The Bikini Question

A friend of mine shared this on his fb page and I comPLETEly agree! This has so much to do with what I was trying to get across in my leggings post!

I'm so glad there are people out there that can say things so much better than I can. It's short, sweet, and to the point. Please take a couple of minutes to read this amazing blog post! :)

Remember, it's the little things in life!
Lindsey

P.S. The suit pictured can be found at the Jen Clothing site. This site also has modest dresses, skirts, and tops. I LOVE this site! A lot of the product comes from Mikarose, which you can find in most major malls. Happy shopping! ;)

"Panty Burps"

So, sometimes life is hard and we take everything too seriously. I say we all need to take some time each day to laugh. Really hard. To just let everything go and enjoy the day for at least a little while. Now, I know I've already posted something from this blog, but I just couldn't help sharing this post. Call me immature if you'd like, but this little collection of stories made me laugh SO hard!! Enjoy! ;)

Remember, it's the little things in life!
Lindsey

Dear Carl's Jr...

In class last week, we were to write a letter to someone in authority concerning the media to ask for and promote some sort of change. I knew right away who I wanted to write: Carl's Jr. Their ads have been getting worse and worse when it comes to sexual exploitation. It's pretty sickening. The worst part though, is I'm almost 100% sure that my letter will have absolutely no impact since I'm not part of their target audience. I'm not even sure it will actually get read. I know of many who have written to Carl's Jr. concerning the same thing to no avail. I don't know of anyone who's actually ever gotten any sort of response from them. Pretty sad. 
My sister posted something on Facebook the other day that made me worry even more about the way sex and language are being used  in the media. The FCC is thinking about dropping the ban on the f-word and nudity on TV and radio. If you think that's as ridiculous as I do, please click the link to help take action!

Anyway, we were asked to post the letter we wrote on our blog. Enjoy!

To Whom It May Concern,

I have enjoyed the food from served at Carl's Jr. since I was little. It is hearty, filling, and just all-around yummy comfort food. The last couple of years however, I have noticed a change in your advertising technique. I understand that your target clientele is young to middle-aged men. I also understand that, in today's world, sex sells. At the same time though, that does not make it right. This is especially true when it comes to the audience that often ends up seeing your ads. I have seen, on multiple occasions, a Carl's Jr. commercial played on channels meant for a very young population. While I do not agree with using sex to sell any product, I find it quite appalling when this kind of advertising is shown to children, without a second thought. Please keep in mind that it is the food you are selling. Your food is delicious, and I am sure can "hold its own" without the scantily clad women dripping barbeque sauce all over themselves, or the imitation of sexual acts while eating one of your burgers. No one is fooled by this technique anymore; we know exactly what you are trying to do. 

The way I was raised, I was taught that sex is a sacred act only to be performed within marriage; something that is meant to draw the couple closer together, strengthen the marriage, and symbolize becoming one. Why add yourselves to the long list of companies exploiting such a special and sacred thing? There are so many other advertising options. Since sex is the road many companies take to sell a product, something more creative and unique, I feel, would draw more attention to your restaurants and have the potential to greatly expand your clientele.

With so much talent, technology, creativity, and options out there, why use of today's biggest fallbacks? As mentioned before, I think the food you serve is delicious. I really do not believe it necessary to exploit sex, objectify women, and barely show off your food in order to achieve pleasing profits. I know I am just one of many customers, however I hope you are able to take my thoughts and concerns into consideration. I look forward to seeing what your marketing department comes up with in order to spread the name and yummy food of Carl's Jr. to a wider, less stereotypical market. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
A Concerned & Hopeful Customer


Remember, it's the little things in life!
Lindsey
P.S. I have no idea why, but the formatting of this post went all wonky and I have no idea how to fix it.

The HRC Petition - A Popular Topic in the Media

So, as I'm sure everyone has noticed, the topic of "marriage equality" has become quite the topic of discussion in the media as of late. I've been thinking a lot about this lately in combination with my beliefs as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A good friend of mine posed this question on his Facebook page: "How can any person who has been to the Temple and call themselves an active LDS member ever support gay marriage?" He was asking this in an honestly inquisitive manner, not accusatory at all. I decided to add my thoughts to the many others that were posted. They were as follows: 

I've thought the same thing many a time. I came up with this analogy today, actually: You have a friend that drinks. You don't judge them for drinking, and you continue not to drink. You still love this person. However, you hand them a bottle and say, "I don't agree with or support this action, but have a bottle on me!" That's how I feel about LDS members supporting same-sex marriage. Those who have these feelings and act on them in any way, member or not, aren't bad people. Love the sinner, not the sin, right? That doesn't have to include pushing for the sin in order to seem more "pc," or tolerant. Love and accept people despite the choices they make, but don't encourage things you know to be fundamentally wrong. Would you support lowering the drinking age, or getting rid of it altogether? Legalizing all drugs? A law stating that couples must co-habit before marriage? A push for women to have the Priesthood? Supporting same-sex marriage is the same idea. If you support something that's fundamentally against what we believe, you don't fully understand the principle or doctrine. That's how I see it. I know I'm not going to be very popular because of this comment, but whatever. You don't have to support and encourage something you know to be wrong in order to prove your lack of prejudice, judgement, or cruel nature.

As I mentioned in the comment, I'm sure this post isn't going to give me any popularity points among viewers (as I witnessed when I expressed thoughts on something as simple as leggings...lol!!), but this is what I believe, and no cruel comment on a blog will change that fact. I love my religion, I love my God. He's always true to me, so I'll do my very best to be true to Him. So, if you can resist, just don't comment if you're merely looking for an argument. I already know the majority doesn't agree with me, no need to point it out. ;) Since this topic has been all over the media, I figured I'd add my part to it. If you feel I didn't explain my stand well enough, the video is the LDS Church's response to the HRC Petition. For more detailed information, visit here or even here; these sites will help fill in any blanks I most likely missed. :)

Remember, it's the little things in life!

Lindsey

Rape Awareness Starts at Home

I had a friend post this article on his Facebook wall a little while ago; it's titled 5 Ways We Can Teach Men Not to Rape and is written from a rape survivor. While I think the title is a bit over-the-top, the article itself is really good. I had never thought of rape from this perspective before, and it I like it much better. In today's world, I don't think we'll be able to completely and 100% prevent rape (although I really wish we could!), but there are things we can do to protect both our young women, and our young men. As the article states, rape prevention is definitely more geared toward women, which makes sense, yes. However, the effects of this approach is where this article changed my perspective. Since rape is most often done by men, the blame should fall with them, right? Well, what tends to happen too often, is when a woman falls victim to this awful, awful crime, she ends up with most of the blame. "Why were you running alone?," "You shouldn't have gone to that particular area," "I told you not to trust that guy!," "Why'd you wear your hair in a ponytail when you knew you'd be walking that way?," and so forth, are the common responses. While we as women do need to be conscious of those types of things, no one plans on getting raped, and most of the circumstances are out of our control. So why has our society and media put these female victims at fault, when the actual rape was done by the male? I don't know...but I don't think it's right. The sexualization, dehumanization, and belittlement of women all throughout the media lead many men to believe that rape is ok. Just so everyone knows...IT'S NOT OK! I appreciate this article, in that it gives (you guessed it...) 5 ways we can educate and encourage men from an early age to know that rape is unacceptable, and they should do all they can to prevent it as well as the women. It starts at home! The difference between right and wrong in our world is becoming quite skewed, and the majority of our society doesn't really care. Make an effort to help those you care about know the difference. Yes, women be smart, but men, buck up and do something as well please! Don't let your female friends walk home alone. Don't allow sexual humor in any form into your life. Encourage your male friends to do the same. I know there are many men out there who do these things, but maybe we could make a difference if more made a contribution. We could always use more people for any good cause. Rape is disgusting, selfish, and wrong. Don't let yourself (men and women) develop the attitude that it's something that "only happens to people on the news." Those people on the news are real people, just like you. If you or someone you know and love fell victim to this heinous act, and you could possibly have done something to help prevent it, how would you feel? Let's not let this happen, 'm k?

Remember, it's the little things in life!

Lindsey

Single Dad Laughing

Several months ago, I came across this blog Single Dad Laughing and fell in love with it! I admit, I don't read blogs very often, but any time I read this one, I end up either laughing, learning, or crying inside. The author shared a post of his from about 6mos ago on fb. The title is 16 Ways I Blew My Marriage and shares, well, just what it says, 16 things he felt ended his first two marriages. For each reason, he includes a bit on what he would've done differently if now given the chance, and a bonus for each improved action. As I was reading through these reasons and his thoughts on how to do things differently, I couldn't help but compare them with everything I've learned and am learning in my major. I feel the way the media depicts marriage is having an impact on actual marriages throughout the world, and it isn't until after the fact that the victims of unhealthy or failed marriages realize this problem. If only those "in charge" of the media would, heaven forbid, do some research to learn some of the trends, actions, attitudes, and setting that actually improve and create happy an lasting relationships. Every point the author of the a fore mentioned blog fit almost perfectly into everything we're taught in this major when it comes to creating our own relationships and helping others to improve theirs as therapists. I was so excited that real people really can "get it!" The media, at least for me, has painted such a negative picture of society when it comes to marriage, that I've often wished everyone could take some of the classes I've had to opportunity to learn and grow from! It's good to be reminded that things aren't always as bad as they're shown in the media. :) There was only one point of his that I didn't agree with, and I've included my response to his post. I highly recommend reading this post and others on his blog. Enjoy!

My response:
I'm actually pretty close to getting my degree in Family Sciences, and I agree with all of these except #8 Don't Fight in Front of Your Kids. Yes, there are things that shouldn't be discussed or done in front of your kids, but at the same time, how else will your kids learn successful conflict resolution skills? Or that marriage isn't always easy, and that they're parents still love each other despite hardships. I'm not meaning to say you should always fight in front of your kids, heavens no! I'm just saying it's not necessarily bad for them to realize you're human, and that arguing and fighting (constructively) can lead to more understanding, stronger relationships, and more openness in a relationship. Your kids have got to learn good conflict resolutions skills somewhere, and I'd rather mine learn in the home as opposed to whatever goes on at their school or otherwise. The same goes for showing your spouse affection. There are OBviously things that should be done in private, but kissing your spouse, sharing a long hug, or silly "mushy" comments in front of them is good for them to see as well. :)

Remember, it's the little things in life!

Lindsey

Blog ExPLOsion!!

As many of you may have noticed, The Little Things has become anything but little. I'm sure it will calm down and everyone will forget about my blog again, but still! I was NOT expecting anything like this. I thought I'd be lucky to make it to 150 views, let alone over 1200! Have you ever wondered how something goes viral, or just becomes so popular? So have I! Due to recent happenings with my last post, I've ended up talking about this topic with several of my friends. We still haven't come to any conclusions as to exactly how this happens, but it was definitely a wake-up call when I reached over 1,000 views in less than 48 hours!

Something as small and silly as a blog created solely for a class assignment can (apparently...) cause a huge hype! In the discussions I've had, we ended up focusing mostly on YouTube videos. How can a compilation of goats and sheep screaming make it around the world and back, while an awesome educational, inspirational, or just all around great video get about 50 views...MAYbe? Yes, the screaming goats and sheep are funny...but the other videos are great too! I guess the formula to a "great hit" as an everyday "normal" human being is humor, oddities, and/or something really controversial (like leggings...ha ha).

I think it's crazy that some people are able to make a healthy living off of blogs, YouTube, facebook, and other social media. Is this a good thing? Bad thing? I say both. It's great for creativity, entertainment, and some culture. On the other hand, I fee like some people give up the opportunity to really make something of themselves in hopes that they'll make it big online, and never do. I know this isn't the only "occupation" in which people fall into this cycle, I'm just hoping it doesn't begin to cause more problems in our already unstable workforce. I feel like it'll be fine, and whatever happens is going to happen anyway, but I still think it's extremely important for people to obtain as much education as they can. This creates not only more opportunities, but also freedom! You can pursue your dream job, hobby, or whatever, while working somewhere else, building your passion, and/or bettering yourself in other ways. The internet can be an absolutely beautiful and wonderful tool. More of us just need to keep in mind that it is in fact a tool, and not just a plaything. The internet can become confining, destructive, and just plain evil. Internet: Use with Caution. :)

Remember, it's the little things in life!
Lindsey

Leggings - Jeggings - Shmeggings...

   Those of you who know me, know that I hate leggings (in any form). You also know that by me just saying, "I hate leggings," I'm making the understatement of the year. I have many reasons for this disdain, but I won't go into extensive detail. My biggest qualm is the modesty factor...they aren't. I also know that I'm not the only one that feels this way about leggings. More feel that they're fine, and even cute, if they're worn correctly. I don't mind them in this case, I just wouldn't choose that style myself; I think it looks tacky. Anyway...many of you may be thinking, "Uh...how are leggings not modest? You're completely covered!" I beg to differ. Here's why...
    In the LDS For the Strength of Youth pamphlet (which doesn't just apply to youth), it states that "immodest clothing includes short shorts and skirts, tight clothing, shirts that do not cover the stomach, and other revealing attire. Young women should wear clothing that covers the shoulder and avoid clothing that is low-cut in the front or the back or revealing in any other manner" (emphasis added). 

-- My conclusion? Covered does NOT equal modest!! --

   Ok, so you're probably thinking, "what on earth does this have to do with the media?" So, as stated in my personal description box, I'm a student at BYU. Here, this post has a lot to do with the media; or at least the recent lack thereof... One or two semesters ago, there was an ad all over campus encouraging women to wear leggings correctly if they chose to wear them. It simply states, "To the Knees Please: Leggings are NOT pants."  Leggings aren't against the honor code (a list of rules and guidelines every student signs upon becoming a student at BYU) in and of themselves, don't get me wrong! It just becomes a different story when they try to pass as pants or a way to make those short-shorts or mini skirt modest. Here's where the big media info comes in: In preparing for this post, I couldn't find this ad anywhere!! Now, since it's on the post, I obviously found it at one point, but it took over two weeks! It was also a huge stroke of luck in that I'm almost never in the building I found it in. I thought this to be odd since BYU is usually pretty strict about the honor code. I find it unfair that a man will get turned away from the testing center if he's not completely clean shaven, but a girl wearing leggings as pants is welcomed in with open arms (as welcoming as the testing center can be...ha ha). I don't know about you, but a guy with a 5 o'clock shadow is quite the minor offense compared to a girl that looks like she painted her legs whatever color she felt like that day. Not to mention the fact that most leggings are see-through. I've seen more than my share of butts and panties on campus, thank you very much! It was so easy to find the sideburn and beard ad, while it took me over two weeks to find the leggings ad. I really hope I'm not the only one that sees a problem with this...

Without getting up too high on my soapbox, I'll just say that I know modestly is an extremely important principle to live by. Lots of people may not think it is...but it is. :) SO...C'mon BYU! Get into gear and take care of the issues that are more important than a guy's beard...which is all of them!! I don't want this post to be directed only at BYU though. I also want to encourage everyone everywhere to think twice next time you or a friend is deciding what to were. Outside of a marriage relationship, nobody wants to see your butt. If they do, they're probably not the kind of person you should be associating with. You may think your new lacey panties are cute, but we don't. In conclusion, I'd like to share one more picture I found in my search for the BYU/SA ad. I find it kind of ironic since people wear leggings in every way nowadays...and that none of the "proper" ways shown on this ad are modest. *sigh* Silly world we live in, yes?

Remember, it's the little things in life!

Lindsey

Holiday Media

I was chatting with a few friends of mine about the pressure that the media adds to most holidays. Being the day before Valentine's Day, we asked my roommate's boyfriend if he was nervous or felt pressure about the coming day. He answered "yes" as if we were crazy not to be! To my roommate, it's not a huge deal. I'm sure most women see Valentine's Day as a special day, but I'm also sure (based on last night's conversation) that most guys think that most women have extremely high expectations, and this causes unnecessary drama, stress, and anxiety! 

We had the "dating talk" in Relief Society at the beginning of this month, and I think most men would be surprised the hear what this group of women said makes up the best dates. According to the men, it's call the "lame date." You know the one: a nice walk/drive to an ice cream place then a chat on a park bench or something. Nothing extravagant, just simple, thoughtful, and meaningful. While we do appreciate something "extra" or special once in a while, it's DEFinitely not as much as the media makes it out to be! So men, take a deep breath and stop adding extra pressure to yourselves! On the other hand, women, if your man has obviously gone the extra mile, let him know you appreciate it, but don't require or always expect it! Ah, the media and its sneaky way of guilting people into following its schemes. Again, "don't get sucked in!" ;)

Remember, it's the little things in life!

Lindsey 

Some Insight for Now...

Alright, so I'm in the middle of writing a post about leggings. Those of you that know me should be pretty excited. ;) For now however, I'd like to just throw in a short blurb on commercials. Back in the good ol' days, it was deemed as inappropriate to show an onscreen kiss any longer than 3 seconds. It was also a "no no" to even have one bed shown in a married couple's bedroom, so as to not even hint at anything risque. I feel it quite the sad commentary on our society how things have changed. While I think these two precautions may have been a bit much, it seems as if anything goes nowadays! At least withing the last few years, the more sketchy or mature commercials were limited to channels that are meant for older audiences. Today though, there are extremely dirty commercials on channels like PBS! As if it wasn't bad enough to have certain commercials allowed on TV at ALL! Goodness... I also feel like commercials in general are becoming worse and worse, which is probably why those commercials mentioned above made it successfully onto channels meant mainly for young children. On the more mainstream channels, I've noticed that several lines have been crossed. I've seen a couple of things in commercials that should only be in rated R movies (not that I approve of anything of this nature should be shown at all, but still...)! A roommate and I saw something of this nature and couldn't even think of much to say because of our complete shock! EEW!! I can't take that image back, and the TV show we were watching was completely innocent! So bugged... I know of a few people who have written and complained to some TV stations. I don't really approve of complaining about something that you may have a chance to do something about. We all know that TV is getting harder and harder to watch due to the lightness our society has placed on certain matters. SO...LET'S DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!! Write who needs to be written. Talk with those you know. Let's do what we can in an attempt to make one of the most popular forms of media more safe and clean! YAY!

Remember, it's the little things in life!
Lindsey

See a Burger - Want a Burger

We were talking about advertising today in class, and it got me thinking about ads that may have directly or indirectly influenced me. In the midst of my pondering, I was reminded of a time a few friends and I were watching Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

Now, this is a movie, so there obviously weren't any commercials. However, what I'm about to describe, I think, is a direct result of our "media conditioning." Now, I'm sure part of it has to do with the fact that those of us participating in this theatrical event were all starving college students, but isn't that the type of thing advertisements prey on? Anyway, if you've never seen the movie, at one point toward the beginning, big, fat, juicy burgers begin falling from the sky.

Someone in the room mentioned they were hungry, and how a burger sounded really good. There were mumbles of agreement throughout the small crowd. After a slight pause, I mentioned jokingly that we could pause the movie and go to Wendy's. While I really was joking, I silently hoped it would actually happen. The idea caused several jumbled responses of "sarcastic" agreement. There was another pause, then someone said something like, "...you know...we really could, if anyone was really interested..." This caused a silly conversation that resulted in us pausing the movie, running around to grab our coats, keys, and wallets, hop into a car and make our way to Wendy's to fulfill our new found, shared craving for burgers.

Ok, so Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is no Wendy's commercial, but it most certainly had the same effect. I also know, that, at least recently, there have been more Wendy's commercials than those for Burger King. These two places are almost exactly the same distance from where we were. Also, the Burger King commercials I *have* seen, have been kind of, well...creepy. Another reason I'm sure I suggested Wendy's over Burger King, is that the most recent ad I've seen for Burger King was actually quite offensive and sexually explicit. SO...the moral of the story is: Whether we like it or not, we've been conditioned to notice and react to "good" advertising. As my professor's family jokes, "don't get sucked in!" I'm not saying advertising is bad, it's actually an important part of our economy. However, I *am* saying that we should learn to pay closer attention to manipulation that can potentially turn us into suckers. Do your own research on the products that have caught your eye due to advertising. Just as I mentioned in the Photoshop post, don't blindly believe everything you see on tv or otherwise.

Remember, it's the little things in life!
Lindsey

To be, or Not to be...Photoshopped??

As a photographer, I absolutely LOVE Photoshop. At the same time however, I know it has a pretty bad reputation. In a lot (I'm pretty sure it's safe to say "most") of today's media, Photoshop is used to deceive us "normal" people into thinking we're not good enough. I actually saw a fake ad for a facial cream called Photoshop; it made me laugh :) While I found this funny, I also saw the truth in it. Sometimes I think we need to go back and read some of the Classic satires, such as Jonathan Swift, to really get today's society to realize how ridiculous much of our media has become. I'm extremely grateful to have the guidance of modern-day prophets and apostles! I can't remember which of the Brethren said this (and I'm paraphrasing), but I think that, esPECially in today's world, we need to keep in mind "that if it sounds [and/or looks] too good to be true, then it probably is!" Let's leave Photoshop to the photographers out there for artistic purposes, not deception, shall we? ;)

Remember, it's the little things in life!
Lindsey

Games, Games, Games!

So, let's be honest: Most of us spend a bit more time on our social networks than we'd like to admit...but guess what! Marketing companies know our secret!! If the ad we're forced to look at isn't about food, a movie, or a specific page, it's for some new time-wasting, addictive game. These games aren't just connected to the actual social network you're on either, they've gotten clever and have branched out. Something I've been noticing recently, is that the game-makers out there seem to have run out of new and clever ideas. Most of the "new" games being advertised all look so similar! These new games end up being some form of bejeweled, bubble blast, tetris, memory, scrabble, or where's waldo. Think about it...many of these basic games are just being "vamped up" and camouflaged by new "adventures," colors, characters, and/or plot-lines. In the end though, they're all the same! They know these types of games are addictive, and the more players there are, the more money they get. It's depressing to think about... Money being the root for the lack of creativity out there isn't just part of gaming either. I feel like we're beginning to lose many important parts of our culture due to greed and laziness. We're always looking for the "next big thing," but aren't willing to create it ourselves anymore. Now, I'm not saying games are evil, don't get me wrong; I LOVE games of all sorts! I just feel like those of us just getting in to or are about to enter the general workforce need to keep this issue in mind. Let's keep creativity, innovation, and just plain ol' fun in our culture, yes?

Remember, it's the little things in life!
Lindz

The fb Status

Yay! My very first blog post! I've never really been the blog type, but it just so happens I supposed to use one for a class I'm taking this semester. At least twice a week, I'll be posting some form of media (on a blog, ironic much? lol) along with some thoughts and impressions about it. Today's post is regarding fb statuses in general.

I was browsing along earlier today and saw several completely different types of posts. A couple of examples (paraphrased) that really stuck out to me were, "I can change the world." and a lengthy and annoyed post about public breast feeding. While I agreed with what both posts were saying, I found it really interesting just how drastically different they were. Yes, they're two completely different people, but the reason I thought this was so interesting was mostly due to the things and ways people as a whole use fb. For many, it's just a literal update of what they're doing, others pertain to religion, politics (both usually backed by extreme passion), what someone just made/ate for dinner, who someone's been spending time with, and (but most certainly not limited to) one of my favorites, the completely random and humorous.

Something I feel like people need to be more careful about though, is keeping in mind what they're intending to portray and what will actually be portrayed as interpreted by others. There's nothing like a face to face, in person conversation. Anything communicated in text (not just fb or social networks) can always, and will, be interpreted and read differently than what was actually meant. The art of communication is being lost in our world today, and I feel that that's a big problem. Miss-communication is often the root of conflict. So, I guess my point is, talk more meaningfully, write/post less importantly. People are more important than "likes" and number of "friends."

Remember, it's the little things in life!
Lindz