Overreactions - Why People Need To Calm The F*** Down

Ah, the Oscars.

Eighty-seven years of honoring cinematic achievements in the film industry.  Categories that run from Best Picture all the way to Makeup and Hair Styling.  Timeless speeches given by the recipients that bring tears to your eyes.

At least, that's what I expected to read about today when I checked out the news recaps.  I didn't bother watching them last night - between having the toddler run around and praying she'd go to sleep before The Walking Dead came on, I was not concerned.  I haven't seen any of these movies yet anyway.

Still, I was curious.  So I peeked at the computer today, and what do I see?  The first two stories that come up are about how the host Neil Patrick Harris made an "ill-timed" joke about an award recipient, and how Sean Penn's green card joke has "sparked controversy".  Nothing, NOTHING about who won what or any beautiful moments during the evening.

Like Neil Patrick Harris in his underwear.  Good times!

I've read both articles (feel free to check them out here:  Neil Patrick Harris Cracks Ill-Timed Joke ; Sean Penn's Green Card Joke Sparks Controversy

Here's my takeaway:  NEITHER of the people that the jokes were referring to were offended.  They both thought the comments/jokes were funny as hell.  But everyone else has decided that these comments are unacceptable and offensive!  How awful, how could they say those things!?

The worst of it is, by Thursday no one will even remember what the hell happened to make them so mad in the first place.

Everybody - please calm the fuck down.

I found a hysterical article on Cracked.com that gave six examples of Overreaction.  For example - a man throws himself in front of his wife's car.... to keep her from voting.  It made me laugh out loud (honestly, great stuff), but at the same time got me thinking - these are TRUE STORIES!  Is it any wonder that this country is plagued by the side effects of stress?  Just look at us!

Overreacting to a joke you didn't care for also induces stress.  It make you stress out, it makes others stress out that jump on the offended bandwagon,  it stresses out the people who thought it was funny but now are caught up in the dramatic debate, and it stresses out the joker because they are second-guessing the decision to try and bring humor to someone.  Stress causes the following:

Stress Warning Signs and Symptoms
Cognitive Symptoms	Emotional Symptoms
Memory problems Inability to concentrate Poor judgment Seeing only the negative Anxious or racing thoughts Constant worrying	Moodiness Irritability or short temper Agitation, inability to relax Feeling overwhelmed Sense of loneliness and isolation Depression or general unhappiness
Physical Symptoms	Behavioral Symptoms
Aches and pains Diarrhea or constipation Nausea, dizziness Chest pain, rapid heartbeat Loss of sex drive Frequent colds	Eating more or less Sleeping too much or too little Isolating yourself from others Procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing)

Thanks to helpguide.org, we see here many things that suck.

Laughter, on the other hand....

The Benefits of Laughter
Physical Health Benefits: Boosts immunity Lowers stress hormones Decreases pain Relaxes your muscles Prevents heart disease	Mental Health Benefits: Adds joy and zest to life Eases anxiety and fear Relieves stress Improves mood Enhances resilience	Social Benefits: Strengthens relationships Attracts others to us Enhances teamwork Helps defuse conflict Promotes group bonding

The moral of the story:  Laugh at jokes.  And calm the fuck down.  Because let's face it, if we can't laugh at ourselves, then what's the point of it all?

What Is Fashion? More importantly.... WHY???

I was perusing the Yahoo stories that come up on my homepage, and I came across an article titled "The Best Looks From New York Fashion Week".  I was bored enough to check it out, and what I found just baffled me.

You can do the same here:   https://www.yahoo.com/style/the-best-looks-from-new-c1424468703596.html

First things first, why is it illegal to smile when you are on the runway?  The message seems to be that looking either sulky or spaced-the-fuck-out is sexy.  FALSE!  It's creepy!  I mean honestly, just look - there's nothing in there!  No personality, no emotion... just dead space.

Secondly, I'd like to know WHO decides what's fashionable?  I looked up the definition in case I'd missed something in my 31 years:

Fashion - a popular trend, especially in styles of dress and ornament or manners of behavior.

Nowhere here does it tell me what crazy individuals are selected to decide "what's hot and what's not".  Whoever they are should probably be sent somewhere far far away from me, because I'm tempted to set the lot of them on fire right about now.

The picture that started this rant for me was this "coat"...

I don't even know where to start.  Why???  I guess that would be my first question.  Why would someone even think to create an extra large beer coozy with strips cut out of it and call it a coat?  Is that panty hose on his head?  Why is there an inverted bubble blower hanging out of his mouth?  Why is the brand painted on his knees?  What's going on here???

But alas, not only has someone created this monstrosity, it's FASHIONABLE.

This wasn't the only cringe-worthy outfit (but it was the scariest).  I have never understood the trends that flutter in and out - I'm partial to being comfortable and wearing what makes me happy.  My idea of fashion would make these people shudder, I'm sure.  But that's what I like, what makes me feel good.

What's wrong with that?

I don't even have a happy solution to this conundrum.  I'd hoped when I started this rant, I'd end it with smiles and puppies and butterflies, but I just can't find the path to it.  Perhaps another day.

I guess I should put Yahoo on my list of shit I shouldn't look at anymore.

This is only the beginning...

Things you should know about me before we start:

-I'm a 31 year old mother of a 15 month old little girl, and I'm 9 weeks pregnant.
-I've lived with the same man for 12 years and counting - plus three cats.
-I work in retail, and have for far too long.
-I've experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in the past 2 years.
-Some days, I feel like my cheese has slipped a little too far off it's cracker.

When I decided I wanted to start a blog, I debated what I should make it about.  Should I talk about motherhood and all the crazy shit I wish someone had warned me about?  Should I stick to the hypocrisy of retail sales?  What about relationships, family, loss, traffic, AHHHHH!!!!!

So why limit myself?  I'm going to talk about whatever the hell strikes me at the time.  It could inspire you, it could anger you, it could make you laugh.  And maybe, just maybe, this will be the tiny little outlet I've been searching for.

Today's topic:  The wave.

I sit in enormous amounts of traffic on a daily basis.  There are several parts of my trip where either I need to merge, or someone else needs to merge in front of me.  

I can't explain why, but when I don't get "the wave", I get very upset.  What happened to common courtesy?  It might not be taught in a traditional fashion, but the wave is well known throughout this country as a way to say "Hey, thanks for letting me in!!  I appreciate you!!"

The best wave I ever got was in a rainstorm.  I let someone in, and they rolled down their window to stick out their arm and WAVE, getting themselves wet for their trouble.  I smiled for miles.

I guess the wave doesn't just apply to shitty traffic situations.  The concept applies everywhere.  Like holding a door for someone, or smiling when you accidentally make eye contact instead of pretending it didn't happen.  Are we so unaware of anyone other than ourselves?  Do we only pay attention to someone's issues if they pop up on Yahoo News or Facebook?  

I'm not sure if the technological age has triggered the change in society, or if I'm just noticing it because I have to think about the future for my children.  I for one am going to try harder to smile bigger, to wave like a crazy person, to hold doors and carry bags, and to cause a grin on someone else's face.  I might not make a giant dent in the grand scheme of things, but at least I'll make a small one in my own little world, and you have to start somewhere.