A Letter From a Reader

I don't get many responses from readers, but when I do-I get really excited!
Especially when they are so great, like this one.


I've been given permission to share this short letter with you...because I think it is something we should think about.


I just found your blog and I wanted you to know how much I like it!
You always talk about how we shouldn't make dating a big deal.  That is one of the worst parts of our culture, I think.
But there is another aspect that bothers me even more.
I'm a late 20s single Mormon girl and I want to get married.  I want to have kids.
But can I say that?  No!  I'm looked down on.  If I say I want to graduate or buy a new car I am not judged.

dear boys

dear jon jay
you are single...eligible...rich...
and baseball pants.......what else do i need to say???
love
a major cards fan!


dear felon
i still just don't know what to make of you!!!!
love
bewildered


dear tractor boy
YOU are the one i like.  your 'alternative personality'...not so much
love
.....this is just getting ridiculous!!!!!!!!


dear bell boy
UH OH...this could get interesting.
love
uh...betta not


dear bell boy
ITS NOT INTERESTING!!!!!
ITS PERFECT!!!!!!
I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER!!!!!!!!!
seriously....i couldn't
love
crayon girl....aka....the girl who just made you her BESTEST FRIEND!!!


And that is all she wrote folks!


Be happy and be healthy.......

Its Like a Bad Haircut!!!!

Ok...so you know when you cut your hair really short and you get "snipper's remorse" and then vow to grow it out???

But then....you struggle--cause that in-between awkward stage is just MISERABLE!!!!!

(alright so guys...you prolly have no idea what I am talking about...but really how many gentleman really read this blog anyway!!!)


But really-its a terrible time full of futile attempts with bobby pins and headbands and hats to disguise the hot mess that is your hair!


And I realized tonight that there is a similar situation to be found in the dating world.

Lets paint the picture yes????


Girl meets and develops crush on Boy.  Boy asks Girl out a couple of times (we will ASSUME Boy is some level of interested).  Girl decides "forget this crush crap" and gets into a serious like situation.

Boy suddenly appears much less interested than before.  Girl has no choice but to assume Boy is no longer interested.
But Girl still wants to be Boy's  friend. (and maybe that is where the problem truly lies...but can't we be mature adults about this??????)

BUT...we have a bad in-between stage that must be crossed first.

Because did I mention...Girl made it fairly obvious that she was interested???
Which-seeing as dating makes us all 14 years old and dumb-leads to.....AUEs!!!!!!!


So any attempts to be friends aka-ask for guy advice (esp guy advice about dating), hang out on a weekend when you aren't doing anything else, text randomly when bored, set ups with friends, lend a helping hand/shoulder to cry on, even teasing-just can't happen without it seeming like you are...pathetic/needy/obsessed.

Basically all the things a girl NEVER wants to be!

And so you have to wait it out.  Luckily-like a haircut it usually only takes a couple of...well weeks..maybe a little more.

Unfortunately, awkward in-between haircut relationships don't come with bobby pins and hats.

Just gotta hold on tight and wait out the storm.
Cause...if all goes well....you will have a great friend on the other end.


And so the "post-liking phase" will be here-after referred to as "awkward haircut"

Which is really not helpful to anyone....lets be honest.  But at least its funny!!!

Anyways...Be Happy Be Healthy peeps!

I Got You-Musical Memory Mondays :)

Little Sister reminded me of this song the other day.

And I promise to post the whole song at the end......but first you MUST watch this dance....its like MANDATORY!!!!!!!!

(no seriously)

awesome right???  Gosh they are talented!!!!!

Plus who doesn't love the "I never noticed how much I adored my friend" story!


So what does this all mean you ask????  Well....today's memory is more than that.

Right now I have a friend who needs some help.  We have kind of a new friendship-but I really want to pull him aside and have an adult mature conversation (we all know how much I LOVE those!) about how much I want to help him-if he will let me.


Cause I've been both characters before.  I've been pulled up from out of the pit....and other times I've been the puller.  (ps...only once did it turn out like the dance...just sayin hahaha)

Its nice when the guy you text on a bad day shows up 2 minutes later to give you a desperately needed hug.
Or when a guy takes you on a walk to check on you after helping your best friend get out of a tough spot.
Its not bad when you wake up after a ROUGH night to your door heart attacked.
And I will never say no to a much needed chat with a best friend that grounds you again

But let me just say-I love being the friend even more than being helped by the wonderful people in my life.  I like being the who picks you up off the ground when you think its all gonna be terrible.

There are few things that are better than knowing that you were there for a friend when they really needed you.

So hopefully  I will be allowed to say one more time "I got you!"

(ps....so don't really follow the story of this video...but minute 3:10 is just too memory-ridden to not share the weird video!)

Be Happy Be Healthy everyone!!!!

High Five For Friday

Lets throw out some lovin to Lauren @ From My Grey Desk!

And here we go!!!

1.   Its payday!!!

Though this incentive thing has totally got me burned out and wanting to die/never go to work again it certainly makes my pay checks pretty!

2.   I'm almost to my "vacation" 

After tonight, I will not have to go back to work until THURSDAY...can anyone say weekish off!!!???

If only I didn't have a list of A MILLION things to do!!!!!  Catch up time!

3.   GENERAL CONFERENCE WEEKEND

(for more info about conference...check this out!)

This weekend ALSO means GIRLS NIGHT and BRUNCH with the YSA peeps!

4.   French Quarter Happy Hour...at 8 AM

Seriously I work with some CRAZIES!  I could so not work this job if it wasn't for my amazing coworkers! We have officially found our "drunk huddle" spot hahaha  Thank goodness they have me to stay sober and make sure they don't make poor choices!!!  hehehe

5.      "I LOVE to see the temple!  

              

Got to hang out on the temple grounds with a good friend...and it totally made my week!

(for more info about temples...check this out!)

BE HAPPY BE HEALTHY!!!!!

I'm Not Here Today!

Hey everyone--I'm over on  Sweet Silver Lining today!!!

I love finding other nurse bloggers to follow-so fun and Breanna is SOOOO cute!


Check it out!

http://friebr01.blogspot.com/2013/04/notes-on-nursing-meet-stephanie.html

Summer Bucket List 2013

Last year I made a final summer in CoMO bucket list....but lets be honest-I didn't get a whole lot done on it....
I kinda underestimated how difficult and time consuming my last semester of nursing school would be.

So we are going to give it another shot.  This year, I will have Little Sister and Partner in Crime to help me out!!

So here's the list-with my colorful commentary of course!!!



-Luke Bryan concert...LITTLE SISTER!!!!!!!!!!  Even city girls want to shake it sometimes :)

-any sort of trip involving water and me breaking in the new SUPA cute tankini I just bought (lake beach, ocean beach, poolside-I'm not picky!)

-double date (likely with boys who we are not romantically interested in at all) with my Partner in Crime at the boat house

-Cards games....many in fact...the more games I go to...the more chances I have to snag me a cute, single professional baseball player wearing those awesome baseball pants...just sayin ;)

-picnics in Forest Park...also several will have to happen

-Zoo trip...lions and tigers and bears-yes please!

-Camping trip...please include s'mores, stargazing and awesome people.  Also lets keep it short cause this city gal can only do the no shower no toilet for more than 24 hours or so!

-The last 3 shows at the Muny..the first 4 are kinda lame

-Day trip to KC...maybe Memorial Day weekend????

-Twelfth Night..June..in the park.....don't knock the nerdy-ness of it.  It would be epic!

-Twilight Tuesdays....free music in Forest Park??  Also on Tuesdays...free music in Faust Park.  Both good options!!!!!

-Blake Shelton concert...would sure be cool...wink wink.....LITTLE SISTER!!!

-A legit blog photo shoot....I have NO good pics of myself to throw up here every so often...and sooooo...a plethora of crazy (hopefully good) pics will be taken to use when needed :)   Little and Baby Sister will be drafted

-Summer sales boys.......enough said wink wink


-Airport...a trip to the airport...which will involve lots of pictures, videos, hugs and tears  :)


And I'm sure there will be more!

It will be a summer to remember!!!!!

And if you are in StL...please...join in :)


Be Happy Be Healthy!!!!

My Name is Stephanie and I Have SWSD

I know this is difficult to take in....so I will let you have a moment to collect yourselves.

Now I am sure you are all very frightened-but education is key to not living in fear.

I have shift work sleep disorder.

There are many difficulties that result from my condition.

These include but are not limited to:

-extreme exhaustion at all times of day, night, or evening

-inability to get out of bed before 10 or 11 AM

-inability to sleep when it is dark outside despite your exhaustion

-the need to sleep with ear plugs and a mask...and sometimes a lamp to pretend its daytime

-an insatiable hunger that begins around 11:30 PM and will not cease until I eat a large meal

-a love hate relationship with the sun....sometimes you feel like it is burning you and sometimes you will want to lay out in it in as little clothing as possible because you miss it so much

(yeah there might be some psychological problems related to this)

And there are not just physical-but there are social implications as well

-being awake when all your friends are sleeping-so there is nothing to do

-always sleeping when your friends are doing things

-when your friends are done with their work days, you are just starting yours

-people judge you for sleeping from 9 AM to 4 PM, going to bed at 11 PM, sleeping till 10 AM and then taking a 3 hour nap.  (yes I had 36 hours off and I slept for 20 of them)

Now I don't want you to be too worried (here is a tissue-you look like you need it)

There is a cure...

Switching to day shift.  Now this might be possible-but its going to take some time and patience.

So until then-treatment includes melatonin, lots of sleeping, and hopefully understanding friends.

I ask for your prayers as I fight this battle.

Thank you for your support

;)

Be Happy Be Healthy!!!!

Lets Share Some Memories-Its Monday!

Alright-so this is probably my fave Katy Perry song (don't judge....I really only like 3.5 of her songs)




A couple of moons ago there was this boy
(of course there was you say----be honest you would find this blog very boring if I didn't!)

It had been a while since I liked someone.  So when I met him, my young girl side came rushing out-and major crushing happened.

And I thought he might like me back.  There were a few dates.  Several hard core flirting moments.

And then suddenly--"the mystery of the disappearing man"
Not truly disappearing since I saw him from a far.  But it was always from afar.
And it made NO sense.  Of course I tried to solve the mystery...which ended SOOOO well!




I was flying high on cloud nine-excited and as one of my best friends would say "twitter-pated"

But I read the stars wrong

And then I came crashing down.  On the concrete

And let me tell you-gravity hurts.


But it became clear to me.  And I had to let go.


Did you see that??  I should I try to shove more lyrics into this post???  tehehehe


Point is-whenever this song comes on the radio-I turn it up and sing really loud.
And remember the time I tried to solve the mystery of the disappearing man

Be Happy Be Healthy!

Dear One Specific Boy

So this is probably a terribly ill-advised post, but I am pretty sure this boy doesn't read my blog-nor does anyone who really knows him.  Except one person-and she knows who she is wink wink

So hopefully this doesn't end badly for me... AWKWARD!!!!


dear boy i can't decide if i am worried about

so whenever it is just you and me, you are yourself.  at least i think you are yourself.  i don't know you that well, but i'm pretty sure that is who you really are.
but every time a certain group of people come around-you totally change.  you become kinda withdrawn and a follower.  still cool, but just not the fun, open guy i know.  its not a bad version of you-i just feel like you aren't you.

but there is another possibility.  you are in a really rough place-and need a friend or something. leading to well, your odd and different behavior recently.

and so cue the worry.

i mean if you are just not yourself around everyone cause you are shy...or whatever..thats not grand, but lets be real-few of us are totally ourselves around certain people.  and yeah i don't love that if it is the case, because this "yourself" also doesn't really talk to me (epic bummer).  but whatever-its fine

but if you need someone to talk talk to, or a friend or something-i'm here.  and i think you know that.  but problem is you are "mister too cool for school"-the ULTIMATE guy's guy-not really the bear my feelings type of guy...and i am pretty sure even my powerful powers won't crack you.

and so i worry.
but i guess i will just have to get over it and tell my worrisome mind to shut up!

love
a girl who worries too much.
and who cares about you...if you would just let me


Check out Elise!!!
and Be Happy and Be Healthy!!!!

"Love" and Love..Trust Me There is a Difference!

So I talk about dating and guys and girls and all that, but I never really talk about love.

And I think it is because I have only been in love once.


I have however been infatuated-many a time.
And I have watched even more of my friends be infatuated themselves.


It looks something like this

Seen it before?  I have!!!  And I saw it tonight-hence this post.

And so often this "love" is the worst kind.

Unrequited.

Yes ladies and germs the terrible "I like him but he doesn't like me"

And it totally sucks doesn't it??

And so..."love" sucks!!!!

And I know what you are all thinking-"Uh oh the big haired blonde bitter version of this gal has come out again"  

But its ok...cause love-that doesn't suck.

But "love" that sucks.

But how often do we find love?

More often we find "love".

And "love" is only good in movies.

In movies the guy always likes the girl back.

And so to the girl I saw tonight in unrequited "love"

Sorry dear.  Wish we were in a movie.....oh honey do I ever wish we were in a movie.

Cause in the real world....in order to find love...you have to find some "love" first.

And that is a rough process.

I realize this whole thing is random.  And likely uninteresting.  But oh well.  Its late and well....I wanted to think out loud for a bit.

Be Happy and Be Healthy everyone.

Friday Confession Time

So we all know that inside this calm brunette city girl is a cranky big-haired blonde country singer.

And she has been breaking out a lot more than usual lately.

Now a little over a year ago I made a New Years Resolution.....
to be lovely

But my inner Carrie/Miranda/Taylor/Kellie is not very lovely.
She is kinda cranky and angry and bitter.
Not very lovely qualities!

So that is my confession-I have not been very lovely lately.
Whoops!

Gonna have to work on that.

But hey-what's life without something to work on???



Also confession...I have recently become a fan of
THIS SONG:

Girl power-without putting anyone down????  YES PLEASE!!!!!

So be lovely everyone!


And Be Happy and Be Healthy

The Waiting Game

The other day me and a friend were discussing the "waiting game" that is being a young single adult in the Mormon world.

For those who don't know much about the culture of our religion (which is merely based on and related to our beliefs and doctrines-just saying), there is a lot of pressure to become successful in this time of life.  And getting to the "perfect" possible situation.

School, work, and most of all--LOVE.

But a lot of this "perfection" takes waiting.
 
You can't just marry anyone who comes along
(ok so you could...but PLEASE DON'T!!!).

And you can't graduate in a day
(not even if you are a smarty-pants).

Or get a promotion after only working somewhere for 2 weeks
(even if your boss totally loves you).

Its just not how the world works.
And maybe there is just as much waiting later in life.
But for now I'm in this spot.  And I am soooo tired of waiting for "real life" to start.

Now I know there is someone reading this who is saying "Real life is happening all around you if you just paid attention!"

And true---real life is happening right here, right now.  But I'm living at home, working a starter job.  So MY real life---hasn't started yet.


And its kinda a bummer.  We can do all we want to in attempts to make this time worthwhile, but nothing seems to do the trick.

I volunteer, both with my church as well as (possibly) a crisis nursery.  I work hard at my job, trying to learn everything I can and grow as much as I can.  I have hobbies I am working on.  I've started reading (for fun!) again.  I'm taking up yoga (this one is hard-cause I am super un-flexible ).  I'm paying off student loans and creating a small (emphasis on small) savings account.  Plus I'm working towards some pretty significant spiritual goals.

I think I'm doing a decent job of not wasting this time. At least I'm trying to!
So then why does this time still feel un-fulfilling and like I am just sitting around bidding my time??

I don't know-maybe its just cause its so late.  I always wax poetically pensive this late.

I should stop writing-since its now 1 AM and work can officially no longer call me in (WOOT WOOT!)

So I leave you with my FAVORITE waiting song.
(think of the person more as a future life--and you will be much less disappointed by my liking such a cheesy song!)


Also this version is SOOOOO much better than the radio version.  Like seriously people who jumped on the "Have you heard Jason Mraz's new song" bandwagon....the rest of us had been listening to this version for months!!!!!!


So enjoy-And I guess make the most of it.  Even if this waiting game is still an EPIC bummer!

Be Happy Be Healthy!!!!!!

Regrets

People say you should live life with no regrets.

HAA

Easier said than done!

Is there anyone in the world who is actually successful in this effort???

And if they do HOW HOW HOW?????????????


About a week ago, I agreed to pick up 1 extra shift a week for the next four weeks (well now three) for a CRAZY incentive.

The money was enticing...and I thought I wouldn't be missing much.

But the longer time goes along-the more things I miss.

Bonfires, game nights.....I mean there will always be other fun things.

And lets be real-the majority of the things I am missing are on days that are not my extra shifts.
So I guess I'm not really regretting the extra shifts which mean the extra MOOLAH.

I guess I'n just regretting this job???

Baby Sister is 16 today.......

Making me feel all sorts of old!!!!!