Mr. Sunshine Smiles

Well…HELLO THERE OCTOBER! And HELLO THERE friends! It has been a whole month of blogging thus far! This is officially post number six! Can I get a WOOT?!?! You know…I never believed people when they said that time went fast. Well, I was definitely wrong. Because it literally flies by…in the blink of an eye. Like, one day it is January 1st and then BOOM…it’s Christmas. Seriously though. It’s CRAY.

Last week, I took you on the “grand” tour of my casa, so I hope you enjoyed seeing into some of my most intimate spaces of the Sunshine Cottage that make me who I am.

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to live a day (and week) in the life of Mr. Sunshine? Well, look no further than these next few paragraphs because I’m about ready to give you a quick run down of what those 7 days look like. Hope you brought your energy drink because you might need it to keep up! Are you ready?

Oh…and before we start…I would like to personally thank Starbucks for making such a delicious beverage that is called the PSL. Literally…fall in a cup. If you are a Pretty Smart Lad (like me…OBVI…kidding), you should go enjoy a Pumpkin Spice Latte…right now. Well, not now because I want you to keep reading…but maybe after you are done! Deal? OK, let’s get started.

Oh…and one more thing…I’m so sorry. Tomorrow, October 2nd officially marks the 3 MONTH MARK until Sunshine Reveal #2! Do you have any guesses as to what it might be?! I’m anxious to hear your thoughts!

OK, now I’m ready to begin. Did you take a shot of espresso or coffee yet? I’ll give you a few seconds to go get one. Seriously. Go. Now. Grab and come back for the action-packed post.

We ask that you please hold on to all hats and glasses…we will be reaching speeds of 58mph…oops…sorry…that was the script you hear when in line for The Great Bear at Hersheypark.

I digress…again. Here we go…for real this time.

Sundays are for…sleeping in? WRONG! Not in Sunshine’s world! The alarm promptly goes off at 7:30am reminding me that I must wake up (off the couch of course),head up the stairs, freshen up with a clean shave and brushing of teeth, put on dress clothes, and head on over to St. Paul Lutheran Church in Penryn where I serve as Music Director. Arrival around 8:30am usually means I have some quiet time to mentally prepare, meditate, and practice piano as needed to get ready for service at 9:15am. After about an hour, church ends and 9 times out of 10, I head over to my parents house for one of my favorite traditions–Sunday lunch. Mama Welliver is a wonderful cook, so literally whatever she makes, I will eat. Except for brussel sprouts…GROSS. But she knows I don’t like them! Then, usually early afternoon means I must head on over to Ephrata Performing Arts Center for a rehearsal of some kind, which usually takes up a majority of the afternoon and evening. A typical end time is usually 9 or 10, so that means I get in my car and drive home, but not without stopping at Giant first for my grocery shopping extravaganza! Literally…I dislike grocery shopping…SO MUCH. Like, why are there aisles of so many different brands of cereals, toothpastes, paper towels, toilet paper…literally everything. Too many choices. I feel like I need to look into my crystal ball with helping me make a decision. However, the nice thing about a late night grocery shopping trip is that humans are usually very limited, which is nice. After arriving home, it’s time to put away the groceries and watch The Golden Girls before hitting the hay, which usually takes place around midnight or 1am.

Still with me? Good. On to the weekdays we go.

Mondays are for working a part time job! I commute to Reading where I get to spend 8 hours doing customer service auditing at The Loomis Company. This literally just started on September 24th and what an exciting adventure it will be! I’ll be working alongside two incredibly talented and smart women who will help me to grow and get me back in the flow of helping Customer Service Representatives perfect their skills and knowledge. After the work day is done, it is usually to the theater for more rehearsal (or meetings) that will last until about 10pm. Then home, Golden Girls, and sleep. You know…wash, rinse, repeat.

Tuesdays and Thursdays are for waking up at 6:30am and heading to training at Z Fitness with my buddy and FAVORITE personal Trainer, Zach Musser. Seriously, a beast…and funny too. I always love it when he brightens my morning workouts with his singing. And mind you my workout playlist consists of divas…Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Celine Dion…you catch my drift. It’s pretty great. After an hour of getting my butt kicked with all different exercises, I head to work at The Webstaurantstore where I serve as a Platinum Account Manager. I have the best teammates who push me each and every day to be better! In addition, I have awesome customers from all over the United States that I get to interact with via email, chat, and phone calls. It’s pretty fantastic. And I love every moment. After putting in 8 hours, it’s usually off to the theater for more rehearsal. Are you sensing a pattern here? And after rehearsal…what comes next? I’ll take JP’s evening routine for 500! That’s right…home, Golden Girls, sleep.

Wednesdays and Fridays consist of waking up at 7am and hitting up The Webstaurantstore once again for my 8 hour days of Platinum account managing. After those hours are clocked, the evenings usually consist of working from home doing my customer service auditing, church choir rehearsal, or theater rehearsal. Oh…and sometimes coffee drinking and eating too! Can’t forget that!

Saturdays, you ask? Sleeping in? Day off? This is the part where I sound the air horn to indicate you are WRONG! Sleeping in and day off are two phrases that do not exist in my vocabulary. Saturdays are for working at the WEB for 8 hours and spending the evening at either the theater for rehearsal, doing some customer service auditing, spending time with my family, or on the rare occasion that nothing is happening, being with my friends.

Did you finish your energy drink and shot of espresso? Do you need to get one after reading this?

My life is crazy. Yes, you are correct. I’ve always THRIVED on being busy…for as long as I can remember. If you open up my planner, you would probably faint….it’s that full. And I wouldn’t want it any other way. How do I survive? With the help of support from family and friends, Dr. Pepper, iced coffee, and taking time (down time) for myself each night, which as you know is watching The Golden Girls.

Seriously though–find what you’re passionate about and do it. Take the risks. You’ve got nothing to lose.

From now until the end of the year, I will be doing:

Full time work at The Webstaurantstore, part time work of 15-20 hours doing customer service auditing for The Loomis Company, starting rehearsal as Music Director for the Kids for Kids Production of Mary Poppins at EPAC, being Assistant Stage Manager and ensemble member of the December production of Beauty and the Beast at EPAC, preparing music and service details for Christmas Eve at my church, working on my blog, finalizing details with my January 2 Sunshine Reveal #2, training for my half marathon on October 21st, performing acts of kindness whenever possible…and other random things here and there…you know, like sleeping, cleaning the house, and taking the contacts out of my eyes.

Do I need a personal assistant? Probably. Would I hire you? Probably. Are you allowed to bring me coffee? Probably. Actually, yes. Yes, you can.

Well, that’s the wonderful world of Disney for you. Oops…sorry, I mean wonderful world of Mr. Sunshine. This was probably a really boring post to read, so I apologize about that. But seriously, each week can’t be like an exciting read…there has to be at least some kind of lame-ness involved. Am I right??

Well, it’s time to go take out my contacts…and find the couch in the living room…and put on The Golden Girls.

Don’t forget to like and subscribe if you haven’t already. I would very much appreciate it.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Follow me on Instagram…@mrsunshine827! Yay! Yay! YAY!

Well, hello there! Today, I greet you with a big, heart-felt “welcome back” as we enter week 5 of my blog! I’m both happy and thankful that you have decided to come back and experience me for yet another week. I couldn’t be more grateful for the immense amount of support and love I’ve received thus far on the journey–and there are many more miles to go, so prepare for even more adventures with Mr. Sunshine by your side.

This week, I thought I would take you beyond the walls of Sunshine Cottage for an exclusive look into the life behind the doors as we strip away the iced coffee. And…before we continue…don’t forget to follow me on Instagram if you aren’t following me already…@mrsunshine827. It’s pretty simple.

Also, before I start giving you the “grand” tour of my living space, can we just take a moment to pause and discuss the AMAZING-NESS that is known as the below three things…

1. Carrie Underwood’s new album…SO good at giving me all the feels.
2. Betty White at the Emmy Awards…literally the classiest & CUTEST woman alive!
3. The trailer for Mary Poppins Returns…like…I. CAN’T. EVEN. DEAL. AHHH.

Hi, my name is Tour Guide Barbie and I smile until my cheeks hurt…well I mean…basically that is me. Today, I will be giving you a “grand” tour of the spaces in my house that give me the most rays of inspiration on the daily.

Have any of you ever watched those HGTV shows (Fixer Upper or House Hunters, etc) where you literally see homes that have everything? And I mean…EVERYTHING…basically the only thing missing is an elephant from the Circus, but I’m sure there is some home out there even with that. Well, my home is NOT like one of those homes. In fact, it is probably the house that Chip and Joanna Gaines would show people as a “fixer upper” because from the outside you see gutters that look like they are dangling for their life, a front porch that seems to be semi-rotted, and grass (that is currently as I write this) about 2 feet tall. And…to answer your question, no I’m not ashamed to admit these things because they display the imperfections of myself that make me who I am. More on that later. But let’s get through the front door…

As you walk over the “Live. Laugh. Love.” doormat that is placed outside the bright blue door of my casa, you are immediately greeted by the living room and big, comfy couch where I spend most of my nights. If you recall from one of my first posts, I am someone who LOVES sleeping on the couch and NOT in sheets. Yes, that is correct. BREAKING NEWS: almost every night of the week, you can find me on the couch. This couch literally belongs in the Smithsonian–it IS that comfy.

Further into the living room, you will see a fireplace (that I never use…imagine that–probably because I can’t imagine chopping wood to burn in it…go figure that one out) along with one of my favorite mantras on an end table coupled with a rainbow. The mantra is all you need is love–something I try to live out on the daily while also constantly reminding myself of how proud of I am of my true colors. The living room is also where you will find my piano, which I have literally played less than 10 times since moving almost 2 years ago. Say what?! And yes, there is dust on it. This is where those handy dandy items called Swiffer come in handy!

Now, let us take our twinkle toes up the staircase to the second level where some more focal points of my life can be found. The second floor is where you can also find my fiercely witty and incredibly entertaining roommate, Karey. She is definitely one of a kind and I hope you all have the pleasure of getting to meet her one day. Not only can she belt any song in the world with grace and poise, she can make you laugh at the drop of a hat. And while we don’t see each other too often, it is always comforting to know that I have her presence in the house with me.

Anyway, back to the tour! If you look above the staircase, you will find a framed photo collage of moments from my time dancing in THON 2010 as a Senior at Penn State that my mom created for me. This is definitely one of my proudest moments of life thus far in 31 years–no sleeping or sitting for 46 hours while fighting to find a cure for pediatric cancer. This framed collage is something I get to witness each and every day when I leave the house, so it serves as a constant reminder to me that there is HOPE and that WE WILL find a cure one day for this disease. Pediatric cancer research has been a passion of mine since my time at Penn State and I will be forever grateful for my involvement with THON and The Hope Express for allowing me to keep that passion alive as I continue on in my adult life.

As we travel down the hallway, you will find my bedroom where there are several special entities! First off, my tie collection can be found hanging on the door to my closet. I am a huge fan of the bowtie and together with the neckties, I have about 40. If you ever need a last minute gift idea for me, there you go! You heard it here first! In addition to the tie collection, I have a HUGE fun sock collection. Another one of my secret obsessions. Well…I guess it really isn’t a secret! I’m short of just about 100 pair and have a whole drawer to prove it! Once again, if you need a last minute gift suggestion, you can never go wrong with fun socks.

On the wall, you will find built in shelves for…BOOKS?! Why, of course not! Who do you think I am? Belle from a small, provincial town? This is the 21st century and I’m an openly gay man…the built in shelves are OBVI for shoes. I mean…come on. Who doesn’t love a good pair of shoes?

In all honesty though, most of my shoes are falling apart…and I’m OK with that. Because to me, life isn’t about having the latest and greatest in fashion–it’s about making life GREAT and MEMORABLE with what you have.

There are marks on the wall. There is peeling paint in multiple rooms. There are gaps in the laminate flooring. There are not granite countertops. There are not stainless steel appliances. There are picture frames that are still on the ground because I haven’t found free moments to place them on the wall. There is dust. My backyard literally looks like something straight out of Africa. There are thousands of imperfections. And I have no problem with that.

My house is full of love ready to give to whomever walks through it regardless of ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or social status. My house is a safe haven that I can retreat to when I need that moment of recharge away from the world and humans. My home is a place where my mind is constantly on the go thinking about the next project or task to involve myself with that concerns sharing love and kindness with the world.

At the end of the day life isn’t about having the most friends, the most money, the most expensive luxuries, or being the most popular. It’s about making positive change in the world with what you have and lifting up others by showing kindness and love to all.

My living habitat is living proof of this.

Embrace the imperfections in your life. They are what make you YOU.

This officially ends the “grand” tour of Sunshine Cottage. I hope to see you soon!

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

So…last week I talked about the 5 things that I do in my life to keep me happy and smiling. This week, for the monumental fourth week of my blog, I decided to do an off road experience and talk about the complete opposite of happiness, so I hope you brought your seat belts to BUCKLE UP. I know. I know. You’re probably asking yourself “But why Mr. Sunshine?!” Well, even Mr. Sunshine has a few cloudy days and rumbles of thunder sometimes, so I want to explore vulnerability and let you know that it is OK to cry and show emotion.

First off though, can we just take a hot second of a moment to talk about how the summer is already coming to a close? To me, it feels like we were just ringing in the New Year watching the ball drop in NYC to light up the bright, big 2018 in Times Square! With this week’s post, I actually was ahead of the game and not procrastinating to the last minute…BELIEVE it. I decided to take a rainy Tuesday evening to spend some time reflecting, drinking a few sips of wine, listening to inspirational tunes (well, actually Disney princess songs to be honest), and writing out these very words you are reading now.

As I look back at the summer and the months that have passed thus far in 2018, there is much to reflect upon–moments of pure happiness and joy that put a big smile on my face and also moments of both sadness and darkness that have brought tears to my eyes. Some of those joyful moments I’ve had the privilege of experiencing this year were stage managing my first show on the EPAC stage, becoming a mentor as part of the Worthy Mentor Program, enjoying a week long vacation at the beach with my family, and launching my very first personal blog!

Right now, as I write the words to this current sentence, I have one of my favorite hymns playing in the background on my laptop which happens to be a version performed by one of my favorite country singers, Carrie Underwood. And can we just talk about not only how BEAUTIFUL her voice is, but also how BEAUTIFUL her legs are too?!. Yes, that’s right…#Carrielegs. Anyhoo…getting back on track from the diversion of hashtags and beautiful legs. Gosh…I LOVE legs.

For many of you who know me, it will come as no shocker that this hymn is the classic “How Great Thou Art.” This is one of those hymns, no matter how many times I play it, sing it, or listen to it makes me tear up with emotion when thinking about life–whether it is thinking about what has happened in the past, thinking about what is happening in the present, or thinking about what is going to happen in the future. It’s one of the few hymns that can really cause me to stop and think about what is around me and how appreciative and lucky I am for all that God has given me in this life.

Earlier this summer, I learned that my brother and his wife had experienced a miscarriage for the second time. She was carrying twins and it was a little over a year since she had gone through her first miscarriage. I learned of this information on a Friday afternoon at work and immediately had to leave my desk to go out and cry in the privacy of my car. It was a moment of breakdown for me.

That Sunday at church, we happened to be singing “How Great Thou Art” as the closing hymn to the service. During the last couple of verses, I had a breakdown of emotion and tears while playing the notes on the organ–I couldn’t even sing along with the congregation because I was so distraught inside with sadness. It was one of those raw moments of my life that really hit me deep down.

Last year, toward the end of summer, I learned that a very dear friend of mine who I had the pleasure of working with on two shows at the EPAC had been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer of some vital, internal organs. The outlook was not good and I remember crying on the couch the night I found out because, once again, I was overcome with a raw emotion of sadness. I had the opportunity to work alongside this individual during my Stage Manager duties this year, which was a true blessing and gift for me–something that will stick with me for the rest of my life.

This particular individual, who happened to be Pat Kautter, passed away on Monday, August 20. She had given a brave and courageous fight to the disease for just about a year. I happened to be at church that morning practicing piano and received a text from my roommate, Karey letting me know Pat was no longer with us. I will never forget that moment. I dropped my phone and fell to my knees in tears and screamed at the top of my lungs. The tears flowed for a good half hour as I just knelt on the carpet…feeling hopeless and letting the tears fall down my face and hit the ground. Even three weeks later, there are moments of complete breakdown I still have at random times.

These moments of extreme emotion happen to be the ones where I’m reminded of how much I have in my life–how many wonderful blessings I have been given. We all have so much to be thankful for, but we always seem to get caught up in the daily grind of our busy lives that we forget to take those necessary moments to step back and observe the beauty of the world around us.

While listening to “How Great Thou Art” with writing this post, I was able to close my eyes, appreciate and reflect on some blessings in my life for a few moments, and cry some tears. A loving and supportive family, a wonderful job and career, a roof over my head, amazing friends who help me to make lasting and wonderful memories, a church family that will go to any lengths to help each other through the rough times, and so many other entities that are too numerous to mention. These are just some of the things that cause my eyes to swell with tears and my soul to sing at the same time.

It should come as no surprise that I wear my heart on my sleeve. I cry…a lot. I get emotional…a lot. And it bothers me to no end that our society seems to have a stigma on males who cry a lot and show vulnerability and emotion. It DOES NOT make us less manly. It DOES NOT make us less of a person. It DOES; however, show that we are a genuine human being with feelings.

Sometimes we just want a good cry to get it all out. Or a warm hug and embrace to know that it is all going to be OK. We shouldn’t be judged for that.

The next time you get caught up in the life around you, take those necessary moments to step back and reflect. take a moment to listen to “How Great Thou Art” and think about the aspects of your life that make your soul sing. Take a moment to tell someone in your life that you love and appreciate them because you never know when that moment will be gone.

Take a moment to let human emotions take over the waterworks of your eyes.

It’s OK to cry. It’s OK to show emotion. It’s OK to be vulnerable.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @mrsunshine827

Well, good heavens to Betsy! Here we are already in week 3 of my blog! Where is the time going? Since last week’s writing, I’ve received a few more wrinkles in my forehead, gained several grey hairs on the top of my head, and earned tan lines to my tan lines. Sorry, no picture evidence for that…just take my word for it. TRUST in the sunshine.

It’s amazing what a week at the beach can do for you. While we dub these trips of relaxation and rejuvenation “vacations,” it seems that our minds still have much to process, especially when we are bombarded with news stories about the world we live in.

For me, deciding what this blog post would be about came from thoughts I had during my runs along the beach as I watched the seagulls fly, waves crash, and sweat drip down into my eyeballs causing me to go blind for literally a hot second. And I mean a HOT second. Like…98 degrees hot. And no, I’m not referring to the boy band although I do find the men who compromise that musical group quite attractive.

But that is neither here nor there. Well, it’s here because I just wrote it…but like…I digress.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked by others “how do you stay happy?” or “how do you remain so positive?” or “what is your secret to being Mr. Sunshine?” The answer my friends is blowing in the wind…well, actually there’s nothing blowing in the wind although I do wish there would be pretty, colored leaves blowing in the wind much like that during the montage of “Colors of the Wind” in Pocahontas. Am I right or am I right?! Oh…and don’t forget to follow me on Instagram…@mrsunshine827. Shameless plug…sorry not sorry.

Okay let’s get to the meat and potatoes of this post…seriously, wish I had meat and potatoes right now, especially garlic mashed potatoes with butter…like rumbly in my tumbly. AHHHH. Diversion…again! Keep me on track!

Here are just a few simple things I do in life to keep myself happy, smiling, and spreading sprinkles of sunshine.

1. Listening to my favorite song at least twice a day.

Yes, that’s right. Jam. It. Out. Singing at the top of my lungs whether in tune or not is something that I make sure I give myself time to do every single day…at least twice. Whether it’s in the shower, in my car ride to work or home from work, or in the privacy of my own room, this is one of my simplest secrets to keeping positive energy going. And the jam I listen to? Well, it should come as no surprise that this song for me is Katy Perry’s “Firework.” OBVI. Like…do you even know me??

2. Exercising and sticking with it. 

These days, a lot of people have specific workout regimens that they adhere to on the daily. Working out gives me an adrenaline rush unlike any other because it is something that I can put energy into, especially negative energy if I’m feeling pessimistic or cynical about something. I see a personal trainer twice a week (shout out to the INCREDIBLE Zach Musser at Z Fitness–check him out here http://zfitnessllc.com) and also run about three times a week. Running is like a cleansing for me because it is one on one time with myself and nature (if I’m outside) that is such a revival of the soul. Working out just makes me feel good about my body because I know that I’m strengthening it to make it better.

3. Taking time each night to laugh. 

They say that laughter is the best medicine and what truth that is. This is a HUGE rule of thumb for me and I carve out time each night before going to bed to laugh. How you ask? Well, if you don’t know the answer to this, I will literally go and throw a pie tin filled with Cool Whip in my face. I make sure to watch an episode (or two…or seven) of The Golden Girls each night before I hit the hay on the couch. It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve seen the episodes, they still crack me up…a lot…to tears. Obviously, you don’t have to watch The Golden Girls; however, I would highly encourage you to find laughter in something each night because it will make you feel so good inside. It will keep you young too…and might reduce some wrinkles on your forehead. And who doesn’t love a little wrinkle reduction action?!

4. Spending quality time with good people. 

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Surround yourself with good humans. Get around those in life who will encourage you, make you laugh, give you warm hugs, lend a listening ear, offer a shoulder to cry on, and give all the love in the world until the end of time. You will know exactly who these people are because of the energy that bubbles out from their soul when in their presence. Genuine goodness can’t be faked. As the saying goes, “your vibe attracts your tribe.”

5. Performing a random act of kindness at least once a day. 

This is probably one of my favorites and comes with the mantra that I try to live out as Mr. Sunshine in being kind to one another. Something so simple can change the entire world. If we all just took a moment in our lives to share an act of kindness with someone, what a difference we could make. Paying for the person behind you in the drive-thru, sharing a warm smile on the street with a stranger, offering to help a coworker with a big project, volunteering at a local food bank or shelter…the possibilites are endless and you can be incredibly creative. Trust me when I say that performing a random act of kindness will give you the GREATEST fufillment in your heart. Nothing is more rewarding. And if you need some inspiration, might I suggest Chicken Soup for the Soul Random Acts of Kindness. 

Well, there you have it folks. My top 5 biggest secrets on how I keep Mr. Sunshine alive. I hope that you will try some of these tactics in your own personal life in hopes of keeping that positive flame burning inside, especially in the moments when it’s ready to go out. And if you do, I would love to hear about it! And, if you have other suggestions on how you keep smiling on the daily, let me know!

“‘Cause baby you’re a firework, come on show ’em what your worth, make ’em go “oh, oh, oh!” as you shoot across the sky-y-y!”

Now, go keep the sunshine alive!

Follow me on Instagram @mrsunshine827!

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Well, grab me a box of Skittles and pinch my cheeks! You are back for my second week! (And that rhymed…what are the chances?! I didn’t even try that!) I’m super stoked that you’ve decided to come along for the ride and follow my writings as I continue to expand this blog.

This week? Well, you are in luck! We are going to talk about those two words that we all know and love…SO much. And…no, it’s NOT ice cream or hot dogs!

ONLINE DATING. (And cue dramatic horror music in the background as my jaw drops to the floor much like the image of Kevin as he looks in the mirror after putting on after shave in Home Alone).

This is something that has always given me anxiety, and quite frankly, I’ve never been a fan of it. Why, you ask? Well, with being a gay man in Lancaster County, we’ve got slim pickings to begin with, so like BYEEEEEEE.

There seem to be a million different dating sites and apps these days–OKCupid, EHarmony, Match.com, Plenty of Fish, Tinder, bacon and eggs–oh wait…that’s just some of my favorite breakfast foods. Hey now! Oh, and before I move on…make sure you follow me on Instagram @mrsunshine827 if you aren’t already. Kthanks.

One of the many lessons that I’ve learned in my 31 years on this Earth is to take chances, go for it, and literally not give two hoots about what people think. Well…there are sometimes when you should give a hoot about what other people think, but not in this case that I’m about to describe.

Wait…what’s that now? You want an illustration about how I took a chance and didn’t give a hoot about what someone else thought? Well, goodness gracious! I thought you would never ask!

Flashback to my college sophomore year when I was taking ECON02 during my Spring semester. Class took place in the Forum Building, which was a huge room of stadium seating that sat approximately 350 people. I was never a huge fan of this class, but one day I happened to spot a boy from across the way that I found to be quite cute. I could barely pay attention to what I was learning because I felt like my eyes were always glancing over to where he sat. But like, can you say creeper much?! Listen…don’t judge me…yet.

One day, I left class and made it a priority to find out who this guy was. So, I took to one of the computer labs and began to start searching Facebook. And what do you know? Low and behold, after about 30 minutes of searching, I found him! DING! DING! For the win!

Yeah, I was feeling pretty confident.

The next step? Remember when I said earlier about taking chances and not giving a hoot about what others think? Yeah, well, here we go. Buckle up and get ready to judge me…BIG time.

I took to Facebook messenger (obvi) and messaged the boy introducing myself and mentioning that I saw him sitting in the back of my ECON02 class. Pretty straight forward and normal. Fast forward when the boy replied and we exchanged a few other messages about the class and how much we disliked it. Things are going pretty well, right? You would think so until Mr. Sunshine decides to be REAL BOLD and go in the for the kill with the below line…

“If you want to sometime, I would really like to get to know you in a comfortable, relaxed setting.”

Are you kidding me? Who even says anything like that? Not only does it sound dirty, but it’s like…like…I don’t even know what it is. EMBARRASSING. Insert face planting emoji from your Iphone times a million right here.

Needless to say, the boy happened to know the roommate I was living with at the time and politely asked her for advice on how to tell me that he wasn’t gay.

I mean…I guess it could’ve been worse.

To this day, that line I used still cracks me up because I can’t believe that I would EVER use such a phrase with anyone regardless of how well I know them. Looking back, that was literally 0 to 60 in like 5 seconds. CRAY.

Always be true to yourself and go with your gut. Just maybe try to steer away from phrases that use “comfortable, relaxed setting” unless you happen to be describing the furniture in the new living room as part of a prize you could win on The Price is Right.

So yeah…Mr. Sunshine and online dating…not my strong suit, but here are a few things that I’ve learned from the experience:

1). Always be true to yourself no matter what.

2). Go with your GUT.

3). Don’t give a hoot about what others think.

4). Try not to use the phrase “comfortable, relaxed setting” unless absolutely necessary.

Follow me on Instagram @mrshine827

To collab with me, questions, or feedback email mrsunshine827@gmail.com!

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!