Chin Up, Buttercup

It seems like the world and the weather have gone crazy lately. The headlines are full of things that will make you anxious, annoyed, and angry. The Reverend Billy Graham has left us, the Russian interference stories still dominate the nightly news, and the weather has been so unseasonably warm I've been debating about cutting the sleeves off my sweaters. Flu season is the worst it has been in years, and my friends who haven't been stricken with the flu have been dealing with their own surgeries, sicknesses, and other maladies. I can barely wrap my mind around all the craziness; it's enough to get you down if you don't take every precaution you can to guard that heart of yours.

Sometimes you need to stop, take a deep breath, and reflect on the sure certainties in life that will keep you anchored. All may not be right in your world, but there are some things that remain an encouraging constant. I don't know what the future holds, but I do hold these truths to be self-evident:

Every woman looks better with lip gloss. Every. Single. One. You can be as all-natural as you please, but a shiny lip will trump a pale, colorless one every time. Your life can't be perfect, but your lip gloss can be, and it's a cheap, quick fix. As my grandmother would say, put on a little color, would you?

A life hack if ever there was one: there is nothing on this earth that won't taste better with cheese. A perfect, if unlikely example? Apple pie! Who would have thought, but there it is. I gave up dairy entirely for a couple of months over the summer, and I felt great. Then, one day, I ate a piece of cheese, and guess what? I felt even better. A life without Brie, Gorgonzola, and Havarti is a life not reaching its full potential. What the heck: pass the Velveeta, too.

Down here in the South, waves are required. Someone lets you in their lane? Wave. A driver stops for you at a crosswalk? Wave. You walk past a group of people that you don't even know? Wave. When in doubt, throw that hand up and make the world a friendlier place. It's free, and as an added bonus, it seems to really tick off unpleasant people when you smile and wave in their miserable direction. Hey girl, hey!

Growing up, the closest Chick-fil-A was a solid 45 minutes away, the always crowded star of the food court in the Anderson mall. Now, I have my choice of multiple locations and nearly daily opportunities to let that deliciousness soothe my jangled nerves. A few weeks ago, after a particularly dastardly week, I went through the CFA drive thru, pulled over in their parking lot, and ate lunch while feeling extremely sorry for myself. By the time I was finished, I was full and my pity party was over. One caveat: Chick-fil-A is always tasty, but you will never crave it the same way you do on Sundays, when they are closed. There are many Sunday mornings when I wake up almost able to taste that savory fried chicken, only to realize it's the one day of the week that it is out of my reach. Ah, that forbidden fruit. I suppose the positive part of this equation is that the other six days of the week, you can dip your waffle fries in Chick-fil-A sauce to your little heart's content.

There are two books (for starters) every Southern woman should own: a Bible and an etiquette book. The good Lord and Emily Post will keep you out of all kinds of ugly situations if you will just let them. Faith and good manners can move mountains, so say your prayers and write thank you notes.

If you do not yet own a pair of UGG slippers, let me recommend that you procure yourself a pair immediately. Yes, they are pricey for bedroom shoes, but once you slip your feet into these amazing, fur-lined, foot-loving creations, you will be hooked. It's basically like getting a new pair of feet. I become a nicer person once I get my hateful real world shoes off and slip into those UGGs. I swooned a little just typing this.

Much of my life is held together by either hot glue or hairspray (in fact, Hot Glue & Hairspray was a name I considered when I started my blog). I get great satisfaction from both of them; whether I'm tackling a household project or securing my beach waves, I get a sense of command when I'm wielding my trusty glue gun or an aerosol can. The world can't fall apart when I'm busy sticking things securely in place.

Whatever comes your way, please know that a casserole will soon follow. Housewarming, illness, new baby--any and all life changing events mean a caravan of casseroles. The absolute most important committee in a Southern church is the casserole ministry. You can't run and hide, but you can be well fed. There is no better way to show someone love than with a 9x13 Pyrex dish of comfort food.

Other things that tend to make me happier and/or make the world a little better are, in no particular order: dogs, jigsaw puzzles, the "skip intro" button on Netflix, anything that sparkles, The Walking Dead is back on TV, '90s music, the smell of Murphy's Oil soap, a good (or terrible, depending on your view point) pun, and the fact that Peeps season will soon be upon us. See? Things aren't so bad after all.

No matter what your world has been like lately, rest assured that this too shall pass. This is just a bump in the road, and when you are over that bump, there will be another one...such is life. Take heart in the fact that we have each other, and cheese and Chick-fil-A. Now, put on a little lip gloss, give your hair a quick spray, and get that chin up, buttercup.

In which case, I should be bullet proof. Bring it on.