How to Be A Successful Vegetarian

For those of you who know me personally, I am a pollotarian. That means that I only eat chicken or turkey for my meats. I've been a full pollotarian for over 4 months now, and I've never felt better about myself and my body. I feel more healthier, plus I don't eat any animal (except chickens, but that's okay).
Other than pollotarian, there's several different types of vegetarian. There's the full blown vegetarian who doesn't eat any meat. There's pollo-pescetarian which is when you don't eat beef, but eat fish and chicken. There's pollotarian, which is what I am. And of course there's vegan when you don't eat or use any animal products.
Needless to say, it's a big transition to go from eating meat to not eating meat. However, many people will soon become vegetarians, despite the fact that it isn't easy. However, I have some helpful tips to help all of y'all out!
Make it a gradual change, not a drastic one. Start by slowing weeding meat out of your life. That means instead of eating meat as often as you normally do, limit it to once a week. Then once a month. Slowly phasing it out helps your body adjust faster. At least in my experiences, anyways. When I first decided to become a pollotarian, I limited my beef consumption to once a month. Then gradually after a few months, I decided to eat none what so ever.
Take your vitamins. Talk to your doctor about your lifestyle choices, because chances are you're probably going to need a supplement for whatever you're giving up. I take iron supplements, because at first I used to get very sick and dizzy all of the time. Ever since I started though, I've been feeling like that less and less.
Discover new foods. During the times that I was waning myself off of meat, I began to discover awesome foods to eat in lieu of it. It can become very boring eat nothing but chicken, but I've begun to branch out. I now enjoy quesadillas, veggie wraps, and sweet potato fries to name a few awesome things that I've been enjoying. Discovering new foods are awesome because it could then lead to a new food obsession!

Are you a vegetarian of any kind? If so, what kind and why? Let me know in the comments below.

Relationship Transferrance.

There's some relationships that just affect us, and our way of being. Whether it's something that has happened to us months or even years ago, it's something that we bring into our present day selves. Even if the person who caused us all of the pain is no longer present in your life.
It's safe to say that some people leave scars in our hearts. I myself am victim of this way of thinking. Unfortunately, by playing the victim of all of this only means one thing. That to this day, we are letting them win.
Often, I worry about the same things that happened to me in my past will happen again. I think that's a part of human nature. However, we have to be realistic. The person that you are now involved with may or may not hurt you. There's no way to tell whether or not that's going to happen. But, even though that they may make you feel the same way as the person who hurt you before them did, they are not that same person. That my friends is known as relationship transference.
Relationship transference is when you transfer your feelings from the person that hurt you, and then project them to a new relationship that has nothing to do with that other person. It puts a wall on your heart, no matter how broken it once was. It makes you feel like you're going to get hurt again and fall into that perpetual pattern. But, honestly the likelihood of someone hurting you again in that same way is slim. I often am a person who does this, by letting something that happened in my past relationship define who I am currently.
And that my friends is letting the person who hurt you win, and control you.
Do we want that? No.
So, raise your hand if you have been hurt. I'm sorry to those who have been hurt by someone who once claimed that they loved you. But, now look it's over. You've survived the pain, and you got through it probably being stronger than you did coming in. You learned something that you'll take with you to your next relationship. Now, let it all go. Let go feeling scared of what you're going to face with this new person. Let go all of the pain, because we can never avoid feeling pain. If we do, we continue to hurt and to shut ourselves off from ever achieving perfect happiness. You're letting the person control you, and that's something that you really don't want to, now do you? You all deserve complete and total bliss, whether you don't think you do. You don't deserve as Lea would sing "suffering, pain, and the falling rain." So stop transferring. I know it's hard, but you can do it. That someone who is in front of you isn't the person incognito who is out there to hurt you. Remember that, and you'll golden.

Society and the Single Girl-Things NOT To Say To Single People

Being single is something that pretty much every person reading this can relate to. At some point or another, we all have been single. And yes, this means you for all of you people who are crazy in love. However, there's a common misconception that being single can be a bad thing, which it isn't. I mean, being single is pretty awesome most of the time. However, some people really know how to, well push your buttons. Here's what you should avoid saying to all of the single people in your lives. We will all be internally grateful for it.
You should go on a dating site. Okay dating sites are cool for people that like it. But I've experimented with dating sites, and I hated it. However, being told that I should try a dating site must mean that you think that I am desperate for a relationship. How about no. Dating websites are tricky to manover, mainly because you encounter the creepy, and you really don't know what you're getting. Yes, I'll go on them if I want to. Not because you told me that's the only way to meet Prince Charming on his white horse.
How are you still single? Okay, so raise your hand if you've ever gotton this question before. Okay. Now keep it up if you ever found this conversation to be extremely awkward when you are asked that. Yes, there's no man in my life. That means my last significant other in my life wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. However, you asking that is just unecesary.
Stop being so picky. Honey, I have standards that are higher than my heels. If I want to be picky, that's not because I want to drive all of the perspective suitors away. It's because I want someone whose actually of good quality and I won't settle for anything less. By lowering them, that will make me extremely unhappy. Yes, it may drive many out of the running, but I won't let that get in the way with what I want.
You'll meet someone when you least expect it. Aren't we always on the prowl for looking for your next boyfriend? #justsaying
I wish that I were still single. Well, I guess that your relationship is clearly going well. Everyone thinks that the grass is greener on the other side, and it's not. Saying that sounds like you're just unhappy with your relationship, and if you want to be single, just be single.
What about that (guy that you casually dated)? Sometimes, we go out with people only to find out that they are duds. Therefore, I'm not going to go out with that, continue to spend time with them, or even call them my boyfriend if they annoy me, or some other dealbreaker that they have. I tried the shoe on and then I returned it. Thank you for mentioning my dud purchase.
You need to go out more. I realize that staying home, and taking selfies with my dog isn't exactly the best thing in the world to change my relationship status. However, if I went out more, I should just do it because I want to. Not because I am a desperate single looking for love.
What if I set you up? Blind-dating? No thanks.
To all of you single people out there (or people that were once single), what are some things that you just can't stand hearing?

"Thank You For Being A Friend"

Last Friday, I didn't exactly have the greatest days. I'm not really down to go into it, but I was in need for some cheering up. Enter the crying Natalie calling the Gabriel, who dropped everything and picked me up in less than a half of an hour into the call. 

At first Gabriel just gave me a hug as I was crying, but then they knew the secret to cheering me up. Baking cookies. So, we went to stop and shop, where we picked up chocolate chips, frosting, and m and ms. Gabriel bought them all for me, because they are the best. 

I didn't exactly help out bake the cookies, rather than just hang out and take things out on Gabriel. But, eventually I felt better about it, and Gabriel and I went on a walk and took a ton of awesome pictures. 

Gabriel and I-my new favorite picture!

One of the things that I learned was that Gabriel is really there for me. It's a rarity to have a friend that would literally drop everything that they are doing  just to cheer their best friend up. I am so glad to have a person like Gabriel in my life, because I know whenever something good or bad happens, they are always there for me. They even put up with my multiple selfies that I take despite the fact that they really don't like them. A best friend is exactly like that. Gabriel, I love you and I am so thankful for you being my best friend. Thank you for always being there for me. I love you, and I will do the same for you. 

XOXO, Enkyuu

Thou Shalt....(A Blogger's Commandments to Dealing With Breakups)

As a blogger, I have a lot of things to say. I tell you all about what I've been up to lately, and you listen and comment back. I tell you what I buy when I'm at the drug store, and you all ask me about what I like about the products that I've chosen. Bloggers are mini celebrities, because let's just face it we're obsessed with each other and our blogs. Every morning, like clockwork I check my GFC feed, and I check on my favorite bloggers to see what new and exciting things that they've posted.
One of the things that comes along as a side dish of being a blogger is that you're going to have people that you may or may not want to see. So, you've got to be careful about what ends up on your little corner on the internet, because it could haunt you.
Reading through people's blogs, I can't help but notice that relationships are a huge part of that person's blog. Whether it's lack of relationship, a marriage, or someone's boyfriend, relationships are a big deal on the internet. And we can't get enough of sharing our love stories online.
But, what happens when sometimes the love goes from sour to sweet? As a blogger, you have the power to basically make all of your readers think that he's the scum of the earth. But, with that being said, there's somethings that you probably should do/not do when you're a blogger with a broken heart.
Do;

• Take a break from blogging if you're feeling too emotional to blog. That way, you won't post something that you'll later regret.
• Try to keep any posts about your ex as classy as possible. Whenever you do decide to blog about it, if you do, then be sure to keep it as drama-free as possible. If you want to say "I wanted to let you all know that I am no longer with such-and-such, and I am okay"(even when you're not) go for it. 
• Write a post about being happy, because thinking about happy things will without a doubt make you happy. 

Don't;

• Use your blog to trash your ex. #notclassy.
• Don't trash your ex. Even if they deserve to be trashed, for whatever they did.
• Post meloncholy posts. Yes, you're sad but save it for Facebook or Twitter. (That's where I see most of the drama nowadays.)
• Use your blog as your diary. Go to Staples and buy a notebook, because trust me you're not going to want to see some of the stuff you'd post if you didn't. (Neither would your future employers)

Bloggers, I wanna know. What are your tips and tricks in dealing with a blogger breakup?

*In case you were wondering (I know that you all were), I have not experienced any sort of heart break/breakups as of late.

What I Know

I've been blogging for over four years about my insight about romantic relationships. On my old blog 'Notations', I kept you informed about my own love life. Currently, I use this blog to vent about my qualms about relationships, and to express my opinions. And during that time, I still am without a Prince Charming to come and wisk me away on my white horse. My computer's a bit different, I am a bit older and wiser, and yet I sometimes feel like I know less now then I did then.
The last relationship I had was in June 2010, when I agreed to be someone who liked my friend's girlfriend. However, that all came tumbling down in a matter of hours because he was...well creepy...and he basically just wanted a girlfriend. Plus, the fact that he came on too strong wasn't exactly the most helpful thing in the world. Then, there was the whole Mr. Big (I called the guy I liked back in junior year Mr. Big on my blog because I was obsessed with 'Sex and the City' back in junior year) thing, which didn't exactly leave a pretty mess. (But, then again what kind of mess is beautiful, other than an app of course). Then last year I casually dated someone. As I sit here, and reflect on my romantic past, I begin to realize how much I've matured since those days. I've also grown to be independant, and grew allergic to the whole cliche thing. I have difficulties letting people in, I can't keep my opinions to myself, worry about getting hurt, and perhaps on occaision am a bit too emotional. Who would love that?
I sometimes wonder if I'm like Maggie from 'Runaway Bride.' Maggie, for those of you who didn't see the movie, stands up three different grooms. The fourth one is Richard Gere, who I also happen to find to be very attractive. #justsayin' Maggie was overwelmed by committment because she wanted to 'ride her own horse'  (her words, not mine) I am beginning to think that I am a lot like Maggie Carpenter. Minus the whole ditching the groom at the alter thing.
Many of my friends have found relationships. Some long term, some interchangable as the years went on. However, I still stand behind a computer typing my opinions on them. During the time between the two blogs, I have basically 180'd my opinions of relationships. I started by simply wanting someone to love me the way that rom coms played romance out. As I am entering my 20s, nothing can be more different. I can honestly say that I want to be equal. I don't know if I want to get married, mainly because I am only 20. Many of my friends are in that stage with their boyfriends where cliches overrule, and marriage is a possiblity. I also even have a friend that's married. Meanwhile, I am the one whose that single friend.
I have nothing wrong with being single. I have awesome friends, I have two wonderful jobs, and I survived my first two years of college without dying. I sometimes feel lonely, especially when Valentine's Day rolls around and I buy myself something shiny. I do however wonder if I'm loveable or dateable. I am not innocent, and I often think a bit too much. I observe others around me, and then I give them my advice, whether it's about dating or otherwise. I feel guilty when I hurt other people, mainly because I don't want to be the cause of anyone's wounds, even if they do in fact deserve it. I am the kind of person who would rather lay on top of someone and talk about anything but the way that I feel with them. I am scared of failure, and I am scared of being hurt. I am myself, and at the end of the day, I know that's all that I can offer to someone.
I've come along way from the girl who wrote about her Mr. Big on a HP Pavilion as a writer and as a person. I'm the girl that knows her limits, and tries to set up balances in life. I am the girl who simply falls even when she's not in motion. I don't know what I want in love yet. I do however know my professional future, which is a start. I'm hoping that in a way that my love life will fall into place the way that my decision to become a jornalist did. But deep down, I know that relationships aren't meant to be clean cut.
As I conclude one of the more personal blog entries that I've written since I don't even remember when, I hope that you all are still with me, and still reading. If you are, than you're pretty awesome. This may be the most soul-baring blog post that I've written in a while, however I am not sorry for all that I'm writing. I guess I'll sit behind my Mac and wait for my partner in life to come and find me. I know he's out there, and I am happy to meet him. And in the mean time? Get ready for some awesome blog entries.

"Like Tattoos on This Town"

Ahhh, #throwbackThursday. The time when all of your old and embarassing selfies come back to haunt you. This is when we see who was the brace-face, who was the awkward one, and of course those awful scene days when you'd listen to nothing to but scene music. Sound familiar? Well, we're going wayyy back here on Finding My Voice.
While at work, I often take to casually clicking around at various social networking sites. So, one day I decided to look back to my high school days. #classof2012. So, here's some of my fondest high school memories, from 2008-2012.
 
 
 Top: Me with art; Bottom: art without me
At my high school, we had this awesome thing where at the end of the year, we would have a sidewalk chalk festival. I only got to do it my senior year, and I drew Snoopy with my friend Iris. It was such a fun filled day, and I got hella tan.

Me left; Griffin right
My prom was perhaps one of the highlights of my high school experience. I went with Griffin whose one of my closest friends. (He asked me to go to the prom because I didn't have anyone to go with #bestpersoneveraward.) I wore a purple dress, and I didn't let him see it literally til the day of. In the midst of all of prom, a lot of my friends were fighting, and lots of cat-fighting going on. However, it was still a great day. (And for the record, I stayed New Jersey out of it)

Sarah left; Me in the Middle; Liz on the Right
I got to go to New York three times! Each time, I went to see a Broadway show. The first time (which is when this picture was being taken) was in my freshman year. We saw West Side Story. The second time was in my junior year. We saw How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. AND Daniel Radicliffe was in it. How awesome was that? The last year (which was my senior year) we saw Newsies. It was such a great experience, and I miss going to all of those shows. 

Angelyn left; Me right. 
I used to make lots of obnoxious faces. Anyways, I went to two high school dances other than prom. (Homecoming 2008, and 2011) I honestly don't remember why I didn't go my juinor year, but my sophomore year it was because I had just gone through a breakup. Both times I went were super-fun and I had a blast dancing with my friends.

Vere left; Me center; Theresa right
I went to Panera a lot. My high school was actually right next to one, so I would often be found there eating soup. Those are some of my high school friends, engaging in a Panera selfie! I miss them.




Gabriel right; Griffin left
While in high school, I met these two classy individuals. I met Griffin in junior year band class. He sat next to me, we played the same instrument, and now to this day, I still drive him crazy. I met Gabriel in expository writing class my senior year. We didn't get very close to the end, and the next semester, when we actually had sociology together.

Me on the left; my coach on the right! 
In my upperclassman days in high school, I played on the badminton team. Now, I wasn't very good at it, but still I had an amazing time. During my senior year when my grandfather died, they were my support. (I played a game the day after he died too, just saying that's pretty awesome.) Playing for two years really helped introduce me to people that I otherwise wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to meet. Plus, I was the one always taking pictures.

Me on left; Sarah on right.
I used to Picnik a lot. Who remembers seeing these on Facebook? Well I was obsessed  with them. Sarah was my friend from choir, and I still talk to her today!
Those are some of my memories from high school! Did I get you thinking way back when? If so, tell me about some of your fondest memories in the comments below!