The Sweet Moments

As a rough patch smooths out in most relationships, you get to see the sweet moments again. That’s my favorite part about having someone you love, romantically or plantonically. After spending a few days being angry about silly things that no one will remember in a year, your stomach unwinds from being knotted and your vision clears.

That’s when you see the good stuff; the stuff that makes the not-so-good stuff not matter. Sometimes it’s the glasses of water brought to you when you’re nauseous. Right now, for me, it’s the way he glances over his shoulder as I sit up to make sure I’m okay and not going to be sick. It’s nice to not have to worry about if you’re being cared for when you’re not at your best.

This is true with friendships as well. While it is not such a gut-tying instinctual connection to someone else, the sweet moments are so intense that they fill your heart. For me, I love the spontaneous hugs that last a while for no reason other than you want to. It’s the best form of pure love that exists, in my opinion. Your friends provide more sweet moments than you know what to do with sometimes.

Family is a league of its own and a book could be (and most likely has been) dedicated to listing the ways they provide sweet moments.

I look forward to the next one I experience and I hope you do, too.

Things That Bother Me

As I've gotten older, I've gained a lot of positive perspectives. However, I don't think I'll ever be completely void of negative opinions. Here's the thing, y'all. Some things just straight up bother me and this blog has always been the place where I've enjoyed ranting. So let's get right into it:

JERKS WHO DON'T THINK THEY'RE BEING JERKS
Ugh, these people are the worst. Sometimes it's even someone you really like and you hate to hate them for being a jerk. For example, I enjoy someone very much, but they poo-pooed everything about my favorite holiday and had such an uppity attitude about it. Here's what I wanted to say: "If you want to be miserable, go be miserable somewhere else. Don't make me turn off my favorite movie because you don't like the holiday."

SLURPING
This is really common. I feel like every single person on the planet at some point has glared holes into the face of a slurper. Sometimes it's tolerable. If it's a one time occasion, I can let it slide. But if every sip of your coffee is a five second long slurp, I've probably imagined smashing your mug against the wall.

PUPPIES
Oh my goodness, I can hear the hate mail being written. But I’m sorry, I prefer fully trained dogs that don’t pee and poo everywhere and cry all night. Really, I just prefer cats...

PEOPLE WHO CONSTANTLY MAKE BAD DECISIONS
I am forgiving and loyal almost to a fault when it comes to people I love. But I’ve had to walk away from people in my life because I just couldn’t get on board with their stupidity. If you know you’re making a dangerous life choice, I’m out. And I RARELY walk away from anyone.

I know this wasn’t a cheerful blog, but hey, a girl’s got to vent. You know?

23 Pieces of Life Advice from a 23-Year-Old

I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I like to share my thoughts. A teenager might think I’ve got it all figured out, and a 50-year-old might think I know nothing. However, I’ve got some things to say and you may or may not find wisdom in these things. 

1. People’s opinions only matter if you value it.
2. Sometimes you need to just do nothing all day to reset your brain.
3. Compliments go a long way even simple ones.
4. Being shy is a waste of time.
5. Sometimes letting someone have their way in an argument is the best move.
6. Patience pays off especially when making big purchases.
7. You like what you like and you shouldn't feel bad about it if other people think it's weird.
8. The definition of family can be redefined.
9. Some grief doesn't go away. It's just carried.  
10. Hiding something about your own life for the sake of other people’s reputation is hard to deal with.
11. Things tend to work out the way they're supposed to.
12. Finding a relaxing hobby can help you cope with just about anything.
13. There is wisdom in Harry Potter that reveals itself to you as you get older.
14. Cleaning and organizing your living space may be just what you need when you're feeling anxious.
15. Being afraid to go see the doctor (of any kind) for fear of embarrassment is a waste of precious time.
16. Going to therapy does not mean you are crazy and it can really help you change your life.
17. As a young person, you get to learn how to identify people who mistreat you so as an adult, you know when to walk away from them.
18. Taking care of your appearance isn't vain at all, it's a great way to boost your mood.
19. All things in life need a good edit with peer review. Taking a step back and having someone else tell you what's missing can be very beneficial but remember that in the end, you get the final say.
20. Struggling is temporary.
21. Not everyone has to agree with you.
22. Don’t overburden yourself because you’re afraid to tell someone no.
23. Love your life and don’t overthink.

Halloween Hangover

I absolutely love Halloween and everything that comes with it. Maybe it's because I really do think that the door to the other side is open wide. But I know that for people like me who have been binge watching horror and gearing up to celebrate, it's a bummer when Halloween comes to an end. Therefore, I've decided to keep the freak show going.

Have you heard yourself say, "I wish everyday was Halloween," ever? Me too. Guess what. You can make it feel like Halloween by expanding your Pinterest board and getting excited for next year (trust, you'll never run out of exciting things to look at).

Maybe you love Halloween but also love the upcoming holidays: Thanksgiving and Christmas. I got you covered. There's no reason why you can't make a spooky Halloween dish for Thanksgiving (I'm pushing forward with Halloween drinks for Friendsgiving). As for Christmas, I believe there is a movie perfectly suited for both occasions (The Nightmare Before Christmas, duh).

Let's break this down a little bit for those with specific Halloween needs. The way I see it, there are a few categories of Halloween celebrators: the fun-loving kid-friendly, the spooky/gory/scary, and the spirituals.

If you love Halloween for the adorable costumes and cute cartoon movies, go pick yourself up a few Halloween cookie cutters (they're probably on super sale right now). You can make your lunch for school/work little bat shaped pb&j, pumpkin shaped cheese and crackers, etc. It's a fun way to keep the holiday going just for you.

https://peasandcrayons.com/2015/10/spooky-snacks-and-healthy-halloween-treats.html

For my fellow horror fans, you don't need to wait until next year to have a Halloween movie marathon. There are like four million Halloween movies now (slightly exaggerated) so you shouldn't run out of material to watch quiet yet. If you pace yourself, however, and watch one or two of them every weekend, it'll take you right up to Christmas! I mean, how perfect is that? 

http://bloody-disgusting.com/editorials/3366662/a-complete-ranking-of-all-10-halloween-movie-posters/7/

Lastly, the spirituals. The ones who see this time of year as a celebration of life and death. The ones who ponder about how curious it is that all these different cultures have similar kinds of holidays within days of each other. You, my friends, are the best Halloween people. You probably have been in the spirit (and possibly communicating with spirits) all year round. For you, I'll say one thing. You will find clues of the paranormal everywhere. It's never limited to one night. Beware of bad entities but search high and low. 

http://www.sfxmedina.com/parish/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/All-Souls-Day-Candles.jpg

To all who want to keep Halloween going, do it! Don't let grumps get in the way. 

Stay spooky, my friends. 

Getting Into the Halloween Spirit

It's today! My favorite day of the year! The pumpkin is carved and my costume is made. Now it's time to get into the Halloween spirit. This is the best part. Here's a list of things you should absolutely do today if you want to enjoy Halloween to the fullest:

1. BREAK YOUR DIET - Even if it's just a little bit. Go get hot apple cider, eat a snickers bar or two, have a creepy cupcake; it's so worth it.

2. WATCH A HALLOWEEN MOVIE - Doesn't have to be the Michael Meyers one. Hotel Transylvania is a great option for the faint of heart.

3. ANSWER YOUR DOOR - Especially during your "dinner time". Don't be a curmudgeon. 5pm-7pm is prime time to spot adorable toddlers in the cutest costumes!

4. LISTEN TO SCARY STORIES - I recently found a YouTube channel called "Mr. Nightmare" who tells the most chilling true stories from viewers. (Disclaimer: Probably not best for those who don't love frightening things)

5. VISIT A HAUNTED ATTRACTION - Real or fake, there's no better way to get your heart pumping than to hop on a haunted hay ride or step into an abandoned asylum.

STAY SPOOKY

I Visited An Abandoned Asylum | Paranormal Storytime

Back in 2015 I decided to go to Rochester, NY to visit the Rolling Hills Haunted Asylum. I went there with a super open mind (I've never been a skeptic), a voice recorder, and several ghost hunting apps. There were several instances during that night that, in my eyes, prove the existence of the paranormal. 

The air surrounding the place was so heavy. Clearly this building had not been in use for a very long time. If you needed to film a horror movie, that'd be the place. 

I'll get right into the action, though.

I decided to go up to an old nurse's room and sit there asking questions to see if I could get an EVP (electronic voice phenomenon). Since the building was old, I didn't put much stock into the bumps or creaks. However, when I asked the spirit to show herself, the door gently popped open. I asked if it was her and the door creaked open little by little. I said thank you then immediately proceeded to take off running. Later, on that same floor, in a room where the caretakers stayed, the room started to smell of sulfur (pretty widely agreed that sulfur is the perfume of Satan). I was pretty done with that floor by then.

I took a fair amount of useless voice recordings from that night with one unbelievable exception. It was in a room that was once used as a classroom for the younger patients. The tour guide suggested we give them pop quizzes from an old book on the desk. We didn't listen to the recording until the following day, but when we did, I was thrilled. Mind you, there were other people on the floor we were on. In between questions and the banter of the people I was with, there was obvious sounds of children talking and laughing. It was as if the class was waiting for a teacher to quiet them down. It wasn't subtle at all. Plain and clear, I heard children's voices talking over each other. It was chilling.

It was when we were on the floor where they took their sick patients that I was the most scared I was the entire night (which is saying something considering I laid on their autopsy table). We were joking around about provoking spirits (which is the worst thing you can do) about to make our way back to the lobby area. I said something to the effect that I was not scared of this place. On my left, a door flew open with this huge thud sound. My group screamed and ran, but then I stopped because I wanted to go back and check it out; I totally thought it was someone pranking us. I ran back into the room where the door opened. It was a bathroom with only one exit. The window was firmly shut and no one was in there. It was about then, I couldn't logically explain it away. There was no wind, we had heard a bang, and the door even stuck. It was not easy to open because it had been painted so many times. The timing of it as well is so compelling to me too. It burst open right when we walked by. 

I told my sister about it and she did her thesis on a psych ward in Buffalo, NY. Evidently, bathrooms were where patients experienced a lot of trauma because that was the one place where no one would be monitoring them. 

There were about another dozen things that happened to us that night and perhaps I'll make a part two to this story. I really truly believe in ghosts. I've had too many incidents that I really cannot explain away. That's all for now.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g47621-d4040397-Reviews-Rolling_Hills_Asylum-East_Bethany_New_York.html

Stay spooky, my friends.

100 Things I Like | Three Years Later Edition

In 2014, I made a big long list of 100 things that I like (and love) and upon browsing my old blogs I immediately I was like I have got to do it again! Three years is kind of a long time considering how much has changed. I've lost pets, family, graduated college, dumped boys, and started my career. For this to be true to my 2017 self, I have not read the one I made three years ago. I'm pretty excited to see how I've changed. Click this link to read my post from 3 years ago!

Here I go. 

100 Things I Like:

1) Organizing my room after a long week

2) Making Italian food

3) Cats

4) The color green

5) Yoga

6) Having noticeable muscle on my body

7) Going to bed early (I KNOW this one is new)

8) Otters

9) Salmon dishes

10) Fried pickles

11) Fresh picked bouquets

12) Knowing how to spell a word

13) Night cream

14) Great doctors with excellent bedside manner

15) Writing in my diary

16) Harry Potter

17) Poetry

18) Synchronized Swimming

19) Hiking

20) Jane the Virgin

21) Wonder Woman

22) My family

23) Writing

24) Designing greeting cards

25) Chocolate

26) Pinterest for any and everything

27) Caramel

28) Tequila Sunrise 

29) My panda sleep mask

30) New York City

31) Rain 

32) Thunder

33) Sand 

34) Having pretty journals

35) Books

36) Cooking

37) Throwing things away that I really don't need

38) Youtube videos about conspiracy theories and paranormal things

39) My Harry Potter socks (all 6 pairs)

40) Having a good cry every now and then

41) The day-after-a-workout sore feeling

42) Learning. Usually I enjoy the things I come across on my own

43) Browsing things on Etsy but not buying them

44) Venting! Always makes me feel better

45) Air Conditioning

46) Essential Oils

47) My natural hair color and texture

48) Going out to dinner

49) Thred Up

50) Making Lists

51) Recycling

52) Occasional alone time.

53) Pranks 

54) Being spooked

55) Horror movies (to an extent)

56) Flowery smelling perfumes

57) Pocahontas

58) Moana

59) Comfy clothes

60) Sweater socks (they're life changing)

61) The pop socket on my phone

62) My lion ring

63) Breezy weather in the Fall

64) When karma comes for someone that's been ASKING for it

65) Etsy

66) Millennial Pink

67) When the temperature drastically changes

68) Northern California

69) Central Park in the fall

70) Tapered sweatpants

71) Horror Movies (mostly slasher or paranormal)

72) My brand new college degree!

73) DIY projects

74) The moon

75) Roscato from Olive Garden

76) Soup

77) OJ Simpson documentaries

78) Driving through the Adirondacks

79) Lily of the Valley flowers

80) Ira Wolf 

81) Brooke Waggoner

82) Jokes told by toddlers

83) Being honest

84) Being able to maturely disagree with someone (still learning this)

85) Movie trailers (they're an art form in and of itself)

86) Making my bed

87) Essential oils

88) My trusty old car that is actually older than most high school students

89) Dark clouds

90) Laughing until my abs are sore

91) Not having anything to do after working all day

92) My mini indoor garden

93) The smell of matches

94) Naming pets

95) Wine corks

96) Drying flowers that were given to me with special meaning

97) Going through old pictures

98) Giving gifts

99) Fall Holidays

100) This blog <3

That was fun! 

Weird Things I Think as an Adult

Whilst writing an article a while ago about the weird things I thought as a child, I realized I have some really weird adult thoughts as well. I spent a great deal of time in boring lectures (thank God that ish is over!) wandering through the depths of my weird imagination train. I often wonder about strange things or develop really odd concepts of realities. I even have some odd habits that I don't fully accept as normal behavior.  And like Julia-fashion, I expel all these private thoughts onto the public internet!

1. Sneezing is like nose farts and blowing your nose is like nose puking. It's also a form of pain relief.


2. I will sometimes jog places simply because I get fed up with how DAMN slow walkng is. People in college don't judge you for doing this. They let you live your life- it's great.

3. I was once told that every seven years all cells in your body will have regenerated, so you're actually a different person in a way, yet tattoos defy this logic. Therefore, Illuminati confirmed.

4. When I was younger, my sister told me that the contrails that airplanes leave in the sky are actually asteroids heading towards Earth. I flipped out, of course, and she assured me that she was only joking, but I continue to be wary of them.  I will stare at them for a while to make sure it's not an asteroid (I don't really know what I would do if they really turned out to be an asteroid).

5. When I wake up early in the morning, I am briefly, severely dyslexic. I will try to read texts and they look like jibberish for like five whole minutes. My snooze button looks like "szoollne" to me.

6. I don't believe in calories. I think they're a myth created by food companies so they could start selling lower calorie versions of their foods.

7. I know that my cat fully understands English and we have full-on conversations.

8. I still don't fully comprehend that celebrities have normal moments in their lives. Jennifer Lawrence is somewhere doing normal things like laundry and eating at Wendy's.

9. If it's Wednesday and I'm up past midnight, I won't consider that to be Thursday until I wake up in the morning. Even if I'm up until 3 am. (That applies to all days, not just Wednesday).\

10. I get mad when people throw/kick/move rocks because I think that rocks have their own destiny that they have to live. That rock that made its way to the riverbed wants to stay there. I feel guilty when I skip rocks because of this.

It's good to free your thoughts into the world.





*Texas needs our help. If you can afford to donate, research a foundation you trust and show the victims of Hurricane Harvey that you care.*

Let's Talk About Birth Control

I believe, in my days of writing for my blog, I've never tackled such a taboo topic. Here's why I'm doing it:

a) Birth control for many people is necessary. Whether you're taking it to prevent pregnancy, aid acne, or treat ovarian cysts, it is a part of many women's lives.
b)Talking about birth control is important and it needs to happen more often.

I am no expert. I am no doctor, but I like to think I've got some advice that you'd want to get from a big sister about birth control. So, internet, although no one asked me, I'm going to talk about it anyways.

I have only ever used two methods of birth control; the pill and the IUD. I suppose there are about a hundred blog posts about the pill so let's talk IUD (intrauterine device). If it sounds scary to you, it's because it kind of is. Most IUDs are T-shaped pieces of plastic-like material that releases hormones and can last years without you having to do anything. That part doesn't sound so bad; a birth control method that you can have and essentially forget about? (Sounds breezy, but that's not quite all...)
IUDs are not zero-maintenance. If you choose this method, you have to do some preparing. Here are the questions I suggest you ask yourself before choosing an IUD.

1) Does my insurance cover the device? It's a costly little thing so call your insurance company and see what they cover. Also consider the appointment costs for the placement procedure.

2) Can I handle the pain? It hurts getting an IUD placed. It's not the worst pain I've ever felt but it is certainly not a cake walk. I've tried to think of a polite way to say this but there isn't. It feels like getting stabbed in your baby maker (but only for a second).

3) Will I feel okay with this device in my body? It can freak some people out to know that there's a foreign object in their uterus, a place that's meant to hold only natural things. If you know you won't care, more power to you!

4) Do I know the risks? They're real. They happen. Please read the pamphlet your doctor gives you front to back.

5) Am I comfortable with my body? If you refuse to use o.b. tampons (ones without a plastic/cardboard insert) because you're uncomfortable with your anatomy, either this isn't for you or you'll have to choose to get comfortable. Every month you have to check your cervix to assure your IUD is in place. It is very important (giving you a stern look right now). It's the only way you can be sure it's still where it needs to be.

6) Who will take me to my appointment to get my IUD? While you won't be under anesthesia for this procedure, you will be in some pain and will want to lay low afterwards. I'm truly glad I had a ride home (I almost vomited. It's cool, totally normal).

We are all really lucky to have so many options for birth control in our lifetime. It's absolutely normal to try a few options out until you land on what works for you. It could take a day, it could take a decade. But what matters is that we take care of ourselves.













Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. Please consult with yours before making your choice. I'm just here to give some honest anecdotes that may or may not help you relate a little bit to the ever-frustrating experience that is womanhood.

I'd Like to Thank...

Having just finished my last class of my undergraduate college career, there are several things I'd like to thank. Not people, but things. Here they are:

I'd like to thank...

1. My phone for allowing me to text people in a frantic tizzy for four years straight without judging me.
2. Spark Notes for letting me pass certain classes without having to buy a book.
3. Riesling for being so very delicious. 
4. The Financial Aid Office for ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Seriously, they're the worst.
5. The Hunger Games trilogy for giving me the inspiration I needed for the cornucopia that is Registration Day.  
6. All the many planner journals that I swore I would stick by (but I still waited until 24 hours before the due date to start). 
7. My most useful tool, confidence, that was my saving grace when I had to give a presentation to my class about a Shakespeare play I never read.
8. Slow college WiFi for making every class presentation the most uncomfortably awkward experience. 
9. Advil.
10. The "block" button on all forms of social media.
11. The umbrella that sat in my car on days where I was certain it wasn't going to rain that hard but I looked outside to see waterfalls falling from the sky. 
12. Synchronized Swimming because it makes me happy.
13. My car radio for providing a backtrack to my daily concerts to and from classes.
14. Etsy for satisfying my impulsive purchase needs.
15. Paper, for printing my degree ;)

It feels weird to be done.

Thoughts About Young Love

Well hello there, internet land. It's been a while since I've sat down with my computer and opened up my brain for those who take the time out of their lives to read this (to my own surprise, there are people who actually want me to do this).

Now that I am out of high school and am making my way out of college, I feel pretty confident that I know how it is to have young love. I am extremely aware that the way people experience love, or anything really, is different for everyone. Yet I am going to voice my thoughts, heartfelt opinions, and advice regardless. 

WARNING: THIS IS A NYQUIL FUELED RANT.

I'm going to start with everyone's favorite part about love; the falling. This, for us youngin's, is when everything else in the world literally stops mattering. You've got a test in the morning for Chemistry? Who cares. He just texted you two smiley faces and now you're going to stay up all night thinking about it. This is the part of the relationship where that annoying thing he does doesn't really bother you... yet. My grown-up (ish) advice about being in this stage is as follows:

1. Pay attention to his behavior. You might think that you can ignore the fact that he corrects you any grammar mistakes you make, or when he gets grumpy if another boy texts you. You might think maybe he will grow out of these habits that annoy you. I assure you that is 95% not going to happen. What you see is what you get in a person and living with their flaws is essential. If you can't handle them one month in, it's going to drive you insane in a year.

2. Watch for warning signs. In my life, there has been one boy who I knew in the deepest part of my core was all bad news. If I had listened to my instincts and decided against dating this boy, my life would be drastically different. That is a cold, hard fact (disclaimer: I'm totally chill with how my life has turned out so far, I simply think this person is a genuinely horrible person). The point being is when he asked me to be his girlfriend, there was a tiny voice in the back of my head screaming, "Dear, God don't do it". That's your conscience, ladies and gents. It's always right.

I'm going to move on to the stage right after the honeymoon phase. This is when sh*t starts to get real. This is the part of dating someone monogamously that can suck if you're both still kids (aka my parents were right when they told me I shouldn't date until I was 21). I am going to speak very freely of a person I was with not in hopes to offend them but for an educational purpose. 
I was essentially in an abusive relationship for a little while. Not physically or emotionally, really, but psychologically. No specific details but I felt like I couldn't leave them. It felt immoral to do so. This person, over the course of some time, convinced me that my best friend of over a decade wasn't someone I should be associated with. I made some really poor life decisions to satisfy this person's wants. It took me a long time to come to my senses and realize I needed to take care of myself and cut ties. 
If you ever feel like someone has control over your life in any way, get the hell away from that person. A good relationship will never make you feel like that. It is always a choice and never an obligation to please someone else and if you feel like it's the foundation of that person's feelings towards you, then that is not the person you're supposed to be with. To be perfectly honest, after walking away from that toxicity in my life I became a better person. 

Relationships are never supposed to define you as a person. That's something I didn't understand until recently. People had said it to me but never in terms that I related to. Love is not about finding yourself within another person. It's about enriching your life because they're in it. A very special person in my life made me realize that.

For those who read this that are young and confused about love or romance, take solace in knowing that you are an incredible person who needs to grow as an individual. It's totally unrealistic to tell young adults not to date until they're fully formed people. I think you should date. Just be wary and put yourself first. It is not selfish to break someone else's heart for the sake of protecting your own. That is my biggest piece of love advice.  

Real Talk | Flaws and Imperfections

When I was thirteen years old, I was under the impression that the girls I saw on Disney Channel were all the pinnacle of beauty. They always had perfect hair, glowing skin, and teeny waists. I, like so any other little girls, wanted so desparately to look like them. I bought clothes that they wore, I would try to talk like them, and I wondered why I never really looked as pretty as them.  I had no idea they sat in hair and makeup for hours when they posed for magazines. I thought that their hair just grew better than mine and that they never got pimples.  I was crushed when I started to get red, angry looking zits because to me that meant I was ugly. I hated looking at myself and not seeing a flat, thin stomach. I was convinced that weighing anything over 115 was overweight because the internet cites never listed any of those girls heavier than 110 lbs.
At the time I was extremely active in swimming.  I was healthy and thriving as any normal human being should be, but still I would go home and do sit ups praying that the little bit of cushion over my middrift would disappear. When I got a pimple, I would walk around trying to keep something infront of it so no one would notice it.
It took me a long time and a lot of soul searching to realize that if I lost that tiny bit of belly fat, I wouldn't menstruate like normal and that literally everyone gets pimples. Then I found out that those girls on Disney Channel were all miserable and some anorexic.  I started seeing women like America Ferrara talk about curves and loving your whole body for what it is and somehow along the lines, I really began to believe I was beautiful the way I was.
Are there still days when I step on a scale and wince at 138 lbs flashing at me? Yes, of course. It is a healing processes that I don't think enough girls get a chance to do and unfortunately I don't think that the biggest perpatrators are done.  Just recently I had a Disney TV show on and I found myself looking at the girls and feeling those same insecure and self conscious feelings about my body. The shows still make the larger girl characters weird and awkward with unflattering personalities. And it's sad that they still haven't gotten the message. It's sad that there is so much emphasis put on looking good.
You rarely hear people ask you how you feel about how you look. I wish that every person had the opportunity to say they love how it feels to look in the mirror and see themselves. Their unadulterated face and their well respected bodies that look the way that they do and that it's okay that it is different than that girl from Seventeen Magazine. There is something to be said about those lazy days on the couch wearing sweatpants, with a face full of acne and a frizzy ball of hair.  If on those days, you can look yourself in the front-facing camera of your iphone and feel good, you're doing something right.

We Should All Be Like Joey Tribbiani

If you're unfamiliar with the most spectacular television show, Friends, then you're most likely not a friend of mine (haha, get it?). Whilst debating which character I like the best, I realized how awesome Joey is and I feel that it is essential to honor all the reasons why we all should strive to be more like Joey Tribbiani. Here they are:


Joey does not sweat a damn thing. He is the least stressed and the most unapologetic. Remember the time he ate his date's cake? Inspired.

giphy.com 


He uses his wishbone wish for Chandler to get an advertising job instead of winning the lottery. Who else would be that selfless?

www.quora.com


He has the best facial expressions. THOSE EYES!

giphy.com 


He'll eat just about anything. Ex: eating cheesecake off the hallway floor, eating the entire contents of his fridge because it broke, and ordering the "Joey special" (two large pizzas).

giphy.com 


He officiates both of the (legit) weddings his friends have and adds his perfect Joey charisma.

www.pinterest.com

meghanmblogs.wordpress.com


He kept Chandler and Monica's secret from all of his friends and took some major heat to cover up their tracks.

iamserendipity.tumblr.com

www.pinterest.com


When he develops an all consuming love for Rachel, he doesn't go after her out of respect for Ross.

rebloggy.com


He is a great brother. He has seven sisters that he loves and takes care of in a good, Italian, protective way. 

friends.wikia.com


Last but not least, he has one of the most memorable one-liners in the history of television.

gifrific.com

Here's to you, Joe. You're a true gem. 
Thank you Matt Le Blanc for your talents.

Weird Things I Thought as a Kid

As a young child, and even my twenty-year-old self, I have come up with these strange ideas, thoughts, and theories that I hope by sharing with the internet world will make your day a little brighter. Feel free to laugh at my ignorance and odd brain wave

I thought that getting a broken bone was like the coolest thing you could do in elementary school. All my friends at one point broke a finger, leg, or arm and I was so jealous because despite my falls and stumbles, I never managed to actually break anything. Any time I would remotely hurt myself, I would demand to go get X-rays, and then be moderately disappointed that I wouldn’t be picking out a color for a cast.

When I was watching Titanic for the first time and the ship had done its sinking, I thought the floating bodies in the ocean were actors who agreed to be killed for the film’s authenticity. I was horrified that someone would be so dedicated to their craft to die to be an extra. That kind of messed me up for all other movies with characters that died, because no one really explained that they were pretending to be dead and if you looked closely, you’d see them breathing (Emmy Rossum in Mystic River is a good example of that).

It was only until like last week that I unveiled the mystery of ceilings. I have been baffled by ceilings my whole life and I was always kind of unwilling to ask people how they were actually built. Finally I confessed to my mother that ceilings freaked me out and I felt like they defied gravity. I was pretty sure the only way a ceiling stayed up was witchcraft, or like you placed a giant piece of ceiling over a house and just trimmed the edges until it fit the house. My mom then explained to me that I was a loon and then told me how they were actually made.

Being a grown up who drives herself around, I realize that as a kid I had zero concept of distance. I used to think that the church parking lot that I rode my bike around was in a foreign town and was so far away from my house. It's around the corner. I also thought that I could drive to California just as easily as I could get to school.

I'm pretty sure that everyone at one point thought something similar to this, but I had no idea that my parents were kids at one time. I thought they had always been older, waiting for me to be born. I probably also thought that I was going to stay little all the time.

The very first Easter that I had my kitten, I was scared that the Easter bunny was going to steal her in the middle of the night because he didn't like cats.

I was told by my mom that when I was sixteen years old I would get powers and I totally believed her. I went to school and told all of my friends that I was going to be a witch when I was older and they thought I was crazy and told my teacher that I was scaring them. My teacher had to sit me down and explain that I wasn't a witch and I needed to stop telling my friends that I would curse them if they didn't stop making fun of me.

Unfortunately, I never did turn into a witch, I now know how to build a ceiling, and I still have never worn a cast. Here's to going twenty years thinking ceilings were magic. 

Awesome Things About Winter

Blizzards are upon us and it seems like the worst thing ever. It definitely can be, but there are things about winter that if you try hard enough, can make up for the air hurting your face.

This is the only season that will get you out of unwanted plans. You don't want to go to a meeting? Those fat snowflakes are your best excuse. You woke up for class really late? Subzero temperatures wouldn't let your car start. These excuses are exclusively for winter. Embrace it.

Hot baths are actually enjoyable. Trying to take a bath in the summer is a form of punishment. Bathing in winter is like having a little bit of the sun to keep you warm and happy.

Snow angels are still fun. If just for a second, bundle yourself up and go run outside to make a snow angel. While your laying there, you melt that little part of the lawn so really you're only helping winter end faster.

Watching snow is one of the prettiest things. (Except when you're driving down the highway) Just sitting and staring at the snow fall is beyond peaceful. If it's past sunset, step outside as the snow falls when it's quite outside and just experience nature at its finest. It's like living in a poem.

No one can tell you if put on winter weight. You spend the whole season bundled in layers, no one has to know that you eat an alarming amount of food whilst binge-watching Netflix. Enjoy those cookies and hot cocoa, no one will judge.

Sledding is so much fun! Any winter-specific activity available right now is something you should go do. Get a toboggan and sled, rent some skates and bruise your tailbone, tie tennis rackets to your boots and snow shoe. If you shove enough hand warmers into your pants, you can enjoy a whole day out in the cold.

Things like the snow challenge exist. If you yourself don't want to go outside, watch a bunch of crazy kids dive headfirst into snowdrifts wearing swim suits on YouTube. Or witness a Polar Bear Swim (where people go running into a freezing lake risking hypothermia for charity).

If you are really just entirely anti-winter, put your heater up to 85 in your house, and tape pictures of the beach on your windows so you can pretend it's still summer.

Thank You, Professor Snape

In light of the news of beloved Alan Rickman's passing, I felt compelled to express thanks to the brilliant work he has left as a legacy for this world.
There are so many quotes that I could spew out but the most fitting for this Ode is as follows...

"A film, a piece of theatre, a piece of music, or a book can make a difference. It can change the world." -Alan Rickman

And so it has. Here are the ways Professor Snape has changed us all.



1. He taught us that the noblest of heroes do not need to be recognized. It was not until he was gone that we learned just how brave and honorable Snape was.



2. We learned that love transcends past time and circumstances. Snape's greatest motivation, until the very end, is love; unconditional, and selfless love.



3. We must always have a confidant who knows our story. Dumbledore was the only person to truly know who Snape was as a person in life. In death, Snape shared his truth with Harry and his legacy carried onto the next generation.



4. Sarcasm is for the superior. There is no doubt that Snape's quips and shrugs were by far the sassiest and most beautifully cheeky things we've ever seen on screen.



5. Sometimes the worst emotions take over. Snape's jealousy for James Potter turned him bitter, but despite all that he rescues Harry time after time until the end.



6. Snape was without a doubt the most unwavering person of them all. More than his unchanging appearance, he was effectively Severus true to his cause and his own persona.



7. And above all, he was portrayed by one of the most inspiring people in the world. Thank you, Professor Snape. Thank you, Alan Rickman. You will live in our hearts, always.