SWIC Gets Happy!

My fellow SWIC staffers decided to make their very own version of Pharrell's "Happy."  See if you can spot me with the rest of the Financial Aid crew at spot 2:09.  Enjoy and remember to BE HAPPY!

Wonderfully Weird

Something happened today that I was not expecting.  A person at my place of employment (who shall remain nameless) stated:  "You're a little weird, Lauren T."

In retrospect, I have been called far worse.  But, this surprising revelation really stung.  Somehow I found the strength to say, "How?"

This person appeared to be at a loss for words.  I suppose he/she thought that I would just laugh it off or walk away with my tail between my legs (figuratively, of course).  All I wanted was an answer.

"Well," he/she stammered.  "You post pictures of dogs with no eyes."

I have no problems being judged as the "crazy dog lady."  To me, each dog is special, much like a human child.  I have no regrets about adopting any of my fur babies.  In fact, most of them would have been euthanized if their respective rescue groups hadn't given them a second chance.

The particular pooch that this person is speaking of is Hope.  She is a double Dapple Dachshund that was born without eyes and is deaf.  However, she does not let these "disabilities" prevent her from living her best life.  She loves to meet new people and dogs.  We are still working on getting her to like the cat.

My husband and I find Hope to be one of the most inspiring dogs that we have ever met.  In just two days, Hope was navigating our house as if she has lived here all of her life.  She even climbs onto chairs by using her front paws to pull her body through the opening between the back and seat cushions.  And even when she runs head first into things, she simply shakes it off and keeps going with her head held high and a smile on her face.

The same is true of our three-legged dog, Penny.  She uses her "stump" to hold onto toys and to "pin down" her brother, Cole, when they play together.  And don't forget that she is able to scale our four foot pet gate.  Penny also loves everything and everybody. 

Just because some of my dogs are not what many people would call "normal" does not mean that they are not worthy of being loved.  Can you imagine the parent of a human child with a disability not loving him or her?  Of course not!  Why should it be any different with fur parents?

While we are on the subject, my husband and I have CHOSEN to be pet parents.  We do not desire to have any human children.  And, quite honestly, we do not owe anyone an explanation as to why.  In addition, I believe that Matt and I take better care of our fur babies than many parents do of their own children.  Our "kids" are the most spoiled on the planet!

The person then managed to squeak out another reason for my "weirdness."  My rubber bracelets.  Everyday, without fail, I ALWAYS wear 5 rubber bracelets on my left arm.  I call this my "cause arm."

Each bracelet represents a specific cause that is important to me.  Allow me to explain.  The green bracelet is for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  I wear it to support my 91 year old Grandmother who was diagnosed with Mantel Cell Lymphoma two years ago.  The red bracelet is for the American Diabetes Association.  I wear it to support my Dad who was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes almost two years ago.  The purple bracelet is for the Pancreatic Cancer Network.  I wear this bracelet in honor of a friend of the family who passed away a year ago due to this horrible disease.

The yellow bracelet is for canine cancer.  I lost my very first dog, a Border Collie named Spots, to cancer.  The final bracelet represents my support of "special" dogs.  The "Everything Rosie" bracelet was created to celebrate the very short life of Rosie, a special Chihuahua that was the product of backyard breeding.  The message on the bracelet is "Always Adopt."  I agree wholeheartedly with this campaign.  (Check out www.everythingrosie.com to order your own bracelet and support the cause.)

I choose to wear these bracelets everyday because they are a part of who I am and what I stand for.  The people and animals that these causes represent mean the world to me.  I am proud to show my love and support.

I have known for quite some time that I am "not like everyone else."  I have never had a drop of alcohol in my entire life (except for communion).   I haven't ever tried drugs, smoked a cigarette or committed a crime of any kind, not even a speeding ticket.  I also do not believe in using profanity. It just diminishes the speaker's intelligence.

I am proud of the fact that I am "different."  I love knowing that there is only one person in the world like me.  And I am not afraid to own it.  In a world filled with copycats, I am an original. 

Windy Wendy

I have been a fan of the Wendy Williams show for years.  She has awesome guests and I used to love her Hot Topics segment.  Note the words "used to."

A few weeks ago, she mentioned that Justin Timberlake and his wife, Jessica Biel, were having some issues making their relationship work.  Justin is currently on tour and filming a movie and Wendy suggested that Jessica should go with him.  I agree.

However, what she said next was simply appalling.  She put a photo of Jessica up on the screen and said, "Ugh, she's just so boring."  Boring?  Jessica looked simply gorgeous.  She was wearing minimal makeup and was dressed like a proper lady.  Apparently, Wendy thinks that Jessica needs to change her look by caking on layers of makeup and letting things...hang out, as it were.

This is not the type of message that Wendy should be sending to the younger generation.  Girls are already wearing inappropriate attire starting as early as elementary school.  The last thing they need to be told is to wear even less than they already do.

Furthermore, Jessica is a natural beauty who doesn't need to hide behind makeup.  And she is perfectly happy with herself just the way that she is.  Unlike Wendy who went under the knife and woke up with a pair of ladies that could rival Ms. Dolly Parton's.  Why is Wendy being so judgmental?  Jessica knows exactly who she is and what she stands for.  She shouldn't feel the need to change herself because other people can't handle it.

Wendy also said that if Jessica decides to accompany Justin on tour, she shouldn't be his wife.  She should be "that freak in the bedroom."  What a truly disgusting thing to say!  She is taking the seriousness of marriage and boiling it down to sex.  Sex does not solve problems.  Couples that use sex to stay together will not last long because they are simply masking deeper issues. 

There needs to be a foundation of friendship.  An understanding that you will always be there for that person no matter what.  Especially on the days when he/she feels less than perfect.  Jessica Biel should continue to remain the strong and classy woman that she is.  In fact, Wendy could learn quite a few things from her.

Later on in the same show, Wendy was talking about Simon Cowell.  She mentioned that his girlfriend, Lauren, just gave birth to his son days earlier.  Wendy then went on to bash Lauren because her divorce from her husband was not yet finalized when she began dating Cowell.  She essentially called Lauren a hoe.

However, she then congratulated Christina Aguliera on her engagement to her boyfriend.  Did she forget that Christina and said boyfriend were living together before Christina's divorce was finalized, too?  And in her soon-to-be-ex-husband's house....where he was still living?  I'm sure that was a wonderful situation for Max, Christina's son.

How can Wendy be such a hypocrite?  Why is it okay for Christina to hook up with someone while still being married, but not Lauren?  What type of double standard is Wendy setting?

Personally, I think both women were in the wrong.  However, Christina is in the public eye more than Lauren.  In fact, I had never even heard of this Lauren person until I watched The Ellen Show and saw an interview with Simon.

It has become quite clear to me that Wendy has certain favorites.  If she doesn't like you, she is fully prepared to call you out on national television.  This saddens me greatly because I felt that she used to provide a quality show that remained on a positive level. I think it is time that people ask Wendy "Why you judgin'?"

Weighty Walkers

I love to walk.  And now that I have my fitbit Force, I am constantly on the go trying to beat my friends with my daily step total.  Zumba is a great way to hit my 10,000 step goal.

 

However, I have noticed that fewer and fewer Americans are choosing to walk.  Especially when they arrive at a store.  I’m sure that we have all witnessed the following scene:  a vehicle pulls up, parks in the fire lane and out pops someone from the passenger side who scurries into the store.  The driver then proceeds to sit in the fire lane with the car running until the shopper returns.

I must say, this truly enrages me.  First of all, this is illegal.  You are not allowed to park in a fire lane.  What if the store caught fire?  Imagine the chaos that would ensue if the fire truck pulled up to see a car parked where they need to be.  Then, the fire fighters would have to wait until the driver moves, delaying the time that the fire gets put out, increasing the damage that is done to the store and potentially endangering the lives of the shoppers within.

Another scene that I simply cannot stand is when a vehicle pulls up to the curb of a store and out hop three or four teenagers.  The vehicle then speeds away while the kids dance into the store.  Why are they receiving curbside service?  These people appear to be healthy.  So, why can’t they seem to make the short trek from the parking lot to the store?  And what are they going to do when they get into the store?  

These kids need to realize how lucky they are to be able to walk.  There are many children at local children’s hospitals that are confined to their beds or wheelchairs for life.  They will never experience the joy of running barefoot through grass or wading in a cool lake.  These children would love to be able to walk anywhere and would have no problem waiting until their parent’s park the vehicle to enter the store.

Perhaps the most frustrating of these offenders are the yuppies.  You know the type.  These people are dressed to the nines, wearing the latest Gucci clothing and toting around a Michael Kors purse.  Their Prada sunglasses are perched atop their heads.  And they all have of the same look of entitlement.  “I have the right to be dropped off at the door.  I’m special.”  It literally makes me sick.

I recently witnessed one such scene.  My husband and I were out shopping with my in-laws.  We went to a fun strip mall in Missouri.  It housed an REI, Whole Foods, Nordstrom Rack and more.  As my father-in-law was searching for a parking space, he got behind a 4x4.  Before the vehicle parked, the yuppie looking wife and teenage daughter hoped out of the car.  They turned around and looked right at us and laughed.  Laughed!  They seemed to think it was hilarious that they were making us wait to park.  Yes, entitlement is a horrible thing.

The husband/father then proceeded to park in the closest parking spot on the lot, aside from the handicap spaces.  His wife and daughter couldn’t have waited the additional two minutes for him to park?  Plus, we had to continue circling the lot since he took the parking spot we thought we were going to be getting.

I will never understand people who think that the rules and laws do not apply to them.  There is a reason why these rules and laws are in place:  to keep us safe and prevent the world from falling into utter chaos.  Why should anyone be an exception?

The final type of drop off that bothers me is that of the obese shopper.  I understand that being obese is a medical condition.  However, I have seen too many of these shoppers getting dropped off at the door and the first place they head to is the Starbucks inside of Target or the mini food court at Wal*Mart.  Then, they continue to shop while noshing on popcorn and a caramel latte.

While I am not a doctor, I am an avid exerciser.  And I subscribe to both Self and Shape magazine in addition to working out with my Jillian Michaels DVDs daily.  I have learned quite a bit about health and fitness in the last few years.  Like Jillian says, “Eat less, move more.”  These are the people that desperately need exercise.  And that trip from the parking lot into the store would burn off more calories than being dropped off at the door.  

All in all, we, as Americans, need to quit being lazy.  We should appreciate the fact that we live in a country where we are able to go shopping whenever we want.  And above all, we need to remember that somewhere in the United States is a person who is wishing that they could walk.  Be thankful and walk on!

Brazen Bridezillas

February is rapidly approaching.  And you know what that means.  Love will be in the air!

In fact, many people that I know are getting married this year. But, I fear that some of the brides-to-be are dangerously close to being labeled a "bridezilla."

What is a bridezilla, you may ask?  A bridezilla is bride that goes to extremes to make sure that her wedding day is absolutely, 100% perfect.  She may also place unreasonable expectations upon members of the wedding party as well as the guests themselves.  Ultimately, the bride is consumed with thoughts of herself...and no one else.

This troubles me greatly.  It seems that every bride is trying to achieve the "perfect" wedding.  As cheesy as it sounds, my wedding was perfect because of who I married.  Not because of the guests, the weather, the food, the gifts.  I was elated to finally marry the man that I had been engaged to for 3 years.

Thankfully, I never went into bridezilla territory.  And I would have had every reason to.  Two out of my three bridesmaids (they were sisters) e-mailed me at work to say that they decided they no longer wanted to be in my wedding...two weeks before the big day.  After they had already purchased their dresses and their names were on all of the programs. 

Speaking of the programs, they looked absolutely horrible.  The names of the bridal party were all stacked on top of one another.  Not the elegant look I was hoping for.  And to top it all off, my soon-to-be mother-in-law showed up wearing the exact same dress as my mother.

The only thing that I demanded was that the church be kept at a quite frosty temperature.  I was terrified that I was going to faint from being so nervous.  But, I thought that was a very reasonable request.

 Unlike some of the demands from bridezillas.  Some instruct their bridesmaids that they are not allowed to cut their hair before the wedding.  Others even go so far as to tell their "friends" that they need to go on a diet in order to look good for the photographs.  Ouch!

Still, others obsess about the decorations.  One of my co-workers has a daughter who is getting married in the next few months.  She apparently wants a photo booth, popcorn bar and candy bar at the reception.  Is this going to be a wedding or a county fair?

I have never understood the need for an extravagant wedding.  Two prime examples:  Kim Kardashian/Chris Humphries and Jessica Simpson/Nick Lachey.  Both of these starlets decided to televise their nuptials.  Lavish decorations surrounded their guests as these women floated down the aisle in wedding gowns that cost more than my mortgage.

But, does anyone remember any of the details of these two weddings?  Dresses aside, I highly doubt that you will hear someone say, "Boy, I remember the chair covers at Jessica's wedding.  They were stunning!"  What everyone (at least those that pay attention to pop culture) knows is who married who.

And that is the whole point of a wedding.  It isn't to show someone else up or impress a snobby family member.  It is not meant to be akin to a concert, where you need bouncers at the door.  A wedding is supposed to be a celebration of eternal love between two individuals.

Plus, what does having such a ridiculously large wedding prove?  In the case of Kim and Jessica, their marriages lasted only for a few years.  All that time and money spent trying to make the wedding "perfect" was wasted.

I would strongly encourage all future brides to remember the reason why you are getting married in the first place:  love.  This day is not only about you and how you look.  It is about your partner and the fact that you are about to embark on the most amazing journey ever...together.

Patronizing Patience

My Grandmother has a friend who loves to constantly repeat the phrase "Patience is a virtue."  To be honest, I never really knew what the meant.  I thought that this was something parents usually said to their children when being asked for money to purchase something.  However, over the past two years, I have begun to see how patience has played a huge part in the success of my life. 

The very first job that I had right out of college appeared to be my "dream job."  I was actually using the college degree that I had worked so hard to obtain.  But, the honeymoon did not last long.  Luckily, I was able to find another job rather quickly.  I was on cloud nine.  I thought that I was making a true difference in the world and helping others.  Until I found out the company had very shady business ethics.

I then went through a series of horrible jobs.  Working at a fast food restaurant would have been better than what these jobs entailed.  My husband and I had only been married for two years.  We were struggling to make ends meet and were lucky enough to be able to pay the rent.  I was desperately seeking a full time job.

That's when my mother brought up the phrase about being patient.  But, when you are constantly worrying that you will not have enough money to purchase food or that your crazy landlord may kick you out onto the street at any moment, being patient seems an impossibility.  Especially when I became unemployed for a month.

I cried myself to sleep too many nights to count.  And I prayed constantly.  I wanted (and needed) a full time job and I needed it NOW.  I always thought that my mom just didn't get it.  She has her dream job and dad makes more than enough money to support them both.  I felt like she didn't understand the struggles that Matt and I were going through.

One thing that I refused to do was give up.  I was constantly on Careerbuilder.com and Monster.com.  I would refresh the page every hour on the hour.  I knew that I would accomplish nothing by sitting on the couch feeling sorry for myself.

I have noticed that just when I think my life is over or that bad things/situations will never get better, God always comes through.  I received a call for a job interview at the local college I had graduated from.  A few days later, I got another call offering me the position.  I was still a part-time employee, but it was certainly better than being unemployed.

About four months into the position, I learned that our office (A) was feuding with another office (B).  I couldn't understand what the issue was.  Something about we had "too many workers."  Soon, I was told that I was going to be moving to office B and become their employee.  While greatly confused, I was just thankful to still have a job.

This is where God and patience came in.  I worked in office B for a year.  One day, I noticed a job opening in office A.  I decided to apply.  Lo and behold, I got the job.  My former co-workers seemed so excited to have me "back."  And I felt like I was home.

After a month of being back, one of our full time employees quit to pursue other job opportunities.  I was asked if I would mind doing part of this person's job in addition to my current responsibilities. I accepted without hesitation.

The following month, the job posting went up for the position.  At a co-worker's encouragement, I applied.  Honestly, I didn't think that I had a chance.  I had only worked at the college for a year (and a few months).  While I have my Bachelor's Degree, I feared that I would not have enough job specific experience.

I was stunned when I received a phone call requesting an interview.  When that day came, I was a nervous wreck.  I usually have a good feeling when leaving an interview.  Not this one.  Everyone was so stern and tense.  All I kept thinking was "I blew it."

Upon returning from winter break, my supervisor and his/her supervisor called me into his/her office.  They offered me the job!  I thought I was going to cry.  All of my prayers were being answered.  And while it took a lot of hard work, it also took patience.

The timing of it all still amazes me.  If I hadn't been back in office A, I wouldn't have been able to begin learning portions of the soon-to-be-posted position.  The new office director wouldn't have seen my intense work ethic.  And I would have never applied for the full time job that I will begin this February.

Being patient wasn't easy.  In fact, I struggled with it daily.  But, my 91 year old Grandmother knew it all along.  "A smart girl like you?  You'll move up quickly.  Just be patient."  So, keep trying and fighting for your dreams.  Sometimes, we need to step back in order for God to step in.

Demented Disney

WARNING:  Contains graphic content and the plot of Disney's "The Lone Ranger" will be revealed.

My husband and I were so excited to see the preview for "Disney's The Lone Ranger."  Matt remembered watching the television show as a kid and I have always been fond of westerns.  Unfortunately, we were unable to make it to the theater in time to see it on the big screen.

We patiently watched the Red Box app to for the movie to become available.  As soon as it was, we quickly rented a copy.  With freshly baked pizza in our laps, we sat on our living room floor and prepared to laugh our socks off.

Instead, we were completely horrified.  The movie was not an adventure/comedy.  What we saw was a very dark side of the Disney empire (Star Wars pun implied).

At the very beginning of the film, we meet Dan Reid, the ranger of the small town of Colby, Texas.  He is awaiting the arrival of a train that contains a certain outlaw (Butch Cavendish) who is to be hanged by his hands.  We soon learn that Cavendish is also chained to none other than Tonto.

John Reid (Dan's younger brother) is a lawyer returning home to visit his family.  He too, is on the same train.  While looking out his window, he sees the shadow of a man walking on top of the train.  The man turns out to be Tonto who is chasing the now escaped Cavendish.

John jumps atop the train and follows Tonto.  Together, they end up taking out several of  Cavendish's posse members, but manage to be foiled by Cavendish himself.

The pair are finally rescued by Dan Reid.  John insists on accompanying Dan into Comanche Territory to make sure that justice prevails.  While Dan fears for his younger brother, he makes him an honorary Texas Ranger and agrees to let him join the party.

Due to the double crossing of one of their own posse members, the rangers are ambushed in valley.  Cavendish comes upon Dan, who is quickly dying from multiple bullet wounds.  John (who is lying beside him) comes to in time to see Cavendish rip out Dan's heart and eat it!

I wanted to turn the DVD off right then and there.  What kind of demented script writing is that?  Not to mention that while this "feeding" is taking place, we are treated with seeing one of the posse members throw up.  As if that wasn't bad enough, we then get to see Cavendish's blood soaked hand accept a napkin and daintily wipe his mouth afterward.

How could Disney have come to this?  I understand that the film has a rating of PG-13, but even at my age of 29, I was not ready for the pure gore that filled this movie.  And didn't Walt Disney build his empire on wholesome family films?  Classic fairy tales with memorable characters and musical numbers?  This was more akin to something from "Carrie."

But, the darkness didn't stop there. While John and Tonto continue to pursue Cavendish and his men, they attempt to follow a horse into the desert.  The horse literally drops dead.  To make matters worse, Tonto goes up and kicks, yes, kicks the horse to make sure it is no more.  That's a fantastic way to show children how to treat animals.  And the sad part is, I think that was supposed to be the comic relief.

In addition, John and Tonto have to go to a whore house to enlist the help of the owner, Red.  So, now Disney is doing horror films and soft porn?  I was truly appalled.  Plus, Red has had her own run in with Cavendish.  He ate her leg!  In its place, she now has a custom built leg that contains a gun that fires out of her high heel shoe.

Honestly, I don't know what the script writers were thinking, but I'm pretty sure that a certain plant was involved.  The plot was absolutely non-existent.  None of the characters were memorable.  And the movie was 149 minutes too long.

What I would like to know is what were the big wigs at Disney thinking?  I'm sure that Walt is spinning in his cryogenic encasement.  This is not the type of film that he would want to add to his legacy.

Some may say that the Disney corporation was simply trying to "branch out."  But, I think that we, as Americans, have come to trust the Disney name.  If Matt and I had any human children and they had requested to see the movie, we would have let them go without hesitation.  Some of my fondest childhood memories have been seeing Disney films in the theater.  And having seen several episodes of "The Lone Ranger" black and white T.V. series, who would think that there was anything to worry about?

It is hard to believe that this is the same corporation that brought us "Frozen."  I think that Disney has really crossed the line with this film and the overall interpretation of "The Lone Ranger."  Perhaps the Disney team should follow the motto of:  "If it's not broke, don't fix it."