The Day Facebook Saved My Life...

So I took a trip for Thanksgiving to Arizona, where my grandpa lives. My family drove down and I was to meet them at the airport after finishing classes for the week. I have flown there several times before and had no worries...until I found my phone would not make any calls or send any texts at my connecting flight in Dallas. My phone turned on with chiming music and bright lights. It provided 3G coverage and sent me emails instantly but when it came to the one function it was designed for, actual phone calls, it was useless.

 I was filled with sheer panic. My flight was on time and I had just had dinner. I had plenty of money and I wasn't lost. Everything was going smoothly. But you would have thought I had been sent to Timbuktu instead of Dallas. I wanted to cry.

I sat down in my two hour layaway and thought over exactly what I am writing now.  I was being ridiculous. Twenty years ago, I would have gone the whole flight without a phone. I would have relied on someone to pick me up without confirmation. I would have gone throughout my entire day without talking to anyone that I didn't see face-to-face. I would be absolutely fine. Breathe.

And then my phone dinged. I jumped up and grabbed my phone to find I had received a Facebook message. I sent a message to my mom and all was saved. Thank you Facebook Messenger.

The Problem With Girls

So, many of you have probably stumbled upon Jenna Marbles on Youtube at some time or another. If you haven't and want a laugh, look her up. She is hilarious. (But also a little PG-13) And let's be honest, that's not common for girls. How many girl comedians to you see?

But that isn't what this post is about. It is inspired be Jenna though after I watched a video called "Why Girls Hate Each Other" the other night. Straying away from her normal, goofy posts, she talks about girls and the jealousy they have for one another. And some of the things she said we very true to me.

She mentioned that we were taught from an early age that everything is a competition. The way schools are set up allows for this mentality. Grades are a competition. So are popularity contests like class officers and prom queens. There are magazines to compare "who wore it best" and give titles like "sexiest woman alive."

While I agree, I know from experience that when girls are unhappy, they are more likely to take it out on other girls that are happy. I know I did this. My first year of college, I became very depressed and I can't tell you how many times I took this emotion out on Taylor Swift or campus sorority girls or Twilight stars. I turned jealousy into hate and I didn't even know those girls. I see that same thing in girls all the time. One friend hates another friend just because she has a boyfriend or a girl makes excuses for why someone is successful (they have rich parents or they cheated, etc.).

Now, I know this may not be wholly a female problem, but I definitely see it in girls more often. And I don't think it's something that is going to change. But it's something I need to remind myself of sometimes. Abraham Lincoln once said, "Most people are as happy as they make up their minds to be." It's not other people's fault if I'm unhappy. And it doesn't take beauty or talent or brains to create happiness. It just takes a decision to do what makes you feel happy. And happy girls really are the prettiest girls of all. 

A Few Clarifications...

First of all, I want to thank everyone that continues to read these posts and give feedback. It is really awesome to have a reason to sit down and write every week. Some of the comments I've got for recent blogs, though, I felt needed to be clarified since there were some very good points brought up.

1. My mom responded to a post I wrote about how everyone's past experiences are like a fingerprint that defines you. She asked if that meant good experiences too. Once again, I was caught taking a more depressing point of view and focused on the bad experiences of life. But good ones make us who we are to. To illustrate this, here are a few good things that have helped define me:

-My mom read to me almost every night as a child. This instilled my passion for reading and later writing.
-I was the oldest child. Although I can't say I was a good big sister, I learned to take responsibility and how to lead, which is why I am drawn to leadership positions today.
-I always had pets growing up, so I now feel lost without one.
-I joined one-acts and speech team my freshman year of high school and I learned a lot about myself. I became more outspoken and sure of myself.
-I had so many people in my life believe in me: my parents, teachers, grandparents, and friends. Their love and encouragement makes me want to spread love and encouragement to others. I am eternally grateful.

2. As I said, I had many great teachers and was involved in some great activities in high school. A former teacher commented on an older post about finding beauty in every place. I talked about the physical beauty of my hometown, but she suggested there were other benefits that I would later be grateful for. Another pessimistic moment for me and my blog. Yes, I was able to be involved much more than I would have been in a bigger school. I met some wonderful people and like I said before, my experience in Franklin made me who I am.

3. My motto from my most recent post may have a slight exception. My biggest pet peeve is when a wonderful book is adapted into a movie. I understand that a book can never be fully translated into movie form to include every detail and I'm trying to be more accepting of this. I said I'd try anything twice. Maybe someday I'll try to watch Twilight or the Harry Potter movies or The Hunger Games, but it usually just upsets me because the true characters or emotions that the author worked long and hard to put into just the right words are changed into Hollywood explosions and fight scenes.

That is all for now. I will have my regular weekly blog coming later this week. :)

I'll Try Anything Twice

Thanks to the wonderful world of Pinterest, I have stumbled upon a new life motto: I'll Try Anything Twice.

I must admit that I am a picky person. There are many foods I've eaten, places I've been, or movies I've watched that I really disliked. But I think our experiences are often easily influenced by other things such as who you are with, how you are feeling at the time, or preconceived notions. In other circumstances, you may love something you hated before.

Opinions and tastes can also change over time. I have read books and watched movies that the first time around seemed boring and the second time I found more meaning in. This is probably because I had experienced more or matured a bit and got more out of it the second time.

That is my little thought of the week. Sorry it isn't much but I've have a lot going on in my life right now. There are better blogs to come. Stay tuned. :)