Happy Birthday Grandma!

Nate and I have had quite some adventures this month including celebrating my Grandma's 80th birthday. My grandmother is a remarkable woman. She raised 10 kids without much help from my grandfather, serves others unceasingly, and makes some of the best chocolate chip cookies and chicken noodle soup I've ever had.

Anyone who has ever been around my family can attest we are not quiet people. It was not a quiet weekend in St. Mary's, PA. My family planned a giant luau in honor of my grandma's birthday and almost all of our family was in attendance. Naturally this means we were crammed into relatives' homes or hotels. Lucky for Nate and I, we picked the hotel every construction worker in the state was staying at as well. To sum up our early check out from the hotel, the first thing we smelled upon entry was urine, I got really ill, the toilet wouldn't flush (hence the urine smell upon arrival), the chuckle head next door decided, right as I finally fell asleep, he should blast the loudest cop show he could find on TV at 1:30 AM, then took a phone call at 5 AM (which apparently no one ever taught him the "indoor voice" rule, and Nate's favorite, no real pillows! It's pretty hilarious now, but I was pretty tired the next day!

The vanity wall in our hotel room... NICE.

My Aunt rented out the country club, the only place large enough to fit us all, and the party was amazing. Because getting everyone to Hawaii would have been quite an ordeal, and Grandma is not keen on traveling these days, my Aunt Bobbi planned a luau. There was a roasted pig, hula dancers, a Caribbean steel drum player, the whole bit!

Nate was pretty hungry...

Besides spending time with my sisters and other family, the best part had to be surprising my grandma with a slideshow of her life and a small slideshow of her children. I loved watching my grandma's face light up with enjoyment as she looked through pictures of her life and all her children throughout the years.

My favorite picture of my Grandma, the day she was married.

I've always enjoyed family history, but the slideshow was probably one of the things I liked most. Although it was a time consuming project due to scanning hundreds of pictures, editing out rips and stains from pictures much older than myself, and getting everything to line up to the music, it made me feel so good that my family all enjoyed it so much. It is also fascinating to learn so much through pictures  and stories. I could literally see what a courageous woman my grandma is, and how many people she has helped throughout her years. It helped me realize how much of that was passed on to my mother, and hopefully what has been passed down to me. I hope I am that kind and gracious and one day when my grandkids make a slideshow for me, they will see the same patterns of service and love.

Sooo classy!

99% vs. 53% vs. 100%

It's time for me to talk about Occupy Wall Street. This goes to "the 99%"... I can't take it anymore. I have been reading trying to understand the Occupy Wall Street group, but quickly came to the conclusion there is nothing to understand. There is no cause they are trying to achieve, other than to sit there because they have nothing better to do, because they can't find a job.

I will be quick to mention I agree there needs to be some regulations and rule changes. I definitely think corruption and greed are large problems that helped cause our current economic situation and even that we need to make some safe guards for people that are being ripped off by "the 1%". Because they CERTAINLY do. 

However, when you march or protest, you don't do it because you feel like having a camp out. Also protesting does not make you cool. It actually has the opposite effect when you make an idiot of yourself and get tear gassed because you are breaking the law for no reason. I think civil disobedience is okay when those who do it are trying to change unjust laws or are having their rights infringed upon. Non-violent civil disobedience, where people purposely break a law and peacefully submit to arrest is okay with me. It doesn't mean you don't fight it in court once you are on trial, and certainly is not appropriate in every circumstance.

You protest because you are driven by your passion to achieve a goal. If you wanted to protest until Wall Street agrees to new regulations, or until CEO's of some corporations or banks step down, that would make sense. Standing around complaining is not protesting, nor is it achieving anything.

To the 53%. For those of you who have not heard, the counter group to OWS is "we are the 53%". Or the estimated 53% of Americans who pay income tax "that supports the government assistance the protestors are looking for". I've been on both side of this fence. I jumped through all the hoops, I got a good education, I pounded the pavement looking for a good job for 4 months after graduation and I got zero job interviews. I finally took a less than ideal job as a full time phone operator for a year. After I couldn't take the monotony any longer (and because some less than ideal circumstances), I quit. I worked at a temporary job while I was having a bunch of life changes and health issues, and now I am working at a job that isn't my dream job, but I love my co-workers and am content. Would I love to work in my major and land an amazing marketing, public relations, or journalism job? ABSOLUTELY! And if anyone wants to offer me one that is reading my blog, I'll take it! But am I going to cry about the world's injustice of me not being able to get my dream job, no! (Okay, well maybe a little, but I compose myself quickly.) I may be live in a particular circumstance, but if I don't like it, I need to change it. You don't just sit around and wait for the world to change. You do something to make it happen or you stop complaining about it.

I understand some people are in more desperate need of a job. And jobs are NOT easy to come by. But if I was still unemployed, I would be busting my tail to start my own company or hounding some company to give me a job and be proving to them why they should. I don't think some of those in the older generation or 53% should say that my generation are just brats that feel entitled to everything. Some are, but some are not and it's not fair or true. Times and circumstances change. We went to college because we were hounded about how if we put in our time, we'll get good jobs when we graduate college. That turned out to be a bust. Lucky for me I had little debt and paid it off quickly while I lived at home and had the circumstances to be able to do that. I feel for my colleagues who got specialized educations and need high paying jobs to sustain themselves and payments on high amounts of student debt. But if those jobs don't appear, you don't just collapse in despair. You do something about it. Some of the greatest periods of industry and invention came after times of immense struggles.

What I am trying to say is this: If you don't like the hand you've been dealt, reshuffle the cards or throw out the deck and make your own. And if you are doing that, be patient with those who don't know how to do that yet. Not everyone can handle what you can.

So whether I am part of the 99% or 53%, I know I am 100% over other people trying to speak for me. Because I pay income tax, it does not make me the same as the other people in the 53%. Because I am against greed, that doesn't make me part of the 99%. I just want to be an individual in my own category apart from the 6,971,163,850 other people in the world. (Which is the estimated population of the world as of 7:12 PM EST on 10/27/11). Is that okay?

The Naked Truth

Some people would call me worrisome because every night as the sun sets, I close my blinds. I don;t mind seeing out, but it creeps me out to think someone may be looking in. Nate and I live in an apartment where the building next to us is pretty visible (or in other words I can see into their apartment, so quite obviously they can see into mine). It's one of the many perks of apartment living.

A quick non-science lesson for all of you, as it becomes darker outside earlier, it becomes more important to close your blinds if you have lights on in the house. This is what is called the "fish bowl effect". Because everything else is blacked out, the light is illuminated more. Except in apartments, the residents are not fish, they are seeing people. Naked people as a matter of fact. Like the naked man across the way who was getting himself a sandwich today in his kitchen.

So really I don't know if he was making a sandwich. I don't know what he was doing because I wasn't trying to get a peepshow. Either way, I think in the next apartment newsletter they send out instead of taking an entire page to show an illustration of a dog picking up his own poo-poo and the quote "If I can do it you can do it", maybe they should change the illustration to be a naked person closing their blinds.

There is something to be said about being close with your neighbors and community, but I think this one is pushing that boundary a little too far. If you are going to be in visible distance, please remember to put on a shirt.

Writing It Out

In case you have not heard. Nate and I did not win the car. From the one thing they have said to us, it seems like there is some serious backhandedness, but either way they awarded someone else the car. If we had lost because we hadn't tried, it would be one thing, but I exhausted EVERY avenue I could possibly think of. Anger builds up when I think about how I did not want to harass and constantly barrage people around me to vote, but I honestly thought we could win so I went along and did it. Then I just feel silly that I got my hopes up over a silly contest, and it makes me feel worse when I feel like I am not a big enough person to just let it go. But I am letting it go. Right now. Poof. Gone.

Writing it out always helps.

On to bigger and better things, I am now in the Young Women's presidency at church. This means I get to work with all the girls 13-18 at church and help them realize and become the kind of people they want to be. Just like my YW leaders did for me when I was their age (not so long ago)! I can honestly say Annie, one of my YW leaders was such a great source of helping me realize who I was and how I could make good decisions. She made me feel loved and appreciated and I know she contributed in helping me to be who I am today. I think every girl in my class wanted to be just like her!

I hope my Young Women think that about me one day too. I hope I can learn to be the kind of leader who listens, genuinely cares, and really helps to strengthen those around her. It is the strangest thing being put in a leadership position. When you feel responsible for someone else, you instantly grow to love them. Even if they are different from you, or they dislike you, you feel like you would do anything for them. That is how I feel about the young women I work with. Some I barely know, but I feel so protective over them. I just love them to pieces! I think God must really love me and trust me to let me have the privilege to work with them :) I love it!

On that note, I realized I haven't eaten dinner and I am soooo going to bed in an hour and a half. More to blog later....

I have a pet... His name is Peeve

Abraham Lincoln is attributed to one of my favorite quotes. "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt." Today's post goes out to those who should remain silent.

I am writing about people who are so narrow minded they refuse to listen to anyone else's point of view. Specifically I would like to address those who are intolerant of religions they know little about.

As a Latter-day Saint, I am used to people not knowing what I believe, who I worship, or how I chose to live my life. I have had plenty of one way conversations where someone tells me "what I believe", and what they say is grossly incorrect. But today, I'm not writing to talk about that. I am writing to speak out for my friends of other faiths who are constantly being picked on because of misunderstandings about their religion.

Tonight my husband is covering a meeting where they are voting to approve the building of a new mosque. Some 4000+ Muslims would like to build a mosque where they can meet and worship together. They would like a place to gather together, just like so many of us do on Sundays, to worship their God.

Some people have voiced legitimate concerns with this proposal. One was "parking will become a nightmare in this area". This is a problem in which a reasonable agreement and solution can be reached. However, another voice concerned was, "It's what they are doing in the mosque - they are not teaching them to love their neighbors".

Seriously? Do you think this lady has ever been inside a mosque? Probably not.

I have.

You know what they did? They allowed us to come in and watch as they said their evening prayer. They spoke to us about their beliefs and how they believe Jesus was a messenger sent from God! Jesus is mentioned more by name in the Qur'an than Muhammad, their own prophet! Although Christians and Muslims obviously differ in beliefs about what role Jesus plays in history and our respective religions, Muslims share like views with Christians on many issues.

The woman who said they are not learning to love their neighbors is probably thinking of the small minority of Islam followers who are involved in terrorist attacks. She is most likely fearful because she does not understand their religion and does not realize that just like any other faith, there are different sects. In Christianity we have Catholics, Baptists, Mormons, and many others. While we share many common beliefs, we differ highly in some major areas like our beliefs about the Godhead.

In Islam, there are Sunnis, Shiites, and other sects too. Jihad to those who would choose to terrorize others, means holy war in a literal way. For the overwhelming majority of others, it means the spiritual war within ourselves to overcome the desires of the natural man. The struggle we each face to have our will aligned with God's, and to choose good over evil. Shouldn't that be everyone's goal?

Tonight the new mosque was approved to be built 5-0. I am happy for my Muslim friends who will finally have their own place to worship. From what I understand the majority of the meeting was about traffic and parking concerns, with very few people saying hateful things, and that makes me glad too. It always gives me a glimmer of hope when I see our 1st Amendment rights being upheld!

So should you ever find yourself in a conversation in which you know nothing about the topic at hand, learn about it or learn to walk away.

A Day Late, A Dollar Short

I am one day behind on writing my monthly blog post. Shame, shame, shame!

Why you ask am I so behind on my blogging? Because in the past month I have been a busy bee! Nate and I have moved into a place of our own (with A LOT of help from family and friends), which includes buying all new furniture and odds and ends and unpacking a WHOLE LOT of boxes, I got a new job, a new church calling, and we are just beginning to really get settled.

So you may be thinking that it doesn't sound like I was so busy that I could not have written a blog, but then that leads me to my next explanation... DISTRACTIONS!

Distraction One. 

A cork board map. I want to make one to plot N and I's adventures!

Because I have moved into the phase I call "nesting", I am ready to settle in and feel comfortable where I am at right now. Not stagnant of course, just sane. It's hard to explain, but when I do not feel settled into a place, I feel like I am living out of a suitcase just waiting for the next plane to arrive and take me away. Life is always taking us in different directions, but when you hop one too many planes, it makes you a little jet-lagged.

Hopefully the settled feeling will come soon, but in the mean time as I am trying to get the apartment in order, here is what I have been looking at...

Flowers or plants to give the apartment some life!

Something to fill the two giant vases in the living room.

Distraction Two. 

This dress is so BEAUTIFUL!

Kate Middleton fashion blog posts are my guilty pleasure. So sue me. After a long day at work, I like to dream of fashion designers who would make affordable, beautiful dresses that don't expose your entire body. Unfortunately, I can't bring myself to pay more than $30 for a nice dress so I will have to dream on. Celebrities can afford them however, and I would appreciate it if they would take a cue from the Duchess and buy a dress that covers their bum bums (and other body parts). I now get distracted constantly by a TV since I am right in front of one at work, and every day I think about how the woman HAVE to be flashing someone in the audience or at least one of the camera operators. Some don't sit very lady like and their dresses are not covering very much. Enough said.

 Distraction Three.

My boo.

That is right honey, you made it on the distraction list. Albeit you are my favorite out of the whole bunch.  Ever since I started working, I don't get to see much of Nate. He works nights and I work days. Most of our spare time is spent together. When you don't get to see much of someone, when you get the chance, you spend as much time as possible.

It's hard to believe we have been married for three and a half months already! They say time flies when you are having fun (and when you have a husband who does the bulk of the chores and has never complained about it once). Okay, so I actually don't know who says time flies when your husband does all the chores... but I'm sure someone has before, right?

Bottom line, I will be better this month. I will write at least one more post this month, and it may even be a thought producing one.

So many posts... so little time!

 That's right, this may be the most I have posted in one month ever! Yes, it may have something to do with being incapacitated after back surgery and tiring quickly once I am up walking around. That will be over by the end of the week though, and I am excited about that!
 So while I lay here in my bed, it gives me time to think up crazy thoughts and plans that will most likely never come to fruition, but if they do it would be pretty cool. I think my husband would love these ideas since he is a bit of a day dreamer too. (Some people call it A.D.D. I think.)
 Wouldn't it be sweet if we could get an American car company to sponsor a drive across the US? And do a video blog about our adventures? Point out little shops along the way that make all American made products and meet all sorts of interesting people along the way? Proving that American made is possible and cool? With Nate's quick editing abilities and camera knowledge we could turn quick videos at all sorts of cool spots across the US! I guess Alaska and Hawaii are a little harder to hit on the US tour, but if Ford or GM could foot the bill I guess it wouldn't be too hard to get a car where we needed it. Test drive their different vehicles in different states, or just keep the same car the whole time to show how durable it is!
 I'm just saying, has anyone done this before? Because I am thinking it would get great publicity and would be one great advertising/ pr campaign. And of course I would be glad to step up and coordinate this PR stunt of a life time! It would be like an Elizabethtown type road trip, with all sorts of quirky stops and exciting adventures. I'd love to do it someday. It would be a lot of driving, but I think it would be a blast to go all over and find "the heart of america". Whether people, places, or things, the great and praiseworthy things happening across the USA!
 So anyone out there at a US car company reading... you better snatch Nate and I up on this awesome idea before another company does. Prove you have what it takes to be the #1 American car company! Dodge, *cough cough* I saw the JD Power and Associates report and you are smack bottom. Just call me, we'll come help.
 That or Nate and I will just have to take this trip when we get old in an RV... either way, you better be prepared Nate... cause it is soo happening!