Choose happiness :)

Stroller mania

People are so amusing. I went to California Adventure for my birthday, and found that women or men pushing strollers are extremely assertive. If you do not get out of their way, they WILL run you over. I had about 4 near-death experiences.

Sadly, the kid in this picture was bonked in the head with some lady's purse. Her dad was speeding down the walk-way, assuming the crowds would part. I guess the plan to get ahead backfired a little bit.

Twenty-something

Today, I am officially a twenty-something. After church I met my mom for lunch at Mimi's Cafe, and we decided to share a yummy turkey sandwich. We were sitting there, wondering how I got to be this old, when I decided to say: "Mom, just think: 21 years ago, I was looking up at you with these very same eyes... and a little tiny head." I meant it to be funny, but in a serious tone she said, "Don't say stuff like that." Before I knew it, her eyes welled up with tears and we both started boo-hoo crying right there in Mimi's!

I could not pull myself together for about 2 minutes, and neither of us could look each other in the eye. We laughed at ourselves and cried some more. I tried to talk about the pretty flowers on the table or our fun plans for the day, but the thought just kept coming back of how time is flying by. Life is so good. Today I was reminded of how important it is to savor every moment.

Five o'clock somewhere

Aren't beer commercials the funniest? I'm going to be 21 in a few days. Technically, I'll be "legal." Allowed to drink, go to clubs, gamble... and all that jazz. It is crazy to me how much pressure I've been getting from people. People saying I should go drinking and have a good time. It seems like it's the thing to do.

I don't mean to sound like a goody-goody, but I really think there are other ways to have fun. I don't need to go drinking just because I'm allowed to. I would like to remember all my fun experiences. I don't want to worry that I'll do something totally stupid and I won't even remember it. Even social drinking. Why do I have to? It is totally okay to just not drink. Isn't it?? I'm not saying that everyone should have my same opinion. Just know that it's okay to not do what everybody else is doing.

I got called to take pictures of an accident recently. A Ford Focus was going well above the speed limit and veered into oncoming traffic. The Ford smashed into another car and one teenage passenger flew through the windshield. The 27 year-old driver and the other teen survived with serious injuries, and the driver in the other vehicle was uninjured. The one teen was rushed to the hospital. A heartbeat was detected for a short time, but then it stopped. The teen was killed. Had the driver been sober, this ugly incident wouldn't have happened.

Those funny commercials sure make alcohol look good, don't they? They don't show people puking their guts out. They don't show people acting like complete idiots. They don't show people flying through windshields or getting in car wrecks.

I just can't figure out why people think drinking is cool. There is no social mandate that says we must all drink alcohol at the age of 21. If you don't want to, you don't have to. Don't be stupid. Enough said.