#183 He Likes Me For Me

10 Things About Me

I don't ordinarily go on and on about myself. I usually get bored telling the same story again and agin and/or figure that people aren't really listening and therefore why waste my breath?* But due to a recent Facebook/Instagram tagging trend I figured I'd transform what is a long winded social media post into a more in depth post here.

*I truly wish I had better trust in humanity, unfortunately this is the flat truth of the matter. Perhaps this is why I blog. I figure if you actually want to hear what I have to say, you'll read it.

#1: I was more upset to find out that Jonathan was a boy than that he had Down syndrome. In fact, I took the news that I would never have a sister so bad that my parents took me out for a special 'only girl' shopping trip*. It may have been from that point on that receiving gifts became my love language. 

*Note: I wasn't overly spoiled that day. Nor was it one of those pout-to-get-something-you-want things. My parents took me to Toys "R" Us and let me pick one thing. Ironically, I chose a mother dog stuffed animal who had a velcro belly with puppies hidden inside.

#2: When I was growing up, I kept pillows pressed up against the bottom half of my bedroom windows for fear that people outside could see into my bedroom.*

*Please note: We lived in the country, across the street from corn fields, and my parents' bedroom was right next to mine.

#3: It is extremely difficult for me to lie about anything. 

#4: My first job was working at The Little Angel Preschool. When I started, I told my parents I wanted to save up to buy a Corvette. I banked every single check and only took out money to tithe. Despite doubts from many, two months after I turned seventeen I bought a 1986 Corvette completely on my own.

#5: My senior year of college, on my way back to school from spring break, Lance and I were in a car accident where my vehicle flipped over onto Lance's side. The police told him he should have hit his head on the ground and died. He didn't because he was reaching over to protect me.

#6: I completed my Bachelor's Degree in three years. While getting my Bachelor's (in Journalism and Writing Arts) I was simultaneously working on Associate's Degrees in Fashion Design and Fashion Merchandising. After working for a short time in fashion merchandising, I decided to take the alternate route to get my teacher's certification. 

#7: We pushed our wedding date to a week later because of the Special Olympics Summer Games. Right now that seems like nothing, but then it seemed like forever!

#8: Four days before my wedding, I interviewed in NYC for my first real-to-me job. (Previously I had worked at the preschool and American Eagle). While we were on our honeymoon, I received the call that I got the job.

#9: Lance is my high school sweetheart and the only man I have ever dated, kissed, etc. Sometimes the high school sweetheart part is super sappy to me, but the other part I cherish.

#10: I completed my first manuscript last year. It is not published, though I hope one day it might be. It will always be my most flawed, most loved piece of writing.

Note: (#11, perhaps?) This post has made me realize I have very few pictures of only me. This is not exactly on purpose but also not completely unintentional. I feel extremely vain asking people to take my picture, posting/taking selfies, and posting pictures of me alone on social media.**

*The spell check for 'selfies' is selfless. Ironic?

#138 He Doesn't Instagram

I'm going to point it out right away, this post is going to be full of hypocrisy.  I have an Instagram account and I love it.  I love the filters that perfect and hipster-up almost any picture I choose to post.  I love seeing other people's pictures of family, food, travels, and happiness.

But I have to stand on my soap box for a moment.  As much as I love the leaps and bounds technology has made--I mean, I've actually lived long enough to be able to say, "They didn't have THAT when I was growing up"--I feel like we have lost our morals when it comes to what I call 'Instagram-less moments".

The addiction that social media creates for us to post every inch of our lives, I feel, has caused us to forget that certain intimate moments in our lives should not be shared with others.  Not because the material is of an inappropriate, cover-your-eyes-and-don't-look quality, but simply because they are Instagram-less moments.  They are moments that the minute you post them on social media, you lessen their value just a hair.

What did we do, after all, ten years ago when all this nonsense was not in existence?  What did we do when we actually were forced to enjoy a moment organically--without pulling out our phones to document it?  How did we survive not being able to instantly tell the world, "Look!  I did this!"?

I do it too, that's why I have already placed the disclaimer that this is a hypocritical post.  But I challenge you, as I challenge myself continually to consider deeply the purpose of each and every picture you expose to the world.  Allow yourself the permission to keep some of your Instagram-less moments between you, your camera, and those connected emotionally to that picture.