Advice.

This is a small collection of little things that make me happy.

Red fingernails.
Counting down the days until monumental events (72 days til I see Fall Out Boy live)
Broccoli and Cheddar soup from Panera
Organizing my closet
Jelly beans
When things cost $7.47
Listening to show tunes in the car
Watching Jennifer Aniston movies
Wearing bows in my hair
Arriving on time
Setting small reachable goals while working out and achieving them
Going to Asheville with no plans and just hanging out
Hiking
Being in front of large (Ill settle for any size really) crowds of people
Scavenger hunts
Zoos
Bonfires
Big Brother
Shopping
Executing my daily skin care routine
Holidays
Decorating

I could seriously go on and on. These things are important. They give me a reason to smile even when things aren't going all that well in the grand scheme of life. I believe it is extremely unhealthy and ultimately unsatisfying to look to another person for happiness. I never ever ever ever want to have the burden of being responsible for someone's entire happiness. That's intense. That's unrealistic.

If I were in any type of position where I was supposed to give kids younger than myself any advice I would tell them this: Make sure you have a list. You don't have to write it down, but take joy from the little things in your life. That way when someone bad happens those little things can remind you of what being happy feels like, and you'll be glad.

On high expectations.

I always seem to way overshoot things in my head. I have a way of imagining the most extreme of circumstances and making them totally viable. Like, how I'm convinced when Joe Trohman sees me front row at the Fall Out Boy show this Summer there's no way he won't recognize me. I mean I have tagged, tweeted, followed, and wrote to this man endlessly since I was 14. (Remember what I said about how I obsess about stuff)

Not only do I do this with Joe Trohman, but I do it in everyday life. Basically, I set myself up for disappointment. I've done a lot lot lot of this in the past week in anticipation of tomorrow. I'm laying awake right now and I can't stop going through outrageous circumstances that tomorrow is bound NOT to bring.

What I bet it will bring is lots of trampolines, gas money, and me trying to make face. I'm thrilled.