Love is in the air

Happy Friday, dear readers!

If you are reading this, congratulations! You made it through another week! And if that isn't reason enough to be excited/happy, then I don't know what to tell you.

It is my hope to keep this post short for a couple of reasons. I'm extremely tired (being up at 5:45am and going on 5 hours) after working and being the DD (designated driver) for my brother and his girlfriend. And other reason is I feel a headache coming on. *insert sad face here*

As I just mentioned, my brother and his NEW girlfriend. They made it "Facebook official" on Tuesday. So you know what that means for yours truly here?

If you guessed "it means you are a superhero with magical powers," I hate to break to you but you would be wrong (though I want you to be right).

This means both my siblings are in relationships once again, and I am still single. And not that I am complaining about being single.

Being single has it perks. If a person wanted to, they could go on as many casual dates as they want, kiss whoever they want, stay out as late as they want, and so on.

But when it all seems like everybody around you are happy and in relationships and you aren't necessarily sad and not in a relationship, it can suck. And I mean really suck. 

Being the third wheel sucks. Couples attempt to not make you feel like one, but that usually ends up with making the situation more awkward and you feel even more like a third wheel.

My personal dilemma aside, I can now address the real reason why this post is titled the way it is. Today is a day for the history books. People will look back on this day and remember that, June 26, 2015, is the date the United States Supreme Court legalized gay marriage.

First off, congratulations to all everyone! This is great progress towards acceptance of the LGTB community and what it means. 

Second off, it's about (insert terrible word here) time. As a Roman Catholic, I firmly believe God loves everyone despite whatever may seem like is wrong about them. God loves all. 

Third off. why would it matter to me if a homosexual couple wants to get married. Who am I to interfere into a happy and healthy relationship between two people? It shouldn't matter if both people have the same "down there" parts. 

Everyone, whether people believe this or not, deserves to love and be loved in return. If a man happened to find that in another man or a woman happened to find that in another woman, then we should all just take a step back and try stop controlling who people can and cannot marry and, furthermore, to love and be loved by.

'Til next Friday!

Thought of the Day

     

I walk for more birthdays

Happy Friday to everyone!

(I'm not even sorry for the 1D gif.)

(I have had such an amazing day that I'm adding a second gif.)

One might wonder why I'm finally getting around to my weekly blogpost. *silence ensues with a few cricket chirps*

One could think I procrastinated by 

-Napping

-Reading (whatever I could scrounge up)

-Eating

-Watching YouTube and/or on social media 

And one would be partly right. I was on social media, I was eating (who doesn't?), but sadly no naps for Melissa. :(

I would give you guesses, but I bet you're thinking, "Melissa, JUST GET TO THE POINT. IF THERE IS ONE!"

Fine. I will tell you.

I went outside and interacted with other humans! *GASP* 

Specifically at Black Hawk County's Relay for Life. Now, some may know what Relay for Life stands for and who it helps and supports. And some are likely not. As a quick recap, Relay for Life supports and benefits in honor and memory of those who's lives have been affected by cancer. It raises money for cancer research so hopefully the younger generations will see a cure for all or most cancers. Click this link to learn more about this wonderful organization! 

This is an incredible event. And it so humbling to go to a Relay. For me, it puts life in a clear-cut perspective: life, can be and, is short; most of the time, it is even shorter than one might realize. Luminaries (bags weighed down with sand and a candle sits in it) around the track either say "In Memory of" or "In Honor of." The first is for those who may be gone from this life because they have lost the battle (against cancer), but they aren't forgotten. And the latter for ones who are still fighting the fight or fought and won the battle. 

It's hard to not get choked up watching the Survivor Lap. (I was seriously close to getting choked up.) Anyone who realizes the gravity of those few minutes will tell you how silent it starts off. Soon the clapping starts and the everyone is cheering as they make their way around the track.

Cancer, or any devastating accident or medical illness, has a way of making it clear what really matters in life. I would know. 

No, I have never had it (fingers-crossed!) but I do know of someone extremely close to me.

My biggest supporter. My #1 fan. My friend. My mom. Joyce Curtis. She was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2000. With three kids and husband to support (and at the rip age of 39 going on 40), she found her greatest fears realized. 

While I can't speak for her and all that she went through, I can speak for all that I have learned from watching and listening about her experiences. My mom is a fighter. (Personally, I think she could give Ali a run for his money.) She never once gave up, even when the odds seemed against her. 

"Melissa, giving up was never an option for me. I had you and your siblings and dad looking to me to fight this." 

So. What really matters in life. I can't answer that for you, because we are different people.

Here's what, and rather who, matters in my life.

-Family.

 -Friends. Old and New.

Love. Friendship. Late talks. Laughing over nothing and everything. Having that extra cookie or slice. Sleeping in. Taking naps. Enjoying both a beautiful sunset and a cosy rainy day in. 

Basically, all the simple pleasures in life. Moments I take for granted every day. 

If you get anything out this post, let it be this. 

Don't take moments or the simple pleasures in life for granted.

So...

 

Thought of the Day

Thanks for the reminder, Dory!

Why does beauty have to be pain?

Guess what, all my dear readers?

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Go ahead and do a little dance to celebrate.

Jimmy Fallon and Elmo can pull that dance off. Sadly, I can't dance....well. But I pretend I have sweet moves at weddings and any other places I might break out in song and dance. 

Hey! I just realized my life is like High School Musical, except I can't sing or dance or both in coordination with each other or I don't end up with Zac Efron (serious tragedy if you ask me).

Okay, FINE. So my life is not like HSM at all. And surprisingly, I'm okay with that. 

"We're all in this together?" 

  

Tween-age Melissa might be like what?!?! 

Now-age Melissa would rather watch Tangled. Thank you very much.

I about died watching this scene. (#sorrynotsorry if I spoiled the movie for anyone)

End of my digress, though.

Onto to today's topic. And to be honest and a fair warning, it's a bit controversial. 

So anyone can't say I didn't warn them. 

Another warning, the topic is overdone and cliché, but I don't care because the topic is so relevant in today's society.

"Beauty is pain"?

Growing up with my sister, I have learned a lot. One day she told me (in the most sisterly loving way possible with her), "Melissa, you have bushy eyebrows."

7th grade me believes her. And I foolishly let her experiment on my face. (All the girls out there with older sisters know what I'm talking about. Being a doll for them sometimes was not-so-awesome.)

I was flinching every five seconds as she plucked my "bushy" eyebrows. "Melissa, will you stop flinching!?" And I told her, "But it hurts!!"

And you know what she told me? "Beauty is pain, Melissa."

My exact reaction is, "Why is beauty pain?" 

Some time later (aka five minutes later)....

Today's society version of beauty is warped. Society tells young girls that, in order to be considered beautiful, they need to look a certain way, weigh a certain amount but definitely not more than that, dress a certain way, make-up needs to look a certain way, act a certain way. 

That is a lot to put on an eight-year-old girl. It's likely that she'll grow up believing she might not be enough. 

She'll grow up not knowing that she is beautiful just the way she is. (Bruno Mars song reference unintended)   

And that's just terribly sad. Really. It is.

Here are a few of the images that came up when I Google Image searched "beauty"

Now, you might be like, "but Melissa all this stuff makes me feel beautiful."

And my reaction? AWESOME. YOU DO YOU, GURL. All I hope for you is to realize that you are still beautiful without all that "stuff."

You got pimples? So do I. And so do "45 percent of women ages 21 to 30, 26 percent of women ages 31 to 40, and 12 percent of women ages 41 to 50, according to the study, conducted by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital" according to this NYT article.

You got moles? So do I. So do most celebrities. Some are even recognized for their iconic moles. Need proof?

You got facial hair? So do I. And so do everyone (guys included!). It's nothing to be ashamed of.

You got a fat/cellulite? So do I. And you know what? It's heathy! (On the flipside, too much fat is a possible risk to your own heath and should be talked over with your doctor at your own discretion.) 

The point of this post is that everyone has visual flaws. Some are more obvious than others. And it's okay if you want to cover them (just keep in mind, you are still beautiful without cover); it doesn't make you vain to feel good about the way you look. 

Beauty is what you believe it is. 

Beauty is feeling confident and proud about the way you look.

Beauty is YOU, being the awesome person that you are.

And now to address the male population, same goes to you. While I can't comment too much because you know, I'm a girl, I will say this much. You are amazing the way you are, too.

And just in case no one told you,

Until next week,

Thought of the day

There are 3 types of honest people in this world

Happy Friday to all!

You might be thinking, "Why, Melissa, it feels like you haven't posted in a while."

Yes, dear reader(s?), I feel the same way! And I should have posted earlier, but naps are important and addicting. Maybe I shouldn't stay up to 1:30am when I have to be up five hours later....oops!

Okay. FINE. You caught me again. (Damn, you guys really get me to be honest with myself. I love that and I love you all! Seriously, though, I appreciate you reading my blog posts.) 

For the last three weeks, I have been binge-watching Ugly Betty. And I finished today! So, of course, I needed to transform into fangirl mode: watching fanvids on Youtube and reading Fanfiction about my OTP (one true pairing...for those who don't know) DETTY or Daniel and Betty! (Yes, the ship name could be better, but the only other option was Baniel....) 

Yes, I know the show cancelled after 4 seasons (a real shame, if you ask me). But that show has touched on some extremely delicate topics: a man becoming a woman (a recent example being Caitlyn Jenner), gay and the struggles they face, marital affairs, death, the constant struggle of what it means to be beautiful- both in the fashion scene and in society, trying to find out who are with some many people around you who think they know you better than you know yourself, women in the workplace and in business, and many others.

I highly recommend the show. For anyone. It's a girl-empowering show. But, all, it's insightful more often than not, and sometimes it's subtle and sometimes it's obvious.

A few examples....

*End of promoting Ugly Betty*

*START of actual post topic*