The Secret Life of Prince Charming

This book wasn't what I was expecting at all but I ended up falling in love with it. Some books I love because they take me away (Stephenie Meyer's Twilight), some books I love because they are possible, but highly improbable (Kate Brian's Private). Then there are books that I love because I was able to learn from. JK Rowling's Harry Potter Series, Jay Asher's 13 Reasons Why, and now Deb Caletti's The Secret Life of Prince Charming.

The back of the book summary reads:
         Quinn is surrounded by women who have had their hearts brokem. She tries to be an optimist, but when she is abruptly and unceremoniously dumped, she starts to think maybe there really are no good guys out there.
         It doesn't help that Quinn's father is back in her life. She's always tried to see the best in him, despite his selfish and eccentric tendencies. But when Quinn discovers he has stolen more than just the hearts of the many women in his life, she joins forces with the half sister she's never met and the little sister she'll do anything to protect, and sets out to right her father's wrongs. In doing so, Quinn begins to uncover what she's really looking for: the truth.


I read this and thought so this girl finds out she has a half sister and they go on some quest to find out more about their dad. Which is what kind of happens, but it is so much more than that. There are so many good quotes from the book that I wrote down. Quotes that have influenced how I imagine true and real love is, it has changed how I think about family. It has altered how I look at just about every relationship I have. Because of this I've spent the last couple of days thinking about New Years and resolutions, relationships, and how in the past I've burned others and been burned in return. I've severed ties with people I shouldn't have based on the limited knowledge I had at the time. I was blinded by emotions and I've come to the conclusion that my one resolution this year is to be better. Be a better person for my own sake. Do what I feel is right, instead of what I feel is expected of me.

I will leave you with just a few of my favorite quotes from the book.

"It's not a matter of being stupid. You can be smart and not know. And you can know and not care."   -pg. 39 by Mary Louise

"He was one of those guys you feel like you have to try hard to be equal to--- as in shape as he is, as intelligent, as whatever. The kind you're slightly uneasy around because you know that deep down, he feels you don't measure up."  -pg. 59 Francis Lee

"We have to be careful to not create a person in our imagination."   pg. 68 Joelle

"It starts so young, and I'm angry about that. The garbage we're taught. About love, about what's 'romantic.' Look at so many of the so-called romantic figures in books and movies. Do we ever stop and thing how many of them would cause serious and drastic unhappiness after The End."     pg. 128 Elizabeth

"Love isn't drama. Real love is there, not something out of reach."   pg 173 Joelle

"So: Love is ease, love is comfort, love is support and respect. Love is not punishing or controlling. Love lets you grow and breathe. Love's passion is only good passion---swirling-leaves-on-a-fall-day passion, a-sky-full-of-magnificent-stars passion---not angst and anxiety. Love is not hurt or harm. Love is never unsafe. Love is sleeping like puzzle pieces. It's your own garden you protect; its a field of wildflowers you move about in both freely and together."     pg. 176 Joelle


"Love is a decision that should be made for the right reasons and kept for the right reasons."   pg 220  Brie

"An umbrella is an umbrella, except when the man you love stood under it during a hailstorm when he asked you to marry him."    pg 231    Olivia

"Insecurity is not a good enough excuse for bad behavior."   pg 285 Abigail

"The truest thing about truth was that it needed to be seen no matter what it was and no matter how it came to you."    pg 287   Quinn

"A squirt of perfume is a shot of manufactured confidence, which is probably why it's so expensive and the bottles so fancy."    pg 299   Quinn

"Family was even bigger a word that I imagined before, wide and without limitations, if you allowed it, defying easy definition. You had family that was supposed to be family and wasn't, family that wasn't family but was, halves becoming whole, wholes splitting in two."    pg. 303   Quinn   (something I have thought a great deal about since my mom got sick.)

"I'm not the most, the best, the fastest, the greatest, but I am enough."    pg. 321   Quinn

"And real love---it's less shiny than solid and simple."     pg. 322     Quinn

There is no "I" in "TEAM"

I am absolutely disgusted. I cannot believe the arrogance, immaturity, self-righteousness, selfishness, and lack of not only class, but character as well that is being shown. I will not speak of any specifics but I can’t just sit here and be silent.
If you are reading this you probably know me…we have met once upon a time…and you probably know that my mouth has a tendency to get me in trouble. I already know of at least one person who will probably be disappointed that I decided to post this blog but I honestly can’t just sit here. I have to share my opinions…it is what I do. So yes, this may be crazy but this situation has me fired up.
This week something happened. I won’t say what, and it doesn’t involve me at all. I heard about it from a few different places and the absurdity of the situation took me by surprise at first, but as I watched things unfold over the last few days, I began to get that surprise quickly turned to anger.
Maybe this is just how I was raised, but I am a believer in finishing what you start. It is just understood that walking out is out of the realm of possibility. If you make a commitment to someone, or many people, you are expected to follow through and get the job done. One of my favorite sayings is, “When the going gets tough, get tough or get going.” Normally, people choose the “get tough” part, but in the particular case I am referring to for this entire post, the person, or rather, people, decided to “get going”. They did not stick with their commitments to their friends, family, teammates, or fans. Yes, I am referring to sports. Now, you may not be a sports fan, but stick with me…you might agree, you might disagree. But when a person is put into a position of leadership on a team, whether deserved or not, they have the obligation to be there for their team, through thick and thin, good decisions and bad, etc… If a coach makes a decision you don’t agree with, you grin and bear it, you get over it and move on. You have GOT to understand that the coach has some reason for making the decision. He didn’t make the decision to specifically punish you, it is not any kind of a personal attack, it was probably just in the best interest of the team as a whole. So for someone to walk out on their team because of some silly disagreement is absolutely disgusting to me.
I can guarantee you my brother or I would have even thought about pulling a stunt like this my dad would have marched us right back up to the school and apologize over the loud speaker. He would have told us we had to stick with it at least until the end of the season and we could re-evaluate after that. I can also guarantee you of a few things he would NEVER let us do. He would never let us walk out on our team, never EVER let us miss school because we couldn’t face the people we were voluntarily letting down, and under NO circumstances would he ever let us show up to gloat when it was all said and done. He would make sure I didn’t leave my house for a solid 3 months for anything other than school, church, or work. I’m sure if I were in this situation, my dad would say, “you know, you screwed up and need to make things right again.” Instead of letting me make a major mistake, even if I didn’t think it was a mistake at all. But not everyone is like that. Some people let their kids make horrible mistakes.
The recent turn of events has shown that some people just don’t have any class, or better yet, any character. They honestly believe that the world revolves around them and if anything happens that goes against their plans, then to hell with it. Those people will soon find their bubbles popped and their worlds crashing down around them. If they continue down the road they are on, walking out anytime there is a dispute or hardship, they will lead a terribly lonely life.
This is a character problem. Or, I guess I should say, a LACK of character problem, stemming from the presence of parents who let their kids do what they want and “make their own decisions” instead of helping them make the right ones. I know, I know, I am blaming the parents, but when we were discussing this post my dad said, “I may yell at the kids, but at least I don’t lead them down the wrong path.” I can honestly say though, that what has happened is probably for the best. 1. We can now see through all the smoke and mirror and see the kind of people they really are. 2. We can see that just because someone is in a position of leadership does not necessarily mean they deserve to be there, or that they can handle the pressures and consequences of being the leader. 3. I have learned that I would rather LOSE with dignity and class and honor, than to win with selfishness. 4. I’ve learned that no matter what, there is always a positive side of things…it is all a matter of perspective. 5. trust is the easiest thing to lose, and the hardest thing to build. 6. winning isn’t everything. 7. I may not have liked it at the time, but my parents knew what they were doing and made me do what was best for not only me, but those around me who would be affected by my decision and guided me through to make the correct decision. They made me take the fall when I was wrong and helped me through when I was being punished for my actions. They taught me to be the best I can be and to always try to have a good attitude. I really do think I have the best parents in the world. (sorry other parents reading). I faced the consequences when I was wrong instead of running away from everything and everyone. I was forced to take the criticisms and I am better because of it.
I am going to end now on this final note…It is another one of my dad’s favorite quotes. Think about it in this context and feel free to question, comment, or argue with anything I say.

“Usually when someone thinks they’ve arrived, they ain’t.”

No one part is bigger than the whole, we’ve got to remember that.