Author Archives: Nealie Sanchez

The Thing They Don’t Teach You in High School.

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Hello all,

In lieu of recent events at my Alma Mater I have taken to the keyboard once again. This post is specifically for all of my senior loves in high school however if you are older you will probably find yourself wishing that someone had told you this when you were younger, and if you are younger you will find this helpful one day soon.

The Thing They Don’t Teach You in High School:

High school is NOT the place you find yourself. In fact… A lot of people (all liars I might add) might have you convinced at this point in your life that this is where you find you, that these are the best years of your life, and that you should be having the time of your life here with the friends you will keep FOREVER.

I have but one thing to say to all of you liars… Wrong, wrong, and wrong.

Yes lovies, high school is an important time. You will learn more here about yourself than you have in previous years and that will both blow your mind and leave you just a little bit confused about… everything. I, self-proclaimed internet queen and world-class dance dance revolutioner, was a… *GULP*… Complete loser in high school. I had maybe three friends and on any given Friday night you can bet your lunch money that I was not invited anywhere. (And when I was my mom was always saying things like, “Why don’t you go?” I always responded with things like “Mooooooowwwwm gqwewuahdfjeeahdkfjhppp.” Which, In case you were wondering, is the sound of “Mom I don’t want to go” through a mouth full of ice cream. Then I went back to cuddling my dogs on the couch and watching old Disney movies like the pretentious teen that I totally wanted to be.) Thinking back on it I’m pretty sure high school is where I decided that I loved being on a team and that I loved being alone more than anything. That’s just the paradox that is my life. That’s not the point. The point is this.

Thank goodness that isn’t all I have learned/will ever learn about myself.

Here it is… The thing they don’t teach you in high school…

Life is so much better after high school.

Yeah you spent four years stressing over grades and who was dating who and going to football games on Friday nights and panicking about standardized tests and your SAT and you ACT and your friend and who hated who and who was cool and which teachers were the worst and your first love that you thought was your last love and your best friend that wasn’t your best friend anymore and blah blah blah… It’s all worthless. Seriously. That gave you nothing. I’m sorry to be a dream killer. The people who still believe that high school was the best years of your life after high school are the people who were way too cool in high school that still kind of wish they were back in high school… You get it?

I have spent two semesters at the school of my dreams in the town of my dreams and I can’t even begin to tell you all of the things that I know about me now. It’s actually kind of insane. (And also it’s so cool being addicted to coffee, who knew?) I had one of my old high school friends call me up the other day just to tell me that I “seem really happy now”. Um, yes, hi, thank you so much. I seem happy because I am happy. It’s a really different and weird thing to grow into yourself. It’ll be confusing and it will feel kind of scary, but if there is one thing I promise you as a person who loves every little thing about each and every one of you reading this (even the ugly parts) it’s that things like that are really the most important parts of your life.

I’m saying this because I don’t want any one of you to ever feel too overwhelmed by the mountain you are climbing that is high school. I’ve been there. I cried over my SAT. I cried over a few really bad test scores. My daddy always told me “don’t sweat the small stuff”. At the time I thought he meant “don’t sweat the one test grade” or “don’t sweat the one failure”. That isn’t what he meant at all. What he meant was “don’t sweat all the things that don’t affect who you will end up being”.

That is high school. That is what high school is. Just one teeny-tiny pot hole to step over in the road to becoming yourself.

XOXO,

NBNealie

P.S. I make myself available to all of you for a reason. If you have a friend that you feel should speak with me feel free to pass along my e-mail.

Reach out:

Some places you can contact to handle the stress of high school…

1.) Me: If for any reason you don’t have an adult figure in your life to help you through the process of transitioning to college or if you have parents that have never been to college and don’t quite understand the process let me help. Also, if you need help with scholarship essays, filling out college applications, or discussing a good college for you. You can always reach me at my personal e-mail: nothingbutnealie@yahoo.com.

2.) The National Hotline: If you need to talk or are concerned about someone else, please call 1-800-273-TALK (8255). If someone is in immediate crisis, dial 911.

Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255

3.) LGBTQ – The Trevor Lifeline: http://www.thetrevorproject.org/866-488-7386 Suicide and crisis help line for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth (24/7).

Trevor Chat: 866-488-7386

4.) Crisis Text Line (National): Text SUPPORT to 741-741 (24/7).

Hello All…

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Hey NBN it’s me once again. (Self proclaimed internet queen and professional dance dance revolutioner.)

I have been AWOL mostly due to the fact that I had to delete my mobile app to make room for my mothers wedding memories. (Also self proclaimed photo taking queen.)

I’m writing at this terrible indecent hour just to let you all know I’m taking a tiny tiny tiny leave of absence from NBN for the month of April.

I have some major things coming up like my birthday and a family trip to Cali and lots of tutoring to do for classes and blah blah blah…

Thank you all for being my support always. I love each of you endlessly and will of course be taking emails at my business  email nothingbutnealie@yahoo.com should any of you need me for any reason at all.

April and May are difficult for my college loves and I know it. Please don’t stress while balancing work, school, and friendships. It’s all an uphill battle and my favorite man in the entire universe once said, “There are times in your life that you will get knocked flat on your ass and the only way to move on is to get back up as fast as you were knocked down.” So while you are all tackling the last bit of this semster don’t panic. Just get back up. (By the way that’s my dad. Here’s looking at you Patrick. I love you.)

I will be back faster than you know it.

XOXO,

NBNealie

Happy Little Accidents (Gentleness in Action People…)

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Today the weather is beautiful so I stopped by my favorite little coffee shop near campus. Naturally because it’s the best place in the world EVERY table was taken. So I asked this girl sitting on the old beat up couch (I adore that couch) if anyone was sitting at the table next to her. Her stuff was in one of the chairs and she said no and she went to move it for me. 

“Don’t worry about it,” I said, “I’ll only be here for about 15 minutes.”

Then I sat down and started doodling in my little notebook. The girl looked up at me and said, “Is it sunny and beautiful outside?”

“It is so fantastic out that I put on shorts just to come up here and walk to this coffee shop.”

She ran her fingers through her hair looking a little anxious. “I’ve been here all day,” she said and smiled a little.

“Don’t worry. That’s me as well most days.”

I went back to doodling in my book and I looked up and this girl just looked really DONE with studying. You know. The kind of done where you just look at someone and you’re like this person is 2 pages away from a break down.

So I said, “You look a little burnt out.”

“I am.”

“Well do you want to go outside with me and take a little walk for five minutes? It really is beautiful.”

And she said yeah and we left all our stuff and went for a walk down the street and I learned a lot about her. She’s kind of in the same boat I am with wanting a minor based on passion (here’s looking at you Philo Minor) and being a first generation college student. 

We talked a lot about being passionate about your major and even the small parts of life. That really resonated with me because I have been really really down on myself lately. We got down to the end of the street and I said, “Listen, I drove all the way up here today for a walk and a five dollar cup of coffee. I was probably supposed to meet you today so you wouldn’t be so stressed about your test.” 

She said, “Yes the universe probably knew.”

It felt like I was talking to myself when she said that. She had no idea what that meant. The universe knew I needed it too.

When we got back I grabbed my stuff and told her good luck and I hope she felt better.

She said I was a wonderful human being.

I’ve needed a little validation in that for so many weeks and she just plain said it, unprompted.

I won’t use her name because I don’t have her permission to, but it’s people like her that I’m talking about when I preach to all of you to be gentle with the world.

If I hadn’t made myself the type of person that wants to nurture the minds around me then I wouldn’t have met such a sweet human being. Other people probably would’ve left her there to pull her hair out before her exam. Don’t be that type of person. Love on other people simply because they exist.

Love others and celebrate often.

XOXO

NBNealie



Hi From Coffeeland (Just Stinking Be Nice)

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I will preach and preach and preach again on being gentle with people. 

IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO BE GENTLE WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

People think really hard about doing sweet things for one another but they don’t think twice about flipping the bird in traffic, being aggressive with other people, or even just tearing other people down.

THAT SHOULD BOTHER PEOPLE. It should bother you, me, your neighbor, your brother, your cousin, your uncle, everyone. Whether you’re black or blue or purple or white or green or something in between THAT SHOULD BOTHER YOU. 

At this point in time people will effortlessly berate others and are shy to smile at a stranger. I get that. This is a post 9/11 world and we are all afraid of what our neighbors are capable of. Fine. Be afraid… But don’t ever think, “Yeah, I’m fully living.” I’m sure I’m stepping on some toes here. FINE. Fact of the matter is this: If you have a crippling fear of kindness to strangers YOU AREN’T LIVING. If you don’t feel like you can smile or tell someone to have a nice day (and REALLY mean it) and all you have is a cold shoulder for the outside world then you are just kidding yourself.

This is a hard world in which I am telling each and every one of you to remain soft. 

Listen. A lot of this I write to remind myself, but I feel really strongly about taking care of your friends and neighbors and yes even strangers.

To err on the side of caution is not to be hard with the world. I’m sick of seeing that.

(Sorry not sorry for being sassy.)

XOXO,

NBNealie

To (Blank) or Not to (Blank)

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Dear darling readers.

Today I, Queen of the Internet, come to you posing the ultimate question.

This question if unanswered could lead to the end of humanity. The world will be lost in a black void. We will all be doomed. So my loves… I beg of you to answer…

To short hair or not to short hair? To extension or not to extension?

(Drama* Queen of the Internet more like it…)

Anyway. I preach a lot to all of you killer guys and gals on self confidence, and just the other day I gave my good friend Mary the advice to go for the chop on her hair for that very reason. For most of my time as an adolescent I was known as the girl with long pretty hair so I used this cool new title to be just that… The Girl With Long Pretty Hair. Now I kind of just want to be Nealie. After The Great Hair Chop (and bleach… Which is out of the picture you guys. I’ve come to terms with the fact that I am a brunette. *sigh*) of 2012 I became NEALIE. I talked to a lot more strangers. Cracked a lot more crummy jokes. Interviewed a bunch of artists for Themattix Art Gallery. Dubbed myself Internet Queen (I hope you all know that I’m kidding…).

So in the name of good old fashioned 21st century fun I decided a poll was in order.

Vote on my hair.

I may or may not listen to you.

Please view reference photos and vote responsibly.

RULES:

  • No voting while intoxicated.
  • If your name is Gabrielle you are not allowed to cast a vote.
  • After casting vote please spin in three complete circles to lock in your vote.
  • If you are under the age of 5 your vote is not valid (but good job using the computer).
  • If you own more than three Burberry items you may not vote.
  • If your birthday falls on the third Saturday of the month this year you may vote more than once.
  • If you have more than five letters in your first name but less than 8 you must blink twice before voting.

Happy voting!

Current Hair:

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(This is that selfie from a weekish ago.)

Short Hair:

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Long Hair:

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XOXO,

NBNealie

Nealie VS. Neal (The Great Coffee Crisis of 2015)

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OOOOOOOOOKAY EVERYONE WHO IS READY FOR SOME THURSDAY AFTERNOON SASS. 

 Every time I go to an establishment where you are required to give your name to some poor employee who is definitely not paid enough to try and figure out how to spell your name I give the name Neal instead of Nealie. Why? Because my name is quite the conversation starter, no one can spell it, and often times people can’t pronounce it either. (In case you found me randomly and haven’t seen a video yet it’s literally just Neal+the hard E sound.) “How do you spell that.” “What a cool name.” “How did your parents come up with that.” Typically I just respond, “I’m named after the greatest man I’ll ever know, Neal.” or “I’m named after my pops, Neal.” It really just depends on my mood/sense of name pride for the day. (I was unintentionally gifted the job of carrying on a great legacy at the young age of fresh-out-of-the-womb.)  Then generally people say something along the lines of “That’s cute.” and then they try to find an appropriate way to ask me if he’s still alive. Then I have to do the decent human thing and find some gentle way to say “No he passed away,” followed by an insincere, “It’s okay.” 

 Just typing out that simple interaction drained me… Who wants to do that every time they get coffee or Panera bread? Who wants to explain that to some stranger while they’re out dancing? NO ONE. EVER. So Instead I switch between giving the name Neal and (on occasion) Nellie (fun fact I went by Nellie for a bit back in grade school and sometimes my mom even still calls me that, I LOVE IT). Besides. I have to explain my name ALL THE TIME at work when people think they are asking the most clever and original questions to a disgruntled cashier. It always starts with, “How do you pronounce your name?” 

 Okay that isn’t my sassy bit. 

Here it is: 

 Just a bit ago at my favorite coffee shop they called for a Cappuccino at the bar for Neal (me). So this group of guys on the couch is all whatever because obviously some dude has his drink at the counter. BUT THEN THEY SEE ME WALK AROUND THE CORNER. It’s like because it wasn’t a guy when they called a guys name it was ten times more satisfying/intriguing to give me a rather greedy once over. AND LET ME TELL YOU I DON’T EVEN LOOK CUTE TODAY. I AM OUT DOING HOMEWORK IN MY GRUBBY SWEATSHIRT AND LEGGINGS WITH THE SMALLEST AMOUNT OF MASCARA ON MY FACE AND THAT IS IT. Anyway. Today it grinds my gears right off because that happens a lot. Not always the getting checked out part… But the “name weirdness”. 

 Name weirdness cont: 

 People get all weird about it. Starbucks, my hole in the wall coffee shop, at Panera, you name it. Out dancing it’s hard to explain the name Nealie in a loud bar. Neal is just easier. Then at Panera the other day my order was ready before I had sat down at my table so the guy called for Neal. I’m all “Oh hey yeah that’s me, over here. Sorry. That was fast.” And this guy is still just kind of searching for this man named Neal. Good luck dude… You’re totally not going to find him. 

 Also my friends always kind of chuckle when I give the names Neal or Nellie. Mostly because the name Nealie isn’t that hard and they all feel that way too because they actually know me. People with the names Hannah or Katie or Lucy or pretty much anything you can find on a mug at some stuffy souvenir store don’t understand the struggle. 

 Mkay. Weirdness for the day over. Just feeling a little edgy about the whole thing. (If people didn’t ask such weird questions that aren’t even in the realm of pleasantries I wouldn’t have to change my name at all.) You know the drill… It happened in my brain so it had to be put on the internet and blah blah blah. 

 TOMORROW IS FRIDAY WOOHOO! I hope it is stellar and I’m going to be finally posting that vid from a million billion weeks ago. ILYSM. 

 XOXO

NBNealie



P.S. Here is my face and also Go Buckeyes but I love this sweatshirt. Don’t tell my Ohio Fam I’m wearing this.

P.P.S. Don’t tell my dad I stole his sweatshirt…

Intellect. Ambition. Positivity. Wisdom.

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Feb 16, 2015 07:35

First! Found this. Thought you should read it. Make it your phone back ground. Meditate on it. I’m not sure. Just. Think about it kay?

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Today 11:02

I JUST GOT THE COOLEST NEWS OF MY LIFE.

Today I went to a specialized advising session for first year students at my college. My advisor, Adrianne had to schedule me a separate meeting with her. Why?
I have no more basic or University core classes. It is my first year of university and I have officially squashed core.

That means that Fall 2015 I will be starting my advanced journalism classes and my specialized minor classes. My. Second. Year. In. My. First. Choice. School. I. Will. Be. In. My. Advanced. Program. Classes.

In our meeting I’m switching my minor to Philosophy because I am in love with my philosophy course this semester, (Discovery of Self is the course by the way in case any other college kids are looking for a vastly interesting course. I highly recommend it. I’ve been self actualizing like nobodies business and it has really been beneficial in all aspects of my life from human interaction to work ethic.) AND we are discussing my plans for study abroad in Europe the Summer of 2016!

I want to give very special thank yous to tons of people via the internet:

First and foremost my parents, all four of you, for never letting me quit anything a day in my life unless it was toxic. Mom especially for always making me think you can do anything you put your mind to. Dad for a good ass kicking when it was necessary, and for always making me believe that I was capable of anything. Casey for tough love and great food. Deb for teaching me how to stand up for myself.

Next the other very influential parental figures in my life Angie, Momma #2, Chelsi, and Morgana. It takes a village, and I have been shaped by each of you. I owe much of my compassion and understanding to Momma and Chels, and much of my sass to MoMo and Ang.

Third the lovely lovely friends old and new that I hold very near and dear to my heart. My Maggie, Kimmie, Teddy, and Emma from the weird parts of my life to the now. I can’t believe that any of you actually befriended a weirdo like me. BUT. I’m glad you did. Some of you were even brave enough to befriend me back in middle school… That was an even weirder time and honestly you deserve an award for your bravery. (Especially Mags because it’s almost our six year best friend anniversary and I owe you my entire life! love you.) David, Monique, Kerri, Colton, and Craig. I learned the best of love, tough love, and self motivation for you guys. I’m happy I found you all when I did. I mean it.

Lastly… All of NBN. Seriously. What would I be without this site? I wouldn’t even have found my love of writing without this site. My whole future is pretty much based off of the accidental best thing 14 year old me ever did for future me. Everyone that has ever said I write well or watched some dumb video on here has made me an innumerable amount of happy. Thanks for even bothering to look at what I do. (And for letting me dub myself the Internet Queen just because I can talk with a mug of coffee in my hand.)

Fact of the matter is that I wouldn’t be the me I am without all of you little pieces of me. I’m so so excited for this crazy meeting today and to figure out what the next two years are going to look like for me. I never actually thought I’d get here. (Much less succeed here.)
I finally feel like all the stupid papers I cried over in Dr. Nichols class paid off. I feel like all the extra stress Junior and a Senior year was worth it.
It’s just all very exciting to be as young as I am and starting my specialized courses and talking about Europe. It’s even more exciting to have all of my friends, family, and NBN readers watching it happen.

I GUESS I’M OFF TO TALK ABOUT EUROPE!

Talk soon.

Xoxo
NBNealie

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Valentines Day (Stinks)

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Since 2012 I will have you know that I am still an avid Valentines day hater. BUT… With new and improved writing skills. So how about Round two of “The Valentines Day Blues” where I kill all of your V-Day bliss? Great. Let’s get started.

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First thing is first:

We all know this is some major consumerist (and straight up genius) conspiracy invented to make us all spend too much money on candy that we look at all year long. Like seriously? M&Ms come in a pink bag for one month out of the year… Hold yourselves together ladies. I know nothing says “I love you” quite like over priced pastel versions of all the same candy you’ve been eating for the past 365 days, but you need to chill out.

Are we going to pretend these aren’t just regular Peeps?

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Does any one even like the taste of these?

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Second:

We might as well call this national double standard day. Like… Women want to be held to the same standard as men except for the one day a year when they want to be completely dazzled by some poor guy that’s just kind of doing his best because he doesn’t really even know what you want because you are a passive aggressive female that’s all “nothing”. (GUYS, “NOTHING” DOESN’T ACTUALLY MEAN NOTHING. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED BY AN ACTUAL FEMALE. FIGURE SOMETHING OUT.) So yeah ladies, real nice, sounds super fair (jerks).

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Third:

The sad fact of the matter is that dinner and a movie isn’t the end all be all of V-Day anymore because everyone has lost their minds and decided that the only way you can ever know if someone actually loves you is if they sky dive down from the sky with a flaming sign that says “I love you” and land gracefully next to a mountain of seven dozen roses. And don’t forget the pastel packaged candy.

Don’t be that girl okay… You are the cause of things like this… Stop.

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Besides if I guy can pull this off it’s kind of a miracle…

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Fourth:

You’re alone on Valentines day and it’s still a consumerist pastel candy land of literal hell. Why? Are you familiar with the words “Discount.”, “Valentines.”, or “Candy.”? Don’t bother answering. I already know. It’s true that we single ladies get the discount candy… We just don’t want to hear it! Our discount candy is not the same as your (stupid) dinner with your man, your (stupid) overpriced plushies,  and your (stupid) jewelry. (We don’t want the candy we want a man. Read it and weep single babes. I just said what we’re all thinking. BOOM.) And also just this once can we pity the single girl asking how your date was? We all know she is just giving you a courtesy ask and we all know this is the one night that guys go all out so it is completely fair to tone it down so that single lady doesn’t cry into her cruddy bag of candy. (I’ve got your back ladies.)

Get out of here with this.

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Fifth:

You’re not alone on Valentines day and all the single people are V-Day hating all over the place. You really don’t have to play down your love of V-Day. It’s totally okay to be in love… Just remember that Valentines Day just so happens to be the day that most couples take a trip to splitzville, and drink your cheap wine responsibly. 😉

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Sixth and last of all:

You’re not even sure where you stand with your “Maybe” Valentine. What are you supposed to get the person that you’re kind of sort of with? Wish I could help you friend, but I really don’t know and it’s probably time you have a talk so you don’t look stupid on V-Day either for getting them something or for not getting them something. Best of luck baby loves.

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You are each a part of my heart and soul and you keep me going. Thanks a heap for being my Valentine!Lots of love from your favorite Valentine, the Queen of Xs and Os,

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XOXO

NBNealie

P.S. I found the single worst Valentine ever. Never do this. Not even teachers want this. No one in their right mind wants this. If someone you know wants this you should be worried. Just… No…

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Sweet Home Alabama?

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PLEASE READ: The views expressed in this blog post are not shared by everyone and may be seen as offensive to some. If you take offense to opposing view points you may want to come back a little later on in the week for my Valentines Day special okay? Please keep in mind that I love everyone the same and I am not here to shove my beliefs or thoughts down anyone’s throats I am just here to put them out in the open for my own sanity. I would never ever post a blog that could offend anyone on a serious issue without putting a warning before hand. Also, comments are always set for moderation on every post to this website so that I may screen any offensive language and or spam comments. I repeat. Comments are always set for moderation, not just on this post. If you do so wish to comment I will not screen any comments with opposing view points. I will screen any offensive language, and any heated arguments (as opposed to sensible debates) completely. We all respect each other here on NBN, and I will always be an enforcer of that. Lots of love from me to you for all the people I will see later on in the week. Here we go.

 

Okay okay so I know I’m taking a break from Facebook or whatever. BUT. Here I am reading this New York Times article and getting so ticked off! (By The Way: This link is safe I inserted it myself. It will open a new tab on the official New York Times website.)

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/09/us/gay-marriage-set-to-begin-in-alabama-amid-protest.html?ref=todayspaper&_r=1

I get it, not everyone fancies gay marriage. That’s understandable. Not everyone fancies people sacrificing animals in religious ceremonies. That’s understandable. Not everyone fancies abortion. That’s understandable. Not everyone fancies U.S. Military involvement in foreign countries. That’s understandable. There is no one solution to please a whole people group.

You know what people really should like though? OTHER HUMAN BEINGS. So for some close minded God-fearing people to close their doors on other human beings that you were made to love unconditionally is just ridiculous.

I get it. Some judges don’t feel comfortable issuing marriage licences to gay couples for religious reasons. I understand perfectly well that the bible defines marriage as a sacred institution between a man and a woman being as I am a Christian woman. However, because I just don’t see that as something that should be a governmental decision (and in somewhere around 38ish states it is not,  but the number is in flux at the moment) I can’t understand why you wouldn’t just bring in a few judges that are okay with it. THAT IS COMING FROM A CHRISTIAN LADY RAISED IN A CONSERVATIVE HOME DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS Y’ALL. Can’t we all just get along? I’m not even saying that the people who are uncomfortable with it should have to do it, but instead of a whole office closing down to avoid issuing licences to everyone completely (which by the way is the best move possible because hey at least everyone is getting treated equally at that ONE place.) maybe just bring in a few people who are comfortable with it or at least don’t mind just being respectful because I’m sure there’s got to be one person somewhere that’s like, “Hey it’s not my job to shove my own personal views in this persons business.”

Here’s my beef. If you are a God-fearing person it is somewhere up high in your list of responsibilities to love on other people. No where in the bible does it say “Hey you should probably hate people who do things differently than you do and you should also definitely denounce them in public because you, my child, are obviously a superior being.” NO WHERE. NOT IN THE ENTIRE BOOK. NOT ONE TIME. In fact I think we all learned a valuable lesson about doing things like that when Jesus himself was put up on a cross in Golgotha for you all to be forgiven of your sins because he was a little different from other people in Jerusalem. IS THAT NOT WHAT YOU ALSO GOT OUT OF THAT?

Also there are bigger world issues than this going on y’all. How about the fact that Venezuela has its people on strict rations and the cardiac sectors of many of their hospitals have been shut down for month because 95% of oil revenue was used for social spending in that country? They are denying people heart surgeries every day because they can’t afford the drugs and medications necessary to perform those surgeries. (Fact. I’ll link the NYT article for that at the bottom.)

We are fat and happy in America and a little thing like “who’s loving who” is causing such a ruckus. I don’t understand where the disconnect between being a “God-fearing Christian that loves everyone and treats everyone how they want to be treated” and being “a hateful terrible person about someone else’s lifestyle even though you shouldn’t” is. It’s not your job to deny someone a right because you feel like it’s wrong. That isn’t your job in the grand scheme of things you know? The only thing you’re actually required to do is be a decent human being to other human beings. You don’t even have to be exuberantly nice you just have to get over yourself and respect people.

Some people will read this and think I’m a terrible Christian or something. That’s not true so it doesn’t bother me. The fact of the matter is I’m a person that loves other people so this isn’t a hard thing for me. I just love people to love people. Half of my friends are Deists and Atheists because I just thought they were wonderful people before we got into any sort of religious talks. I respect their views and they respect mine and it has not once been a problem because I choose to surround myself with good people who respect other people and I choose to respect them as well. There isn’t a thing wrong with that!

If you were thinking for one second that you can avoid people with lifestyles that you vehemently detest well my friend you have never been more wrong. Today you probably bought coffee from an atheist, held the door open for a gay, and maybe even smiled at a Satanist for all you know. We’re all just people. Get over your Napoleon complex and start loving on people.

I’ll leave you with this. My aunt Vicki wrote me a letter that changed my whole life and my whole journey at this point. She is the wisest woman I know. I think we could all use this quote. I think someone like God might even agree.

“There is no one ‘better’ than you in the same respect you are better than no one.” – Vicki Sanchez

XOXO,

NBNealie

 

Venezuela Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/30/world/americas/strict-rationing-in-venezuela-as-plunging-oil-prices-hurt-economy.html?ref=todayspaper

Suck It Up.

by

If you want something I’m telling you right now you better aggressively want it. If you don’t aggressively want something then you are probably a quitter. Putting your all in to something is a life requirement so quit just doing things half way. Get it together and chase it with all you have. Successful people DO NOT happen overnight! People don’t just wake up one morning and quit working minimum wage jobs. If that was the case we would probably all be investing millions into the wondrous research revolving around teleportation (or idk at least all have timeshares in some exotic land am I right?). However that is not the case. So just quit feeling mediocre and get a move on with the rest of your life.

We will all feel that way some time or another. “Oh I wish I was doing this.” “Oh I wish this was different in my life.” “Oh this isn’t going how I want it to.” I mean duh… Of course it’s not. You need to put in some work and let life work itself out. You will get what you deserve in due time.

I never got my video to go live that explained that no, I do not work at the gym any longer. Was it a great experience? Yes. Did I meet great people? Heck yes. It just wasn’t a good fit for my life anymore. I felt that I was compromising my happiness at such a key growing point in my life, and honestly nothing is ever worth losing your happy over.

I’m preaching to you guys about all of this because I’m feeling a little down about just being a cashier again after having a job in a position that I quite enjoyed. BUT I SHOULDN’T. Some people don’t even have jobs.

For my whole life the best adults I know have been telling me to “Suck it up.” (Hey Dawn and Neil and Mom and Dad that means you guys.) Let me tell you. I’ve been failing at it. I’m about a month and a half into 2015 and I haven’t been aggressive enough about the things I want. I’VE JUST BEEN BLINDLY LETTING LIFE HAPPEN TO ME INSTEAD OF GOING OUT THERE AND CRUSHING EVERY OPPORTUNITY I GET. Well. Here I am sucking it up and taking another stab at it.

Time for a little poll about what we’ve learned today! Remember these? 🙂