Finish Year Lap 2: Complete

Despite what the tree in full bloom on Wedgewood Ave. would suggest, February has just come to a close. Which I guess also signifies the official end of the winter season, so Nashville, I think we dodged a bullet on that one. I've never just skipped an entire season before. It's a strange feeling. Kind of like we've pulled one over on Mother Nature or something. Maybe she's just getting old. I mean, she's got to be a few thousand years old at least, right? Maybe she's just given up trying. Or maybe it's global warming. Guess we'll find out soon enough. Anyway, with the end of February also comes the [drumroll please]...

end of Lap 2* of Finish Year!

I know, I know. Everybody simmer down.

It also means progress report time! So start crafting your plan for how to stealthily forge your mom's signature (and practicing your speech about how progress reports don't really count for when your stealth inevitably isn't stealthy enough. Moms just know.)

Finish Year Progress Report:

Finish List Item 1: Finish "The Empress" by the end of February. Sigh. This is still in progress. So, technically I didn't meet this goal. But I've written another section that I'm actually pretty proud of and done some editing on the overall story. I need to write probably two, maybe three more sections to wrap it up. Totally fell behind on this one, but I'm getting there. Grade: C

Finish List Item 2: Write an ebook. This goal is still in progress. I have a working draft, but I feel kind of stuck. I need another couple pairs of eyes to give me some feedback. Until then I'm just editing my draft and rearranging things, only to put them back in the order I had to begin with. Grade: B

Finish List Item 3: Finish the Harry Potter Series. On my way! I just finished Goblet of Fire (#4 of 7). It was super long. I'm not gonna lie, 1) it was probably the longest book I've ever read and 2) I'm going to brag about finishing it. It was really good though--stuff got real. Order of the Phoenix is next! Grade: B+ (I probably should have read this faster.)

Finish List Item 4: Read two other books besides Harry Potter. Still working on Harry Potter so--free pass! Grade: A+++

Finish List Item 5: Write guest posts for other blogs (or online publications). I haven't done so well at this. I have a couple ideas and need to sit down and write them. I also need to look for more blogs that would be a good fit for me to guest post on. (If you have a blog you'd like me to guest post on, or know of a blog I might be a good fit for, please let me know in the comments!) Grade: C

Definitely didn't do as well as Lap 1, but that's to be expected, right? Everyone blasts out the gate, then slows down on the 2nd lap. Right? Right?? (I am not a runner by any stretch of the imagination, so I wouldn't really know.)

How's your finish list (or resolution list, or goals list) going so far?

*still a moniker made up entirely by yours truly and not, in fact, a real component of Finish Year

A Plea On Behalf of Unknown Voiceover Talents

There's an injustice sweeping our good nation. It's slinking in right beneath our noses.

And no one is talking about it. Maybe no one has noticed.

Well, I'm here to break the silence.

Good, hard-working Americans are losing their jobs. But not to who you may think.

To celebrities.

How, you ask?

Poor, defenseless voiceover talents everywhere are being gradually replaced with people like Tim Allen and Jim From The Office (as he will forever be known. Sorry, Jim.).

Don't believe me?

Watch this esurance commercial [Jim] or this Chevy commercial [Tim].

It's happening, people. And we can't sit idly by while Buzz Lightyear swoops in and dazes the masses with his little-lightbulb-that-blinks and his falling-with-style. Hasn't Tim got enough going for him already without taking away the 30 seconds of glory that could instead be bestowed upon a deep-voiced, middle-class fellow with stars in his eyes and a dream in his heart?

First Disney movies, now this. Does anyone know who played Belle or Snow White? No. Why? Because animated films used to give young starlets a chance to prove themselves to the world, but now they just see how many famous names they can throw at you in a trailer until you see one you like enough to go see the movie.

The commercials don't even mention whose voice we're hearing. But we know. Oh, we know.

Nearly any American aged 18-35 can recognize Jim From The Office's voice within 2.5 seconds. Kind, non-threatening, trustworthy---Jim. We trust Jim. Therefore we trust his advice on insurance. I mean, let's face it, advertisers are probably on to something, here.

But it's the principle of the thing.

Sure, it might make your ad more memorable, but where, good sir, is your integrity? Where is your honor?

Do you want to be the one who has to tell the talented Joe Dynamo, who's been in the voiceover business since his radio show in 1979, that you chose Jim From The Office over him? Do you want to see Joe Dynamo cry? Because I sure don't. And that's what you're doing, Advertising Industry. You're making Joe Dynamo cry. Why would you do that?

So I ask you, reader, to join my cause on behalf of overlooked-yet-perfectly-talented voiceover professionals everywhere and stick it to The Man.

Because Joe Dynamo needs a job, too. After all, we are in a recession. And this is just the American thing to do.

So be a good American. Support the underdogs in the voiceover industry.

Have you noticed this trend? Any other celebrity voiceovers I missed?

Elevator Wisdom

I usually don't hear a lot of wisdom in the elevator.

There's a group of almost all 20-somethings that occupy floors 2-6 of my building. I work on floor 12. Nearly every day at 5, the elevator stops on at least four out of five of these floors on the way down. Floors 7-20 have a collective dislike of those people. (Really? You're 24. Take the stairs two floors.)

They pour into the elevator, clad in Vineyard Vines t-shirts, earbuds, leggings-as-pants and Ugg boots, talking about mustache parties and whatnot, until we inevitably reach their last two floors and can't possibly squeeze anyone else on, so we stop for no reason.

And the fact that they consistently defy of the laws of physics by squishing approximately 219 bodies into 1 elevator in no way activates my slight chlostrophobia...

(Since I'm married and also a goody-goody, I sometimes talk about people who are more or less my own age as if I'm an old Jewish woman calling them things like "mashuganas" and "hoodlums." Or I could just be Liz Lemon.)

Anyway.

The other day I was a little later leaving work (the benefit to them all being around my age is that they are out the door as soon as the clock hits 5), so I rode down with 4 people instead of 25.

When I got in, a man wearing five-finger shoes (to work) was telling an older lady about how comfortable they were and how helpful they have been for his knees.

Admittedly, I thought it was a little strange to wear those to work, but hey, power to him.

After they discussed the shoes, the man said something about them being unusual, but he didn't care.

The woman responded with something that stuck with me:

"Life's short. Do what you wanna do."

As someone who is slowly learning that it matters little what other people think, this really struck a chord with me.

It was like this mantra was a gem of wisdom her probably-60-something years of living had taught her and she was imparting it to us. It probably wasn't that intentional, but it was encouraging to me nonetheless.

I loved it.

If you want to wear five-finger shoes to work, do it. (Y'know, as long as it doesn't get you fired.)

If you want to dance around with your iPod in the mall, do it.

If you want to be an artist, be an artist. No one ever said you had to do something 9-5 and get a paycheck for it in order for it to count (though that may be what we think). Maybe you can work on it nights and weekends until you can get a paycheck for it. But if you're an artist, be an artist.

If you want to pray over your lunch in public, do it.

Oftentimes it matters very little if something you do causes someone else a little tension.

If you're not hurting anyone, go for it.

Just because you're not doing what someone expects of you, or doing it a different way than they would, doesn't mean you're wrong. Maybe if it makes someone else uncomfortable, they can sit with their own tension, and you can let it go.

Life is short. Do what you wanna do.

Have you ever done anything a little unusual or unexpected without worrying what others thought?

The Addiction No One's Talking About

If you ask someone what their favorite TV channel is, most people probably won't say HGTV. Except maybe my mom. And other moms. Most people don't seek it out. No one crashes after a long day and says to themselves, "man, I'd really like to watch someone argue about paint colors and rip out flooring. That would really relax and intrigue me right now."

But, not unlike a dementor, it manages to find us and suck us in.

How?

Two words: House Hunters.

House Hunters is the gateway drug of home improvement shows.

One day, you're flipping through channels and leave it on House Hunters by accident. Just in the background. No big deal, you think.

But somehow--I can only imagine they use some sort of subliminal messaging--you become invested in the show in a matter of about 2.5 minutes.

Soon enough you find yourself scrolling through the guide and thinking to yourself, "Oo! House Hunters!"

And then you slowly discover the terrible truth:

House Hunters is ALWAYS on.

Regular House Hunters. House Hunters International. House Hunters on Vacation. Where does it end?

You think to yourself, "this is awesome! I'll never run out of episodes--there's so many of them. There's no way I'll ever see them all."

Oh, sweet amateur.

You will. You will reach a point where you've seen at least half of the ones you turn on. And that, my friends, is a harrowing day.

You will also wake up one day and realize that not only are you watching House Hunters, but you've expanded to Property Brothers, Color Splash and Design Star. Who AM I?? You may think to yourself.

And that is how they get you. Also the fact that they don't put commercials in between the end of one episode and the beginning of the next keeps you invested long enough to watch "just one more episode."

I've noticed that my experience with House Hunters is not unique. More and more people are openly admitting their addiction (at least via Twitter and Facebook).

So just know, fellow House Hunters addict, you're not alone.

And there IS help available.

Well, I don't actually know that for sure, since I've never sought it out. But we could form a House Hunters support group for anyone looking to get their life back:

SUPPORT GROUP MEMBER 1: It's just that I think I'm starting to have severely unrealistic expectations of what my first house should look like.

SUPPORT GROUP MEMBER 2: All they wanted was hardwood floors, granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances and an open concept! [sobs] Was that too much to ask??

SUPPORT GROUP MEMBER 3: My wife isn't being supportive of my new career path. After watching so many episodes of House Hunters I feel I have the equivalent of a degree in couples' counseling, and she doesn't seem to agree.

Do any of these sound familiar? Just let it out. Let it all out.

Are you also addicted to House Hunters?

Truth Sessions, Vol. 4: Jackson Pearce

The Truth Sessions are back! If you're new to my blog, the Truth Sessions is a series I started a few months ago in which I interview people from all different walks of life about truth: whether they think universal truths exist, what in their life has led them to their beliefs about truth, what truths they see most prevalent in the world, etc.

Today's featured answer-er is Jackson Pearce, an author who's written several really creative young adult books including SISTERS RED, SWEETLY, and her upcoming contemporary novel, PURITY. She's also what I would consider a world-class hoola-hooper and owns a pet she refers to as Space Dog. So yeah, she's pretty cool.

I loved reading her perspective on truth. She brought up some very thoughtful, interesting points (while still managing to make it humorous), and I'm excited to share them with you guys.

I asked her my short list of questions about truth (you can read them all in Volume 3 here), and she wrote back one comprehensive answer (complete with visual aids!).

So instead of trying to format it like the others, I will just share with you her thoughts. Hope you enjoy!

Jackson:  I believe in them [universal truths], and believe that we're searching for them, and believe that we only know of one for certain.

Broken down:

I believe in them- I believe that there is something bigger than me-- maybe that's God, maybe it's a flying spaghetti monster, maybe it's just a heaven where belief in God requires just as much faith as it does here on good ol' earth. I believe that Anne Frank was right and all people really are good at heart. I believe that we're all created equal and that double parkers deserve their own circle of hell. And in love and kindness and honor and sex and dignity and all sorts of other delightful things.

In fact, I believe those things are universal truths so strongly that even using the phrase "I believe" seems silly-- it's like saying "I believe I have feet!" or "I believe in oxygen!" But that said, I wager that somewhere out there, there's a person who wouldn't categorize "I believe in something bigger than myself" alongside "I believe in oxygen." Somewhere out there is a person that would categorize "I believe in something bigger than myself" alongside "I believe in el chupacabra."*

Which brings me to my second point...

I believe we're searching for them- While there are dozens of things that, to me, are undeniably universal truths, at the end those truths are little more than the thoughts of a twenty-something writer who is having bacon for dinner (again).

I can probably gather a small crowd of other bacon-eaters recognize the same truths, but still, my Bacon Buddies and I are no universe-- we're just people who happen to think alike. If there are seven of us or seven billion of us, it really doesn't make a difference-- we're mere mortals and those truths we find so undeniable are our opinions, thoughts, and beliefs, and likely vary wildly from the opinions, thoughts, and beliefs of other mere mortals. We can cluster together and give ourselves a name and try to convince the rest of the world that we're right, but let's face it-- we could be incorrect.

Because a universal truth, by its very definition, is something that exists whether people know about it or not, whether they're right about it or not, whether they love or hate or eat bacon or not. To acknowledge a universal truth exists means to acknowledge that it's very possible you're totally wrong about what it is.

Basically: Truths are a constant, but humans are not. And so we look and look and look for other humans that have more answers than we do, we search for signs and stars and scrolls, we wage wars and commit genocides and pay scientists to do incredibly awesome things, all in the search for those universal truths because, while we can't all agree on what they are, we can all agree that they are The Most Important thing.

The one we know:

In our struggle to identify what truths are, we've landed on one truth that we can identify: That everyone is looking for the truth. It's in our longing to understand the universal and ourselves better that we are undeniably all in the same boat with no clue what river we're on or how to paddle or if we're pirates or the cast of Deadliest Catch. Which, really, is a beautiful thing. We pervert it and make it ugly sometimes, but really, in the immortal words of the first High School Musical movie, we're all in this together.

LM: So, based on your answer, could a truth exist if no one believed it or knew about it? Since a truth is a principle/idea, doesn't someone have to know it or believe it for it to exist? If not, does that assume there is something outside of the population of the world (God, or other beings in the universe---since you mentioned that you and your group are no universe) that attest to it?

Jackson: I think a truth could absolutely exist if no on believed it or knew about it, but that's unfortunately a very "if a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, does it make a sound?" question. A truth is a principle/idea, so perhaps some truths might only exist if someone believes in them (no examples come to mind, alas), but if we're speaking on religious terms...wouldn't most followers of a particular faith say that the existence of a totally ignorant non-believer doesn't make their faith any less true. I don't think a truth requires anyone-- God, man, el chupacabra-- to attest to it. It's a truth, it's bigger, in a way, than all of those things (though in the case of God, I suppose it depends on your definition and faith-- though I feel it's fair to argue that a universal truth is in the very least bigger than man's understanding of God which is naturally somewhat limited since, well...we're man and he's God).

---

I love her observation that we're all searching for truth. I think that definitely applies across the board---especially at our age.

What do you think? Could a truth still exist even if no one believes in it or knows about it (yet)? As always, please remember to be respectful of each other's views in the comments! Thanks!

For more musings from Jackson, check her out on Twitter or her video blogs on YouTube. Visit her website to learn more about (and buy!) her books.

You can read the intro and first three volumes of The Truth Sessions here: Introduction   Nicole White   Collin Brace   Melissa McCall

Why I Need More Birthday Parties

Yep, that's me (the one with the American Girl in her lap). Roller skating joint birthday party. Ballin'.

I need more birthday parties in my life.

I know we're only supposed to get one per year, but allow me to explain myself.

It's not that I have an affinity for cakes with my name on them or doing the limbo on roller skates (I'm quite terrible at it). It's not even that I want more presents (though who would complain?).

It's that I'm tired of being safe.

That sounds like it makes no sense, but hear me out (what all good points start out with, right?).

This past weekend I went to the Quitter Conference, presented by Jon Acuff.

It probably only takes a 5-minute perusal of my blog to figure out I pretty much just want to steal all his ideas. He's someone I admire, not only as a writer, but as someone who continually presents concepts and approaches I've never thought of before (hence my desire to steal them all). Plus he's quite hilarious.

The conference was based on his book, Quitter, which is about "closing the gap between your day job and your dream job." (To learn more, you can read my post about it here.)

The conference was so encouraging, and I'm so thankful for the opportunity to attend (and without even leaving my city, no less).

Back to birthday parties.

Something Jon said this weekend really stuck with me (paraphrased):

Chasing your dream can sometimes feel a lot like throwing a birthday party in the 7th grade. You invite everyone, then stand by the window and wait, just hoping and praying people are going to show up.

But the only way to fix that feeling of uncertainty and fear is to not throw birthday parties at all. And what kind of life is that to live?

If you don't know me, or you couldn't already tell from my blog, I am not a risk-taker. Let's just be honest. I'm a creature of habit, and I like it that way. It's cozy there.

And I struggle to put myself out on a limb without worrying about how I will be received. I struggle to not care what other people think.

I know Jon was talking about chasing dreams, but I think this can apply not only to my writing, but to the rest of my life.

I don't want a life without birthday parties.

I don't want my life to be a straight line--not too happy, not too sad. Reserved. Controlled.

I want dynamics, even if that means some rough stuff here and there. If you spend your whole life being cautious and protecting yourself from sorrow, you don't give yourself much room to experience joy and passion.

I want more hills. I'm tired of plains.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want bad things to happen.

But I want real.

I want relationship, passion and joy.

And you can't have those things with out letting go of a little control. Without a little risk.

Jon's thought challenged me not to play it so safe. I'm not sure exactly how this will practically play out in my day-to-day yet, but I don't think I'll forget it easily.

Are you ever afraid to "throw birthday parties?" When was a time when taking a risk paid off for you?

Top 5 Harry Potter-isms I Wish Were Real

I have a confession to make. When faced with a minor predicament, a spell from Harry Potter occasionally pops into my head as a possible solution for a split second.

I know. Nerd-tastic. And I haven't even read all the books yet. Imagine who I will have become after I finish them! Scratch that. Don't imagine it.

Seriously...stop that.

Anyway, my hopes are always dashed one second later when I realize not only am I not a wizard, but that magic doesn't even exist. IT DOESN'T EVEN EXIST.

Sigh.

So, since all I am left to do is long for the powers I will surely never have and the chocolate frogs I will never taste, I thought I would share with you the top 5 Harry Potter-isms I wish were real.

1. Accio [the charm to summon objects to your hand]. Number one, easy. No-brainer. I've longed to use this power on more than one occasion. Sure, I suppose it perpetuates laziness. I'd probably only use it to retrieve the remote or my computer when my reach is about a foot too short, but as long as I don't use it for evil, what's the big deal?

Dumbledore would probably say something like I was squandering the magic they worked tirelessly to put into my formerly-muggle hands, and that whole 'with great power comes great responsibility' thing, but hey, I just want to accio my pillow from upstairs whilst I'm lying on the couch. Is that too much to ask? Is Voldemort going to return because of that? I don't think so. He's probably too concerned with coming up with clever tweets about hating Justin Bieber to even notice. Okay, Dumbledore? Geez. Plus I'm pretty sure Voldemort disintegrated in the last movie. So we're good.

2. Hermoine. I just want to be her friend, really. But not the Hermoine in books 1-2. More like the Hermoine in 3+. Post-the frizzy hair and rules-nazi stage. (This is my hypothetical list, so I can be picky.) She's a master at spells, she has a time turner, and she can teach me how to be awesome.

3. Lumos [the spell that creates a light at the end of your wand]. Again,this appeals to my laziness and desire to not have to get up to turn on the light switch, but also appeals to my dislike of complete darkness. So, two birds here. Maybe if  I got a stand for my wand, I could use it as a night light. I'm sure Dumbledore would be shaking his head right now. It's my list, Albus, I'll do what I want.

4. Self-cleaning plates. The more things I list, the lazier I realize I must be. Or practical. That's it. Practical. Anyway, in Harry Potter land, plates magically fill and clear themselves in a matter of seconds. Where's bad?

5. Owl Post. But only if I could have a pretty owl like Hedwig, not like the creepy owl I posted here. What's more fun than getting a real letter in the 21st century? I'll tell you: having a snowy owl soar in through the window and deliver it to you after a magical journey abroad. And having that snowy owl understand you when you speak to it. Though, while I'm requesting things, I'd like to request a slightly less-sassy owl than Hedwig. She's always giving Harry the stink eye for using other owls for his safety or judging Ron's little obnoxious owl. I'm just saying, I need an owl who respects me. That's all.

Basically I just want to go back to Harry Potter World at Universal Studios. Except without the 100 degree weather and approximately 2.7 billion people.

What are some Harry Potter-isms you wish were real? (Or, if you're not into Harry Potter---sorry to hear that, by the way---something else fictional you wish were real?)

If I Seem Out of Breath, Here's Why.

I've been running for the last month. Well, metaphorically, that is.

Why? Because 2012 is Finish Year, and the beginning of February marks...[commence fanfare]

the end of Lap 1* of Finish Year!

I'll pause a moment for the warm applause and shouts of "you go girl" you're surely giving me as I cross the checkpoint, smiling and waving to you, still going strong. (Note: if this were an actual race, I would definitely not still be going strong and would surely have collapsed by now. Who said metaphors had to be plausible?)

Anyway, if you're just tuning in, Finish Year is a campaign Jon Acuff has initiated this year as a challenge for his readers to finish a handful of things this year. Not start them; finish them (the hard part).

So at the beginning of the year I posted my Finish List.

Since Lap 1 of 12 has now come and gone, and many of my goals are writing and/or blog-related, I thought I would do a quick progress report for you. But not the kind that's the report card's less-important cousin you received in middle school, which in actuality had no effect on your grade (and therefore you could not in good conscience be punished for.).

*this moniker refers to the first month of Finish Year and is 100% made up by yours truly.

Finish List Progress Report

Finish List Item 1: Finish "The Empress" by the end of February. I'm on my way to completing this. I posted a new installment here a few weeks ago, and plan on wrapping that up this month. My plan is to finish the rest without posting it online, go back and edit the whole thing for continuity's sake (there are already a few things I want to change), then post it in a PDF format after it's finished for anyone who would like to read it.

Finish List Item 2: Write an ebook. This goal is actually going pretty well. I've already got a first draft of something exciting I'm working on in conjunction with my blog, so stay tuned. I don't want to give away what the topic or setup will be just yet, but I'm looking forward to sharing it! Since this ebook is not initially what I had in mind when making it a goal, I'm sure I'll attempt another one after this is complete.

Finish List Item 3: Finish the Harry Potter Series. Since the last time I wrote about this, I've finished the third book, Prisoner of Azkaban, and I am about three-fourths of the way through the fourth book, Goblet of Fire (which is significantly longer, if anyone is doubting my already-pretty-slow-paced reading skills). Yes, I am a grown up and still openly carry this to work every day (so as to minimize shoulder injury from stashing it my purse).

Finish List Item 4: Read two other books besides Harry Potter. I'm trying to finish Harry Potter first before I start on any other books, so this one is in the queue. Though I have an increasingly long list of books calling my name.

New Finish List Item: Write guest posts for other blogs (or online publications). I'm not sure what a reasonable goal for the entire year would be on this one, since I have never written one before, but I'd love to do at least three by the time the year is over. Right now I am researching other blogs and learning about what it takes to write a killer guest post. (If you have a blog you'd like me to do a guest post for, or know someone whose blog you think I could contribute well to, feel free to let me know in the comments!)

Overall I feel like I'm doing pretty well, but I definitely have to start moving on the first one.

How's your finish list (or resolution list, or goals list) going so far?

How Getting Mobbed by Howie Mandel Melts a Heart of Stone

What do you get when you mash up a B-List celebrity host, an overdone trend and heart-wrenching family drama? I'll tell you: my new favorite show.

Basically the deal is (according to the expertise I gained from watching a grand total of 1 episode), Howie Mandel (yep) uses a team of flash-mobbers to reconcile relationships. Through dance. That's about it.

SITUATION RECAP: Older Brother writes in and tells us about how this feud between him and Younger Brother is tearing his family (and their band) apart. He explains that one day, Younger Brother had called and asked Older Brother to bail him out of some hijinks...again. Furious at this request, Older Brother decided to take matters into his own hands and not only steal younger brother's clothes and favorite guitar, but also sell them. Older Brother later finds out that Younger Brother was actually planning a surprise birthday party for him instead. Older Brother feels like a douche (as well he should) and calls Howie Mandel.

Younger Brother is super hostile to Older Brother and they haven't talked in months.

Enter flash mob.

Full disclosure, I have no idea why the flash mob is necessary.

Why didn't this kid just make a sincere apology to his brother on his own instead of involving national television? And if we are going to make it a production, why isn't a mind-boggling drummer with a 67-piece see-through drumset and "the guy from Everclear" (both present in this episode) enough for us?

I'll tell you why. Because this is America, dang it.

And we go big or go home.

And throw in a celebrity just for good measure. And kick out anyone who does it wrong (also happened in this episode). There is no room for sloppy overhead claps in flash mobs. This is serious business.

How it went down: Younger Brother gets blindsided while under the impression he is meeting with a record exec who wants to sign them, but change his lyrics into a rap. Just as he is in full-blown tirade mode at this heinous suggestion, the flash mob kicks off.

Younger Brother, understandably shaken at this point, has no idea what is going on for about 5 minutes, until Older Brother finally reveals himself and makes a sincere apology (but not without a duet on the see-through drums first).

After several attempts by Older Brother to convince Younger Brother he is being sincere, Younger Brother finally breaks down and embraces his brother, apologizing and telling him he misses him and loves him.

Heartwarming things like this continue to happen as Guy From Everclear tells them to cherish the relationship he could never have with his brother that passed away, and the Brothers' mom shows up all excited that they are finally reconciled.

It was quite possibly one of the most precious things I've ever seen. To see Younger Brother's rock-solid exterior melt before my very eyes was kind of beautiful.

Moral of the Story

The longer the episode went on and the more I learned about Younger Brother, the more nervous I was that this would all be a huge failure. He'd even said that if Older Brother were not actually his brother, he would "beat his brains in" and put him in jail. Not exactly an attitude conducive to forgiveness.

Even Howie seemed a little uneasy about the whole thing.

I mean, in what universe would provoking obviously-irritable Younger Brother to the point of rage, then throwing him into a sea of jazz hands and fist pumps from 1000 strangers make him want to accept an apology? But Howie must know what he's doing, because it worked.

What I think this story shows is that almost any grudge or fight can be reconcilable,

if someone is brave enough to take the first step.

A strange thing happens when you do. The other person is completely unraveled by your humility and willingness to mend your relationship, and the walls come down. Our instinct of self-preservation melts away when someone admits they were wrong and asks for forgiveness.

How many times in our lives have we refused to be the first to apologize? What would have happened if we did?

The younger brother in this scenario was 100% unwilling to even talk to his brother, let alone forgive him. I'm telling you--it seemed impossible. Yet even the most hardened of hearts, it seems, can often be just a defense mechanism--a result of a deep hurt--and when the opposing side surrenders, there's nothing to defend anymore.

Though surrounded by flash mobs and see-through drums, the beautiful story of forgiveness and redemption shone through. And I loved it.

Don't get me wrong, the absurdity of the flash mobs and trickery definitely made it interesting and contributed to this being my new favorite show. But the story was what stuck with me.

Where have you seen redemption where you least expected it?

Creating Joy

Joy can be hard to come across these days. Once we enter the "real world," sometimes it feels like there's not much room for it. It seems we often just set our course and stick to it, doing the same thing day in and day out.

Sometimes it feels like we have to find joy. That it's hiding from us, and we have to search for it.

But what if we chose to create it instead?

I watched a video on Jon Acuff's site the other day that lifted my spirits and gave me a picture of what joy can look like when you choose to create it.

A little background: Bob Goff and his neighbors have this parade each year on New Year's Day with only one rule: anyone can participate, but no one can watch. 

A few things I love about this video and the people in it:

1. Bob Goff and his neighborhood chose to ask "why not?" rather than "why?" There's no logical reason to have a parade in your neighborhood--let alone one that nobody is allowed to watch, but anyone can participate in. It doesn't make a profit or change the world (per se). It's probably a lot of work to organize. But some things--especially joyful things--don't have to have a "why." How much would having the attitude of "why not?" change how I live? What could I do if I didn't worry about if it made sense or what people would say?
2. They believe that every person has something valuable to contribute. I love seeing other people's creativity at work and that the parade encouraged that. I love the idea of just being YOU, and that being special on its own. That you have something to contribute that no one else can. I think sometimes we can get lost in our jobs or our family or school (all good things, by the way) that we forget we are an individual with talents and opinions and a "you." This parade brings out each person's "you," and I love it.
3. They weren't performing for anyone. It takes the temptation of chasing applause--which, if we're honest, I think we all battle--out of the picture. They did it simply for the joy it brought their souls.
4. I love anything that brings people together and connects them as fellow human beings. I think there's something beautiful about finding common ground with others and living in community. I doubt all the people in this parade shared the same beliefs or political standings, but instead of focusing on what divides us, it highlighted what connected us. They all came together to create something beautiful and joyful.
5. Balloons. Seriously, is there anything more joyful than hundreds of colorful balloons?
6. Roderick's smile. Wow.

So there's your mini-dose of joy for today! I hope it made your heart lighter and maybe even brought you some encouragement.

Do you struggle to find joy in the everyday grind? What's your favorite thing about this video?

You can read Jon's post on this video here.

A Picture Is Worth 1000 Words: Glitter Bomb

Background: Apparently Occupy-ers in D.C. protested a gathering of this group called The Alfalfa club by utilizing the highly refined and well-respected tactic called the "glitter bomb." (Really? Is there anything more harmless and unthreatening than glitter? The most you're going to inflict upon them is the minor inconvenience of the fact that glitter can survive nuclear war and will continue to appear on their feet and on their kitchen floor for years to come.) I doubt this protest accomplished much, but what it did do is create what is quite possibly my new favorite photo of all time:

The juxtaposition of this man's clearly-unamused face and the fact that he is covered in multi-colored glitter is almost too good to be true.

Which brings me to possible captions:

• "I'm too old for this stuff."
• "I'm going to kill Bob for making me take his shift tonight."
• "I swore to myself I would never get involved with glitter again after I quit crafts for good 17 years ago."
• "Damn kids and their hoopla."
• "Now imma have to go to the dry cleaners after work tomorrow."
• "Carl Winslow never had to put up with this crap."

Please feel free to join in! What caption would you put with this picture?

"Not Them, Too!": A Lament in Light of Recent Celebrity Breakups

As a society, we've come to expect certain things: former teen stars on drugs, nonsense on MTV, Madonna's reinventions of herself. We get it. It's Hollywood. But even though we've seen countless celebrity breakups throughout our lives, there's some part of us deep down that secretly wants certain celebrity couples to make it the long haul. We know the likelihood is slim, but we still hold certain couples to a higher standard.

Over the last couple months it seems that all our hopes and dreams have been dashed. Couples we swore would be the holdouts have crumbled from "so in love" to "mutual respect for one another" seemingly in the blink of an eye.

So, in light of these recent breakups, I thought I'd take a moment to recap these relationships and properly grieve their loss.

Demi and Ashton: Okay, we were all semi-shocked when this relationship became a thing. Let's face it, on the surface it makes no sense. He wore trucker hats and had a show called "Punk'd" in which he pranked other celebrities and yelled enthusiastically into the camera in black-and-white. (Not that we were complaining.) And she--well, she's Demi Moore. I'm pretty sure we all gave it a year, tops.

But as the years rolled on and nothing happened (no news is good news when it comes to celebrity marriages), we started to believe in them. They defied the odds, appearing together on red carpet after red carpet, until we just assumed they'd be together forever. How dare they toy with our emotions like that? Making us abandon our common sense and actually have faith in their relationship, then ripping it right out from under us...unbelievable.

J.Lo and Marc Anthony: It's pretty clear who is the reacher and who is the settler in this relationship. But for J.Lo to settle down and have twins with someone, we knew it had to be real. After all, she's still just Jenny from the block. And hey, he seems like a pretty swell guy. Enter American Idol. Now, I'm not saying American Idol came between them, but did anyone else see that performance? Clearly J.Lo was getting pretty used to her reclaimed throne-o-fame and ol' Marc just has to attempt to serenade the swaybots by singing in Spanish (strike 1) while the world ignores him and watches her shake her booty. I felt tense just watching it. Poor J.Little and Marc Jr. (I have no idea what their twins' names are).

Heidi Klum and Seal: I really know nothing about this relationship other than the fact that it existed, but everyone seemed pretty devastated to find out they were splitting. After all, we perceive the length of celebrity marriages like we do dog years, and 7 x 7 is 49. So it's basically like they've been married 49 years. Who breaks up after 49 years? You've almost made it to your 50th anniversary. Such a shame.

Katy Perry and Russell Brand: This was an admittedly short-lived marriage, even by celebrity standards, and I'm sure more sensible observers would have seen this coming. But I, for one, was disappointed. For no other reason besides the fact that I just like the combination of those two people. And it also bums me out that we will never see a Katy-Russell hybrid (er...child).

Help us,Will and Jada. You're our only hope.

What celebrity couple do you hope lasts a lifetime? Who are you most disappointed to see separate?

Letting Your T-shirt Do the Talking

I had a shirt in my early high school days that said "Satan is a punk." True story.

(I also had a guitar-pick choker my best friend and I made to match the one Lindsay Lohan wears in Freaky Friday, but that's neither here nor there.)

I always felt slightly self-conscious wearing the shirt because it was so blunt, but I thought it was witty and liked that it identified me as a Christian. I didn't wear it very often, though, due to the aforementioned self-conciousness, and because it was black with white letters. I didn't want people to think I was trying to be a Christian scene kid.

But I had a handful of other t-shirts that identified me as a Christian. I can say with confidence, though, I never wore one that featured a popular brand logo changed into a scripture reference. So, dodged a bullet on that one.

The ones I wore came from retreats and concerts, but the sentiment was the same. This was a witness to my classmates. If I wear these t-shirts to school sometimes, people will know I'm a Christian and it will spark their interest in becoming a Christian too, right?

Let me tell you how many times my t-shirt acted as a conversation starter: zero.

Not one person ever walked up to me while wearing a Christian t-shirt wanting to know more about Jesus.

I was too shy and scared of what other people think to ever verbalize my faith to someone who I wasn't certain already believed. I wanted my t-shirt to do it for me. Because wearing a t-shirt is safe. Putting a fish on your car or a sticker on your computer is safe. It declares (or whispers, rather) who you are but shields you from having to face a potentially negative reaction to it.

Let's face it, the likelihood that someone is going to see that sticker on your laptop, approach you and say "hey, I see that you are a Christian...what's that about?" is probably pretty slim.

We fool ourselves into thinking that wearing Christian shirts or putting Bible verses on our Facebook statuses is being bold, but really, it's being safe. Even if someone responds to your status, you don't have to face them in person, and you don't really get to know their heart on the issue.

Though I rarely wear a Christian t-shirt anymore, I'm as guilty of this as anyone--I'd venture to say maybe even more than most-- so I'm going to start praying for true courage.

I think what that looks like, for me at least, is vocalizing my faith regardless of who is on the receiving end--whether they are a believer or not.

There's no need to hyper-spiritualize everything we say, but let's choose to make our faith known in ways other than what we wear or what we put as our religious views on Facebook. Let's be honest and genuine. Let's choose not to be ashamed. Let's build relationships and show God's faithfulness and grace to others.

Have you ever worn a cheesy Christian t-shirt? What are some of the best ones you've seen?

The Empress, Part 4 [Fiction Friday]

Today I bring you the fourth installment of The Empress, which I started writing as part of a contest (which I won!). The prompt was to put a modern-day twist on a fairy tale, and I chose The Emperor's New Clothes. You can read the first three here: One   Two   Three

I hope to finish this up in February, edit it (a lot) more, then perhaps make it into an e-book. Hope you enjoy!

I'd love to know what you think in the comments! [Click "continue reading" below to read Part 4.]

I didn’t hear from Jessica again for three weeks.

The Spring Showcase was less than a month away, and I’d heard from several reliable sources that Jessica had somehow wriggled her way into the lineup. This is likely due to the fact that her parents are the acting Kennedys of the greater Moorestown area. Given the amount of music stands and cornerstones emblazoned with the Bingham name around campus, I think it’s safe to say they run this whole establishment.

I shuffled down the familiar, dingy hallway on a seemingly ordinary Monday in March. (My locker is literally the farthest one from the entrance.) I watched the white cords of my earbuds dangle below my neck in time with my steps. I’d grown weary of being welcomed to school with an earful of prom dress catastrophes and spring break destinations while walking to first period, so the iPod was a necessity.

After passing several groups of three or four girls presumably talking about those very topics, I finally reached my locker. I banged on the door twice with my fist, and it creaked open. I’d seen the guy next to me do that during the 2nd week of school and got him to fix the lock on mine so it’d do the same. Who doesn’t want to feel like The Fonz every morning?

The notebooks in my locker cascaded onto the floor as I yanked out Theatrical History: 1800 - Present from underneath them.

“Ughhhh,” I groaned, surely louder than was necessary, as the Foo Fighters were still blaring in my ears.

I kneeled down, hastily snatched the notebooks by their covers and shoved them into my backpack.

As I stood up and started to slam my locker shut, suddenly there was silence, my ears burned and I watched the white cords drop to my ankle.

“Hey! What the--” I interjected as I spun around.

There she stood--tapping her leather riding boot, with one hand on her hip and the other on her iPhone.

“I need some more of that stuff,” Jessica said without looking up from her phone, as if I were taking her order at a coffee house.

I glanced to my left and right, looking for confirmation that this was real life.

“Did you just yank my earbuds out?” I asked, incredulously.

“Um, yeah, you didn’t hear me the first time,” she replied casually. “I need some more of that stuff.”

I rubbed my ears and collected my thoughts.

“Oh, uh, sure. When do you need it by?”

“Bring it by my house after school,” she said matter-of-factly, then spun on her heels and walked away.

--

My right leg bounced involuntarily the entire ride home in Kristi’s car. She’d offered to take me home so I wouldn’t have to ride the bus. She knows how I hate sitting by Leonard--the obnoxious 14-year-old who has an insufferable crush on me--or a full 45 minutes until we reach my stop, and lucky for me, that day she didn’t have much homework to tackle after school (she’d gotten a head start yesterday).

“So anyway, I just don’t know how I’m going to fit it all in,” Kristi apparently continued.

I’d been staring out the window, racking my brain trying to remember what I put in the “elixir” the first time.

“What do you think?”

“Oh--uh, I’m sure you’ll be fine,” I said half-heartedly as I fumbled around in my purse for my keys. We were about a block from my house.

“Are you okay?” she asked, concerned.

“Yeah!” I overcompensated. “Yeah, I’m fine. Don’t worry about it. See you tomorrow!”

Kristi slowed to a stop, and I flung open the door.

“Um...okay,” she replied uncertainly as I climbed out of her Taurus and slung my bag over my shoulder.

“Oh, hey!”

“Yeah?” I asked, catching the door I’d already begun to slam shut.

“Did you want me to go ahead and help you on that dialogue we have to memorize? I have some time and we’re already at your house,” she said.

My heart raced.

“Oh yeah! Um, no that’s okay, I think I’m actually getting a handle on it,” I rushed, “Thanks though! See you tomorrow!”

I shut the door, waved enthusiastically, then speed-walked to my front door.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I heard the sound of her car on the gravel, pulling away. That must be what hiding something from your best friend feels like. A miniature heart attack.

That’s it. I’ll just give Jessica the “elixir” and be done with this whole escapade. I can’t risk getting caught. Kristi would never talk to me again. First, for deceiving Jessica. Second, for lying to her about it. It’s got to stop...after today.

Dear Blue Ivy Carter (a.k.a. Babyonce)

Dear Blue Ivy, Welcome to the world!

And congratulations on already becoming the youngest person to have a chart-topping hit. Your performance was moving.

I'm sure you've heard by now that your parents are quite the music moguls, and you might consider following in their footsteps. You might be tempted to whip your hair back and forth or add "lil" in front of your name. I beg you to reconsider. Don't feel pressured by society to continue the legacy your parents have established. (Though if your dance skills and vocal prowess are remotely as mind-boggling as your mom's, I'd personally like see Beyonce 2.0 at some point in our future. Just sayin'. Take the time to have a childhood, go to prom, finish school---then take the world by storm and wow us all with the combined talent of Beyonce and Jay-Z. It'd really be a shame to let that gene pool go to waste.)

I'd also like to request that, no matter how tempting it seems, you steer clear of reality television in the future. Since you are considered 2nd generation pop royalty, several shows may call your name. And you may be enticed by the fact that you'd be blazing your own trail to fame separate from your parents'. But if we've learned anything from reality T.V., it's that it is not conducive to making solid life decisions, and reality T.V. fame is like the tagalong friend to the cool kids (i.e. real fame) that no one really takes seriously. Just look at the cast of Jersey Shore (sorry if that reference is lost on you by the time you're old enough to read this).

So even if the producers get together Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon's twins, Suri Cruise, and the host of children Angelina Jolie has taken under her wing and want you to round out the cast, just say no. Because you're better than that, babyonce. You're better than that.

Also, please don't listen to Watch the Throne until you're at least 16, and I'd avoid your dad's friend Kanye at all costs. Society doesn't trust him and neither do I.

Now, Blue Ivy, go forth and grace the pages of US Weekly's "Stars: They're Just Like Us!" and People Magazine for years to come. We'll be patiently awaiting your debut in 2030.

Love,

Laura

P.S. Will you talk to your mom about being my friend? I'd really appreciate you getting a good word in for me. Thanks.

The Truth Sessions, Vol. 3

Welcome to Volume 3 of The Truth Sessions! If you're just joining me on this little journey, The Truth Sessions is a series I started in which I ask people from all different walks of life their perspectives on truth and the role it plays in our lives. So far, I've interviewed Nicole White  and Collin Brace. Both had really interesting takes on the questions I asked, and I really enjoyed reading their thoughts, as I hope you did too!

Today I bring you answers from Melissa McCall. Melissa and her husband Barry lead a marriage mentor small group my husband and I are in. She is a mother of three kids (around my age), turns ordinary furniture into Pinterest-worthy works of art, and her e-mail address includes the phrase "momdabomb," which I think is awesome. I'm excited to share her perspective with you!

Do you believe in the existence of universal truths (that apply to all people)? Yes

What do you think truth is? Truth is an indisputable fact, proposition or principle.  It is the same over time, in all situations and does not shift.

Do you think truth is important? Why or why not?  Yes, I believe that truth is very important.  Truth forms my attitudes and beliefs, drives my purpose and mission, helps me to form my conviction and morality and affects my choices and behaviors.  Without truth, I would be like the shifting sand. I would live my life in a state of uncertainty and disorder.

What experiences in your life have led to your beliefs about truth? Obviously when we are young, many inputs in our world will contribute to what we believe to be true.  As humans, we will adjust facts or principles to often times "fit" our own agenda.  I believe that people often confuse the idea of truth with actual truth. If I based my whole belief about truth on science, I will find that scientists are changing what they have discovered or trying to disprove what I was once told was true.  If I put my belief about truth in the  hands of society, I will see that laws will change and social norms will evolve.By nature, I am a person who believes the best about people or situations.  I tend to trust people and situations at face value (or what I believed to be true). I have been disappointed many times when what I wanted to believe was true (an ideal, a promise, a person) ends up failing or being not at all what I thought it to be.  So, as I look back on my life, the one truth that I can point to, and that has not disappointed, is the truth of God's word. It is the one anchor on which I have been able to depend.

What is a statement, ideal, or principle about the human experience you have found to be proven most true throughout your life?  People all struggle to be "in control" of their lives.  I have learned that I cannot control all aspects of my life or another persons life.  If I do not lean upon something more powerful than myself, this world or the circumstances around me, I will fall into despair.  It is in those times when I finally let go of the control and let God be God in my life that I experience peace.  His ways are not always my ways, but His ways are always best for me.

I love her answer to the last question in particular. I definitely struggle with the desire to have control over my life.

Do you ever struggle to be in control of your life? If so, how?

Why Newt Gingrich Should Consider the Mic Drop

Let's be real. I don't really care about politics. I know I should. I know that what happens this fall could potentially change my life in some way. But I still struggle to care.

I think it's because I never know if politicians truly mean what they say or not. And that bothers me. Also, a hoard of people standing behind a guy every time he addresses an audience like an overly encouraging entourage, clapping and nodding to everything the person says makes the adolescent inside me want to roll my eyes a little bit.

But I've thought about this.

What would convince me they believe in what they are saying? Or at least make it worth watching?

A mic drop.

Is there really anything more B.A. than a mic drop? Okay, don't answer that.But I would pay good money to see a candidate make what they feel is their most solid point, stick their fist out, drop the mic, and walk way.

Would you not involuntarily erupt in applause at the sheer "oh, snap" factor? (That's a thing. Look it up.) It'd be like a one-sided rap battle. Except with no breakdancing. (Which, by the way, I would also pay good money to see a candidate fit into their speech.)

Plus, if it were me, and my name was already Newt, I'd just have it double as my rap name and go all in. NEWT. The Newtster. In your face. Comin' atcha. Something to consider. (If Newt's intern happens to be reading this thanks to a Google Alert, I'd like to also suggest a flat brimmed neon hat worn sideways to complete the image I'm imagining.)

Now, once one candidate discovered the undeniable impact of the mic drop, I'm afraid they'd all try it, and then the abundance of mic drops would cheapen the effect. But until that happens, I maintain it could make politics a lot more interesting.

Why stop at politics? Here are some other scenarios in which I think a mic drop would enhance the moment:

A J.K. Rowling book signing. (I just want to see her do that.)

A national spelling bee championship.

An acceptance speech for "Most Predictable" at a company-wide award ceremony.

After a kindergartener's solo in the Christmas concert.

An inspirational speech after landing on the moon. (This, of course, would be symbolic, considering the mic would not be projecting any sound, and, well, there has to be enough gravity for the mic to actually drop. But I think the sentiment would be the same.)

Have you had any experiences that you think would have been enhanced by a mic drop?

P.S. I've created a Facebook page! If you'd like to keep up with my new blog posts each week and future writing endeavors, you can click the "like" button in the right sidebar on my blog. 

Finish Year

I don't know about you, but for me, 2011 was a bit of a doozy. It definitely had its fair share of highs and lows.

But one of the best things that came out of 2011 for me was really starting to examine who I am and what I'm passionate about. I always kind of knew I liked writing and have chipped away at that over the years, but over the past 6 months or so I decided to go all in. Something I've learned by reading blogs like Jeff Goins' is that you don't have to wait for someone else to call you a writer to be one. I'm a writer because I can't not write. It's really given me something to pour into and given me a stronger sense of identity.

What really lit a fire under me was reading a book called Quitter by Jon Acuff back in August.

It helped me see how important priorities are and that if I want to write, or read, or even redo a bookshelf, I have to make time. And that it's possible to make time. For me that means saying no to 2 hours of House Hunters and brainstorming blog ideas or reading Harry Potter instead. Trade out things you like to do for things you love to do--even if they take more effort.

I've already learned so much about writing (and goals) from Jon and the community of people (particularly other writers) I've found through following his blog.

Which leads me to the point of this post.

Over the last few days, Jon has begun a campaign of sorts called Finish Year, challenging his readers to make a (short) list of things you want to finish this year. Not start; finish. Because starting is the easy part. Finishing is the unglamorous grind that we all sort of dread. But it's always worth it.

The goals can be anything, but they have to be tangible, even if it's something that seems unmeasurable, like Jon's---to have a more grateful heart. He's making it tangible by committing to hand-write 100 thank-you notes this year.

Everyone who is participating will also be tweeting (hashtag #finishyear) once a day about something they are working on to finish their goals. I may not tweet exactly once a day, but I love the idea of tracking your progress and keeping yourself accountable by publicly sharing your goals and the journey to accomplishing them.

So I wanted to share my Finish List with you this year.

1. Finish The Empress. This one will be hard for me because I already don't really want to figure out how to wrap that one up. But it will be good practice and discipline for me and I've already written three sections of it. I'd like to finish this by the end of February.

2. Write an ebook. Also a difficult goal, as I've never written a book before, but I think it's doable. Plus, ebooks can be short. First step: figuring out what the heck I want to write about.

3. Finish the Harry Potter series. I'm almost done the 3rd book. I'm determined to finish them all, even if some of them more resemble cinderblocks than novels. I'm hoping by the time I get to the last few they will be available on ebook so that I don't sustain shoulder injuries from carrying them around in my purse all the time.

4. Read two other books besides Harry Potter. You may recall my goal last year was to complete 2 books. Yep, 2.  I was terrible about starting books and not finishing them, so I made a bite-size goal. But because I started making time to read, I finished not 2, not 3, but almost 6 books this year! So I think it was a success. Anyway, because I nearly finished 6 in 2011 (I am so close to finishing HP3), my goal is to read at least 7 in 2012. For you avid readers out there, this may still seem like a travesty, but hey, I may even read eight.

That's all I have so far, but most of them are goals that will take close to the whole year to accomplish. I may add to it over the next couple days, but probably won't go over 6.

What's on your Finish List this year? Challenge yourself and make it happen.

Each day in January, Jon will be posting about Finish Year and practical ways to make your goals a reality. You can follow his blog here.

Merry Christmas!

Since this will be my last post before Christmas, I thought I'd get a little sentimental on you and make a quick list of some Christmassy things I'm looking forward to about the break:

1. Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is hearing the choir director at my family's church in Georgia sing O Come, O Come Emmanuel a capella to open the Christmas Eve service. It's not Christmas without it. Really. The two Christmas Eve services I can remember in which she did not do this effectively ruined Christmas.
2. Fantasy in Lights. Is there really anything better than riding in a trolley with 40 other people you don't know, freezing your butts off and listening to "Holly" speak in holiday cliches over the P.A. system whilst you journey through a magical wonderland of twinkling lights? I submit that there is not. Especially when there is also hot chocolate & gingerbread men involved.
3. The traditional waking-of-the-house at 7 a.m. by my brother, who is 21 years old. Leave it to him to keep tradition alive. Once I get over the initial rage I feel at being awoken at that unreasonable hour, I'm okay with it. Plus, I can only assume you miss out on Christmas altogether if you sleep any later than this. Maybe the presents self-destruct if they are still lying there unopened at 7:59. I wouldn't know.

But in all seriousness, I am genuinely excited to celebrate the birth of our Savior. I think the more I read the story, the more I feel the weight of what his birth meant to the people who experienced it, and what it of course still means today. The Savior all humanity longs for is here!

 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10-11 

Merry Christmas everyone!

How the Internet Made Me Miss 1997

Around the tender age of 8, I made a terrible mistake. It seemed like a good idea at the time (don't they all?), but I would soon find out it was one of the worst decisions of my young life.

I brushed the hair of my American Girl doll.

Not in the careful, start-at-the-bottom-and-only-use-the-brush-it-came-with kind of way, but in the I-took-my-paddle-brush-to-it-as-if-it-weren't-made-of-synthetic-hair kind of way. And the poor girl was never the same.

I feel bad for little Samantha. After all, she was used to high society and Victorian class. She had a faux fur hand warmer to go with her winter outfit, for goodness' sake. And in a matter of moments, I turned her into Hermoine, circa The Sorcerer's Stone. (Yes, I just referenced Harry Potter to describe my American Girl. How relevant am I?)

I vowed to never brush the hair of my American Girls ever again. As a result, Josephina and Whatever-I-Named-the-One-I-Created (who, by the way, my non-conformist-self did not design to look like me, as the manufacturers intended, but instead filled the void of the under-represented Asian-American category in the American Girl lineup), never had a hairstyle other than the one they came with out of the box.

The only reason I was reminded of this incident recently is because of the widespread nostalgia taking over the Internet.

I think it has something to do with the fact that all 90's kids are starting to enter the "real world," so we need a little bit of childhood in our lives to supplement the new adulthood. The Internet is here to help. Thanks to Twitter accounts like 90's Girl Problem (LOVE), articles like this and Pinterest, we're all being reminded of the simpler days, when our biggest worry was if our Tomagachi was going to die while it sat in our backpack all day (as they were, of course, banned from use during class) or how to make our Furby shut up (did anyone else regret using hard-earned lemonade stand money to buy one of these?).

I love that no matter where we grew up, we all have similar memories like these. It's like a collective childhood. The friends you have now, who you didn't even know existed when you were 8, totally had a Lisa Frank folder and were Team BSB or N*Sync, too. (Or, for boys, Creepy Crawlers and...um...what else did boys have in the 90s? Pogs?).

While I absolutely love this trend and am enjoying every minute of the probably-premature nostalgia, I think it can also be a double-edged sword. Constantly longing for the past hinders us from fully enjoying the present or looking forward to the future. I'm as guilty as anyone in this aspect. I'm super nostalgic. I recently read a quote on Facebook (the source of all intelligent and never-misattributed quotes) that said something to the effect of, "If you're always rereading the last chapter, you can't move on to the next." While this is admittedly a bit cheesy, it resonated with me because it's something I've struggled with, particularly since I graduated high school.

During my first couple years of college, I missed high school. My friends, my small town---all of it. Now that I'm in my real-world life, I've started to miss college. I imagine this sequence continues on as you journey through life.

The truth is, we're making memories right now we'll look back on five years from now and call the "good ol' days." So let's resolve to make the most of it and maximize our time right now to make it count. I'm challenging myself as much as you on this---to look back on years past, smile, and keep moving forward, rather than trying to relive or recreate it. There's nothing wrong with a little 90's pop Pandora station now and then (Third Eye Blind is literally playing as I type), but I am going to try to avoid clinging to what has been and enjoy the phase of my life I'm in right now. We're always going to have a tendency to go back to the familiar, because, well, it's familiar. And the future is unknown and scary. But one day it will be our past.