Don't try to be someone you're not...

I do not judge people from different backgrounds, people of different races, color, sexuality, socioeconomic status, etc, etc, etc. The list goes on. To sum it up quickly, I judge people for their actions, mainly, how they treat and act around others. So why isn't that good enough for everyone? Why are some people so self- conscious about their backgrounds or who they truly are?
The point I'm trying to get to without rambling too much is that I have a pet peeve. I actually have many pet peeves, but here's a pretty big one: People who try to act like someone they are not. I don't believe it's fair to others because others befriend someone who isn't you. Most importantly, it's not fair to oneself. Why not be yourself in the first place and become friends with people that like you for you? I know this is cliché, but I feel that some people need to be reminded of it. I have a real life example of someone that needs to be reminded of this childhood lesson.
A friend of mine believes she has me going. She believes that she has me fooled on the fact that she eats healthy and would be active if she could. I love her, I do, but it annoys me that she thinks I won't like her if she does not prove this to me. I have chosen to eat healthy. I like fish, I like spinach, that's mainly all I buy so that I have to eat it. That is my choice and I don't expect others to make that choice. I know that self esteem is a large factor in this, but people need to come to terms with the choice they make in their life and accept the consequences.
Be okay with the fact that you don't eat healthy or can't shop at the most expensive stores or don't have blonde hair. It doesn't matter what you are self- conscious about, everyone has issues with their body and personality. EVERYONE. So be who you are or who you want to be. You can change things about your personality, like becoming more confident with yourself. That's a positive change! But those that you can't change or don't want to change, be at peace because you'll be a whole lot happier in the end.

Girls, Girls, Girls...

Dear girls of the world,
This post may sound feminist, so if you choose to you may ignore this. For those of you who have respect for yourself, I applaud you. Girls who struggle with guys treating them like dog poop all the time and would like to change the situation, read my tips.
1) Don't act stupid in front of guys, simply for their attention.
2) Don't give up the V card to just anybody.
3) Do be yourself. You are the only one who is good at being you. If you lie and say that you're someone you're not, the guy is practically cheating on you. He thinks you're someone else. You don't want that.
4) Be fairly conservative with your clothing. You don't need your boobs pushed up to the sky to get a DECENT guy's attention. Most guys if they see cleavage, that is all they are paying any attention to.
5) As cliche as it may be, it's true: be confident in yourself and like who you are.
6) It is not your job to change a guy. If he's a cheater, don't try to change him. Karma will get him some day.
7) Don't try too hard. Relationships and dating require work, but if you're struggling to stay in a relationship so much that you feel that you're more sad than happy- let it go and move on- no matter how hard it is.
8) Never settle for less. If you think you deserve a smart, funny, polite guy- then you most likely do!
9) If you want to be courted, you must be chivalrous also.
10) If it's meant to be, it's meant to be.

Thank you and goodnight.

High School Dances

Ugh... Every time I go to a high school dance, I'm repulsed. Although, there are beautiful boy ands girls everywhere and they're looking their best, I'm appalled. Grindfest, as I call it, that's what a high school dance is. Now, I understand grinding is the dance of our generation; however, there is a profound line that you should not cross. Touching your toes and rubbing your butt furiously on some guy is not dancing... it's having sex with clothes on. It's so bad that I feel the need to look away to give the couple some privacy, but then again, they're practically having sex in front of a hundred people.

I went to my boyfriend's senior prom last night. I witnessed one couple be approached (at least) 5 times because their dancing was too inappropriate. I have three thoughts that come to mind:
1. Aren't they embarrassed?
2. I really wish they would stop because I'm seriously disturbed.
3. How disrespectful!

I don't understand the need to "fight the man" and dance even harder on each other. If a teacher or principal has asked you to calm down your dancing, then you respect their boundaries and do it.

To top it all off, the girls that I saw grinding the hardest were with guys that treated them the worst, which I'll leave for my next entry because if I start on this issue now, I'll be here on this computer hours.

"Macho Men."

Now, my love life has no problems. I've been with a great guy for almost two years and to clarify this post isn't related to him in the least bit.

My concern is my friends. I can get along with just about everyone, but I usually get along better with guys... hoping that they'd be less emotional and less dramatic. Boyyy, was I wrong. I've learned in my freshman year of college that guys can sometimes be even more dramatic. They may not show it, but that's what makes them more dramatic! Boys (I say boys because they act like it in most cases) will bottle up their emotions and decide not to show them. Why? Because they're expected to be macho men. My "favorite" case is when guys will be emotional in front of girls, but when in front of guys they're expected to be masculine.  WHY?

Stereotypes strike again.

Too much division...

I'm not talking about math... though I do despise the subject.
America is divided beyond belief.
Republican vs. Democrat (Or Liberal vs. Conservative)
Catholicism vs. Islam vs. Protestantism vs. Atheism
Boxers vs. Briefs
Pessimists vs. Optimists
White vs. Black
And so many more! People automatically judge if they see an Obama/ Biden 08 or McCain/ Palin 08 on someone's car. WHY? Why do we have to be so discriminatory against others' views?
My most recent incident with this is the death of Osama Bin Laden, most specifically President Obama's address to the American citizens. After his speech, I looked on Facebook to see what others had posted. Most of what I witnessed was inadequate education. People were criticizing unimportant details about Obama. For example, how he said Pakistan--Really? For the record, he said it correctly. Most Americans say the word incorrectly. Another was complaining at how Obama was a "worthless scrotum," but neglected to follow up with anything evidence or reasons as to why they believed that. I don't care what your beliefs are, whether you like our president or not, but there are two things that I'd like to address:
1. Back up your beliefs with some evidence and legitimate reasons otherwise you make yourself look like an ass.
2. Obama is our president, he was voted in democratically and deserves respect. In case the reader hadn't noticed, I am fairly liberal, but I did not disrespect President Bush. All of our presidents deserve respect because they are our leaders.

Some days, I feel like I've lost faith in humankind.

Gullible is on the ceiling...

This is a call for all of those who believe that they believe totally in whatever political/ religious/ social issue, to just stop. Just stop and look and what you're believing in. Are you sure that you believe in it? Do you have evidence/ examples supporting it? Do you get your information from a credible source? Does the source have a strong bias? Have you looked at the other side? Considered the other side? Do you understand where the opposition is coming from?

Until one has gone through all of these steps, they don't really know what they're talking about. They're ignorant. To make a decision, you have to hear the other side of things. People should not believe the first thing they hear because it's may not be true.

For example, I was talking with a friend last night who for awhile was totally against the Ground Zero community center (I know this is fairly old news, but stick with me). He thought it be disrespectful towards the Americans who died on September 11th and that it was an act of defiance against the US saying, "We conquered you." For awhile, I tried to tell him about the liberal perspective, talking about freedom of religion and religious tolerance for all, including the Islamic religion. Last night, I got a phone call and it was my friend telling me how he'd read an article about the couple who want to start the Ground Zero community center. He read it in TIME magazine-- which he had heard me talk about a fair amount of times before-- and realized that there was more weight to the issue than he had thought before, despite my attempts to tell him earlier on when the issue first came out. He learned that the couple who started the community center had actually been working on fighting the Taliban, not the opposite like Reverend Terry Jones believed. He also learned that the reason that the Muslim couple want the community center is because they believe the US needs it. In the US history, we've oppressed Blacks, Chinese, Japanese, Mexicans, Irish, Catholics, Jewish, and many more. In current times, people of the Islamic faith are stereotyped and are misunderstood, especially those here in America.

What I want people to know is that they're two sides to everything. Right and Left. Good and Bad. Wrong and Right. Whatever. It's important to see that people shouldn't believe everything they hear. Terry Jones is a good example of this...

My European history teacher, one who I will remember for the rest of my life told our class to always question authority. Question everything. Make sure you have the right information and don't be afraid to admit your ignorance.

Skinny White Girl

To elaborate on an earlier post...
A paper I wrote for my English class, I don't care if you like it, agree with it, or whatever. Maybe it'll serve as some entertainment. Who knows...
Humans feel the need to classify people, not many know why.  It’s how the mind works. If some one or something doesn’t fit into at least one category, the mind goes into crisis mode because it cannot place an individual into a group. Many people disagree with the classification or discrimination of others; however, judgment on a person’s race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, and size occurs at the moment one notices another and cannot be avoided. First impressions are not always correct but for the most part, they are.  Society must be able to recognize though, that there are people that have the traits of a specific quality, but may not fit the standards. I was placed on this Earth to fight the stereotype placed against my people. I, as a Caucasian, young woman am discriminated against and I do not meet the spoiled, perfect, and wealthy standards of the “Skinny, white girl,” stereotype.  

I only wish that I were as spoiled as I’m assumed to be.  Many times I have been confronted about my laptop, an Apple Macbook Pro. “Did your daddy buy that for you?” my oppressor tauntingly asks. “No, he didn’t. I paid for it.” His/ her shocked face is always priceless, as I continue to tell them that I actually paid for my truck also and regularly pay for the normal expenses such as: toiletries, gas, prescriptions, clothes, and schooling. My clothes are from everyday stores. I could care less about brand names and whether or not my clothes are “so last season.” It does not matter if one’s purse is from Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, or any other useless designer. Would my future employers care if I owned a Michael Kors garment from his fall collection? Doubtful, if anything, they’d be turned off and stereotype me into the group of spoiled girls. Those who are spoiled and brag about how their daddy spends more money on them than himself are materialistic and shallow. I refuse to let myself sink that low. I am financially dependent on my parents, but I demand to be given credit for the things that I do purchase and how I carry myself.

I have accepted that I am not anything remotely close to perfect. Like all other humans, I have many flaws.  I tend to be too kind and my so- called friends take advantage of my submissiveness. My ACT score was above average but nowhere close to the scores of those attending Ivy League colleges and universities. I don’t think before I act. My sister and I can’t ever seem to get along. I pick at my hair.  I’ll never be on the Victoria’s Secret runway or on the cover of Glamour magazine. Like the majority of college students, I procrastinate until the night before a test or major project. My truck has barely been able to pass inspection because I’m procrastinating to buy a new exhaust system. I have bad breath in the morning and many dark freckles. I have an addiction to Twizzler’s. I’m as stubborn as a bull.  On top of it all, I can’t seem to go one day without tripping over myself, running my shoulder into a wall, choking on my own saliva, or overall, just embarrassing myself in front of someone. I am aware of yet, comfortable with my imperfections because I know whom I am and I know that I’m doing my best.

            Some may argue that my family is upper- middle class, however we are included in the working- class status. My parents have worked hard all their lives to create the life we live. My dad has worked two jobs for as long as I can remember and my mom puts more hours into her job than is expected by her boss. At times, my dad would work three 24- hour shifts consecutively because of his two paramedic positions.  My grandparents were waitresses, garbage men, and farmers who all possessed addictions that kept them from a more privileged life. The generations before my parents gave birth to all of their children before the age of eighteen. My mom was the first to graduate college in her family. I will be the first of my family to graduate from college immediately after high school. I come from a family full of hard- workers. My family’s life was not handed to them and would be completely different if they had been content with what was given to them.

The amount of times I’ve been referred to, as a “Skinny, white girl” is incalculable. I am not better than any other human being out there nor do I think of myself to be.  Am I grateful for the life I have? Absolutely, I’m better off than the majority of people on this Earth and I would not ask for more. I actually ate my peas when my grandmother reminded me that children in Africa did not have as much as I did. Do I have everything? Not at all, at least not as much as I’m assumed to have. Each status and stereotype has its differences and its own conflicts that it’s inhabitants must cope with. Stereotypes are there for a reason but are not always correct. Those who are aware of their flaws should work to reduce the severity. I deserve recognition for the work that I have put into myself against the spoiled, perfect, and wealthy girls that have burdened me with the task of disproving this stereotype.