ANNOUNCEMENT (wow, I'm surprised I spelled that right on the first try...)

HELLLLOOOOOOOOO, I HOPE IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE I'M YELLINGGG.

Hahaha, oh capitalization (that one I didn't spell right the first try...), how great thou art in volume control.  

Anyway, hello my peoples of the interwebs.  I hope your day is going Fantasically and if not, well I guess adequate is okay too.  Either way, prepared to be enriched.  

This week I (or in other words the next sevenish days) I am going to be posting short stories, and portions of stories I have written #originalstories  to this blog.  I would love it if you read them, share them with other peoples if you like them (annoy your enemies with them if you don't), and leave comments on what you liked!  

Yeah...

Soooo...

That was all I had to say right now...

Bye.

Soapbox 2.0

Oh yes, another soapbox.  Prepare to receive a bunch of Aimee opinion.

One of the phrases I hate (okay maybe not hate, but dislike in a very strong way that if this phrase were to die off, I would be leave flowers at its grave) in our society is one that is used quite a lot unfortunately.  Usually it follows when someone expresses, or "complains" as some would put it, about a specific hardship in their life.  This phrase is *insert drumroll*..............
"But just remember, there are starving kids in Africa."

There are a few different variations, including but not exclusive to
   "Yeah but other people have it harder...."
   "A worse thing happen to this person I know...."
   "Hellen Keller did amazing things and she had less ability than you...."
   "I had to walk uphill, in the snow, both ways, to get to and from school when I was your age...."
  Etc.
  Etc.
And so forth.

Do NOT take this the wrong way.  I have nothing against African children, Hellen Keller, or elderly folk who don't understand that you can't walk "uphill both ways" anywhere.  Really I don't.  And it's phenominal that they are able to overcome such hardships and grow so much in their own ways.

What I have a problem with is that everytime one of these phrases or variations thereof is used, the person's hardship is discredited, undercutted, disrespected, and frankly ignored.

Yes, I get it, there will ALWAYS be someone worse off.  However every person has different strengths, and within their individual lives, their own PERSONALIZED challenges.  And we are never EVER EVER in the position to judge them and make them feel bad for facing a trial.

I have a few friends who have depression and anxiety.  And sometimes the effects of that can really be unforgiving.  They range anywhere from making it near impossible to leave the house, to not having the motivation to do homework.  Being someone who has had depression, who has gone through anxiety attacks herself, I understand how hard they can be to balance.  I've been in that boat, I've felt myself going crazy with no explanation as to why.  And that was hard.

During those times, I couldn't believe how many people told me something along the lines of "yeah, that's rough, but you have legs."  Congrats, you can see.  So observant.  I forgot what allowed me to stand up.  THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME OF MY MAIN SOURCE OF TRANSPORTATION.

People don't share trials with other to be reminded of how much better they have it, or how much worse it could be.  People share their hardships to seek out the little bits of encouragement and support.  They want to find that spark of hope that tells them "Yeah, it sucks right now.  But, you can do this."

Trials can be anything.  A bad grade on an exam or class.  A sick relative, or passed loved one.  A work aliment, a financial struggle, a health problem, a personal issue.  The worries and stress of life.  The confusion of not knowing where you want to be in future years to come.  The anxiety of not finding a significant other.  None of these are small to the person handling them.

So yes, there are blind people out there.  There are people involved in car crashes, and so many other terrible things.  And that's awful, I wouldn't wish those experiences on anyone.  But remember that everyone is fighting a battle.  What may not seem hard to us, may be the worst thing this other person has ever been through.  Being supportive goes a long way.  Even if you don't say anything, just being there while they cry or rant or both, that is just as meaningful.

Basically my point is, don't be a brat and just remember that everyone is fighting their own battles.

PASSION... And not the Valentine's Type...

Hey Interwebs!

So I just want to start off by saying thanks to the people who have been checking out my blogger posts.  I'm not saying that I am addicted to seeing how many page views I have... mostly because I can quit anytime I want.  Haha.  I'm sorry.  That was lame attempt at a joke.

Anyway, I've been inspired (by recent events) to talk about a very big topic.  Now please PLEASE PLLLLEEAAASSSEEE note that this was NOT AT ALL inspired by the next major holiday around the corner.  I know that guys are starting to hear the daunting shrills of excitement by the females, and the stores have had their pink and red decorations out since Christmas.  But Valentine´s Day had nothing to do with this topic.

And if you forget, I kindly but it in the Title of this post to help remind you.  Also I will probably remind you throughout the post.  I'm persistent like that.  (It's one of my most annoying qualities)

I want to talk a little bit about Passion.  Not the romantic, sexy, hearts in the eyes, kind of passion.  But the energy that motivates us to feel empowered and charge onward.  In my opinion, it's the cooler and more butt-kicking version of passion when compared to red, velvet, and champagne (which is my stereotype thinking on the romantic side of passion talking).

 I have a sister who has recently found a soft spot for basketball.  So this year in junior high she decided to play on the girl's team.  It has been an awesome experience for her and she thoroughly enjoys it.  Even when my dad (and other people who is definitely NOT me...) yell during the games and say random phrases in Spanish (no soy yo...).  But my point of this is that she is passionate about playing basketball.

One of my good friend's from high school, let's call him... Potted Plant... has this amazing talent of knowing everything there is to know about music ever.  Including bands, artists, and song titles.  All of which my brain decided long ago was not important enough information to keep stored in my brain.  Thankfully for me, Potted Plant is pretty much a walking, talking, more funny, Pandora.  Well... more like if Pandora and Spotify had a baby... that was somehow human as well...  POINT BEING, he has a passion for music.

Do you see where I'm going with this yet?  P.S.  Still not about Valentine´s day.

Passion is something we find within ourselves, whether it's a strong pull to a certain hobby or sport, or a surge of interest in a skill or talent.  Passion is something that lives in each one of us, but is trigger by different things.

My dad, as an example, LOVES the Seahawks.  I swear he would sell some kids off if it would allow him to buy the team.  Okay, maybe not that extreme, but I bet the deal would make him think about it.  He is passionate for them because he is invested in their seasons.

I love words.  I love talking, I love writing, I love reading.  If I was in the world of The Phantom Toll Booth, I would be living in Dictionopolis where I would be then eating words as well.  Words are my passion.  And I have this connection with expressing myself in such a way, that they are really meaningful to me.

I think one of the worst lies society throws on us that we can either run with our passions, or we can have a secure, "normal" life.  And that's not true.

I am a religious person and I have a hard time believe that the main reason in life is to work hard to survive until we die.  It just seems... dull.  This world, if we take the time to take it in, is magical.  It is bright and lively, and oozing with opportunity.  Life is way too short to give up on something you're passionate about.

If you like writing, write.  If you like painting, paint.  If you like being a clown at kid's birthday parties, you should probably rethink your life.  Ha, I'm just kidding... But still.  Sorry, I have this thing with clowns.  ANYWAY.  My point is that you can be successful and still have time to discover yourself and get that life back into living.

Passion is the color in our life-size coloring book.  When everything is looking so gray and blank, with hard black lines to stay within, Passion is what allows us to care about something other than ourselves and to paint a much better picture.

Be happy and know that life is a little bigger, and a little brighter than you might think.