Where Did All the RomComs Go?

Just a few weeks ago I had to do what most blonde girls do, dye my roots.

While I waited for the color to set in I read an interesting article in a trashy female magazine. According to the article, Romantic Comedy films and Romance films are a dying breed, and I couldn't agree more!

The statistics show that five to ten years ago the summer films would be pouring with romance movies, but now the theaters might only be showing two or three at a time.

This ties in with a conversation I had with one of my classes the other day, we discussed the sudden public interest with super hero and action movies. We tried to reason that a lot of people might want to look up to these super heroes, but the most likely reason is just for entertainment.

Honestly? I think superhero-action-packed films are simply more realistic then a Romantic Comedy. Captain America is frozen for 70 years? Believable. Thor is a god and randomly appears during thunderstorms? I'll buy it. But some guy shows up at a girl's window with flowers and a boom-box? Hell no!

I think we are raising a generation of completely different women, and that is why we suddenly would rather watch The Avengers on a Saturday night than some Bridget Jones Diary.

Why?

Because we are so sick of waiting for the Prince Charming to rescue us in our real-life Romcom. We have more important things to do with our lives than wait around for some guy to spontaneously fall in love with our flaws. So why not incorporate that in the films?

Why not start writing about kick-ass women who take their lives into their own hands and don't let some man control all of their thoughts?

Great Expectations

It's common knowledge that great expectations lead to even greater disappointments.

You've been there before. You get all worked-up about an event, a relationship, or a vacation; you imagine all the possible outcomes that are all in your favor.

And somehow you wind up less than impressed with what really happens...

My advice? Leave your expectations at the door when you walk in.

I know a lot of girls who had insane expectations for prom. They wanted to have the best dress, the cutest date, and the highest heels, but didn't get all of it in the end. Which led to a ton of complaints about the night, and if you ask me that's a big waste of money.

I walked into my Junior Prom with the only expectation to have fun, and I ended up having the best night of my entire life, with absolutely no drama. I had an amazing dinner with my friends, I got to party on the dance floor for three straight hours, and another girl was wearing my dress- and I complimented her on her great taste! Also, a little hint about prom, you don't need a date to have a good time.

So Diamonds, it's good to set high expectations, but don't let them get in your way of having a good time. Because years from now you're going to want to look back on this time in your life with fond memories not a constant list of grievances.

“If you expect nothing from anybody, you’re never disappointed.” 
― Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar

“Life's under no obligation to give us what we expect.” 
― Margaret Mitchell

“Whatever it is you're seeking won't come in the form you're expecting.” 
― Haruki Murakami

“When you stop expecting people to be perfect, you can like them for who they are.” 
― Donald Miller, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life

Prama, Prama, Prama!

Maybe you've seen an extensive numbers of instragrams with the caption "Praaam 2k14 #promposal ;)" and that is because the season is upon us once again.

Prom Season.

It's the closest a high school girl will ever come to a proposal- a promposal. Girls spend hours looking on instagram and twitter at promposals, there are the typical "I'll go to prom with you when pigs fly", and the streotypical roses and chocolates, but sometimes a boy really goes all out for a girl. he asks her in front of an entire classroom, he surprises her in front of the entire school, he waits for her at an airport, yeah, I've seen some good stuff this year (it also may be that my new favorite hobby is searching #promposal on instagram?).

This season also brings up a lot of stressful questions for girl: What color dress do I want? How should I do my hair? What if it rains? Should I bother shaving my legs? The key is not to worry. Especially if you are only a Junior. Make all of your mistakes Junior year, it's like a dress rehearsal for the big thing. All the mistakes you make in dress rehearsal you won't make in the final performance.

Also, don't feel a pressure to go with a date! Personally, I'd rather go in a group of friends and have a blast than be stuck with an awkward date all night.

Remember Diamonds, it's your Cinderella night. So email your fairy godmother now and schedule a hair appointment. Also you might want to find a dress now because I don't think the mice in your house are that crafty...

Just have fun! and be sure to be that fabulous sparkly diamond you are!

Back to the Future

   Diamonds, I want you to think of the person you were at the beginning of September. What did you think would happen to you this school year? What were the goals you had for yourself? Who were your closest friends? Who was the one girl you couldn't stand? What was your favorite song? Just think about all the things you knew, and everything you wanted to know.

   Now, being the eight-month-older version of yourself I would like you to imagine if you had a time machine and you could go back to visit this person that you were in September. What would you tell them?

   I had this thought a while ago, and I came up with a whole list of things I would tell myself about what happened in the past eight months. I had about twenty-five things I would've told myself  if I had a time machine (one of them was a warning about the weather that we got this winter), but after I looked over the list a couple of times I realized that the majority of the items began with the word  "Don't," and that kind of bothered me.

   I love who I am, and I know that to become the person I am I had to survive every single one of those "don'ts" so that I can be exactly where I am right now. We have to make mistakes, we have to have regrets, we have to hit rock bottom, doing these things are going to happen to us, but it makes us who we are.

   So I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't focus too much energy on the past. Your future is the only thing you have control of.

  And I guess if I did get that time machine, I wouldn't go back to my past self with a list. I would go back and give her a big hug and tell her

                                          "You're going to fuck up. but that's okay."

Firefighting-Ballerina's

I'm sure all of you have been asked the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Recently I have been feeling like it is a daily question.

Have you ever asked a little child the same question? Children live for this question. They either prepare their answers days in advance or they make it up right on the spot.

Little boys will usually tell you "I want to be a police officer!" or "I want to be a firefighter!" when you ask them why they want to be those things they will usually tell you, "because they save lives!" which is so heart warming. 

From my own personal experience I have found that girls generally give better answers to the question:

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

"Well I want to be a horse rider, but only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, then on the Weekends like Saturday and Sunday I want to be a Ballerina and a Mother, then on Monday Wednesday and Friday I want to be a Veterinarian so I can save animals lives because I love horses."

See? Females have always been way more creative.

Obviously there's a shift between being a little kid and becoming a teenager (yeah, I know, puberty but that's not what I'm talking about here!) I guess we just become exposed to the real world, and the harsh reality of growing up. We can't have three or four jobs every week, and we can't pick a career just to save lives, we have to start thinking about what kind of schooling we'll need, how much money we'll make, if we can afford a place to live on that salary, are we going to have to get another job?

I refuse to fall into that way of thinking. Maybe it's extremely naive of me, but I refuse to think that a high-paying job is the only thing that'll make me happy in this world, and that's what I want to be, I just want to be happy when I grow up.

So maybe I won't become extremely rich and live in a penthouse, maybe I'll spend my life backpacking through Europe and Asia writing a blog about my travels and never make a dime, but I'll be happy and that's all that matters.

Diamonds, go back to being young again. Dream big. Rescue people. Find four different jobs. Just be happy, and if all else fails, marry rich!

When the Going Gets Tough

Want to know something I've recently realized?

 People give up on relationships too easily.

I want you to think of all of the greatest love stories of all time think of ones from different time periods, think of movies, books, musicals, think of them all.

Alrighty now answer this simple question, if they boy were to give up on the girl when times got hard, would they end up living happily ever after? Allow me to answer that- No.

I know "destiny" is a thing, but if you were truly meant to be with someone you would fight for them. You wouldn't let them walk home alone after they jumped out of your car because you were being a jerk. You wouldn't stop talking to them because they stopped talking to you. You would pick up the phone, and text them making sure they're okay.

Maybe it's just me, but I have never really witnessed, first-hand someone fight for a person they want to be with.

So Diamonds, when a realtionship gets difficult you can call it quits and walk out, but don't ever expect that person to walk back into your life. 

The night time you find someone you care about getting out of your car, don't let them walk home alone. Fight for them.

The Young & Reckless

You know whats fun?

Being a teenager.

You know what sucks?

Being a teenager.

Lets be real, this is the time of our lives where we find ourselves. We are constantly making mistakes and hating ourselves for it, but we really shouldn't be.

Your teenage years are the best time to make all your mistakes. You can't make these mistakes in your adult years, because then there are some serious consequences (not that you'll get away with everything now).

Next time you find yourself debating over something and find yourself awake all night questioning all your possibilities just consider the worst case scenario, and if it isn't that bad-then what is stopping you? and there is usually a slim chance that the worst case will even happen. When it comes to consequences I have always asked myself "Will this matter to me in five years?" and 9/10 times it won't, and that's something you should ask yourself when debating about doing something.

Diamonds, stop thinking and just do!

What are you going to tell your grandchildren about if you never schedule that audition, ask that girl to prom, or learn how to ride a motorcycle.


"Do something today that your future self will thank you for."

Nothing Less Than Butterflies

Since I have become more open minded this year I have been learning a lot of lessons.

And the truth is Diamonds, everyone is a teacher. Even the most unexpected people have the most valuable lessons to teach you.

I know you are sick of me mentioning this show, but I will (once again) make a reference to Sex and the City. Although each of these ladies are polar opposites of each other they are soul mates, and their mistakes only teach me more about what life is and how to get through it. One by one. episode by episode, season by season, these girls lived their lives in the Big Apple, and I watched and absorbed every ounce of it.

Firstly, Samantha taught me that I never have to apologize for who I am.

Miranda taught me to make exceptions to the people who matter most to you.

Charlotte taught me to never give up on my dreams no matter how many times I fail.

And Miss Carrie Bradshaw taught me to never settle for anything less than butterflies, and to never stop looking for the love I deserve.

Yes, it may seem strange that I learned these lessons from characters on TV, but if you're going to be more open minded in life you have to realize that every person will teach you a lesson, even the fictional ones.

“Some people are settling down,

 some people are settling

 and some people refuse to settle for anything less than butterflies."

-Carrie Bradshaw

2014 Reason to Resolution

Alright Diamonds, time to start all over. I think it's safe to say that we all want to change a little something about ourselves this year, we all has resolutions, and that's what makes New Years fun! It's filled with new chances and opportunities.

Thus I have come up with three very important New Years Resolutions to set myself up for success this year.

1. Blog more: I miss writing everyday and I think this blog will help me get myself back on track.

2. Keep an open mind about everything: I've noticed that everyone has a reason for doing everything, and instead of judging them I should try to understand them.

3. (This ones my favorite) I want to make one person smile everyday. Putting a smile on someones face is possibly the most rewarding thing ever, and I want to make people happy because why not?

Diamonds, don't map out your year step-by-step. Let things take their course, and this year will be great for you, but I do strongly encourage you to pick one thing you would like to improve about yourself and stick with it; maybe you want to be happier, or stronger, or more forgiving. Whatever you decided to do keep a positive attitude, and your year will be fabulous.

All the Small Things

Isn't winter the most magical time of year?

Snow falls, stories by the fire side, warm cup of tea, and lots of blankets.

Winter has always had to power to make me feel like a child again, which is something I've been needing lately. I've forgotten what it's like to be amazed by the little things, to spend quality time with the people you most value, and to watch old Christmas specials again.

They may seem like little things to some people, but they've been the most help for me. I didn't quite know how hard this year was going to be on me, and because of all the pressure I've been put under I need little things like this to keep me grounded.

Maybe you've been under some pressure too, Diamonds, and I hope you find a way to recover from the pressure, or simply avoid it for a few days.

Because generally speaking, life sucks. It's a harsh reality we all face at some point and time, but the little things that make you smile are what keeps you going.

Little things like snowflakes.

You Were There, and Now You're Here, Where Next?

Lately I've realized that I've been living in the past.

I spend too much time worrying about history repeating itself, or I stress over past mistakes that I have no control over now.

Diamonds, you can't live in the past, it's done with and over. Yes, I know you have a million mistakes you wish you could take back, and if you had the chance you would do everything over again from the first grade, but that's not an option.

Turning back isn't an option, and it sucks. With all my heart I wish I could redo the past, especially the past month, but you know whats better than the past?

 The future.

The future holds so many more opportunities. One day you can leave the town you are in now, and you'll meet so many new people who won't judge you on your past because they weren't there for the past.

Stop worrying about the past, and start focusing on the future.

An Open MInd

So maybe my recent attempts to swear off all friendships has become somewhat of a failure.

I thought it would be easiest if I never let anyone get close to me because then I would not have to deal with the pain of letting a close friend become just another face in the hallway, or another name on a grave.

But I have realized that keeping people out is a lot harder than letting people in, and you just have to take the risk of them hurting you.

There will always be people who you can count on, even if you don't want to admit you can.

So Diamonds that's my big lesson for the day, you can't kick everyone out of your life. Yes, you can leave certain people who you don't listen to you or keep your promises, but you have to keep your mind open so that the right people find their way into your life.

National Best Friends Day

“The truth is, everyone is going to hurt you. You just got to find the ones worth suffering for.” 
― Bob Marley

Preach it, Bob Marley.

That's the thing with life, it's unfair. Everyone is going to stab you in the back, everyone is going to lie to you, break your trust, and make you cry.

You are going to meet people who put you in the lowest places, you are going to meet people who will keep you in those low places or push you down even further, but I promise you if you look hard enough there will be people who can bring you out of that dark place.

Those people who take you out of there are the best of friends, whether they stay up all night to text you, sit next to you in a hospital bed, or listen to music with you until you feel better.

Diamonds, I swear to you that your true friend is out there, and to tell you the truth, you might not meet them in high school. You might have to wait a really long time to find someone who will say all of the right things, be there for you, and keep all of your promises.

Until you find them, I suggest family. Stay as close to them as possible, because you will be stuck with them anyways, and they have to help you in your time of need.

But never, ever, settle for anyone who makes you feel less than you are.

Teenage Wasteland.

I'd be lying to you if I told you Junior year wasn't the hardest thing I've ever been through, and I haven't even been in it for two months yet.

It's kind of scary when someone tells you that being a high schooler is the greatest time of your life, and it should be.

We should be able to smile more, but we can't when we have to stay up so late and finish essays, readings, formal labs, and calculus.

Being a teenager is suppose to be fun, I shouldn't have to worry about my future as much as I do now, and I worry a lot, I worry to the point of wondering why I try so hard, and why don't I just give up?

And I know I'm not the only one, because I have plenty of friends who consider dropping their AP classes and just aim for community college.

I wish I had the courage to do that, and sometimes I don't know why I don't.

My goal in life is to just be happy, and right now I'm not.

So why should I spend my "best years" not happy because I have the slightest hope that if I'm unhappy now I'll be better in the future?

The Great Escape

Now that school has started we find ourselves consumed in pools of stress.

Staying up into the latest hours of the night, hardly keeping our eyes open in first and second period, and declining invitations to sleepover because you are too exhausted to have a late night gossip secession with your friends (Maybe that last one was just me).

I don't know about you, but I count myself lucky if I can get even 6 hours of sleep on a school night.

What teenagers really need is an escape from their lives, not more homework, or the school schedule to change.

We need a day or a moment just to close our eyes and completely forget the huge bricks of stress sitting on our shoulders.

Everyone has their emergency escape route when things get stressful. I like to listen to music, go on a run, or even just read a book of my choice (Sometime I blog too).

And if you're like me, and it's Junior year, the most critical year in your high school career, I suggest you find your outlet fast, because being the stressed girl in your group of friends, won't help you at all.

Oh, One Who Knows All!

We have many different kinds of friends.

The one who takes fashion very seriously.

The one who you consider your therapist.

The one who you wish you were.

The one all the boys like.

The ridiculously smart one.

All of them are always there for you, and all of them you would consider sisters on certain days.

But today we aren't talking about those friends, today we are talking about your psychic friend.

OK, so this is not an episode of That's So Raven this girl doesn't actually have visions that land you guys in a huge problem, but she's the girl who has always been the first to call things before they happen. She called that couple breaking up months ago, she called that you would all hate that girl by senior year, she called that your teacher was pregnant when she was only 8 weeks along.

Maybe it can get really annoying because at first you think she's just trying to say all these things to start pointless drama, or bring attention to something that's never really been an issue. However I want you to trust me, one day you will have this feeling of, "Oh my god, why did I never listen to you in the first place?"

I'm not about to tell you to start listening to that friend 24-7, because you need to learn the hard way that this person will always be right.

And trust me Diamonds, she's always right.

Change In The August Air.

I'm sure plenty of you now have tanned skin, sun kissed hair, and an abundance of stories to tell your friends when you return to school.

But has anything really influential happened to you?

Something life changing?

Your tan is not life changing. Unless you have Irish skin like me, then you can brag.

I have always believed in Summer, it's the time when your life makes the most unbelievable change, and that's why we love it.

We all claim to love routine, always knowing what comes next and no surprises, but where's the amusement in that?

Where's your excitement?

Honestly yes, we love knowing certain things in our life won't change. Our birthday will always be the same day, our dogs will always wait for us at the door when we come home, our friends will always hug us when we cry, and there will always be a celebrity train wreck.

But I promise you, if you saw who you will meet in the future, where you will go to college, what your career will be, who you will marry, how many kids you will have, when you'll retire. If you saw that all in front of you, you would try to change it. Maybe you wouldn't be able to change it, but you wouldn't want to know everything about your life just like that.

So I guess we can always count on surprises, especially during the Summertime.

If something in your life hasn't changed during this summer, you may feel like you've missed out, but you might also want to feel grateful, because not every change is a good change.

But if it's something you really want, to change your life. Then do it by yourself, it's actually incredibly simple.

Under Pressure

So it's finally Summer, and you've all probably had the sweet taste of freedom so far.

It's finally here homework bonfires, beach trips, late night parties, and smiling a lot more.

Do you guys feel that way? I feel like I just smile more in the summer.

Every summer I have this idea in my head that I've changed because of summer. Every summer I become this new person with an insane amount of confidence and the ability to relax and not worry about all the stressful things going on.

 but I realize that summer isn't what changes me, school is what changes me.

I have a belief that during summer you find yourself, and you get use to who that person is, and during the school year we can re-find that person during weekends and holiday breaks, but besides those few gatherings we lose them, and we become someone else.

Someone who is full of stress and feels the pressure that school puts onto us every day we have to go there, and I feel that is no way to live.

It's no way to live because not everyone can handle that pressure, and a lot of us crack under it.

When people crack or break under that pressure it never goes unnoticed, but things always go unchanged.

Adults try to tell us that there are healthy ways to control out stress, but there really is no way when they keep adding more on to it.

Thankfully we have summer, which is the greatest escape anyone could ever ask for, a little under three months of pure smiles, laughter, and care free happiness.

Summer is where true memories are made.

Don't Let It Be Too Late

Moments.

Our lives are a serious of moments.

From our first cry, to our last words, and everything in between, these are the moments that amount to who we are.

That's important to remember Diamonds, we are the result of every moment we have ever lived.

Some times you don't get as many moments as other people do.

Life is unexpected, and so is death.

You could be on top of the world at one moment, and the next you've hit the ground, and you're gone.

So don't let anything ever go unsaid, unspoken, or unknown.

You don't know what will happen tomorrow, or if there will be a tomorrow for all of us, and I don't want to ever hear one of you say "I wish I had just... before it was too late."

Maybe you fear of the immediate consequences from telling someone something, but don't be. The pain you feel after telling them is nothing compared to the pain you will feel of them gone without ever knowing your true emotions.

Don't ever let it be too late.

Whether you are six, fourteen, twenty-three, or sixty years old, it can always be too late.

Perks of Being... Whatever I Am.

"We accept the love we think we deserve."- Perks of Being a Wallflower

So many people across the world have read that quote or heard that quote and had a moment of revelation.

Personally, I think it's the most powerful eight word sentence I've ever heard in my life.

I accept only the love that I think I deserve... it's really something to think about, huh?

It's hard to put into picture though, because sometimes I know I deserve more. My friends tell me all the time, that I deserve more than someone who is going to stand me up multiple times. I deserve more than someone who points out my flaws, who can't accept me for who I am and will always try to change who I am, even if I love who I am.

But what if someones love isn't good enough for you, but it's all they can give to you?

You know you deserve better than the love they give you, but that's all the love they can give, and they try really hard.

Normally I would tell someone to drop them, but now that it's happened to me, I don't know what to do, I can't leave this person behind right now because we're stuck together, but the love they give me only hurts me.

I know the love I deserve, but I have to put up with the love that I don't deserve.