Hating on selfies. We’re all a little egotistical, it comes with being human (and a blogger). If you’re not into being photographed it’s easy to make fun of people duck-facing it up on the regular, but don’t pretend like you’d rather see pictures of your friends’ yard/car/cat/stamp collection than their faces. Show me a cute outfit or seatbelt selfie over your 500 ultrasound pictures any day. And if you just hate seeing photos, maybe rethink your social media presence. Maybe stick to Twitter?
Being surprised by how early Christmas decorations come out on shelves. They’re all going to skip Thanksgiving and maybe Halloween too. That’s just how it works. I’m sorry you hate it, but you told me you hated it last year and the year before, and I’d prefer if you refrained from telling me again this year. Obviously there’s a demand for it, and if one store does it all the others are going to also. That’s how competition works. Just avert your sensitive eyes and choke down the urge to rage about it on all your social media channels. #weknow
Freaking out about Photoshop. I get it. I don’t want unrealistic expectations to be handed down to impressionable young ladies (and fellas) either, but on the other hand I would be furious if I was on the cover of a magazine and they didn’t bother to blur out a massive zit in the middle of my forehead. Yes, flaws are real and beautiful, but Photoshop is also an amazing tool. I don’t think it should be demonized as this self esteem crushing robot. It does some really wonderful things too. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a proponent of creating thigh gaps where there are none, but for every person using her megaphone to yell about how photos should be untouched, there’s a whole army of people demanding perfection as we have defined it.
Ranting about the slutty things former Disney child stars do. It’s happened again and again and again. It seems to me that there’s a flaw in the way we as a society treat young Hollywood actors and not how innocent babies with such potential transform into monsters overnight. I suggest you don’t cut your kid’s childhood short by forcing them into acting or attack the system, but either way it’s not that shocking. Oh, and if they’re such terrible role models, don’t let your kids watch TV (my family didn’t have cable until I was in high school-ish. They’ll survive.)
Talking about how hot, cold, rainy, windy, snowy it is outside. Granted you might just be informing friends from far away living in a vastly different climate than you are, but for the most part we’re quite familiar with the seasons. When it’s summer, it’s hot outside. When it’s winter, it’s cold. Except when it’s not in, in which case global warming is scary (and a far more interesting topic!). When it’s spring, sometimes it’s still cold and you’re really pissed about it. I know. Your friends know. Let’s talk about dinosaurs instead.
Being so surprised when young people do awesome things. It’s condescending. Amazing people do amazing things and age is rarely a factor. In fact, I think I did far more awesome things when I was 10 than I do now. Do you know how many books, drawings, songs and radio shows I created back then? A lot. Do you know how many I’ve created in my twenties? None.
Negging. If you’re unfamiliar, Urban Dictionary defines it as, “Low-grade insults meant to undermine the self-confidence of a woman so she might be more vulnerable to your advances.” I’m told this technique is effective (and taught in a book called “The Game”.. vom) and this bothers me very much, but not as much as it bothers me when guys try it on me. Needless to say, I am not receptive to it, but it recently came to me in an epiphany that I do not owe a random person who walked up to me at a bar anything. It is my first instinct to be sweet and friendly to a stranger who wants to talk, but I don’t have to engage in a negative back and forth and neither do you. Next time someone strikes up a conversation with you and you find it to be insulting, just know that you can and should walk away.
Defining people by the job that they do. Why is the first thing we ask when we meet people, “What do you do?” It’s a way of putting people into boxes, and I didn’t realize how much I resent it until recently. Next time you meet someone, do me a favor and ask, “What makes you happy?” instead. What does it matter what you do to make money unless that thing is also what makes you happy? I’m starting to think these two things don’t have to be connected and therefore you shouldn’t be defined by the less important one.
Putting so much pressure on ourselves. Nobody has it all figured out and if they do, they’re probably bored out of their minds. Enjoy the ride, my friends.
nailed it. also negging gives me RAGE
PREACH GIRL. This post is fabulous. I am so with you on the hating on selfies and the former child star rants. Get over it folks.
-Samantha
http://substanceandsoul.tumblr.com
negging needs to go home and never come back to play.
Haha so much truth in this post! I must admit, I've never heard the term negging until now 🙂
This post and these GIFS were beyond perfect! Your blog is just the cutest!
xo TJ
http://www.hislittlelady.com
I want to hug you after this one. You have life-etiquette figured out, my friend.
Also, I can't think of a real life example of what negging is – What are this?
Exactly! I love everything about this post!
Amen to that Disney star thing! I was just talking to someone who was complaining about Selena Gomez's "Come and Get It" song. Hello! She is a grown woman! She is not going to be singing about wizards and magic until she dies. And the song isn't even explicit!
Spot on! Also, we should stop shaming people for checking their phones at dinner. Unless their dinner date has no phone and is relying solely on the company to be entertained…. But getting a notification and checking it is not a crime! Even at dinner.