An Open Letter

 

Dear friends,

I, along with millions of others, have had the Olympics on my mind and on my TV for the past week or so.  The news of Simone Biles opting to stop her participation was huge news this week.  She decided to put her mental health before her fame.  I've seen many different responses to the news.  A lot of love and encouragement, but also a lot of shaming and hate.  I've seen comments on social media from people I know and love.  So here is my open letter to those friends.

For those of you who are shaming Simone Biles for quitting, let me be the first to apologize.  I'm sorry that I, your friend, struggle with mental illness.  I'm sorry that I worry every day about what my future holds, or if I even have a future.  I'm sorry I can be such a Debbie Downer at times.  I'm sorry I'm too afraid at times to act 'normal'.  I'm sorry if I ever made you feel ashamed to call me a friend.

For my friends who are showing love and support towards Simone, I now know who I can turn to in times of trouble.

I, too, have had to make difficult decisions in the past.  Do I keep pressing forward in an emotionally draining environment?  Or do I quit to take care of myself?  I do my best to weigh the pros and cons.  If I can't see myself continuing on and being happy, I'll admit that I give up.  It's never an easy choice, but it's a choice that sometimes needs to be made.  I may give up on a lot of things, but I refuse to give up on myself.

I love each and every one of my friends.  I hope they all know that I can be a listening ear and/or a shoulder to cry on if they need one.  Life gets tough, but you can make it through.  Just make the right choice, even if it's the difficult one.

Your friend and ally, 

Philip 

Underdog

I love Alicia Keys's new song "Underdog"!  In it, she sings about people who are struggling through life but continue to live with a positive outlook.  I especially love the chorus.

"So I sing a song for the hustlers trading at the bus stop

Single mothers waiting on a check to come

Young teachers, student doctors

Sons on the front line knowing they don't get to run

This goes out to the underdog

Keep on keeping at what you love

You'll find that someday soon enough

You will rise up, rise up, yeah"

These are people so overlooked that, I'll admit, I never would have considered them underdogs.  Single mothers (and single fathers) are some of the strongest people there are.  Young teachers and student doctors are beginning amazing and meaningful careers.  And everyone praises the soldiers fighting for their country.

Then I think back on my life.  I've been attending college on and off for almost ten years.  I spent seven years in a low wage job before beginning my college student dream of Mannying.  I have multiple health problems, both physical and mental.  And I can't whistle or snap my fingers.  Doesn't get more underdog then that, right?

So what keeps me going?  Like Alicia said, "Keep on keeping at what you love".  As much as I don't love college, I love my major and look forward to what I can do and become as a school counselor.  The kids I currently work with are a huge blessing in my life and I love seeing them every week.  My parents are honestly the best and most supportive people in the world.  And I have a cat that loves me so much, she's sleeping on my chest as I type this up.  Life is good, and I just have to always remember that.

I Am the Perfect Housewife

I know what you're thinking: "Dude, you're a dude!"  Thanks for noticing, it really means a lot.  But if you really know me, I think you'd agree.  I am the perfect housewife.
First off, I love working with kids.  I've been mannying now for almost three years.  After being a middle school guidance counselor, my dream job would be a stay at home dad.  I understand kids and know how to work with them.  It just comes naturally to me.  A mother's instinct, if you will.
I also love to cook.  I've been doing a lot more cooking lately.  Finding new things to cook can be a lot of fun.  Some of my favorite recipes include banana bread, Cajun chicken alfredo, and chicken saag.  Chicken is my area of expertise.
And, believe it or not, I often find joy in cleaning.  Usually after I find the motivation.  I simply love the feeling of accomplishment when I see all the hard work pay off.  I also like to blast music while cleaning.  It keeps me relaxed and focused.
Although traditionally unorthodox, stay at home dads are becoming an increasingly common thing.  Men can be just as nurturing and loving as women can be.  So, although I would most like to work in a school helping kids throughout the roughest part of adolescence, I would also be alright with staying at home to raise my own children.  As a house husband.

Morning Madness

I was being swallowed up by the darkness, as if hands creeping from the shadows were dragging me down to the fears that lived inside my mind.  My thoughts turned to dread, hopelessness, and death.  I was alone on my own little planet without a light to see the way, all the stars burned out.  Madness was taking over.  I truly wished I was dead.

Saturday morning, I woke up to racing thoughts, mostly about failure, debt, and my future.  I was overcome with a feeling of dread of what my life was to become.  I had no money, no hope to pay for my tuition, anxiety over doing online courses, and felt like a failure for having to move back in with my parents.

When I finally made my way out of bed and got my breakfast, my mom came out and asked me to do the dishes when I was done eating.  Still overwhelmed by emotion and fear, I covered my face and just started crying.  I added embarrassment to the list of emotions going through my mind.

The next day, I awoke to the same thoughts swimming around in the front of my brain.  Within two hours, I was on the verge of tears three times.  I kept telling myself that I was better off dead, but was too afraid to actually act out on those thoughts.  I told myself that I needed to be admitted to the hospital, but I don't currently have good insurance.  My anxiety meds finally kicked in, and I was better.  Not 100%, but better.

That evening, I spoke to my parents about the things that were worrying me.  I dropped two of my three online courses, which was a huge relief.

I am doing much better now, back to 100%.  

This isn't easy to share.  It's not easy telling people that you were on the verge of giving up on life.  But I am sharing this for a reason.  On the outside, I may look like I'm doing really well.  But the outside is not a reflection of the inside.  Talking with my parents was a huge help for me.  I would urge anyone who has gone through an episode like I experienced to talk to someone.  Ending your life and giving up is never the answer.  Talk to someone you know will listen.  You can overcome the darkness.

Getting Back in the Groove

As I mentioned last week, I have been attending a recreational therapy program called THRIVE.  It is aimed towards people with depression and/or anxiety and helping them cope with life.  One of the main purposes of THRIVE is creating goals and seeing them through.  We meet in accountability groups at the end of each session to see how we're doing with our goals.
Since I started attending THRIVE, I have noticed that I have become much more motivated and happier.  My younger brother said he noticed the same thing.  Since beginning THRIVE, I have been going to the gym, I changed up my eating habits, started meeting with a wellness coach, and started truly enjoying life.  I still get anxious and depressed, but I now have a better grip on reality.
One week at THRIVE, we talked about finding our flow.  Flow is experienced when you are doing something you absolutely enjoy and that seems to come naturally for you.  Time seems to slow down and nothing else matters.  I experience flow the most when I'm brainstorming photo ideas and executing those ideas.  Photography is my thing.  Time slows down and nothing but my ideas and photos matters.  Flow is when we are feeling the most at ease.
I am truly grateful for the THRIVE program and all that I have learned there.  I was beginning to think that a change in medication or dosage was the only thing to get me out of the funk I was in.  But I can attest that therapy, along with medication, is the best way to get back into the groove of things.

A Great(er) Depression

What can I say?  Idaho is just a depressing place.  I spent almost all of February through April hating life and hating myself.  I hid it well.  On the outside, I was a happy young man with a couple small issues.  But inside, I didn't know who I was anymore.  I went through all the motions: get up, eat, go back to bed, go to work, go back to bed.
When school started, things began to change.  My depression was still there, but not as intense as it had been.  I actually had things to do with my day.  I woke up in the morning, went to class(es), went to work, then back to bed.
My therapist, who is amazing, by the way, recommended a program on campus called THRIVE (I'm not sure why it's all caps, it doesn't stand for anything).  THRIVE has helped me so much.  It's a recreational therapy group that helps me and others in my situation learn how to deal with life.  Because of THRIVE, I have become motivated to go to the gym three days a week, to meet up with a wellness adviser to help me with my nutrition, and to simply see the good things in life.  I'm more motivated to try new things.  I'm not nearly as anxious as I normally am, and my depression is completely gone.
I guess my message is this:  Get out of your comfort zone and try something new.  I'm still taking my medications as prescribed.  But instead of increasing my dosage, my doctor suggested THRIVE, socializing, and trying new things.  I realize this is much easier said than done, but it works.  I have found myself again.  I am in a much better place.

'Man's Search For Meaning' Book Review

I kind of cheated this week.  This is actually paper I had to write for my History and Systems of Psychology class.

Man's Search for Meaning Book Review

Viktor E. Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning has been a must-read for decades. Frankl's portrayals of his experiences in Auschwitz are both haunting and enlightening. The book is split into two sections: Frankl's experiences in Auschwitz and other concentration camps; and a detailed description of logotherapy and its uses. While at the concentration camps, Frankl described the hardships he and his colleagues faced. He mentioned the pains and illnesses suffered in the camps and how he was able to rise above them all and stay optimistic. Years later, after returning to normal every day life, Frankl coined the term logotherapy, which he defined as “the meanings to be fulfilled by the patient in his future” (Frankl, V., 1959, pp. 98). In other words, logotherapy helps patients reevaluate their lives so they can make the changes needed to live a happier life. Frankl then gave different examples of how he has used logotherapy to help various patients.

While in the concentration camps, Frankl witnessed many of his fellow prisoners give up on life. They had lost their meaning for living. Because of his medical experience, Frankl was put to work as a camp medic. He saw a lot of illness and death. For many of the deaths, though, Frankl believes the cause to be a mental shut down of sorts. Living in a concentration takes a toll on a person and it is easy to give up. The men he saw die were usually the ones who had given up on life. This goes to show how important it is to have a meaning in life.

The second part of the book explains logotherapy, which Frankl used to help people renew their sense of purpose. He gave examples of different methods he used with his patients. One method Frankl used, which was the basis of logotherapy, was the paradoxical intention. Frankl discovered that by having someone willingly try to react to their fears, they would find that they physically could not react. Frankl gave the example of a boy who had a stutter. The boy got caught hitching a ride on a streetcar and attempted to exaggerate his stuttering for sympathy. He actually didn't stutter at all. By forcing himself to do something he did involuntarily, he was able overcome it (Frankl, V., 1959, pp.126). The goal of using logotherapy is to reestablish someone's meaning. When someone is feelin helpless and just wants to give up, usually by suicide, logotherapy can be used to help the subject overcome their struggle and reawaken their sense of meaning.

The part of the book that stood out to me the most was in part two when Frankl discussed the existential vaccuum. Frankl defines the existential vaccuum as a person's “inner emptiness, a void within themselves” (Frankl, V., 1959, pp. 106). This is my first semester at Brigham Young University-Idaho. I had been attending a community college in my home state of Pennsylvania before moving out west. I have experienced the existential vacuum first hand. Other than going to my classes, church, and work, I spent a lot of my time in bed. I felt empty inside, often wondering if I had made the right choice in moving out west. I know what I want to do with my life, but with over three years left of college, I wondered if it was worth it.

There was a particular day I was really struggling in my search for motivation and meaning. The next day, in part two of Man's Search for Meaning, I read the following: “...everyone's task is as unique as is his specific opportunity to implement it” (Frankl, V., 1959, pp. 109). This simple sentence, and a few lines before, really struck me. Not only did my life have meaning, but I was the only one who could fulfill it.

After eventually getting my Masters degree, I plan on being a middle school guidance counselor. I love working with kids, especially in the pre- to young teen ages. I have been working with children through Church and my job for years. After reading the line mentioned above, I realized that maybe I am the only one who can help a certain child in the future. My eyes were opened from reading Frankl's words. And my meaning reasserted itself. College made sense to me again. Even though it is difficult right now, the end goal is what should be my priority.

Frankl's book, though difficult in parts, was a great read for me. It truly changed my perspective on what life is about. I have a new outlook on life that I pray I will never become blind to. 

 

Works Cited

Frankl, V. E. (2006). Mans search for meaning. Boston: Beacon Press.

Anxious Grins

The boys say that I am evil.  Every Thursday morning during the Summer, I drag them to the library to see a show.  One week a singer performed.  Another week, a bug expert showed off some of his collection.  This week, Grins and Grins Comedy Show visited.  (They're pictured above.)
The Grins (yes, that is actually their last name!) put on a show full of jokes, juggling, and jabbering.  Mrs. Grins really likes to talk!  The show didn't really hold the boys' interest.  Not even when Mr. Grins brought out his Chinese yo-yo and did tricks.  The boys just looked bored throughout the entire show.
Until the finale.
Mr. Grins looked out into the back of the audience, searching for an adult to come up and assist him and his wife.  "How about you, in the blue shirt and glasses!"  He was staring right at me.
I went up and introduced myself, trying to stay calm.  Mrs. Grins lead me in a hula dance that got a little crazy.  It ended with us doing the Lawnmower.  Mr. Grins then brought out two mini surf boards (one pictured above) and a large tin can.  He then proceeded to put the surf boards flat on the floor and he and I "surfed" the waves.  He then got the can and put one of the surf boards on the can.  He told me step on up while he and his wife held my hands.  In their other hands were hula hoops.  They got me balanced, put the hula hoops around my body, and swapped hula hoops.  That was easy enough.
Mr. Grins pulled me to the side while his wife continued entertaining.
"Do you have any back problems?" he asked.  Oh boy.  Anxiety levels rose a little more.
After saying that I have a perfectly healthy back, Mr. Grins proceeded to stand on the surf board and get a good balance.  Mrs. Grins then jumped onto one of Mr. Grins hips.  I was then asked to jump onto the other hip.  I did so.  Mr. Grins balanced for about ten seconds before having us jump off again.
End of show.
I went back to the boys, who were all smiles at this point.  The 14- and 12-year old both asked me how my anxiety was.  (Have I mentioned how awesome these boys are?)  All I had to do was show them my shaky hands.  They laughed, but then asked me if I would be alright.  Aside from my knees knocking on the way to the car, I was perfectly fine.
I have always had great anxiety about being the center of attention.  So being somewhat forced into being in the spot light (especially during a comedy show!) was terrifying for me.  But I made it out alive.  And I realized that, despite what may have been going through my brain, there was never anything to worry about.  Except getting dropped by Mr. Grins.
On the way home from the library, I asked the boys what their favorite part of the show was.  They all said "The finale!"

Don't Waste My Time

This time a year ago, I was working between 8-10 hours a day, 4-6 days a week.  But that's all I was doing.  While I was at home, I would waste my time on Facebook, playing video games, watching TV, or sleeping.  Usually sleeping, to be honest.
Now, I am working three jobs (one with random hours), I try to visit with my Little Brother every week, I blog every Thursday, I dog sit on occasion, and I dabble in the photographic arts.  I am also active in my church and volunteer at my church.  I could use a break!  So what do I do?  I consider the unused hours between everyday life and bedtime.  Call me crazy, but I'll soon be signing up for an online college course.  And I still apply to weekend child care jobs, despite my three jobs.  What is wrong with me?!
This year, I realized that are a lot of minutes in a day.  Why waste them?  I have found positive ways to spend my time.  Through my jobs, I'm not only making money, but I'm also helping the children I take care of.  I have become a part of their lives, someone to look up to.  Visiting with my Little gets me out of the house doing fun things.  I have the opportunity to be a good example to a child who needs a positive male role model in his life.  And yet, my Little has been the example for me.  While volunteering at church, I have learned more about myself and what I am capable of.
Am I tired?  No.  I'm exhausted!  But it's all worth it.  My life has changed so much this past year, for the better.  And I feel that this is the result of not wasting my time.  I am living life, loving life.  I live life differently than most people, but I enjoy what I do. 

My Story Isn't Over Yet;

I have been so overwhelmed with working one job, training for another, finishing up my online math class, and a million other things that I decided to take a break from my blog.  So, I had my brilliant and wonderful mother write the blog post this week.  I absolutely refuse to skip a Thursday!

 

When Philip asked me to do his last blog post of the month, I thought, no problem. This is Mental Health Awareness month. I have soooo much I could share, but therein lay the problem. I have TOO much for a single blog post. So after debating all week over what I should write, allow me to share with you a single day in the life of someone with bipolar disorder.

Morning can be a struggle, even on sunny days. I fight with pain issues on a regular basis, but add just a little bit of depression to that, and some days I can hardly move. My limbs feel like lead weights, my eyes don't want to open and see the reality of a new day. I don't work, so often I feel totally useless as well. Why bother getting out of bed? Not a problem if I'm hypo(manic). I jump out of bed and rush around not getting hardly anything accomplished in my hyper disorganization. But there are some things that MUST be done. Having to force yourself to do the basics can be very discouraging.

Get up, get dressed, eat and TAKE YOUR MEDS. No matter how horrible you feel, no matter how scattered your thoughts, nothing will make it worse than not taking your meds. If nothing else gets done all day, you must take your meds. A regular (healthy) eating and sleeping schedule can help moderate your symptoms. But we all know that eating healthy is tough when the meds that are supposed to be helping you slow your metabolism and make you crave everything you shouldn't eat. I gained 90 pounds in a year on two meds that I have since insisted be changed. It's difficult to motivate yourself to take medications that put you at risk for heart disease and diabetes. Talk to you doctor. There are other meds to try. We finally got it right the third time around.

I have set up for myself a routine of what needs to be done during the course of the day. For me it's: dishes, laundry, plan/cook dinner, volunteer work I do on the computer (this is what gives me a sense of purpose.) In the spring and summer I also tend the garden. If I'm feeling good I will try to do some other additional housework, or maybe even go out in public. I must be very cautious with my moods and shopping. It is always best to have another person with me when I go to JoAnn Fabrics, or I might spend way too much money. Over time I have become much better about controlling my spending, but it can still be a fight.

A note about leaving the house. When depressed, I can barely get dressed, so going out is not likely. When I'm hypomanic, I want to go out and be with people and do things, but I have a constant fear of annoying them with my incessant jabbering or being inappropriate in some way. Saying the wrong thing, being arrogant, angry or judgmental. Being aware of these things helps me keep these rotten behaviors in check, but sometimes they still get the best of me. So I get embarrassed, and don't want to be around people. My meds make me air-headed and shaky, so that can be a bit awkward in publc.

There is one big thing that helps me get through the day. My dog. If you don't have a comfort animal, you don't know the benefit you can reap from their presence. My comfort animal is a two year old Australian Shepherd/Golden Retriever mix named River Song. She is very sweet and soft and cuddly, and she can make the stress ease away. Dogs love you no matter what. She calms me through tears, shaking, and uncontrollable racing thoughts. When mixed states threaten to rip me in half, River can cuddle up and ease the pain. A black cat serves as a comfort animal for one of my children.

By the time evening runs around I am often emotionally exhausted, though usually it's more physical. I try to get dinner on the table by six for my husband, succeeding some days, failing on others. If I have been having severe racing thoughts during the course of the day, nothing gets done. There are too many voices talking in my head, leaving me constantly confused. If I'm hypo I may start several projects but not finish them, adding to the mess that is my house. This is another area where I can see improvement, but it can still be a problem.

It is with great relief that my bedtime rolls around. I have a small snack and take my night-time meds. If the racing thoughts will let me, I fall asleep fairly quickly. But whether I sleep well or not, the next day I will have to face the chaos I left the day before.

A couple other thoughts. My bipolar treatment interferes with my pain treatments, so we have to balance the two problems and the medications I take. Not fun. Also, if you really want to know what bipolar can be like, read A Brilliant Madness by Patty Duke. It's terrifying, but so informative. It really helped me to see how bipolar was effecting me everyday, and thus allowed me to be on guard for when symptoms popped up. Recognizing symptoms, plus my meds, plus my wonderful supportive family (including the dog) have helped me function at almost a normal level. You can feel like yourself. As for me, my story isn't over yet;

A Mental Note

Nothing irks me more than when people blame things on a mental disorder.  "I made this choice because I have a mental illness."  No.  You made that choice because there was a choice to be made.  As you may recall from a previous post (I Am Not My Body), you are not defined by your mental health problems.  You define yourself.
Having grown up with severe social anxiety, I know what it is like to make choices based on my feelings.  And I regret a lot of the choices I made.  I was too scared to do things that I probably would have enjoyed.  But I didn't make my choices because of my anxiety.  The anxiety certainly influenced my choices.  Now, as an adult, I still struggle a lot with my anxiety.  But I push myself out of my comfort zone.  I want to experience life, even if my brain doesn't.  I fight my anxiety.
Which is why certain illnesses becoming mainstream really confuses me.  All this talk about gender dysphoria (aka transgenderism), for example.  Gender dysphoria used to be labelled as a mental illness.  Now, it is a way of life.  It is a choice.  What does that mean for other mental illnesses?
Now, imagine a world where there are no mental illnesses.  Only choices.  Different ways of life.  Anxiety is socially accepted as a way of life.  I am free to never leave my house, to stay cooped up with my fears, terrified of the world around me.  But it's okay.  I made my choice to live with my fears.
What a frightening world!  It gives me anxiety just thinking about it.  Mental illnesses are...well, illnesses.  They are meant to be overcome.  A woman with breast cancer doesn't choose to accept her illness.  She fights it.  A man with diabetes doesn't accept his illness.  He fights it.  A child with the flu doesn't accept their illness.  They fight it.  It really frustrates me that certain mental disorders are being made mainstream while people are still fighting to overcome their own disorders.  I don't mean to start any arguments.  Everyone, including myself, is entitled to their own opinions.  (So please don't stop following me or unfriend me!)  I just want people to see my side of things.  I will respect other people's choices because they are free to make choices.  I can't decide things for others.  But please, don't let a simple hormone imbalance (serotonin in my case) be the deciding factor in your life.  Remember, I am not my body.  Neither are you.  You decide who you want to be.  Choose wisely.

Why Can't Big Boys Cry?

Growing up with anxiety gave me a lot to cry about as a kid.  I was afraid of the dark, afraid of people, afraid of water (swimming).  When put in an uncomfortable situation, I would usually cry.  It took me years to overcome this.  There have been times as an adult where I was put in an uncomfortable situation and the only thing I could do was shed a few tears.  In today's society, this is really embarrassing.  I'm actually embarrassed to be writing about this.  We as a society are just fine with women crying.  They are allowed to show emotion.  But Heaven forbid if a boy should cry.  Buck up!  Big boys don't cry.
It seems as though boys are taught to hide their emotions.  I tried to hide mine for years.  All that bottled up emotion has to come out eventually.  Let's just hope no one is around when it happens.
I don't remember the last time I cried, which is a huge improvement for me.  But when I keep my emotions to myself and let them build up inside me, I usually end up crying eventually.  But different people react in different ways.  Some people, after hiding their emotions, can become angry and lash out at loved ones.  Not only is that unhealthy, it is potentially dangerous for others.
Remember those t-shirts that said "Real Men Wear Pink"?  It's true.  Real men do wear pink.  Real men also show emotion.  They express their feelings openly.  Women, don't assume that men are heartless, soulless beings.  And men, don't be afraid to show that you have a heart.  Don't be afraid to cry a little, laugh sometimes, and love a lot.  You'll be doing yourself a favor.

A World Without Imagination

The past few visits with my nephew have been a blast.  He's at a stage in life where everyone is a superhero.  When he is visiting, we fight crime, watch superhero shows, play with masks and action figures, and serve justice...all before nap time.  Playing pretend is always so much fun.  I love my nephew's wild imagination.  I don't get to use my imagination much anymore.

As a child, I had a crazy imagination.  I didn't ask my parents very many questions.  I just made up reasons for things.  For example, one question I do remember asking my mom was how the street lights know when to turn on in the evening and off in the morning.  She said something about computers.  I got it in my head that there were tiny people sitting inside those street lamps playing solitaire on their computers until it was time to light up the neighborhood.

I also remember playing The Floor is Lava with my siblings.  We would gather all our pillows and blankets and jump from pillow to pillow onto our lava resistant ship built from blankets.

While working with kids for the last eight years (Cub Scouts, Primary, babysitting), I've begun to notice a decrease in imagination.  I've witnessed children pretending, but only what they've seen on TV.  They rarely come up with their own stories.  They will, in fact, recite full lines from movies and TV shows.

What does this say about today's children?  Are they spending too much time in front of the television?  How about iPads and Tablets?  The games they are playing are preprogrammed to work a certain way.  No need for imagination there.  And even public schools are cutting back on teaching children how to be imaginative.  If a school district is running low on money, what is usually the first thing to be cut?  Music and art, where children are free to express themselves.

What can we do about this?  Unplug the kids.  Give them an arts and crafts project.  Let them play make believe.  Read to them.  Through books, children can be taken to a new world that they have to picture in their minds, assuming we're reading a novel and not a picture book.  

A world without imagination is a world I don't wish to be a part of.  Without imagination there would be no future.  No new ideas or inventions.  Nothing would ever change.  So next time I'm pretending to be a superhero with my nephew, I'm going to tell him that his greatest super power is real.  Imagination is a super power.  Imagine that.

Nothing of Importance

July 4th, 1776 was an important day for the United States.  It was the day that the Declaration of Independence was signed, a final act before the Revolutionary War.  The founding fathers wanted King George III to know that they had had enough.  They were starting their own country.
Meanwhile, over in England, King George III was (supposedly) writing in his journal.  (Upon further investigation, I have found that this story is false.)  The entry for that day was as follows:  'Nothing of importance happened today.'  King George didn't have a Facebook account.  Or Twitter.  Or even a gmail account.  He had to wait days, weeks, maybe even months to find out that something of importance did happen that day.
This story puts a new perspective on my life.  Nothing exciting or important has happened in my life in the past week or so.  But that doesn't mean that changes aren't being made elsewhere.  Life doesn't revolve around me, as much as I like to think it does.  It's hard to forget sometimes that other people have their own lives.
Look around you.  See the world around you.  If you ever feel like your journal entry for the day is going to be the same as King George's, find something to change that.  Make every day important.  Change someone's life.  Change your own life. Make every day worth living. Make every day important.

Living Life Unplugged(ish)

I have a flip phone.  There.  I said it.  I have a flip phone and I love it, despite getting teased about it by co-workers.  I know, it's the same kind of phone you had when you were in middle school.  Yes, it's the same phone your grandma uses.  So why am I using it?  I'll be 26-years old next month.  I'm still young, right?  Why am I using an "old fashioned" phone?  Simple answer:  Because it's available to me.
While everyone else is standing in line waiting to pay hundreds of dollars for the newest smart phone, I am at home, sleeping in my bed knowing that I am saving money by not upgrading.  Believe it or not, smart phones are not a necessity.  You can live your life without a smart phone.  All I need is something to call and text people with.  I don't need a hand held computer.  I don't plan on straining my eyes so I can watch my favorite shows on a six inch screen.  I want to enjoy what is going on around me.
As all my Facebook friends can probably tell you, I love memes.  I spend a lot of time on my computer just viewing and posting funny pictures and tagging friends.  Just imagine if I could do that from my phone.  I would have a lot of trouble focusing on the people around me.  I've seen how some people get sucked into the tiny, virtual world in their hands.  They are completely unaware of what is happening around them.  I don't want to be like that.
I also love the fact that I can drop my phone a dozen times, and nothing ever happens.  My screen in still intact.  And I can even fit my phone in my pocket.  I see people carrying their phones around because they have nowhere to put it.  I don't like carrying things around.  I like to have two hands free.  Most importantly, though, I can snap my phone shut.  I feel so invigorated when I end a conversation and then snap my phone shut!
Seriously, though, I really do think that having all the apps and features on smart phones is taking away from our humanity.  Take a look around you.  When I'm walking on campus I can usually count on my fingers the number of people not on their phones.  Everyone is walking while texting or googling or tweeting or Snapchatting.  Put the phone down and enjoy the world around you.  Have face to face conversations with your friends.  Try something new.  It truly saddens me to see everyone lost in their phones.
This is why I have a flip phone.  I don't want to be lost in a virtual world.  I want to experience the world around me, the good and the bad.  I want to experience life.

Related Article
Clayton, Nick. "Should you dump your smartphone for a flip-phone?" BBC. BBC, 21 Apr. 2016. Web. 9 Feb. 2017.

Stampler, Laura. "The Few, The Proud: The Millennials Who Still Use Flip Phones." Time. N.p., 18 Sept. 2014. Web. 8 Feb. 2017.