people observation #12: women, please don't be afraid to show your intelligence.

[well, it's only halfway through december.]

While babysitting a few days ago, I was watching a new show on the Disney Channel called Shake it Up. Two best friend girls are the main characters and the way they acted made me sick. One of the main characters is an independent girl with cool style, but pretends that she is stupid to get a boy. She ends up getting the boy. I don't know why Disney would portray a girl in this way, a channel dedicated to helping tweens deal with the anxieties and self consciousness we go through in a "funny" way.

There is nothing funny or attractive about playing dumb.

There is no good in pretending you are not

the brilliant woman that you were made to be.

Intelligence is a beautiful thing. And you may think, "oh I'm not very smart," but we are all intelligent in different ways. I have a friend who has an incredible GIFT in being able to read people. She just knows. Some people have ginormous hearts, and they can love and listen to anyone. Some people kick ass at school, some people kick ass at life.

On the finale of my favorite show Amazing Race last week, my favorite team in the history of the show, Brooke and Claire, got second place. I don't think I could say it better than Claire:

"The ideal of being a strong woman either means

that you're a grumpy boots or that you're

this really masculine, gnarly chick. No!

You can be feminine and still tap into

that femininity while still being a very strong woman."

Amen. You can be a strong woman. You can have beliefs, have a brain, use your brain, hold true to your character, work hard, work very hard, treat people fairly, and still be beautiful. In fact, that is what makes a woman beautiful.

all the women who independent

throw your hands up at me.

welcome to december.

possible topics I may or may not be talking about this month (depending on my motivation) :

• christmas music
• the columbus blue jackets, my muse
• cold weather melodies
• 'tis the season
• new year's REVOLUTIONS
• saying things in all caps
• crowd surfing
• snow surfing
• surfing surfing
• smurfing?

I am on my holiday break from Ohio U so I shouldn't really have an excuse not to, except of course The Sims 3.

people observation #11: obnoxious cursing, creativity lacking

This is a short post, but I have to tell all of you readers something. I will first explain that I don't get offended by swearing; I don't do it myself very often, but that is because I'm a typically happy individual who doesn't have a need to bring anybody down with f-bombs and s-words.

There are two ways to cuss: the wrong way and the right way. Needless to say, many people take part in the wrong way: This way involves what reminds me of a fifth grader who just learned what a douche bag was. He says the word constantly just because he knows it, hoping some older person will give him approval. At the child center I work at, I had a little girl come up to me and go, "gay! gay! gay! gay!" For no other reason than she knew it was bad. Sometimes I think people swear just because they think it will make them look cool. Just shut up. The wrong way: This way involves throwing out expressions without even thinking about what you're really saying. It is so uncreative. Examples: using swear words as the comparing word in a simile, like, "It's cold as hell out here." Really? Because the usual idea of hell, correct me if I'm wrong, is one of fire, not exactly a winter wonderland. "It was loud as shit." Really? Is shit really something considered to be typically LOUD? I mean sure, we've all been there, but on a regular basis?

the right way: Now, if you are going to take part in the cussing phenomenon, I urge you to do it correctly. Just like any other word, use it creatively, and to your advantage. Something can be hot as hell, or smelly as shit.

Lesson: What I urge you to do is PLEASE think before you swear, because you sound uneducated and totally not creative when you use it the wrong way. Thank you.

twenty things i've learned in my twenty years.

1. smiles are contagious. Most people are afraid to be the first to tip their hat, but being within two feet of another human being requires your acknowledgement of their existence. We are social creatures. and giving a smile to the person next to you will not only give them a boost of confidence, but it will give you a little endorphin promotion as well.

2. you need to fall. I know you've heard it a hundred times, but making mistakes is how we learn. This goes for everything. Especially ice skating.

3. you need to be able to laugh at yourself when you fall. I saw a girl fall down the other day and she was so embarrassed and ashamed she ran away. Oh come on girl, the horror of your tumble would have been eight times less had you been able to understand the fact that we make mistakes.

4. i am very outgoing. some people are not as outgoing, erin. don't take offense to it. Some people may not be as quick to toss that hello around, and if that means I have to

always be the first to ask someone how they are doing so be it. Who doesn't want people to be nice to them?

5. being able to take a walk in someone else's jeans is crucial for progress. The reason we never get anything done around here often is because nobody gives a crap about things that haven't hit them home. If we could step into somebody else's skin every once in a while, guaranteed we'd all be a little better off.

6. political views are settled. How many political discussions have you had or seen that have just turned into arguments? Once we have established our opinions on issues, room for objectivity is trifling. The truth is we cannot put ourselves into two boxes, not even disperse ourselves into a venn diagram, and because we have a need for organization this pisses us off. My advice is to not be so quick to tell someone the box you most associate with because they will assume much about you that is probably not true.

7. people are human. You cannot expect someone to never make a mistake.

8. 90% of the things we worry about doesn't happen. This could mean that the things we worry about are stupid, but it also explains that because the fact I put some thought into the possibility of alternative outcomes to the preferred, I take caution that these not occur. Example: I worry I am going to fail out of school; therefore, I study and

go to class. I worry someone is going to steal my roommate; therefore, I lock the door. I worry the bottom of my jeans will get wet and I will be forced, god-forbid, to walk around all day with that clammy-ankle feeling; therefore, I wear my cute brown rain boots when it rains.

9. people are afraid to admit they were wrong. Personally, I love having the confidence to admit when I screwed up. Everyone's so afraid for what they have to lose if they admit they messed up. The smallest things too: saying, "Sorry I'm late. My alarm didn't go off," instead of saying, "Sorry I'm late. I didn't wake up to my alarm" puts the blame on an inanimate object instead of yourself. Ironically, people will think greater of you if you can explain it was you who made that mistake. It's an admirable quality.

10. dishonesty is lying on your face. Building off of admitting we were wrong, sometimes people forego the truth to save themselves. This is stupid and selfish.

11. music can move mountains. lyrics are wisdom.

12. "laughter is the only thing that'll keep you sane." -Drew Holcomb.

13. faith is a necessity. I don't know where I would be without my faith. Sometimes I thought that I had lost it, but really it was just needing a workout. I put my hope in Jesus Christ and He will never let me down.

14. don't put extra laundry detergent in a high-efficiency washing machine.

15. everyone is different. get over it. If you think that racism, sexism, and all the stupid isms we have to have because of ass holes are something of the past, you need to lift up that rock that you've been living under because people are persecuted every day. For the dumbest things imaginable. Why it is so hard to grasp and accept the idea that we are different, and born different, I don't know. What I have learned is that I don't have to take it.

16. my parents are incredible. I love both of my parents so much for so many different reasons I'm sure you don't want me to list. The things they have done for my brother and me are countless. I've learned so much from the both of them. I appreciate the fact that they let me make my own decisions. I appreciate the fact that they let me make mistakes. and I appreciate the fact that I know they have been there for me every single one of my 7,300 days. (7,580 if you count when I was in the womb:) )

17. if anything, it is important to be thankful for what we have. Somehow, I was dealt an awesome hand. (which I find funny because in real poker, I have horrible luck.) I am so thankful for everything that I do have, and wishing I had this and that is silly when I take a step back and see the beautiful people and opportunities that have been put into my life.

18. being outside is principal. it's no question that the environment is therapeutic. Humans weren't meant to box themselves up. We started in nature, so obviously we feel closer to the world when we get outside. Camping, Hiking, Jogging, building a snowman for heavensake. If there is one thing I have learned, it is that a weekend away can clear your mind and your soul (just maybe not your fingernails).

19. Everyone has different talents, and it would be a waste of time to sit around suffering through jealousy. I've been there. I've spent too many days wishing I could play like this or draw like that. Trust me. I went through middle school. If there's one thing I learned it's some people can make the softball team, and others cannot. damnit.

20. I am by no means wise; I am by every mean still learning.

people observation #10: a simple thought on relationships past.

it's weird to sit here and think about the many relationships that pass by in ones life. I think back to years ago, and take a look at all of the people I didn't know back then that I do know now. I think back to years ago, and I also realize all the people I did know then, that I don't know anymore. This blog is for the latter.

I hate to say it, but there are so many people in our lives that we click with yet simply lose touch with over time. It makes me sad.

I have never had such a relationship as I did with my best friend from fifth to eighth grade. We came of age together. But then she moved. and simple as that, everything changed. All of a sudden we no longer knew each other. Don't get me wrong, we tried. But over time we find things out about ourselves, and we gain new sets of values.

Every now and then I will stumble upon an old picture or song that reminds me of old friends. The picture of us standing on the stairs, the picture of us after the Summer of Hell, the picture of us in the RV on Spring Break; "Build me up Buttercup" by the Foundations, "The Freshman" by The Verve Pipe, "Float On" by Modest Mouse. Nostalgia.

I miss you guys.

people observation #9: The cruciverbalist don't know what she got til it's gone.

This is where the story begins: Tuesday morning in Morton hall.I sit on the floor outside of my philosophy class waiting for the previous one to get out. I always have about ten minutes to spare, a perfect time to eat an apple (which by the way will do a better job waking you up than a cup of coffee!) and start on the daily Post Crossword. Literally, my favorite thing to do during my six hours of class everyday is this Crossword. Lame? I think not.

So here I am, skimming through articles. (I don't want admit to being one of those people who pick up the paper JUST for the Crosswords and Sudokus in the back, but I totally am.) I always fold the newspaper nicely into three sections so I can easily pull the crossword out as I'm working on it throughout the day. But on this particular day this is what happens: I get to the back page -and remember guys, this being a newspaper it's probably janked with bad news- I see the worst news in the whole issue; the crossword had been placed in the middle of the fold.

That's right. I had to readjust everything. Pain in the donk.

Call me crazy, but I am not alone. Later that day in US History, I saw the kid three seats over whip out the crossword for a little mid-lecture entertainment, and with a sigh, a similar expression to mine that morning wiped across his face. He was all"who the H laid out this page? What were they thinking?"

I gotta tell you three-seats-over kid, clearly, the answer to your question is that they were not thinking. So next thing Greg sitting next to me leaned over and told me about his internship at a newspaper this summer. He said that the day the publication received the most complaining phone calls was the day somebody had moved the crossword onto the fold.

At that moment, I was embarrassed. Like, was I really wasting my energy on a complaint so stupid as the placement of the crossword puzzle in the school newspaper? Really, Erin? The CROSSWORD PUZZLE? Like you couldn't find anything better to complain about? The clouds? The heat?

Well, I've made this point in a previous post that complaining is something I hate, and I can't help but stress that it's something we all do. Sure, the crossword is the one thing in my day that I can call a part of a routine. My life is jam-packed full of a beautiful brand of spontaneity, and as much as I love it, I'm an American too, which means I like my same-old same routine. I just think sometimes we like our little daily quirks, and god forbid the inevitable change messes that up, right? Wrong. I love the quote, "the only constant in life is change." Because it is so true, and the more we can understand that, the more we can fall in love with it.

So I stopped myself from calling and complaining to the Post that day. I can assure you though somebody noticed; the placement of Wednesday's crossword was the best damn layout I ever did see. Sudoku and Crossword on the same. side. of. the. page. All I gotta say is Amen.

people observation #8: music is memories.

I sit down to list some of my favorite songs, and realize they are more important to me because of the memory that they hold than the actual grace of the notes themselves. Five examples:

1. Thunder Road - Bruce Springsteen reminds me of blasting the song with my father, always messing up the lyrics, singing it, correction, screaming it in North Carolina while using the dash as a keyboard.

2. Wonder - Natalie Merchant: practicing my vocals, wishing I could sing like Natalie, hearing this song at Mad River Mountain on some of my favorite high school snowboarding weeknights with my best friend.

3. Lazy Eye- Silver Sun Pickups reminds me of my junior year in highschool, just first meeting someone, and hearing this song everywhere we went.

4. One Love - U2: Not only do I absolutely adore this song and what it means, this one reminds me of first loves, as well as my mother and how it's her favorite u2 song. Every mix I have ever made for my mom has included this song on it.

5. Scar Tissue - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Driving around with my babysitter Sarah, this was just one of the many 90s-early 00s songs that I know and love thanks to her. I remember this song specifically because we had no idea what exactly the chorus was saying and all had our own personal renditions of "with the birds I'll share this lonely view"

people observation #6: we have nothing in common, so of course I can decide for myself exactly how you feel.

I am currently reading an awesome piece by Cornel West, Democracy Matters. West makes an excellent point that I think many Americans fail to grasp:

The United States was designed with the democratic ideology and, subsequently, capitalism. The problem is that our participation in the free market and democratic processes should be separate things. When one participates in the market, he is thinking about what he wants, how he can earn that extra penny, and what food to put on his table. The idea of the voting booth is that one goes there to think of the whole, and he or she looks at which issue to vote on that would be best for the country or community.

The problem: people bring their market minds to the voting booth. They ask themselves, how can this issue help me? Is this going to raise my taxes? The problem with this is that we get a selfish nation, nihilistic and pessimistic, where government becomes a part of the market, with lobbyists and campaigns running completely on a spending platform.

When we go to the voting booth (which not participating in is a slap in the face to so many countries and people I can't even begin to count) we need to understand the process of what we're doing. It is taking part in an idea that asks what is best for society. In times of economic trouble, regardless of how great ones business may be doing, one cannot go wondering whether their taxes will be raised, but instead vote on representatives that have the experience, knowledge, and ideas to help all citizens get out of the hard times.

I am so sick of votes being swayed by a simple idea that taxes may rise. I refuse to believe this inevitable; there are so many more important things that citizens need to know.

With the knowledge of another's suffering comes compassion, and I believe that the reason America has such trouble deciding which is right to vote for, rather than which is the most economically good for me, is because Americans are simply unaware of the problems that those unlike them are experiencing. Take the middle class for example. Middle class Americans are notorious for blaming both the rich and poor for not working enough. They hear stories of the Cincinnati mother who has rigged the welfare system, drives a pink cadillac, and gets her nails done four times a week. They hear stories of rich corporate tycoons who spend weeks at a time on their yachts in the Virgin Islands and hire a bunch of other people to do the work for them. These, however, are not the rules, but they are outliers! Most of the Americans on welfare also have jobs, many of them two or three. Middle class Americans, whose families have been middle class for generations cannot physically understand because they are not in that situation. What they can do is get to know someone in a different situation, learn about those people, and guaranteed comes the compassion they deserve. Many people turn a blind eye to those suffering here in the United States because they know that if they knew about it, they would become uncomfortable.

Unless going through the same situation as another, empathy is impossible to experience. I am a white middle class girl. I will never know what it is like to be black or gay or a man. But I can learn from history and from others' different situations, I can understand that I do have a huge privilege, and I can speak for those who do not have a voice. If we take what we learn and our compassion for others to the voting booth, instead of our market minds, the gears of democracy can begin to turn in the way that they were originally intended to run, for all of its people.