Saturday, September 13, 2008

Things that I Need to Get Off My Chest (very important post)

Hello everyone! First off let me say that my birthday was Sept. 7th! I'm officially 17! I keep thinking I'm 16; I don't feel any different! It's strange. Now I can get into R-rated movies and stuff and I'm older than everyone else in my grade. Kinda scary. But cool.

Anyway, down to more important things. I've been meaning to talk about this stuff for a long time, but I haven't known how to express it. So thank you Shayna, again, for providing me with something to steal. She listed things that make her 'sad' in her last blog post, so I'm going to use that and build off of it. This is very important to those of you who I hang out with often, because a lot of it pertains to you. I've mentioned some of the things listed here in real life, but no one takes me seriously and I'm sick of being pushed around and stepped on. The pen (keyboard) is mightier than the sword. Hopefully, that will prove true here.

~Stefanie's Super Dee Dooper Important List of Concerns and Nunus~

1. Cursing and foul language in general
Everyone thinks I'm cute and adorable and innocent because I don't curse, but I have a reason for it. I believe that using language like that is unnecessary and completely disrespectful. I see no reason to use words like that. There are plenty of other words that you can use that mean the same thing and are more appropriate. I don't curse in public at all because I don't think it's very nice to say words like that in front of people. Don't get me wrong, I do curse when I'm alone and by myself. Not often, but I do. And I do understand that things slip out every once and a while, it happens to everyone. But to use words like that in everyday conversation and not even think about it...I don't see how people do it. 
I hate cursing and I bring it to the attention of people so that they don't use language that offends me around me. I can't stop the world from cursing, it just can't be done. But I can bring it to the attention of the people who care about me. But strangely...
I had a friend say to me once that she doesn't curse in front of adults and authority figures because it's disrespectful.
....what?
Do I not deserve this same respect? Am I not worthy of it or something? Do friends not deserve the respect that adults get? I don't get it.
I've also heard people tell me that they can't help it when they curse like this around their friends. Everyone can control their speech. It's not that hard. When you get into the real world, language like that is not acceptable and it's not acceptable in my ears.
I just don't understand...is it really that hard to respect someone?

2. When people call other people "hot"
It sounds trashy. I hate it. There's other words you can use to describe someone.

3. Hypocrites
I'll refer to a specific example for this one. One day someone came over to our little lunch group and said that someone was hot (refer to number 2). I voiced my opinion that I didn't like the use of that word and I had someone next to me say something about freedom of speech and things like that, visibly frustrated with what I had to say.
Now...I had said a word around that same friend many months prior to this. And she had a problem with, because she thought it wasn't very nice. She listed alternative words for it and I honored her feelings and stored that word into my memory banks so that I would never say it around her again.
.....is there something wrong with this picture? I'm expected to change what I say, but people won't do the same for me? Hm...

4. People who leave one or more people out of a conversation
This is another specific example. This might offend some of the people who read this, but I really need to talk about this. I've brought it up at school several times, but no one seems to listen to me or take me seriously. It's been bothering me for a very long time and I want people to listen to my side of the story.
Here goes...
So I go to an art school, right? And there's lots of different art areas, like theatre, music, visual arts, communications, vocal, dance, la dee da da. I'm a communications major and probably 95% of my friends are theatre majors. Why? I have no idea. That's just how it is. So going to an art school, you'd except that people talk about their art areas, right? Especially when they share the same art area. It's nice to talk about what you're interested in. 
So naturally, my theatre major friends are all friends and they talk about their art area. Their teachers, their classes, performances, homework, etc. etc. They talk about that kinda stuff.

....a lot.

So when you're eating lunch with about 5 other people who are all talking about something that you're not knowledgeable or interested in, you start to feel really left out. With 2, going on 3, years of that kinda stuff, you start to feel REALLY left out. 
Don't get me wrong, I'm so happy that my friends love their major that much. I don't have that much dedication and love for mine. I'd never be able to do half the stuff that they do. 
But it's just that even if I'm surrounded by people, I still feel like I'm alone. I remember one time I was at a sleepover and all of the people there were theatre majors except for me. They started talking about theatre stuff and I just sat there smiling, waiting for the topic to change. After a while, I almost fell asleep. I was finally acknowledged and they tried to change the subject so that I could participate. Tried.
Stuff like that seems to happen a lot, with all of my friends and with different topics. I always try to include people in my conversation if I'm in a group. If I see someone is left out, I usually try to change the subject so that they're included too. I just wish people would notice me too and include me too, so I'm not always stuck behind a barrier.
That was the hardest thing that I needed to say, and I hope something in their stuck.

5. People who don't know when to keep their mouth shut
Ever heard of the phrase "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all"? Pretty simple concept, right? Apparently not.
Some people that I know don't realize that what comes out of their mouths affects other people around them, either negatively or positively. It just doesn't make sense to me. Some of the stuff that these people say make me think "Why would you even say that?". I'll give an example. One time my friend was pretty upset and was kinda snapping at people. People get upset, it's a natural emotion. Just leave that person alone and don't get on their bad side and they'll calm down. My other friend finds it appropriate to say "Are you PMSing?". 
What the heck, man. That's not what you say to someone who's upset. Think about what you say before you say it. 

6. People who say "I'm not being mean. I'm just brutally honest".
Most likely, what you just said/did was mean to the person you're talking to. It relates to number 5. Think about what you say before you say it. You can be nice and still be honest.

7. People that tuck their shirts in
It looks dumb. Take your shirt out.

8. Purses for backpacks
Use a backpack or a bag. Not a purse. This isn't a fashion contest.

9. "OMG EWWW YOU LIKE HANNAH MONTANA/JONAS BROTHERS/DISNEY CHANNEL/*INSERT OTHER THING HERE THAT'S NOT POPULARLY ACCEPTABLE FOR A 17-YEAR-OLD*?!?!!"
Yes, shut up. Lots of people do, actually.

10. People that feel the need to stop/slow down right in the middle of the hallway for no apparent reason
You might not have somewhere to go, but I do. Move.

11. Skeletons
They scare me. Yes, I know I have one inside of me. Stop reminding me.

12. Preps
Ew. Get a life.

13. Improper usage or cellphones
Driving, texting during class, obnoxiously talking in a store, during a movie, in the hallway (slows down traffic), etc. etc. Why do you need to talk that badly? Shut up and finish whatever you're doing or wait until after class/the movie. Or take it outside. I don't need to hear your conversation.

14. "I gotta go pee"
I don't need to know what you're gonna do in there. Just go.

15. Mispronunciation of the word "often"
The t is silent. It's in the dictionary.

16. Repetition
I heard you the first time.

17. Disliking something when you've never watched/seen/etc. it before
You have no right to dislike it. Give it a chance before you make an opinion.

I can't think of anything else and I'm sick of putting this off. Please read this and understand where I come from. I love you all :D

Quote: "Sexual harassment?" from my English book, talking about two six-year-olds that kissed.
Song: "Shissou" by Vic Mignogna. Okay, he didn't write he, but he translated it into English and he did an amazing job with it. Check it out!