The one I call mom

Well since it's Mother's Day, what better thing to write about than my magnificent mom?  I was initially going to make this post a picture montage of my mother and my through the years...but then as I was going through our family photos I simultaneously relived those awkward/fat/crooked teeth/bad hair stages of my life and decided to just use words.

Then I also encountered the ridiculosity of the Internet in Themiddleofnowhere, USA so uploading would have taken hours anyway.

Back to my mom!

My mom and I have been best friends forever.  When I was younger we lived alone, just her and I, & when I was 9 she got re-married and we re-located.

Those years together were the best.  We were two peas in a pod, doing everything together.  Some of my fondest memories of my mom and I are from that time. 

Like the time we visited my uncle in Daytona and couldn't swim on the beach because it had been taken over by jellyfish.

Or the the time(s) my birthday parties got snowed out and we played around the house eating my birthday cake.

Or the evening walks we would take in our neighborhood in the summertime.

Don't get me wrong, I love my life now.  But I will admit it was devastating trying to adjust to a new life where I had to share my best friend.  There have been rocky times along the way, especially through my high school years.  But now that I have spent 9 months away from her, I know that my mom will always be my closest gal pal.

I can tell her everything and I know she won't judge me.

She is great at proofreading papers.

She thinks all my jokes are funny.

She will stay up late on Saturday nights to watch SNL with me.

She is honest with me (even if I'd rather she not be).

She is a great role model.

She is a great friend.

These are just a few of the great things about her, and I appreciate every other little thing I didn't have time to mention.  I do not know where I would be without her, and I'm so lucky to have gotten to spend so much time & make so many memories with her.

So, to all moms, 

near or far, 

here or there,

alive or passed,

Happy Mother's Day!

We love you and appreciate you more than you could ever know!

The things I love about love

When I asked Emily what I should blog about tonight, and finally decided on love her response was a sarcastic look and the comment,

"But that's what you're entire blog is about."

Exactly!

And after spending this "reading day" (day Butler calls the day before finals actually start) stumbling weddings and quotes, I have found myself once again deep in my addiction to other people's romantic happiness. 

So, I have compiled a small list of things that I think are lovely.  You know like when you see a picture of 2 people in love, hear a set of tender song lyrics, or read something that just melts your heart?  I find myself in these moments all the time, so I'm going to share a few with you.

1.

I find it incredibly, passionately, adorable when a man puts his hand on his woman's face, cheek, neck...when going in for the kiss. 

  I found this picture on StumbleUpon, follow this link to see the entire engagement shoot.

Again, found on StumbleUpon. Honestly what is not beautiful about a soft pillow island?

2.

Songs get me every time.  Sometimes the smallest lyrics get me tearing up thinking,

"If anyone ever said that to me I swear I would die."
Here are a few examples:

"The silence isn't so bad, til I look at my hands and feel sad; cuz the spaces between my fingers are right where yours fit perfectly."

-Owl City, Vanilla Twilight

"Her lips won't touch the demon wine, but her eyes are full of pure moonshine, & I get drunk just holding her hand."

-Rascal Flatts, Dry County Girl

"But we're gonna start by drinking on cheap bottles of wine, sit talking up all night, saying things we haven't for a while."
-The Script, For the First Time

So, let's recap:
-Can you think of a more creatively romantic way to ask someone to hold your hand?
-Can you imagine someone feeling so engrossed in you just by holding your hand?
-Does it not just sound blissfully, hopelessly wonderful to just sit and reminisce in each others presence?

3.
Again found while stumbling, these are some regular quotes that just make me think about love.  As if I wasn't enough already.

Okay, I know this wedding/love/romance kick is getting a little excessive but I can't help myself!  & yes I know movies aren't the real thing, wedding photos are staged, and songs are written by paid songwriters, but a girl can dream right?

That's what I'll do right now.  Off to bed before another long day of procrastination.

Don't Judge a Book.....

At the start of my 2nd semester at Butler, I decided to go through the process of formal recruitment and pledge a sorority.  After a stressful, nerve-racking, and insanely fun week, I received a bid from Delta Gamma and couldn't have been happier!

I'm sure many of you have stereotypes in your head about sorority girls, and if you know me you know I don't really fit the stereotype.  However, neither do any of the girls at Butler.  

Or so I thought.

After recruitment was over I was so excited to be a part of greek life on campus.  I had this idea in my head that everyone in all the houses were still friends, and didn't care about the names on the outside of the beautiful greek row mansions as much as the personalities of the women on the inside.  That everyone was simply in a different house because they felt at home there for different reasons.  This was the case for me anyway. 

Through the initiation process I have come to find however that there really are pretty harsh stereotypes for each house, and just by being associated with 2 or 3 greek letters you might have a black mark across your forehead.

Do you think that's right?

I don't.  & I'm not okay with it either.  People I've never even met, don't even know their names, scowl at me and my sisters when we go out.  & the things they are saying about us aren't very nice either.

(Just a disclaimer, yes I understand EVERYONE has done this at some point or another, & yes I know I'm guilty too.)

But what's the point of passing this judgement on other girls, who in theory have more in common with you than not.  We did all go through the same recruitment process with the same intentions of affiliating with the Greek community.

I personally think the HEINOUS comments posted to sites such as College ACB about which song represents each house 

(DG's was "I just had sex" by The Lonely Island if that tells you anything about the stereotype we're up against) 

or a rank of all the houses based on the "hotness" of their pledge class,

do nothing but create pointless drama and gossip between we Greek women.

Not only that, but when we are all up against stereotypes, anytime someone slips up it gives "proof" or satisfaction to the ones spreading the gossip.  & then the stereotype monstrosity comes full circle & guess what?

NOBODY WINS.

Just like any time you gossip, it might feel awesome at the time, but as soon as someone hears you that shouldn't, or they get dirt on you, 

You. Feel. Like. Crap.

So here's what I'm thinking:

If we all stop trash talking our fellow Greek women, & stop spreading rumors creating stereotypes, we can have more fun, make more friends, and show the non-greek community that Butler's greek life really is different.

Plus, my mom always said the only reason you gossip about someone else is because you are jealous of something they have.  

I know I absolutely made the right decision pledging Delta Gamma, and I hope all of my sisters and fellow Greek women can say the same about their choices.  So don't give anyone a reason to think you aren't where you want to be, because we are the ones with the power to eliminate these stereotypes with our words and actions.

Put on a Happy Face

As anyone relatively close to me knows, I am an extremely emotional gal.  Whether it's a fight with a loved one, innumerable stress, or a romantic novel there's no doubt you can probably find me crying it out in a heap in my closet.  I have tried talking to counselors & all that jazz, and don't get me wrong that's a really good thing!  But sometimes you have to work out whatever is bringing you down on your own.  This is a task I am currently trying to master.  

Today, inspired by the BEAUTIFUL sunshine beaming in my brightly decorated dorm room and some nostalgic Paul Simon blasting from my iTunes, I'm going to share with you a few things that never fail to cheer me up.

Probably the easiest way to lighten the burden is taking one little look at these yayhoos.  I know I talk about them all the time but come on, look at those faces!?

Alright judge me if you want on this one, but I am a true Belieber (term used to describe die-hard Bieber fans).  This past weekend my roomie and I forked up $26 to see Never Say Never in 3D.  Best $26 I've ever spent hands down.  Anytime Bieber comes on my iTunes or the radio the volume goes up and the dance moves come out.  He's a mood booster for sure.

I'm sure you're not surprised that not only am I a Justin Bieber fan, but I am also a huge Gleek.  How could you not be?  While the premise of the show may be (dare I say it) a little cliche, the music is fantastic.  I will admit some Glee versions of top 40 hits are better than the originals, and they are notorious for making me laugh out loud and sing with joy.

This represents 2 things that are excellent mood boosters: sunshine and the beach.  It truly is amazing to me how much my spirits are lifted by a clear sky.  I never really realized it until I came to college because I was used to being cooped up all day.  But now that I'm outside between classes and relying on sunlight for light in my dorm room I have come to find that sweet sunshine has a 180 effect on my day.

Same with going to the beach.  Emily (my super great fantastic awesome beautiful funny perfect roommate) and I are counting down the days (10) until we depart for sunny, warm Florida for a week of bliss a.k.a. spring break!  To me there is nothing better than plugging in the earbuds, lathering on the tanning oil, and laying out in the warm sand under the hot sun.

Now, I know I have made many references to music, but I music is like sunshine in the fact that it quickly picks my sadness up of the floor.  This song (mostly just the Dirty Bit) is a surefire way to nip my depressive states in the bud, maybe it has the same effect for you!

I encourage you to think long and hard about the things that make you genuinely smile.  

The things that you look forward to.

The things you wish would occur more often.

& the things that make you laugh out loud.

& next time your heading for the closet, take my advice and turn that frown upside down!