Dear Girl/Guy-Friend,
Please stop taking pictures of yourself here. I know we're here because I'm here with you. While I'm sure it's important that your other friends (most likely frienemies, distant ones and work ones on Facebook) are wondering where you are or want to know how good you look in your outfit, you're boring me.
Social media has really changed our generation. We are the generation that invites people via emails, gets offended via text messages, and takes pictures of ourselves to share. It wasn't always like this especially without camera phones. Before I move forward, I confess that in Junior High, I went to Sears Portrait Studio with my friends. We took photos. I used lip liner incorrectly and spent an abhorrent amount of saved up lunch money on wallet sized prints that I just knew people would want. I was an idiot who wanted to show off my below average looks and lack of makeup technique. I wanted junior high flattery or maybe a boyfriend. Either way I was a fool and it's still a foolish thing to do since it is completely arrogant. (Not to mention I missed the coupons in the paper- I could've gotten 5 more wallet sized prints for the same price!) Technology has only inflated this problem of narcissism by making this more instantaneous and therefore a gratuitous exchange. It's so easy to barter our character flaws for a grab bag of emotional indulgences like ego boosting compliments, some witty banter from someone you respect, or even just an emoji icon of a smiling turd swirl via our mobile devices.
Surely I like to indulge in our friends' lives from time to time. I'm happy you got to fly first class! I'm happy you got to meet that famous person who makes us laugh! Your baby is beautiful! Damn, guy/girl, did you treat yourself to some Dior? (And no, I am underwhelmed by your new Michael Kors bag. Yawn) I'm glad you finally met the boy/girl of your dreams! I love your artistic photos! What an accomplishment! Your dog is so cute! Your meal looked so good! What? You got to hang out with Louis CK? But I just hope that you remember to not try so hard to look cool in your instagram/facebook feed. If you've taken more than 3 mins to take your photo, it's trying too hard. You don't need to. I really care about you and I think you're cool. It would be tragic if your internet persona became more interesting than you are in person. We know someone like this and we talk shit about them because it's lame. The person who posted a picture and used exclamation points in their caption but no one remembered them being there because they didn't say anything worth remembering. Right, girl/guy, it's sad?
So, pal, I just want to hang out with you because you're honest and you make me laugh. It's probably better to make an effort with the real life friends than the virtual ones like the ex you're still trying to impress via Facebook since that is the polite way to show eachother up as adults. Who says "wow I want to hang out with someone because they took really great pictures of themselves looking like they're having fun at [given bar full of fashionable people]?" No one.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Friday, January 4, 2013
Pro-Vacationer & My Catholic Guilt
Hello, I write to you from home in sunny Los Angeles.
Vacation has become me. I am wearing stretch cottons and shearling so that I can sleep at any given moment. This is how I relax. I'm not one of those people who relax with schedules and vacuuming. That is horseshit because those people are never "relaxed," they're "less agitated." When I relax, I do things on a whim. I shop when I want to shop. I eat cheeseballs for breakfast when I want. I drink coffee with extra creamer. My fiance is a lucky man.
People like to make resolutions around this time and for the most part, they're never really upheld for the next 50 weeks. Personally, I enjoy the lunar new year more, but I digress. But this year, I'm going to go ahead and give up guilt. When I was discussing my wedding plans with my Tito, I admitted to making certain plans because I felt "bad." My very wise and academia-styled Tito pointed out that it was my Catholic guilt and that I shouldn't feel bad. It's MY wedding.
This got me thinking. I remembered all of my "doomsday" theories. (Admit you had em too! You weren't sure we were going to live past 12/21/13!) I truly thought that things might be going my way because the world was going to end. That this could be the ONLY explanation as to why things were working out for me. On 12/22/13, this was proven to be untrue. I strongly believe in balance, but I realized I was applying this to my life incorrectly. Slightly. I won't admit that much wrongdoing.
My new 2013 theory on happiness is that we are entitled to it. Surely, it won't always be as obvious at times, but if we begin to see our dreams manifest, then so be it and they shouldn't come at a cost. I still believe in consequence or overindulgence, but I don't believe in feeling guilty about seeing the results I want to see and simple doing what makes me happy. Cheeseballs. Stretch pants. Writing. Sharing.
In the grand scheme of things, I don't suggest that you should act out on impulses or be selfish, nor do I believe that anyone deserves to be mistreated, but I do suggest to try to re-define or expand your honest definition of happiness. You'll know it when you know because it will be the simplest and most natural conclusion. Don't overthink it. Don't fight your instincts. Mirth is natural.
Vacation has become me. I am wearing stretch cottons and shearling so that I can sleep at any given moment. This is how I relax. I'm not one of those people who relax with schedules and vacuuming. That is horseshit because those people are never "relaxed," they're "less agitated." When I relax, I do things on a whim. I shop when I want to shop. I eat cheeseballs for breakfast when I want. I drink coffee with extra creamer. My fiance is a lucky man.
People like to make resolutions around this time and for the most part, they're never really upheld for the next 50 weeks. Personally, I enjoy the lunar new year more, but I digress. But this year, I'm going to go ahead and give up guilt. When I was discussing my wedding plans with my Tito, I admitted to making certain plans because I felt "bad." My very wise and academia-styled Tito pointed out that it was my Catholic guilt and that I shouldn't feel bad. It's MY wedding.
This got me thinking. I remembered all of my "doomsday" theories. (Admit you had em too! You weren't sure we were going to live past 12/21/13!) I truly thought that things might be going my way because the world was going to end. That this could be the ONLY explanation as to why things were working out for me. On 12/22/13, this was proven to be untrue. I strongly believe in balance, but I realized I was applying this to my life incorrectly. Slightly. I won't admit that much wrongdoing.
My new 2013 theory on happiness is that we are entitled to it. Surely, it won't always be as obvious at times, but if we begin to see our dreams manifest, then so be it and they shouldn't come at a cost. I still believe in consequence or overindulgence, but I don't believe in feeling guilty about seeing the results I want to see and simple doing what makes me happy. Cheeseballs. Stretch pants. Writing. Sharing.
In the grand scheme of things, I don't suggest that you should act out on impulses or be selfish, nor do I believe that anyone deserves to be mistreated, but I do suggest to try to re-define or expand your honest definition of happiness. You'll know it when you know because it will be the simplest and most natural conclusion. Don't overthink it. Don't fight your instincts. Mirth is natural.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)