Only felt right to honor the fallen today. This was beautiful and a stark reminder that change can happen in an instant. Cherish the ones you love, and remember each day is a gift. Rest in peace to all those lost, and never forget the courage and bravery demonstrated thirteen years ago.
I Wanted A Pony, I Got A Lecture.
Watch out. Marlborough Man. There’s a new chick in town.
Every year for my birthday I prayed that I would get a horse. Instead, I got my cousin’s old sweaters and a lecture from my mother on being grateful for the things I already had.
A hand-me-down, by definition, is something that has been passed on from another person. Most likely, you’ll refer to that old coat with holes in it that never kept you warm in the winter, or the pair of socks that went through three siblings before they made their way to your feet.
They are the sweaters your brother always wore that made him look so cool, or the high heels in your mother’s closet that your six-year-old feet prayed every night they would one day fit inside.
They are the items that the previous owner took care of enough to live a second or third life. Like the house that’s been in your family for generations, or that weird glass duck your mom keeps on the mantle, and no one really knows where it came from. But it has value. So it’s passed down, kept, and maintained.
In an effort to avoid being completely literal, I want to talk about the hand-me-downs in our lives that are way less tangible, yet far more meaningful.
These are the attributes that have shaped you into the person you are today. It’s the ideals, beliefs, and quirks we learned from people in our lives that had an impact far greater than a birthday gift. A hand-me-down isn’t just an object, it is something that makes you who you are.
It is your mannerisms; the ways you move, gestures you make.
It’s why you always twirl your hair because your older sister did it when she was talking to boys. It’s the nervous ticks you inherited from your mother because she hates public speaking. The way you always talk with your hands because your family always had to show rather than tell you what they were talking about.
It is your perception of color, and the way it can positively or negatively affect your life.
It’s the inheritance of racism, sexism, and the idea of inequality from previous generations. Views that your parents, grandparents, and relatives had that were unfortunately passed down to you. Or you might carry the legacy of acceptance, open mindness, and visions of equality. Your mind is a sponge, and you know that skin color is no grounds for inferiority, and people are people, all of whom we can learn from.
It is your voice, and the way it carries you through life.
You’ll never be able to count how many times you’ve been asked why you don’t say your R’s, or how you got your lisp. You’ll never be able to explain why you learned to say “draw” instead of “droor,” or “theeter” rather than “thee-a-ter.” It’s because you were taught to hold your tongue and wait for others to speak, or why it’s your innate desire to blurt out your thoughts without thinking of the repercussions.
It is the lesson you learn from the past.
Whether it be a day, a week, a month, or years, there are people in our lives that have an impact. It’s because of that time you fell in love too quickly, and from then on, refused to show all your cards from the start. It’s the friends who made you laugh, realizing you need those more than ones who will bring you down. It’s that man on the street who greets you every day, letting you know that the littlest bit goes the longest way.
It is your genetic make up.
Or the reason why you dealt with curly hair through puberty when all the pretty girls had straight. It’s why your thighs are thicker and your waist is smaller. It’s why your face is longer and your nose is pointy, and the reason you can’t digest dairy or are prone to alcoholism. It’s all the things that make up who you are, and remind you where you came from.
That weird glass duck will always be sitting on your mantle, and no one really knows where it came from. But as human beings, we are all walking examples of what has been handed down to us. We represent an amalgam of experiences, cultures, perceptions, and memories, all of which affect how we act on a day to day basis, for both the good and the bad.
And we will all eventually pass those things down. Just remember that the next time you don’t say hi to that stranger on the street, or talk down to someone without thinking of the effect it will have, or go for the guy you think you can change when you’ve never been able to change one of them.
What hand me downs to you have?
Things That Are More Important Than The Next Royal Baby
Or, if you were alive last week, Angelina Jolie’s wedding dress. Because that was totally monumental and headline worthy.
Oh no, I hope I didn’t offend anyone.
Aside from real world problems and issues like genocide, civil warfare, and the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, there are a number of things that are more interesting and relatively important than the soon-to-be birth of the second royal baby.
Plus, we have nine whole months of “baby bump” monitoring before we even see what the thing looks like. So, instead of getting all your panties in a bunch over Kate Middleton’s fetus, you should maybe table your investment until month eight, and save your sanity.
Here is a list of things that you can do within the next nine months instead of caring about an unborn royal child that isn’t even related to you and never will know who you are in any capacity:
- Try everything on the Taco Bell breakfast menu
- Drink infinity magnum bottles of wine
- Watch most of the CSI reruns on Spike
- Nap
- Try lowering America’s obesity problem
- Learn how not to be socially awkward
- Figure out how to talk to adults
- Pay rent on your apartment
- Take a shower
- Come up with a word other than ‘baby bump’ to describe pregnancy
- Make sure you eat three square meals a day
- Read the entire series of Game of Thrones
- Then watch the television show to compare plot lines and accuracy
- Watch three seasons come and go
- Hike the Appalachian Trail
- Drive across country
- Learn to play a new sport
- Exercise
- Get someone at an old folks home to remember your name
- Go back to grade school
- Grow a plant
- Break a bone and watch it heal
- Pick up a skill like basket weaving, knitting, or caring about other people
- Watch your hair grow out and then chop it off
- Make a new friend
- Wait for the new iPhone to come out
- Learn to type without looking at the keyboard
- Try as many new restaurants as possible
- Rearrange all the furniture in your apartment
- Get pregnant and have a kid you will/should actually care about
… Just some thoughts.
I’m On The Wrong Side of Twenty-Five
Chevvvvvvvs.
So, um. Vacation is real, and it’s fucking awesome. It also hurts like hell when it’s over.
But sound the alarms, hide all the children, bake every cake, cause I’m back and I’m chock full of noggin goodies and ready to write em down.
Mentally, I feel great. Physically, I’m a little worse for wear. As you get older, you really start to recognize how many things you just can’t do anymore. Along with wearing overalls and cheetah print scrunchies, I found out over the course of my week long hiatus that I can’t quite hang like a college kid and bounce back like I used to when I wasn’t twenty-five.
I woke up this morning and my eyes essentially refused to open, and walking in to work looking like you just toked up with Willie Nelson and Snoop Dogg is never a good look. #apologies
What I’ve learned this week is that I’m on the wrong side of twenty-five.
And that really, really sucks. Cause being on the right side is always more fun, I think. Depending on how you look at fun, I guess. Criminals and the like would probably disagree with me. But then again, they’re in jail and I’m not… yet.
I may be young and able-bodied, but I am in no way, shape, or form, capable of doing beer olympics and not spending the entire following day curled up in a ball watching reruns of CSI while having someone spoonfeed me macaroni and cheese covered in velveeta.
Listen to your bodies. When you wake up on Sunday and you feel like crap, going outside and sitting in the sun without drinking water is not going to make you feel any better on Monday. In fact, it will make you feel worse.
Exercise is always good. Even when it’s not good, you’ll feel better after you’re done. Or at least that’s what my mother tells me. I always say the same thing about naps and chocolate.
If you have a good buzz going, cleaning your kitchen and/or entire house will be way more productive in the moment. You will cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. Drunk minutes always seem to double regular minutes, but you may also wake up wondering why you slept in bed with a swiffer wet jet and why your dog is wearing rubber cleaning gloves.
Never forget to eat. At twenty-five, this seems like it should be natural. It’s not. Sometimes you spend all day shooting the shit and catching up with old friends and wake up the next morning realizing your body survived a day of treacherous drinking on one egg and 8 pieces of cold bacon. Set alarms, bring a buddy, or grow the hell up and remember to nourish yourself.
Strapless bathing suits are the devil.
Keep in touch with old friends. Especially if you experienced something life changing together. Friends like that don’t come into your life often, so cherish them. Make a point to see them, keep in touch, and reunite as much as you can. You’ll want to remember the time one of you passed out in a strange place and how many different locations you traveled to in order to reunite. (shameless plug)
And last but not least, it was confirmed that Ray Rice is a giant pile of douche bags.
What did you learn this week?
HEY EVERYONE, I’M ON VACATION.
Essentially.
Sorry, or luckily, whichever one applies, I won’t be around this week. Please feel free to enjoy the silence that would usually be filled with senseless rambles and my cries of inadequacy.
Yeah, yeah I know we just had a three day weekend, but I have a lot of stuff on my plate, namely going through my closet to make sure I don’t have seventeen floral crop tops.
But I’m also planning a reunion for this coming weekend, and there is a lot of drinking involved, so my mental capacity and ability to produce coherent thoughts are going to be extremely limited.
In short, I’ll be on a self-imposed vacation this week to get my mind right, sleep a lot, and do some research which really means everything I do will be involving copious amounts of wine.
Wish me luck, or don’t.
See you back next Monday. In the mean time, feel free to be my friend.
PS – Happy Birthday to my mom. I know she reads this. She may be the only one.
What did you do for Labor Day? Do you ever feel like you just need a break?
The Friday Five: My Favorite Posts of the Week!
Each week, I list off my favorite posts from all the wonderful blogs I follow. I mean, if I love you, why shouldn’t the rest of the world? So, without further adieu, here are the posts that really got my attention this week!
yadadarcyyada: To Ice Bucket or Not To Ice Bucket
Interesting take on the challenge that has swiffered the nation. Maybe everyone should just donate to the cause?
Rae of Sparkles: I want my cake. And I’m going to eat it.
Because DIY scares the shit out of me and this looks super fun and adorable.
Project Light to Life: Strangers Help Fulfill Terminally Ill 5-Year-Old’s Bucket List
For once it was nice to read a post about someone in the news. I realize how much I talk about myself and how people like this deserve the spotlight, not my inability to adhere to social cues.
My Broken Brain: How having a brain injury can open the door to 15000ft
Super inspirational post about overcoming adversity dealing with brain injury. Plus skydiving is DA BOMB.
Tipsy Lit: Good Writers Are Great Listeners
Kind of a shameless plug, but this is one post I’m particularly proud to call my own 🙂
BONUS: BE MY FRIEND
Let’s be friends, everyone. I need them. My mom is starting to think I have a drinking problem.
Who likes badges? Everyone, that’s who! If I featured your post this week, or in any previous weeks, feel free to grab one of these bad boys and slap in on your blog so the world can know you’ve been baked with greatness by yours truly.
xoxo, Meg
What was your favorite post (by you or someone else) from this week? Submit it in a comment and maybe I’ll feature my top five favorites next Friday!
It’s Come To My Attention That I Am Short On Friends…
Mark West is my only friend.
Like, I think I enjoy spending time alone with wine, but it might be because I don’t have anyone to hang out with and drink the wine with me. So that’s where you come in, I think, PLEASE COME IN!
It’s Thursday, and I’m in a giving mood.
(Not like that, get your mind out of the gutter)
I’ve had a slew of new followers over the past few weeks, which is amazing and I am super-dee-duperly thankful for all of ya peeps! So I wanted to take the time to get to know all of you, since you’ve been so wonderful as to care about what I have to say.
Which is awesome because my cerebral cortex is one weird place.
So here’s what to do if you want to be friends, which essentially means you’ll instantly be on the proverbial path towards greatness and celebrity status and I will shower you with compliments and fairy dust ( or just do it to take pity on me) :
1. I’ve added a shiny, new “Friends” page. And I want you to be on it!
2. Grab the badge at the bottom, put it somewhere on your page. Remember to link back to me (http://thehalfandhalfblog.com)! Once you’ve done this, message me, post a link to your blog in the comments, or yell really loud so that I can hear you telling me you’ve done it.
3. Once you’ve done it, I’ll add your blog to my friends list. Which is essentially like being the most popular kids in school, but it’s the internet, so it’s better than school.
4. Once we are friends, feel free to send me a message and let me know if you’d like to guest post. I want to make this here blog more like a conversation, and I’d love to have multiple perspectives on topics.
How sexy is this puppy? Don’t answer that, it’s so sexy.
If nothing else, do it so I know my mother isn’t the only one who reads this blog. Help me, help you, help me. You can follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. Because too much of a good thing is never too much… or is it? No, it’s not, because ice cream and puppies exist, and you can never have too much of those.
Thank you again for being interested in the inner workings of my brain, and I look forward to finding out what you have to say. I love reading. Almost to the point where I do it too much and this is why I’m asking for friendship in return for virtual slice and bake cookies.
Read on, soldiers!
xoxo, Meg
The Do’s and Don’ts of Going Back To School
“Back to school, back to school, to prove to my dad I am not a fool.” – Billy Madison
After a long summer of doing absolutely nothing but laying by the pool, having bonfires, and ignoring your parents’ curfew, you finally have to bite the bullet and go back to academic prison stifling your sleep schedule, fun schedule, and happiness schedule.
I have a job where I don’t use either of my degrees. I’m not bitter. I’m not mad about the debt that I’ve racked up over the course of my six years of higher education. But aside from my passive aggressive attempt to displace my stupidity at not pursuing the career I originally wanted, I do have some serious FOMO (“fear of missing out” for those acronymly challenged people) when it comes to going back to school.
I’d like to say I’d do more than one thing differently.
Judging by my extensive time spent in various higher education institutions, and my penchant for talking for the sake of talking, I’ve compiled this list of things you should and shouldn’t do when it comes to going to college.
DISCLAIMER: In no way, shape, or form, should you take these statements as fact, absolute truths, or completely applicable to everyday life. I am questionably insane and still eat poptarts and wine for dinner.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Going Back To School:
- Make sure you research your roommates, there’s nothing like finding out your roommate hates the way you chew and refuses to let you eat Jolly Ranchers in her presence
- Get dressed for class, looking presentable is acceptable in the real world, it’s also appreciated in college
- Pick out your first day of school outfit. First impressions are real.
- Get a white noise machine, your roommate will probably snore, and it will probably be loud, and you probably won’t sleep very well
- Prepare to sleep talk, it’s totally normal, and definitely not something that is unique to myself
- Wear flip flops in the communal showers, boys are gross, girls are disgusting
- Stock up on extension cords, you will most likely only have one outlet for 3 people
- Understand that you may not be best friends with your roommate, you may actually hate them
- Be aware that you may become best friends with your roommate, and that is awesome
- Know that all you can eat dining halls exist
- So does the freshman fifteen
- And the freshman thirty
- Avoid the gym after January 1st, it’s filled with people who resolve to change their bodies with the turn of the new year
- Go to the gym after January 15th, at this point, all these new years resolutions have dissolved
- Beer is your friend, but it will make you fat
- Vodka is your friend, but it will make you really drunk
- Heels are not your friend, they will make you fall over
- Prepare to lose your keys or ID card once every year
- Accommodate for the fact that your meal plan will run out, bring tupperware
- Free is always good, find the events on campus and attack them (not maliciously)
- Join a club, a sorority, or a sports team, you will make better friends
- The people on your floor may be weird, accept them
- Attempt to study abroad, living in another country is a culturally rich experience
- Don’t stay up for hours watching To Catch A Predator marathons instead of going out, it gives off a weird vibe
- Indulge in naps, they are totally and utterly acceptable
- Read the rules of the dorms, don’t get fined for having hideous, floor length, denim curtains because they’re a fire hazard
- Go to the sports events, even if you hate sports, camaraderie is real, even if your school sucks
- Don’t buy books at the bookstore, there are far better places to rent them for the semester, and then you’re not stuck with a $200 Biology textbook with a frog on the cover
- If you do buy your textbooks, sell them on Amazon
- But don’t buy your textbooks, split them with a friend in class, sharing is caring
- Get used to walking, if you’re at a big school, learn the bus routes, if you’re at a small school, that sucks
- Don’t leave your drink out in the open, roofies are real
- Dress the way you want, college is one of the only times you can get away with wearing a short, tight dress on a Wednesday without people thinking you’re a streetwalker
Above all, enjoy these four years, it’s the last chance you’ll get to live without rules and not have to pay rent. Living on your own is a blessing, but getting up for work is mandatory, so take advantage of skipping classes with little to no repercussions.
What are pieces of advice YOU recommend for college?
What You Don’t Realize About Moving To The City
Loneliness is an interesting feeling.
Upon graduation, or if you were one of those not-college types, whenever you had the means to do so, there comes a time in everyone’s life where we are expected to spread our poor, little, struggling wings, fly the coop and become devoid of our parent’s protection, guidance, and monetary support.
But that’s totally okay, because we’re moving into the city.
The city, whichever one you choose to call your home, is the true American dream. Getting out of your hometown is just the tip of the iceberg. Success in the city you choose is the fulcrum of happiness and the epitome of making it out alive.
So you do your research.
You find the city that has the hippest music scene, the best deals on brunch, those hole-in-the-wall dive bars where everyone becomes a local. You find that city, and it becomes your dream. It becomes your destination.
Because moving there is so much better than living at home. There’s so much to do, there’s so many new faces to meet, and jobs to attain. But what they, whoever they are, don’t tell you, is that it doesn’t matter how many tall buildings, restaurants, bars, and people there are in that city.
Because you’re going to be lonely.
And you’re going to struggle.
And you’re going to feel what it’s like to be on your own.
And you’re going to realize that feeling alone never crossed your mind or factored into your equation.
Because loneliness is an interesting feeling. Especially when you don’t plan for it to happen.
We live in a world where we are constantly connected. Cell phones, applications, social media, and, if you absolutely have to, verbally.
And even though we have all the means to communicate, it still doesn’t shake the feeling of being completely and utterly helpless. Because at the end of the day, we are on our own, in a new place, and it’s bound to happen.
The thing about being lonely, is it’s actually a good thing. When you move to a new place, regardless if you know people, but especially if you don’t, you get to truly find what you want for yourself.
You may move to a new city with dreams of becoming a teacher, and end up in the very field your father advised you never to pursue. Or realize that living with roommates is more trouble than it’s worth, and paying the extra money each month is better for your sanity than the few extra bucks you’ll spend going out to avoid them anyways.
We do ridiculous things to avoid boredom. The same goes for being lonely.
Because loneliness is an interesting feeling. You’ll find ways to combat it.
Maybe you suddenly get the urge to take up cooking, join a yoga studio, or train for a half marathon. You’ll meet people along the way, find a few friends here and there. Start building up a core group of people with whom you enjoy spending time.
Once you’ve moved away from home, the place where you were forced to spend time with people because you lived in the same place, you get to start over, you have the ability to find the people with the same interests, values, and goals.
You are not confined to a certain group of friends because you’re not popular, or don’t play sports.
Real Talk: No one is popular in the city. And if you think you are, you must be a celebrity or have a very inflated sense of self, and I’m going with the latter, because no one knows who anyone is unless you’re in an immediate circle of friends.
Loneliness is an interesting feeling. So get comfortable with it.
At the end of the day, you’re making strides to better yourself. You’re moving out, moving on, and moving into a new city. Get comfortable with being the person that has to make hard decisions, and take heart that if they go wrong you can only blame yourself.
Get to know yourself, figure out what you want, where you want to go, and who you want surrounding you while you get there.
But most importantly, know that you’re not the only one who is lonely.
We’ve all felt alone in a city with tall buildings, millions of people, and tons of activities.
It’s part of growing up, and that takes time. No one just uproots their life and has roses, butterflies, and rainbows greeting them when they walk in the door to their new apartment.
Most of us move and are greeted with rainy days, a mattress on the floor and a bank statement with a less than desirable account balance.
Because loneliness is an interesting feeling, but I promise you’ll get through it.
Good Writers Are Great Listeners
A little guest post for the Tipsy folks. Surprisingly, I don’t mention anything about wine or snacks, but still worth a read, I hope!
Half and Half 