FROGGIE WENT A-COURTIN'

THIS VIDEO MAKES ME SMILE

Story from North America from Kirsten Lepore on Vimeo.

WHAT I MISS MOST ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL

There's a part towards the end that perfectly expresses how I feel about the recent vampire craze that has struck otherwise rational people.

DEAR MICROSOFT WORD,

Please stop trying to correct my grammar. I am smarter than you.
Thanks,
Erin

HAPPINESS IS...

Towards the end of August, I realized that I was in a funk. I was generally pessimistic and irritable, and had been consistently, for about six months. Of course, I had moments of happiness--bliss even, but they were the exception to the rule. Overall, my base happiness level, the amount of contentment I felt when there were no external influences, was lower than it had ever been before. I don't want to say that I was depressed, because that's melodramatic, and wasn't really the case. I was just going through a period of constant negativity, and I probably wasn't a very pleasant person to be around.

I knew it, too. I knew I was becoming this horrible negative and judgmental person, but I felt like I couldn't control it. I kept coming up with things to blame it on (my living situation, my job, the awareness that my best friend and I were growing apart), but never any way to fix it. I felt like I was in a rut I couldn't dig myself out of, primarily because I've always been a fairly optimistic person. This was in an entirely new feeling for me. I'd had bad weeks before, but never bad months, and certainly never bad half-years. In the past, I comforted myself with the knowledge that I'd feel better in a few days, but it just wasn't happening.

So the point is (I think I have a point), by the end of August, I realized that if I didn't get happy, and quick, I was going to stay miserable for another six months, and then another year, and eventually, I would no longer be a happy person who was having a rough time, I would just be an unhappy person. So I just decided to be happy. I said to myself, "Self, this is some bullshit you've been up to," slapped myself like Cher in Moonstruck, and said, "Snap out of it!" And then you know what? I did. It was that easy.

I had tried everything: moving into a new apartment, quitting my job, even doctors' visits on the off-chance it was a nutrition thing, and ultimately realized that it was a me thing. I had built up so much bitterness and resentment for things that I probably had every right to be bitter and resentful about, but had never let bother me before, that I was letting it control my life.

It started raining a couple of days ago, while I was riding my bike home from a friend's house. It was a perfectly clear day when I left my apartment, then all of a sudden it just started pouring, halfway through my ride home. And do you know what I did? I laughed. Out loud. I threw my head back and laughed like a drowning turkey. And not in a "well, what're you gonna do?" kind of way either. It was a completely genuine and unexpected moment of pure joy. That rain made my day, and I can still conjure up the euphoria I felt in that moment. It's the same euphoria I felt this morning, driving home from my first three finals, windows down, and noticing that it was simultaneously sunny and cold. I feel it every time I go on a hike with my friends, every time I do anything with my friends for that matter.

Whoever said you can either be happy or intelligent was dead wrong. Sure, the less you think, the easier it is to be happy, but easy's for suckers. Go ahead and take the shortcut. I'm taking the scenic route, so I may be a few minutes late.

FINALS WEEK, WHY?

In honor of finals week, I'm (kind of) reinstating my blog. The truth is, I just want an excuse to procrastinate. But hey, I've officially finished one of the three papers I'm expected to turn in this week. Sure, I had to miss out on a hike I'd been looking forward to for two weeks, but I'll chalk it up as a lesson in starting things earlier.

Honestly, I'm a little burned out on writing about books (I know, GASP!), which is likely a direct result of my major. If my official occupation is "student," then writing about books is technically my job (albeit one I'm not paid for), and my job has ceased to be as fun as it once was. Okay, it's still fun. I just don't really feel like filling my spare time with thing that's keeping me from having any. Basically, I think this blog needs to be Stuff About Other Things and Occasionally Books Too for a little while.

Other things:

1. I got to spend time with some really old friends and some brand new friends this weekend, and it was just really great. I know, eloquent right? But really, it was.

2. I've had to watch a few comedies throughout the semester for my Comic Spirit class, my favorite of which is The Fisher King. It's actually sort of appalling that I haven't seen this film before, because I love Terry Gilliam and because it's completely brilliant. So thank you, Comic Spirit professor, for giving me the heads up, and thank God for Terry Gilliam.

3. Despite the fact that I have no desire whatsoever to create a twitter account, I feel kind of left out. I mean, I want to say things "at" people instead of to people. It seems fun! @anyone else who doesn't twitter: is this a commonly shared experience, or am I alone?

4. I have a great deal of respect for people who write beautifully even when they're emailing.

5. I really don't care about Sherman Alexie. Like, at all. Seriously, the man bores me to tears. Does that make me terrible? Possibly.

6. That last one was more a book thing than an other thing, but who's counting?

7. Yes, I realize that the fact that I've numbered my "other things" means that I am the one who is counting. Pretend they're bullet points if it bothers you so much.

I'M DONE!!!

The class is over, I think my final went well, and I can now honestly say, "Yeah, I've read Ulysses." I think I'll find excuses to bring it up in conversation.