Celebrity Spotlight: Lin Manuel-Miranda

Now I haven't known about Lin for long. My fondness for him was found after I fell in love with the soundtrack to the musical Hamilton, which Peter Hollens did a medley of back in 2016. Since then however, I have become a big fan of his work.

What can I say to describe Lin's being as well as his heightened success this past year? He's a genius; I think we can all agree on that. The man produced, wrote and starred in Hamilton. Now I know that he's done more than just that musical; he wrote another musical play called In The Heights and has made a few cameo appearances in different cable TV shows in the past. We also can't go without avoiding his contribution to the Disney film Moana. Lin has obviously done a lot in his career thus far, but because of Hamilton, millions more people are becoming familiar with his name. 

Mr Miranda is a man who is bound for success; he's just a naturally talented guy and is a constant inspiration to anyone and everyone who wants to make their dreams become a reality. The fact that he has won every award possible just makes me feel even more proud of him despite me not knowing who he is personally. He deserves it all and so much more! 

So if you're reading this Lin, thank you not just for your wild vision for the Hamilton musical and memorable contribution to Moana, but also for just being yourself. I may be a late fan and haven't seen everything you've done yet, but I'm just as proud as any other fan out there for how far you've come. You have my full support and I hope that 2017 has been treating you well so far! 

My Experiences in Love + Some Words to Think About

At one point I was single and at first, I hated it. I can still remember the days of feeling sorry for myself and wondering why I kept getting rejected by guys that I liked.

After wearing myself out from trying to pursue guys who weren't interested in me, I spent more time with my friends and family before I was taken aback by a kind stranger sitting outside my school during the day of ACT testing. I've always been a little naive as a teenager, and needless to say that my 3-month fling with that guy didn't end well. I can still remember the day he walked out on me without saying goodbye and I remember feeling heartbroken because I thought I was in love with him. 

I may not have had any substantial relationships in my past, but at least I know now that love is a never-ending experience. You do what you can with what you're given in that moment and you try your hardest to not give up or give into doubt or fear. You encourage one another in any way you can and be a shoulder to lean on for each other when it's needed. Every thought or emotion you have may overwhelm you in that moment, but it'll pass eventually and you will feel like yourself again at some point. 

Relationships aren't easy and love isn't something to take lightly; once you tell somebody that you love them, you have to be ready for anything. If you don't feel ready or have commitment/trust issues, then perhaps you should be focusing on fixing yourself instead of dating people that you don't know if you can trust or commit to. 

Every time a person leaves you in life, take it as a lesson learned and do your best to move forward. Being single is not a bad thing and it's not healthy to throw pity parties for yourself. There's nothing wrong with you and those who have left are the ones who have issues. Your worth will be noticed by those who actually care about you. 

Less Waste = Longer Life Span for Animals

Being environmentally cautious is the biggest way that we can help preserve wildlife instead of killing it, and yet, some people just want to take the easy way out and leave used cigars and empty water bottles on any visible piece of land instead of waiting to throw it away in its proper waste bin. Why is that? Can someone explain to me why people are lazy and unmotivated when it comes to taking care of the environment? 

Every time you recycle a bottle, it gets reused and is made into another bottle. Every time you shred your paper and recycle it, that helps to make vegan-friendly items. Every time you pass up the chance to wear things made out of genuine leather, you're helping to keep the cows alive. But even then, they still get battered and made into meat all of us humans have to eat. I'm not judging though; we all have our own personal diets/eating habits. 

Out of everything that humanity does that can piss a person off, the one thing that irks me the most is being wasteful- and yes, even I try my best to not be wasteful. However, I'm not going to pick up the habits of a hobo or homeless person; I wouldn't want to risk getting sick eating things from the garbage.

I am a strong believer in recycling as much as you can, up cycling any item that's still in fair condition, and keeping the roads and open water free from anything that could be hazardous to wildlife/any stray animals. It shouldn't be that hard to take those few extra steps towards a trash can, recycling bin or ash tray. 

Labeling & Judging in Society + The Definition of Reality

Religion may be loosely defined as a set of rules for people to follow, but what a lot of people fail to realize is that those rules aren't so much of a way to trap one's mind or body into acting differently. People judge so much in today's society and don't care to understand because they either don't want to or just can't handle it. Either way, religion may be a word we use to label different ways of thinking, but every religion out there means something more than what other people who don't get it would judge it as.

Minimalism is the idea of living with less things and getting more out of life. The less things you own, the more likely you are to realize what's more important to you and how you actually want to live your life. Minimalism and simplicity may be similar, but the difference here is the label itself. Being minimalistic means something different to everyone and even though minimalism is supposed to help detract consumerism, some people still like to label other people based on what they're doing right or wrong.

When it comes to high school, we all have our own perceptions of what it's like based on different stereotypes and labels that the movies put on people. If you have an active imagination and think that high school is like the movies, then you're just setting yourself up for disappointment and embarrassment. However, if your high school IS like the movies with the bullies/mean girls, nerds, jocks and outcasts, then I stand corrected. Either way, labeling people or judging them based on appearances or social activities isn't going to benefit anybody. Your time in high school is what YOU make it out to be. Go find your own friends and focus on what matters most to you; putting labels on those other kids in school isn't fun and can damage your own mental stability; trust me on that.

Judgment seems to run rabid in society today in one way or another, and the labels we put on each other or on groups of people subconsciously doesn't really help the situation. But alas, I know that I can fall victim into this mindset as well; nobody's perfect. The biggest leading contributor to this factor is the things we watch on TV or Netflix. But if it's not that, then it's probably your own harsh experiences in life. Humanity may be screwed up in some ways, but when we get outside of our own heads and pay attention to our surroundings, things will become much clearer. But to close out this post, allow me to say that reality isn't something that you can put a label on; it is what it is. Reality is constantly changing based on different events that happen in life. 

Why Do People Become Gay? + The Concept of Head Over Heart

Homosexuality is one of those topics that continues to be talked about because America and other parts of the world is divided in personal views and beliefs. We may all be living creatures who breathe the same air and have the same amount of capability of being good or bad, but that's probably as far as human similarities goes worldwide. However, the main thing that makes the topic of homosexuality so confusing in general is the argument of head over heart. If we all did what our hearts are telling us do to, we'd be on a singular path towards success and happiness, but our heads have a way of stopping us in our tracks.

Logic and reason is something that we sometimes follow in life to help make those tough decisions. What are the chances of this probable outcome happening? If I changed my mind now, would I regret it later? Should I keep my mouth shut or just risk telling the truth? We all question ourselves or whatever situation is laid out in front of us. It's no wonder why we've come to realize life isn't easy. Everything we say and do has to be carefully thought over so that we don't mess up, fail, or lose something or someone in life. And while some people may say that "playing it safe" or being careful doesn't get you anywhere, that's not always the case. So like I've said before, it's important to know the meaning of consequences.

For those people who always follow their heart, I certainly hope that they have a good sense of judgment and can know the difference between right and wrong. I may not be as rebellious as I once was as a teenager, but I've learned the hard way multiple times that things in life aren't always what they seem to be. Life is a series of choices and when you choose to follow your heart, things can get slippery very easily if you're not careful. Our hearts are the most vulnerable thing about us humans; this is something that everybody should consider and think about. If our hearts knew more than our heads, then perhaps every choice we made would guarantee a better result, but life isn't that simple.

This head over heart concept in regards to homosexuality is complex in itself; I'm sure that people who are gay can testify to that. But why do people want to be gay in the first place? Our feelings and emotions may be capable of changing, but who we are attracted to or lust over at first sight is a kind of a delicate situation. It may be okay to appreciate the body of the same gender, but once those feelings of lust and attraction take over, there's no going back- that is, not unless you realize that this act of lust and attraction is wrong. The idea of lust itself can either feel right or wrong depending on how strong you are in your morals (or if you have any morals at all). It's important to listen to not just your heart, but also your mind because like I said before, life is a series of choices. This choice that you make DOES have consequences, you can't avoid or deny that.

I do personally believe that being gay is a choice. If it isn't, then help me to understand why. I'm only going by what I know and have been taught in my life. No, I'm not gay, but I do know what it means to be rebellious or lustful and I'd rather be in relationships with the opposite gender because that's what feels right to me.

The Importance of Sex & Sexuality

From a Christian point of view, I know and understand that we should all take care of our bodies and make sure that they are clean and pure. God gave us this "gift" of being able to create new life when man and woman come together "as one". And while I'm willing to admit that I'd rather wait and have sex after I'm married, who am I to judge any one Christian who sees things in a more traditional light than I do?

So yes, I'd rather wait until after marriage to have sex. I'd also would like to start a family some day with my husband, whomever he might be. But I'm still young and if I'm being honest, the thought of giving natural birth is kind of uncomfortable. Quite a few of my friends from high school have experienced pregnancy and I've become aware of what could go wrong during child birth and such.

I personally believe that it's our choice as to whether or not we want to have sex with someone. I also believe and know that there are consequences to having unprotected sex or just doing it for the sake of doing it. If you knock someone up during a one-night stand, you'll face the consequences of that sooner or later. If you sleep with somebody you don't know and have sex with them, then you'll face the consequences of that as well. There's a consequence to everything whether you realize it or not, so it's VERY important to be careful and educated on the matter.

Now when it comes to homosexuality, there are a few ways to approach this subject, and I totally get that some people are against homosexuality for whatever reason. But until you've actually met someone who is gay, you shouldn't be disrespectful or hateful. Truth be told, I have a couple friends of my own who are gay and I hold nothing against them for being that way; their sexuality is their own personal business, not mine. I don't judge and I don't make a big deal out of it because at the end of the day, the only thing I see and care most about is who that person is on the inside.

So gay or not, every human being's character should be the central focus in my honest opinion. Does this mean that I don't care about the importance of sexuality in a general sense or need to realize that every other person in this world should live up to God's standards? If I could answer that honestly without being judged, I would. Everybody has their own personal beliefs and while I do consider myself a Christian, I'm not going to take it upon myself to tell random strangers who are gay that they are sinful or will go to hell; that's God's job. I believe that God will take care of those people who have rejected him in due time. I will continue to just be kind and respectful to people because that's what this world needs the most. If I were to act in a way that's not like that, then I'd be ashamed of myself.

What I Believe and Who I Am

Everybody has their own personal beliefs, but now I want to talk about what I believe.

I believe that as long as I'm still alive, the only thing that I'd like to focus on right now is being in the moment and trying to stay true to myself. High school for me was crazy but also fun; I got to know some new people who were nice and also got to know more about the friends I had in middle school. I was in the marching band and that was a lot of fun for me; it gave me a sense of purpose that I sometimes struggled to find.

In my teenage years I was very shy and insecure. I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life after high school even though my first major in community college was in Early Childhood (which I ended up switching to Humanities after my first year ended). Because of this struggle, I now believe that everything happens for a reason. I put my education on an indefinite hold so that I could gain more real-world experience. I've worked two different jobs so far that were set in different environments. So along with that, I also believe that everybody is different for a reason and that I can only do the best I can with what I'm given. This mindset is hard for me to maintain sometimes, but I'm still learning as life goes on.

As of right now I am on a temporary vacation from the work life as I prepare for my grandmother to move closer to my family. I'm doing my part by helping to clean the house and taking care of our two cats. Life for me at this moment is content; I'm glad to have a few weeks to relax but also get things done. But the life lessons don't stop there because I have two online friends that I've known for a couple years now. They are very different from each other which can be a good and bad thing for me. Up until a year or so ago I thought I knew what life was like and I was able to stick to what I knew then. Nowadays all I know is that life isn't easy. I believe people should just live life in a way that they see fit. I try not to judge as much and I try not to be forceful with my thoughts and opinions. I've also come to believe that if there's a problem that's bigger than me, I should try to just let God handle it and not get myself into more trouble. Now sometimes I don't always adhere to those words, but I know I'm not perfect and that God can forgive me when I admit to my mistakes.

I believe that life is whatever you want it to be. I may not be able to control or change some things in life, but I can choose to be a better person than I was in the past. I'm not the same person I was 2 years ago or even 5 years ago; there are a lot of things about me that have changed. At the same time, I'm still someone who believes in goodness and sees the best in people. I've always been someone who lives in the moment and cares for others. At the same time, I have moments where I can only think of myself and will worry about what other people think of me. If someone asks me to be something I'm not or asks why I'm doubtful sometimes, the only answer that I'm going to have is that I'm not perfect. I'm not going to make any promises that I can't keep. I'm just a simple human being who is trying her best to live her life in a way that she sees fit.