5 Men You Shouldn't Settle For

I read an article this morning that really, really related to me. It was entitled "10 Men Christian Women Should Never Marry". Here's a link: http://www.charismamag.com/blogs/fire-in-my-bones/19757-10-men-christian-women-should-never-marry . In this article, the author writes about ten different types of men that Christian women should avoid and how it's better to be single than to be with one of these men. I think that this article could be applied to women AND men (provided they're interested in men) alike, regardless of what their religious preferences are.

Being a single, college educated woman in the deep South, older people are always wondering why I haven't settled down and gotten married. There's this expectation of getting married right out of college and having babies shortly thereafter that I just do not understand. (Unless, of course, you met your soul mate in college and married him right after, an experience which 2 of my friends have been blessed with.) If I meet a man of QUALITY that I don't feel like I'm SETTLING for, then I would love to marry him...when I'm good and ready for it.  Not because I'm in my mid-twenties and that is what people in South Carolina do at this age.

Anyhow, the article I read has inspired me to make my own list of men that NO ONE should settle for. These men are NOT quality.

1.) The Liar--if he's lied about anything in his past or tries to hide or cover any secrets that he has from you, then he is not worth your time. He will continue to lie to you...this will NOT change.

2.) The Manwhore--if he sleeps around a lot, who's to say he won't sleep around when he's dating you?  Lots of girls like to think they can "change" guys like this...I, on the other hand, only trust them as far as I can throw them.

3.) The Eternal Fratboy, aka the Manchild--He wakes up at 12 pm. on weekdays; he sits on his couch all day and plays video games while chugging beer and smoking weed with his bros; his house is a mess of beer bottles and laundry he has his mother do for him. If he's a grown man who lives like he's still in college, he will never be able to take care of you.

4.) The Angry Drunk--or just anyone with anger issues. I've watched enough "Investigation Discovery" TV to steer clear of men, or people in general, like that.

5.) The Narcissist--This type of guy is usually really attractive, which seems like a good thing, until you realize how much he KNOWS it.  He hangs out at the gym for hours every single day working on his physique, then posts countless shirtless selfies on Instagram and Facebook so people can admire his abs of steel. Beware of this guy...he will never love you as much as he loves himself.

The sad thing is that a lot of men fall into more than one of these categories. I feel like I should insert a Liz Lemon "That's a Dealbreaker, Ladies!" gif in here somewhere.

Ladies (and gentlemen), we are much better off single than settling for someone who is not a quality guy. Don't ever lower your standards...eventually someone will meet them--even if you're 50 when it finally happens. Even Liz Lemon eventually found her Criss Chros.

The Sad Reality

Recently, the county I live in, a usually quiet and undisturbed corner of the world, has been getting some nationwide recognition. Not for its beautiful oak trees, parks, or beaches, but for having a trashy reality television show filmed here. Being a reasonably intelligent person with very little patience/tolerance for drunken people acting like idiots, I couldn't bring myself to watch an entire episode. Though, before I could make a snap judgment about "Party Down South"--yes, that's the name--I watched a few clips of the show. Obviously, I was kind of grossed out and actually felt sorry for these people for acting so foolish on national television. (FACT: there's a slightly older, creepy guy on there that the younger girls actually call "Daddy"-see man in muscle tee above.) But, hey, stupidity and promiscuity sell--just think about how much money the people from "Jersey Shore" have right now.

It made me think about if I were on a reality TV show. They always have those tiny rooms where one person goes in and talks crap about everyone/confesses things to the camera. It would be hysterical to see what people like Snooki or "Daddy"would have to say about me...."That Meredith chick is soooo bizarre. She goes to bed at, like, 9:30 every night. What an old woman!" Or "Why doesn't Meredith ever go out with us? When she does, she just looks pissed off, and like she'd rather be at home reading by herself." Also, "Meredith is cute but she seriously needs to loosen up. (That one I've actually heard in real life!) And what's with all the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings references?" All in all, I would probably make for an incredibly drama free reality show...I would never be the fan favorite, and no one would appreciate my wittiness. Maybe I would be painted as a frigid bitch because I would never stoop so low as to actually talk to the other people in the house? :)

Songs I Wish Were Written About Me.

It's been a suuuuper long time since I wrote anything...mostly because I've been reading Lord of the Rings, which is a good but extremely long read. I literally just finished the first book, a month later. Also, I've been busy being a teacher, being an introvert/hermit, and watching "The Walking Dead", so I haven't been focusing on writing my thoughts very much...I'm just saying them aloud to myself like an insane person. But enough about my sad life...

I've been thinking a lot about music...and my weakness for musicians/writers. (Especially certain bearded banjo players...ahem, Winston Marshall, marry me!) I also think it's probably one of my life goals to have a song written about me...swoon! It's not like you can ask someone to write a song about you though; you have to do something really awesome to become a muse. I have yet to do anything so awesome that would make me a muse, unless someone is writing a song entitled "Awkward Girl Across the Bar Who Makes Strange Facial Expressions and Only Drinks Wine". Alas, that is incredibly specific and I would probably be the only person who would download it on iTunes. Plus, subtlety and metaphors go a long way in songwriting. I have compiled a list of songs I wish were written about/for me, so songwriting sexy men, take note:

1.) "Swept Away" by the Avett Brothers. Banjo, beards (you can't see them, but you can imagine them), need I say more? Also, the lyrics are pretty sweet.
Swept Away by The Avett Brothers

2.) "She Is" by Ben Rector. I really hope this song could be about me, except that I'm not from Boston.
She Is by Ben Rector

3.)"Make You Feel My Love" by Bob Dylan. Pretty sure this is THE most romantic song written. I'm linking a cover because Bobby D doesn't have the best voice.
"Make You Feel My Love" by Bob Dylan (Adele covering)

4.)"Everything" by Michael Buble. It's Michael Buble...I mean, MY GOD.
Everything by Michael Buble

5.)"Whatever It Is" by Zac Brown Band. This one doesn't need to be explained.
Whatever It Is by ZBB

6.)"Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol. I don't think this song ever gets old. Freshman year of college, what up!
Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol

7.) "She's Everything" by Brad Paisley. This man can write a love song like no other. This song makes me wish I had brown hair.
She's Everything by Brad Paisley

8.) "The Way You Look Tonight" performed by Frank Sinatra. "That laugh that wrinkles your nose, it touches my foolish heart" is so much better than "you're hot". Classic.
The Way You Look Tonight-Frank Sinatra

The Anti-Mr. Darcy Effect

Recently, I was watching Pride and Prejudice (one of my top 10 favorite movies and books), and I got to thinking about two different kinds of men in this world--granted, not the only two, because this is a big world and I know there are MANY different kinds, but for the sake of this post, I'm discussing only two--the Mr. Darcy-esque men and the Mr. Wickham-esque men.

It's every girl's dream to meet her Mr. Darcy...he seems like a jerk at first, but is actually good and true and kind and you can "bewitch him body and soul". (There's a whole group of people like Mr. Darcy, the ones who are stand-offish at first but aren't actually rude or prideful once you give them a chance--they're called introverts. I understand because I am one, and I probably relate more to Darcy than Elizabeth.)  It takes Mr. Darcy longer to decide to reveal his true self, which is fine.  He wants to make sure you are worthy of his trust before he opens up and shows he has a heart.

On the other hand, there are the Mr. Wickhams of this world. These men seem friendly and fun-loving at first but turn out to be swindlers, womanizers, sadists, misogynists, etc. Basically, they seem nice initially but reveal themselves to be completely full of crap. I call this the "Anti-Mr. Darcy Effect". Rather than seeming like a jerk at first, like Darcy, the Mr. Wickhams seem awesome at first but end up being jerks in the end.

Unfortunately, the true Darcy men of this world seem to be in shorter supply than the Wickhams.  If only the Mr. Wickham types would show their true nature from the very beginning, we could run for the hills and save ourselves a lot of heartache and bitter resentment--unless you're like Lydia Bennet and you're into that crap. But as is, I guess figuring out people's intentions as you're getting to know them is part of the fun.

7 TV Men that Girls Wish Were Real

They're fictitious. They're adorable. Why don't these guys exist in real life?

1.) Chandler Bing. He's hilarious. He's hopeless and awkward and desperate for love. We're perfect for each other.

2.) Seth Cohen. He's a quirky, hot, comic book nerd who listens to good music and rides a skateboard. These don't come along often.

3.) Ted Mosby--because who doesn't want a guy who steals a blue french horn for them? (Never mind the awkwardness of saying "I love you" on the first date.)

4.) Jim Halpert. He's a great practical joker, a romantic, and the dude waited like 3 years to finally get out of the friend zone. HERO.

5.) Matthew Crawley. Inherits Downton Abbey and a crap ton of money, still works as a lawyer because he wants to help the less fortunate. Swoon.

6.) Nick Miller. He's scruffy, he's sarcastic, he has no ambition, he's crippled with fear of commitment...oh wait, this guy does exist. We've probably all dated him. (Except that Nick Miller is far more adorable and lovable. With better facial expressions.)

7.) James "Sawyer" Ford. He's the perfect bad boy. He's Southern. He likes to read classic literature in his spare time. He could call you "Freckles" or some other cute nickname. He could protect you from the smoke monster. We could overlook the whole con-man thing.

LA Adventures

Ahhh...the "city of angels", so ironically named. I now believe I have experienced "the" LA scene. My first night, I went to an art show called "Sweat Baby Sweat". Walking into it reminded me of going into my first college party, except for instead of everyone trying to fit in with the frat guys/sorority girls,  everyone was trying to fit in by being as quirky and weird as possible. (What happened to just being yourself?) Instead of everyone wearing polo shirts and sundresses, like they would be on my home planet, these strange new people were wearing leather jackets, combat boots, half shaved heads, Fresh Prince style patterned shirts, cool vintage dresses, etc. I was highly intrigued! But, I think I stood out like a sore thumb. First of all, I looove to eat. (No vegan/vegetarianism going on with this gal!) Second of all, I enjoy washing and styling my hair. Third, I love wearing fun, extremely girly dresses. I think my only saving grace was my awkward demeanor and "hipster" glasses. I'm too quirky for SC, not nearly quirky enough for these people.
Almost immediately, I was faced with a dilemma: are all these artsy LA guys just extremely fashionably dressed/metro sexual or are they gay? (Typically, in SC, if they're male and super fashionable, they're likely gay.)  I found the best way to break these stereotypes is to just bite the bullet and flirt with the guy. My night ended in a quite LA fashion...the extremely sexy, well-dressed guy turned out to just be a really fashionable budding artist, who got my number and took me to a studio to check out some of his art/sculptures. Meow! Except he never called me...typical. It's the experience that's cool, right?
Anyhow, the rest of my trip to LA included cruising in Beverly Hills, shopping at the Grove, going with my model friend to one of her auditions (don't try this if you want to feel good about yourself), eating extremely expensive "organic" meals (shoot me. I also actually purchased an all organic, fresh pressed smoothie as well. Shoot me again. When in Rome?), walking around Echo Park, and visiting Fox studios. My all time favorite thing that I did, however, was completely free. Hiking up to the Griffith Observatory in Los Feliz was by far the most awesome thing EVER. If you ever go to LA, don't bother hiking up to the Hollywood sign. You can see it perfectly from the Observatory, and the Observatory is cooler--in my humble opinion. (I have included pictures to prove my point.) Until next time!

View from my friend's house in West Hollywood

On set at UFC tonight

The Griffith Observatory-too big to fit in the picture

Griffith observatory from the hike

The iconic Hollywood sign

Echo Park

OMG Or-gah-nic

Another thing I have noticed since being in Southern California is the obsession with being "green" and eating "organic".  It seems like many here are what we in the South refer to as "foodies".  Since it is "cool" to consume food that my dear Ron Swanson would refer to as "rabbit food", you do it. It doesn't matter that wheatgrass or quinoa or kale (which I have lovingly dubbed "Broccoli's hipster cousin") have been eaten by people for literally hundreds of years, we MUST consume them now that they are trendy!

This started because I was in Beverly Hills with my family and asked my friend (who is a model in LA) where to go eat. She suggested some place called "Urth" that was all organic with "fresh pressed juices", etc. etc.  I laughed and said that I doubted that my father, a normal, red-blooded South Carolinian male, would want to go eat a salad and some fresh-pressed juice. She responded by jumping down my throat and lecturing ME about GMOs (an acronym I do not understand nor care to look up) and other things I don't really remember. Rather than eating a fully non-organic bacon cheeseburger in protest, I decided to make an informed decision by trying something from the "fresh pressed juicery" near the non-organic restaurant my dad chose to eat at. Well, I should say I ALMOST bought something, until I saw that a soda-can-sized bottle of juice was a whopping $7.58! It would be more cost-efficient for me to go plant my own trees, wait on the fruit to grow, and press it myself!  I ended up going next door and buying 2 cupcakes from Sprinkles for less than that amount--and they were DELICIOUS!

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for eating healthy and avoiding preservatives, etc. etc. I am not, however, for casting judgments on people who don't OR for paying three times as much for something that tastes the exact same simply because the label says "organic".  Perhaps if I were an actress or a desperate housewife living in Cali, I would have the extra cash to pay for only organic products. (If organic really is the healthiest way to go, they shouldn't make it so dang expensive!) As it is, I am a lowly teacher who may occasionally splurge on a $2.99 Naked Juice from the Fresh Market--and I HATE quinoa.

Sooooo Cal.

Hello there...it's been a while...(cue awkward pause)...

For those of you who don't know, I decided to step way (as in 3,000 miles away from my home) out of my comfort zone and spend the rest of my summer in Southern California staying at my Dad's house. This is not something I would typically do--randomly deciding to go out of the state for a month and a half without a single friend to keep me company--but I figured I am only young once, I have no kids/husband/real obligations for the next month, and I may not have another opportunity to go exploring and adventuring by myself again. (Thank goodness I am a lone wolf/independent sort anyway, otherwise I would feel extremely lonely and friendless.)  So, I may as well take a chance and DO something spontaneous!

I have only been here 6 days so far...but there are some very vital things I have noticed about the Southern California lifestyle:

1.) They call Hardees "Carl's Jr.". It seems to be much more popular here than in SC. Probably because we also have Bojangles and Krispy Kreme.
2.) I have yet to meet anyone who actually talks like The Californians on SNL. (Dammit!)
3.) The fashion sense in men here is very confusing. My sees and I have nicknamed it "Skugsterfarian".
Skugsterfarian= a combination of the skater, thug, hipster, and Rastafarian fashion styles. Highly popular in SoCal. You can also be a combo of any of the aforementioned styles simultaneously: skug, thugster, skipster, etc. (I will try to provide photo documentation of this phenomenon at some point.)
4.) It's REALLY FREAKING COLD on the beach until about 3 in the afternoon. I am not accustomed to this because at the beach in South Carolina it is disgustingly hot and humid all day long. You can probably gather that I prefer the weather of Southern California.

I will continue to chronicle my adventures in lovely So Cal...next time with pictures as well! :)

Life imitating art.

I was watching "She's All That" recently, thanks to Netflix, and it got me thinking about predictable high school movies. Was anyone's high school actually like that? The extreme school spirit, the overly bitchy Mean Girls-esque popular crowd that does terrible things to the unfortunate, awkward and nerdy kids?  The popular boys making bets to see who can turn the weird, artsy girl into Prom Queen? The rich kids that discriminate against the poor kids? The cheerleaders cheering the name of a singular football player who is obviously carrying the entire team to victory all on his own? Either my high school was into going against the social norm or all of those movies are giving a completely unrealistic portrayal of high school. (What?! Movies are lying??)

I mean, no one poured pig's blood on me or anything or stood me up for the big dance. I was just a typical teenage girl, neither popular nor unpopular. The worst thing that ever happened to me happened my senior year, when I walked into a party and someone yelled, "What the F**K is Meredith Wicker doing here?!" like I was some sort of social pariah and making the party decidedly less cool with my unwanted presence. (In reality, I was just a really good girl who sang for the church band and had never been to a party with underage drinking before.) I also had a girl send me a carnation on Valentine's Day saying it was from this cute guy in hopes that I would go up and thank him and he would have no idea what I was talking about and I would be royally embarrassed. (Sorry for the run-on sentence.) Thankfully, I figured out it was an evil trick and saved myself from further social awkwardness. I guess people WERE a little mean at my high school?

But fear not, awkward high schoolers, none of that crap even matters when you graduate. No one cares if you were picked on or not. Many of the "cool kids" end up not going to college, staying in their home towns, and hanging out with the same people for the rest of their lives.  The football players will likely gain huge beer bellies and still throw parties for underage kids, while the weird, artsy girl becomes a famous painter or a graphic designer who lives in a hip loft apartment in New York City.  Life can sometimes be wonderfully fair.

An Ode to Summer

Oh, summer time...the season of sun-kissed skin, sandy toes, and windows and sun-roof rolled down to let in the summer breeze. No one ever mentions the over-friendly mosquitoes, "Palmetto Bugs"-aka cockroaches-the size of your hand, or the miserable humidity.  My "summer look" consists of an abnormal amount of freckles and moles (thanks, English/German/Irish ancestors!); my "sun-kissed" skin turns just slightly pink all summer, never tan or brown, and the humidity makes my wavy-ish hair frizzy and disgusting. (What's up with girls loving their "beachy waves"? No such thing exists for me. My hair turns into dreadlocks after I emerge from the ocean.)  Also, I'm not going to beat around the bush...I don't have a summer glow; I'm just sweating from the humidity. ALL THE TIME. (And everyone wonders why I prefer fall in the mountains so much?)

Now don't get me wrong, living in a sleepy, Southern beach town during the summer does have its perks:
1.) I don't have to drive far to get to the beach. (Which would be more of a perk if I actually tanned.) None of that packing up all your crap and driving 2 hours. It takes me less than 5 minutes.
2.) Our town has a ballin' fourth of July parade. And a boat parade. TOP THAT, AMERICA.
3.) The likelihood of meeting an attractive guy that you DIDN'T go to high school with increases ten-fold because it's tourist season. (Downside: he leaves after a week and it's back to the same old familiars.)
4.) I don't have to work in the summer because I'm a teacher. To all of those who didn't choose this career path because of the monetary aspect: You don't have summers off, suckas!
5.) I get to see scenery like this, every day:

(Yes, that's my leg. It actually looks tan thanks to the filter. Thanks, Instagram!)

What was I thinking?!

Have you ever looked back at someone you were dating and wondered what the heck you were thinking when you liked them? Like, just the sight of them now makes you angry, annoyed, and/or physically ill?  And the very thought of them touching you makes you want to run and hide?  (Or buy a taser and some pepper spray?)

Breaking up IS tough to do.  Personally, I find that the easiest way to do it is to be blunt and straight forward and hurt their feelings a little bit, just to make sure that they don't still pine for you. (I wish I could say that this actually works for me. It doesn't.)  I am unfortunately sometimes the "one that got away" or in some cases "the one that sprinted far, far away in terror without ever looking back".  If someone does something that I find unforgivable--or something that shows evidence of their mental instability, I'm not going to willingly welcome them back into my life.  I'm sorry, but "I do not like you or want to be around you again EVER because you are literally psychotic" is not me playing hard to get or being coy.  It is not a green light to try harder to win me over.  I am not trying to be a challenge.  I just actually don't want to speak to you.  

...I should really get a job helping Taylor Swift compose some of her break-up songs. They would be much more scathing and probably slightly less catchy. 

A Vivid (and somewhat scary yet hysterical) Memory

The year was 2001.  We had just moved from Irmo, SC to Pawleys Island, and were leaving early in the morning to go to Columbia for a USC Gamecock football game. I was 13 and my younger sister was 9.  We stopped by a local breakfast establishment to pick up some biscuits and a Yoohoo for my sister and I to share. I took a sip of the Yoohoo and then handed it over to my sister and started eating my biscuit. Seconds later, my sister starts yelping in pain. I look over to see that her tongue, which she has jammed down into the glass Yoohoo bottle, is STUCK.

"Uhh...Dad?" I manage. "Olivia's tongue is stuck in the Yoohoo bottle!" Mom turns around from the front seat and tries to pull the bottle. Olivia winces. The bottle doesn't budge. Dad yanks at the bottle. Olivia yelps in pain, tears streaming down her face. The bottle WON'T COME OFF. Her tongue is now TURNING BLACK, PEOPLE. I start crying hysterically, because I think that Olivia is going to have no tongue for the rest of her life. We call the ER on the way to give them a heads-up about what's coming for them. They, of course, have never seen anything like it.

15 minutes later, we got to the ER and were rushed in. After much deliberation, the doctors decided they could not break the bottle or drill a hole in it without seriously injuring Olivia's mouth (more than it already was). They ended up slipping a tiny tube in the bottle beside her tongue to break the suction. Her tongue ended up being just fine, but she never drank a Yoohoo from the bottle ever again.

Let go, jump in...

Today's blog everyday in May assignment is to respond to the term "letting go".

(First of all, it made me think of this really awesome song: Let Go by Frou Frou from Garden State and The Holiday and I'm sure a bunch of other movies.)

To me, "letting go" means letting go of the things in your life that weigh you down and keep you from moving forward.  For me, personally, it means letting go of the fear of the unknown and letting go of bad relationships. The unknown is scary for me.  I like knowing where I'm going to be and I like to have friends.  Letting go is stepping out of your comfort zone.  As far as letting go of bad relationships, I've learned that some people are meant to be in your past. Things did not work out for a REASON. Don't look back, you're moving forward.  Letting go means not being afraid to move on to something bigger and different and more rewarding. Let go, jump in.

5 of my jams...

1.) After the Storm by Mumford & Sons
This song has gotten me through some terrible days, as lame as it sounds.  It is so hopeful and amazing.  It contains my favorite line from any song ever: "Get over your hill and see what you find there, with grace in your heart and flowers in your hair." I even made a painting of it! :)

2.) Old Pine by Ben Howard
This is just an incredibly soothing song. His voice is so pretty. And he's not bad looking, either.

3.) Paradise by Coldplay
This song just reminds me of myself. SO MUCH.

4.)Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell
A semi-depressing song about the ups and downs of life and romance. Joni gets my sad little heart sometimes.

5.) Girl From the North Country by Bob Dylan
Because Bob Dylan and his harmonica. Enough said.

My favorite adventures in pictures...

These are some of my favorite photos I've taken of places I've been. The world is amazingly beautiful.

Red Rock Canyon, near Las Vegas

La Jolla, California

My sister and me at Arenal in Costa Rica

Cinque Terre, Italy

My sister and I at Blarney Castle in Ireland

Big Ben, obvi.

Venice, Italia

Almost 15 versus almost 25.

Well, I'm turning 25 in less than a month and it's got me thinking about growth and change and all that nonsense. So, I have composed a list of pros and cons of being 25 versus being 15.

Pros:

• I've actually been kissed now, so the whole "never been kissed" thing is no longer a source of anxiety for me. (Yes...I didn't have my first kiss until I was almost 17.)
• I know how to drive (sort of).
• I no longer feel the need to try to impress people so that they think I'm cool.  I think I'm freakin' awesome and that's really all that matters. Most of the people who were actually cool and popular peaked in high school anyway.
• I don't have braces or a retainer.
• I no longer have to hide my thong underwear from my mother. Did anyone else do that or was it just me?
• I don't have to sneak alcohol from my friend's parents' liquor cabinets. No more vodka and Dr. Peppers! (Vom. Who would willingly drink that crap? The answer is me.)
• If I want to have a "gentleman caller", I don't have to be stealthy about it. He can just come back to "my place". Too bad this has literally NEVER happened. 

Cons:

• I can no longer go to prom without being seen as a child molester.  Or as a chaperone.  Now, the only occasions I get dressed up for are other people's weddings. 
• I use WRINKLE CREAM on my face. (Mostly as a preventative measure, but STILL.)
• I ALWAYS have to do the dreaded ring check.  When I was 15, no one was married or had children. 
• I can't wear tiny short shorts from Abercrombie or Hollister without looking sleazy. I mean, I've always had a big butt but now it's just obscene. Thank GOD Abercrombie and Hollister shorts aren't fashionable anymore anyway.
• I have to pay for my own car. And rent. And groceries. Being an adult is not that fun. 
• Some places have stopped carding me for buying alcohol. That just makes me feel ancient.

...after much deliberation, I've decided that I'm glad to be 25 instead of 15.  Ask me again in 10 years and I'll likely be whistling a different tune. 

Hit the nail on the head with that one.

Today on the Challenge: *Something someone told you about yourself that you'll never forget.*

About a year ago, I went on a date or two with this guy who was a high school history teacher. (I'm going to call him "teacher guy" because I have absolutely no clue what his actual name is.)  On our first date, we went to walk around the Capitol building in Columbia, SC.  We were talking about teaching jobs, and I, at this point, was still trying to find one.  I was explaining to him how terrible I am at interviews, when he said, "I think the reason you don't have a teaching job is because it's really obvious you just don't give a shit what other people think about you." At first, I was a little offended because of his brutal honesty, but then I thought about how that trait is actually a really good one to have. I don't care what other people think of me, and I'm never going to try to change myself to impress anyone. (Maybe a lot of teachers are suck-ups? I don't know.) 

Anyway, I ended up only going out on one more date with him after that because he had a terrible sense of humor. He actually continuously quoted "Dude, Where's My Car?" 12 years after it came to theaters. But, what he said to me did stick with me. Thanks for the insight into myself, teacher guy! 

My 3 Worst Traits...

A few weeks ago, I highlighted the ten most awesome things about myself. Now for the worst...

1.)  I am incredibly scatterbrained and forgetful.  I valiantly make a to-do list and then immediately misplace it.

2.)  I am terrible at communicating/opening up.  I'm even terrible at simply keeping in touch with people that I don't see on a regular basis. I'm a bad long distance friend.

3.)  I get jealous.  Not the yelling, key your car, steal your phone and read all your texts jealous...just the silent, fuming, quiet kind of jealous where you say "What's wrong?" and they say "Nothing" but expect you to know what's going on. (Which I think may be just as bad as the other kind of jealous.)

Hopefully the awesome things about me make up for these bad traits. I certainly think so. 

What they don't teach you in school...

Today's topic: things you've learned that school won't teach you. 

1.) Good things come to those who wait. (and wait...and wait..)  I spent the two years after my graduation from college wondering what was WRONG with me that I had not found a teaching job yet and most of my peers had. I spent many nights  depressed in my room, looking at education ideas on Pinterest, wondering if I would ever get to USE them.  (It sounds silly now, but I really was quite depressed.) I spent HOURS prepping for interviews that I would eventually mess up because of my nerves and perfectionist tendencies.  Then, FINALLY, 2 months into this past school year, a job at an awesome school just fell into my lap. I wasn't even the least bit nervous at the interview.  Now, to be patient about finding the man of my dreams. 

2.) Don't waste your time and energy waiting on someone who doesn't try to spend time with you.  I am an incredibly loyal person when it comes to men.  I will wait and wait for someone if I think they're worth it. But the truth is, if someone makes you wait that long, they probably aren't worth the wait.  A F. Scott Fitzgerald quote comes to mind, "No sir, the girl really worth having won't wait for anybody." AMEN.

3.) A little thank you note goes a LONG way. People appreciate you appreciating them. It's as simple as that. 

Favorite posts...

I've been (sort of) doing the "Blog Every Day in May" thing, and since I have only had my blog for like a month, I am only going to link to 2 of my favorite posts instead of 5.

The first...Becoming Edith Crawley. Wrote this semi-bitter diatribe about 2 weeks ago after attending a festival with my younger seester and her boyfriend.  I had an excellent time, but for some reason, several people felt the need to encourage me to not "give up hope" in finding my own boyfriend. (I hadn't, but that's not what they thought for some reason. If I start to wear sweatpants all the time and balloon up to 200 pounds, be concerned.)

The second...Old Lady Problems. This is basically me highlighting all the reasons I love staying in most of the time instead of going out. If only someone could hand-deliver a sexy dude to my house to hang out with me. He'd probably think it was awesome that I don't wear bras or pants.