Its beginning to look a lot like...

Happy Holidays, the holiday season has officially started (tomorrow!)...okay maybe some people start considering it the Holiday Season once November starts the day after Halloween but it really kicks into effect on Thanksgiving. We have our dinner, then we turn on the Christmas music and set up the tree, and that's really w hen things get into full swing.

It has been cold though, and by cold I mean really cold. I thought my hands might fall off when I was biking to school yesterday, I really need to find my gloves. It didn't even hit 50 yesterday in St. George...which is really cold for St. George. And I walked into the Gardner center after printing off my essay, and there were Christmas decorations EVERYWHERE. Wasn't exactly expecting it, but okay.

I woke up this morning, at my parents house here in Apple Valley and its WHITE outside.... Pictures to come later, Happy Holidays everyone!

Some thanks

I was thinking (and while its not quite thanksgiving yet, these thoughts may have been spurred on by my research on Pilgrims today)... that no one says what they think of someone enough. No one says 'I love you', or says 'thank you' or 'I admire you', or 'I respect you' as much as they should. I'm certainly guilty of this charge, and so is everyone else. I think its important that we let people know, you never know how it could make someones day, cheer them up, or a multitude of other things.

So I want to give that to some people.

Alex Knapton. We've been friends for a long time (1st grade!), and while we lost contact there for awhile I'm proud to say we're still friends. We've both grown and changed, as has the friendship, but its still intact and that means a lot. Thank you so much for being there for me. I hope to see you again soon. :)

Bellenie Black. I haven't seen you in years, but every time I talk to you your quirky personality never fails to cheer me up. Thank you!

Cassie Orman, I'm so proud and happy to call you my best friend. You have literally been there for me through thick and thin and I probably don't express this as often as I should. I wish there were a better way to say it than just thank you. I know I can be kind of ridicoulous at times, so really thank you. I hope I've given the same to you.

Julise (Jager) Nelson. This is another of those cases where we've lost touch over the years. I dare say we aren't as close as we once were, and I'm sorry I couldn't make it to your wedding. But please know I have great memories with you, still considere you a friend,and want you to be happy.

Lizzi Sims, Ashlee Neilson, Jessica Butterfuild, Jenny Brown, Amanda Hansen and anyone else I'm missing... we've all grown and become different individuals, certainly...but I have a lot of fond memories with all of you. Thanks for making middle school, and the other times we spent together, great!

Crystal Beecher. I know I can be a bit erratic and disorganized at times (or maybe a lot? ^ ^) And that we have a lot of different views on things. But thank you, to you and Robert, for allowing me to live here and 'putting up' with me. Most of all, thank you for being a friend.

Dorothy Englman, Cyril Noble,Mark Setser, Jerry Howard and probably a lot of other people I'm forgetting.... You guys are awesome. I'm so glad I've gotten to know and work with you guys and consider a lot of you my friends. Most of all,thank you for giving me oppurtunites to work with you all and make a difference.

Bethany Coyle, Jason Benno, Logan Hunt, Sala and so many others who are younger than me but have figured out how to take a stand and fight for whats RIGHT already. That's especially difficult in Utah. I admire you guys for it, keep it up!

Solveig, my dear sister... I love you. That about says it all...but you're not just my sister, you're my best friend. you've always been there for me. Thank you.

Morgan, my other dear sister! You never fail to cheer me up! I LOVE how happy you always are, never stop! Love, love, love you!

Mom and Dad, I don't know how I can put this in as little words as possible and still be efficent in saying what you mean to me. Thank you for never really giving up on me. I realize I was a heard headed, stubborn, naive teenager and young adult for a long time and I must of caused you a lot of grief. I still have a lot of things to learn, but I love you both, so much. I don't know how to say it other than that,I don't know of a more efficent way... and I mean every word of it. Thank you, and I love you.

I'm probably missing a lot of people I didn't give specifics to, but if you're tagged it means you mean SOMETHING to me...so guys, I love you all.
'

Sayonara Daisuki Na Hito

For those wondering that means, "Goodbye my favorite person" or "Goodbye my love". Its Japanese, a them song of a Japanese Drama that I watched years ago and have now just hunted down again since I just remembered it. Its really a beautiful song.

Well,I need to write this before I forget again.I 'm really bad at this blogging every day thing. Not that many people read it, ah well.

Elections are finally over. DEEP BREATH...

I have more free time now, though it doesn't feel like that yet. The Replublicans took the house, Democrats kept the Senate at least. If the Repubs had taken both I think I would of gotten out of the country today had it been possible...Still, its upsetting.Night surprising, but upsetting that people are blaming the Democrats...and now the Republicans are saying the Democrats need to "Work with them"... It makes me want to scream. Trying to "work with them" and compromise, its what the democrats have been trying to do these past two years.

I really hope things look up by 2012 and we can get Obama reelected. My only happiness now is that neither O'Donnel (I'm not a witch, I'm you!) and Angle didn't get elected. Thank goodness.

What makes me the angry the most though, is those who complain and don't vote. Thouse who don't educate themselves on who their voting for...but one thing that really rubbed me the wrong way during election season is that no one was willing to do anything but vote. Apathy. Apathy is my pet peeve. This I have discovered.

Should you vote? Most definitely. Voting is a right, but I think people ought to look at it as a 'privilege' as well. not because it is, its not and nor should it literally ever be a privilege...but especially for us women.We've only had this right or 90 years. In reality, thats not very long. Not in comparison to so many things. I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't take it or granted. Vote every election. It does matter.

What really gets me though is people who aren't willing to do much of anything. I see people who complain, and who will vote yes,but when push comes to shove thats all they do. Voting does a lot in the world of making a difference, but you can make even more by helping on the campaigns. I support rallies whole heartedly and I'm not trying to tear them down, I'm there at nearly every one...but rallies can only do so much too. You should fight for someone who WILL make a difference to get elected.

It just irritates to me (especially those who say they will help but when push comes to shove, don't)



School...school is what makes me thing I have no free time at all.

Life As I Know It

Well.... there's been quite a few things I've been meaning to write about. So this might get a little long winded. I'll try to fit as much in here as I can but there may be another blog later tonight as well. To try to give this some form of coherency I'll go from most recent to oldest...or at least I'll try. ^ ^

Got the results back from my second history test today... I got....*drum roll*... an A! Again! :D I'm so proud of myself. I haven't gotten anything lower than an A on anything in any of my classes yet. Though granted, we just get full points for turning in our first Draft of Essays in English 1010... And I'm a little worried about how I'll do on the essay due next week for History (Seriously, I'll take a test over an Essay any day of the week)...but its on the Emancipation Proclamation, and I enjoy history...so here's hoping I'll do better on it than some of my english papers. And maybe I'll have my dad take a look at it too. Because he's awesome that way.

I'm wearing my Health Care Reform OFA (Organizing For America) shirt today... and I went to English, and all that jazz...and this one girl who I normally get along with asked me if I supported Obama after noticing my T-shirt. I said "yes", rather matter of factly... and she just went on to prove to me how ignorant and uneducated people are.

She asked me "Why? He's done everything wrong for the country." And for a few minutes I kept trying to tell her "No, he hasn't." I quickly gave up trying to make her see logic, but she started going on to one of our other classmates about how bad health care was and all these bad, horrible, wrong, things Obama had done. She even said "Now thanks to the health care law you have to work a certain number of hours to get health care."

Erm...its always been that way. Most employers have always required you work full time to get full benefits. Just how it works.

She also mentioned that a Tea Party Candidate would be a better President than Obama...that was terrifying. And when said other classmate asked her what exactly the tea party was she described them as "Not democrat or republican, just in the middle." Hah. Riiight.

But here's where it gets REALLY good.... she went off on talking about how her and her Mom just spent $400 on CLOTHES and all her DESIGNER purses...she also as an IPhone and Regular cell phone with her every day. It was all I could do not to bang my head into the desk. Typical Right Winger.

So, last night we had an amazing thunder storm. I love the rain. Generally.

That is, when I don't get caught in it.

I have a late class on Wednesday nights and I got out, and called up my mom to ask her a couple questions. It wasn't raining then, but thunder and lightning. When we were about to hang up she said "Don't get soaked." And no sooner than I hung up the phone with her it started to downpour. She jinxied me! Also, please note that this was the ONE DAY I didn't bring my coat. I was wearing a short sleeved blouse and dress pants. I basically said "Oh no," when I realized how fast it was coming down and biked as fast as I could.

By the time I got up to Boulevard and Main I was DRENCHED. My shoes squished when they walked, when I was crossing the cross walk my shoe was almost submerged in water. It was crazy!

Well, so I had a few more blocks to go and I was drenched and shivering and soaked to the bone and all that...when a lady pulled over and handed me her Umbrella. She said it wouldn't help much since I was already drenched, but I probably said thank you about three times before I went on my way...now with an Umbrella. And it gets better . I went about another block and the same lady pulls up again. She tells me, "I'd give you a ride but I already have so much stuff in my car...but we found this." And she hands me a Parka. Again I say thank you about five times and express my gratitude. She just smiles, tells me I'm welcome and drives off.

When I got home about ten minutes later and kicked off my soaking shoes, I thought about how amazing that was. ALmost no one goes out of there way to do something so nice and selfless for people anymore. Its people like that, that makes me think humanity does have a chance.

It made my day, it warmed my heart. And I only wish I knew WHO she was so I could thank her again.

Whenever someone does something amazing for you like that, guys, Pay It Forward. It will seriously make the world a better place.

Cloudy Outside And I'm loving it

What the title says ^ ^

Its October! The month of it starting to finally cool off, though maybe not enough for bonfires. For s'mores! For hot chocolate! For pumpkin carving! For Halloween! You are never too old to dress up for Halloween...EVER! Its only once a year you get that chance don't let it pass ya by. ;)

Amazing day

A quick blog before bed...

I had a, to put it simply, pretty amazing day today. Yesterday was my first day volunteering at our local democratic headquarters to push the campaigns of local and state candidates. Today we had a bus come down from SLC to help us start phonebanking and canvasing (walking and knocking on doors).

I got to the office at 12, when I was scheduled to be there and finished most of our list for Cyril's campaign. I had someone come into the office to get yard signs. She told me she was a registered REPUBLICAN, but was so dissapointed with the party that she was voting Democrat. That was pretty amazing to hear. Theres a rare Repub who actually has some common sense it seems... and then Ari, Farah and others got back from canvasing. Introductions went around, we talked some...and I was asked to be one of the main coordinators for Peter Corroons campaign here in southern utah. I foresee things and what not, and get a letter of reference from Corroon if I want.

Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!

And it doesn't end there. Dorothy and I headed over to Bluff Street Park at 3 to meet up with more of our local people and the bus people and do more canvasing. Unfortunately only three of our local people showed up (me included)... now I know its fall break...but SERIOUSLY GUYS, if you say you're going to be somewhere have the decency to SHOW UP. Getting out the vote is CRITICAL and we need all the help we can get so do SOMETHING!

-.-

Anyway.

Sam Granato, who is running against Mike Lee for senate, showed up...and I actually got to WITH HIM on canvasing. It was kind of nerve racking at first, here I was with our possible future senator....but he's really an awesome guy. If you haven't had a chance to meet him yet, find it.

Anyway, getting tomorrows paper for sure. :D

Uncomfortable thoughts....Trying to figure it out.

Sitting here at the computer center at the DSC library trying to do research...but my thoughts keep going on back to the last few days....A lot of Saturday was good; marching in the parade with the GSA, and the get together / candle light vigil later that night in protest to Boyd K Packers speech. Despite all of that however, a lot of it unnecessarily stressful and caused some emotional distraught.

I live not with my family, about a mile and a half away from the college (That I walk to every day i have class)...and for the most part, the people I live with are pretty darn cool...But our political / religious beliefs greatly differ. This was no secret when I first moved in, it may have became more OBVIOUS later so, but I never hid it and there never seemed to be much of a problem with it.

I put signs up in my window, first for Claudia Wright and now for Corroon and Granato, to show my support and hopefully get more people to vote. I spent a lot of the time out of the house volunteering and going to meetings. I posted things on Facebook.... for the purpose of SHARING my opinions and beliefs with those who AGREED with me for the most part. It was, and never is, intended as an "attack" on someones beliefs as some people seem to think. Generally, unless I'm purposefully trying to debate someone, I stay away from debates on Facebook. I just share my beliefs, and what I as individual am trying to do to make the world just a little bit better. I go out of my way not to comment on peoples things that "oppose" my beliefs, its their page after all. They can post whatever they want.

Really, the only times I "retaliate" is when someone posts on my stuff disagreeing...which really isn't very often. Probably because a good majority of my 'friends list' are like minded.

Well this changed on Friday Night.

I had posted a tid bit of a debate between current Governor Herbert and Corroon debating that was supposed to air on Sunday Night (Speaking of I should track that down now that I reminded myself of it...) Anyway, in this tidbit they were asked about Packers hateful speech. Herbert, of course said that Gays weren't born that way and all the basic beliefs of the right. Whereas Corroon said he believes Gay's deserve equal rights and are yes, born that way.

Within a few short hours I had a comment on that....someone trying to blatantly deny that Gays are born that way and calling me a "Hate monger" because I "HATE" religion and what it teaches that all christian religions teach homosexuality as a sin... Or something.

Now let me make something clear.

I. Do. Not. Hate. Religion. Or any religiously affiliated person, for that matter. Religion has its place, like everything else. I may not be religiously affiliated as I identify myself as an Agnostic (I really don't know if there's a God or not, and if there is I don't think he really cares about someones sexual orientation), that doesn't mean I hate religion.

What I don't like, I'm going to avoid using the word 'hate' because its always going to hurt people somehow, is those religious leaders who so blindly preach rejection and inequality. Preaching to someone that they can 'change' when in fact the individual knows that they cannot. Some people will say, well sure they can to that anyway. Really, think about it. If they could change would they stick with this? With this rejection, inequality, bullying.... all that leads up to suicide in so many heartbreaking cases?

This debate seems rather like Evolution Vs Creationism to me.... the "choice" to be gay could be correct in some cases but which side is the scientific proof on?

My point is.... If this person had actually wanted to debate this issue, the chances of there being a problem arising from it would of been a lot less likely.... But in debate, you back up your claims with FACTS. And In debate.... you don't result to insults.

So, naturally, as it would be to anyone I believe...it was hurtful. Especially coming from the person it did.

Well it didn't stop there. It happened again Saturday night and resulted to tears I confronted another of my housemates about the issue. Telling her I felt really uncomfortable by what was going on, and what would be best to resolve this situation. It was suggested that I tell the individual making the hurtful claims that it was hurtful... So I did.

Well nothing much as seemed to change as they claimed I have been "Offensive" to their beliefs... Alright so one time I left my God magnet out on the fridge, but I apologized for that then and again now... They are no longer posting on my facebook, but mostly because I have temporarily restricted that not wanting to deal with anymore of that hurt.

But still we live in the same house, and still there is tension...especially as they refuse to acknowledge my presence when in the same room where before they had. Tension is mounting and I am, understandably, growing more uncomfortable in the household.

If this was anyone else, I probably wouldn't care. I'd probably tell them that I didn't care what they thought and be on with my business...but this is someone who is important to a a very important person in MY life.

Someone I call my best friend, and someone I am now terrified that I'm going to lose.