I don't know how to be an adult

Now that I am 18 and headed off to college soon, I am starkly aware of the things I am responsible for now. Like, little things that I have started to do on my own that I took for granted when my parents did them. I have recently started doing my own laundry, carrying my own medical card, and when I go up to a counter to buy something, or go to the doctors office with my mom, she makes me speak! Hahaha it's all so much! And in doing all this got me thinking, what adult things do I take for granted that I haven't yet figured out!? So here is a list of basic adult things I should have down or at least understand, but don't! 

1. How to use a fire extinguisher- Seen one in every building I've ever walked in. But couldn't tell you how to work it to save my life... Literally.

2. How to do taxes- All I know is the government wants some of my money.

3. How a car works- I drive one almost everyday, and I hate to admit that I couldn't tell you how 99% of the machine works. If anything breaks I'm screwed.

4. How to cook- I can't cook anything that doesn't have directions on the package.

5. How credit works- I seriously don't understand the credit system. I still run on the hard currency way of living. If I don't have the amount in paper dollars or metal coins, I don't have it. To me, once you start making up imaginary currency you get a little sketchy.

6. What a mortgage is- it has to do with a house right?

7. What a credit rate does/means- so people rate you financially... Is that it?

8. How to chop an onion- every woman seems to know inherently how to chop an onion... Why don't I?

9. General home care- I don't know why it takes to care for the entire inside and outside if a home. All the cleaning inside, and maintenance outside. Where do people learn these things!?

10. How the DOL works- how do I know when I have to go there and for what? 

I'm sure there's more... But seriously! I am not prepared to be an adult! At some point do you just get "super adult senses" that help you know how to survive in this society!? Looks like google will be my best friend! Hahaha 

Anyone have answers to these adult unknowns? Leave comments on this post! Thanks!

Going To State

This weekend my fastpitch team is going to the state tournament for all 4A high schools in WA! My school's team has not been to state since 2004! 

I have dedicated 4 years of my life to this program, and about 12 years to the sport itself. To get to finish off my playing career at the highest high school level possible is such a blessing! 

My team is packing onto a school bus for an 8 hour trip tomorrow, and it will be plenty of team bonding to say the least! I intend to make a cozy fortress of blankets and pillows in my seat, take some Dramamine, put my ear buds in, and nod off for a long period of time! There will probably be a lot of gossip, and lots of playing games on phones! The most interesting thing will be to see who's phone does first! Hahaha I am packing enough food for 3 weekends in Spokane it seems like, but I always pack like I'm never going to see another Safeway again! I won't starve! That's for sure!

Staying at a hotel with my team will be super fun! We will room together and eat together and stay up late together! This weekend will be great bonding time! Too bad it's the last time we will play as a team! 

It's just hitting home that this is the last bus ride we will take together, the last time this team will play together. We will go off from this weekend and have great new experiences, and the fastpitch program will go on without us seniors, but the thought of this team never being together the same way again, just hit me! 

I go to sleep tonight thanking the Lord ten times over for the journey we get to embark on tomorrow, and for the wonderful experience this program has been for me. I go to sleep tonight bittersweet and excited all at once. 

A Frustrating Thing

I just wish sometimes I could reach inside someone I care about and take out their source of pain and carry it for them so they don't experience it. 

I can't stand watching someone I love and care for hurting emotionally. Have you ever just looked at someone and seen that they have been emotionally hurt? They don't explicitly say it, but their body says it, their eyes show it. I have recently, and my heart hurts for them. Nothing that time won't heal, but something that I wish I could make go away, nonetheless.

I am not the one that hurt them, but I want to be the one to make it go away. Cause when my friends' heart gets hurt, my heart gets hurt too... And that's a frustrating thing. 

I don't know if that's normal, but I've always been this way. And it's worse if I cause the pain! (Again, I didn't cause this though)

Eating ice cream and listening to my friend vent is all I can do, but I want to do so much more. I want to take their pain and hold it for them so they never feel it. My friend doesn't deserve to be underrated. And that's what someone is doing, and I can tell she feels underrated, like there is something wrong with her, that she is unlucky. I HATE that someone can make my friend feel like that. Like, seriously, my jaw clenches in anger! Cause that means that the negative won over ME! I couldn't stop it. It means that this underestimate of her self-worth by someone else has taken center stage compared to my (and many others') view of her amazing and unequivocal value. That this new negative in her life is causing her pain that I can't fix on my own. 

My friend is strong, and this won't keep her down long. Her internal positive drive is admirable to say the least. :) 

But at the moment I'm beyond frustrated that I can't take the pain away... As her friend I wish desperately that I could!

Types of high school couples

The newlyweds- they have been dating for a short while, but can't go two seconds with out making some sort of physical contact. They go everywhere together, and do everything together. It's all new and exciting!

The non-verbals- you see them in the hall all the time, but they never talk. They are always just there staring deeply into one another's eyes. 

The senior/freshman couple- the age difference is about as awkward at the height difference. They are convinced they will stay together when the senior goes off to college, but everyone knows they won't. 

The together forevers- been together since the dawn if high school. Everyone says they are the cutest thing. These couples are a natural fit, but often get tired of each other towards the end, and won't make it beyond high school. 

The Ken and Barbie- they are the popular power couple. Seemingly perfect, but actually stupidly dramatic and not really that into each other. 

The nerds- captain of the knowledge bowl team meets physics club president! They bond over things like chemistry homework! (See what I did there?)

The on again/off again couple- you are pretty sure Facebook has prohibited them from changing their relationship status because it would happen to frequently and would crash the Facebook page. They are holding hands one day and having a sobbing break-up fest at lunch the next! One can never tell quite where they stand. 

The normals- two kids from average suburban house holds, that find each other somewhat attractive, and are simultaneously intensely wanting to know what it feels like to have the status of "in a relationship." They enjoy each others company, and don't really stand out in any sort of way. 

Bottle It Up

I have this terrible coping habit of bottling things that bother me up. I accumulate all my emotions in one spot in my head. I try to rationalize them, internalize them, and flush the emotions away for no person to ever see. I was/still sorta am convinced this method was a sound one when dealing with emotions. I don't like people to see me get emotional. I can't really explain why, but I've always been this way. 

But there are days like today, where one thing after another happens, and I can no longer hold in what is making me sad or mad. And I break down, I freak out, and go off on anyone near me. First about the thing that set me off, but continue on to things in the recent past. And if what set me off relates to something from a while ago I had bottled up, I won't hesitate to bring that up either. That's what makes me doubt the logic behind my own coping mechanism.

It's like I bottle all my emotions in a Coke bottle, and when something or someone shakes me up enough, all my contents come exploding out in a fizzling mess. 

Validation

Everyone needs to feel validated. It's a basic human need. They need to feel like what they are doing is helpful, wanted, and appreciated. Validation comes from within, intrinsically. But it also comes from other people acknowledging the person's efforts, extrinsic validation, if you will. 

How does one recieve the right validation? Well, it comes from different things for different people. I have a friend that receives validation through school. The things she does through and for the school bring her fulfillment, and are noticed and recognized by others. I have another friend who gets validation by doing things in her church. In both scenarios my friend enjoys what they do and because of that they don't always know that they feed of the validation they are receiving in performing the action they are doing! 

I think I get validation through many things, nobody has just one source of validation. But I believe I get a lot of fulfillment through playing fastpitch. I feed of the energy and excitement others have for my game. I feed off of having special fans in the stands! I feel like what I do is worth the while and time I have dedicated to it! 

Sometimes people's need for validation is greater than others'. That's why when someone seems needy, controlling, outspoken, or annoying, part of it is they are striving for validation they have not yet gotten! They might not have gotten it for numerous reasons, but whatever the reason, they are seeking it, often in the wrong way. 

So when someone is being annoying, loud, or needy in some way, take a minute and examine what they are trying to get by being loud. Are they trying to get that all important validation from the people around them? And if they are, could you be the one to give it to them? Could you be the one to encourage them a little and maybe make the annoying habit stop? To do that you may have to examine your own thing that gives you validation. What gives you validation and fulfillment? 

Worst Prom Dresses (Part 2)

Today I went prom dress shopping with my friends, and the experience was overwhelming and memorable! But it really reaffirmed the concept that there are some UGLY prom dresses out there... the shopping trip made me want to make another post about ugly prom dresses. There are so many out there! I again took the liberty to rename the dresses! Keep in mind these are all real dresses I found on legit prom dress sites! I can't make this up people!

Sock Monkey Cinderella.
Whoever wears this will not have to worry about a date! They have over 12 on their dress to keep them company!

Butt Magnet Missy
It's as if her butt is the magnet to all the red and white window curtains in the world.

Swing Dress Sister
See that piece of fabric in the front? Yah, thats a place for her date to sit when he gets tired....

Saloon Style Prom
Somewhere in Nevada there is a casino gift shop mannequin missing it's "old west" saloon style prop dress.

Promber Alert!
Attention! There is a report of a a missing two-thirds of a once gorgeous prom dress! Seriously... why ruin a perfectly good dress with all theses slits and openings!?

Mix'n Match Mess
Anyone remember those crayon mixing machines that would blend all your crayon colors together? They've apparently made those for fabric now, put fabric in.... and a random colored prom dress comes out...

Prom Predator
Going to prom or about to play Jane in Spielberg's re-enactment of Tarzan? Guess we'll never know!

My List

Hello all,
In this post I am going to copy the YouTube sensation Jenna Marbles today. If you don't know who she is go look at her videos! Besides the sometimes excessive bad language, she is really funny and insightful! Her most recent video was listing all the things she's really good at.... and that got me thinking. In this world it is really easy to see the things you are not good at, or not fond of. We put a lot of our time and attention on the things we are bad at, and take for granted the things we are good at. I can easily list off 20 things I can't do, or don't do well. So I am following in Jenna Marbles' footsteps and making a list of things I am really good at. As trivial as they may be.... She even suggested putting it by your bed or somewhere to remind you everyday that you ROCK! She couldn't be more right! A little boost of confidence never hurts!
Here it goes:

Writing Letters- I can write a seriously genuine, funny, and insightful letter when I want to! This skill could come in handy I ever get sucked into the 1800's!

Finding YouTube Videos- I have watched all the YoutTube greats, I found most of them before they were even famous. I found Bieber before he became famous.... #hipster. I learn half the stuff I'm suppose to as school, form YouTube.

Surprises- I love planning, implementing, and executing surprises of all varieties. I like surprising my friends with a tall frappuccino from Starbucks. I also like planning surprises like prom proposals! I am good at timing them and not giving it away!

Listening- My name itself means "listener." I have always been someone people can easily talk to about anything.

Taking Pictures- I'm putting this on my list because all my friends say I'm very photogenic, which means basically without trying I take really nice pictures? All I know is, it's not a bad thing! :)

Making Breakfast- I can't cook soup or any other lunch/dinner item to save my life, but I can cook a mean french toast breakfast. Pancakes bow down to my superior flipping powers. I know the perfect amount of brown sugar to add to oatmeal. Also, I have the perfect hot chocolate recipe that will bring any coffee shop hot chocolate to it's knees.

Psychology- I just have this inherent knowledge that helps me understand psychology really easily! I find the subject really interesting! If I could take only psych classes in college I would!

Working with little kids- I have always enjoyed working with pre-school aged kids and younger. As much fun as they have with me, I have just as much fun or more working with them!

Keeping Friends- Most people move through friendships throughout their lifetime. It's a natural thing to do. But I feel like I kinda break that mold. I keep the good friends in my life regaurdless of how far they go or what activities they do. I have had the same core group of friends since elementary school, which I cherish more than anything. And even the people that broke from that group in early high school, still hang out with me alone. I don't know how I do it, but I am grateful that I do. I know I always have a friend anywhere I go.

That is my list! I hope you all go make your own list of things that make you an awesome person! Cause it's nice to be reminded of that in this world that makes it so easy to focus on the negativities.