A Simple Little Kind of Free

"Nothing to do, nowhere to be, a simple little kind of free." This phrase, coined by lyrics of a John Mayer song, obviously, represents to me the perfect feeling that we all strive for in our busy lives. The days that we get once at year (if we're lucky) on spring breaks, holidays, or even just a lazy Sunday. But how is it possible to have a day of nothing with so many distractions? Can you honestly turn your phone off for 24 miserable hours? Or put your computer away in its case and never bring it out? Not to be harsh but people often sound like hypocrites when they say they strive for a relaxing break from the real world. Every vacation I've ever been on, the wife or husband has his or her Bluetooth in their ear and the children have iPods or Gameboys in their hands. In other words, if we always strive for "a simple little kind of free," why do we never give ourselves a chance to achieve it?

The actual meaning of the phrase, "nothing to do, nowhere..." in the song, "Perfectly Lonely," is John Mayer going on and on about how he is perfectly fine being lonely. Although I wonder is he perfectly fine with being lonely? If everyone thought like John Mayer, marriage would not exist and love would be an urban myth. Without realizing it, it is perfectly natural for us to flock to other people for comfort and attention. The picture, in the famous movie, The Notebook, possesses the perfect balance of the two. The balance of a peaceful, relaxing day and being in the presence of another person. As the ducks prove, we travel in flocks. No one wants to be sad alone and no one wants to travel alone. Although a huge supporter of doing one's own thing and having time for yourself, the time you surround yourself with others just doesn't even compare. Being alone may balance out yourself, but to really achieve "a simple little kind of free," I believe that you need to be free with others as well. It's just natural to flock to other people, especially when you feel free with yourself. Basically I'll just leave it up to a heartbroken, bitter singer to be the only one to support being alone. Because quite frankly I'd hate to wade the rough waters without my flock.

A Place Out West

Last summer I worked at a media company in Downtown Dallas. The focus of our work was selling billboards to clients in the greater Dallas/Fort Worth, Tyler, and Louisiana areas. Even though we put up the billboards, we had no control over what information was on the billboard. In other words I saw that anything really does go for advertising. Although there are restrictions where to post these billboards (i.e. all billboards pertaining to alcohol or tobacco had to be at least 10 miles away from a school district), there were really no restrictions on the wording. Anything goes, and by anything, I mean absolutely anything and everything. It's widely accepted that "sex sells."Whether it be the subtle hidden message of ice trickling alongside a glass of Jack Daniels or in this case, the blatant view of a woman's backside, sex is the key to catching a consumer's eye. Sadly. The woman's short shorts, being larger than the actual text of the ad, proves where the eyes are supposed to be directed first. Although a child may not understand this ad, an adult definitely will. Maybe it's a man driving down the highway, wanting some excitement or quite simply a change in his life.  Being attracted to this ad, he may see Texas as its opportunity. Yes, even paralleling "sex" with a brown, flat, dirty piece of land can make even the Lone Star state seem appealing. The majority of us who see this ad may gasp in shock. Or laughter. Or both. I personally thought of the Dixie Chicks' 90s hit song, "Wide Open Spaces."  Ironically as the original song goes, " It takes the shape of a place out west." Well by looking at this billboard, one can say that Texas definitely has taken on a new shape.

Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary

Made of vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice, Worchestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, pepper, and celery, an olive, and a lemon wedge for garnish, this sounds like the worst combination of ingredients to make a drink. Yet this drink is delightfully tasty and known as one of the best hangover cures. In fact it's proven that the tomato juice actually metabolizes the alcohol in the stomach faster. Served at brunch places and airlines around the world, it's the go-to drink for adults on a nice Saturday brunch day. 

But did you ever think where this drink was named after? Especially since it was named after one of the most horrific legends in witchcraft history. "Bloody Mary" was the witch who appeared to children and scratched out their eyeballs before eventually killing them. Gruesome, I know. The old adage continues to say that if a child spins around in front of a mirror and chants "Bloody Mary" 13 times, the witch will appear in the mirror. This little witchcraft game became a staple of childhood slumber parties around the world. While parents were downstairs popping the popcorn, their children were upstairs summoning witches into their homes. Being the youngest of my cousins, I was always the one summoned into the dark room to do it. And let me tell you, it scares you... when you see the glow of your own reflection in the mirror. "Bloody Mary" does not necessarily appear and well, I still have both my eyes intact without a scratch. Nonetheless it's comical to me that every time I take a sip of my Bloody Mary drink, I can't help but chant "Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary" in my head. The phrase that once jolted my body of fright at 7 years old, now merely rids it of any sign of a hangover at 19.... uh, I mean 21. 

Will You Accept This Rose?

If you're like any other 18-45 year old woman with nothing to do on a Monday, you are probably camped out on the couch for yet another episode of "The Bachelor." In other words, a guy's ten minutes of fame, oh wait, I mean his attempt at finding a wife on TV. I personally have never consistently watched this show, but after watching just this one season of it, I watch it more for the free entertainment than hoping he finds "the one." And it saves me a trip to the movies plus a ticket and popcorn. Why not watch?

Brad Womack is the Bachelor on the 15th season of the hit reality show. What started out as an actual quest to find love, has turned into a "Survivor" cat fight between the women contestants. And let's not forget the main event, Brad, who films his therapy sessions to prove he's truly heading in the right direction. Now any one in their right mind can tell he is absolutely BSing America, not to mention these women. While therapy is an acceptable method of help, filming your sessions cancels out its credibility all together. Obviously you're not going to say exactly what's on your mind with all of America watching.

So this begs the question, why are they even still doing this show? Or more importantly why are we still watching it? It's because we're hooked. And the producers know exactly how to do it. By sending contestants to trips all around the world from Costa Rica to South Africa, it almost forces the contestants to "fall in love." This "swept off your feet" phenomenon is a method producers use to help force a relationship between the contestant and the Bachelor. Not to mention with incredible editing, a soundtrack comparable to that of Titanic's, and increasingly pathetic women throwing themselves at a spray tanned and scripted Bachelor, it is easy to make an audience think you can find love anywhere. Of course after signing contracts, staying under the radar for months, and finally announcing to the media their "split," "The Bachelor" and it's contestants follow an all too common process that one can predict from the first episode. This show, although entertaining and easy to poke fun at, diverts away the idea that real love is out there. Like most people who meet at college or in the frozen food aisle, true love is out there, as supported by real life. So even though Hollywood producers glam up love... Everyone who has experienced it or at least something close, can attest the opposite. Love is not always glamorous and should not be made a mockery as it is in this show. Although its message is to bring two people together, I'd rather let fate do its course then let Chris Harrison ask if I'd accept the final rose.

Dream, Dream, Go Away

As a child, I had one dream and one dream only. I was at Six Flags Over Texas with my mom and dad and while on the Texas Giant roller coaster, a tornado hit. Then the next thing I know I'm running in a wheat field with Dorothy's red, sparkly slippers from Wizard of Oz all alone in the middle of a tornado. First one must know that my absolute biggest fear is severe weather, most specifically tornadoes. So why do I choose to live in Texas? No idea. On another note I should say that I had this dream beginning at age nine and it finally ended when I entered college. I didn't understand why I stopped dreaming. Maybe it was the lack of sleep, or no sleep, or maybe I had just grown out of my childish dreams. But then something clicked.

Dorothy's red, sparkly slippers were always tapped to go home. My mom and dad were pictured in the tornado, but not in the wheat field. And more importantly, my parents got divorced when I was nine. Looking back on it all, my childish dream actually had more significance than I could have ever thought of, even now. I was looking for a way home, felt alone, and it was as if I was literally swept off my feet by the announcement of their separation. Psychologists have been saying for years that dreams point to reality. I guess I just didn't see my reality till I stopped dreaming. It was as if the dream of a happy family was gone and reality hit. Like a tornado. 

Sing It, Sista

This video, which was sent to me from my own mother as a joke, instantly made me want to create a blog about it. She thought it was funny because it was everything she taught me growing up to be. An independent woman who could support herself without another person, more specifically a man. And she believed that this child was a mirror image of me at 5 years old... God I hope I wasn't that stubborn. In any case though when people say that our children are our future, I couldn't agree with them more. What we teach our kids and what society teaches our kids molds them into who we are today. Just by watching this video, it's evident that her parents, especially her mother, have some sort of impact on her. But today in the 21st century, I'd say, "more power to ya sista." Almost two hundred years ago, women didn't have any rights so the fact that a 5 year old is professing her want for a job before a man is absolutely amazing. What's even greater about this video is how adamant she is about her future plans. It's not like she said it once, but is rather preaching it like Samantha Jones in "Sex and the City."

The funny part about this clip is the background story that is on the side of her YouTube profile. This little girl is actually yelling at her brother, who at about 18 years old, won't let her come with him on tour with his band. Obviously, a little worked up she lashes out about all men not letting her work. What is just a sibling rivalry has turned into quite the YouTube hit. And not to mention a true testament to children literally being the voices of our future. 5 year old boys should watch out, they're growing up with the strongest generation of women yet.

[Insert Greek Letters Here]

Labels. Louis Vuitton, Prada, True Religion, Hermes, Tory Burch, Marc Jacobs, Alpha Phi Kappa Zeta Delta. Being a college student at one of the undoubtedly materialistic campuses in the nation, labels are everywhere. Whether it's your bag, your pin on your bag, your car, or your keychain on your car keys every girl in college unknowingly labels herself in one way. Girls from every direction of the country all have one thing in common, and it's not their willingness for a good education. It's the David Yurman ring on their finger. Coming from many different states and meeting many people, it's so odd for me to think the first light that I saw at my college was not a bright light for my future but rather the reflection off of a girl's ring filling out her dorm applications.

It's funny to think that people claim they come to college to escape high school. Yet when they come to college, they're more high school than ever. Why would one person who has four years before they hit the real world waste it being someone they were the four years prior? We may live in a bubble now, but the second graduation comes, that bubble's gonna pop. Our friends will be scattered around the country following their jobs, some may get married, and others may stay in college to relive more high school. And trust me, as a girl who has been to nine different schools, this pattern never ceases to go wrong. Things change, they always do.

Individuality is preached daily. Our Intro to Creativity class encourages us to be our own person and learn our paths to discovering our own creativity. How can we be individually creative, individually efficient, and more important individual thinkers if we continue to label ourselves? In two years, the pin on your bag will mean nothing, the shirt that you were dying to have will go out of season, and the sticker on your car will only be a way to find your car in the parking lot. In other words, why not just burst your bubble now? Because sooner or later, someone else is going to do it for you.

Monogamy... Schmonogamy

If it is true that we evolved from the species of apes, then we must take on some of their characteristics. Right? Somewhat. In terms of attraction towards other sexes, we actually symbolize these mammals more than we think. According to recent studies, through countless Internet blogs and magazines like Cosmo, monogamy is actually unnatural for our species. Many married couples think that just because you lose the intimacy in a marriage, means it's over. Not necessarily, it's actually part of your nature to covet what someone else has. Think about it, if you are a person on a new diet, wouldn't you want that nice, juicy blue cheese bacon burger that your friend had instead of your field greens and vinaigrette? If you say no, you're lying. If you're a newly married person it's just natural for your eyes to wander, even as soon as your honeymoon.

.

Women accuse men all the time of being cheaters and players. However, interestingly enough, statistics show women are pretty similar to men from this standpoint. So ladies, we may be wrong at who we point our fingers toward. 45% of married women are likely to engage in some sort of affair throughout the courtship, while 55% of men are assumed to do the same. So why is it that we blame men for things we naturally do as well? It's the natural old question of the battle of the sexes. Are men better than women, or vice versa? While we may not have an answer to this question, we do have an answer to one. We may not be monogamous creatures by nature, but we can be by choice. If men really weren't meant to be monogamous, women would've given up ages ago. And shows like "Sex and the City" would have never existed.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/07/27/ryan.promiscuity.normal/index.html?iref=allsearch/

Enough is Enough

Gwenyth Paltrow, Lindsay Lohan, Brooke Hogan, Hilary Duff, Leighton Meester, and Paris Hilton. All actresses (or just famous rich girls) turned into "singers." While Paltrow and Meester actually proved their vocal talents in the best selling movie, Country Strong, the others do not even come close. And now Kim Kardashian, star of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," is next. And this one is bad, actually no. It's like nails on a chalkboard. It's sad to think that these women, some really talented hopefuls, think some record studio editing techniques, trendy beats, and an image of glitz and glam can turn them into today's pop star. Kim Kardashian, a sex symbol and television movie star, does not need something to drag her reputation down. And this single, originally titled "Jam," is her heavy anchor pulling her towards rock bottom. These repeated attempts of these famous women makes one wonder, how much is enough? Enough fame? Enough money? Enough attention? Listen in and give your opinion. But it can pretty much be agreed on, enough is enough.

Ah The Simple Things in Life

Stressed? Watch this video and it'll bring a smile to your face. While missing the times when things were simple in life, like ripping paper, it really makes one wonder if it's worth it to stress out so much on that paper you may be writing. This YouTube video broadcast on my Yahoo! homepage came at the perfect time sitting in SMU's Fondren Library. This 1:43 clip made me not only wonder how a baby can be so entertained by paper for so long, but also the last time I've really laughed so hard. So take a minute, rip some paper, and have a good laugh.

Got Pants?

The world of advertising is constantly coming up with new ways to catch the eye of the consumer. This truck, by far, capture the interest of the consumer, even when they're in their car. Smartly projected on the side of the truck and made to seem real, it not only makes the passerby laugh but may also intrigue them to think if they actually do need a plumber. This ad on wheels proves the everlasting creativity of the advertising industry and brings a new light against boring old infomercials. Rather than just looking it up in your yellow page book (who even has one of those nowadays?), you can simply make the call while stopped at the red light. Convenient and efficient. Just as any services should be.

iPads for High Schoolers

After leaving my private high school, Mater Dei, which I attended for 4 lovely years, my friends and I heard that news that all the new students were getting an iPad. This device would be casually picked up with their books in August. Almost 2,100 students would receive this square, flat computer screen which cost at least $500 each. So basically kids, some freshmen being only 14 years old, come into high school learning how to type on a touch screen. This learning is a far cry from the "Type to Learn" programs we had at (gasp!) desktop computers. The funniest part about all this is our school sneakily found a way to raise tuition by including this in the cost. Parents pay $35 a month to help with "maintenance" fees. Ultimately is this promoting higher learning or covering skyrocketing tuition fees for a private school to stay afloat? And the ironic part is by the time these kids enter college, they're going to have a hard time reading a book. God forbid it doesn't come on a touch screen.

http://www.ocregister.com/news/school-287275-ipads-mater.html

Supraventricula....what?

If someone would have asked me what SVT was a couple years ago, I would have no idea what to tell them. The definition of a word, or acronym in this case, changes from person to person. To me, SVT was a type of car, a Ford SVT to be more exact, that one of my friends drove in high school. However in late December 2009, I learned the appropriate definition of this acronym.

One Friday morning sitting in my overly crowded dorm room, my heart rate began to race. Sitting on the floor, eating cereal, and doing no activity whatsoever (it was Friday morning) I didn't think anything of it. But when my roommate saw my face go pale and my whole body began to shake we knew something was wrong. Rushing to the Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, it was my first time in an ambulance (Not as glorious as it looks on shows like ER). Overwhelmed by wires, tubes, straps, and frantic looking EMTs, nothing helped to get my heart rate down. At this time, it was a whopping 260 beats per minute. One of the EMTs told me I had SVT, supraventricular tachycardia, and having no clue what that was, I thought I was dying. Freaking out was probably the kindest way to describe my emotions at that time.

Once at the hospital (and after 6 hours of exercises and drugs to break the heart rate) my heart was beating at a steady 100 beats per minute. The cardiologist came in and... oddly released me on the spot. I looked at him like he was nuts... certifiably nuts.  But apparently I had a common heart condition that was caused by being born with an extra circuit in my heart. It was common in mostly babies, but also people whose hearts had just matured. With me just turning 18 that year, it all made sense. Although a scary experience and something I never want to relive, I realized later that if I had just paid attention in Biology class senior year, I could have saved myself the freak out. A short hour long surgery later, I was cured. And to say the least, I'll always remember the meaning of SVT. It is not a car, but rather a mild heart condition that is more scary than harmful. Now the C minus I got in Bio is all making sense now.

A Dog's Life

"Did you ever walk in a room and forget why you walked in? I think that's
how dogs spend their lives."
    --Sue Murphy

Ever wonder how dogs really spend their lives? They can't speak, they're colorblind, and they hear absolutely everything. They spend their time chasing their tails, searching for crumbs under the couch, and sleeping the 8 hours in a day that one is away at work. Yet it is always funny when people say that dogs are a "man's best friend." By a human's definition they're not really a friend. They don't talk back, don't borrow your clothes, and only sit there listening with wide eyes.... Actually I take that back, they sound like the best friend I ever had.

Rich Dad, Poor Dad

Since I was a kid, my dad has grilled me about money every opportunity he had. By ten I had already read "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" (as did my brother, even though his was listened to by a tape recorder) and to be honest learned nothing. Absolutely nothing. Nonetheless my dad sends me articles about money on a weekly basis. This one he sent me back in January caught my eye.

From another blogger,"Character Traits and Behaviors That Make You Rich" by Laura Rowley, the author explains 6 traits that characterize a rich man. "Propensity to plan, math confidence, financial literacy, smoking, powerlessness, and conscientiousness." Blatantly I only understood about 2 of these terms, one of which was smoking. According to the study, "a typical non-smoker's net worth is roughly 50 percent higher than that of light smokers and about twice the level of that of heavy smokers." Obviously non smokers are more economically stable (that is if their other finances are constant), but 50 percent higher than that of a person who enjoys a cigarette or two on their lunch break!? Pretty surprising. Although the Health Associations issues warnings about smoking on a continuous basis, I'm pretty sure if you stuck this article in The New York Times, people would listen to it more and stop smoking. It's a sad but true fact, people's ears perk up more when you talk about money than their own health. Maybe the Natural Drug and Food Association should take a hint and enforce people's economic status as a side effect of being a smoker. If we can't get people to listen by threatening death, maybe if we threaten their bank account, they'll listen? It's safe to say our thought processes these days are going up in smoke.


http://how-to-be-rich-and-happy.blogspot.com/2011/01/character-traits-and-behaviors-that.html 

Like Mother... Like Daughter

Growing up, I was daddy's girl. Inside and out. We both had tan skin, brown eyes, brown hair, and liked to watch football on Saturdays. How could I not turn into him when I got older? Well come college, that's exactly what happened. My mom nor my dad attended college so when SMU's Parents Weekend rolled around, it was needless to say quite entertaining to see them interact in a college atmosphere. What I saw, shocked me. Absolutely shocked me. My mother, in her defense one of the youngest moms, acted as though she was my age the whole weekend. Making friends with all the frat boys, drinking a Keystone like it was a nice glass of Italian wine, and dancing up a storm at the downtown bar, she was in her element. Ironically an element she had never been in before... Well for all I know. After that weekend I saw more comparisons with her than ever. I take on way too many tasks at once and can never say no, understanding the value of a truly good hairspray, obsessively cleaning then making it all a mess the next day, and taking the role as party planner for every little event that inked its way into my planner. Scary as it is, looking back I realize these were all qualities in my mom I had admired. It's just now I appreciate them more. For I am now Kimberly.

Dead Wrong, Yet So Right

Mind maps may be a way to express our thinking, but I really hope no one thought mine reflected me personally. That is because I used the ugly and somewhat gruesome word "dead" for the central idea. The idea for my mind map came to me one Saturday as I was ringing up a customer at the boutique I work at. While buying our new, off-the-shoulder Valentine's Day dress, she explained to me how she was going to surprise her "deadbeat" husband. She then went on to describe how she was nearing the "dead end" of her marriage. Amazingly this conversation took place all while I punched in the 16 digits of her American Express credit card. While she was complaining about her life, I was planning my project. And as she left she yelled to me "Honey, don't ever marry a man who's balding before he's 20, you'll go 'dead wrong'." And boom, just like that, I had my advertising project. One day I hope she comes in again, for I have to thank her for my A plus on my project.

"Ummmm...."

1. Drivers who don't use a turn signal.
2. People who read out loud when they're typing in an e-mail or a letter.
3. People that don't use coasters.
4. Students who prolong class by asking insane questions.

Number 4 is personally most relatable for me, but this comprises just a fraction of the list for the "World's Biggest Pet Peeves" at "getannoyed.com." But what is the thing that drives me most crazy? The use of the word "um." First of all is "um," um, even a word? Poor Natalie Portman, beautiful, talented, and even pregnant, as she gave her Oscar award winning speech last Sunday. Instead of remembering to thank her stunt double, she instead used the word "um" possibly 44 times... in a 3 minute speech. What could have been a beautiful speech for such an amazing performance was rather littered with a two letter word that tainted its significance. Ever since 3rd grade when a girl gave her student council president speech and said "um" every other word (she lost the election...), I have been forever annoyed by this word. This two-letter word, although harmless, is more annoying to me than speed bumps. "Um" does nothing than slow us down and get in the way.

Don't Forget to K.I.S.S.

The famous saying "Don't forget to stop and smell the roses" is comical when they're covered 5 feet below snow... as they were a couple weeks ago. Whoever came up with that saying obviously did not live in Texas, or any other place capable of anything but perpetual sunshine. The best advice I was ever given was by a friend. Stressed out and frantic about the upcoming weeks, she just told me "Don't forget to KISS." Quite frankly, "Keep it simple, Stupid." Caught up in busy lives, sleepless nights, and unlimited interaction, it is sadly hard to "keep it simple." And in a way we are all "stupid." Life's only stressful if we make it that way and "stopping and smelling the roses" just slows us down. So don't be stupid, just keep it simple. And quite simply, you're stupid not to try.