Adventures of a Shockingly Average 30-Something

Dear Candis, This is another letter that you're never going to read, but I'm writing it anyway because I feel like this stuff needs to be said. It won't be as long as the other one I wrote you a while ago, but... yeah. Candis, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry bad things happen. I'm sorry things aren't perfect, and aren't as good as I hoped they would be. I'm sorry I can't be with you right now. I'm sorry I'm up in New York, and that there's nothing I can do to help you and make things better. I'm sorry I couldn't see the truth. I'm sorry I was wrong. I'm sorry I can't just give you a big hug and make everything perfect. I hope they're shielding you from everything, as much as they can. I wish none of it happened. I wish I could make everything right again for you. I would give anything, Candis, for things to be good for you again. Whatever happens, please know that you're loved. Know that you didn't...

Not that long ago, a month, heck maybe even just a couple weeks ago, I was absolutely terrified about going away to school. I was worried about everything, and really freaking out a bit. It all felt really... overwhelming, I guess is the word. I was scared. I was nervous. I was terrified. But I was EXCITED too. And now, now that I leave in 3 days (although right now, it's closer to 2 than 3), I'm strangely calm about leaving. It's just something that is , and nothing more. I don't feel scared or nervous, but in all honesty, I've lost some of the excitement too. Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to leave (but I'm going to miss my friends so freaking much! Hell, I already miss Christina and Caitlin because I haven't seen them in so long! and I'm going to miss my mom, and Nathan and Trisha and Cameron, and even my sister (but DON'T tell her I said that)).. but yeah, I can't wait to leave, but I'm not as excited as I was about it b...

I don't understand, and I don't think I'll ever understand, why some people teach their kids that there's colors for girls and colors for boys, toys for girls and toys for boys, even TV shows for girls versus TV shows for boys. Not judging (ok, maybe I am a little..), but seriously?!? ----------------------------------- Conversation with Nathan (4 years old): Nathan picks up the orange basketball and then puts it down really fast, almost like he didn't want anyone to see him holding the orange one. He looks at the black basketball for a minute, sighs, and picks that one up to play with, but keeps looking back over at the orange one. Me (sensing that something is bothering him): What's up, bud? Nathan: I wanna play with the orange ball. Me: So why don't you play with it? Nathan (sighs again): It's a girl color. Me: No Nathan, boys and girls can both like orange. It's ok, you can play with it. Nathan: But then I'll be a girl... Me: Nathan, I pro...

We live in a society where kids are growing up way too fast. They don't seem to enjoy childhood, and instead seem to want to rush into adulthood as fast as their little legs can carry them. Or maybe it's the parents, pushing their little ones to grow up faster than they should. As an example, I think first of Suri Cruise. Back in 2009, when she was three years old , she was going out (with her parents, obviously) in high heels . Ok, point out to me that, they make high heels small enough for little kids, so why shouldn't she wear them? And I'll ask you, WHY do they make high heels for TODDLERS? It's not cute. It's inappropriate. Kids that young should be wearing sandals or sneakers or something other than heels. But let's move on. That was 2009. Moving on to the main point of this post. A ten year old French model, Thylane Lena-Rose Blondeau, somewhat recently did a photoshoot for the French version of Vogue magazine. The child was photograph...

"Don't be shy!" That's what people tell me if I ask for advice about how to make living on campus an easier transition to make. On August 26th I'll be moving in on campus. I'll be five hours away from everything that I know, and I know it's going to take me a bit before I'm comfortable being there. And so I ask people how to make it less difficult being away from home, and it's always the same. Always "Don't be shy!" But I've ALWAYS been shy. Since I was a little kid, in daycare! (Well, I don't know if you'd really call it daycare.. My mom watched other people's kids at our house. So I got to stay home with my mom, and other kids were just there.) But anyway. I've always been painfully, embarrassingly shy. And truth be told, I hate it. But I'm so uncomfortable and awkward around people I don't know. I am trying to not be so shy. At Columbia-Greene, I was a tutor. I had to talk to people I didn...