Random Thursday Thoughts

Wow. I really don't have much to say this week apparently. All I've wanted to do is binge watch random shows on Netflix. I'm sure you all understand.

So random thoughts it is! And by random, I mean, these are all pulled off the top of my head.

1. Speaking of Netflix, I've got another documentary for you to watch! This one was recommended for me by Miranda. And it's another one you should have the Kleenex ready for (by now, I'm pretty sure Kleenex should sponsor this blog or something...). The documentary is called The Invisible War and it is about the influx of rape and sexual assault in the military. It interviews several girls who were assaulted and the struggles they have faced. Almost all of their attackers are still in the military, walking free, and have been promoted to a higher rank. Almost all of their cases weren't even investigated or, if they were, they were dropped almost immediately. It really is horrific and I know there are a lot of military spouse blogs out there (some of which I read) and I don't want to step on toes or anything. I can say whole-heartedly that I would never let my daughter (if I have one) enlist.

2. I had my second job interview at the hospital here in town yesterday (for a different position) and it went horrible and I actually hope I don't get offered the job (even though I need one). It just was not a good fit at all.

3. Erin wrote a great blog post yesterday on nannying and how, yes, they are not our children and we are not parents, but if we spend that significant of an amount of time with your children and helping to raise them, we deserve to be able to voice our opinions on other parents.

4. I blame my need to binge watch random shows on the man pictured below and a few of the friends I've made in the SVU fandom.

Seriously, how can you resist?

 5. Speaking of SVU (I told you this random post was just following the train of thoughts in my brain), last night's episode was about a comedian who includes rape jokes in his set (modeled after the Daniel Tosh controversy in 2010). The hashtag for twitter was #rapeisnojoke, which, by the way, ended up trending throughout the entire episode.....on the same night when ABC premiered it's new show Mixology, which included a rape joke. However, in all the use of that hashtag last night, it became apparent to me and a lot of other people that some people still consider rape jokes funny and use phrases like "That test just raped me!" or scream "Rape!" jokingly when a friend is teasing you. Rape is not a joke, it is not funny, and using it as something funny is circumstances like this makes light of people's horrible experiences with rape and sexual assault.

 6. On a lighter note, my sister is on Spring Break next week and we've already planned a day of shopping and drinking coffee ALL DAY LONG. And I'm meeting up with one of my besties for a coffee date next week too. So, basically, next week will consist of me blowing my money I should probably save and drinking coffee. Cheers to that.

7. I don't understand people who e-mail you asking about if you would like to do such & such a thing and give an urgent notice deadline of the next day and you e-mail them back right away early in the morning saying "Sure. I'll do it" and then you never hear a word back from them. Responsibility, people. You should use it sometime. Comes in handy for most adults.

And I think I'll end on 7 because that seems like a good number to stop at.

Fangirling 101

Hi. My name is Breanna and I'm a fangirl.

Nice to meet you, Breanna.

Now I want to change your mind about fangirling. It doesn't just apply to tweens who love the Jonas Brothers. Teens who are obsessed with One Direction. Oh no no no.

I am a fangirl over SVU. That's Law and Order: Special Victims Unit for you newbies. Specifically Brian Cassidy and Olivia Benson (Bensidy, duh) and their all-consuming love for each other. Just go with it.

Kind of an odd thing, I guess. But you probably obsess over who Juan-Pablo is going to give a rose to this week. Or what outfit Olivia from Scandal is going to wear on the next episode. I just happen to obsess over a different Olivia.

This whole fangirl thing actually didn't really start until September. I mean, I've been a fan of SVU for years now, but not this level. This season is just that. darn. good.

Lately, my fangirling (& everyone elses) has totally gotten out of hand because of this:

 Olivia Benson may be freakin' pregnant. Like...don't even.

Surprisingly, fangirls unite on Twitter like no other. I've tweeted with a few girls over our SVU bond. People I probably never would have learned about before this. Everyone is so diverse: different backgrounds, different ages, heck, even different countries. It's actually kind of amazing. Connecting with the writers and executive producers of the show is another little perk.

But back to fangirling. You've probably noticed by my 10 million tweets about Bensidy, Olivia, Brian, #BossBenson, #BadassBenson, #PregnancyTestBenson, #BoozyBenson. Some of you probably got sick of it and clicked that unfollow button. That's okay. See ya later :)

Before I go further, I should probably introduce you to a bit of fangirl vocabulary. Because there are some abbreviations I didn't even know before I started this.

OTP: One True Pairing aka the couple you absolutely love forever and ever and will never break up.
NOTP: Opposite of OTP. Your least favorite couple.
Canon: Official. Example: My OTP is Canon. This says that the couple I am in love with is officially together in the show.
bae: "before anyone else". That person who is so awesome and the best and really important.
Ship: Short for relationship. A "shipper" is one who supports a certain relationship.
Feels: Short for feelings. Strong emotional reaction or investment into something.

Breanna's examples: My OTP is Bensidy. I ship them hard and they give me major feels. I don't care what you say: they are canon. Olivia and Brian are bae. Elliot and Olivia? Ugh, NOTP. Please stop shipping them.

Any questions?

I've compiled here a few signs that show you might be a fangirl:

+ Someone insults your OTP.


+ Your clever tweet about a storyline that took you 5 minutes to compose perfectly gets 25 retweets.


+ You get super excited when your favorite character might be pregnant and someone says she's probably going through menopause.


+ The executive producer and writer of your show say the couple you love are going to "be under a lot of stress".




+ [Insert favorite TV couple here] are never going to last. Bring back [insert former love/partner/friend here]!

+ Someone who works on the show posts hidden meanings behind a storyline or future episode.

+ You find like-minded Twitter people to obsess with you.

+ Your favorite celebrity retweets/replies to you on Twitter.


+ Characters you love are leaving the show.

+ Everyone keeps posting cute pictures of your favorite couple.



+ Everything bad keeps happening to your favorite character.


+ A 26 second promo for next week's episode has you in a bigger tizzy than waiting 3 months for the premiere of the new season.


+ You sit through an entire talk show or award show just to see your bae.


+ You follow a bunch of fanfiction stories and 3 of the writers updated in one night.


+ You have your own vocab.


+ You blame the writers of the show for all your anxiety and trust issues.


+ Jenna Marbles' SVU video is your life. For the most part.


I hope you enjoyed reading this. I enjoyed compiling it.

Are you a fangirl?

And just for kicks...

It's hard out there for a pimp fangirl.

How To: Avoid Doing Important Things

Welcome to 2014. You ready?

The first thing I learned in 2014 was that, when you get to be 25, bouncing back from drinking a moderate amount of alcohol is not as easy as it was when you were 22. Am I right, ladies?



I thought I'd sit down today and actually write a live, come-up-with-stuff-as-I-go post. First thing that came to mind? How much you can find to do when you want to avoid being productive.

1. Netflix
The ultimate time-sucker. You only watched one episode of Dexter? Pssh, who are you? You know you want to watch eleven. You can also find everything you never wanted to watch, but will because it beats organizing your closet or putting away laundry. Amiright?



2. Law and Order: Special Victims Unit marathons
Oh, just me? Thank you USA network for celebrating everything SVU: Olivia Benson Hair marathon, Mariska Hargitay birthday marathon, Family Feuds marathon, Resolve to Watch marathon, Detective Amaro marathon....the list goes on. You think they could put together a Bensidy (Benson + Cassidy, duh) marathon for me to watch? Don't mind me, I'll just be sitting on my ass in front of the TV for ten hours.



3. Organize iTunes
Because, HELLO, your music needs to be anally organized by artist, genre, and year, all songs must have album covers included, lyrics must be provided in the information box, and all writers of the song must be named. You think I'm kidding?

4. Blog Giveaways
Who wouldn't want to follow a few blogs, write a few comments, and tweet a little for a chance to win $3,000,000. Or a $5 Starbucks gift card.



5. Puppy Cuddles
Puppy cuddles > Taking a shower, brushing your hair, looking like a sane, career-oriented, responsible adult. Just try me.



6. Don't Answer the Phone
A foolproof way to not have to do something. "Oh, sorry, I must have left my phone in my purse in the other room on silent. I totally forgot about that!"



7. Make a List
Wait, what? Breanna, this should be on a list of how to get important things done. Nope. Why?
Honey, write things down on that list that you already did, then cross them out! Nothing makes you feel more like you've actually been productive.

And I'm ending the list at 7. Bye.

Thursday's Thoughts: One Color

First off, if you didn't read Helene's post yesterday, go do it now.

I am 1.) appalled that a college would actually print an article like this in their newspaper.
But 2.) I am glad that this issue is being pressed into the public conscience and being talked about instead of staying silently hidden behind closed doors.

Many of you who have been reading my blog know my support behind #NOMORE, so I am so happy that people are talking about this!

Thank you, Helene, for informing us about this ignorant article and sharing your own story. It's when I read posts like that, that remind me how proud I am to be a blogger.

I would also like to share that, in hoping to do more to spread awareness about the issues of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse, I am currently taking a Victim Assistance Provider course and have signed up for multiple webinars relating to these issues. I've always loved learning and am excited to educate myself more on the issues I feel passionate about.

Finally, I stumbled upon this Slam Poetry video on Tumblr the other day. It was performed at the 2013 National Poetry Slam in Minneapolis. It is powerful stuff. You should probably have some Kleenex handy.

My school was fairly progressive. They even taught contraception in our sex ed class.

When I was 14, my dad handed me a box of condoms and said, “You know how to use these, right?”

We were taught which preventative methods were the most effective.

I was in Texas, so dad’s with shotguns.

And where to go if something broke.

What to take, how to fix

This mess you’d gotten yourself in.

We were taught about herpes and gonorrhea and syphilis and

How to keep all your fluids to yourself.

My friends taught me which clinics wouldn’t tell my parents.

Which ones handed out free condoms.

But I was never taught that there are worse things that could happen than a baby or a disease.

Yeah, we learned about roofies.

We learned to respect when a woman says no.

We learned about protecting your drink, carrying pepper spray.

We learned what to do when a woman is assaulted.

But not that this could happen to me.

I was a virgin when I was raped for the first time.

When it happened to me, it was 10AM and my parents were home.

My textbook hadn’t described the way I wouldn’t even try to fight.

There was no paragraph for how to stop her without making a scene.

There wasn’t a worksheet for how to stop him without waking my sleeping parents.

There was no correct answer to her threats of suicide when I wasn’t in the mood.

There was no manual for the polite victim.

You know, it wasn’t like they said it’d be.

I was sober. He was sober. We were 17.

15.

They didn’t teach me that I wouldn’t know how to protect myself.

That my lungs would close up and we would make pretend husband and wife, make pretend love.

The thing about pretend

Is that it flattens everything into one color.

It makes it too simple.

It makes it one syllable and

That syllable is always captioned as a yes.

They didn’t teach me that I could want to be with someone, but not always want them.

That being curious about sex doesn’t mean I was asking for it.

What I learned

Was that I was supposed to want it.

I was supposed to feel stolen. I was supposed to feel like less of a human being.

I learned that if you don’t scream

No one will listen to you.

They don’t write about the ones that got away.

I learned that foundation comes in 14 different shades.

No one wants to hear

How your skin is changing colors.

They only ask how you’re doing

To hear you say, “Fine”. I learned. I was supposed to feel fine. We were lovers after all.

With a love like that

You hardly have to ask, right?

I don’t want to blame my school.

I don’t want to blame her.

I don’t want to blame my church or my mother or even the boy.

We were just children.

But this is preventable

So someone must be responsible for preventing it. We can teach this better.

Some paintings are built from a thousand points of color.

If you stand too close, a sunset becomes just a series of red dots.

We teach that rape is always a man in an alley.

Always a clenched jaw and a closed fist.

Always a stained white shirt.

But I never used my pepper spray.

I never had to worry about an uncle or a locker room.

Do not confuse one story for all stories.

Do not stare at a red dot and say

“The whole painting is just one color.”

Thankful Thursday

I'm going to turn today's post into something very sappy. I apologize in advance.

I started my blog in February 2009 because I was told I had to. Kind of annoyed, I did what I was told because it was a part of my grade.

I blogged about what I was supposed to and then in May 2009, I wrote 1 or 2 posts that I didn't need to. And then I got my grade (A) and I went home for the summer with a new major (Nursing) and I posted some more things I didn't need to. Back then, I had 4 followers. 3 from the group we were placed in for that class (and had to follow) and 1 of my long-time friends from elementary school who happened to find my blog.

Cut to August 2012.

I try to post (most) everyday. I have 41 followers.

THANK YOU!

I am so shocked and flattered that people actually read my blog for fun (at least I like to think so). Thanks to some of you for sticking with me on here over the past 2 years when I really didn't post all that often except for summer. I never once lost any followers and that amazes me because even I would have probably unfollowed this blog if I was a reader.

Ladies, thank you for providing inspiration for my life and amazing me at all the things we're capable of.

Thank you, especially, to the nurses and nursing students whose blogs I read. I find so much motivation and inspiration reading your blogs and get so excited for my future. I love being able to relate with the nursing students and knowing exactly what they are talking about when they post about nursing school.

I AM SO THANKFUL FOR YOU ALL!

Things I'm Loving

.My sunburn doesn't hurt nearly as bad as it has the past 3 days. I was actually able to get a full nights sleep in my own bed & *TMI*wear a bra!*TMI* Success!

.The CiCi's Pizza in my town is under new management & had a grand re-opening today. Their buffet is only $1.99 all day. It was my first time there and was delicious!

.For those who I haven't obsessed with this about, BIG BROTHER 14 PREMIERES TONIGHT! It's not summer until there's a new season of Big Brother! And I'm super interested to see how they will incorporate the 4 returning HG's (houseguests, for you non-BB types) into the twist. I think I already know, but who can say for sure? I do know who is coming back however and I'm pumped for 3 of the 4 returnees!

.I'm re-reading the book Sisters by Danielle Steel (I read it last summer) and am going to try and make a post on it like I did for the book A Bend in the Road. It would make a great movie, as well.

.I might go see Magic Mike again tomorrow with Beth & Caitlin since they really want to see it too :)

.I found a new Blogger Map through Latte Love Blog! I love finding new blogs from around the area! Go add your name!

 

People Like Us

 

 Photo courtesy of CW Rochester

As I said yesterday, I (along with probably almost all of the people pictured above) won two tickets to the advance screening of People Like Us, which comes out in theaters tomorrow. 

 

I wasn't expecting much of the movie because I hadn't seen that many previews on television and the only details I could find about the movie were that it was about a guy whose Dad dies and he has to give a bunch of money to his sister he never knew he had.

IT WAS SO GOOD! Seriously, really funny and sweet. If you like romantic comedies, go see it! If you like looking at hot guys on screen, go see it because, let's be honest, looking at Chris Pine for 2 hours is worth the ticket money :)

 It also stars Elizabeth Banks (Effie Trinket from Hunger Games, anyone?), Olivia Wilde, and Michelle Pfeiffer.

My favorite part? When Sam (Chris Pine) tells Frankie's (Elizabeth Banks) son his "Six Rules". So cute! The best was when the entire theater gasped in utter gross-ness (my word) when Frankie tries to kiss her (unbeknownst to her) brother. Haha!

If you see it, let me know what you think!

P.S. Today's my brother's 22nd birthday - WHAT?

Currently

I think, to get myself to blog more, I'm going to try and do link-ups whenever I come across one, so...

  

current book(s):

I have been on a reading frenzy this last week. I went to the library last Thursday night and I've already read four of the five books I got! I just finished "The Pregnancy Project" by Gaby Rodriguez and am about to start "Safe Haven" by Nicholas Sparks.

current playlist:

I was just listening to the acappella group Loreleis from University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. They sound amazing. I love the videos they just posted for "Wanting Memories" and a Simon & Garfunkel mash-up.

current color:

I'm loving bright colors right now: aqua, bright pink, yellow, lime green. Must be summer.

current food/drink:

Nothing. I could really use an iced coffee though...

My favorite? An Iced Jamaican coffee with cream, sugar, and a 1/2 shot of vanilla from Moka. Yum yum yum!

current favorite shows:

My summer obsessions are always -

current needs:

Some new clothes and a color touch-up on my hair. Oh and I guess I also need the money to do that!

current banes of my existence:

The fact that I currently have no job because I will only be in Rochester for 2 more months!

current celebrity crush:

Given the fact that I've been watching reruns of The O.C. before bed...

current #1 blessing:

The fact that a year from now I will have a job as a registered nurse!

current indulgence:

Wow. Can't think of anything.

current outfit:

Definitely NOT posting a picture because I am currently sitting here wearing capri sweatpants with a Luther Norse Blue Crew shirt and wet hair. Not attractive at all!

current excitement:

It's supposed to storm today and it's getting darker out :) I love thunderstorms

current favorite quote or verse:

Back in April, we had to attend a Narcotics Anonymous meeting for our psych class and at that meeting they talked about resenting things. One man said "Expectations are preconceived resentments". I don't know if that comes from the AA/NA book, but it has stuck with me ever since I heard it.

current wishlist item:

A new laptop. Mine is 5 years old and it freezes up all the time.

Or the T-Mobile myTouch Android because I need fun apps like Instagram, Keek, Foursquare. Can you tell I love social media?

current favorite product(s):

Moroccan oil. I need to go get some!

And I want to try the new International Delight Iced Coffee! Anyone try it yet? 

This thing took me forever to fill out and publish correctly. More evidence that I truly do need a new laptop - anyone wanna fund my new purchase????

Going Back to Nashville...

Lately, I've been missing Nashville like crazy. Everytime I see pictures, listen to the Grand Ole Opry, hear anything about my favorite city, I yearn to be back on I-24, driving back into town with the city lights shining!

I literally love EVERYTHING about Nashville! I can't wait until I can start looking for jobs & places to live down there to see if it might actually work out. Until then, here are just some of the reasons I LOVE NASHVILLE (...they should really make a shirt that says I <3 Nashville...who needs I <3 New York?!)

• THE MUSIC

• THE WEATHER (well, except that whole May 2010 flood that happened...)


• THE PEOPLE


• THE SKYLINE


• THE HONKY-TONKS

• THE FUNNY THINGS YOU SEE

• THE GRAND OLE OPRY

• THE COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME

• THE HISTORY

• THE BEAUTY

• THE STYLE
  
  
  

• THE WELCOMING FEELING YOU GET ANYWHERE YOU GO


• THE GOOD FOOD

• THE UNDISCOVERED TALENT


• HOW DREAMS CAN COME TRUE

(Other places I love, but cannot rave to this extent about are: Rochester, Minnesota, Decorah, Iowa, Chicago, Illinois, St. Louis, Missouri, Seattle, Washington, Charlotte, North Carolina, & Salt Lake City, Utah. If you buy me a ticket to some of these places, I might be able to become more obsessed. ;) }

Please Nashville - let me come back again!