All The "Bad Things" In Life

What do Twilight, teenagers, Taylor Swift, fat, Justin Beiber, and the government have in common?

We hate them all.

Sound like a bold statement? It is. If I'm completely truthful, I don't hate absolutely anything on that list, but when I'm around a group of people, I instinctly pretend to. That's because society has decided that these things are just "terrible" and I, in turn, must comply to agree.

This list is definitely not exhaustive. There are so many things that are "uncool" to like anymore, I try to keep my mouth shut, especially with people I don't know very well. But this is a blog. So I guess I'm gonna say what I want.

For my Women in Pop Culture class (yes it's a real class), we are currently reading the book Twilight to discuss gender roles in literature (particularly adolescent in this case). Today we came in to class to discuss it and I was overwhelmed by the outpouring of sheer hatred. It was as if this book was the cause of everything wrong in the world. Girls said they "would never let their children read it" or "it could have been written by a fourth grader."

The thing is, I remember, in high school, when this book suddenly changed from "wonderful" to "awful." It wasn't until movies started coming out and everyone wanted to be a critic. I spoke up in class and said that I knew kids who started reading because they loved this book. And isn't it good to have them reading something, even if it isn't regarded as "high literature" or "thought-provoking themes"? The backlash was brutal. I was evidently supporting abusive relationships and enabling a unintelligent future generation.

I'm not saying I'm upset by this argument today, although it may sound like it. Truhtfully, I may not have said it as eloquently in class as I wrote on here, because my ideas never come out like I want them to in class discussions. Mostly I was just intrigued by what I want to call the "hipster" phenomenon. The idea that things that become very mainstream often also become extremely hated. I had the examples of Taylor Swift and Justin Beiber above, singers who many of my friends "hate" despite the fact that they buy, or at least listen to, some of their music.

Some of my other examples weren't in this category, but they are still heavily influenced by pop culture and what everyone else is saying. Our government is continually criticized and so it becomes natural for us to only think of its negative aspects. The teenagers or young people of society have been criticized for being a lazy or rebellious or spoiled for generations. Recently I have seen that my own generation have decided to continue with this tradition of negative attitude for the generations below us. Fat is something instantly terrible and we are buying "low-fat" or "low-carb" products now more than ever, because that's the thing to do. We are all aiming toward the ideal body image, always hating what we have.

I know I just covered a lot of topics but I just wanted to write out this idea of hatred without much basis or support. Maybe we don't really "hate" everything that we think we do. I, at least, don't want to. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Hate is too great a burden to bear."

An Introduction

First of all, as a blog writer, I enjoy browsing through other blogs sometimes. Last week, I found this one that I linked below. It reminded me a lot of my 21st birthday post about goals for the year, only she has four years on me. I really enjoyed the post and thought I'd share.

25 Things I Want Myself to Know at 25

Secondly, for one my classes this semester, I have essentially a group of high school "pen pals" that we are going to help with their writing. To introduce ourselves to these students, we were assigned to write a a poem titled "I am from..." This is what I came up with.

I am from a backyard theatre.

“The Terrible ‘Black Lab’ Wolf”,

“The Search for Thumbelina,

Or sometimes the Mighty Power Rangers

When my younger siblings win.

From sticky Deep Woods bug spray

And muddy feet stomping through the crick.

Mulberry nail polish

And salad made of leaves and very pre-ripe apples.

I am from a mother watching black and white movies

In the middle of the night.

Forgetting she’s an artist until she builds

A bridge for Josh’s science project or

Draws a scene for my play.

From crimped hair every morning,

French toast sticks with honey.

A hug when it’s needed most and

“It will all be better in the morning.”

I am from a gym with the same thirty kids are playing

“Boys Chase Girls” and then walking to Pomp and Circumstance

On graduation day.

A gym where I am cheering on the sidelines and

Making a debut in the play “Orphan Train.”

From my perch in the lifeguard chair,

Twirling my whistle round and round.

And cruising down Main Street

Or getting lost on an unmarked country road.

I am from a father who reclining each evening with

One hand on our dog Ginger and the other on the television remote

Flipping between shows like American Pickers or boxing

While he’s really thinking about work or an upcoming golf tournament.

From rides in the bulldozer on snow days

And bags full of deer jerky after hunting season.

From a constant state of home renovation and

A yearly winter vacation.

Now I am from North 16^th Street in Lincoln

Doing homework in a room with friends

And an inflatable palm tree.

Awaiting the next Husker football game.

From the College of Education and

The Class of 2015.

Ramen noodles and strawberry poptars.

Finishing papers at 3 am.

Now I am calling home after class,

Sharing tales of our days.

“I’m so happy for you.”

Or “It’s going to be okay.”

Some things never change.

Teachability

One of my first assignments for the school year (yes I started another year of college, yay!) was to go through a leadership inventory and pick the characteristics that most fit us. I have done this kind of thing before, ranking things like responsibility and respect and organization, but this one had some very interesting leadership characteristics. One that particularly caught my attention was one that my professor listed as "teachability." It was described as the ability to learn and grow, listening to others and considering other possibilities. I'm paraphrasing a little, but you get the gist.

I think that this is a very important characteristic that a lot of people under-appreciate or grow out of. Even I feel like an expert on something and feel almost threatened if someone challenges the way I think about something. But it is so good for me. It can be really simple things. Sometimes I'll rant to my roommate about something or someone and she'll challenge me by asking me to think of it from another perspective. If I do, I usually feel a lot better about the situation. Sometimes it feels even better to learn something new or think differently about something than to be "right." Although I am always looking to be right haha.

I also read a book recently called In the Time of Butterflies by Julia Alvarez that talked about dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. It mentioned Fidel Castro a few times in the book and it had a completely different perspective on him than I had got from history books in high school, as a revolutionary that inspired others instead of a communist dictator. It prodded me to look more in depth into this historical figure in order to form my own opinions. This learning moment was really cool for me.

So I guess that's just my own food for thought of the day. I hope by jotting this down that maybe I'll look back someday and my future self will read this: Don't ever let yourself get to the point where you aren't still learning or listening. Always consider other possibilities. Your way isn't always the right way, even if you really want it to be. If you're unsure, explore. 

Hope everyone else that is starting a school year is having a great start. Thanks to all my readers. Maybe I'll have something more exciting to write about next week :)

Saying Goodbye

I remember once as a kid, my parents dropped me off with my aunt and uncle in Columbus to spend a week in the summer. Being away from my immediate family for the first time, I was intensely afraid. I didn't want to let my parents go and couldn't even sleep the first night. But then when they picked me, I cried on the way home because I already missed my aunt, uncle, and cousins so much.

The funny thing is, as a 21 year old, I still feel this same anxiety whenever I leave a place. I have been waiting all summer to get back to Lincoln to be with my friends again and then, yesterday, when I got in the car to leave I wanted to cry just like I did leaving Columbus all those years ago. I already missed my family so much.

We can't always be with everyone we love. Everyone has their own paths and they aren't the same paths as all of our loved ones. Moments like these, though, help me to remember to appreciate all the moments when our paths do cross. It's common to hear "don't live in the past", but you can't always be looking to the future either. Appreciate the present and the people in it, because before you know it, you might have to say goodbye.

My Reading List

So, I don't really have anything I wanted to talk about this week, but something I am asked quite a bit, since I read so much, is what books I would recommend. I think this is a much more difficult question than it seems 1. because every has different preferences and taste and 2. because some things that I loved two years ago might not appeal to me anymore; different books are better for different ages and places in life.

But, I am still gonna give you a list of some of my all-time favorites. Anyone can always read descriptions online to decide if it sounds like a good fit for them.  Also, I am always open for suggestions for new books. Please tell me if you just read something awesome. I want to know :)

-City of Thieves-David Benioff
-The Darkest Minds-Alexandra Bracken
-And the Mountains Echoed-Khaled Hosseini
-Lock and Key-Sarah Dessen
-Flight Behavior-Barbara Kingsolver
-The Fault in Our Stars-John Green
-The Time Traveler's Wife-Audrey Niffenegger
-The Truth About Forever-Sarah Dessen
-The Poisonwood Bible-Barbara Kingsolver
-Eragon-Christopher Paolini
-The Silver Linings Playbook-Matthew Quick
-Anna and the French Kiss-Stephanie Perkins
-Shanghai Girls-Lisa See
-Where the Red Fern Grows-Wilson Rawls
-The Art of Racing in the Rain-Garth Stein
-The Help-Kathryn Stockett
-The Glass Castle-Jeanette Walls
-I Am the Messenger-Markus Zusak

My Favorite Things

So today I happened to hear the song My Favorite Things from The Sound of Music. "Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens..." And the thing I love most about that song is her "favorite things" are all small things that you might happen by on a random day. So I decided to make a list of all the random little things that have brightened my day this summer.

-Fireflies
-My cat purring
-The sound of laughter from someone who was just crying
-An unexpected hug
-A day when my hair is particularly soft
-The feeling of pressing a pen against a fresh sheet of paper
-Silence after it rains
-Sand beneath my toes
-Cleaning a room and feeling accomplished
-Singing along to the radio
-Finding an old bookmark in a library book
-The center of a cinnamon roll

So I hope you find something in your day as simple as these things that makes you smile. After all, "a smile is a curve that makes everything straight."

Trapped

So this morning I woke up to the most awful noise. Something between a cry and a choking noise. Then the cry built up into a wail. Once I realized the noise was coming from outside my dream of aliens born in thunderstorms (don't ask), I opened my eyes.

Instinctively, I knew it was my dog Ginny. She probably just saw a rabbit. My window was open and I walked over and barked out her name. The sound stopped and I sat back down on my bed. High pitched squealing followed. How could a dog that small be so damn loud?

So, I reluctantly, even though it was after 10 am, made my way downstairs and out to the dog pen. My other dog Chelsea was sleeping near the gate. I thought it was lucky she was deaf so she didn't have to be battered with this arsenal of noises.

"Ginny! Ginny!" I began to yell. I checked the doghouse. Not a glimpse of white fur. And then a small moan. I am the most terrible pet owner on the planet. My dog is hurt. Where is she? I begin to panic, running all around the yard. And now, of all times, she has chosen the time to be completely silent. I think I hear a moan again from one yard over and run around the house to check it out. Nothing.

I then hear voices from the other side of the house. I begin to run around again when I look down at my muddy bare feet. I realize I am currently staggering around in the mud with major bedhead, talking to myself, and wearing only a baggy t-shirt and underwear. I have become the character from every scary movie that I yell at my screen to stay away from.

I dart in the door to the house and throw on some pajama pants. I think maybe I should call someone and grab my cell phone, only to drop it right behind the couch where, I know from experience, it will take a team from Ocean's Eleven to get out. I take a deep breath and walk outside again.

After a few laps around the back yard, I finally see a tiny bit of white fur from under the deck. Her nose is covered in thick mud and her chocolate eyes are pleading with me for imminent rescue. She has dug a hole under the deck and trapped herself in. I run over and immediately start digging. My hands turn brown and I speckle my dog with the same color.

After several minutes to no avail, my dog turns her head and nudges a big stone next to our hand/paw dug hole. I stop digging and realize a Jack Russell Terrier has just outsmarted me. I pull out the stone and, alas, there is a gap big enough for her to slip through. Once she is out she starts running around the yard, shaking mud off everywhere she goes.

She then comes over to me and those same brown eyes that showed sheer panic moments earlier look up at me like I'm an angel. She follows at my heels as I head back into the house. I think the whole ordeal wore her out.