Parks and Recreation Supplemental Post: Leslie Knope

You know, I just realized I probably should have started with Leslie Knope, since she is the main character and all, but I kind of like bucking the expected, which I think Leslie would appreciate. Probably? Who knows, she's a fictional character.

Via After Ellen

Anyway, there is so much to write about when it comes to Leslie Knope that it's impossible to boil it down to just a few points. She's a master class for an interdisciplinary studies degree (do they have those? I haven't been in college in ten years) in TV writing, political science, psychology, women's studies, and home ec. She's layered, complex, focused, and passionate, and definitely an inspiration to all of those who live in her sphere. She's the glue that holds the entire show together, even if she employs her steamroller tactics to get what she wants, and her heart is in the right place so often that she can quickly go from annoying to "inspiring and heroic" in a heartbeat.

A big part of me wants to be like Leslie: I want to inspire my friends, achieve my goals, meet my special someone who is my partner more than anything else, embody passion for my work, and have such clear direction in my life that I only suffer doubt once in a blue moon and then get over it like a toddler after a nap. 

Via Buzzfeed

Honest talk: it sounds exhausting. My work ethic leaves a lot to be desired, at least when it comes to my writing and artwork. I don't write my blog as often as I should - and not just for page views - and thanks to the bitch that is chronic depression mixed with generalized anxiety, I have that "excuse*" to just lay in bed and worry about the fact I'm not accomplishing anything. My artwork has suffered, as well, and last night, I sat and doodled around in my sketchbook but ended up tossing the pad across the room because I was literally creating chicken scratch. So I thought, hey, let's pick up my computer and write the Leslie Knope post. 

And I needed to see gifs of her. Because while I feel like this right now: 

Via Geeky News

I want to get to where people say this about me: 

Via Cookies & Sangria

I wanna be that hardworking person that, when I do reach the top, and someone asks me what it's like to be an overnight sensation, I'm going to look at them like they're nuts and say, "Dude, I've been here forever."

Leslie wouldn't stop after one failure. Leslie wouldn't give up if the first two books she wrote and self-published with little to no marketing somehow didn't get read by more than, like, two people. She would take that as a learning experience and do things differently. How? Not sure, but she'd figure it out. So I have to start small: I'm kind of dreading the next month's challenge, but it's a step I need to take. Get what info I have out there now; stop looking too much at the future because LOLOL I will get overwhelmed and probably crawl into a hole for the rest of eternity. As appealing as it does sound - and working retail at the same time definitely makes that hole sound more like the greatest idea I've ever had - I need to channel my inner Leslie, no matter how far down she is, and follow my dreams. 

Via Rebloggy**

FAVORITE LESLIE MOMENT

PARKS AND REC CHALLENGE

* I am in no way saying that depression is an excuse. Hence the quotation marks. I'm dealing with that in the only way that I can, considering I don't have insurance at the moment.
** I really want to find out who the original photographer is here because they really deserve the credit for this amazing picture. Can somebody help me out, please?