Life lessons can wait...I need to get some things off my mind about The Bachelor!

Some of my favorite times in the months since graduation last May have been those when I have a phone pressed to my ear. Let's be honest. College is the ultimate breeding ground for friendships, but not many of those last. When I walked across that stage behind Miss Meredith Evans to grab my diploma, I could not help but think of those friendships I made. There were a number of people who I had trusted with all of life's ups and downs, people that I met with regularly, that I partied with and that I bummed around home with, that I thought would be a friend forever. But my little comfort zone was being ripped apart. When not a mere 5 minutes away, who would I talk to about all of life's details, and who would I never see again? The result surprised me for a little while, but not for long. I am very fortunate to be able to say that I have had an incredible success rate. Not one of my best friends lives within an hour of me, yet I know just as much now about them as I did then. Yes, it is INCREDIBLY hard to maintain a friendship over the phone, but I am so thankful to have the close relationships that I have, those that have survived distance and incredible change, and that have provided me with almost a nightly phone date. My writing here is a testament to those bonds, and to the importance of a friend when going through one of the most confusing growth periods we will encounter.

This blog is about friendship. It's about growth and change, struggles and acceptance, unexpected lessons and a system of support throughout the whole process. Had you told me in May that I would rely on my cell phone as a lifeline for my friendships, I would have said "good luck with that!" and moved on. Thank you God for not letting me have that attitude. I would not have all of the lessons and anecdotes about life, love, survival, and this crazy little thing called growing up otherwise. I have spent so much time on the phone with these 2 ladies (and a couple of other very special people) discussing books, sharing discoveries, and trying to decipher just where we are supposed to be at this point in our lives that I could probably collaborate on a survival guide for the 20 something woman with them. Enjoy a sneak peak into those conversations. Laugh, learn, enjoy.

On that note...I need to get some things off my chest about one Jason Mesnick of Seattle, Washington. WTF?! This adorable man is the reason I gave The Bachelor and ABC one more chance to convince me that love can happen on television. However, I was very disappointed to find out that these people agreed to dupe America by taking part in a scripted circus surrounding one of the most sacred gifts in this world: A woman's heart. I would love to give Jason the benefit of the doubt here. I want to believe he had no idea about any of this, that he didn't want to be with Melissa anymore and that ABC forced him to give it a go with Molly to try and cover up yet another failed attempt at forever. But come on. No woman in their right mind would accept an offer of "forever" from a man who 2 seconds earlier broke the heart of his FIANCEE on national television. I asked her to be my wife, told her I loved her and not you, got down on one knee in front of the world telling her it was her and only her, but now I changed my mind. Wanna go grab coffee, oh my precious second choice, and see if forever is in our cards? I speak for every sane woman out there when I say ABSOLUTELY NOT! Come on Moll! You look at him with a smile, act like he didn't dump you for a different woman six weeks ago, hold his hand, and say of course I love you and want to be with you! This had to be scripted. There is no way this would have happened in the real world and garnered the same response. I'd rather lose faith in The Bachelor as opposed to womankind. Shame on you Jason. Shame on you Molly, and ABC, and everyone involved. Good luck Melissa. You should have kept the 4 carat diamond.

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