Day 13: "Females are strong as hell"

Day 9: was supposed to be about me being an introvert

Day 10: was supposed to be about college life

Day 11: was supposed to be about being a member of Chi Omega

Day 12: was supposed to be about the men in my life

I plan on still writing something about these in the next week, shorter and more combined instead of full articles on each. *Funny, how I’ve changed into a social butterfly and have been kept busy by my college life and sisters in my sorority.* I’ve had such a good year because I have stayed busy; unfortunately I haven’t had time to write articles. But I’d rather be living some memories, than write about them.

Today - Day 13: is about the Women in my life

See how it lines up with today’s holiday? Genius I know! The older that I get, the more that I understand my mother and the women around me. I feel privileged to call myself a woman. I’ve been raised to expect equal treatment from those around me. My mom has shown me tough love because she doesn’t believe that I should ever have to rely on others. While I do often complain about her tough love, I’ve also been thankful for it. She never says things like “good job” to me. She instead always encourages me to “work harder,” and says “there’s always room for improvement.” (Although I don’t know what letter grade is higher that an A, but apparently it exists in my mom’s mind.) If it weren’t for her I would not have learned to push myself harder.

As serious as my mom is about raising me to be a strong and independent woman, she is also super silly. She never lets me take life too seriously. I don’t know how she has this balance of fun and hard work, but it’s something that I hope to accomplish as well. She’s my best friend and knows just how to discipline me when she has to. I’ve been a handful, but my mom has never complained. It’s inspiring that she puts her job as a mom first and I am blessed to be her daughter.

My mom never lets me dress like her; she made an exception for this picture. It’s not my fault we have a similar fashion sense.

As for the other women in my life, I have some wonderful aunts, amazing friends/sisters, and inspiring cousins. I have no excuse to be anything less than the women around me. I have had great examples of work ethic and kindness from them.

Some women songs! 

"The best day"-Taylor Swift 

"Fight like a girl" - Bomshel

"Mama's song"- Carrie Underwood

For the Gilmore Girls fans: 

I don't think I ever cried so much over a tv show. 

Because my mom's my guide post too! 

-Diana

Day 13: Man, I feel like a Woman

Frank Sinatra. Ernest Hemingway. Derek Jeter. Don Draper.—oops not a real person.

Those are my role models; none of which are female, which is how I identify myself I’m not sure if this is relevant. My whole life I have had and still do have great respect for men. I am one of those people that say things like: “Take it like a man,” “Boys will be boys”…

I love how men are tough, smart, confident, strong, decisive, and the list of positive male related qualities can go on and on. We all know what qualities are related to men and which negative ones are related to women. Society has this discreet way of telling us that we aren’t equal to men. It has been going on for centuries and we are slowly trying to change how women are viewed—Which is great, I’m all for it. Go women! yadda yadda yadda. But I am writing this post as a reminder that there are great men out there and I want to be tough, smart, confident, strong, decisive, and so on just like ME as a human, not like a man. One of my flaws is that I am/was sexist (I’m changing!)

My flaw comes from the wonderful men that I have had the pleasure of growing up around, as well as the awesome men that have taught me and showed me the great things men have to offer. There are some scary men out there, but I have been lucky to meet some great men.

When you grow up around morally good men, you are left with hope and a daily reminder that men aren’t the enemy.

My dad, uncles, cousins, male educators, co-workers, are all men that I’ve been lucky to get to know. Some of these men I have spent much more time with than others, some were teachers, professors, some are still growing up some have it together and some have no idea what they are doing with their lives. These men are all flawed. But it never mattered to me; these men are good. They are respectful, loving, hard working, confident, strong, angry, happy, and sad whenever need be. They are humans they are on our side women. There was never, “women versus men”. Society had a twisted way of making it up, we all listened and now its time to remember that men and women have always been in it together.

I have met men that love their wives and partners. That love their families, men that come home every night and tuck their kids into bed at night. Fathers that don’t miss a baseball practice or game, fathers that fix things. Male teachers that are passionate and excited that their students learn. Men that make mistakes and make jokes. Men that are religious and some that aren’t. Men that are genuinely good to the bone. 

If I will be a strong 20-year-old woman I should also credit the men around me. Because of them, I know how men should treat me; the men that helped raise me have respected me and have never made me feel inferior to them just because I am a woman. I know men that want me to succeed just as they want their sons and nephews to succeed.

I’ve met men that…

·      “laugh like hell and get good and angry”  -Ernest Hemingway

·      men that “do it there way” –Frank Sinatra

·      men that that miss the pitch but keep batting because they haven’t struck out.

·      And men that “keep it simple but significant” –Don Draper, Note to self *still not a real man

To the men in my life, Thank You.

"Shattered Glass"- Brad Paisley

“Love songs don’t always have to be about how pretty somebody is, they can be about belief and how much you believe in that person. It’s something that I felt my wife, and really all women needed to hear at the time." -Brad Paisley

Some MEN like Brad Paisley do actually try to empower women too! 

*To all the girls out there I hope you have some strong respectful men around you.

No one ever said you had to be a man to use power tools. *low key for five min. I considered dropping out of college and thought I should go into the house renovation business. 

-Diana