Link Love Wednesday: Happily Ever After?

Good evening, friends! For those who are beginning summer classes, hope you are having a wonderful start to your semester. Meanwhile, I hope the rest of you are enjoying your weeks.

Although I graduated from college just a couple of weeks ago, I’m still a Disney princess at heart (tiara, princess voice and all). I may be an educated semi-feminist, but there’s something about the franchise that brings me right back to my childhood. Of course, when Disney came up in the blogosphere this week, I had to take a look!

• Merida, the heroine from Pixar’s Brave, is now officially a Disney princess, and with every great title change comes a controversial makeover (pictured in the article). Critics are outraged with Merida’s new appearance, claiming that she looks much thinner now and that Disney is sending a negative message to young girls. Personally, I don’t see a huge difference before and after. What are your thoughts?
• For her daughter’s fifth birthday, one mom from Texas decided to forgo the Disney princess theme. Instead, she dressed her daughter as five real-life heroines (Coco Chanel, Amelia Earhart, Helen Keller, Jane Goodall and Susan B. Anthony) and photographed her as each. I’ve been hearing about more and more young girls dressing up as inspirational women in history, and as much as I loved my Belle costumes as a little girl, I have to say I think this is such a cool idea.
• Are clothes getting too skimpy for young girls? This is what one New York Times writer and father of two had to say.
• Brianna Wiest from Thought Catalog wrote about the “games” we play when dating in order to hide our vulnerabilities. Great article about our insistence on playing hard-to-get instead of being straightforward.
• We’re constantly reading about what we can do to make ourselves desirable in the job market, but sometimes the “don’ts” are just as important as the “dos.” PR Daily addresses graduating college students by explaining what not to do when applying for jobs!
• I jumped on the bandwagon for the HBO show Girls only recently, but I quickly became addicted, watching the entire series in the span of about two weeks. I can’t help but identify with a couple of the characters (regardless of what that says about me!), and would much rather listen to people discuss whether they’re “a Shoshanna or a Jessa” than “a Carrie or a Miranda.” Kelly Williams Brown of Adulting wrote this fantastic open letter to each of the show’s characters on how to grow up, and if you’re a fan of the show, you’ll be sure to enjoy.
• Did you know that social media has impacted the way we think about food? Check out this Greatist article about the positive and negative effects that social media has had.
• Chicken piccata is one of my favorite dishes, but it can get a little calorie heavy at times! Dani Spies posted a recipe and video for a healthier chicken piccata recipe that I can’t wait to try. (I love her videos – they not only helped me to make the most delicious broccoli ever, but they also taught me how to hard boil eggs. Don’t make fun of me.)

What have you been reading lately?

The Weekend Five: Alternative Job Choices

Tomorrow I will embark on the first day of my career, and I am extremely excited to begin working full-time in a job that relates closely to my Bachelor’s degree. In the past, I have discussed my earlier struggles with selecting an undergraduate major and career path, but when I talked about the roads I didn’t take (psychologist/teacher/journalist/anthropologist/etc.), I may have left a few out!

This week’s post will dive further into some of those alternative career choices I decided to forgo, some of which may even inspire you! Feel free to include your own in the comments section below.

The Weekend Five: Alternative Job Choices

1. Camera crew member for The Bachelor.
I love to work behind the camera – why not transfer that passion to the small screen? As a camera crew member on The Bachelor, my main purpose would be to film pensive scenes of the bachelor du jour as he skips rocks across a nearby lake, runs on a treadmill and watches the sunset while hoping to meet his future wife. I would also have the opportunity to interview women with too much Botox as they simultaneously complain about other women in the house and pine for a man with whom they have been on two group dates. It’s just like high school all over again (minus the Botox)!

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2. The Bachelorette.
After spending sufficient time behind the scenes of The Bachelor, I could easily get my foot in the door for my own chance at “love” on national television by becoming The Bachelorette.  Not only would I have access to unlimited evening dresses, but I would be able to discuss superficial topics with guys from all over the country while we fly in a helicopter over some beautiful canyon or glacier. If anything, this job would allow me to put my passport to good use!

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3. Macklemore’s personal shopper.
Imagine getting paid to run around through thrift stores and pick out quirky, vintage clothing and accessories. Wouldn’t you feel pretty “pumped up” about the situation? I would have so much fun sifting through garments and putting together crazy outfit combinations so that Mackemore could go and get some compliments.

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4. Voice recording for 1-800 numbers.
For some strange reason, I really enjoy talking in a somewhat robotic telephone voice. I can still imitate the automated phone messages that my high school used to send my parents if my sister or I were marked absent in any of our classes. If that isn’t reason enough to hire me for this type of position, then I don’t know what is.

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5. A “source” for the tabloids.
I always wonder who these “sources” really are, and why they would spill secrets to the tabloids if they were really the celebrity’s “friend.” Although I don’t keep up with celebrity gossip in the way that I used to, I still occasionally will peek at the trashy magazines in the grocery stores. Every time I read a quote from a “source,” however, I take their words with a grain of salt because that unnamed source could be anybody: the garbageman who drives by the celebrity’s house twice a week, the waitress that served the celebrity once, some guy who has the same last name as the celebrity… So really, if anyone can do it, why can’t I? It would be like a fun exercise in fiction writing, and perhaps a stepping stone to my eventual career as an author.

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What are some of your weird “alternative” jobs?

The Weekend Five: Things That Pop Culture Taught Me to Expect About Falling in Love

As Valentine’s Day looms dangerously close by, we begin to think more and more about love and relationships based on our current frames of reference. Even if you have a significant other, you might still be a sucker for  cheesy romantic comedies, and this could potentially affect your own beliefs about what “love” really looks like. In my own life, pop culture has played its role in shaping my expectations, for better or for worse.

In honor of Singles Awareness Day/Valentine’s Day (depending, of course, on your relationship status and/or feelings about Hallmark), I would like to present the five things that pop culture taught me to expect in the world of relationships.

The Weekend Five: Things That Pop Culture Taught Me to Expect About Falling in Love

1. Every social encounter is a potential meet-cute.
It doesn’t matter where you are or why you’re there; any time you meet someone of the desired gender, you have the chance to find real love. This allows you to turn an awkward situation, such as running into each other and dropping all of your belongings on the ground, into something more meaningful. If your eyes meet for more than a few seconds as you laugh and help each other to pick up your things, it’s a sign of good things to come — and if your hands brush against theirs, it’s obvious that you’re soulmates. You can apply similar logic to other situations as well: meeting someone at a bar, admiring the same painting in an art gallery, reaching for the same book in a library. It doesn’t matter if the other person doesn’t see all of this as reason to exchange numbers or break up with their current significant other; as long as you keep your mind open, any moment can become a meet-cute.

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2. The one who has been around the longest is the one you’ll end up with.“I’ve been right here in front of you the entire time!” the romantic female lead exclaims as she plants herself in her male best friend’s doorway. “I was here all along!” This rule can go two ways: either you will end up with your best friend, or you will end up with the person whom you met in the very first episode (a la Carrie/Mr. Big) of Your Love Life. Either way, longevity will trump all else in the game of love.

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3. If all else fails, you can broadcast your search for love to the entire world.
By becoming the next Bachelor or Bachelorette on ABC, you will not only have countless attractive dental assistants and entrepreneurs of ambiguous backgrounds vying for your attention, but you will also have access to an unlimited wardrobe of evening wear. Falling in love on television is totally genuine and foolproof; even if you don’t end up married later down the road, you are at least contractually obligated to get an engagement out of it, and your entire courtship will be littered with poorly disguised metaphors. Who wouldn’t want that?

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4. Your relationship will have its own montage.
Every memorable moment that has led up to your declaration of love will flash before your eyes. This montage will be relatively short – no more than three minutes – but will highlight your relationship’s “Best Of” moments. This also happens when you aren’t in a relationship but considering confessing your feelings for someone with whom you’ve developed a close friendship. This montage is a mental one, so don’t be creepy and put anything together in iMovie.

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5. Your relationship will be scored by a mix of 1980s love songs and modern indie music.
I always imagined that The Glory of Love by Peter Cetera would start playing the moment I realized I’d found “The One” (okay, maybe not always, but at least since I watched last season of The Bachelorette). The truth is, if pop culture has taught us anything, it’s that our relationships will take up entire soundtracks – and bands like Foreigner, Death Cab for Cutie and Sparklehorse will be the main attractions. Our relationships will consist of sweet if not slightly poppy melodies, smarmy songs that came out the year before we were born and a few songs by obscure bands we’ve never heard of. Get your iTunes ready.

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What are some of the things that pop culture has taught you to expect about falling in love?

Is Honesty The Best Policy?

“Everybody is wrong about everything, just about all of the time.” – Chuck Klosterman, Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto

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As a society, we have an overwhelming need to share every thought we have whenever we can. Of course, this doesn’t apply to all of us in every moment, but more often than not, we find ourselves in the midst of heartfelt (if not too detailed) confessions of opinions and feelings that sometimes have no business being expressed out loud.

It sounds silly and completely un-American, but I truly believe that some things are better left unsaid, that some disclosures aren’t worth the risk of hurt feelings or lost friendships. In fact, our world would completely fall apart as we know it if we were to share every negative feeling we experience or every little thing that bothers us.

Perhaps our desire to overshare these feelings stems from pop culture. As products of the romantic comedy genre, we know that our favorite characters are rewarded for their honest, emotional outbursts. We also witness honesty at its worst when watching reality television, as cast members “stop being polite and start getting real.”

I would never encourage people to bury their feelings or keep quiet in every situation, but I would suggest that we learn to choose our battles wisely. Let’s learn to speak up when it really means something, and not when our words are only going to make the situation worse.

The Weekend Five: Blasphemy Day Edition

September 30th is Blasphemy Day, a day in which people are encouraged to speak openly against religion. Of course, I don’t like to bring political or religious issues to my blog in respect to my lovely and diverse readers, but in honor of the so-called holiday, today’s Weekend Five will focus on some of my less popular opinions and interests as they relate to pop culture. (See, it’s loosely related to the idea of blasphemy!)

This post isn’t meant to offend or cause arguments, but rather to share with readers! Feel free to post a comment with your own words of blasphemy.

The Weekend Five: Blasphemy Day Edition

1. I’m not a fan of The Beatles.
I say this with the slight fear that all of my friends will read this and subsequently disown me. The Beatles made a huge splash in music, and the band has a strong following to this day, but I just can’t get into it. While I like a few of their songs (namely Here Comes The Sun and I Wanna Hold Your Hand), the rest of their work is just background for me. I appreciate the impact they had on our culture — and I couldn’t resist snapping an Abbey Road-style photo with friends while in London — but I will probably never choose to listen to several of their songs in one sitting.

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2. I have no interest in video games.
I should preface this by mentioning that at least half of my friends in college are engineering majors and that video games are very important to them. Of course, this makes it slightly awkward when I casually mention that I’ve played Halo maybe once (and had no idea what was going on). Growing up, I was never allowed to have video games, so my only gaming experience consisted of Super Mario Brothers on the Nintendo-64 or in the waiting room at my dentist. Because of that, I never really developed an interest when I was older, and now when people are playing it in social situations, I usually find myself staring at my phone instead.

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3. Squidward is my favorite character in Bikini Bottom.
I will never forget my (now ex) boyfriend’s reaction when I told him that Squidward was my favorite — “I can’t believe I’m dating a Squidward sympathizer!” I haven’t seen an episode of the Nickelodeon show in a long time, but Spongebob himself always made me extremely uncomfortable because of the chaos that followed him. I always pitied Squidward for having such inconsiderate neighbors. Sure, he’s a bit of a grouch, but can’t he just play his clarinet in peace? I would be grumpy too if a sponge with bad teeth and a barely functional starfish were constantly at my door, throwing me into situations I didn’t want to be part of.

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4. I think Nicholas Sparks’ work is overrated.
As much as I cried reading A Walk to Remember and watching the film adaptation of The Notebook, I’m just not a huge fan of his other work. Not only did I not enjoy the novel version of The Notebook (le gasp!), but I find the love stories in most of them to be too melodramatic and maybe even formulaic for my taste. I’ll admit that I love romantic comedies as much as the next girl, but I have trouble thoroughly enjoying a book that uses the term “making love” more than once in the same paragraph.

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5. I liked the newer Star Wars trilogy.
I’m not going to get too specific about my Star Wars history, but in spite of everything that every real Star Wars fan has ever said, I will admit these three things:

a) I liked the new movies.

b) I think C3PO is charming and adorable, even though most people I talk to seem to dislike him.

c) I don’t care what they say about George Lucas not being able to write a love story — I enjoyed the love story of Anakin and Padme (even though she seems a lot older than he is). Maybe this has something to do with the fact that Hayden Christensen is extremely attractive, but I’m sticking to my opinions and don’t feel the need to defend them.

What are some of your unpopular opinions or likes/dislikes that you would like to share? (No political or religious posts, please!)

Battle of the Grand Gestures vs. The Little Things

I’ve always wondered what really happened after the final scenes of a romantic comedy. Sure, the two lead characters share a romantic kiss atop the Empire State Building/in the rain at the big football game/as the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve/in the middle of someone else’s wedding, but then what? Will they ride off into the sunset with the promise of spending the rest of their lives together, or will they break up in a few months because of all of the conflict and dysfunction that led up to their change of heart and so-called “happily ever after” moment?

Of course, because most of these movies are fiction, the world will never know. Nevertheless, the entire romantic comedy genre still seems to have a huge impact on the way many of us conceptualize love and relationships. After all, at one point, nearly every (straight) girl has wanted to snag a bad boy who would change his ways for her… because it happens in the movies all the time. Plenty of girls and guys I know have enjoyed the whole “tortured love story” routine, dating someone they fight with every day and have no practical future with because – if things did work out – wouldn’t it be romantic to overcome all odds to be with your soulmate? Because sprinkled in between all the fighting and chaos are the occasional grand proclamations and outpourings of affection, complete with horse-drawn carriages and fireworks.

However, based on observation, I firmly believe that it’s the little things that take place day to day that matter far more than these enormous gestures. After all, you can only declare your love for someone atop the Empire State Building or pay a marching band to play Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You so many times before you: a) get sick of New York, or b) run out of money.

Unfortunately, the grand gestures that the movies teach us to expect and crave are generally only used for apologies. We never really see the characters doing nice things for each other just because. While I understand that movies aren’t long enough to depict real relationships in their entirety, I do think we need to take the grand gestures with a grain of salt and realize that relationships are more than a few pivotal moments. They consist of the little moments as well — the ones that seem perfectly inconsequential — and the way you treat one another in general on a daily basis.

Realize that doing kind things for the person you care about shouldn’t be reserved for apologies, and that the grand gestures aren’t the only important parts of a relationship of any kind.

The Weekend Five: Brutally Honest Reality TV Shows

As I’ve mentioned in several of my previous posts, reality television is my guilty pleasure. Although I love high-brow entertainment as much as the next college-educated girl, I can’t help but become engrossed in some of the more ridiculous shows that have graced our pop culture, as well. Because of this, today’s Weekend Five will focus on some of the shows that don’t technically exist but should. Feel free to add your own in the comments section below!

The Weekend Five: Brutally Honest Reality TV Shows

1. Self-Entitled Rich Girls Trying To Take Themselves Seriously.
This show would feature a fashionable heiress just trying to make her way in the world by starting her own clothing line. With a football-player boyfriend and a miniature dog she can carry in her purse, the heiress spends her free time shopping, drinking coffee and complaining to her friends about how her boyfriend still hasn’t proposed. The show’s real breakout star, however, is her gay best friend whose snarky responses are the main reason to keep watching.

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2. True Life: I Was Irrelevant Two Seasons Ago.
This is the show that keeps on giving. The stars? Oh, just a group of seven or eight familiar but useless reality TV personalities who stopped being interesting a long time ago. Why do they still have a show? I guess someone is still around to watch it.

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3. Living Vicariously Through My Five-Year-Old Daughter.
Each episode features a mother with a “talented” five-year-old who excels in some area, mostly because of her mother’s pushing. The moms are a colorful group of competitive, washed out individuals who claim to be the authority on their daughters’ areas of interest (pageants, dance, cheerleading, you name it!). Watch as the moms get into catfights and exploit their children for money. Warning: do not look at this show as a how-to guide for parenting.

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4. Moral Degradation and the Rise of the Snooki.
This documentary series explores the downfall of 21st century society and its inundation of fist pumps, big hair and gratuitous partying. Narrated by Morgan Freeman.

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5. I Didn’t Know I Was a Pregnant Teenage Hoarder.
Experience the drama that ensues when a teenager learns that not only has her collecting become a serious problem, but she also happens to be pregnant! Watch as she goes through therapy, raises a child without the help of the father (Kevin Federline) and graces the covers of Us Weekly.

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What brutally honest reality television shows would you like to see?

The Weekend Five: Lessons Learned From Teen Soap Operas

As my not-so-crazy teen years progressed, so too did my love for crazy teen soap operas. Although a few of my friends categorized our favorite TV shows as dramas, deep down we all knew what we were watching: watered down, modernized versions of the stereotypical soap operas that we made fun of the older generation for watching.

Nowadays, these shows provide more for me than mere nostalgic entertainment; rather, each far-fetched plotline has something new to teach us. This week, we will uncover the deeper meanings behind some of these shows, and learn more about the true lessons that teen soap operas have to offer.

The Weekend Five: Lessons Learned From Teen Soap Operas

1. When you go to a benefit dinner, school dance or any other event that requires formal attire, you are asking for trouble.
Forget the fact that these fancy events seem to take place every week in your town, or the fact that your classmates all own enough evening wear to avoid repeating an outfit. In teen soap operas, whether you’ve gone to cotillion or a save-the-dodo-birds dinner, something bad is bound to happen. Maybe Tori Spelling will get totally sloshed at the prom, or perhaps two grown men will get into a fistfight over a financial dispute. Either way, it is best to avoid these events — it seems all drama will come to a head here.

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2. It is important for every combination of two people in your group of friends to date.
Remember that time when you were in high school and you thought that you and a certain lacrosse star boyfriend would get married? Meanwhile, your best friend dated a loner from the wrong side of town. One day, you fell in love with the lacrosse star’s completely immoral best friend, until he sold you for a hotel, and then you decided to date the aforementioned loner. Your best friend tried a relationship with the lacrosse star when things with the loner didn’t work out, but now her half-sister has gotten to him. Sound familiar? It happened on Gossip Girl, of course, but these dating patterns don’t end here! By this logic, you should take a page out of Blair and Serena’s handbook and date everyone you know.

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3. Every school assignment you ever receive will have something to do with a major theme in your life.
Whether your teacher pairs you up with someone you wouldn’t normally work with, or the book you’ve been reading for class utilizes some kind of symbolism that unlocks a clue to the murder you’re trying to solve, school is important. After all, it wouldn’t get so much airtime if it wasn’t!

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4. There are a lot of awkward ways to respond to an “I love you,” and chances are, you will use at least one of them.
The most common offender is a simple “Thank you,” to which your friends will later laugh and quip, “At least you were polite.” You can also opt not to say anything at all, or you could find an equally awkward way to reply. Teen soap operas teach us that we are all very likely to stick our feet in our mouth when it matters the most, but that we will also fix our situations with a grand gesture within a few days, and all will be right in the world again.

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5. The most meaningful moments of your life should be scored with a delicate balance of indie and pop music.
One would think that the songs on the radio are the most important songs to play on a teen soap opera, but that isn’t always the case. Teens love listening to obscure bands they can brag about later on, so inserting songs by more mainstream-indie groups such as Death Cab for Cutie and Keane allows for a much better transition to ultimate hipsterdom. The next time you’re about to experience a first kiss, I dare you to turn on Somewhere Only We Know. The moment will instantly become more meaningful, and you will become slightly edgier.

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What have you learned from your favorite teen soaps?

No Flash Mobs Proposals, Please!

If there’s one trend in romance that I just don’t understand, it’s the concept of flash mob proposals.

Please don’t get me wrong – I’m not a complete Scrooge when it comes to relationships, even if my blog may lead you to believe otherwise. Like most other girls my age, I watch more chick flicks than I’m proud of, and of course I hope for my happily ever after. I’m not anti-grand gestures either, so long as they aren’t the results of constant fighting and dysfunction. If you want to declare your love for somebody in a big way, then by all means, you should.

But I’m still not on board with the whole “flash mob proposal” bit. For those who haven’t seen these on YouTube before (click here), a flash mob consists of a large, seemingly random group of strangers who suddenly break into dance and/or song in front of a group of unsuspecting passersby. Flash mobs contain elements of surprise and excitement (unless, of course, you watch Grimm, in which case they are simply a horrible cause of death), which have contributed to their popularity since 2009 or so. In the past few years, however, some men have integrated the flash mob into their own marriage proposals, involving other guests in the restaurant and people walking by on the street. When it is finally time for him to pop the question, the woman must answer in front of a crowd of perhaps hundreds of people.

I know a lot of girls who find this incredibly romantic, but while I appreciate the amount of effort that goes into a flash mob proposal, I can’t say I would ever want to be a recipient of something like that. After all, what if the woman doesn’t want to marry the guy proposing to her? What if she says “no” and flees the scene – what then? Even worse, what if she says “yes” because she feels an added pressure to marry him, but isn’t actually ready or willing to make that commitment? This also applies to big-screen proposals at major sporting events and other proposals that require an audience.

In a way, I get it. Flash mob proposals are (kind of) original and demonstrate just how far the person is willing to go to impress his significant other. But what comes after the proposal? Come to think of it, how much money are you going to spend or want someone to spend on a proposal? Even if it is true love, does it have to be so elaborate? To me, a few honest words are more important than any choreographed song and dance number, and the money you could have spent on a marching band and light show could instead be used for a down payment on a house. Saying “I do” or “I don’t and never will” should have nothing to do with an audience of expectant strangers and everything to do with where you see yourself in five, ten, fifty years..

In the end, these grand gestures are well-intentioned, but not nearly as important as the little things we may otherwise overlook.

The Weekend Five: Depressing Remakes of Pop Hits

As hardcore as some of us claim to be, there’s no denying that we have all been fans of bubblegum pop music at one point in our lives. I may be known to scoff when certain songs are played on the radio, but I am proud to know every word to certain songs from the 90′s. After all, these are the fun, happy-go-lucky songs of my youth, and who can resist the cheesy allure of the overly-choreographed, pre-packaged boy bands?

Of course, I had to ask myself — what if these sweet, entertaining pop songs lost some of their pep, and instead left us with a strange, empty feeling? Then, of course, the “depressing remakes of pop hits” were born.

The Weekend Five: Depressing Remakes of Pop Hits

1. As Long As Somebody Will Love Me — Backstreet Boys.
In this new version of As Long As You Love Me, our favorite Backstreet Boys delve into the ongoing loneliness they must endure as each member (mainly Howie) searches unsuccessfully for a soul mate. At this point, the boys don’t care who you are, where you’re from, what you did, because they’ve decided that you’re probably out of their league anyway and they just want to find someone who will love them.

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2. One More Lonely Girl — Justin Bieber.
Although his music is not among the joys of my youth, I can concede that the teen pop star won the hearts of many girls between the ages of 11 and 15 with his song One Less Lonely Girl. However, in this remake, J. Biebs will sing about the many demands of his life on tour, concluding that any girl who dates him will be “one more lonely girl” who will have to fight other middle schoolers for his time and attention.

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3. Born To Make You Unhappy – Britney Spears.
This depressing pop remake chronicles the life of a young woman who just can’t do anything right. The song is essentially the story of a girl with terrible self esteem who recounts the many reasons why she would make a potential boyfriend unhappy. The backdrop of the music video features footage of Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh.

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4. Blue — Eiffel 65.
Readers will note the lack of a title change here. Although I can honestly say I never really understood what this song was about, its energy always struck me as that of a happier song. This version of Blue, however, refers to the “blue” feelings that the narrator experiences when he realizes that the blue people, Corvette, and various material possessions aren’t enough for him and that he’s  just waiting (but somehow unable) to transcend all of that.

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5. Digital Digital Letdown — NSYNC.
No longer is this a creepy song about Internet relationships! Instead, it’s a much harsher sequel — the story of how one man’s expectations, heightened by the Web, wind up completely crushing him as he realizes they can never be attained. This digital digital letdown is exactly that – the realization that he can never replicate the perfection he found on the Internet in his real life.

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Okay, so maybe I have a warped sense of humor! Feel free to add your own in the comments.