How to Christmas.

No eating.  No sleeping.  Very little bathing.  I love Christmas!

CHARITY, ALLISON.

For a class this semester, we had to do a project.  I decided to do my project on charity.  This project required a "product".  I decided to have this post be that (I made this decision while making a powerpoint and realizing that I wished it was a blog post).  (I was making that powerpoint because the paintings I did are not dry yet)

They'll never be dry.  Never.

Okay, here we go.

The Beginning.

This actually happened in the middle of the project, but it was such a wake-up call.

Also, it makes a really good beginning.

I had a mental breakdown in a hallway on campus.  This semester has been the hardest yet.  My average happiness is lower than ever.  However, my happy moments are more happy than ever.  That's the price of epiphany, I guess.

So I'm crying in this hallway and along comes my favorite art teacher.  And his service dog.  His dog that the government says he can bring everywhere because of his anxiety issues.

We talked a little about what was happening and my own anxiety issues.

A few minutes after he had to leave it started up again.

And someone else came by.  This time, a random stranger.  We talked a while, but before he left, he told me to do something.

I don't think I helped anyone that day, but that stuck in my brain and influenced the things I did to help people later in the project.  I can't even remember that guy's name (It starts with a C or K... I think...) and I'll probably remember what he said for a long time.

The Charity Alarm.

When I started this project, I didn't want to try anything too huge.  I decided that I would simply take EVERY opportunity to have charity that I came across.  I made sure to constantly remind myself of what I was trying to do and plenty of opportunities came up.

This is my natural reaction.  AS LITTLE HUMAN INTERACTION AS POSSIBLE.  Lucky for me, the reminders worked in creating what I call my charity alarm.

And that's how I got to be on the bone marrow donation registry.
deletebloodcancer.org

Now it's become almost second nature for me to skip the part where people bug me.

Why all the excitement?  I found that when I try to focus more on other people, it's easier for me to help myself.

Normally, just about all my free time is spent idly.  And that just makes me hate myself.

When I do all the things that come up to help others, I'm already in a do-things mood.

And when I get things done, then I never have to worry that I don't have enough time to help someone.

The End.

Now go help someone today.

Part that doesn't really fit anywhere, but I think is important.

I listened to a TED Talk only a few days ago about how vulnerability is the key to connecting with people.  I think we all instinctively know this, but hearing that made me realize how true it is.  I was so afraid to start this blog.  I have a tinge of fear every time I publish a new post.  But I do it anyway.  I used to be afraid whenever I told someone I was an art major.  Now I can talk excitedly about all the mistakes I'm making that are teaching me new things.  I think it's why I stayed in that hallway when I could have hidden in a bathroom.  And now I'm sure it's why people help each other.  I help someone because I realize that I need help.  Not like a quid pro quo thing, but just because we need to be connected to people.

Why I don't post often this semester.

This is your brain:

This is your brain on stress:

The Twitters!

I'm now on the Twitters!  I don't really know how to use it, but I like getting tweets from people I think are cool!  So if you think I'm cool, you could follow me!  Or you could follow the things I follow!  Or something...

@AllieDerp

Holy! Life is good right now!

Sorry 'bout the long wait, guys.  School started.  And stuff happened.  Lots of stuff.

Stuff #1

Will this change the way I draw on this blog?

Stuff #2

Karate is really hard, guys.  It's one of the most rewarding things I've ever done.  I think I will keep learning more karate forever.

Stuff #3

Yeeeeah... I may have injured myself the same way...

Stuff #4

Suddenly I'm a knowledgeable citizen.
And I need to prove my address so I can get a city library card and read John Green's books.
ALL OF THEM.

I'm going to get a Twitter right now just so I can follow Hank and John Green.

"Cotton Swabs"

Later...

MeandmysisarelikeTHIS

There will be more... I just wanted to get it out there...


MOAR! WARNING, DON'T ACTUALLY DO THIS WHILE DRIVING.

Fonts.

My brother made fun of me for using Comic Sans :(

Maybe if I was this person, I'd care about Helvetica.

In which I do NOT have a hicky, but nobody believes me.

I was having some weird skin problems (see this post)

It was a rash that actually went from my shoulder up onto my neck, but with my work shirt on, you could only see the part on my neck, so it looked like a hicky.

There was no escaping what was about to happen.  And trust me, I tried.

I finally decided that the only reasonable thing to do was just act casual and pretend I didn't even know it was there.  In my brain, I figured that if I acted like it wasn't there, nobody would notice.

THIS DID NOT WORK.

But I pretended that it did.  Because fiercely defending the truth would just make me look guilty...

Just one more annoying post about subscribing...

Using the "Follow by Email" thing means you don't pop up on my members, and I still don't know you're there.  I'm going to keep the "Follow by Email" up, but I ask that you also do the google member thing, too.  Just so I can see it.  So you can get your haiku.

Oh, and I'm going to move the "Follow by Email" thing to the bottom, near the other follow-y thing.

Thanks!! :D

Why PE is Broken

Once again, my history with sports comes up.  (See Sports)

I grew up believing I was not athletic.  And if I ever wanted to be in shape, it would have to be through doing things I hate.

Turns out, I have a friend who was in the same boat!

Do you know what comes after that?  BLACK.  THAT'S WHAT COMES AFTER THAT.

You know how many kids she has?  THREE.  THAT'S HOW MANY.

And she was like, "Allie!  Come to karate!"  And I flashed back to some terrible memories of being made fun of during physical activities.

 

But I try to try new things.  And I'm not good at saying "no".

It ended up being one instance where it was better than the scenario I imagined!

One week later.

Oh, I know why!  BECAUSE PHYSICAL EDUCATION IS BROKEN.

I know it's important to take care of our bodies.  But it's hard when you feel like you are literally not good at physical activity.

Am I just doing this because I have to to pass this class?  Is that good enough motivation?
Am I just doing this to be skinnier?  Is that an effective reason?"

Nope, that just makes me feel bad about myself.

I will do something because it makes me happy.  Screw everything else.

I did not live 20 years to fixate on a number.
I will not live 100 years just to fixate on a number.