Thursday, February 17, 2011

100.

In honor of my 100th post (It's actually the 106th, but whatever.), I'm going to do something special. I'm going to (attempt to) form a list of 100 truths, realizations, etc. that I've come across in the past couple years. Some, I've learned from others. Some, I've learned on my own.

1. People are really impressed by the word "sautéed."


2. The Grammy Awards show is completely rigged.


3. No matter how hard you try, oil paint can never be fully cleaned up.


4. Walking to class takes 30 seconds if you're early, but if you're late, time will magically speed up.


5. Skunks smell like coffee when their scent is really strong.


6. M&Ms start tasting like peanut butter if you eat them for too long.


7. Obama does not care if your favorite show is on, he will interrupt it with one of his never-ending monologues.


8. If you dress up as a trademarked character on Let's Make a Deal, you won't get picked. Wayne Brady doesn't like lawsuits. 

9. Sarcasm is, in fact, the only way to deal with people.

10. Cats have a sixth sense which allows them to jump directly from the floor onto your stomach as you lie sleeping in your bed.

11. Hummer owners are typically trying to overcompensate for something else.

12. People from France really are snooty.

13. Unconditional love is something you should only expect from Jesus and Mom.

14. Lady Gaga was NOT born that way.

15. You can depend on weathermen to be undependable.

16. Anonymity is a synonym for cowardice.

17. Jamie Lee Curtis has always been skinny. Activia did nothing for her.

18. Kanye West is more racist than any Caucasian person who's ever lived.

19. Dr. Seuss books hold some of the greatest life lessons ever given.

20. Oprah will never truly retire. She'll just keep working her way up until she's president.

21. Apparently, college professors aren't paid enough to care.

22. Drivers don't respect the "yield to pedestrians" rule, and pedestrians don't respect the "use the crosswalks" rule. It's a vicious cycle.

23. Ramen Noodles are a broke college kid's best friend.

24. The phrase, "food for thought," doesn't make you seem smarter or more insightful. It's just cliché.


25. Electric blankets have no middle ground. They're either not warm enough or leaving third degree burns on your legs.


26. There's a long list of names I would never bestow on a child. A pig, cow, or horse, maybe...but not a child.


27. Facebook is mostly populated by creepers, stalkers, and people who can't mind their own business.


28. There, they're, and their are COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WORDS. Apparently, not many people know that.


29. God's timing is almost always different than my timing, but that's what faith is for.


30. Mickey Mouse can make even the most unhappy person smile.


31. The smell of a Sharpie gets more appealing the older you get.


32. If you really want to have fun, give your pet an obscure nationality and narrate his or her actions with an accent from said nationality.

33. You can tell if someone is a true friend by the way they treat you around their friends.

34. College history courses are the bane of my existence.

35. Making something vulgar or controversial, particularly in art and writing, doesn't make it good.

36. Sushi is delicious. The majority of the people who disagree have never tried it.

37. Friendship doesn't have stipulations.

38. Girls, shorts are a very delicate article of clothing. Choose your length wisely.

39. Guys, shorts are a very delicate article of clothing. Knee length, please.

40. Americans, drop the fantasies that gas prices will ever go back down.

41. A deck of cards and a few plastic spoons can make an entire evening.

42. Dancing isn't something you think about. It just happens.

43. You know you're a good writer when the people who hate your guts frequent your blog.

44. Live by Psalms 56:3.

45. Everyone has a story.

46. Jack Frost is bipolar.

47. Sometimes, you just can't say what you want to say. Sometimes, you have to sugarcoat it.

48. Roughly 80% of the kids who play Call of Duty are under the age of 12.

49. Glitter is the Herpes of craft supplies.

50. Grudges are common. True forgiveness is rare.

51. Surprisingly, reading books is not hazardous to your health. It's actually a really great way to learn.

52. Jesus saves.

53. Jesus saves.

54. Jesus saves.

55. There is an unmatched power in words.

56. Humility holds far more value than pride.

57. Common sense always trumps book knowledge.

58. The Power Rangers series will end when Japan stops making Pokémon games. So never.

59. If you truly want to get to know someone, fight with them.

60. Many stereotypes surround college fraternities and sororities. I'm here to tell you, every last one of those stereotypes was rightly earned.

61. Hair dye was not intended to be used like shampoo.

62. Using your Facebook statuses to rant about your problems in hopes of gathering pity is annoying. If you have a problem with someone, text them about it. Don't make the rest of us suffer.

63. Before you forward that e-mail that is just so hilarious, ask yourself: "Is it any funnier than the last 40 forwards I've sent? Does this person REALLY need to see this?"

64. The answer to the questions in #63 is always no.

65. God already knows your problems, so talk to Him about them.

66. UT's football program needs to stop reaching out to convicts.

67. I wouldn't trade my family for anything in the world.

68. South Carolina has the second most ridiculous police force in the country.

69. Virginia has the most ridiculous police force in the country.

70. Cellphones are purposely designed to fall apart before your current contract expires.

71. Homeowner's association meetings are more violent than WWE matches.

72. Pumping the brakes on a vehicle will always liven up your passengers.

73. YMCA members are naturally hilarious.

74. Disney World is undoubtedly the happiest place on Earth.

75. Lint rollers are no match for a fat cat.

76. Often, when people realize what kind of situation they've got themselves into, they're too late to change it.

77. Rick Astley will NEVER get old (or give you up).

78. "Myriad" is one of those words you can only use once a week.

79. It's impossible to not laugh while listening to someone being told off in Spanish.

80. I've gained a new respect for rappers. Their words really do hold meaning.

81. Your parents will never admit that they snore. Ever.

82. Whenever you're at home and you actually need a pencil, there's never a single one to be found.

83. Art always looks better if you're not the one who made it.

84. You'd be surprised how many people look if you randomly point at the sky.

85. Chuck Norris has nothing on Chuck Bartowski.

86. "Missing someone" doesn't necessarily mean you want them to be involved in your life.

87. Photography isn't for everyone. It's only for people who can afford fancy cameras.

88. If like Yoda you speak, fun you will have.

89. Clicking the "like" button usually signifies something completely different than "I like that."

90. Objects and places hold meaning based on who the beholder is.

91. When you text someone, don't wait around for the reply, and don't assume the worst if the reply isn't immediate.

92. Look back at your yearbooks from time to time. You might just smile a little.

93. Pray diligently. Pray for God's will.

94. Always celebrate today.

95. Change is inevitable. Accepting change is the hard part.

96. Scream like Sharapova every now and then.

97. Spell Check is your friend.

98. You're never done with your homework.

99. College's who claim to have "dry campuses" are still quite "damp."


And finally 100...

Don't change for anyone. Be true to yourself and true to God. Always.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Silence.

Having a passion for something means that it propels and renews itself. You don't have to force it. I don't have to force myself to write. I don't need some epiphany or juvenile drama to drive that. I don't need an ulterior motive. They aren't my style anyway.

No, I write for me and me alone. The grittiness and the weight of every word I convey serve a solitary purpose: to get them off my chest. It's cathartic, and it's a blessing. My voice is something God-given, something He instilled in me. It's something I don't have to question, a constant in my crazy life, much like my relationship with Him.

Words can harm us, and words can heal us. They can start something, and they can finish it. They're so beautiful and, at the same time, so dangerous, especially for those who don't know how to use them properly, or worse, for those who use them solely to manipulate, to hurt.

This week in church, we learned about the Tower of Babel, the place where God first distributed the various languages of the world:

And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:3)


Each of the men present at this event were endowed with the gift of language. Regardless of what nation their native tongue was to represent, that gift was blessed by the Holy Spirit of God.

How selfish is it then to abuse this gift over bitterness? How wasteful is it to use God's blessing as a weapon?

I personally had to consider this and apply it to my own life. There's a strength that comes with restraint, with respect for God and His blessings. I've come to the realization that if silence is the only way to preserve this holy gift, so be it.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Healing.

It's an inspiring word, isn't it? It gives new meaning, new life to something broken.

God comes to my mind. I think He's the reason things heal. The reason things break? That's all us. All flawed human nature. Not that God doesn't hurt right along with us, but He's not always going to prevent things from falling apart. Sometimes we have to figure things out for ourselves, mostly by ourselves.

Guidance only goes so far. We have to act and speak on our own accord.

We have to acknowledge our brokenness, and we have to aid it along in the healing process. Taking care of the situation, nursing it, and even simply giving it time is a difficult, sometimes draining process. Although, the end result is what makes it all worth it. It's the part that God smiles on, the reason He allows things to break.

It's the strength that returns, greater than ever, when the healing is complete.

Granted, the healing doesn't always return things to the way they were. Despite how things may seem, the healing process may completely alter what once was.

Although we may have some rose-tinted, fairytale ending planned out, we never know for certain until the end actually arrives. But regardless, things heal the way they were meant to heal. There are no mistakes in that.