Am I just too Southern?

This is a Folgers commercial that truly bothers me to no end.

First of all, the father and daughter seem to actually enjoy Folgers coffee. If nothing else, it speaks well to their acting abilities. Because Folgers coffee is crap. It's instant, after all.

Second, I'm going to go under the assumption that the daughter is actually an adult. So why does she have an implied curfew?

But what really gets to me is the daughter's reaction to her father when he says that he talked to Todd last week. Why does she seem so surprised? If I were the girl in the commercial, I'd be more shocked if my boyfriend/new fiance had NOT asked my father for my hand in marriage. Isn't that how it's supposed to go?! Or am I just too Southern for my own good?

It's not confusing, it's deep

I have been a huge fan of LOST since the second season. Wait, what? The second season? What about the first season, NotSoPlainJane? Well, I kind of didn't watch the first season until it came out on DVD. Why not? Because I had too many other shows going on. However, once I was turned on to the wonder that is LOST, I was hooked.



The best thing the creators of LOST decided to do was repeat the "enhanced" episodes prior to a new episode. Lots of times, these enhanced episodes help remind me of stuff I'd forgotten from the previous 5 seasons. I wish the enhancement would point out things that are important, but I guess that would be asking for too much. Anyway, the point of this is that I now watch each episode twice. And notice things the second time around that I didn't always notice the first time.



Last week's regular episode/this week's enhanced episode was an interesting one. And a conversation between Jack and Hurley really stuck out to me. They exited the jungle and came upon the Lighthouse. Jack said, "How is it we've never seen it before?" To which Hurley replied, "Guess we weren't looking for it."



How true is that about most things in life?! Things are always right under your nose. But until you look for them, you don't even know they are there. A deep thought from Hurley (who's quite the deep thinker, I think). Despite all appearances....

Signs, signs, everywhere signs

I'm a big believer that there are signs everywhere. Not street/traffic signs. I mean that stuff that whacks you in the face. I never used to believe in signs. Or coincidence. I guess that's my dad talking there. He always says there no such thing as coincidence. Coincidence isn't God's plan. I will say, though, that I do now believe that there are signs. Horrible movie, but interesting points, was "Fools Rush In." Matthew Perry and Salma Hayek. Big mistake for both of them, but I did like some of points brought up. The reason this couple ended up together (you know, aside from that baby that resulted from their one night stand) was that there were too many reasons for them NOT to be together.

Sometimes, you don't realize at the time that there are signs pointing you in different directions or shaping different parts of your life.

For example, I should have known that someday I would have more than a passing connection to the state of Arkansas when I house sat for a law school professor and found a Razorback pig hat in his closet. Now, did I think it would mean that Pops would end up in Little Rock for cancer treatments? No. Should I have been shocked that's where he ended up? No.

Here's another one for you. One of my best friends didn't live in Columbia for part of high school (we didn't become friends until college). She moved back to her mom's neck of the woods. Where was that? Janesville, Wisconsin. Was there ever a doubt that we would be friends?!

I can think of countless other things that have happened in my life. Things that should have led me to different ideas about why things have gone the way they have gone.

Why is it though, that people who talk about signs or how something is so coincidental seem to be the ones who run from those things when confronted by them?

"True happiness consists not in the multitude of friends, but in their worth and choice."

I've been thinking a lot about the nature of friendship lately. I once heard a saying that I believe to be very true. You have friends for a reason, a season or a lifetime. I have friends who fall into each of those categories. And each and every one of them has been important. Like how I used the past tense? That's because some of them aren't in my life anymore.



Some friends come in and out of your life quickly. Some friends come in and don't leave (even though you wish they would). Some stick around for the long haul.



Friendship truly is a symbiotic relationship. It's amazing how many people think that friendship should be parasitic. They take and take, never offering anything in return, to your detriment. Those people, well, are they truly friends? Others view friendship as a commensal relationship. They will take, but it doesn't really affect the person they are taking from in a negative (or positive) way. Other relationships are competitive. This is never a good thing. Don't get me wrong, a little healthy competition is good for the soul. But if your entire relationship exists to try to one-up each other, perhaps you should rethink your friendship. The relationship that a friendship should be is a mutual one, where everyone involved is benefiting from the friendship. If you truly find this relationship, don't ever take it for granted and don't ever let it go.



When I look at my true friendships, I know they are mutual relationships. These people love me, for the person I am and the person I may become. If I need them, they will drop everything and come running. They will talk for hours if I need to vent. And they know that I will do they same for them. For a true friend, nothing is too much to ask. And even if you don't talk or see each other as often as you'd like, you know they are there.



While those other friendships can be fun, you know in your heart that they aren't making you a better person. Or maybe they did, but now you have outgrown the friendship. There's no shame in realizing that some friendships aren't meant to be forever relationships. It's never easy to let them go. But sometimes, it's for the best. Because it opens you up to the possibility of a new "forever" friend. And those are rare and precious commodities.

For the love of green!

So last night, I had to run by the pharmacy for a prescription. As I was walking out, I noticed the small shelves of half-price Valentine's candy. I wasn't interested in buying any, as I didn't really need any candy in the house. However, I am a candy/chocolate lover, so I had to look at what they had to offer. And what do I see? This:

Yep- that's a bag of nothing but green M&M's. Now, if I remember correctly, the green ones allegedly make you horny, right? Then why is it being marketed as the new color of love? Is this even remotely appropriate, esp for Valentine's? I think not. But hey- maybe that's just me.

I hate that today is considered a "holiday"

I have never been a big fan of Valentine's Day. When you are single, it's the one day of the year that makes you feel even worse about being alone. And when you are dating someone, there's too much pressure. Plus, if you think you can prove to me in 1 day that you love me more than you've shown on the other 364 days of the year, you've got another think coming. I am the girl who usually "celebrates" V Day by giving people dirty looks and wearing all black. But this year, in honor of this non-holiday, I'm going to provide a list of things that I currently love.

My parents
My friends
My cat
The fact that there is still some snow on the ground
Cherry coke
My snuggie
Heart-shaped pizza from Papa John's
Vampire books
The movie Loverboy (yes, it was on TV today. And yes, Patrick Dempsey was/is super adorable)
My camera because it's pink and actually didn't delete my pictures from New Year's
Ginger snaps
My skinny jeans (which I find myself shocked to say)
Footie pajamas
My humidifier
Wellies (they have come in very handy this weekend)
The sweater I got for Christmas
Hot chocolate
Conversation hearts (even though I haven't had any this year)

This year, I'm glad V day falls on a Sunday. Sunday tradition means I'll have dinner with the rents (who will always love me, no matter what). Perhaps this Sunday, we'll have some heart-shaped pizza and Valentine's candy instead.

I will judge you for using poor grammar

As an English major, I feel that I have earned the right to be critical of other people's grammar.



But NotSoPlainJane, you yourself have been guilty of misuse of grammar.



Touche my adoring readers. Touche. I have been known to be a little loose with my grammar. Heck, I make up words. My degree allows me to do so. And nothing you can say will convince me otherwise.



Lately though, there have been some real doozies that are getting to me. First off, the use of the word literally. As in, "When that cute boy came over to talk to me, I literally died." Actually, you figuratively died. If you had literally died, an ambulance would have been called and you wouldn't be sharing this tidbit with me. I might literally scream at someone the next time I hear it!



Next up, ending sentences with prepositions. Namely, with and at. For example, "Where's it at?" Worst sentence in the non-English language. I have been known to respond to the above question with the following sentence- "It's AT right over there." Sadly, the questioner doesn't seem to realize that I am mocking them. Then again, they are the ones who don't speak well.



Some of my other big ones are using incorrect words/tenses. The ever popular I vs. ME debate. Using the word I doesn't make it more proper. If it's used incorrectly, it makes you sound like a dumbass. Do not say "Come to the party with Bob and I." Ugh. The two incorrect words that I have heard most recently are undescribable and irregardless. Just go ahead and stop using those words right now. Neither of them are actually words. As I said, I'm a big fan of using words that I've made up (my ever popular craptastic comes to mind). But at least I acknowledge that I am using my power of English-majoredness to allow me to make up these words. I don't actually think they are words!

I swear, bad grammar is becoming as annoying to me as bad etiquette.