Lost in thought

Everyone on this planet has dreams of triumph, of fame, and love. To say, "I was here," and mark an "X" on Planet Earth in bright red, because without the reassurance of our tiny scar, we feel we never mattered. And from an evolutionary standpoint, does anything really have any significance in the grand scheme of things? We are a speck on a speck, in a universe far greater, and larger, than any one mind could ever fathom. It is as humbling a thought, as it is a saddening one. Society dictates that to make your mark, one needs to do everything right. And society, being the bitch that it is, proclaims, "Be your best... In what I want you to do. Be kind... As long as the act of kindness is primarily for the benefit of one's self. There is always a choice... You have three! Those choices are gingerbread man, heart, or Christmas tree, all of which come in a neat little cookie cutter kit of conformation!" Oh goody, I love sacrificing my originality and imagination all to please a population that has no business being in my business. Even in America, the land of the free will, no one is, in their entirety, unchained.

Silver Linings Playbook Review

Silver Linings Playbook (Matthew Quick) has become one of my favorite novels of all time-and like an old friend I've grown to love it more each time I read it. Quick's writing is smart, with a distinctive and hilarious voice that embodies our protagonist, Pat Peoples, to perfection. Pat Peoples has just been released from the mental hospital, though is not sure how long he's been in there, but all of that is irrelevant, all he wants is to get back together with his wife and end "apart time."  A mysterious Tiffany keeps reappearing in his life, and he finds they've got more in common than meets the eye.  He's got the love and support of his friends and family to help him readjust to the world, all while cheering on the Philadelphia Eagles. The world is tough, and Pat knows it, but that doesn't stop him from maintaining an unshakeable optimism and a belief that there's always a silver lining. Quick's writing is funny without trying to be, and is so unapologetically honest. This novel is a story about misfits, and a fresh, heartwarming take on mental illness. For simply being the best thing on the planet, I give it 5/5 stars, and has moved it's way into my Top 3 Favorite Novels.

An Ode to Friendship

The people that you choose to surround yourself with can become deciding factors of other choices that affect your future. Whether we like it or not, we are hard wired to adapt. So when we put ourselves near others that are destructive and hurtful, it is only natural that it rubs off on us. Friends should be carefully chosen and maintained because they should not only be there for the hard times to bring you up, but also to cheer you on when you are flying high. Friends are hard work. They are. They aren't something that comes with an instruction manual, and they can be frustrating, and hurtful, and complicated, but I also know we can't go a day without them. They are the people that you know like the back of your hand and and become part of your DNA, your history, and your future. So choose your companions wisely, because they will leave a hand print you will carry on your heart for the rest of your life.

Lots of love,
Bex