Snow Day!

Monday, March 3, 2014

I guess you could say that today came about in a series of text messages.
First came the message that the radio station was off the air and that I didn't have to go into work. Then came the message that my university had canceled all classes for the day.
My university hasn't closed for inclement weather in twenty-seven years. Supposedly.
So this meant that it was perfectly acceptable to stay in and enjoy the day off.

Here's what I did today:

  1. Worked on homework. (I am a college student after all.)
  2. Watched Disney movies. I basically fell back in love with Beauty and the Beast.
  3. Drank coffee and tea.
  4. Put on a face mask. Hey, if you have the time, a beauty treatment is always fun option for a day off.
  5. Facetimed my parents and my two puppies. Harvey and Azalea, my two miniature schnauzers, actually like the snow!
  6. Slept in, because yes.
  7. I tidied up some. (I guess Snow White inspired me?)
  8. I mostly relaxed. And that's really what I needed most. Now, I'm ready to take on this week. :)







That Post I've Been Wanting to Write on Chivalry

A few weeks ago, I had to go into work to help transport equipment across campus to be used for my university's annual Bible Lectureship. We were going to be duplicating and selling CDs all week, so we were going to be trained as well.

So, up to the radio station I went. There are more guys than girls who work at the station, and even then, most of the girls who work at the station are either office or directorial staff, like myself. So, looking back, I would say there were about four girls to eight guys currently in the station the day we were asked to come in.

When the time came to carry things down from the third floor of the building to the lobby where a pickup truck awaited us, I promptly grabbed a crate filled with CDs and other such paraphernalia. It was then that I heard a voice pipe up.

"Is that too heavy?" asked one of my co-workers, who had started working at the station this semester. "I can carry that, too." He was carrying a crate of the exact same size.

"I've got it," I said.

"Are you sure?" he asked again.

I nodded. "Yeah." And we all walked to the elevator.

We made a second trip up to the station to carry things, but this time, I noticed that the girls were standing back as the guys picked up the crates and other supplies we needed.

Huh.

I held back and decided to let the guys take care of the heavy equipment.


Growing up as an only child, I was raised with the mindset that if there needed to be work done, or if someone needed help, I needed to help out if I was available to do so. This included lifting heavy things on some cases. When I was in high school, I distinctly remember having to lift set pieces while some guys actually didn't do a lot of the heavy lifting.

It goes beyond lifting objects, too. Even in college, I find myself getting frustrated at the guys who just open doors by mashing the handicap/automated door button and not physically grabbing the door handle and actually letting a girl walk in or out before them.

Moments like what happened in the radio station are so refreshing. I initially thought that I was fine with carrying a decently-sized crate, and that I was perfectly fine carrying things along with the boys, but being treated as though even lifting a finger was a travesty was so, so nice.

So, why are we so quick to dismiss chivalry as dead?

Is it because we're dismissing media like Disney movies - particularly movies about dashing princes and damsels in distress - as fantasy?
Is it because we as women are so focused on being equal to guys that we often forget that they actually want to treat us with respect, and we could possibly feel offended that a guy would not want us to over-exert ourselves?
Is it because we simply don't have time for it in our busy lives?

I'm not saying that chivalry is limited to only guys. Everyone should give a helping hand to those who need it. I'm just saying that, to my fellow ladies, if a guy treats us with respect, we should respect them by allowing them to do so. Let them open doors for us, carry heavy items, and help us with our homework. If we show that we appreciate this, especially at such a crucial time as our college years, the guys in our life will appreciate it, likely more than we know. They can then carry this skill into their future homes and families.

That being said, I understand that chivalry is often dismissed as old-fashioned and possibly even just a "southern" thing. And I understand that not everyone was exposed to it growing up. However, it can just be explained like this: it's about putting others before yourself. And anyone can do just that.


February Favorites

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Well hello, dear reader! :D

February was such a fun month, but it also FLEW by. I had so many fun memories this month, and I really enjoyed all the adventures I had in February, too.

So, here are my favorites. Ready? GO!

People, Places, Things

Imagine Dragons!
My very best friends and I all went to see them in concert and oh my goodness, they are really really great live. I've loved them for the past few months now, but getting to enjoy them in my hometown was fun. On a side note, I got to drag my friends to my stomping grounds and I got to see my parents that night, so that was cool.

Frozen
I saw Frozen the other night. Check out my blog post about it here for more details, but long story short: I loved it and I am most definitely buying the DVD. Or the digital copy. Or something. It was that awesome.

Disney Movies (Particularly, Disney Princess Movies)
Speaking of great movies, I've been watching a lot of these lately. My university has a great audiovisual library where we can rent out three movies at a time on Thursdays to return on Mondays. They have an excellent selection of Disney movies, so I've picked up quite a few classic ones to rewatch. It's fun how much you can catch when you're older, and you're also never too old to enjoy a classic tale ending in a "happily ever after".

The Olympics!
I always love watching the Olympics, especially the opening ceremonies. Watching the shows and watching the athletes parade in makes me so, so happy. Also, the figure skating events.

Colors: Lavender and Rose Gold
I've loved these colors in clothing, nail polish, and makeup lately. They're such great colors to transition into the warmer season, especially since we seem to have one foot in spring and another foot in winter still.

Sugarwish
Thanks to a little ecard from this site that my parents sent me, I now have a stash of blue raspberry gummy bears in my room. :D Basically, this site lets you send candy gifts to friends, and they can pick their own candy, which they can have shipped right to their door. It's such a great gift idea. (I'm not sponsored by Sugarwish. I just love the site and candy and wanted to share them with you all!).

Music

Radioactive (ft. Kendrick Lamar) - Imagine Dragons
Once Upon a Dream - Lana Del Rey
Rocks - Imagine Dragons (It's part of Nothing Ever Happens/Rocks and it's SO cute!)
Fallen - Imagine Dragons
Hear Me - Imagine Dragons
It's Time - Imagine Dragons
Let It Go - Idina Menzel (from Frozen)
Love is an Open Door - Kristen Bell, Santino Fontana (from Frozen)
Do You Want to Build a Snowman? - Frozen cast (Oh my goodness, this song tugs at my heartstrings)