In The Pursuit of Happiness: Serena Williams on Heartbreak

There was a time when I was *sure* that all my surgeries were the ultimate worst. Like, the worst thing that could EVER happen to me. Especially throughout my teen years, I’d look around and think, “Wow, don’t my peers have it so easy?“

It wasn’t that I was constantly saying, “Woe is me…” and feeling sorry for myself — it was more of an observation, something that I noticed about the world around me. I’d hear peers and friends bemoan the confusing ins and outs of love and boyfriends, but I couldn’t imagine it being any more difficult or confusing than those 20+ surgeries I’d endured.
Well, I celebrated the 20th anniversary of my last surgery over the summer, and that milestone (hopefully!) signals the end of my medical journey — at least for the time being. And you know what I realized?
In the grand Surgeries vs. Relationships Debate, I’m completely wrong. And, I’ve been completely wrong all these years. Seriously wrong.
As it turns out, I’m not alone! Back in 2012, tennis ace Serena Williams shared a similar sentiment when she appeared on an episode of Piers Morgan Live…

“I think everyone kind of goes through [heartbreak]. It definitely isn’t a good feeling. I think having surgery is definitely a lot easier — having a pulmonary embolism is definitely a lot easier than a heartbreak.”

Heartbreak as something even worse than something like a pulmonary embolism? This was quite the deep revelation, people! Profound, even, and obviously something I’ve never thought of. I mean, I’d always looked at my medical past as a huge detriment — you know, as if it were thing gigantic obstacle that was unmovable and in my face ALL THE TIME. But, really, maybe those surgeries were a cake walk compared to matters of the heart — metaphorically, speaking, of course. Maybe heartbreak is akin to walking barefoot across a hot rake of flaming coals. Maybe getting through all those surgeries was really just a walk in the park, you know?

So the way I see it, I suppose I shouldn’t really feel all that bad by my spinning head when it comes to all this whole relationship stuff. And you know what that means, right? I. Am. Perfectly. Normal.


Hallelujah, friends! Now that is most definitely something to rejoice about! xoxo

[Quote via The Cut]

Man Candy Monday.

Happy Monday, friends!! Are you excited for a new week? Ready, at least? I haven’t decided yet which camp I fall in, but while I’m thinking about it, here’s one of my favorite guys. I first saw him in Ugly Betty and again in Six Feet Under, which we just finished over the weekend — whew! What an emotional roller coaster that was! Anyway, he’s incredibly swoon-worthy. He’s got mesmerizing eyes. And he just sort of captivates my soul…

FREDDY RODRIGUEZ!!!!!!!!!!

“I’m drawn more to quality, and so if the quality is in television, I go in that direction. If it’s in film, I go in that direction. But I don’t limit myself or discriminate against any of the mediums.”

Have a Relaxing Weekend

Good afternoon, friends, and woohoo for Friday!! I’m working from the library today, so I (hopefully!) can get all my work done by the time I get home. Now THAT’S the way to start the weekend in style! I hope you all have a relaxing weekend, and here are my favorite finds from the wonderful Web…

SO EXCITED to see these first photos from season 13 of Grey’s Anatomy!

Sad to hear of the passing of Lady Chablis — such an inspiring woman!

Round-up of the best drugstore makeup! Time for a Walgreens run!

Tolstoy reads from his Calendar of Wisdom in a rare recording.

How pop cultured are you?

A custom stroller for a woman with a disability.

Hilarious summaries of classic novels.

Thoughts on this wedding cake trend?

Aww, this elderly couple wear matching outfits!

What a cool feature of the lamps in Central Park.

The five things your kids will remember about you.

Just in time for Halloween — looooving these Hocus Pocus t-shirts.

The psychology behind color and emotion.

Oh, Six Feet Under, why do you wreck me so??

What it feels like to be the last generation to remember life before the Internet.

Cool enamel pins.

How fun would it be to do font research?

10 great books for empowering young girls.

Score! Useful Web sites you never knew you needed.

TV’s baddest antiheroes… #Dexter

And as always, feel free to connect with me on Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Bloglovin! See you there, friends! xoxo


[Photo via bippity boppity boo]

MEMO TO MEN: What If There Was No Pressure?

MEMORANDUM
TO: Men all over the planet
FROM: Melissa
RE: Can I get to know you??
DATE: September 8, 2016

Inspiration can come from the strangest and most unexpected places sometimes, boys. I’ve found that I also usually find it when I’m not even looking.

Well, leave it to one of my favorite shows to hit me with a dose of creativity. This line of dialogue from Frasier has been sitting in the back of my mind for years now, burrowing itself deep in the recesses of my subconscious; I’ve mulled over the idea countless times now and came to the same conclusion time and time again.
It’s downright BRILLIANT. In season four, the ever-wise Martin Crane says the following…

I really don’t know any tricks. I mean, if a woman agreed to go out with me, I’d er, well, I’m not there to impress her or to play cool. I’m there because I want to know her; er, what she thinks; er, what she likes, so that if I’m lucky enough to get another date I can plan something that I know she’d like to do.

Seriously, it’s so completely simple and eye-opening at the same time, isn’t it? This notion that you’re not going out with someone to try and make some grand statement or out-of-this-world romantic gesture — that, maybe, things don’t have to be all that complicated in the end. I mean, it would certainly take the pressure off on my end, you know?

It sort of reminds me, too, of “Can I Get To Know You Better” by the Turtles; you don’t have any hidden agenda or ulterior motive. You want to get to know someone. Plain and simple. You don’t need to hide behind anything or even pretend to be someone you’re not, and if you ask me, that’s a very refreshing way of looking at everything. And that makes me breathe one heavy sigh of relief, let me tell you. I’ve never even been on a date and I’m already experiencing panic-induced night sweats about the whole ordeal, so I can only imagine how nerve-wracking the real thing must be.

But, really, it doesn’t need to be that way at all. When you think about it, what’s better than something that will take ALL the pressure off, let you step back and just completely relax. I know, it’s probably too good to be true — do those sorts of things actually happen in real life or are they just something you wistfully see in a Julia Roberts rom-com? It’s nice to think about, though, isn’t it? I’m not saying we have to run off and get married, boys? Heck, we might discover that we don’t even like each other all that much! All I’m saying is…let’s try. How does that sound, boys? That’s not too terribly hard now, is it? xoxo

[Top photo via We Heart It]