Jill’s Summer To Do List

Go to a concert – Whether it be the Cavendish Beach Music Festival, Country Rocks the Commons, the Black Eyed Peas or Backstreet Boys. I want to see a concert this summer! Concerts are so light hearted and fun. It’s a good way to get out of the office!

Go to the beach (more than once) – Every summer I say, “I’m going to go to the beach more.” And every summer I end up going once, MAYBE two times if I’m lucky. So this summer I am going to try my very best to get to the beach as often as possible!

Take dance lessons – Dance lessons would be so much fun! Especially if you’re not a good dancer (like myself), but if you feel like you don’t want to commit to dance lessons, do something like Zumba at the gym! At MSVU it’s only $6 a class, and anyone can drop it! The instructor is great, and its a lot of fun. Definitely worth trying out.

Brush up on cooking skills – I am not a very good cook, so for those of us who don’t cook well we can try and make some time this summer to try some [new] recipes (aka try a recipe). And for those really good cooks, go on allrecipes.com and try one of their Top 10 recipes!

Try a new ice cream flavour every time you get a cone – Summertime is the best time for ice cream. I usually stick with some core ice cream flavours, but I know there are some great ones out there that I never get! So the next time you stop in Avery’s or your local ice cream place, try something new!

Volunteer – The most common excuse I hear for people saying they can’t volunteer is that they’re too busy to volunteer. But since its summer and school is out, you really should have more time to volunteer. If you’re in the Halifax area and looking for volunteer opportunities there are many, including for the Friends of McNabs Island Society. This summer is their 20th Anniversary! They’re having a picnic on McNabs (July 17th). For more information about the event or volunteering check out: www.mcnabsisland.ca.

Grow your own veggies – I have the packets lying next to me right now for peas, carrots and spinach! I’m not much of a gardener, so I figure this year I’ll learn with 3 different plants and next year I’ll try for an entire garden. This is much more sustainable and better for our environment than buying from a chain grocery store. If you aren’t able to grow your own, buy local!

Those are just a few different ideas of what I am going to try and do this summer! If you have any ideas for me leave a comment!

The 2010 Juno awards were held in St. John’s, Newfoundland last night. Here’s the top info.

The ceremony addressed the past year’s young superstars’ induction into the international spotlight. Like Stratford, Ontario native Justin Bieber, who at age 16 has monopolised tweeny-pop in less than a year’s time. Despite his international success including being the youngest male solo artist to have two albums in the Billboard Top 200, Bieber fell short on all three of his Juno nominations.

It seems where Bieber disappointed the judges, fellow overnight success Drake proved more substantial. The new Canadian rapper captured the Best New Artist award, and also won the Juno for Rap Recording of the Year for his song “So Far Gone.” It didn’t look like there were any hard feelings between the running mates, though, when Drake laid down a few rhymes for Bieber’s performance of “Baby.”

Michael Bublé was the biggest winner with four Junos. His hit album Crazy Love earned him both Album and Pop Album of the Year. He also took home Single of the Year for the song “Haven’t Met You Yet,” and the Juno Fan Choice Award.

Respect was paid to 70s Canadian rock super-group April Wine in honour of their recent induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Frontman Myles Goodwin accepted the honourary Juno by listing all 13 April Wine members past and present.

Metric won two Junos with Group of the Year and Alternative Album of the Year for their work Fantasies. Artist of the Year went to K’naan, who also received Songwriter of the Year for his international hit “Wavin’ Flag.” Click here for a complete list of 2010 Juno winners.

There were also a variety of performances that struck high, and low, chords of the broadcast. Lowest was Drake’s f-bomb laden rendition of “Over.” It assumedly severed traditional and new-age Canadian audiences. Whatever, props Drake, you got two Junos without even having a record out. Billy Talent rocked out to new single “Saint Veronika,” that lead to singer Ben Kowalewicz struggling to achieve respectful screamo-rock tenure. He looked like he was trying to purge a Satan fetus rather than rattle a microphone. But, the band was tight.

Then the goodies. Blue Rodeo was out in full Canadian-Country garb laying down a usual flawless performance. However, I’m reserving best Juno performance award for K’naan, along with Drake, Justin Bieber, and Nikki Yanofsky, who dazzled the audience with the Young Artists for Haiti hit “Wavin’ Flag.” A wildly catchy song written by a talented young artist, K’Naan effectively moved the audience in a way no other performer did.

As a high school graduate of 2000, it’s coming around to that time of life — time for the 10 year high school reunion.  I’ve got to be careful about what I choose to write here, because I think I might inadvertently get myself de-invited. 

I while ago, I got the official (via Facebook) invitation for my 10 year high school reunion, set to go down this summer.  Good on the former students for organizing, apparently the school was ZERO help.  So with the class of 2000 set to ride again, I pose the following query for your dissection: The whole Facebook thing seems to have eliminated the need for high school reunions, hasn’t it? 

I mean, wasn’t the whole thing with the reunion to see and catch up with people you lost touch with over the last X amount of years, and catch up?  So, now with pretty well every human being on the planet having a Facebook profile, and certainly most of every grad class that ever, well, grad-ed (even those who took a little extra time)… well, haven’t we all been doing that very same catching up, and keeping IN touch with each other already, via Facebook, or email, or whatever?

For those who just wanted to see who got fat, who’s bald, who’s rich, who’s still on drugs, and/or who you think you have it better than, well, there’s an app for that all the magic of those mysteries can be solved with a few clicks on incriminating Facebook posts.  So that’s out.  Even if you just want to creep on pictures, and see every move everyone’s made over the last decade, well, that’s at your disposal too—as long as you’ve got that all important “Friend Request” approval.  You don’t even need to leave your house for that.      

And for those looking to show up and prove some point about what you made of yourself and how you’re back to extract revenge on all the people that picked on you by rubbing your accomplishments in everyone’s face, well, if you didn’t already know… YOU’RE THE REASON NO ONE WANTS TO GO TO THESE THINGS. 

Here’s a few direct quotes from people in the reunion group that I cut and paste from our reunion page; all examples of things I don’t want to deal with, nor conversations I want to become involved in, if I were to attend:

“I think this past year was my best looking year”

“I’ll be at the grad reunion and be the shocker of it all”

“I neither got fat nor skinny. I got out of my Goth period and grew my hair long.”

“I wasn’t the smartest student…and some people may have thought I wouldn’t do much in my life… well I am happy to say I’m doing pretty good.”

So basically all the things that make you point out how late it is, or pretend you’re getting a call on your phone that didn’t ring, or remind yourself of what you left on the stove, or plugged in, or what’s burning down, or whatever else you can conjure up to exit that convo A-S-A-P.

Now, of course there are good, positive reasons to go.  There definitely is no replacement for seeing people in person when compared to online social networking.  There are a few good people that I would enjoy seeing, and hanging out with again.  Rekindle some old friendships, and re-connect with those who have managed to hermit themselves from technology.  Was there anyone that became famous in our class?  Hmm, might be interesting to find that out. 

Of course, there’s going to be people who’re only going to go if ______ goes, and then there’s a stalemate, and then no one goes.  And some people live really far away, and just can’t go.  I’ve been fortunate to stay good friends with the people of that group I care to keep in touch with most; and at times, I think that’s probably all I really need.

Look, high school wasn’t that bad for me, compared to some of the tortured stories I’ve heard from others.  I had some good times, and some good friends, tried to be a good dude, and also tried not to fail classes and get stuck there.  I think I learned a few things in class here and there, but math DID turn out to be useless just like we all contended; outside of calculating tips at restaurants of course.  I definitely had my insecurities, embarrassments, and jerks and idiots that I wish I never had to have dealt with; but I got out relatively unscathed.  Some stories I’ve heard are certainly of the kind of psychologically damaging material that has people paying shrinks to keep them from climbing to the top of a bell tower and opening fire.  I don’t recall crossing anyone in that manner, so I think my odds of getting shot are fairly low.  I can think of a few people whose odds are probably not in their favour though… remind again why we all want to get together with each other again?

So if we all know that eveyone’s got their issues buried somewhere down deep, can we just all agree that this thing’s not an opportunity to get revenge, or to continue being an idiot to people, or to take that last shot at love with the girl/guy you liked but were too shy to talk to, or whatever agenda you’ve been stewing in the crockpot for waaaay too long, and can we all just hang out like civilized adults that weren’t only brought together by the social bindings of a mandatory public education system?  Can we all just pretend that despite the social awkward life period of us all once being acceptance-seeking (just me?) adolescents that were forced to congregate in the same building for 5 consecutive years, that we actually want to be in the same place with each other this time for some reason?

 Or maybe should we all just go buckwild; have one side of the room for people who want to start fights, gloat, and get embarrassed by asking out the person you always wanted to date that still doesn’t want to date you roll the dice on a crack at romance, and the other side for all the people who are over themselves and their issues, and just wanna hang out and have a good time?      

Again, I hope I haven’t just lost my invitation.  I know I sound cynical, but surely I’m not the only one with these thoughts running through their heads. 

My invitation status is currently set as “Maybe Attending”.  Do you think I should go?  Why or why not?  Did you/are you going to yours?  Why or why not?  What’s your best high school reunion story?

read more of Dave at Serenity Now… The SDC Blogs http://davecunning.wordpress.com

We all do it. I am talking about procrastinating for those G.D. exams! You’re probably thinking, productive procrastinating? Well we all get stressed out, so if we’re going to procrastinate then it might as well be something that helps you “de-stress”.
So I thought I would come up with some ways to procrastinate that will — in the long run– help you with your studying!

1. Blog - Obviously. Blogging is a good way to get your thoughts out. Plus you can set a limit for yourself. “After I write this I will go back to studying.” If you are stressed out about exams, write about them!

2. Make a healthy snack - According to the University of Kansas Medical Centre eating a healthy snack that includes protein – such as cheese or nuts – will help energizer you! Then you will be more energetic and ready to get back to studying.

3. Stretch – for a “mini office workout” click here, which we’ll call a mini study break workout!

4. Watch Ellen – She always makes me laugh! She’ll make you laugh too. Or watch a show that you love. Limit it to one show and not a move, nothing longer than an hour. If you watch an entire movie you may get lazy and not want to get back to work. Laughing is a good stress reliever; you can study on the commercials if you’re a keener! Once the show is over you can get back to studying.

5. Clean – Sounds like a drag I know. But if you clean up your study space and have everything organized you’ll be able to study better! You’ll know where all your notes are, and not have to waste time searching your entire room for them!

6. Rearrange your room – Feng Shui your room! There are many types of Feng Shui for exam studying the best thing to do would be to feng shui for knowledge and wisdom! Here are some easy tips. Add blue to your room to increase your brain vibes. Have symbols of mentors or wise people. Like a picture of Gandhi, or someone you admire their wisdom in your study area. As for things to remove from your study space: drugs and alcohol, clutter (give yourself space), unclear stuff (windex your window, clean off your computer monitor).

7. Talk to a friend – Call up your best friend, or head over to his/her house. Take a break with them. Talk about what you’re stressed out about so s/he can offer you solutions to your exam stress problems!

8. Stick notes around your room – Run to the dollar store, or campus bookstore and buy some sticky notes. Write key facts, phrases or stuff you need to remember on them and stick them around your room. On your closet door, beside your reading light etc. You’ll look at them a lot and start remembering them for your exams!

9. Exercise – Go for a brisk walk, or head to the gym for a power hour workout! Yoga is a great relaxation technique so if you’re feeling really stressed head to a yoga class, or find an instructional video online.

10. Get fresh air – Make sure you get a little fresh air daily! A ten minute walk in the park or to the library will help.

Exam time can be so stressful, and I know everyone procrastinates, so why not do some good procrastinating?

Sleeping, while studying. If that's possible...

Good luck on your exams!

For those of you from Nova Scotia, you may not realize that the Dollar Store or Dollarama or a Buck or Two is not available in every province. This luxury of a store where we can get stuff — from baskets to Halloween decorations — for under $2, is not available all over the nation.

I used to take the Dollar Store for granted, and just see it as a place where I could get candy, or a plain frame. But, now that I am a student, it has a whole new outlook.

As some of you may know I am helping a friend of mine decorate her apartment. Much of what we purchased for her bathroom (http://campusintel.com/2010/03/14/decorating-1000-how-to-decorate-the-bathroom/) was from the Dollarama. And as we go on with the decorating process I find myself wandering back to that same store.

The Dollarama

As I look around my room, I see many of the great purchases I have made at the Dollarama here in Lower Sackville. Recently a new Dollarama has opened in Bedford, just on the edge of Lower Sackville. I believe this is the best Dollarama I’ve shopped at, to date. It is HUGE. Isles with kitchenware, cleaning products, fake flowers, almost an entire row of different mugs and cups, plus so much more.

I am still living with my parents, but I have begun to realize when I do eventually move out I am going to have a shopping spree at the Dollarama. And I cannot wait for that day to come.

I often think, if for some reason I become poor in this lifetime, this is a store where I could actually afford to buy some of the necessities for my home. And since many students are very close to poor, remember this place if you need a new dishpan to wash your dishes, or if you need more utensils. It’s affordable and the quality, it’s not that bad.

The Dollarama has actually provoked many of my decorating ideas and has helped me in many times of need. For those of you who have access to the Dollar Store, do not take it for granted. Some of our fellow Canadians are without this great store. And must pay $3 for a plain frame.

You know you do it. Everyone does. You log onto Facebook and after checking your newsfeed for info, you wander onto a friend’s profile and see that someone from high school has posted on their wall. You never talked to them, but you click on their name regardless and OMG! They have three kids already! All of a sudden you find yourself immersed in their profile, looking at all of their photos from graduation to now.

Yup, you’re a Facebook creep.

Social media has become such a huge part of our lives and I don’t see it going anywhere soon. But, if you’re going to use it, there are some important things to keep in mind:

Watch who you creep – after breaking up with my ex boyfriend, I blocked and deleted him from Facebook. I don’t want him creeping me, and I don’t want to know what he’s up to either. If you and an ex are not on speaking/friendly terms, then you might want to do the same. And resist the urge to creep them… you might find out something you don’t want to know (seriously, if you know something about him, I don’t want to know!).

Watch who you friend – not everyone on your Facebook list is actually your friend. People get added for various reasons, and sometimes you hardly know them. Once in awhile I like to go through my friends list and delete people who I never was friends with or don’t talk to on a regular basis, or just don’t care what they’re up to. Or if I am sick of their Farmville things showing up in my newsfeed. Remember, it’s called a friends list, not an “everyone I’ve ever met” list.

Watch what you put on Facebook – all of those photos from your nineteenth birthday where you’re falling on the floor and in compromising positions? You might want to delete them. Or at least make them only visible to you. It’s well known that a lot of employers look people up on Facebook before hiring them or even interviewing them. If you’re looking for a professional career, you need to monitor what information about you is out in cyberspace. Whether you like it or not, you’re being judged all of the time. Once you get the job, watch what you post to Facebook or twitter or any other type of social media you use. Even if you hate your job, theres no need to update your status about how your day F$^#ing sucks because you have a horrible job. As the above video shows, it can get you fired from a job for various reasons, and employers have every right to do this if you are badmouthing their organization. You don’t have to fill in your employer information either – people who need to know where you work already know.

Don’t add your mom – inevitably, something will show up on Facebook that your mom will not be proud of. Save yourself the lecture and just don’t add her. The same goes for other family members that you can’t trust to keep their mouths shut. If you don’t want something to get back to your mom, think twice before you post it or before you add someone.

I know it’s hard to do these things sometimes but you have to remember that almost anyone can access this information, even if you have your profile set to private. Before the internet existed, people only had to worry about word-of-mouth gossip. That was bad enough, so why would you want to put all of your own gossip out there for everyone to see?

Think about it.

For those of you who are lucky enough to not have to deal with Web Advisor, I will explain what this vicious and uncaring creature this is. It is Mount Saint Vincent University’s account for financial information, seeing your schedule and where you REGISTER for classes.

If you have any friends, or multiple friends from MSVU on facebook today between 10am to present some of the status updates you may have witnessed are likely as follows:

Cari: HATES the MSVU server

John:

hates webadvisor….

Stephanie: …dear webadvisor: thanks to you i have to go to the registrar to register tomorrow, and will probably not get into my courses. i hate you. -stephani

Madison: has been waiting at the same page on WebAdvisor for a half hour -_-

Kirsty: Still could not register in ANY class after 4 freaking hours!!!!!!!!!!

Suzanne:

im pretty sure the msvu webadvisor is trying to make me throw my computer through the wall…

Catie is thinking that everyone at the Mount should team together to annihilate WebAdvisor.

And mine is full of many updates in including this one:

Jill: so friggen pissed at web advisor. effing sucks. thought i was registered for all my classes, BUT i am registered for TWO of the same classes. and now im going to be effing stuck in the 830 class AGAIN. F you webadvisor. and F you MSVU.

Yes, we are all feeling the same right about now. Not only am I probably going to have to be in an 830 class OR rearrange my ENTIRE schedule, but because of web advisor I had to miss one of my favourite parts of the week.

ZUMBA.

For those of you who don’t have the pleasuring of knowing what Zumba is. I will explain.” Zumba is a fusion of Latin and International music that creates a dynamic, exciting, and effective fitness system,” (Official Zumba website, zumba.com). Even if you can’t dance (like myself) it is so much fun! My instructor, Melissa, says “even if you can’t follow the steps all I care is if you just keep moving and have fun”! It’s really a great time! OH and did I mention…. this was my LAST zumba class!!!!!!!

Person vs WebAdvisor

Now that I’ve gone on that side tangent – back to the battle with the HATED web advisor.

If we head back to earlier today, say around 9:55 am, I was in the cafe at MSVU with a circle of friends, all of us just waiting for the clock to tick on 10 AM. We were all keeners trying to get in specific classes to create the perfect schedule for Fall 2010. And when the clock struck 10, web advisor began to crash. From refreshing your page to the login screen to refreshing your page back to the register screen web advisor was taking a toll on everyone. Even those who ended up getting into their top classes were having trouble with this monster of a system. No one I saw was happy, and those who were happy with web advisor were a scarce sort.

One friend was successful, registering for each of her top classes in under an hour. While others were be re-routed to Fall 2009 classes and somehow this beast was registering her for those classes.

While taking a break from watching my “register” page load to get brunch in the cafe I ran into a friend, Payne. He’s an IT guy here at the Mount and happened to be on break with 2 of the men who were in charge of web advisor. They tried to give me tips but I was already too filled with the venom.  Payne comfortingly tried to tell me that they even set up an extra server to avoid potential problems today, but the monster prevailed. No one could stop it.

Finally I received an email saying Confirmation of Registration. This email said I was successfully registerd for the classes I wanted. BUT it did not list the classes I had been registered for. Being the on-the-safe-side girl I am I called the Registrar’s Office so they could double check I had successfully registered for all my classes. The man I talked to gave me 5 thumbs up, and said I was good to go.

The rest of my day went quite smoothly.

UNTIL

About 6:20 tonight I decided to again be the on-the-safe-side girl I am and triple check to make sure I was registered for all my classes. I do not like 830 classes. And this was the reason I was ready this morning promptly at 10 AM. One of the classes I was trying to get into had an 830 possibility. And I was not taking the chance of getting into that class. I am not a happy person so early in the morning.

I quickly was able to see that I was registered for one of my classes TWICE and was NOT registered for the class that could possibly be at 830. Me = not a happy camper / having a sick-to-my-tummy feeling.

So I had to give in. I registered for that STUPID STUPID 830 AM class.

Dear Web Advisor,

Next year you better watch your back. I don’t – and I won’t – give up easy. I will get you next year. I will get you when you least expect it. When you are thinking about living a long and happy life. I will get you so bad that you will NEVER want to step foot on the Mount website again. I will SHAME you. SHAME is what you will feel. I hope you’re happy, because this happiness you feel… It won’t last long.

From your worst enemy.

Perhaps the romanticised version of a gentleman from chick-flicks is to blame, but whatever the reason… women are picky when it comes to choosing a man. This has enabled men to try extremely hard to figure out what they want. But Nick (NRF2345), in his article, “What do Men Look for in Women,” is right, it’s almost impossible to understand women.

For this reason I have decided to counter Nick’s discussion and show him what some women look for in men.

Wealth & Status                           

• Shocked? I don’t presume you are. But there’s a reason I started with that one. No, I am not saying that all women are gold-diggers, in fact their attraction to a man who is successful is only because they realize that their offspring and family will have a better chance of surviving and a better chance at life. It’s been a natural feeling for women for years. 

Intelligence

• Surprisingly one of the biggest turn on for women isn’t knowing how much the man can bench-press, but instead, having an incredibly stimulating conversation.

Well-toned Arms

• Well-toned arms denotes strength which of course is a great attribute, but one of the biggest reasons that women are attracted to men who seem strong is because they know that they will be well protected and held tight throughout the night. Women want to know that someone will be there to care for them and protect them.

Guys that Take Care of Themselves

• Surprisingly (or not) girls notice a lot of things that guys do not. They observe what guys are wearing, what they smell like, and as we can’t forget due to the many Axe commercials, a guys’ hairstyle.

A Good Listener

• If you are going to listen – here’s the time – Women want a man who can listen to them, and care about the things that they care about. Plus, you’ll get bonus points if you have a good memory.

Sensitive:

• Don’t get me wrong… women dream about a time when her macho man will come rescuing her in the middle of the night, that being the case, however, women also love the sensitive and caring man as well. If you block out tears while watching the Notebook or get all cuddly and playful with children, expect the woman in your life to fall more and more in love with you.

Challenging:

• Women want a challenge (that’s where all the fun is, right?). Women need uncertainty, teasing, and game playing. Remember, women operate on emotion. The more their emotions go up and down, the more female they feel and the more they will want you. Warning: Do not be too challenging, however, as women may also give up as well!

Funny and Witty

• Ah ha! Looking at Nick’s blog, I now see another common interest. Women love to feel relaxed and comfortable with their man and being able to share laughter are one of the best ways to do so! (In fact, being funny is an aphrodisiac!). Also keep in mind that humour has the ability to turn awful situations into wonderful environments and calm women down when they are getting frustrated or furious, which evidently is not an easy task!

Chocolate

• As Melissa pointed out , this may not be a male quality, but it is definitely one thing we like if males have it!

Best Wishes Everyone!

The other night I was drifting off to sleep with my black lab, Bella, curled up under my arm. Bella had surgery on her cruciate ligament on Monday and like any sick child would do, was looking for a little TLC from her mom.

Combined with the reminder of a horrible incident of animal cruelty in my hometown recently, I was pushed to write this blog. Although I cannot discuss the incident as formal charges have not been laid and I want the individual to receive the worst punishment possible, I can say a small dog was killed in a disgusting way and left outside to rot as though it were trash. Things like this make me angry, upset, and frustrated that I cannot make a difference.

These situations made me think about how often times, people who do not support animal rights say that you cannot compare a dog to a person/child. This is an argument that I do not understand at all. Bella is like a child to me and I would do anything for her, hence the fact that I’ve spent about $7,000 on her since September so that she wouldn’t be in pain and can live a full life from here on out.

When I tell people that Bella is like my child, they don’t get it and often times reply with “it’s not like you gave birth to her!”. This is true, but what about children that are adopted? My little cousin was adopted from China when she was about 13 months old. The fact that my aunt didn’t physically give birth to her doesn’t mean we love her any less. She’s part of our family regardless and is treated the same way a biological child would be.

My point is, Bella and other dogs or animals are more like children than people often wish to believe. A child is able to feel physical pain and no one ever argues this point. Dogs are just as capable of feeling the same pain, which I have witnessed firsthand as Bella has gone through her surgeries. Her physical pain is obvious to me because she cried the first night I had her home.

It’s not okay to physically harm a child. If this were to happen, social services would step in and take the child away, with the parents/caregivers being punished in the highest degree possible.

Since animals are capable of feeling the same physical pain, shouldn’t their abusers face the same punishment? Animal, child, it doesn’t matter because pain is pain.

Another argument that is often heard when discussing animal rights is that animals don’t have emotional feelings. This is completely ridiculous to me. If you have ever looked in the eyes of an abandoned animal, or an animal that has been constantly yelled at and denied human love and attention, you can tell that their hearts and spirits are broken.

Dogs, cats, bunnies, etc. are all capable of loving their owners. At Christmas I had to send Bella to Alberta ahead of me and she stayed with my parents for about a week. Even though they care for her as much as I do, she still missed me. She spent her days (and much to my parents dismay, her nights) whining for me and looking out the window. When I called and they put me on speakerphone, she recognized me voice and would instantly become happy, wagging her tail and knocking things off nearby coffee tables.

A child is taken from their parents when they are emotionally abused, so shouldn’t animals if they are capable of the same suffering?

Children cannot protect themselves so it is the responsibility of the community to ensure that they are treated with dignity and respect. Animals, like children, are also not capable of protecting themselves. Shouldn’t we be responsible for looking after them too, then?

I’m not going to bombard you with photos of the atrocities of what happens to animals every day throughout the world. I can barely look at them without being sick to my stomach.

However, I want you to picture a photo of a child in your mind. The child is small, frail, and you can see every rib in their body. Does this photo make you angry? It should.

Now think about a dog in the same situation. Small, fragile, every rib visible through their patchy, dirty fur. It should make you angry the same way the photo of the child does.

While earning my sociology degree we were taught that a society is judged based on how well they look after the most vulnerable amongst them. If this were the case, our society would be shamefully failing.

Bare feet or furry feet, we need to protect those who cannot protect themselves.

So an army guy walks into a bar – wait, I know what you’re thinking! This is not a joke; it’s the story of my life. If there was only one military man in the crowd, we would find each other, I kid you not. It’s like an invisible magnetic force I cannot stop, no matter how often I’ve tried.

Despite the fact that both of my parents are civilians, I grew up in a very large military community. As a result, I’ve dated and been friends with my fair share (or more) of men in the military. These experiences have left me with a predominantly negative opinion of those who put on combats every day before they head out the door.

I need to start off by saying not all military/service men are bad romantic partners. Some of my friends are married to perfect, awesome, handsome, NICE military men. Not many, but a few. And this blog does not discuss their capabilities as associated with their jobs, simply their dating habits as I’ve experienced them.

What is it that makes the military man (or firefighter or police officer or sports player) so desirable? I blame the media. With movies like “Dear John” portraying young hotties as romantic heroes, it is no wonder that we come to expect the same of their real life counter-parts. Men in uniform are the grown up girl’s version of Prince Charming.

But ladies, I am here to tell you that he will not ride in on a white horse and save the day. If anything, he will be the reason your day sucked so bad. Although the notion of dating a soldier is a romantic one, my experience has been filled with cheating, lying, not keeping promises, rude/hurtful comments, etc. etc. etc. I could write a thesis based on my own experiences in this field.

I believe that because the military is such a male dominated profession, the men develop a mob mentality/life style as they go through courses and day to day living together. With that much testosterone in one place, it is no wonder that competition arises and they try to one-up each other on the dating scene. Their egos become inflated because many girls swoon at the notion of a soldier, and as a result, they have all the power in the relationship.

Now, I know I sound like a bitter and scorned woman, and maybe I am a little bit. But after sitting down and thinking about all the relationships I’ve had since high school, I realized the common denominator in the bad ones was that they were all men who wear uniforms. Either I am a really terrible judge of character, or I am onto something here. Men in uniform know what to say, when to say it, how to say it, etc. to make you believe whatever they are saying to you.

Despite having been “screwed over” numerous times, I seem to fall for it again and again. No amount of lecturing or begging from friends and family can convince me that this guy is no different than the rest. Even after swearing off military men, I still seem to find myself thinking I’ve found one who “isn’t like the others”.

But this time, I am swearing them off for good…I think?

Men in uniform are good for a party, good for a fling, good to look at, but I would slap the majority of them with an “unsuitable for dating” sticker. At the very least, they should be forced to wear a “Proceed with Caution” sign around their neck.