The Ultimate List

Just in case you haven't noticed, I like lists. I like lists a whole lot. I am probably addicted to lists. If there were a twelve step program for list addicts, I should probably join it...but then again, the 12 steps would itself be a list, thus only adding to my problem.

The bottom line is, I'm a list-maker. Hardcore. So here's a list of reasons why I like lists.

• They are very organized. Obviously.
• You can write them anywhere; in a planner, on a post it, in a notebook, on your hand.
• You can write them about anything: what to buy at the store, what to do this weekend, where you want to be in ten years, your hopes, dreams, fears, favorite songs, somebody stop me!
• You can write them with markers or crayons or pretty colored sparkly gel pens.
• Crossing things off is the most rewarding sensation. Well, not the most rewarding, but it's pretty damn great.
• They can break giant tasks into little manageable ones.
• Every once in a while, I'll do something that's not on my list, then proceed to write it onto my list, just so i can cross it off and verify to myself that i was in fact productive.
• They also make really good blog posts when you can't think of anything better to write about :P

In other news, it's going to snow more. So I may or may not be snowed in again. So I may or may not post more soon.

-Julie

Remember that rant I had about procrastination?

I obviously cannot take my own advice, because here I am writing this, when I should be studying for the 3 tests I have in the near future...BUT I have a new idea. And I'm gonna share it with you.

This week I've decided to start a new self-project. The 45 week project. To do something new every week, for the whole week, for the rest of the year. There's 44 1/2 weeks left...But this week makes it 45 weeks. I think. I counted, but I could be wrong. The point is, that every week, I'm going to do one thing that I usually don't do, for that whole week. Does that make sense? I hope so.

So this week, I decided to do something I never ever do, and that's wear big earrings. Yes. That is trivial and rather silly, but I have to start somewhere. If you ask my roommate, she'll tell you that I never ever wear earrings; small, big, doesn't matter, it just doesn't happen - and seeing as she is the queen of ostentatious jewelry, she is a pretty reliable source on the matter. It's mostly because I don't want to look overdressed or like I'm trying to hard, so all of my pretty earrings just sit in my jewelry box waiting for a big night out in which I might just wear them. But this week, I've resolved to just not care and it's kinda nice. Not to mention, all of the big earrings I've accumulated over the years are coming into use finally.

Basically, every week I will have a new thing to accomplish that I usually don't do. I have some ideas already, so I'll list them. Because I like lists. And also, I don't want to forget.

• Feb 21-27: Drink tea instead of coffee everyday...this is going to be a hard one due to my serious addiction, but hopefully I'll like this better, because it is far more healthy.
• Feb 28- Mar 6: Wear heels everyday. I'll have to get over my height complex eventually, and lets be serious, who do I have to be shorter than?
• Mar 7-13: Read [a book] for fun every night before I go to sleep. I might try to start this early, but that week it's serious business, I want to get back into the habit.

That's a good start, I'll keep you posted. Even though I don't know who "you" is. Or if there is a "you" at all. IRRELEVANT. Procrastination's over.

-Julie

Happy Late Valentines Day.

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It may not be my favorite holiday...but even over-commercialized, overrated holidays can be beautiful.

Valentines day is one of those days that gives those people who usually rationalize themselves out have having expectations, the reason to have expectations, however small... If that makes any sense?

Well, I am one of those people. I don't want expectations. I really don't. Expectations lead to disappointment, and disappointment leads to a whole slew of unpleasant emotions that I prefer to avoid. So usually, I lose the expectation...or just expect the worst in most situations. The best thing about expecting the worst is that when that doesn't happen, you're super excited. It's kind of the feeling you get when you have a really bad headache and then all of a sudden, it's gone. You feel 50 times better than you would normally, just because of the drastic improvement.

Anyway, back to V-day. Have you ever noticed how so many relationships end around any holiday? A whole lot. And why is that? My bet is that its because of unfulfilled expectations by either or both parties.

And even people like me, people who don't really give a damn about a dozen roses, or a five star dinner, or a unique romantic gesture; still long for something. Anything. Frankly, I could get a letter and a mix cd every holiday for the rest of my life and be pretty damn happy. Sure, jewelry is nice, flowers are nice...obviously I'm a girl, I like those kinds of things. But I know that a lot of guys only get them because of the expectation the girl has, not because it has any special meaning to them whatsoever. I don't want to expect that from anyone, and to be honest, no one should.

Some people think that love only exists if others can see it and if it's paraded around in the form of a tacky "journey" necklace from kay jewelers. Wrong. Oh so wrong. What has become of us?

I realized this recently also, how sexist Valentines Day is. The girls expect everything from their guy and what does the guy get? I mean sure, they probably get exactly what they want [after all, blowjobs are like flowers for men, or so I've heard] ...without the girl having to spend a dime....but still. Some girls expect flowers and dinner and jewelry and romance and chivalry in return for what? Sexual favors? These girls give us all a bad name, I swear.

I propose valentine's day get wiped off the calendar completely. We already have birthdays and anniversaries and christmas to worry about, stress over, and expect things from. Why must there be a random day in February that puts relationships in jeopardy?

Sorry for the rant...but I feel better.

-Julie

Don't Hate on Winter

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As snow is accumulating by the foot outside my window, it's hard not to dream of sunny spring days and beautiful summer nights...it's even harder not to hate on winter all together.

But what good does it do to sit inside and hate life? Why not make the best of the cold weather and everything that goes along with it?

It is my resolution to love every season, no matter how adverse the weather condition happens to be... so since I love lists so much, here's one of all the reasons why I'm not going to hate one winter.

1. Snow=Snowball fights and snow cream and beautiful landscapes.
2. Drinking hot cocoa, tea, coffee, etc. to warm you up.
3. SNOW DAYS - I think I'll be excited about snow days for the rest of my life.
4. The feeling when you wake up in the morning, look out the window, and everything is blanketed with beautiful, untouched snow.
5. Lots and lots of blankets to keep you warm.
6. Cute slippers. Mine are lady bugs :)
7. Movie marathons when you're snowed in, my plan for tomorrow? Phantom of the Opera, Gossip Girl Season 2, and maybe The Pianist?
8. Being snowed in in general...it's complete justification to do absolutely nothing productive....or maybe organize your entire life. But then again, I'm a virgo, so I like that kind of thing.
9. Cuddling in front of a fire, or under lots of blankets....or just cuddling in general. (Body heat is the best kind, right?)
10. Spring anticipation! Flowers and leaves and blue skies. mmm.

It's winter. Love it. Only a few weeks left!

-Julie

Happiness vs. Practicality

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I pretty much have one mantra i repeat over and over "do what makes you happy."
I say it to myself, it's my go-to piece of advice when someone has a tough decision, and generally I believe that it is something to live by. If you always did what made you happy, you would always be exactly that, right?

Well what if what would make you happy would cause you stress? What what makes you happy requires you to live in your parent's basement for the rest of forever? What if what would make you happy involves dropping out of school and hitchhiking across the country?

What it really comes down to is: when does happiness butt heads with practicality? When should we put aside our happiness for future goals?

So many things can hold you back from doing what you want, money, family, friends, boyfriends, girlfriends. All of the things that support you can just as easily prevent you from doing what truly makes you happy. That shouldn't be the case...but it's kind of an inevitability that we all have to live with.

I wish I could provide better answers...for myself or anyone else...but really all I have is questions...

I guess doing what makes you happy is harder than it sounds sometimes.

-Julie

As if I needed another reason to love Conan O'Brien

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"all i ask is one thing, & i’m asking this particularly of young people that watch: please do not be cynical. i hate cynicism. for the record, it’s my least favorite quality, it doesn’t lead anywhere. nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. but if you work really hard & you’re kind, amazing things will happen. i’m telling you: amazing things will happen. i’m telling you, it’s just true." -conan o’brien.

-Julie

The Happy vs. Pet Peeves

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Pet peeves - we've all got 'em. and they always seem to get us down.

Mine include, but aren't limited to:

• Complete disorganization and chaos.
• Really loud phone talkers. (They can hear you! I promise!)
• People who laugh really loud by themselves, with no consideration for others...forget that, just people who have no consideration for others.
• Arguing with ignorant people about unimportant facts (much different than arguing about opinions, because I'm all for that).
• Any sort of passive aggressive behavior.
• Hypocrisy on important issues, changing your mind is one thing, being a hypocrite is completely different and infinitely more irritating.
• When cups get stacked before they are all the way dry and then get all moldy and gross.

Trivial? Yes. Stupid? Also yes. BUT I will not let these things get me down, no matter how many of them happen in a three day period.

Pet peeves are those things that just get under your skin, no matter how hard you try to ignore them. I tend to fancy myself a pretty easy person to get along with, but these things send me from completely chill to an irritated you-know-what in about 5 seconds.

It is my resolution, as of today, to not let these things get me down. To make happiness not just an intangible feeling, but an actual thing - a noun i suppose. It's not just happy anymore, it's "the happy"..."my happy." Does that make sense? I hope so. Because it makes sense to me.

It is also my resolution to spread the happy. Happy people make other people happy. It's as simple as that. We can all do it, all we have to do is try.

-Julie