Here’s to the Newlyweds! And They’re Not Even Friends on Facebook!

Posted on June 13, 2011 | 7 Comments

I went to a beautiful wedding in Connecticut this past weekend and would you believe it that the bride and groom are not even friends on Facebook?! A married couple, both with Facebook accounts, but not even Facebook friends. That’s right because these wonderful people don’t need a social networking site to prove to the world that they are in love and that they are going to have a long and happy life together.

Unlike most modern couples, their relationship did not unfold in real-time as a

What do you say we snap a photo of our marriage proposal and put it on Facebook?

series of Facebook status updates and photo albums. They did not document their proposal and subsequent engagement in an album called “The Night He Took Me To Chili’s And Then Got Down On One Knee.” They are not tagged in one another’s profile pictures and they’re not even listed as in a relationship with one another (you can’t do that if you’re not friends).

In this Facebook relationship status obsessed culture, it is a breath of fresh air to see that two people are actually enjoying a loving and committed relationship together without documenting it all on Facebook.

When I see incessant Facebook posts and photo albums featuring one’s significant other, it leads me to believe that maybe the poster needs a little convincing that he or she is happy in his or her relationship. It’s as if these posts are screaming, “Look at me! I’m in a fun relationship!” If you were really having that much fun, I would think you wouldn’t really have the time for so many posts and pictures because you’re just having too much fun.

For some, the Facebook relationship status is a source of serious anxiety. This anxiety comes in several forms. First, there’s the “why won’t he change his status,we’re in a relationship for crying out loud” anxiety. There’s also the “why won’t she list the fact that she is in a relationship with me” anxiety. There’s even the “why won’t he accept my friend request” anxiety.

Isn't it obvious how much fun I am having?

Pictures just make this anxiety worse. What’s he doing next to that girl? Are they really just friends? Why does she still have pictures tagged with her ex-boyfriend? My favorite, though, are the we-just-broke-up-and-I’m-so-bummed-so-I’m-going-to post-thousands-of-pictures-that-show-me-all-dolled-up-out-on-the-town-having-the-most-fun-and-doing-cool-things-but-really-I’m-just-trying-to-cover-up-the-pain-and-show you-what-you’re-missing-out-on-you-big-fat-jerk photo albums. As if the only way to prove that you’re moving on from a relationship is through Facebook photo albums.

The best way to eliminate all this silliness is to simply do what my newly married friends have done, avoid being friends online. They’re already married in real life, what more do they need? The internet isn’t going to have an impact on the way they relate to one another.

If you’re using Facebook to broadcast the entire progression of your relationship or your relationship status, your relationship is probably not that serious. Or at best, superficial.

I’d like to raise my glass of champagne to the newlyweds one more time and wish them a long and happy life together in the real world, beyond the reaches of Facebook friendship. To the newlyweds!

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Happy Birthday To Me

Posted on June 2, 2011 | 3 Comments

Thursday’s child has far to go. – “Monday’s Child“

June 2nd, 1983.

Today, I turn twenty-OLD. Today is also a Thursday, the actual day of the week on which I was born. That should count for something. Another fun fact about today, my mom graduated from high school on this day in history. Somewhere in the ’60s, to be exact. I once came across her high school diploma while digging for my old ’80s toys in the attic (I am so nostalgic) and confirmed this fact. I thought it was a weird coincidence that she happened to graduate from high school on a day that would become very significant later in her life. She did not share my sentiments. No problem, I’ve always been the more nostalgic one.

In the spirit of being nostalgic and in honor of June 2nd, high school graduations, and the fact that it’s my birthday so I can write about whatever I want, I would like to take you on a quick trip down memory lane. Below is a birthday reflection I wrote in 2001, straight from the pages of my high school diary (which means it was written in pink ink.) I wrote this entry the night before my 18th birthday and a week before I graduated from high school:

June 1st, 2001

Dear Journal,

Wow, it’s all finally over. I can’t believe it. I’m sad because this is a happy and sad time. I’ve finally made it, yet I can’t imagine my life any different than it is right now. I love this life. I love my friends, I love the routine of going to school and seeing people. I love going out on weekends with friends. I’m going to miss everyone so much. 

Tomorrow I turn 18! I can’t believe it! Time really flies.

I cried in class today thinking about how it is over. I’m so excited, but sad at the same time.  All of these great memories are truly in the past. I am going to miss all of the people.

Well, that is all.

Love, 

Sonja

All that yearning for days gone by and I hadn’t even officially turned 18 yet! In my defense, I don’t think I actually cried in class. It was probably just forced silent tears for dramatic effect.

It’s always fun to see what you were thinking at a given moment in time. On my birthday, I like to reflect on what I’ve accomplished thus far and what I would like to accomplish in the coming year. I also like to take the day off. Today being my day off and the day I turn twenty-old, I raise my glass of whiskey to all of you and hope that you have a wonderful day. I know I will.

Disclaimer: In spite of the fact that I’m turning 28 (there I said, it) today, many days I still feel like I’m this age:

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Support Refugees Worldwide, Get a Blue Key

Posted on May 31, 2011 | 2 Comments

The camp population is still growing, topping 17,000- a small city. Day starts early, with a long trip along the brackish marshland, through whitewashed villages, to the border,  and then all day in the sun and wind,  thousands of  anxious, tired, hungry, people desperate to go home or, in some cases,  anywhere else.  Hearing the stories of those coming out of Libya, the depth and sheer brutality of the racial  discrimination there,  even more than the violence, makes you angry at the regime. One Eritrean could not even bring himself to speak of the humiliation he had experienced. -Andrew Purvis, UNHCR worker, “Diary from the Field: Excerpts from Tunisia.“

A few weeks ago, I was particularly struck by this particular post on Spin Sucks: “Get Your Blue Key In Support of World Refugee Day.” This post shed light on the Blue Key campaign which supports the 43 million refugees around the world and the workers at the UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees) who support them. For $5, you get a blue key to show solidarity for refugees and those who care for them.

Upon reading this post, I immediately thought, there’s absolutely no reason why I shouldn’t do this. I can certainly spare $5 to show my support of the world’s most vulnerable population. It’s the least I can do. As much as I may gripe about what I like to call “first world problems,” I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like to be forced from my home and then subjected to unthinkable violence. There is simply no comparison in our own experiences to the experiences of refugees.

Who are the world’s refugees? (Facts courtesy of the UNHCR.)

Ivorian refugees in Liberia, awaiting registration. Source: USA for UNHCR Facebook Page

  • 43 million people worldwide have been forced out of their homes since 2009.
  • Of these 43 million people, over 26 million people have received aid and protection from the UNHCR.
  • Around 41%  of the world’s refugees are children under the age of 18, 11% are under the age of 5.
  • 47% of refugees are women and girls.

What Can I Do To Help?

  1. Get a blue key. Show your support for refugees by sporting a blue key.
  2. Spread the word about the blue key campaign on Facebook and Twitter. Donate a tweet a day.
  3. Follow the USA for UNHCR on Facebook to get frequent updates on their work.

Thank you for your help in spreading the word about this great cause and helping the blue key campaign reach its goal of distributing 6,000 keys by World Refugee Day on June 20th.

 

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Even Your First (Celebrity) Crush Grows Up and Gets Married One Day

Posted on May 3, 2011 | Leave a comment

Everyone that knew me well in my early high school days knew that Prince William was my first and most major celebrity crush. If you can remember back to how girls were at that age, you might remember that having a crush was serious stuff. Us adolescent girls were devoted to our crushes and we did not keep our devotions a secret. At our lunch table, my girlfriends and I gabbed about our latest crushes, both celebrity and non-celebrity, over peanut butter sandwiches and cookies. Prince William was the object of my affection and naturally I talked about my crush all of the time. Did you see Prince William on the cover of YM? I love him. I can’t wait to join the Royal Family one day.  I even talked about this crush to the school newspaper. For a symposium published around the time of the Homecoming dance, I was asked, “Who would you most like to take to the school dance and why?” I answered:

Forget about sounding self-centered and shallow, I wanted the world to know that I intended to become the next Princess of Wales. I had a serious crush here!

Then, of course, as my crush on Prince William grew, so did the collection of pictures of him plastered around my room. I devoted one closet door in my bedroom to a Prince William collage, which I adorned with magazine and newspaper cutouts and printed pictures from the Internet. (I had to stop printing color pictures from the Internet after I was reprimanded for using up too much ink in the family printer). Take a look:

The nice thing about having a well-known celebrity crush is that your friends start to pick up on the fact and then they give you pictures they’d saved from their teen magazines and newspapers. They might even buy you posters of your crush or copies of magazines featuring a story on your crush. My sister was kind enough to give me a Prince William poster as a Christmas present. Naturally, I hung the poster above my bed:

Along with verbal devotion and pictorial shrines, there was of course written devotion to the crush. I wrote unabashedly about my love for Prince William in my diary. I even scrawled Sonja + Prince William on the inside front cover. (Other names had to be crossed out for that.) See for yourself:

                     

Of course, crushes don’t last forever and eventually, even I outgrew my crush on Prince William. I moved on from the celebrity crush phase and scoped out the boys sitting next to me in my classes. Magazine cutouts were replaced by photographs on my bedroom wall. I let go of my desire to become the next Princess of Wales and focused instead on joining as many extracurriculars that my schedule would permit.

I never thought about Prince William again until last year, when Prince William and longtime girlfriend Kate Middleton, announced their engagement. I couldn’t help but think about myself as a fourteen year-old girl. My fourteen year-old self would have been devastated by this news. I probably would have ripped down my Prince William collage in a fit of anger. What do you mean MY crush is getting married?!  Thinking about that version of myself made me smile. There is something wonderful about having a teenage crush. The feelings of having a crush at fourteen can never be replicated. There is an innocence in believing that you can have strong feelings for someone you’ve never met and that simply having strong feelings is enough to give you a chance with a total stranger like Prince William. Once you’re older and realize how silly that idea is, there’s no way to return to that innocence.

Or is there? Enter Prince William’s wedding day. I woke up at 4:15 in the morning and watched Prince William’s wedding ceremony live. I put on a dress and a fancy hat and headed over to the local British pub for a viewing party. I wanted to watch the wedding as a nod to my fourteen year-old self and the faded collage that still covers one closet door in my childhood bedroom.  In that brief moment of watching the ceremony, I returned to that innocence of being a fourteen year-old girl with a crush. It was the perfect epilogue to a much earlier chapter in my life.

I raise my glass to you, Prince William!

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Twitter for Beginners: How to Join and Use Twitter

Posted on April 22, 2011 | Leave a comment

Most of my close friends do not use Twitter. I guess that’s not too surprising given the average Twitter user is 39 years-old and as a twenty-something, the average age of my close friends is considerably lower than 39 years old. Since Twitter is such a part of my daily routine, I find it difficult to relate my Twitter experiences to my non-Twitter user friends. They know my enthusiasm for the site, but they know little else. Many have asked me to teach them how to use Twitter. I encourage every non-user to join, so in honor of my non-Twitter friends and readers and anyone looking to plunge into the Twitterverse, I offer you my “Twitter for Beginners” crash course.

Twitter for Beginners: How to Join and Use Twitter

Step 1: Setting up your account.

  1. Pick your angle. Before you even sign up for an account, think about what you’d like to tweet about. Maybe you want to become a food blogger so you’re going to tweet about your latest food adventures. Maybe you’re new to a city and you want to meet more locals. Perhaps you’d like to tweet a little bit of everything. Maybe you’re looking to break into a new industry. Think about how you want people to know and recognize you because that will help you set up your account.
  2. Pick a Twitter Handle. Your  handle shows up as @_____. How do you want to be identified online? Your handle is your personal brand. You can be as anonymous or as real as you want. I started out with an alias, but I am @sjwhipp because I want my name to be recognized. Whatever you decide, it’s also good to know that you can change your handle at any time without losing your page or information.
  3. Define yourself in 140 characters. Create your bio in 140 characters or less. When fellow tweeps  stumble upon your  page, they will look at your bio, see if you are interesting, and either follow you or not. Some things you might want to include in your bio:  your interests, a personality trait or two, work information, especially if you are looking to build professional contacts.
  4. Pick your avatar. That’s your profile picture. Again, you want something that will represent you to the extent that you want to be recognized. If you’re going to be using several different social media sites to promote whatever it is that you’re promoting, it’s good to have the same avatar for all of those sites.
  5. Make your tweets public or private. If you make your tweets public, they will show up in Google searches and will be annexed in the Library of Congress. Keeping your tweets public makes it easier to connect with all kinds of people on Twitter. If you choose to make your tweets private, no one can read them unless you pre-approve their follow request.

Step 2: Follow and Be Followed

  1. Start following other users. On Twitter, you follow people. That is similar to the like function on Facebook. It’s much easier on Twitter to follow people, organizations, businesses, bands, etc., because all you have to do is click follow and you’ll automatically get their tweets in your live feed. No waiting for requests to be accepted.
  2. Follow your interests. Think about the kinds of things you like to do or have always wanted to try and then search for those people who share your interests. When I first joined, I searched for published authors because I wanted to learn more about how to become a published author. I follow the Green Bay Packers because I’m a huge Packers fan and I want to know their latest updates.
  3. Follow local businesses that you support or would like to give feedback. I love following as many Milwaukee restaurants as possible because I frequent them and they provide information on specials and deals on Twitter. I once was ordering lunch from Molly Cool’s in downtown Milwaukee and I couldn’t decide what to order. I sent them a tweet and they helped me pick my lunch right on Twitter.
  4. Gaining followers takes time. There is no secret formula for gaining followers on Twitter. It takes time, but remember quality is more important than quantity. It took Charlie Sheen one day to get a million followers, it took me about a year to gain around one thousand followers. You don’t necessarily have to follow every single person that starts following you, but if you find their bios interesting, definitely follow them back.

Step 3: The Basics of Tweeting

  1. Treat Twitter like a cocktail party. If you entered a cocktail party and didn’t know a single person in the room, how would you strike up a conversation? The same goes for Twitter. You want to engage people with the same politeness that you would a stranger at a cocktail party.
  2. Join the conversation. Find out what people are talking about and jump right in to the discussion. The search bar is  a helpful way to see what people are saying about your topics of interest. The trending topics show you what’s the most talked about item at any given moment.
  3. What you should tweet. What you tweet is really up to you. It’s all about how you want to come across. I’d say as long as you avoid extreme profanity and are polite to others, you’ll be fine.
  4. How to have a conversation. When you want to talk to someone on Twitter, all you have to do is start your tweet with their handle. For example: @sjwhipp It was great to finally meet you. To see what @sjwhipp says back to you, click on your at-replies or mentions. These conversations show up in the live feed. If you want to say something privately, send a direct message.
  5. Retweet. When someone tweets something that catches your eye, you should retweet it to your followers. That’s a polite way to show you are interested in what your followers have to say. You can retweet by hitting the retweet button or by cutting and pasting their tweet and putting “RT” in front of the tweet before you tweet it to your followers. I like retweeting the old -fashioned way.
  6. Use hashtags. Even if you’ve never been on Twitter, I’m sure you’ve seen hashtags. They’re those words or phrases that look like this: #_____. Hashtags are a way to tag tweets. If I’m talking about my plans for Halloween, I might use the #Halloween hashtag. If you click on a hashtag, you can easily find all tweets on that topic. I think of hashtags as ways to file tweets in the same way you put files in a filing cabinet. Make up your own. The more clever, the better. #Justsayin
Step 4: Twitter Extras
  1. Use different Twitter applications. Once you get the hang of tweeting, you can use other Twitter applications to tweet. The most popular ones are Hootsuite and Tweetdeck. They make it easier to organize your feeds and your tweets.
  2. Partake in Twitter traditions. On Fridays, you’ll probably see a lot of tweets with the #FF hashtag. #FF stands for Follow Friday and this is a way of giving shout outs to your favorite followers and fellow tweeters. List a group of followers that you think everyone should follow, say why,  slap on a #FF and tweet away.

Once you get the hang of Twitter, you’ll find that it is an invaluable tool that will provide you with more information than you could ever imagine, breaking news updates, business connections, new friends, insights into every topic imaginable, new experiences, and if you’re lucky–free stuff.

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The First Annual Best of Milwaukee Web Awards 2011

Posted on April 20, 2011 | 2 Comments

I had no idea I was even nominated for two of the Shepherd Express’s Best of Milwaukee Web Awards until someone tweeted me to say they had voted for me in the category Best Personal Blog. Voted for me? When I mentioned this fact to another friend and fellow avid tweeter, she replied, “Yeah, you were also nominated for Favorite Twitterer.” The nominations came as a surprise, but who doesn’t like being nominated for your favorite local alternate news source‘s web awards?

Last night’s web awards were a good time. Aside from enjoying complimentary hamburgers, wings, and beer samples from Lakefront Brewery, it was fun to be around the friendly, creative Milwaukeeans who do great things on the web. Milwaukee has a great social media culture. I’ve only been blogging and tweeting for a short while, but through that, I have met so many interesting and innovative Milwaukeeans. Interacting with so many different people on Twitter has made the city of Milwaukee feel like a small town (which most of you non-natives probably think it is anyway).

The Best of Milwaukee Web Awards were all in good fun and if anything, I am inspired  become an even better blogger and tweeter. It was an honor just to be nominated. I ended up being the first runner-up in both the Best Personal Blog and Favorite Twitterer categories and my name was printed in the latest issue of the Shepherd Express. Not too shabby.

Hats off to M.A.A.R.S. Attack for winning the Best Personal Blog title (as well as Best Tumblr and Best Band with an Online Presence) and Burp Blog, for taking the title of Favorite Tweeter as well as Best Food Blog. Here’s to another year of tweeting and blogging!

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Remember the People That Taught You How to Read

Posted on March 25, 2011 | 2 Comments

Our teachers.

Remember when we actually appreciated the work of our teachers? I don’t even know how to begin to respond to this whole collective bargaining issue here in Wisconsin and around the country, the massive teacher lay-offs that happen every year, the constant budget cuts for already cash-strapped school districts, and the “well teachers get summers off” argument. Why do we hold our teachers personally responsible for the ills of society?

We blame teachers for low test scores and work to put them on merit-based pay tied solely to the test results of their students. Forget the fact that these tests tend to be culturally biased, promote a negative teaching-to-the-test environment in a classroom, and don’t always assess important knowledge. Tests should be one small factor in determining what  student should know and what they have learned.

We blame teachers for poorly behaved children. If only those teachers had more interesting curriculum, our children would be better behaved and our school wouldn’t have so many behavioral problems. Forget about parental accountability, teachers are to blame. Forget about the overall school culture as established by the principal and other administrators.

We blame teachers for our budget problems. What’s happening right now in Wisconsin is a perfect example. As people often say around here, “Walker is trying to balance the budget on the backs of teachers.” Teachers have already agreed to make budgetary concessions, but that’s apparently not enough. Now, Wisconsin teachers are losing their ability to collectively bargain. Most school districts around the state of Wisconsin face cuts from already tight budgets. If education and the work of teachers were truly valued in the state of Wisconsin, we wouldn’t be seeing such massive cuts.

Why all this teacher-hate? Those in favor of budget cuts similar to Scott Walkers, have you ever worked as a teacher? I have. Do you know the time commitment, the life commitment, the physical commitment of a teacher? A teacher’s job does not end with the school day ends. A teacher’s job does not end when the school year ends. If you’re a parent, you know what it’s like to be responsible for a child. Multiple that by 100. That’s the number of kids you would be held personally responsible for if you taught, say 7th grade English.

The teaching profession is not like many other jobs of its nature. I can’t stand the comparison between teaching and other jobs. As a teacher, you have to be “on” every single day. A teacher can’t just take a day off and work from the home office. A teacher can’t coast in whenever she feels like it, sit down at her desk with a cup of coffee and catch up on emails. A teacher can’t step out for an hour and meet for a brainstorming session with other professionals about best practices over lunch. A teacher is on his or her feet eight hours a day, every day, engaging students.

As for complaining that teachers get the summers off? I don’t know a single teacher that doesn’t do something school related in summers. A lot of teachers I know have to work in summers to make ends meet whether it’s in teaching summer school, doing curriculum work for the district, working at summer day camps, or preparing for next school year; teachers work in the summer.

It’s about time we show a little more respect for the people who taught us how to read. We owe them at least that much.

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If You Want to Know What’s Going On in Madison, Wisconsin, Don’t Ask the Local News

Posted on February 22, 2011 | 3 Comments

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where I currently reside, has four major news stations and one major newspaper, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. These local news sources, like every local news source across Wisconsin and now America, have been reporting on all of the latest developments of the budget protests in Madison, Wisconsin and providing up-to-the-minute information whenever possible. The protests started seven days ago and when they did, they were given some interesting labels by the local news.  The protests in Madison were referred to as “Mayhem in Madison,” “Madtown Frenzy” and “The Mad City Showdown.“

Mayhem in Madison? To me, the word mayhem implies absolute chaos, political unrest, anarchy, maybe even some weapons of mass destruction.

Madtown Frenzy? Referring to Madison by its affectionate nickname in this situation implies that everyone is running around crazy. Frenzy further implies a state of confusion.

I think the one that makes me laugh the hardest is referring to the events in Madison as “The Mad City Showdown.” It’s even fun to say. Mad City Showdown? Seriously?  This isn’t the wild west. Nobody is facing off at high noon, nobody is wearing spurs or ass-less chaps. The best part is that in the seven days of Madison protests, there have been zero arrests!

I am so tired of the way that the local news has been covering the events in Madison that I decided it was time to see the situation for myself. Well, that and I strongly believe in the cause and fully support unions and working families in Wisconsin.

When I arrived in Madison on Day 5 of the protests, the first thing that struck me was that life on the east side of the city (which is how you enter Madison when you drive from Milwaukee) was that people were going about their daily lives completely unscathed by the events at the Capitol. Some frenzy!

Secondly, the protests and rallies in and of themselves were peaceful. That was the whole point. There were even signs posted inside the Capitol reminding folks that “this is a peaceful protest.” The point of the rallies was for union members and supporters to have their voices heard and to stand together in solidarity. The people I encountered were warm, respectful, and passionate. Having the opportunity to voice my opinion inside the halls of our state’s Capitol along with thousands of other people who felt the same way was pretty powerful to say the least.

After witnessing the events first hand and then comparing them to the headlines and articles I  read, I am through consulting local news sources to find out what’s really going on in Madison, Wisconsin. I’ve stopped watching Milwaukee’s local news reports on Madison because their depiction of events in Madison versus my experience in Madison are complete opposites.

Instead, to find out what’s really happening in Madison, Wisconsin, I’m consulting scores of alternate news sources such as the Huffington Post’s live updates of events, eyewitness accounts on Twitter and Facebook, footage on YouTube, video montages like this one, and Mother Jones.

Anything other than the local news.

Inside the Capitol.

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5 Literary Characters I’d Like to Make My Valentine

Posted on February 14, 2011 | 2 Comments

Happy Valentine’s Day! In the spirit of the holiday, I’d like to take a moment to pay tribute to two things I love (besides the Green Bay Packers): books and attractive men. Inspired by a recent post on a literary blog I follow I read entitled, “Bangable Dudes in Literature” and my love of making wacky lists, here is a list of 5 literary characters I’d like to make my Valentine:

5) Hamlet
Hamlet is full of angst, emotionally conflicted, and depressed. Yes, these might be bad qualities for a long-term relationship, but they are excellent qualities for a passionate love affair. I always admired Hamlet’s drive to determine who murdered his father and I love the creative way he exposed his uncle. The play’s the thing. He loses points with me for the way he treated his lover, Ophelia, which is why I would never want more than one or two rendezvous with this lost soul. What he lacks in serious relationships, he gains back in his beautiful soliloquies. What a piece of work is man, indeed.

4) Nick Carraway
I’ve always been partial to Midwestern boys and Nick is just that–a Minnesotan boy out to explore the charms of New York City. I love his reflective nature and overall storytelling abilities in The Great Gatsby. Although he does not talk much about his love life, he did get a little fresh with Daisy Buchanan’s friend. It didn’t work out, however, which was fine because I think he was searching for something deeper. I can respect that.

3) Atticus Finch
A widower raising two children all by his lonesome! Makes me melt a little. Atticus, a hard-working lawyer, stands up for what is right and true even when it makes him the most unpopular man in town. Very admirable. He seeks to break down racial barriers in his small Alabama town while at the same time teaching his children good morals. Not an easy task for just one man. I admire a man who can take a stand and has strong convictions and at the same time can be a caring father. All that is missing from Atticus’s life is a woman to keep him warm at night. I can help with that.

2) Theodore “Laurie” Laurence III
I always had the inkling that Laurie was good-looking because the March girls were instantly drawn to him when he became their next door neighbor. Laurie becomes the brother the March girls never had and becomes particularly good friends with Jo, the tomboy. Laurie mistakes this friendship for love (who wouldn’t?) and eventually proposes to Jo. Jo, like an idiot, refuses this proposal and Laurie seeks solace in Europe. Who wouldn’t want to marry their lifelong friend, attractive, and did I mention wealthy next door neighbor? In Europe, Laurie crosses paths with Amy March and he consoles her while she mourns the death of her sister, Beth. Laurie eventually woos Amy which is understandable because he offers her a strong shoulder to cry on. Amy and Laurie marry because they love each other and Laurie wants to be a March for once and for all! I love Laurie’s determination and love of the March family. Nothing beats a true family man.

1) Gilbert Blythe
All Gilbert wants to do is love Anne of Green Gables, but she won’t have any of it! That does not stop Gilbert from making Anne spelled-with-an-e realize that she does, in fact, love Gilbert deep down. Persistence. I like that in a man. Gilbert will not take no for an answer. Fight for your woman! However, I don’t suggest trying to woo your woman by calling her “Carrots,” a nickname she despises. Anne is sensitive about her red hair and Gilbert calls attention to that on her very first day of school in a new town. I suppose I can let that one slide because after all, Anne and Gil were only about fourteen. Teenage boys don’t exactly have the smoothest moves.

Another great thing about Gilbert is that he loved Anne for her brains. She was the smartest girl in the school and the two of them often duked it out for the highest honors in the class.  There were plenty of other pretty and popular girls in Avonlea that liked him, but Gilbert only had eyes for Anne. I appreciate a man who likes a woman for her intellect.

I always admired Gilbert’s undying devotion to Anne. He did not let their silly quarrels ruin their relationship. One of my favorite moments is when he and Anne both become school teachers. She has been assigned to a school in a town far from her home in Green Gables, while Gilbert has been assigned to the local school.  Matthew recently died, leaving Marilla to be the only one to look after Green Gables and the farm land. Gilbert learns that Marilla might have to sell the land because she has no one to help her so he trades places with Anne so she can be close to home and help Marilla. The ultimate sacrifice for the woman he loves. Brings tears to my eyes.

All this talk of these attractive literary characters has made me late for my Valentine’s Day pub crawl! Happy Valentine’s Day, people. Whatever you decide to do today to celebrate your love of [insert object of affection], just remember: don’t write on your lover’s Facebook wall. Save your words of affection for your chocolate fondue date. Your friends thank you in advance.

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How Do I Love Thee, Green Bay Packers? Let Me Count the Ways.

Posted on February 11, 2011 | 4 Comments

As a lifelong fan of the Green Bay Packers, I was obviously ecstatic about the outcome of Super Bowl 45 this past Sunday. The last time the Packers made it to the Super Bowl, I was 13 years-old and when the Packers won their last Super Bowl title, I was 12 years-old. That was such a long time ago that I actually still played with Barbies. In fact, I think I played Barbies instead of watching the half-time show. (We can keep that fact between us. I wouldn’t want my middle school friends to find out about that I played Barbies up until the 8th grade. They won’t think I’m cool anymore.)

Anyways, it’s easy to say you love your favorite team when they win a world championship, but I’d like to say that I would still love the Green Bay Packers if they went 0-16 this season. Obviously, it would be more painful, but I am not a fair-weathered fan by any means. There have been some painful seasons to watch in the last 6 years,  including the 2005 season when they went 4-12 and in 2008 when they went 6-10. I don’t remember them doing so poorly that season, in fact, it wasn’t until Aaron Rodgers mentioned that fact on Letterman the other evening that I remembered they had a losing record in his first season as starting quarterback. Ah well, I guess you really can’t win ‘em all.

I don’t just love the Packers for their athleticism and winning records (and good looks), but I like what they represent. To me, they represent something more than just football. Here’s what I mean:

1) The Packers are the only non-profit team in the NFL and they can still win championships. Imagine that! A team in the National Football League that is not for profit. The Green Bay Packers are the only team that is publicly owned and they are also the smallest franchise in the league. They have stayed true to their roots and they can still win the Super Bowl. 

2) The Green Bay Packers are all about teamwork. With 15 starters on the Injured Reserve, they had to be! This season was all about stepping up to the challenge and filling in the shoes of key players. Even during the Super Bowl, the Packers lost Donald Driver and Charles Woodson to injuries. These guys were instrumental both on the field and in the locker room. During all the post-Super Bowl hoopla, every player that was interviewed gave credit to their fellow teammates for their hard work and skill. No one took personal credit for the Super Bowl win and they easily could have (*cough* Aaron Rodgers).

3) The Green Bay Packers are dedicated. With so many injuries each week, the Packers could have easily thrown in the towel and no one would have blamed them. However, each week rookies, undrafted players, and back-ups stepped up their game, allowing the Packers to pull off wins in unexpected places. My favorite story is the story of undrafted rookie Frank Zombo. During the preseason, he was given the chance to play due to other player’s injuries. However, after he sprained his ankle, he had to miss practice. He realized that his chances of playing were already slim, so he simply taped up his ankle as tight as possible, went out there and proved himself. Zombo earned himself a spot on the squad and played all season long. Now he has a Super Bowl ring. That is the kind of attitude I admire.

4) The Green Bay Packers have the best fan base in the league. If you’ve ever been to a game, you will see what I mean. Green Bay Packers fans love their team more than any team in the league and the feelings are mutual.  It takes a special kind of person to sit through countless games in sub-zero weather with cheese on their head. In addition, did you know that all of the people who work the concession stands at Lambeau Field during games are volunteers? Talk about devotion. Packers players always reference the excellent fan base and even crotchety old Brett Favre will attest to the fact that his Green Bay fans were unlike any fans in the league. 

5) The Green Bay Packers have a dreamy starting quarterback. Have you ever seen Aaron Rodgers? Very kind on the eyes. Not to mention an outstanding athlete, a stellar team leader, and a charitable guy off the field. A real class-act.

What makes the Packers so loveable is that they embody qualities that are successful both on and off the playing field.  Being a Green Bay Packers fan is a true delight.  I don’t see how anyone could not love a publicly owned, professional football team from Small Town, USA, whose fan base adores them and will wait in long lines to help shovel out the home field on snowy days before games. I understand that people have their allegiances to their hometown teams, but when it comes to the Green Bay Packers other teams pale in comparison.

Everybody loves the Green Bay Packers.

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