Advice for life.

Life doesn't rhyme.  Your first kiss isn't as important as your last.  Get caught in the rain.  Laugh out loud while you're alone.  Go on adventures and get lost.  Paint even though you're not an artist.  Really get to know people.  Accept that you will fail that one math test.  Get your heart broken and put the pieces together.  Put your hand up in class only to get the answer wrong.  Wonder about things.  Learn.  Remember that sunrises are free.  Let the little things that usually bore you entertain you.  Work bad hair days.  Get drunk and tell people how you really feel at 4 a.m.  Try out for the team.  Have feelings for your best friend.  Believe that everything happens for a reason.  Look at the stars and finally realize just how small you are.  Travel for a year and look at the world differently when you come back.  Eat that red velvet cupcake.  never regret anything because at one time it was exactly what you wanted.  Forgive and forget.  Don't hold anything back.  Live for the music and the moments.  Because nobody lives forever, and life is really, really short.

Happiness consumes the soul.

Do you ever have a moment in your life where you are so happy nothing could ruin it?  No person, grade, or incident could possibly bring you down?  You are in a state of euphoria and no one can touch you?  Well I am pleased to say that this is currently where I am in my life right now.  So many things have happened to me in the past few months that I truly thought it would be a long time before I was happy.  But slowly I was able to get my life together, all on my own.  Some days I struggled, but knowing that one day everything would be good made me want to never give up.  My life is nowhere near perfect, but perfect is not what I was aiming for.  I wanted happiness, clarity, and above all, to feel free.  I can successfully say I have achieved that.  I believe that this past weekend was what allowed me to realize this.  I saw friends, made friends, and had a great time.  I did not care about anything except me.  I made some agreements this weekend that I hope happen.  I made friends that I hope to hang out more with. But the best was that I made myself my first priority and that is what truly matters.  So if you feel down now, let me be the first to tell you that it will get better.  It will happen when you least expect it.  One day you will wake up and feel different.  You will be smiling for no reason.  It is in that moment right there that you are free.  Your life is amazing.  So give it time.  If you ever feel like you cannot handle it just remember that it will be better.  Focus on that like I did and before you know it you will be happier then you could have ever dreamed.

Also another reason I am so happy is because I acquired a free case of Capri Sun.  Which by the way is literally the best thing ever.  Well next to potatoes, chocolate, men, and shoes that is.

You are.

You know that feeling?
When you're just waiting.
Waiting to get home, into your room,
close the door, fall into bed,
and just let everything out that you kept in all day.
That feeling of both relief and desperation.
Nothing is wrong.
But nothing is right either.
And you're tired.
Tired of everything, tired of nothing.
And you just want someone to
be there and tell you it's okay.
But no one's going to be there.
And you know you have to be strong
for yourself, because no one can fix you.
But you're tired of waiting.
Tired of having to be the one to fix yourself and everyone else.
Tired of being strong.
And for once, you just want it to be easy.
To be simple. To be helped. To be saved.
But you know you won't be.
But you're still hoping.
And you're still wishing.
And you're still staying strong and fighting,
with tears in your eyes.
You're fighting.

For a change.

Once upon and time a prince asked a beautiful princess "Will you marry me?"  The princess said no.  The princess lived happily ever after.  She traveled around the world and met interesting people and learned new stuff.  She hooked up with some cute guys and nobody thought she was a slut.  She always put herself first.  She went to rock concerts.  No one ever told her "go make me a sandwich."  She kept her apartment and all of her shoes and never got cheated on, period.  She made tons of money.  And the toilet seat was always down (like it's supposed to).  The End.

Your life.

Everyday you wake up and you go out into the world.  Everyday you are scrutinized for what you do and what you don't do. You will be judged for the bad and envied for the good.  You will make fake friends and true enemies.  Nothing you ever do will please everyone.  You know what I say to that?  Screw it and screw them.  Go out and do what YOU want to do.  It is your life and you only live it once.  Why live it walking on egg shells trying to please and impress those around you.  Be happy.  Stay up late.  Wake up early and watch the sunrise.  Have a few too many drinks one night.  Go do something spur of the moment.  Do something for you, not for someone else.  It's okay to try and please people every here and there, but this is your life.  If you aren't happy with it, how do you expect other people to be?  So go out and live.  Live the way you want to.  Do what you want to.  Just be you.  The rest will fall into place.

Live.

My whole life I have been telling myself "don't be afraid."  And it is only now that I am realizing how stupid that is.  Don't be afraid.  Like saying "don't move out of the way when someone tries to punch you" or "don't flinch at the heat of fire" or "don't blink."  Don't be human.  I'm afraid and you're afraid and we're all alwaya going to be afraid, because that is the point.  What I should be telling myself is be afraid but do ot anyways.  Live anyways. 

A great start to the day.

Sometimes the best way to have a great day is to start it off great.  The easiest way to do that is to simply smile and laugh.  I understand that when you first wake up the only thing you want to do is hate the world.  You would rather sleep then do anything else.  Well life is happening and you cannot do anything but get up and go with it.  Here are some hilarious pictures to help you smile and kick off your day in the right way!

And if none of that made you smile, well this video of a cat having a nightmare will.

Remember.

You are not your bra-size, nor are you the width of your waist, nor are you the slenderness of your calves.  You are not your hair color, you skin color, nor are you a shade of lipstick.  Your shoe-size if of no consequence.  You are not defined by the amount of attention you get from males, females, or any combination thereof.  You are not the number of sit-ups you can do, nor are you the number of calories in a day.  You are not your mustache.  You are not the hair on your legs.  You are not a little red dress.  You are no amalgam of these things.

You are the content of your character.  You re the ambitions that drive you.  You are the goals that you set.  You are the things that you laugh at and the words you say.  You are the thoughts you think and the things you wonder.  You are beautiful and desirable not for the clique you attend, but for the spark of life within you that compels you to make your life a full and meaningful one.  You are beautiful not for the shape of the vessel, but for the volume of the soul it carries.

What princesses taught me.

Why was Snow White given a poisoned apple?

• To show us that not everyone is going to be kind and not everyone is really who they say they are.

Why did Cinderella run away at midnight?

• To remind us that everything does have its limitations, even dreams.

Why did Ariel exchange her fins for feet?

• To show us that people are willing to give up anything to be with who they love and just be happy.

Why did Aurora sleep for 100 years?

• To tell us that you might have to wait for quite some time for your true love to come along. Sometimes very long, but it's worth it.

Why did Princess Jasmine fall for Aladdin?

• To let us know that what the heart wants, it wants it no matter what.

Why was Belle in love with a Beast?

• To remind us that you can't really help what's on the outside, but if the inside is beautiful, then nothing will stand in the way of your love.

Why did Mulan pretend to be a man?

• To show us that despite what others say, you can do whatever you put your mind to.

Here is Jenna Marbles' take on Disney.  Very different then mine, but more hilarious then anything I could say.

Be you because you do you best.

Hey you.  Yes, you!  Stop being unhappy with yourself.  You are perfect.  Stop wishing you looked like someone else or wishing people liked you as much as they like someone else.  Stop trying to get attention from those who hurt you.  Stop hating you body, your face, your personality, your quirks.  Love them.  Without those things you wouldn't be you.  Frankly, why would you want to be anyone else?  Be confident with you who are.  Smile :)  It'll draw people in.  If anyone hates on you because you are happy with yourself then stick your middle finger in the air and say screw it.  My happiness will not depend on others anymore.  I'm happy because I love who I am.  I love my flaws.  I love my imperfections.  They make me me and 'me' is pretty amazing.

A compliment a day goes a long way.

Every so often I like to give my friends a compliment.  Not your typical "You are funny" compliment.  These compliments are odd.  They are way out there.  One thing for sure though is they get a laugh, and despite being odd, they tend to make people's day.  So pick one from the list below or make up your own and send it to a friend.  Cause despite being odd it will make someone's day, guaranteed. 

A little bit of wisdom.

There are so many things I can say to inspire you.  So many words I can speak to tell you what you want to hear.  But lets be honest, I am only a woman.  You won't listen to me.  So instead I will let these great minds, these very influential people, give you inspiration.

Mi familia.

There is one thing in the world that we cannot choose.  One thing that is truly ruled by fate: family.  Everyone has one.  You may love them or you may hate them.  You may see them everyday or they may no longer be with you.  But the one thing everyone shares is that at some point or another they had a family.  Now my family is not perfect.  We are loud, we fight, we are crazy, and extremely dysfunctional.  But on rare occasions you can see us all together laughing and having a good time, and it's actually genuine.  I might not talk to my family everyday and I might not always express how I feel, but one thing is for sure, I love them with all my heart, even my brother and my sister.  I did not choose them but I can honestly say that I would not change them for the world.  I may not always agree with what they say, but they give the best advice and are always there for me.  So I guess what I'm saying is that if you still have family around tell them you love them.  If you do not talk to them, just give them a call.  Family is the one thing that will never leave you.  You may fight, you may fight to great extremes, but they are your flesh and blood.  They love you even if they do not say anything.  So never ignore or put your family on the back burner.  Also remember that one day you will have a family of your own.  So love them with your heart, but also make sure you give them some space.  Your a child right now, so remember if/when you have your own children treat them how you want your parents to treat you.  But like I have said time and time again, love your family.  They are the only thing that will never leave you, even if it seems like they have.  I'm telling you a phone call will let them know how you feel about them and make their day.

My family.  They may be a little embarrassing, but I love them just the same.

Photo taken by Jane Hasty Photography.

Here is a link to other photos of my family!  http://www.janehastyphotography.com/?p=7899

More for me and less for you.

So I haven't written for about four days now.  I figured I should start again mainly because writing helps me get things out.  It helps me get my feelings and emotions out.  Every post I write is somehow related back to me and my daily experiences.  While you might not know it, each post is personal.  I throw myself into my blog.  It is the only way I can truly express myself.  It is hard for me to be my full self around people.  It is hard for me to trust.  I am shy and timid.  I do not like to speak in public.  I read books.  I like to go to Bingo on Sundays with my mom.  I try to be creative.  Emphasis on the try.  Some of the things I have done were just straight up train wrecks.  My six year old niece is better at arts and crafts then I am.  But the one most important thing about me is that I do not give up.  If I hurt, I smile.  If I want to cry, I hold it in and laugh.  It is hard for me to let others in for I fear that one day they will leave.  While some people have showed me that they are here to stay, I have had more people then I thought leave me.  Everyone tells me that I am just a fun-loving, happy, vibrant person.  While that is true, there is a lot that people do not know.  Simply because I chose to not show it.  Some people know the real me.  The whole me.  But in order for that to happen one must prove they are there to stay.  So I guess what I am saying is that while I appear one way, there is another side that you have yet to meet.  My question to you is, are you willing to get to know me or will you just be like the others and leave?  The choice is yours.  Choose wisely.

Why can't we have nice things?

So if you go to Marquette you know that the apartments and houses there are okay.  They are 'livable'.  I use that word very loosely.  The only nice place to live is the 2040's.  So I singed my lease for one of the nicer apartments.  Not the 2040's because those are crazy expensive, but one of the other few nice apartments.  Pretty livable I would say.  Well anyways, I came to Chicago today for the weekend.  I am spending it with my friends from high school.  They go to DePaul University in Chicago.  Well DePaul has way more livable quarters then Marquette.  These apartments they live in are even run by the school, not just associated with it.  I walked in and literally said "Wow rich people must live here."  It was that nice.

Can you spot Sean?

The best lesson ever taught.

A professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous 'yes.' The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed. 'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - family, children, health, friends, and favorite passions – things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, house, and car. The sand is everything else - the small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. So... pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.' One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. 'I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.'  

This is by far the best thing I have ever read.  I thought I would share it with you.  

One year ago.

If someone would have asked me a year ago where I thought I would be, this is not it.  I would have said I would be in the Speech Pathology program, have a great group of friends, a steady relationship, some sort of job, and a car.  Well surprisingly, none of that is true.  I dropped my major, lost friends, am as single as a Pringle, jobless, and I currently ride a bike with a flat tire.  The thing is, while my life sounds super depressing, it isn't.  I figured out that my major was not suited for me and am now on my way to putting criminals in jail.  So if you plan on getting arrested stay out of Milwaukee, otherwise I will arrest your ass.  I lost many friends, but I made so many new ones.  I would not change that for the world.  While being single is not ideal, I have started focusing on my health and started getting into shape.  I am really happy for this new me. The job?  HAHA GOOD JOKE! Hopefully, fingers crossed, I will get my first steady job this summer.  Finally my whole car situation.  Yeah I am not getting a car anytime soon.  While the bike is not ideal right now, once that tire gets pumped up I will be unstoppable in the city.  So yeah, my life is not what I thought it would be, but I would never change it for the world.  I am surrounded by amazing people and am on the way to my dream job.  Oh that reminds me, if anyone has a bicycle pump, I would love to borrow it.  It is the only thing stopping me from getting where I want to be in life, literally.  So if you ever think your life is not what you thought it would be, do not look at it like it is a bad thing.  You are exactly where you need to be in life.

One year ago.

Just last week.

Highs and lows.

This past week has just been a whirlwind for me.  I have laughed and cried.  I've had highs and low, low, lows.  I have been happy and sad.  I literally have been every emotion out there this past week.  It sucks.  It gets exhausting.  The worst part is that every time I think I am fine something happens and BAM I'm not.  Sometimes I wish I did not feel things; that life would be so much simpler that way.  Then I remember something: I am alive.  How do I know this?  Cause I feel things.  They remind me that I care.  That every time I laugh or I cry it means that I am alive and can feel.  While I admit that the whole crying/sad part is not my favorite I have to overlook that because the laughing/happy part is awesome.  So when you are feeling down, do not stay there.  Remind yourself that yeah, right now you are upset but that will not last forever.  You will laugh again.  You will cry again.  But next time they will be tears of joy.  So just fight the heartbreak, the sadness, the hurt.  Things will get better.  They always do.

The fight.

You know that feeling?

When you're just waiting.

Waiting to get home, into your room, 

close the door, fall into bed,

and just let everything out that you kept in all day.

That feeling of both relief and depression.

Nothing is wrong.

But nothing is right either.

And you're tired.

Tired of everything, tired of nothing.

And you just want someone to

be there and tell you it's okay.

But no one's going to be there.

And you know you have to be strong

for yourself, because no one can fix you.

Bu you're tired of waiting.

Tired of having to be the one to fix yourself and everyone else.

Tired of being strong.

And for once, you just want it to be easy.

To be simple.  To be helped.  To be saved.

But you know you won't be.

But you're still hoping.

And you're still wishing.

And you're still staying strong and fighting,

with tears in your eyes.

You're fighting.

Just a little bit longer.

So yay, it's Friday!  Finally.  Just a few hour stands between you and the weekend.  You can go home and relax or go out and have fun.  Or do both, you have three days to do anything.  Shop, sleep, eat, take an adventure.  Basically do whatever you want because it is your time.  But yeah, just a few hours stands between you and the best weekend of your life.  So for now stretch out those muscles, eat a donut, and laugh at what I posted.  This will help you make it to the weekend.  I promise!