How To: WORLD CUP

I am not a sports person, but I do love hype. I watch the Super Bowl every year because, while I know NOTHING about football, who doesn't love an excuse to hang out with friends, eat a ton of food, and yell enthusiastically at a TV, while simultaneously sharing in that experience with most of the country? The World Cup is similar, but I do genuinely enjoy watching soccer when I do. I still know very little about it since I don't keep up with it regularly---though, arguably that's not entirely my fault; as the most popular sport everywhere in the world except America, it's not as easily accessible here. I can blame America's total disinterest in anything that isn't 100% inherently American. Also, my own laziness.

Basically, as a not-very-well-informed fan, this is how I've gathered you can properly Do The World Cup:

1. Pick a team! Any team! Cheer for them with your entire body and soul!
2. Choosing to favor neither team is also an option which allows CHEERING FOR EVERYONE AND YOU'RE ALWAYS A WINNER 
3. LOTS OF YELLING (best part) 
4. Excited/nervous flailing when anyone gets near the goal post (is that what it's called? what it's called isn't important---how loud you yell is!!!!!)
5. Don't worry about necessarily understanding the rules behind all the fouls and the cards, just enjoy watching people trip each other--or specifically don't enjoy it: get angry and jump up and down YELLING AT YOUR LIVESTREAM 

Following these guidelines will lead you down a path of blissfully ignorant World Cup-ing! Anyone who knows more than me: feel free to suggest more advice! And remember: Google is your friend.

...Especially for finding each team's hotties pre-match. Like Spain's beautiful, Sergio Ramos: 

And Mexico's, Francisco Rodriguez:

Though, we won't see those faces and bods again this World Cup, America plays later today against Belgium and we have...well, we don't really have anyone. But Belgium has:

 So, while cheering for the United States, at least you can still check out the competition. 

Thicke Headed (and Seriously Messed Up)

Robin Thicke strikes again! His latest single "Get Her Back" is a sort of promising attack on his ex-wife that he wants her back, and he gets what he wants.*

**

Love is about respect. If someone doesn't want to be with you, you have to respect that. It'd be a different story if this song were a lament about how he missed her and felt bad for how things happened etc. but this is clearly a plea to "Get Her Back"---of course, who would expect Robin Thicke (of all people) to have any respect for what a woman wants? Patton, and every other person on the planet, gets to decide who they do or do not want to be with, for themselves. Just because you want someone doesn't mean you should force yourself onto them. With an intimidating show of blood and violence, this video clearly demonstrates force.

When a relationship ends, I'd presume ESPECIALLY a marriage, the two people must grieve and process on their own in order to adjust and move forward. When one person refuses to leave the other person alone, that is not only disrespectful, it's abusive. It's called stalking and harassing. Not to mention that taking all of this private relationship drama and dragging it into the public eye is extremely manipulative. He's attempting to show the world how worthy he is of her (this actually has nothing to do with her) and make the world feel sorry for him---if the public sympathizes with him (because look at how "vulnerable" he is! He's so genuine! This album--totally created and controlled by him--truly give me a look into what kind of person he is and how his relationship was!!!!) then why shouldn't she?! Now he's turned her into a monster that broke his heart and refuses to accept his sincerest apologies. Which is bullshit.

There is nothing sweet or romantic about threatening: "This is only the beginning." She's obvioulsy made it clear that "It's too soon" and she's done because he "ruined everything" but he just won't leave her alone. Because he wants her back and what he wants is what's really important.

As usual, it bears repeating that this "artist" is 100% in control of what he says/does/releases and he gets to choose how he comes across within his music. Just because he wants to appear vulnerable and genuine doesn't mean he's actual making himself vulnerable. Unless making himself vulnerable to being on the receiving end of a restraining order counts. Thicke is not the first musician to take this route regarding his pursuit of a lover and, unfortunately, I'm sure he won't be the last. That doesn't make it ok and I say we, as a society, refuse to accept this pathetic romanticized stalking into our hearts or our music charts.

*just typing that made me feel slimy, very reminiscent of
**lyrics if you'd rather not watch for whatever reason, one being the fact that watching contributes to views which contributes to him/his ego/his bank account/his perceived popularity etc. but i did watch and it was gross and disturbing the entire time so I basically wish I hadn't

Happy Juneteenth!

Juneteenth--the holiday celebrated as being the official Independence Day of Black Americans.

I had never heard of it before, but thanks to Twitter, I found the hashtag this morning and did my research into what it was all about. It was in January of 1863 that the Emancipation Proclamation was signed into law, but it wasn't until June 19th of 1865 that the law was read publicly in Texas, informing the slaves there that they were now free. Those slaves had been kept in enslavement for an extra two years, totally unaware that this was now unlawful. At long last, they were finally told they were free people. However, society hadn't changed much---clearly---and, therefore, it was still exceedingly difficult for former slaves to improve their lives, with difficult journeys north and a hard time finding jobs. 

I vaguely remember this fact may have been mentioned in passing throughout a history course early on in my high school career, but it must be stressed that the Emancipation Proclamation did not just come out of the blue and rectify the horrors that had been perpetuated since the beginning of America's founding. It has been a long, hard journey for our country to get to where it is today. And we've still got a lot of work to do. 

The hashtag #Juneteenth quickly grew throughout the day, spreading knowledge and awareness about important black history that is so often forgotten. It was great to watch it unfold, akin to the excitement about the #yesallwomen hashtag of a couple weeks ago (though, hopefully, without all the opposition).

You can learn more about Juneteenth here: Juneteenth.com

2014: The Year of Freaking Positivity

I AM LOVING ALL OF THE POSITIVITY I SEE LATELY!

I hope it's not just the corner of the internet I hang out in, because there is so much love and acceptance and self-acceptance and that should be shared in by all.

Self-image videos, encouraging posts on tumblr, loving tweets, the week of self-image love on instagram; It's a selfie celebration, out there. These are such great ways to be using this enormous resource we have to connect to each other. I know it may seem small, but it can be important. My friend Alexa has always been a big supporter of the Kindness Campaign, spreading the message that being kind matters because it makes you feel better, it makes another persons life better, and a wave of positivity has to start at the micro level to get bigger and spread out. The smallest things in life can have the biggest impact.

I don't care how stupid or cliche it may sound, I would love, love, love to see more selfies throughout 2014. Life would be so much better if we all loved each other more, or at least accepted each other. Life would be infinitely better if I loved myself more, if we could all love and accept ourselves.

I know that it isn't that simple. There are a lot of disorders and illnesses that can prevent one from being able to truly see oneself properly, I'm not trying to downplay the seriousness of that. But everyone is worthy of love, and so if we could love each other as well as ourselves, wouldn't that make a difference? Just simple compliments, support, encouragement.

Let's talk about it! Conversation is key to making change, we have to keep discussion going. What is one thing you can do to love/accept yourself more?

Whatever is happening, it is such a good thing. Let's keep rockin'.

PROM, YO

Last weekend I had prom and...it was pretty amazing and not at all overrated in anyway. I legitimately loved it and it really did go by in a blur. It's weird. I am prone to buying into hype and getting overly excited about things I normally wouldn't because I'm surrounded by people who're getting excited...But seriously. Prom was off the hook.

For dinner they had steak and a ton of vegetables and adorable balls of butter for delicious rolls, so, yeah, good food. The music was of the typical school dance variety, but I did get someone to teach me how "stanky leg" so it was a total and complete success. I wasn't completely clear on the fact that 86% of prom is spent holding your dress up so your boobs don't fall out, but that was the most popular dance move of the night. Nothing gets a group of mid-western teenagers together like Ke$ha, though, who is MY GIRL, so that made for some great (sweaty) dance floor jamming. I'm not really that hard to sway, though; I'll basically eat anything that won't kill me and I will dance to everything.

All in all, I look like a princess and I love it.

After-Prom was at a place basically called Stuff and Things and it was awesome? There were bumper cars, and laser tag, and a rock wall, and air-hockey, and rollerblading, and go kart-ing. And, even though it was 30 degrees, I went go kart-ing and kicked ass. Then: I won a mini fridge. And free dinner and a movie gift cards. And a bunch of body wash stuff.

I made Prom Night my bitch.

Then, after sleeping for six hours, we went to a camping ground? At least, I thought we were going to a camp ground, but in all actuality we weren't camping at all, but rather...cottage-ing? It was an adorable cottage, I'm not complaining at all. It was surrounded by other little cottages and it was right on the lake and it was kind of fancy as fuck. I didn't swim in the lake (I swam in the indoor pool????? not a campground) but I did watch my friends fish, so that counts for something. I spent ten dollars on protecting myself from skin cancer before paddle-boating with a swan. The only problem was I kept hearing Jess Mariano's voice in my head about being beaked. I didn't get sun burnt and I didn't get beaked, the worst thing to happen was I fell off a log, therefore bruising the entire back of my leg and, worst of all, dropping the best s'more I've ever made all over myself instead of in my mouth.

Other than that, overall fantastic weekend.

Lazy May-zy

I was sitting here, watching The Hills, with the open Blogger tab glaring into my peripherals. I glanced at it and could barely stare it in the face. An overwhelming feeling of I can't do this washed over me for a full minute before I realized just how stupid that thought is. It's blogging. Of course I can do this. Why I feel the need to put paralyzing pressure on myself in every single thing I do, I don't know, but that shit needs to stop. I have five drafts right now, started and worked on just in the past eight days. This is BLOGGING; I've done this so much, why am I having such a difficult time this week? I legitimately have a lot to talk about, like the situation in Cleveland right now, with the news of the three missing girls found; I finished my college finals today (!!!); I literally just got a job tonight(!!!!); I've got less than two weeks left of high school; lastly, and most importantly, I met Anderson Cooper.* I've really got a lot going on at the moment.** Still, it's been hard for me to find the words to discuss any of this. This is me pushing through it---or I guess, rather, around it seeing as this isn't exactly a post discussing any of these topics specifically but instead an overview of everything. Lazy lazy lazy. What can I say?...That's exactly what I'm trying to figure out.

It's been 8 days since I last blogged. It feels like so much longer, and yet, 8 days still feels like a lot. Can anyone believe it's already May 8th????! I can't. Happy May, everybody!

*So I didn't get to talk to him or get a picture I saw him and he saw me and we acknowledged each other and I got to personally watch him do news live and it was great
**Especially since I just found this amazing website where I'll have to force myself away from once I have paychecks: http://wwtaylorw.com/

Days left of high school: 10

Goofy and 18

When talking about their pro/con lists for college, Lorelai tells Rory to add "theatre" to the Yale Pro List.

She says, "You'll get to see the next Meryl Streep all goofy and 18 and doing crap like, 'Name an occupation!' Plumber! 'Name a farm tool!' Tractor! Yeah...I'm a tractor...doing plumbing!"

While I'm not planning on being the next Meryl Streep, it's little things like this that make me feel excited to be goofy and young and on the brink of starting something new in my life.*

Mostly, I'm more enthused than ever to be done with high school.

I've never been very good at balance, physical or mental, but I'm determined to be happy and successful and maybe I'll just go get some shoes. New Balance. Hahhhhhhh.


*Where's Zefron?