Guilty Pleasures: Got No Shame

Everyone's got one, even you.

Don't lie, I know there's something you do that you're not exactly proud of.

Even though my list of guilty pleasures could go on for…well, days, I’ve decided to share some of them today. And I find so much joy in doing most of these things, that even though they made it to my list of “guilty pleasures”, I’ve never felt a single pang of remorse.

On a rare occasion I'll be too ashamed to admit that I like something that I know most people don't like, but I am usually pretty outspoken when it comes to my guilty pleasures.

And it’s time we glorify and celebrate our ridiculous life choices AND own it. So, shove aside those self-proclaimed hipsters and admit that you right there are ah-mah-zing. *now snap your fingers in Z-motion and turn your sass on*

A lot of people are ashamed of being honest about what they love just because someone else might not find it “cool” or “rad” (although if you use that word in 2013, chances are you are neither). And who gets to decide if something is “cool” or not anyway? Is there a list which declares what’s hip or lame? Or that you must be ridiculed just because you like every Sandra Bullock movie or read unhealthy amounts of fanfiction?

I’ll admit that my first reaction when I see a group of teenage girls crying hysterically and freaking out about a One Direction concert is probably to make fun of them because I’m just a mean person like that, but I respect the fact that these people aren’t afraid of what others think of their weird obsessions. They love it and they own it!

Now is your chance to reveal yours to the world, or at least the internet, or at least to whoever reads this blog. Anyway, I'll start:

1.   Glee. This show is stupid and cheesy and weird. And I freakin' love it. (Especially Klaine). And it’s not that fake high school kind love which you get over in a week. It’s the real thing. I still watch it every time I can even though I’ve seen every episode more than twice. Such gooey drama and lovable characters. Who could resist? Not me!
Yes, there are parts of the show which have poorly written and repetitive plotlines, but I’m going to say it again just to put it out there. I STILL LOVE IT. 

And Glee sing-alongs? Best thing ever.

2.    Rocking out musical numbers in the privacy of my own home. I do this all the time. It's impossible for me to not shift my shoulders to the guitar riffs, and the drums beats. But no, I don’t sing in the shower like normal people (which is a shame since bathroom has great acoustics!), I just do it when I’m alone in the house. I even go through the pains of Google-ing song lyrics so I can belt them out perfectly. Sorry neighbors!

3.  Reading fanfiction. In my defense, it's oddly addictive, and I think it's very under-appreciated by the world at large, specifically the writing community. It’s so creative and seems to be an outlet for some very gifted writers. Clever people with talent that I can only dream of. I do admit the fact that there exists some terrifying crap out there which might scar you for life, not because of the writing quality, but because why would anyone in the right mind write fiction built around Voldermort and Darco Malfoy in a romantic relationship? But there are creative writers out there too, who can make you fall in love with those beloved fictional characters you drool on, all over again. So yes, I read fanfiction. Not only that, but sometimes I write fanfiction, too. And I’ve only ever told one other person about it.

4.  Watching trashy reality tv. *hangs head in shame* Okay, first of all, I can feel you judging me. Second of all, I know they are terrible and obviously staged, but I love the drama. It's so much fun to watch men and women who have no idea what they're doing live together and listening to their mindless chatter about the "bitches" in the group. Of course, this is when they're not unashamedly trying to flirt with each other. That just makes me want to throw up. People make fun of me for this one. This is of course before they point and laugh at me. But sometimes a bit of mindless entertainment is the perfect precursor to zoning out after a long day.

5.   Sleeping till noon. If you're anything like me, your mornings begin after 12pm. I don't know if I have acquired some sort of a sleeping sickness, but I tend to sleep like someone who just returned from a day of enormous manual labour, when in reality I hardly even get out of the house. This particular guilty pleasure might get me fired from any potential job in the future but hey, I'm not complaining! Twelve hours of sleep is simply divine.

6.    Cheesy 90’s boy-bands. I guess we all know that the 90s was an awesome decade. Okay, I might have been only 5 years old before it got over, but you don’t get cute boys doing jazz hands and singing about how much they love the girl anymore (no, One Direction doesn’t count!). So yes, my playlist includes Backstreet Boys, Boyzone, Westlife and what not! I love the music, I love the boys and I love the lyrics. And you can judge all you want while I go and listen to Westlife's greatest hits. No, I’m not ashamed.

7.     Unusual laziness. One of my guilty pleasures is displaying acts of such unusual laziness that would make the mere mortal lose faith in humanity. I bat an eyelid and get tired. I throw myself on the bed like I just returned home from war. In reality, it would be a miracle if I am even able to carry myself to another room. I use my toes to pick things up and would rather push stuff under the bed than get up and throw it in the dust bin like a normal human being. Also, right now I'm sitting on a bed filled with food crumbs. Toldya I was weird.

8.    Eating Nutella out of the jar. I do this way too often and at the same time feel guilty about it. Because when I tell people they look at me like I'm a crackhead who steals children's candies. It's not -that- bad okay? I’m pretty sure a lot of people do this.
I love it so much that I actually prefer eating it on its own, without bread or any other accompaniments. Seriously, it's like heaven in a jar.

9.    Watching sappy romantic movies. And crying. Every time. Not only do I watch these movies, but I watch them over and over again. Yes, to the point that I can quote them. Watching them so many times usually results in emotional breakdowns, but I CAN’T STOP WATCHING.

“Hey, wanna see A Walk To Remember 80 times?”

“Done that!”  

10. Celebrity gossip. If there is one guilty pleasure that I'm massively guilty about, it is this one. Yes, I admit that I am obsessed with the daily snippets of celebrity gossip. Sometimes, I open laptop and find myself casually checking out E! Online or PerezHilton.com. I find myself unhealthily drawn towards finding out Taylor Swift's latest beau or wondering why did Kim and Kanye name their baby North West (seriously, why?!). After watching award functions I go online to fawn over the celebrities' gorgeous dresses or get some dirt on the after party gossip. Yes, I too am thinking of getting a life.

11. Darren Criss. I'm not sure if I'd call this a guilty pleasure, per se, since well, I'm pleasured by it, but I’ve never exactly been guilty about it. With those honey-hazel eyes, adorable smile and the ability to work even pink wayfarers like a boss, I would let him take advantage of me anytime, any day. It’s not just the fact that he’s supermegafoxyawesomehot that makes me turn into a lonely little puddle of drool whenever I look at him, but also his incredible acting skills and unparalleled awesomosity. Shrines should be dedicated to him! And if you don’t already love him, then I suggest you watch A Very Potter Musical.

12. Whipped Cream. I deeply love whipped cream and not in some creepy or perverted way but I genuinely adore it. I couldn't care less if I put it on top of everything I eat or spray it in my mouth right out of the can. It is like riding a Unicorn underneath a rainbow in the month of May. I put it on chocolate chip cookies, waffles, pies and even in my coffee. No kidding. Ergo, I think it's time we all agree that whipped cream makes everything tastes better and simply makes life easier.

13. I have a filthy mind. This is true. Try to beat me at "That's what she said". Go on. I dare you. It never gets old. I can’t believe I’m as old as I am and still find it funny. And I'm not really sure if it's something to be proud of, but who doesn't love an atrocious mind? Apart from my parents, I mean. I feel dirty just admitting this. Though it does feel good getting it all off my chest. (That's what she said.)

14. Watching lame sitcoms. I am guilty of watching the lamest, cheesiest and the most nonsensical sitcoms ever created. I am yet to fathom what takes over me but once I am in my pajamas snuggling in my blanket my IQ diminishes to -10. I cry at the corniest moments even if it means breaking into tears when the guy stops the girl at the airport and decides to declare his love. These sitcoms never really get renewed for another season but that never stops me. Yes, I might be a little pathetic. Please don't judge.

15. Putting on pajamas as soon as I get home. No matter how early that time may be. Even if I head home after college at 1pm to spend the rest of the day at home, I am in pajamas within moments of walking through the door. I don’t care if I have to get redressed in an hour, or even 5 times that day. They’re comfy and one of the easiest guilty pleasures out there.

16. Listening to music which is deemed sucky. I don't know what's wrong with me, but I just never matured when it comes to music. Sure, I like some nice artists whose music doesn't make me want to hang my head in shame when I admit to liking them, but I listen to mainstream music more than anything. Go ahead, laugh it up, but don’t tell me you’ve never loved it yourself. No matter how much you hate it at first, it’ll end up playing on the radio station you listen to a flobbity jillion times and more till you finally succumb to its audio prowess and can't help from bobbing your head after the first beat and attempting to do a series of ridiculous dance move by the time it's finished.

17.   Pizza. No, wait, food. Any kind. As long as it tastes good. Anything at all. It's not that I eat too much. It's just that I don't exercise enough. I know it's important to pay pretty close attention to what you eat, but sometimes I just like to take a step back and think WHY? Life is short and food is good. One of these days I'm going regret eating that extra slice of double cheese burst pizza and pay for eating those 6 chocolate brownies, but for now, I'm going to enjoy the hell out of them.

18.  The Vampire Diaries. Before I begin explaining this one, let me just establish the fact that I’m not a fan of vampires and neither am I intrigued by werewolves. I certainly do NOT find someone making a meal out of you and reveling in drinking your blood fascinating or romantic. Having said that, I ask you to watch the first episode of this series and you would definitely say, “Damn! That’s interesting… I want to know what happens next.” Nobody sparkles, a vampire creepily stalking humans is barely minimal and there is an actual plotline. Beat that, Twilight!

19.  Taking extremely long showers. I’m the worst water conserver on this planet. Even if it takes me just 10 minutes to wash my hair and soap down, I just HAVE to spend at least 10 more minutes to simply stand under the shower and enjoy the spray. And maybe preen myself in the mirror for another 5 minutes after that. Judge away!

20. Starting new projects and not finishing them. So this usually happens because there are just so many creative things that I want to do or make that I simply don't have the time to follow up on the things that I started before. No wonder my “to-do list” is never ending. And the worst part is that I continue feeling guilty about it and still don’t make time for it.

There you go. Those were some of my guilty pleasures and although a lot of them are embarrassing, they’ve helped me make it through the day more than once.

So, share your guilty pleasures! Shout it from the rooftops. Give yourself permission to be proud of what you love and enjoy every minute of it. Tell people about your crazy obsessions, no matter how lame or cringe worthy they are. It’ll just make you one step closer to learning to love without the fear of judgment.

And if someone still makes fun of you, pity them. They clearly have never felt real passion. 

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