Friday, January 3, 2014

New Year, New Post, New Me

It's been awhile. I start almost every blog with the same sentence, so deal with it. :) Before I begin on anything, I kept a promise or basically said I would write about this particular topic to a few friends, so now I am going to do it. I am going to bash 50 Shades of Grey.

Have you read the trilogy? Have you fully absorbed the underlying message this hodge podge of crap is trying to convey to female readers? Well, let me entertain you. I read the trilogy and laughed throughout the entire thing. This book is sad and creepy. My boyfriend called it 'mommy porn' which almost made me puke in my mouth. Do you want to imagine that? No, no I didn't think so. What in the world is going through mother's minds throughout the world if they deem these disgusting novels as 'fun' or ewww... 'romantic'?

My theory is simply this. After awhile, marriages must reach a 'boring' stage, guess what? That's called real life. Get used to it. Apparently, this author wants to 'spice up' the sex lives of these deprived mothers and housewives everywhere. To each his own on that front. But ask yourself this, if you were a mother (I am not ready to be one for quite some time yet) or if you ARE a mother, would you allow your pre-teen daughter to read these books? My answer? NO. I would never want my future-somewhere-down-the-road-daughter to EVER think it is ok for a man to use objects or his hands on her for HIS pleasure.

S&M is a culture unto itself that I personally know nothing about. For members of this culture, if that is what they choose to do to one another and it works in their relationships, then that's fine. But, for a young impressionable girl to start reading books like this.. a girl that may not be sexually active yet, and doesn't quite know her own sexual identity-who knows the damage that could do. Women should never be seen as objects both in and outside of relationships. I have been in situations where I have been treated with 0 respect, and I will never allow myself to be treated that way again. The things I was told, would make you roll your eyes at me and ask 'why did you allow that to happen?' Or, better yet... 'why did you allow yourself to be treated that way?'

Because when I was younger, I didn't know any better. And, I will tell you this- I have encountered folks that closely resemble Christian Grey, and that is not a compliment to them or to anyone else. What Christian Grey represents is CONTROL. Sheer emotional CONTROL over another human being. You don't have to use your hands to control someone else, emotional manipulation and verbal abuse are often key. In this trilogy, I would say EMOTIONAL MANIPULATION was seen left and right throughout the books. Christian had the ever innocent and soon to be dominated Anastasia wrapped around his pinky finger. While reading their relationship take shape, I cringed at the very thought of being so controlled by someone else.

Ladies of all ages, of all walks of life, of all career paths, YOU can determine your own sexual identity in a relationship. If you are ok with what Christian and Anastasia represent, then who am I to say otherwise? I would not introduce such literature to a younger audience though. If a little girl asked me about this trilogy, I would pull them off to the side and really let them know that you need to love yourself first and foremost before you allow any man to determine what he wants in a relationship. It should be a 50/50 situation not a 50 SHADES OF GREY.

Stay tuned because I am going to watch the movie. And bash the hell out of it too. :)

I hope you all have a wonderful 2014 and I'll be sure to keep on blogging on. :)

New Year, New Post, New Me

It's been awhile. I start almost every blog with the same sentence, so deal with it. :) Before I begin on anything, I kept a promise or basically said I would write about this particular topic to a few friends, so now I am going to do it. I am going to bash 50 Shades of Grey.

Have you read the trilogy? Have you fully absorbed the underlying message this hodge podge of crap is trying to convey to female readers? Well, let me entertain you. I read the trilogy and laughed throughout the entire thing. This book is sad and creepy. My boyfriend called it 'mommy porn' which almost made me puke in my mouth. Do you want to imagine that? No, no I didn't think so. What in the world is going through mother's minds throughout the world if they deem these disgusting novels as 'fun' or ewww... 'romantic'?

My theory is simply this. After awhile, marriages must reach a 'boring' stage, guess what? That's called real life. Get used to it. Apparently, this author wants to 'spice up' the sex lives of these deprived mothers and housewives everywhere. To each his own on that front. But ask yourself this, if you were a mother (I am not ready to be one for quite some time yet) or if you ARE a mother, would you allow your pre-teen daughter to read these books? My answer? NO. I would never want my future-somewhere-down-the-road-daughter to EVER think it is ok for a man to use objects or his hands on her for HIS pleasure.

S&M is a culture unto itself that I personally know nothing about. For members of this culture, if that is what they choose to do to one another and it works in their relationships, then that's fine. But, for a young impressionable girl to start reading books like this.. a girl that may not be sexually active yet, and doesn't quite know her own sexual identity-who knows the damage that could do. Women should never be seen as objects both in and outside of relationships. I have been in situations where I have been treated with 0 respect, and I will never allow myself to be treated that way again. The things I was told, would make you roll your eyes at me and ask 'why did you allow that to happen?' Or, better yet... 'why did you allow yourself to be treated that way?'

Because when I was younger, I didn't know any better. And, I will tell you this- I have encountered folks that closely resemble Christian Grey, and that is not a compliment to them or to anyone else. What Christian Grey represents is CONTROL. Sheer emotional CONTROL over another human being. You don't have to use your hands to control someone else, emotional manipulation and verbal abuse are often key. In this trilogy, I would say EMOTIONAL MANIPULATION was seen left and right throughout the books. Christian had the ever innocent and soon to be dominated Anastasia wrapped around his pinky finger. While reading their relationship take shape, I cringed at the very thought of being so controlled by someone else.

Ladies of all ages, of all walks of life, of all career paths, YOU can determine your own sexual identity in a relationship. If you are ok with what Christian and Anastasia represent, then who am I to say otherwise? I would not introduce such literature to a younger audience though. If a little girl asked me about this trilogy, I would pull them off to the side and really let them know that you need to love yourself first and foremost before you allow any man to determine what he wants in a relationship. It should be a 50/50 situation not a 50 SHADES OF GREY.

Stay tuned because I am going to watch the movie. And bash the hell out of it too. :)

I hope you all have a wonderful 2014 and I'll be sure to keep on blogging on. :)

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Times They Are a Changing

I have a lot to report. I haven't been on here in a very long time, and that is no one's fault but my own.
I truly believe the saying nowadays 'good things come to those who wait.' Well, I waited and waited and waited for things to turn around in my life and guess what? They finally did! Don't get me wrong,  I am still a cynic when it comes to love and relationships and will sadly continue to expect the worst and be happily surprised when the opposite happens. It's just an odd protection mechanism I use, I don't really know how else to explain it. It is what it is.

I met someone, and even asked his permission to put his first name (not last as well, that would be weird) in my blog! :) My boyfriend agreed because he is a good man overall. His name is Nick and we have been together since March 2013 (after St. Patty's Day to be exact.) Things between us are going really well. I have found a partner in certain hobbies that folks either find me strange or are just too uncomfortable to talk about with me. We both LOVE horror movies and the supernatural in general. Most folks would run for the hills when I start talking about my love of bloody B rated flicks, but not Nick. He stuck around and even enjoys exploring them with me. Although we have been together for a short span of time I feel like I've known him for awhile. I am comfortable around him and let my guard down a lot sooner than even I expected. We talk about anything and everything basically everyday and haven't run out of things to talk about. I can confide in him and he in me. It's a rare and amazing thing. :)

I hope you read this Hun


and enjoy it. I'm so glad I met you this year. I have a good feeling about us and truly enjoy spending weekends and week days walking around the forest preserves with you. Here's to many more weekends and forest preserve adventures! :) Fate has a funny way of working in your favor if you just let it. Nick and I were talking about it this weekend how if it weren't for our friend's St. Patty's Day shindig (the dead sexy couple that is Aimee and Donny) we would never have met each other! Given his home/work location and mine as well it just wouldn't happen. We met each other at the right time in our lives. We were both single for an extended period of time beforehand (a year for me) and just let the cards fall where they may. I am happy and haven't felt that emotion in a long time. :)

Not only did I meet a great guy, but I have a pretty decent job as well. I am currently a copywriter/marketing contractor with a pool supply company that I will not list here. The only catch is-it's a 6 month contract position with no guarantee of a permanent position. :( I am hoping for the best, but we shall see what happens when the end of the contract rolls around. For the most part, besides the disorganized confusion during the work week I enjoy what I am doing. I am finally WRITING and getting paid for it. I update their social sites daily (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google+) and write for the company blog. I also created content for their new website which was a challenge to say the very least. Now that the new site is up and running the office is a more casual atmosphere. Folks aren't snapping at each other and the tension level has since dropped. We'll see where it takes me, if anything it's experience under my belt.

My family and I just came back from a breathtaking trip to Greece. We visited Athens, Santorini, and Mykonos. I loved the culture, the food, and the beaches. If the future allows it, I can't wait to go back and discover more islands. It was truly paradise. I don't know if it's like that all year round but for us we needed to get away from work and our lives for a little bit. It was needed and did the body and the mind good. I was a moody wench most of the time because I was still getting over strep throat and other things happened that week as well. My family put up with it anyway, and hopefully my witty sarcastic humor masked my snappiness after all.

Right now, I don't have anything else to report other than my childhood friend Emily is marrying her fiance Jason, this Saturday and I couldn't be happier for those two. :) I will probably blog about that or something after the festivities. I wish them a true lifetime of love and happiness. They are meant to be together!

And, that's all she wrote....

For now.





Times They Are a Changing

I have a lot to report. I haven't been on here in a very long time, and that is no one's fault but my own.
I truly believe the saying nowadays 'good things come to those who wait.' Well, I waited and waited and waited for things to turn around in my life and guess what? They finally did! Don't get me wrong,  I am still a cynic when it comes to love and relationships and will sadly continue to expect the worst and be happily surprised when the opposite happens. It's just an odd protection mechanism I use, I don't really know how else to explain it. It is what it is.

I met someone, and even asked his permission to put his first name (not last as well, that would be weird) in my blog! :) My boyfriend agreed because he is a good man overall. His name is Nick and we have been together since March 2013 (after St. Patty's Day to be exact.) Things between us are going really well. I have found a partner in certain hobbies that folks either find me strange or are just too uncomfortable to talk about with me. We both LOVE horror movies and the supernatural in general. Most folks would run for the hills when I start talking about my love of bloody B rated flicks, but not Nick. He stuck around and even enjoys exploring them with me. Although we have been together for a short span of time I feel like I've known him for awhile. I am comfortable around him and let my guard down a lot sooner than even I expected. We talk about anything and everything basically everyday and haven't run out of things to talk about. I can confide in him and he in me. It's a rare and amazing thing. :)

I hope you read this Hun


and enjoy it. I'm so glad I met you this year. I have a good feeling about us and truly enjoy spending weekends and week days walking around the forest preserves with you. Here's to many more weekends and forest preserve adventures! :) Fate has a funny way of working in your favor if you just let it. Nick and I were talking about it this weekend how if it weren't for our friend's St. Patty's Day shindig (the dead sexy couple that is Aimee and Donny) we would never have met each other! Given his home/work location and mine as well it just wouldn't happen. We met each other at the right time in our lives. We were both single for an extended period of time beforehand (a year for me) and just let the cards fall where they may. I am happy and haven't felt that emotion in a long time. :)

Not only did I meet a great guy, but I have a pretty decent job as well. I am currently a copywriter/marketing contractor with a pool supply company that I will not list here. The only catch is-it's a 6 month contract position with no guarantee of a permanent position. :( I am hoping for the best, but we shall see what happens when the end of the contract rolls around. For the most part, besides the disorganized confusion during the work week I enjoy what I am doing. I am finally WRITING and getting paid for it. I update their social sites daily (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google+) and write for the company blog. I also created content for their new website which was a challenge to say the very least. Now that the new site is up and running the office is a more casual atmosphere. Folks aren't snapping at each other and the tension level has since dropped. We'll see where it takes me, if anything it's experience under my belt.

My family and I just came back from a breathtaking trip to Greece. We visited Athens, Santorini, and Mykonos. I loved the culture, the food, and the beaches. If the future allows it, I can't wait to go back and discover more islands. It was truly paradise. I don't know if it's like that all year round but for us we needed to get away from work and our lives for a little bit. It was needed and did the body and the mind good. I was a moody wench most of the time because I was still getting over strep throat and other things happened that week as well. My family put up with it anyway, and hopefully my witty sarcastic humor masked my snappiness after all.

Right now, I don't have anything else to report other than my childhood friend Emily is marrying her fiance Jason, this Saturday and I couldn't be happier for those two. :) I will probably blog about that or something after the festivities. I wish them a true lifetime of love and happiness. They are meant to be together!

And, that's all she wrote....

For now.





Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Life In The Not-So-Fast Lane

I survived another birthday weekend. :) I celebrated with family on the actual day (Feb.12th) and with friends this past weekend (Feb.16th.) I learned my lesson in planning reservations at large restaurants, never, ever, trust them. Call them a day in advance to be sure they have everything correct. When I arrived at the bar we were to wine and dine at, I was told the tables I specifically asked for were taken because of the 'game.' The 'game'? Are you kidding me? Do I give a crap about some sport event when I have my friends waiting on the table taps I was supposedly promised a week ago? Naturally, I was infuriated, but kept a semi-cool with shots of Ketel-One vodka, and a delicious strawberry mojito. We waited over an hour until the 'tables' became available. Then we took them like selfish little playground children fighting over sparkly chalk.

Every year SOMETHING happens when I gather a big group of my friends to celebrate my birthday. Last year my skirt ripped all the way up the back, this year I have a cold and lost a fun table reservation (only to gain it later that evening after much bitching.) I guess being a semi-jerk does get you far in life. I should've pushed the wait staff to get us all a free round. I don't think they cared that much to go for it, but I won't be going back there for awhile. Maybe for food in the future, but never again will I celebrate another year alive at that place.

That's right, I am another year alive in the not-so-fast-lane. Two close friends of mine recently became engaged, and I have two weddings coming up. One in my May for my childhood buddy Emily and her fiancee Jason, and I am a bridesmaid to my college friend- Amanda's wedding in July. I am ecstatically happy for my friends. All of them. I am overcome with joy at the fact they found someone to spend the rest of their lives with. There is a tinge of sadness here though, as all single folks much like myself sometimes experience. It's the knowledge that your friendship with said individuals is about to change. Yes, when a friend moves from singledom to 'taken'-dom your time together (especially in the honeymoon phase) lessens over time. Instead of hanging out maybe every two weeks, it becomes a month, two months, three months, and for some can even escalate up to a year.

I know everyone gets busy with a significant other, but what about the single folks swimming through the sea of disastrous dates and failed relationships? I am left congratulating everyone on a job well done in love, when I am looking for it (eventually) myself. I am so cynical and closed off these days, I am going to just 'wait and see' what the hell happens. They say if you aren't looking it will find you. I don't believe that. The universe doesn't always give a crap or play in your favor. Sometimes you have to go out there, outside of your comfort zone, and talk to the opposite sex. Lo and behold, what a concept! Recently, I have been doing that- and I did meet someone I am fond of (more like a crush folks don't get all sappy on me) but we shall see what happens with that. I don't chase men. That is unbecoming and strange.

Let's get one thing straight though, I actually like being single. I know, who says that? I've had friends gasp at me and ask 'what? you want to be single in your 30's?!?!' like it's some cursed age. Like by the time I turn 30 I will dry up and fart dust at the thought of a relationship. I want to fart at the thought of a relationship as is, but for different reasons. There is nothing wrong with being single and figuring out what you want, what you need, and most importantly-who you are. 'Know thyself.' That's what I've been doing for the last 11 months, and I plan to keep it up.

It isn't healthy to be that person that jumps from relationship to relationship. Get to know yourself first, before you dive in and combine lives with somebody else. Give yourself a break after a 'break-up' and allow the wounds to heal. It doesn't matter how long it takes you, everybody is different for crying out loud. Just do it. I often worry for friends of mine that haven't 'dated around' like I have. I hope they are making the right decisions with these men, and I want to see my friends celebrate 40th and 50th wedding anniversaries. That is what I wish for them above anything else. Not the fairy tale crap. But, the real deal. A true relationship with someone else.

I guess that's all I feel like saying right now.

I'm in the slow lane and it's exactly where I need to be.

We out.

Life In The Not-So-Fast Lane

I survived another birthday weekend. :) I celebrated with family on the actual day (Feb.12th) and with friends this past weekend (Feb.16th.) I learned my lesson in planning reservations at large restaurants, never, ever, trust them. Call them a day in advance to be sure they have everything correct. When I arrived at the bar we were to wine and dine at, I was told the tables I specifically asked for were taken because of the 'game.' The 'game'? Are you kidding me? Do I give a crap about some sport event when I have my friends waiting on the table taps I was supposedly promised a week ago? Naturally, I was infuriated, but kept a semi-cool with shots of Ketel-One vodka, and a delicious strawberry mojito. We waited over an hour until the 'tables' became available. Then we took them like selfish little playground children fighting over sparkly chalk.

Every year SOMETHING happens when I gather a big group of my friends to celebrate my birthday. Last year my skirt ripped all the way up the back, this year I have a cold and lost a fun table reservation (only to gain it later that evening after much bitching.) I guess being a semi-jerk does get you far in life. I should've pushed the wait staff to get us all a free round. I don't think they cared that much to go for it, but I won't be going back there for awhile. Maybe for food in the future, but never again will I celebrate another year alive at that place.

That's right, I am another year alive in the not-so-fast-lane. Two close friends of mine recently became engaged, and I have two weddings coming up. One in my May for my childhood buddy Emily and her fiancee Jason, and I am a bridesmaid to my college friend- Amanda's wedding in July. I am ecstatically happy for my friends. All of them. I am overcome with joy at the fact they found someone to spend the rest of their lives with. There is a tinge of sadness here though, as all single folks much like myself sometimes experience. It's the knowledge that your friendship with said individuals is about to change. Yes, when a friend moves from singledom to 'taken'-dom your time together (especially in the honeymoon phase) lessens over time. Instead of hanging out maybe every two weeks, it becomes a month, two months, three months, and for some can even escalate up to a year.

I know everyone gets busy with a significant other, but what about the single folks swimming through the sea of disastrous dates and failed relationships? I am left congratulating everyone on a job well done in love, when I am looking for it (eventually) myself. I am so cynical and closed off these days, I am going to just 'wait and see' what the hell happens. They say if you aren't looking it will find you. I don't believe that. The universe doesn't always give a crap or play in your favor. Sometimes you have to go out there, outside of your comfort zone, and talk to the opposite sex. Lo and behold, what a concept! Recently, I have been doing that- and I did meet someone I am fond of (more like a crush folks don't get all sappy on me) but we shall see what happens with that. I don't chase men. That is unbecoming and strange.

Let's get one thing straight though, I actually like being single. I know, who says that? I've had friends gasp at me and ask 'what? you want to be single in your 30's?!?!' like it's some cursed age. Like by the time I turn 30 I will dry up and fart dust at the thought of a relationship. I want to fart at the thought of a relationship as is, but for different reasons. There is nothing wrong with being single and figuring out what you want, what you need, and most importantly-who you are. 'Know thyself.' That's what I've been doing for the last 11 months, and I plan to keep it up.

It isn't healthy to be that person that jumps from relationship to relationship. Get to know yourself first, before you dive in and combine lives with somebody else. Give yourself a break after a 'break-up' and allow the wounds to heal. It doesn't matter how long it takes you, everybody is different for crying out loud. Just do it. I often worry for friends of mine that haven't 'dated around' like I have. I hope they are making the right decisions with these men, and I want to see my friends celebrate 40th and 50th wedding anniversaries. That is what I wish for them above anything else. Not the fairy tale crap. But, the real deal. A true relationship with someone else.

I guess that's all I feel like saying right now.

I'm in the slow lane and it's exactly where I need to be.

We out.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Sarcasm Gets You Far in Life

Everyone. My readers, my friends, my family, my acquaintances that I only really see once a year... you need to check out this amazing link.

Whoever this young man is, I want you to know that I am pulling for you. I hope you get exactly what you want in your career because with writing like this, you deserve it. I want to follow in your steps and re-format my entire cover letter, my entire way of thinking.

Please folks give this a read: Best Blunt Cover Letter, Ever

I was INSPIRED last night. And these days that emotion is all but foreign to me. He got up and took a stand. He called the economy/wall street out and now they are eating out of the palm of HIS hand.

I am envious and in awe. Who wouldn't want big wig companies crawling and drooling at your feet? Take note folks, sex might sell in music, but sarcasm will get you the green in the business world.

I might blog more later tonight on other topics, we shall see.

Peace out for now. :)