Learnin' to deal.

It's no secret that I've been utterly frustrated with every aspect of my life lately. So naturally, I've been thinking about happier times. And it's funny: I zeroed in on 2008 and can easily say it was the best year ever. And yet if I could go back in time and ask my then 19-year-old self if she was happy, I'm pretty sure she would have said no.

2008 was one hell of a productive year. I finally got my driver's license (as well as my first car--a blue Kia Spectra). I did well in school and for the most part, loved my classes (one of which was a history class that made me hate the United States/capitalism). I read Toni Morrison, Joyce Carol Oates, and Margaret Atwood for the first time and wondered how I'd survived 19 years without their books. I listened to John Lennon's song "God" and suddenly wanted to strangle organized religion. I stopped being afraid to identify as a feminist. And I voted for the first time, in the presidential election. (Nice timing, right?)

I was incredibly frustrated most of the time, but it was the kind of frustration that motivated me to work toward something, which, I think, is very different from the frustration I'm experiencing now. (Is there a way to change that?)

So for now I am just going to drink wine and listen to Lady GaGa. If you've got better advice than that, let me know.

Tidbits

• I found this article on my friend's Facebook page yesterday. And it's too good to keep to myself.
  

• Speaking of Facebook, I've decided to boycott the site during the month of March, just because. As my friend Matthew said, "Call it nostalgia for the 20th century."

• Sapphire, the author of _Push_ (which inspired the film "Precious") will be speaking at SVSU next month. Wednesday, March 3, 6:00 p.m. in the Malcolm Field Theater. It's free & open to the public. You should go.
  

• My current ringtone is Lily Allen's "The Fear." I use my cell phone as an alarm clock, so the first thing I hear each morning is, "I don't know what's right and what's real anymore. And I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore. When do you think it will all become clear? 'Cause I'm being taken over by the Fear." Probably not the best thing to wake up to when you're 20-something and as as frustrated with life as I am. Oh well.