Leah of the Pack

This weekend my friends and I went out exploring nature. Green Bay in fall is beautiful. We headed to Baird's Creek to take in the sights of #GBtrees. I like nature, I like hiking, I'm also not one of those people that would spend two weeks camping to become one with the world or whatever. So just for fun, not that you were curious, here are my most common thoughts while out taking in fall.

1. I'm so pumped. Fall, trees, beautiful. It's gonna be awesome.
2. It's also 40 degrees out so I'm gonna freeze my ass off but it's worth it.
3. Look at that trees, it's so orange. Now look at that tree... it's so yellow. Just look at all the trees!
4. This is a pretty steep incline. I'm gonna have the legs of a goddess after climbing this.
5.  Oh look, a big tree hanging off a cliff, lets go in for a closer look
17. What a day. I love nature. We should do this more often. Nature walks every weekend. It was legit awesome.
18. I'm freaking cold.

Today I came across this quote on Tumblr, "Other people are not medicine" and for some reason it really got me thinking. It's so simple and so true. Many times we turn to others as our source of happiness but we fail to realize that ultimately we create our own happiness. Why do we think friends and companions are the only way we can find joy? Do we forget that we are more than capable of putting a smile on our own face? If we depend on people to be our medicine, what happens when these people leave us? From now on don't solely depend on people to make you happy. We can easily bring a smile to our own face: splurge on that expensive new dress that makes you feel like a rockstar, spend all day in your pajamas watching Netflix, treat your self to that Venti iced coffee, whatever it takes to make yourself feel good.  Make it a happy Monday!

Sometimes I hate modern culture. We find ourselves caught up in decoding sub-tweets and analyzing our SnapChat top friends instead of doing something useful with our time. It's a time where followers and likes seem to mean more than real friendships. People speak in Urban Dictionary vernacular instead of proper English and have no idea how to use correct grammar. "Oh yeah, Joe and I are talking" What the hell does "talking" even mean these days? It should mean carrying out a conversation but it could mean texting or hanging out or even causally hooking up. No one is ever straightforward with what they mean or say.

Sometimes I wish I was born in a different era, perhaps a time way back in England. I could spend my time wearing ballgowns, attending boring teas, having boys write love letters not text messages and having to sneak out of my window at night to see them because it was improper for a lady to be seen out late at night with a guy without a chaperone.

Sometimes I think I read too much.

Yesterday the much awaited trailer for 50 Shades of Grey was released. Most of the response I saw was all positive minus the fact that viewers have to wait until Valentines day - I see what you did there, movie release people, giving single girls everywhere a little excitement on their Valentines Day, well played. But unlike most people that I know I am extremely underwhelmed. If I hadn't read the books my views might totally be different but as an avid reader I had to read the book everyone was talking about. To be honest when I first started reading 50 Shades I had no idea what I was getting myself into. All of a sudden the red room of pain appears in chapter 9 and woah, uh I was not expecting that at all. Part of me wanted to stop reading but I needed to know what happened next. Naturally I read all three in a week, no shame. Once you get past all the kinky fun those two have I swear the plot is good. Now back to the movie, underwhelmed. I think the disappointment first starts for me with the casting. I am positive that these are great actors and actresses but they are not what I pictured at all. Let's start with Ana. In the trailer, during the office interview you hear Ana say something like "well just look at me." Okay, I understand Ana had some self esteem issues especially when she was around the presumed god like Christian and all his beautiful blonde coworkers but I also don't believe that was something she said or would say in that scene. I could be wrong but that was my take on her character. She lacked confidence but knew how to fake it till she makes it in front of most people. Moving on to Christian Grey. This is so difficult to criticize but I am underwhelmed by him. I mean no disrespect to the actor but he is nothing near the Mr. Grey I had envisioned. I know the movie is usually never anything like what you pictured in your head but honestly I don't find him to be that crazy, attractive man that Christian was described as. By no means is he ugly, but he's not my Christian. What I was impressed with is the Beyonce in the background to set the scene. They nailed that. Overall I just wasn't bursting with desire to see this movie after viewing the trailer.  If you haven't seen the trailer feel free to watch below and leave a comment with your thoughts on the trailer, the book or both!

Sometimes I can't help but get all nostalgic about the past. There are so many great memories and specific moments I would love to revisit. I would never wish to change the past, as even one little change could alter the person I've become, someone that I am proud of but I do wish I could relive certain moments again all for different reasons. Sometimes you wish you could go back in time to see if something really did happen, to help you win an argument or to prove your point. Other times there are memories and moments that seem as though we can never get them back. I am so lucky to have a life where there are so many moments in my past that I wish I could relive. But it is exhilarating knowing that even with all these cherished memories that some of the best days of my life are still ahead waiting for me. Past, present or future, life is such a wonderful mystery.

This is something I wrote awhile ago for a different platform of mine but it is a thought that constantly remains in my head.

Everyone has their own definition of what constitutes perfection. But if we all view it differently then nothing is seen as perfect in anyone's eyes but our own. Why do we keep trying to chase something that doesn't exist?

Thoughts? I'd love to hear.