I'm not sure who all is like this, but I tend to over-think things a lot. In other words, I overanalyze people's actions, and I tend to draw far-fetched conclusions from what I see. I'm not all that sure why I do it, and I'm not sure if it's a good thing, but I just do.
For example, a friend of mine that I've known for a while is extremely supportive of the gay community, and he doesn't talk to me all that much, but I've known him for many years. When he ever comments on my Facebook statuses or just in general (which isn't very often), he's almost flirting with me. I question whether or not he likes me, and I still do, even from that pathetic amount of motive that he gave me.
Another example: In one of my classes, and the guy that sits next to me would usually move up to the front with his friend, assuming she wanted him to, and that she was actually there. One day, she asked him to move up to the seat next to her, and he declined. Coincidentally, this was the same day he initiated a conversation with me. Thus, I thought there was a possibility that he liked me, and not in just a friendly sort of way.
I bet you're thinking: "Seriously Jeff, how did you come up with that?" And my answer to that would be: "I have no idea." I might be the only one in the world who's like this. If I am, well...cool? Either way, it's one of the most annoying qualities I possess. It leads me to false hope, and I just get hurt from thinking too deep, and drawing such strange conclusions.
Anyway, do you do something similar to this? If so, comment on this post and tell me about it! It'll be comforting to know that I'm not the only one who over-thinks about everything.
Don't forget to vote in the poll in the top left corner of my blog! Just one more week to answer!
Song of the Week!
So this is "Forget It" by Jewelry S. It took a while for me to like the song, but it wasn't too long before I fell in love with it. It's the perfect mix of pretty and upbeat. Definitely a feel-good song!
That's all for now! Have a great day/night! (Technically it's night).
You're having a rough day. You just finished work/class/your school day, and you're ready to just get home and relax. You're on your way out of the building, and you notice someone trailing behind you. Like the kind person you are, you hold it open for them. Then, the walk right through the door, ignoring your very presence. You're pissed, right? They couldn't even say thank you?
That's right, people. Today is about manners. Us nice people love to dole them out because it's in our nature, but to others, they appear as if they don't even care. If the first paragraph doesn't apply to you, you better get reading, because I guarantee that you will win some respect with some manner usage.
I think of manners as just the simple "please" and "thank you" and "You're welcome"'s that we say to people at the appropriate times. Also saying "God bless you" when someone sneezes is a form of manners. They really aren't that to use, so why can't people just use them? Saying "thank you" when someone does something nice for you, and saying "you're welcome" in return is very simple to do. Even holding the door open for someone is super simple. It just bewilders me that people just can't use manners.
Getting a "thank you" out of someone seems to be like pulling teeth (to me) anymore. Of course, I'm on a college campus, in which it seems no one knows how to operate like a decent human being (just a generalization. Not EVERYONE in college is like that. Just a lot.) I'll admit, sometimes I forget to hold a door open, mostly because I'm too trapped in my own brain to realize it, but I usually look behind me to see if anyone is coming. If they are, I hold it open for them. Now, when they say thank you, it makes me feel like they appreciated what I did. When they don't, I immediately lose respect for them. It's not my job to hold doors open for people I don't know. I could easily just let it close on them, but I wouldn't, because I'm polite. Not only does it make them seem rude, but it also makes them appear to be "too good" for anyone. Seriously: Swallow your pride and say thank you. It's not that hard.
"Please" is also really freakin' easy to use. Yet, almost everyone forgets to use it. It's really not that hard to just add it to a request. "Can you hand me the stapler, please?" See? It's so easy. I feel as if it's so easy, that I start refusing things to my friends because they don't use it. It's also not my job to hand people things, so not saying please is like not even wanting it in the first place. If you can't even say please, why are you trying to ask me to do something for you?
Another one that bugs me is when people try to get by you without saying "excuse me". Some people just think squeezing by you in that tight space that's smaller than an ant, and nearly knocking you over is just fine. Though, I'm sure the person they nearly ran over had some choice words for them. Saying excuse me is also simple to do, and it makes things easier on you, because 9/10 times that you say it, the person you're saying it to will move out of the way.
Saying excuse me to get someone's attention (usually if they're speaking to someone already) is another important concept to remember. Just saying "hey!" or "*insert name here*!" over and over again becomes quite annoying. However, simply said those two magical words will grant you a glorious path to victory! If what you have to say is truly that important to you, saying "excuse me" is the least of your worries.
See? Using manners is simple, and I guarantee that it will make you appear to be a better, more respectable person if you use them. For those who don't use them normally, try it. You'll probably get a smile or two from someone. However, if you run into someone who doesn't like manners, well...maybe you should refer them to this post. Living in a mannerless world is such a scary thing to think about.
Song of the Week!
"Asleep" by Emily Browning. It's one of the single most beautiful songs I've ever heard, and I get chills every time I hear it. Not only is this song good, but the movie is pretty amazing as well. Check it, yo.
Also, don't forget to vote in the poll on the top left corner of my blog! Your input is appreciated!
"Such long words in your title, Jeff!" I know, I know. I'm pretty good like that.
Today, I'll be talking about something that takes so much effort, but is actually the easiest thing in the world to do. It's something that haunts us all, and can make even the strongest of people shake at the knees. Yes, kids. I'm talking about starting conversations with strangers (the good kind, if there's such a thing).
It's that time of year at the university I go to, in which people are now separated from their high-school besties, and they desperately want to make new friends. A majority of the people, of course, are thinking, "Just going up to a stranger and talking to them? How frightening! What if they think I'm weird?" I was like this as a freshman as well, but the thing is, it's really not hard to find some common conversation starting ground with someone you've never met.
So let's refer back to the mentality most people have when it comes to initiating conversations with strangers. Did you refer to it? Paragraph two, in the quotations? Good! Now we're on the same track. Well, the person you're about to talk to is probably thinking the same thing. In most cases (especially in a college setting), they're trying to make friends as well. Unless the person is just a cold hearted witch (but with a B), they're most likely going to just go along with it.
How do you start one of these conversations, you say? Quite simple, actually!
1. Compliment an article of clothing they're wearing.
I've noticed that people stare at my shirts a lot. I know, I know, it's because of my impeccable style, but this isn't the point. They stare at it, smile slightly, and I can tell that they like it. If they wanted to talk to me, all they have to say is "I like your shirt! Where'd you get it?" Or something along those lines. I can guarantee that you'll at least have a minute long conversation with them. What you wear can do wonders.
2. Butt in on a conversation.
Use this sparingly, though. You don't want to cut in on someone talking about their family problems, only to hear you say "Oh my gosh! I have those too!" Anyway, if you hear someone talking to their friend about a band, TV show, animal, flavor of cake, or anything else that you can relate to, say something! It might sound like you're eavesdropping, but trust me, I do this a lot at work. Someone was talking about a video game I like, and I asked them, "Yo! You talkin' 'bout Bioshock?" (Except I sounded much less ganster-like). It was just that simple, and it could be just as simple for you!
3. Be the reason a conversation happens.
Yes. I'm telling you to have impeccable style. Just kidding! In other words, simply be yourself. Find ways to express yourself, and just go for it. If you want to wear a panda bear hat (which I will end up doing at some point) out and about, then do it! Someone will end up saying something about it. I mean, who wouldn't? You're wearing a panda hat! (Of course, you can wear any kind of hat you want. I'm not limiting you to pandas, even though they're adorable.)
These are just a few ways, but definitely not all of them. I know it's not easy to just talk to someone you've never met. Believe me, I know. If the fear of being rejected by the person is the only thing from stopping you, it's completely understandable, but easily able to be worked through. Just take a deep breath, walk up to that stranger, and tell her that her skirt is tucked into her underwear. You'll be a lifesaver, and you'll probably make a new friend.
Almost forgot to tell you...vote in the poll I made at the top left corner! Do it! Yeah!
Song of the Week!
So there were two songs I couldn't stop listening to this past week, and I was debating which one I should put up. I was so stuck, that I'm just going to post both!
This song came out last week, and I can't get over how amazing it is. The video is also really adorable.
I've been jamming to this since I got it yesterday. The rap section in the song is actually really cool, and I don't really like rap music.
I finished my Supernatural Fanfiction! Here's the finished product, for those that are interested! The whole story!
About a week ago, I saw the movie, "The Help", and, first off, I absolutely loved it. It's one of my favorite movies now. If you haven't seen it yet, get into your car, onto your bike, or ride your dragon to the theater, and watch it ASAP. Don't have a car, bike, or dragon? I suppose you can ask a friend to take you, but wouldn't it be better to fly a dragon into the parking lot? All them moviegoers will be quite jealous of you.
Anyway, for those of you who haven't seen the movie (or read the book, for that matter), I won't be telling you anything you haven't already seen in the previews. So yes! You can read my post without screaming at me, saying "Curse you, Jeff! You ruined the movie for me!" Or some other choice words. Anyway, let's move on! (Okay so MAYBE there are a few minor spoilers, but I promise it won't ruin the experience for you if you see it.)
As I watched this movie, I became very intrigued by Euginia, or "Skeeter", as they called her. I felt like I was very similar to her, but also different in many ways. All in all, I want to be more like her.
She, as you all probably knew, once she got a job at a publishing company, wanted to write her own book coming from the maids' point of view. Of course, this caused scandals left and right, but Skeeter knew what she was doing.
I felt like we were similar because we both felt inadequate as young adults, not really feeling desirable by anyone. She and I both are very cynical when it comes to being in a relationship, though the idea of one seems very pleasant. We, also, both know what we want, and aren't willing to give up whatsoever.
I want to be more like her, because even though she was somewhat awkward, she was a very strong woman. (Yes, this means I want to be a strong woman. Haha!) She wrote a very controversial book, and she never doubted it one bit. She was very comfortable with everything she wrote. I always feel like people are critiquing my work harshly in their heads, simply hating everything about it. She knew how to stand up for herself, which I can only seem to do when I finally feel that I've taken enough.
Throughout the movie, I felt like I was looking up to her. Rather than merely being a fictional character, she became a role model, and a motivational figure for me. Watching her determination and strong-willed nature made me want to be just like her. Easily, she was my favorite character, though she was not the only lovable one. I highly recommend that you see this movie!
Song of the Week!
This song is called "Rocket Girl" by Stellar, and I really enjoyed the song and video. It took a while, but now I absolutely love it. Believe it or not, this video got banned (so I read) in South Korea because of "violent images". Well, even though it's a bit violent, I wouldn't necessarily say it's rated R quality. It's definitely a very innocent video, I think.
I know, it seems like all I post is Korean music, but that's the only thing that's ever relevant. So yeah. Don't be hatin'.
Thanks for reading! Tune in next week for another brilliant post!
First and foremost, here's my Supernatural Fanfiction, which I'm almost finished with! Chapters 1-23.
So today, I thought I'd talk about something I know EVERYONE can relate to. In our lifetime, most of us want to be loved by someone, and some people spend copious amounts of time trying to find this one person. Many people have their certain standards about their personalities or whatnot, but to lots of others, there's another aspect that they search for. That's right, they also look for how attractive (physically) they are.
The issue is: Are looks really all that important in the relationship? I mean, sure. Just because someone is smokin' hot, it doesn't mean they're going to be the most reliable and loving person on the planet. In fact, many people think it's the opposite. I'll admit, I've had my fair share of thinking someone's attractive, only to find out they're a complete douche bag, but who says that it's always supposed to be that way?
There are many sides to this argument (at least from what I hear from different people). There are people who think that being physically attracted to their partner isn't essential. They think that a relationship is based solely on what they see on the inside, and not what's on the outside.
There are people who think looks are a bonus. They'll try hard to find someone who they're physically attracted to, but they won't necessarily make it a priority. If they find someone who they connect with on an emotional level, it might be all they need, but if they aren't necessarily "pretty", whether they think they are or not, they'll still stay happy and content with them.
And of course, there are the ones who base relationships solely on how people look. If the person isn't physically attractive to them at all, they won't even consider getting to know them. These people might be considered "picky", but others might just call it high standards.
What's my side on the issue? Personally, I want to be physically attracted to my partner. I feel like I won't be able to be in a relationship unless I'm able to look at the person without having a strong urge to look away. Now I'm sure some of you could be thinking, "Damn, this guy's shallow". Almost everyone I know can vouch for the fact that I'm not the least bit shallow. I'm saying this because I know I'm not the hottest thing on the block.I just think you have to connect with your partner in more ways than just emotionally, because you're, potentially, going to be spending the rest of your life with this person.
There's the underlying "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" type of thing when it comes to this topic, of course. I'm not trying to say that certain people only pick people that are attractive, but are attractive to them. Not all of us have the same taste, so I could think someone is absolutely hunky, while you think they're junky.
Song of the week!
This is a multi-racial kpop band whom I've fallen in love with. This song has been on repeat since I've discovered it.
I'm back, readers! I have returned from the beautiful land of Yellowstone, though somewhat regretfully. The weather was absolutely amazing compared to the daily triple-digit temperatures in Phoenix. I almost didn't want to come back, but I was also ready to be home.
Before I go on, I've added some chapters to my Supernatural Fanfiction since my last post, so here you go! Chapters 1-15. I'm hoping to just have it done by the time summer is over, but...we'll see.
So anyway, Yellowstone was quite an experience. It was a beautiful city (Yes, it was that big, though I'm sure everyone already knew that...) filled with wonders I never imagined could exist. There were more trees than I could even begin to count, and there were so many thermal features (geysers/hot springs/mudpots/fumaroles). Most of them smelled terrible though, because of the sulfur. So they were pretty and interesting to look at, but you find yourself leaving only a few seconds later because of the overpowering stench. Here's one we saw!
This one was simply a hot spring, but there was so much steam from it, I just had to take a picture. It was windy that day, and the steam would soar through us, and luckily for us, it wasn't smelly steam. It felt pretty amazing, though I'm sure that water was a little too hot to actually go in. Darn.
We saw some waterfalls too while we were there, and there was one in particular that really looked amazing. In fact, I'm using it as an excuse to show off a picture that I'm very proud of. I swear, it's photography gold, and you'd swear I was majoring in photography, and not English, after seeing it.
See? Look at it! LOOK AT IT! I felt so good about this picture. Sadly, it's probably the only breathtaking picture I'll ever take with my wimpy, 12 megapixel digital camera.
The amount of bison we saw was unbelievable! They even got ridiculously close to the road, and acted like it was the most reasonable thing to do. They'd cross the street and act like we weren't even there.
This one buffalo...he didn't even care. He just walked in front of our car at his own, slow little pace, without a care in the world. He even glanced behind him at us, almost like "Yeah yeah, I see you." It was probably my favorite moment while we were there.
We saw lots of other animals, such as deer, antelope, moose, and even chipmunks! We saw bears and wolves as well, but we had to visit a bear/wolf preserve in Montana because of how rare it is to see them in the park. We got close to seeing a bear, because everyone was stopped on the side of the road, saying a bear was among the large rocks. Of course, they also said they saw it ten minutes before, and it was hiding. My thoughts: "Yes, people. This bear is DEFINITELY going to come out with all of us standing her with cameras."
I learned some things about Yellowstone while I was there. It was almost a community of its own, and you quickly become a part of it. Here's some things I found out, and some things that you can possibly take note of if you've never been there:
1. If there are cars pulled over on the side of the road, don't think "What the hell, guys! Move!" Think: "They're looking at something amazing! Let's go look at it!"
2. Wherever there was a majestic animal to see, there was a park ranger telling you to move along.
3. The foreigners can, and will take a whole five minutes to try and get a picture while you're walking along the trails, effectively wasting that much time of your day.
Oh. the foreigners. As pleasant as it was to see all these people from other countries, it was also quite amusing to see how they operate. More than half the foreign groups I saw, while taking pictures, would stand there with no emotion on their face. I would just think: "Why even take a picture if you're not going to look like you enjoyed your time there?"
After our few days at Yellowstone, we headed back to Jackson and spent our last few days there. We went Whitewater rafting, which I regret not doing when I had the chance many years ago. It was a blast! Though, we had a relatively disappointing crew. The lady that sat between my sister and I was so paranoid, I was surprised she didn't collapse from a heart attack. She claimed that she had gone on a Whitewater rafting trip before, which would make you think she wouldn't be so nervous, but she was. It bugged me beyond belief. She was quick to bark orders at us about "You better paddle hard guys, because I don't wanna fall out!", even though she refused to paddle. She wasn't the only one, though. The lady sitting beside my stepmom solemnly told her, after our guide gave us instructions on what to do if someone fell out, not to fall out. Despite all this, I had a lot of fun, and it gave us a lot to talk about after the rafting trip.
I also went horseback riding. That was so much fun! My horse was awesome, and I swear we were so identical in personality. Her name was Trojan. So yes, guys, I rode the Trojan horse.
There we are, in all of our glory. She had a strong go-with-the-flow personality, though she would try to eat when she wasn't supposed to. She only tried to eat when our wrangler had us stop, so she would eat because we weren't doing anything else anyway. I would try to stop her (because the wrangler told us to) but she would fight it. It was like she was saying: "Seriously? We're not doing anything else, jerk." She was also very excited to be back at the stables, because she would try to get ahead of the other horses. Yup, just like me.
Excuse the spanish, I just thought it fit pretty well. Anywho, I know how petty it sounds, but it's just kind of annoying. I don't want to say "Can't we find something that all of us want to do?" because I don't want to be the one who complains. It's not like they were depriving me of activities, but why do the activities need to be something I don't want to do? I don't want people to revolve around my needs, but I know they're thinking that I don't mind sitting around the hotel, or just simply taking a walk around the area, since that's just how I work. I just wonder if I'm too easygoing. I wonder if I need to roll with the punches a little less, and let people know that I'm not always okay with doing what everyone else wants to do, and I'm not always okay with sitting on the sidelines while everyone else has fun. Again, excuse me if I sound petty, but I don't know if there was any other way to get my opinion across. I'm really not all that petty....haha!
I realize this is quite a long post, but I had to make up for not being able to post last week, right?
Don't forget to vote in my poll! I know, it's a simple question, but it's just a test run to see how many people will actually do it. It's located at the top left side of my blog page!
I've been working my tail off on my Supernatural Fan-Fiction. I plowed through so many writers' blocks, I thought I was going to explode. Here's Chapters 1-12.
I have quite the random topic to talk about today, and I actually got the idea for it yesterday, as I was getting ready to run some errands with my mother yesterday. It's something all of us (at least a large portion of us) complain about, and are almost never satisfied with. That's right: our hair.
We complain about "bad hair days" and when we're actually having good hair days, all we can do is worry about whether it's going to get messed up or not. Or worse: there are winds as strong as hurricanes outside. I have noticed, though, that it's the women who complain about their hair more than men, but I do know some men who are ridiculously self-conscious about their hair. I'm one of them.
I learned that my hair is incredibly indecisive, and it almost never wants to do what I want it to do. It has its own personality, it seems. Even though I use gel to style it, and you'd think that it would actually obey me because of this, it still rebels against me. There are many things I've learned about how to manage it, too:
1. NEVER style it while it's wet. It will ALWAYS look terrible.
2. As my hair gets longer, my gel strength needs to be stronger.
3. If my hair even looks remotely presentable, I need to leave it alone, or else I'll just mess it up.
In my opinion, the way your hair looks can be an excellent indicator of many things, such as your style, hygiene, and how well you like to present yourself to people. I could have been camping for maybe a week, but if I come back, do my hair and make it look great, it would look like I kept clean throughout the whole trip. Because your hair is something that everyone can see, (unless you're wearing a hat, obviously) making it impressionable can work wonders on what people think of you.
Quick announcements: I will be in Yellowstone next Wednesday (Yay!), and I'm quite certain that I'll be busy that day, so there's a great chance that there won't be a blog post next Wednesday. I'm probably going to bring my laptop on the trip, but if we're too busy on that day, and I'm too tired, it just won't happen. Just so you know!
Also, I added a poll to my blog (it is on the top left area of my blog page), that all of you should answer!
And now it's time for the Song of the Week!
I have been on a Victorious kick lately, and this song was on the most recent episode "Locked Up" (It was a pretty entertaining episode, not gonna lie). I also bought the soundtrack. It's a guilty pleasure: Don't judge. While this isn't my favorite song on the soundtrack (that one is on my previous post), I've still found my self unable to stop listening to it.
That's all for now. Have a great Wednesday, everyone!
