This one’s a 2-parter. Yeah, I couldn’t come up with enough reasons to do a single post on each. Loving stuff is hard for a pessimist, okay?? GOSH!

Part one: Reasons Why I Love Books- Oh books! How I love thee… If libraries had good food and decent couches; I. Would. Never. Leave. For serious, who needs showers and sunlight and human contact anyways? Not me! XD Seriously though, I will read anything, so long as it sits still long enough. And adding in the fact that I read 2.5 times faster than the average mortal, it really doesn’t have to sit still very long at all. Anyways, I’ll stop waxing poetic now, and just list my reasons.

1. The smell- personal opinion: books smell a little bit like heaven. I love the smell of musty knowledge, crisp paper, and oldness- (in the nice, smells-like-my-grandad-old-spice-and-tobacco way, not the gross, smells-like-senility-urine-and-slow-death way). I just love the way they smell. I find myself inhaling deeply upon entering a bookshop or library. Don’t judge me! If you’re a reader, I’m sure you’ve done it too.

2. The feel- I love the way a good book feels in my hands. So soft and silky, and comfortable. When I hold a book, it fits. Like it belongs, y’know?

3. The familiarity- I have never been a “people person”. I’m not,even sure if those people are human lol. Give me a few good books and I can be quite happy, with or without human contact. Actually, give me a book and I’ll instantly become your best friend/blood sister/love slave/whatever’s needed. I will forever be more familiar with books than I will be with people.

4. Teleporting capabilities- True facts: Books are the world’s first and foremost teleportation devices. They can transport me to all kinds of places, real or imagined. Hogwarts, India, Panem, Virginia, Middle Earth, California- anywhere I’ve never imagined, and everywhere I’ve always dreamed of going.

5. There is always a new story to tell- Someone somewhere has it. They’re a broke college kid living in Cali, typing ideas out on an old broken laptop; or a tweed clad English professor in Pennsylvania, writing with precision in a leather bound journal. It’s just a matter of getting that story out there to be devoured by the masses.

And this ends part one, bringing us to part two. Movies.

Popcorn! (Extra butter!) Nachos! (Extra cheez!) Pretzels! (Extra mustard!) Hunky shirtless guys/bikini clad girls! (Extra hottness please!) Explosions, three dimensions, action, romance, entertainment! Yeah. Just about everybody loves going to the movies, or seeing one at home. But, here’s why I love movies.

1. The music- I’ll admit it. I’m a soundtrack junkie. I should probably be in therapy for it. (I should probably be in therapy for alot of things, actually.) But I just believe that music is what *makes* a movie. It intensifies drama, amplifies action, embodies romance. I wish I had a soundtrack for my own life- it would vastly improve things. [Author’s note: if anyone actually reads this, any suggested songs for my life soundtrack???]

2 Talent- It takes an incredible amount of talent to make a movie. Directors, writers, actors, stuntmen, composers, camaramen, stylists, anyone-I’m-forgetting; they all must be incredible, if a movie is to be truly phenomenal. I have such a great appreciation for all the *good* talent in hollywood.

3. Identification- You know it. You *are* Elizabeth Benett/Jack Sparrow/Hermione Granger/Jason Bourne/*insert-character-here*. Movies always have a character that I identify with. And yeah, maybe it’s my own mind making ridiculous connections- (I always fall for that arrogant manipulative asshole that I hated at first sight; I am so Lizzie Benett, she must have had me in mind when she wrote the story, lets forget the fact that she lived 200 years before I was even thought about being made; I am so totally Elizabeth!!!! lol NOT.)

4. The ability to leave my sorry life behind for a bit- Yep. Movies are teleportation devices too. Second only to books. I can get away from my own personal hell and enter someone elses for a bit. Yes, I do identify with that character, and I can sympathize. But it will also take my mind off myself. I mean, at least I’ve not got Darth Vader/Cruella Devil/Nazis/Voldemort/Zombies/*insert-favorite-villain-here*, breathing down my neck, am I right?

5. There is always a new story to tell- Sounds familiar, I know. But it’s true. If a story’s not put in a book first, it becomes a screenplay. And it may come from that businessman in New York who has this really great romantic idea, or the crazy cat lady in Florida who has murder on her mind. I believe everyone’s got a story to tell. It’s what life’s all about, y’know?

Anyways, that ends this week’s post… a few days late. Keeping my chin up till next week!

I figured this would be an appropriate topic for my introductory post here. Y’see, I’m a longtime cynic. So this whole positivity thing is going to be like pulling teeth, at first. But honestly, there’s only so much gray cloud, even I can handle, before I simply melt. And as some of you know, my life has been a category 8 hurricane lately. If you don’t know, here’s the thirty second version: I turned 21 and found myself in a barren, sweltering wasteland. Pretty sure it was hell. Anyways, my NOT-boyfriend, (easiest way to explain it is best-friend-with-benefits), he had a psychotic breakdown at my birthday shindig, and attacked me. Police, restraining orders, diagnoses of paranoid schizophrenia, court hearings, panic attacks, fasting, and sleepless nights were involved. It’s finally been resolved, at least until November. (Second court date- yay fun!) And I’ve come to the realization that if I don’t have something to occupy myself, I’ll simply let my brain melt and turn into a vegetable. And I don’t think I’ll make a very attractive vegetable. I think I’d be a brussels sprout… Nobody wants that, it’s not at all cute like peas, or carrots, y’know? So anyways, this is gonna be my attempt at seeing the glass half full for a while. Who knows- maybe I’ll even re-examine my worldview! Don’t wanna get too crazy to begin with though. So here goes my first attempt at seeing the silver lining through this downpour.

1. I love my body- it’s true, I like to complain about it alot, but I know I’m just the way I am. And I’m beginning to be ok with that.
2. I love my unique perceptions- I see the world differently than most. I think it makes life more fun. At least, more interesting.
3. I love my various insanities- I talk to myself, myself replies, (generally, in varying degrees of sarcasm). I talk to things, they talk back. Yeah, I’m crazy, but who wants to be normal anyhow?
4. I love my biting wit- why yes, it is dripping with sarcastic implications… But that’s part of my charm, no?
5. I love my ability to create a comeback- I always think of that perfect thing to say. Granted, I usually think of it hours, or even days later. But I’ve heard this is a widespread affliction, so I still take pride in my comebacks.
6. I love my ability to turn a phrase- speaking eloquently and employing my grandiose vocabulary has always brought a smile to my face, and often, confusion to the faces of my listeners. I’m the girl that devoured dictionaries as a kid, so of course I take pride in my words.
7. I love my ability to craft a story- I think I’m a rather good storyteller, and it’s so much fun to create something so powerful out of nothing. Words are our greatest weapon, are they not?
8. I love my klutziness- yeah, tripping over thin air and falling in holes isn’t always so fun, but at least it makes people laugh. Espescially when they try to hide it behind concern. :)
9. I love my ability to laugh at myself- especially in light of my aforementioned klutziness, being able to laugh at myself has always been a positive trait.
10. I love myself for being me- because if I wasn’t me, I don’t know who I’d be.

Well that was harder than I thought. The last one’s kindof a cop out, but I couldn’t think of anymore reasons to love myself, honest! Keeping my chin up till next time!