Wallflower Syndrome

This weekend I went to see the much anticipated Perks of Being a Wallflower.  It was a moving story about a freshmen boy who was not accepted by his classmates.  He was adopted into a group of seniors who were an “island of misfit toys.”  This movie was extremely thought provoking and I recommend it to anyone that wants to reflect on their own lives.  I have been reflecting on my own life and realize that I just might have suffered from Wallflower Syndrome myself at some point and maybe still do.

1.  Fitting In

It’s so difficult to figure out where you fit in.  I have a lot of different groups of friends and can’t say that I have one particular group that I fall into.  Right now, I have been struggling with the fact that I don’t have a significant other.  Most of my friends are in serious relationships or married.  While there are times where I wish that I had someone to share moments with, I have to remember that I fit in no matter what.  My friends like me for who I am, and my relationship status does not define me.

2.  Enjoying Life’s Moments

Don’t let life pass you by.  You can’t take the moments that you have with anyone for granted.  Last month, my friend’s 38-year old sister passed away and reminded me that life is too short.  If you want to make your life count, you have to take chances.  Sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone to make things happen.

3.  “We accept the love we think we deserve.”

This is the best line from the movie.  It might be hard to swallow, but it’s the truth.  I often wonder why I have not experienced falling in love yet.  I let this quote settle into my mind and think about the experiences I have had with others.  Maybe I don’t think I deserve love.  I look around and see that I have so many things to be grateful for.  Maybe I am scared of love because if I find it, my life will be perfect.  You can’t upgrade from perfect and that scares me.  I am scared of failure.  I shield myself from falling in love because it is the one thing that will make my life perfect.  And nothing is perfect.

Blown Away by Carrie Underwood

Friday night, I went to a stop on the Blown Away Tour in Atlantic City at Boardwalk Hall. The concert was worth every single penny. Not to mention the fact that Carrie Underwood told us that night that all the proceeds from the concert that night were going “back into the community.” As a selfless woman, she recognizes the need to “restore the shore.”

Hunter Hayes opened the show. He is the Justin Bieber of the country world and deservedly so. He is an incredibly adorable young man who is aged beyond his years. His performance of “Wanted” and “Storm Warning” highlighted his show.

When Carrie came out, everyone stood and made some noise to let her know how much they valued her talent. I had goosebumps when she came on stage. I couldn’t believe I was finally able to see this amazing young woman I have followed since she appeared on American Idol.

The best part of the show is when she performed a set on a platform that too her out over the audience.  The performance of “One Way Ticket” off her new album was a feature performance for her.  She threw down lei and her crew brought out huge beach balls for us to pass around the crowd. Toward the end of the song, confetti rained down on us for one final effect.

Carrie did a fantastic job putting together the set list for the show. She opened her show with “Good Girl,” the first track off The Blown Away album. She also featured many older songs off of her old albums. Fan favorites were “Wasted”, “Temporary Home”, “Remind Me”, “Before He Cheats.” Of course, she closed the show with a stunning performance of “Blown Away.” If you can catch one of her stops on the tour, don’t hesitate to get those tickets! She even donates $! of every ticket to the American Red Cross.

Easy Peasy Pumpkin Pie

This recipe is simple, but it gets the job done.  Simply use a store-bought refrigerated pie crust such as Pillsbury to line a pie dish.  In a bowl, combine a 15 oz. can of pumpkin, a can of sweetened condensed milk, 2 eggs, and one tsp. pumpkin pie spice.  Fill the pie shell with this mixture.  Place in the oven at 450 for ten minutes.  Then reduce heat to 350 and cook for another 30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.  It’s simplicity at its best and will please any taste buds during this harvest season.