelled one child. 

"And why is it dark? It's 2 o'clock in the afternoon!" yelled another.

 "Hush children," said the princess. "The louder you are the more likely the possum will eat you. Also, it's always dark in the forest." ("Anne of Green Gables" reference)

The children all held each others mouths shut since we all know children can't be quiet ever.

So... the possum approached... it's long, fanciful fangs dripping blood and it's eyes seeking satisfaction (for the possum was hungry and trees and bark just aren't satisfying).

Just when the children thought that they would be the solution to this possum's discontentment, Princess Heather saw a light. It was the light bulb above her head. 

She had a plan.

"I shall do my bird call and it shall emerge the birds into the woods!" "You have a bird call?" asked one of the lads. "Not yet," she replied, "But Snow White does this all the time. I know it will work."

"Question," said one of the frightened girls. 

"Why aren't the birds already in the woods? Why do they have to emerge?"

"Stop asking questions," Princess Heather replied, very irritated at the children's ignorance. "You're all nonsensical. I made you clothing out of drapes-- don't you trust me!"

This silenced the children, for she was right. She had never let them down before, and if Princess Heather wanted to emerge the birds, she would emerge them, especially since Snow White was her support in this matter.

The bird call she made was like none other... almost like a shrieking of sorts.

No movement.

"Why didn't it work!?" yelled little Alfred. "Hush. No nonsense," she replied.

And again she shrieked.. er, I mean called.

What happened next was not exactly what Heather expected.

Though birds did not emerge, something else did. Thump, thump, thump. 

Heather couldn't believe her eyes.

Not one, but two bears plopped themselves merrily towards the possum.

"We're saved!!!" yelled the children.

The two bears took quite a while to destroy the possum, not because they were incapable, but only because they could not agree on which would get the head and which would get the bottom.

Once a compromise was finally reached, the bears soon devoured the possum leaving only its tale, because no one likes cartilage.

"HOORAY!" yelled the children. But Heather stood speechless.

She knew there was more to this situation than met the eye. Actually, it was quite evident to the eye, but at this moment everyone was blinded by the fact that the two larger bears just devoured their smaller enemy.

"Stop! There's a bigger problem here, children! Grab your drapes... these bears are still hungry."

This comment caused all of the children to shriek... bringing more bears. Goldilocks was relieved.

So, everyone was surrounded.

There was no hope.

But what's this? A gentleman swinging from trees? This confused Princess Heather, because normally gentlemen don't swing from trees, especially when they're wearing suit coats with tales.

The bears recklessly strained their necks to see what all the commotion was about above them, causing some of their heads to snap off of their bodies.

This resolved some of the bear-problem, but yet some of the smarter bears simply tilted their heads carefully and remained alive.

The gentleman swung and he swung.. and yet he swung more until he reached a high branch, unreachable to the ferocious beasts.

There were only four bears left at this point, leaving the suited man with a few more options than before.

Princess Heather knew she had to do something to divert the attention from the man, so... she did the first thing that came to her mind.

She danced.

She danced and she danced, the draperies swinging about merrily.

Then something magical happened:

Not only did the children begin to dance, but so did the bears.

Not only did the bears begin to dance, but so did the possum (and the possum was dead, so this was magical indeed).

Not only did the possum begin to dance, but so did the birds (who had refused to come because they don't respond to shrieking).

Not only did the birds begin to dance, but so did the trees and the rivers and the ants and even some of the skunks (who like to frighten women who stick their heads in their cages). (Youtube video, "Killer Karaoke" reference).

Princess Heather paused a moment in her dancing endeavors and watched the motions of the forest.

The entire forest had erupted into dance. Bears dancing with children and children dancing with skunks. The Creator would be pleased to see his creation as He intended it.

The gentleman looked from above, his suit coat swaying in the breeze, the sweat dripping from his dark brow and his eyes sparkling in the sunlight.

"This woman. She is ravishing."

As he peered from the trees, admiring her beauty and elegant dance, he decided he would marry her if it was the last thing he did.

But first, he must not miss out on this dance, because no gentleman misses a ball.

Arms spread majestically, he dove into the dancing forest and landed into a pile of leaves doing a jig as well.

It tickled a bit so he was forced to giggle but then he composed himself, because we all know that gentlemen don't giggle.

(except for Andrew)

The man quickly brought himself to his feet and pushed through the dancing crowd of forest friend, struggling to find the dancing queen, young and sweet only 17. But he was mistaken because she was 20.

Finally he reached her.. the woman of his dreams.. her light brown hair blowing in the wind and her big blue eyes sparkling with relief. "Miss! May I have this dance!"

She was astonished. She couldn't believe her ears. Who was this suited stranger who had come to rescue her? Why was he now seeking a dance? She shrugged. "Oh well," she thought, "He's charming and handsome, and I'm young, beautiful and can make clothing quite creatively."

So they danced.

And danced.

The bears still dancing, the children still dancing, the skunk still dancing... the forest dancing.

But all of this seemed to be nonexistent as the two shared their dance. All they saw was the trees, hanging like a canopy above their heads.

Amidst the dance, however, Princess Heather, the PR in her arising, remembered that once the dancing ended, so would their lives (for the bears were still hungry and their appetite would only increase due to intense dance).

"Stop," she whispered to the man. "We must take the children and leave. I am hungry, and if I am hungry the bears are hungry and if the bears are hungry we will no longer be hungry because we will no longer be."

The man was slightly lost, but decided that Heather was too beautiful to argue with. So he grabbed her hand along with all of the children's hands (I'm not sure how managed to hold all of their hands at once, but gentlemen find ways) and they sneaked out of the dancing gang, past the bears, through the woods and up to a mountain.

"Let's get married!" he shouted victoriously. "OK!" she yelled, staring into his dark, melancholy eyes.

"Wait! But what about the children?!"

She stopped abruptly.

"The children? Well they have drapes, isn't that enough?"

She was offended by this comment and he knew it, so he quickly came up with a solution.

"Let's send them to a convent and they can all become nuns!"

"But the majority of them are boys," she said logically.

"They can become monks then!"

This seemed reasonable to Princess Heather.

So off they sent the children, each to their convent and monastery.

And the gentleman, whose name is unknown to the public, and Princess Heather lived happily ever after as they skipped through the mountains singing joyous melodies about climbing mountains and yodeling peddlers.

The End. 

Your Society

Here's something I wrote after hearing the song "Selling the News," by Switchfoot. 

"Your Society." 

They tell us our minds are twisted and society has spun us into a web, when in reality, the true spiders are "they."

"You're telling us who to love and how to love," they complain, their minds collapsing and their hearts consuming their sense of right versus wrong.

God meant it when He called the heart deceitful and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 29:11).
It seems that the world has had a Freaky Friday moment with right and wrong, right frightened by wrong's manipulation and scheming. Forgetting the ruth and devouring the lies that the Liar so wishes us to believe, masking our failures and sins with "freedom" and swimming in the false perception of love and meaning- this is the condition of our world.

They ask us who we are to "define" love, when the true question is, who are we to defy the One named Love, skewing His character and warping His creation.

The media, with their strings, dance their marionettes to the song of money, self-defeating lust and flesh-eating policies. "Society blinds us and defines us,' they say. This is a clue to their scheme- they silently declare their agenda, spilling out their secret motivations to pollute the minds of individuals through modern mechanisms. The internet and television hold the blackened keys to mesmerizing the minds of the currently innocent, telling them these Liar-spun lies of misplaced worth. Well, our response will always remain: We WILL not be consumed by your society.

They have mindlessly abandoned the Father, and they cling to the fathers they've created to fulfill their lack of love and sense of meaningless existence. If only they knew existence holds more and the truth is before their eyes... Instead they reign in their misery, wishing for the world to submit to their throne of pain and evil. If only their eyes knew Love and their hearts would not eat up their mind with deceit.

"Lost" is the name of their land, and they hold their country with an iron fist, containing their members in a tyrannical dungeon of sin. "Alone in our dark world we will not remain," they yell in shame. "We drag others into our pit of hell and devour the vulnerable in their weaknesses. Join us!" they selfishly exclaim.

The pathway is wide and destructive, but it can be avoided by way of the Savior. Grab hold of this Savior, confused members of society, and eat not of the poison fruit which leads to eternal death. A moment of temporal pleasure or a lifetime of pure and undefiled joy? The choice is yours, but the clocks drain quickly.

The Adventures of Having Curly Hair

If you have curly hair, know someone with curly or have seen a random stranger with curly hair,
this blog post is for you.
 
The purpose of this post?
For those will curly hair: to empathize with, to share a heart-to-heart and to simply bond with.
For those acquainted with a curly-haired individual: to help you understand your friends better, to give you further detail into methods in which you may assist your friends and to help you to appreciate your hair.
For everybody else who has seen curly hair: to inform you on this topic (since you obviously need further information about it), to provide an anthropological analysis on the curly-haired population and simply to entertain you (cause who doesn't find other people's problems funny?)

If you reside within the first category of individuals reading this post, you may be asking yourself "Am I the only one who has such interesting experiences due to my untamed hair?"
I am here to tell you: no. No you are not.
If you find yourself in the latter two categories, maybe you're asking yourself, "What is it like to experience such craziness?"
I am here to further develop your understanding and to culturally enrich your senses.

Now, let's dive into our fine specimen of a topic.

It is a known fact, that curly hair contains some sort of magnetic component which forces food and drink to leap onto the hair, tangling itself within the web of curls. The case usually grows with the growing of the hair- the longer the hair, the more magnetic the bond between the hair and the food.
Example: Eating bread usually results in a mass amount of crumbs residing within the hair. Eating soup usually results in drippings of liquid on the tips of the hair. Eating bananas usually results in bananas just hanging out in the hair.
To the curly-haired individual: When eating, please tie your hair up. It will prevent any magnetic forces from publicly humiliating you, conquering your ego or simply just dirtying your hair.
To the friend: If your curly-haired friend has forgotten some sort of hair-tying contraption, please resort to holding your friend's swirly locks back for them as they attempt to eat their meal. Otherwise, simply keep an eye on them as they dig into their nutritious (I should hope) dish.
To the random by-stander: Have a video camera ready (this may apply for the friend as well).

Only a rainy day, the adventures dramatically increase. It is common knowledge that rain holds a life-long grudge against curly hair. If it rains, curly hair will pay. How? The beautiful term "frizz" comes to mind. Why? Because rain can. Rain thinks to itself, "This girl has curly hair.. how about we multiply her curls into millions of little, unattractive curls that make her look like a lioness on the prowl? What a brilliant idea, self!"
To the curly-haired individual: I am sorry. The only advice I can think to bestow upon you is LOTS of gel. Or mousse. And just don't waste your time straightening your hair. Umbrellas do nothing. Hoods can work if squeezed tightly around head, creating the whole "hoodlum effect."
To the friend: Be kind to your friend and don't laugh at them in a public place. We realize our hair is uncontrollably large and extra curly and do not need to be informed. Also, if you have a hat on hand or some sort of... disguise (for your friend), you know what to do.
To the random by-stander: Be gracious and don't judge. It's not just a bad hair day- it's a rain day. Nothing could be done, and your understanding would be greatly appreciated.

The curly-haired individual does not manage their hair; the curly-haired individual is managed BY their hair. Everyday is different. Some days the hair decides that it will appease its owner and look presentable, while other days result in tears and frustration.. and eventually a pony-tail. People wonder why women are moody.. well, when your hair is bipolar, that tends to influence a woman. The hair has a mind of its own. It curls. It waves. It flattens. It poofs. It frizzes. It flips awkwardly. It falls nicely. It just falls. It plops. It gets stuck on facial features (noses, ears, eyebrows, lips.. etc).
Curly hair does what it wants and it won't be told otherwise.

I'm sure there's more to be said about curly hair... but I'm tired, so this is ending.
Goodnight, curly-haired and straight-haired folks alike! Let us all live peaceably with our differences!

Summertime Moments

There's something about summertime that allows for the most perfect moments. I feel as though within the past few days I have gotten to take part in some ideal activities, whether with people or alone. I have learned more and more that some of the most "romantic moments" happen with just friends or while I'm on my own. Hey, you people in relationships aren't the only ones who get to have cute experiences..

1. Picnic lunch by the pond
The other day I took my little cousin to the park for the day. We packed sack lunches, drove with the windows down and the music up and prepped for our little "date." There's a baby-sized pond at the park, and in that baby-sized pond lives baby-sized ducks (maybe they're actually babies.. I'm not sure these days). So, we snagged our lunches, found a grassy patch and soaked up the sun while we watched the precious ducklings get attacked by cheerios (compliments of the little boys who "just wanted to feed the duckies"). I don't know about you, but it was one awesome moment.

2. Literature at dusk

I still haven't finished Wuthering Heights- go figure- but I am only four chapters away from finishing! The other day, in hopes that I would finally find out what happened (everyone keeps dying in the book and I'm not sure where this story can possibly go...), I decided to spend sometime reading. It was nice outside (I had just gotten back from the park with my cousin) and my dad was painting the deck, so I figured it would be a waste to sit inside. Well, since the deck was wet and in the works, I decided my backyard would work nicely. The sun was going down and I had to keep moving every few minutes to be in a sunny spot, but it was the most lovely experience ever. Dusk has a certain smell and feeling. It's hard to describe in words, but if you're a human being with an imagination, I'm sure you have some idea about what I'm talking about. There's just something fantastic about reading beautiful literature at dusk while lying in the grass... until your mom yells, "You're going to get ticks!" This is true.

3. Painting in the sunlight

Today I had the urge to paint. Don't ask me why considering I'm by no means an artist. However, it was perfect. The family was out on the deck and the sun was warm and friendly. Set backs? I only had three paint colors. As you can expect, that did not stop me- it just gave me an opportunity to splash paint around together in attempt to get other colors. While my pictures were pretty random and sort of ugly due to the maroon, light purple and forest green that invaded every single one of my paintings, it was a lot of fun and very relaxing. My next mission: to buy the primary colors so that I can actually mix and get colors other than mint green, mauve and brown.


So.. those were three of my "moments" this week. Don't ever think that you can't have memorable moments alone- I'm telling you, it's possible, and when they happen, they're all the more beautiful. Go enjoy summer and love life!

Soaking in the Rainy Days

It seems that about 85% of the world despises rainy days. That statistic was not legitimate, but I'm sure you get my gist. However, I am one of the 15% of my made up statistic who loves rainy days. Don't get me wrong, if it's been raining for over four days and there's a monsoon taking place, I begin to get sick of the rain. Other than that.. rain is miraculous.

"So, what can I even do on a rainy day?" you may wonder. Well, it's your lucky day! You now have a blog post in front of you to throw some ideas at you.

1. Rainy days are always the best days for writing...
   Writing blog posts- Like this one! Booya! Tell the world what you think when you have the time to think about it!
   Writing letters- Emails are so overrated. Hand-written letters are so much more personal, they're fun to write and they're even more fun to receive! Why don't people write letters anymore? They're just so fantastic. Not to mention, extremely romantic. Just saying.
   Writing stories- Let your imagination run wild! In stories, you can make up anything and everything, and it's ok, because it's a story. It can be completely fictional and terribly irrational, but that's quite alright!
   Writing memories or thoughts- I tend to absolutely love having journals simply filled with memories, favorite quotes, thoughts, recent lessons I've learned, etc. They're always a great time to read through later on in life.
   I absolutely love rainy days because I have an excuse to sit down and write whatever it is I want to write in whatever form I want to write it!
2. Rainy days are also fantastic for reading.... Whether you're a believer in Jesus Christ or not, the Bible is always a fantastic read. In addition, I'm sure you have a list of "to read" books that you still haven't touched, in which case, rainy days are calling your name! If you do not have a "to read" list, then you better get on that, because you're missing out in life. If you need some ideas, I can assure you that I can successfully supply you with worth-while reads.
3. Crafts! Don't ask me what type of crafts, because I would be the worst person to ask, but that's why people like us have websites like Pinterest and Stumbleupon. So get searching and crafting!
4. Movie marathons or Television show marathons... My current t.v. shows are Once Upon a Time and Parenthood. In general, I just love movies (as long as they're not ridiculously dirty or inappropriate). The film world is absolutely amazing- an art I truly love.
5. That extra cleaning... Come on. We all know we have that one room in our houses we avoid touching, and therefore it is a mess of clutter and hoarding. Or maybe that's just my house. Anyway, this is always a good option. Turn up the jams and get organizing!
6. Or just go run around in it! Really, why waste the rain? If it's a warmer day, go enjoy the free water park! Make a water slide outside, get out your super-soakers, and prep up those water baloons. Get the neighborhood together. Go do it now!
7. Playing your long lost instrument... for those of you who used to play an instrument way back in the day, go dust it off and have a jam session. Playing my piano is one of the most heavenly things to do on a rainy day. If you don't play an instrument, look up a youtube tutorial and learn one! Playing an instrument is one of the most relaxing, rewarding hobbies of all time...
8. Trying out new recipes... you know all of those left over ingredients in your fridge? You can now use them for something! Hooray! Search online what type of recipes you can make out of whatever it is you have stored up and get cooking.
9. Scrapbooking... remember all of those pictures you printed that you always said you'd make something cool out of but never did? Well, snag some paper, any design and any color, and start pasting. Three-hole-punch them, stick them in a binder and viola. Scrapbook.

..I'm sure more ideas will come to me later, and when they do, you can be assured that I will tack them on this list. If you have more ideas, feel free to throw them out to the rest of us!

Rain allows us to sit, contemplate and just inhale life for all it's worth. Something about the rain is so mesmerizing, forcing me to retreat into a world of my own. It's so eery and surreal.

Don't waste rainy days.. soak them in. Literally, figuratively.. however you want to do it.

Creative Juice Drought

I have been having the most difficult time writing in this blog lately. Somehow the time between home and school creates an awkward limbo land filled with newness, adjustment and lack of creativity. I believe the lack of creativity stems from my intense focus on these new adjustments. Therefore, my creativity has currently been suffocated.

What does one even write about when their creative juices are dried up? I guess one just reads a lot, hoping the large mass of vocabulary will seep into her brain, infiltrating her thoughts into colorful descriptions and concepts. Unfortunately, when one is a college student who must solely read textbooks involving dryly presented material, one's mind is still stifled. And by "one," I mean me (and probably other students). It's amazing how education can either smother one's sense of adventure or greatly enhance it.

This genuinely is all nonsense, yet somehow I believe there to be some underlying meaning that I cannot quite figure out. I am truly sorry for this rant, but I've been told that when you just write, thoughts will come out. Well, thoughts have certainly come out, but that definitely does not mean they're logical. Or maybe they are. I'm going to stop now before I pop a brain cell.

Second semester of sophomore year- here I come.