Thursday, December 31, 2009

In 2010 I Will...

This year I am not going to set tons of unrealistic goals for myself for the new year. I refuse to stress myself out by trying to be wonder woman and making a laundry list with all of these earth shattering, 360, life changing to-do goals on it.

I did that last year, and while I did accomplish wonderful things such as graduating from college, receiving a prestigious internship in the nation's capital, and being blessed enough to be offered three great jobs; In my own mind, I still fell short of what I wanted to accomplish for '09. Being a perfectionist and always having a "go super sized big or go home" mentality really takes a toll on me. When I feel like I am a loser or failure by not accomplishing a desired task, I tend to fall into depression. The antidepressant pill I take isn't a cure.

This year I am making things easier on my psyche and focusing on simpler, yet still important, goals. I am going to enjoy life and actually stop to take time and smell the roses (I know it sounds corny but it's true). I am going to take as much pleasure in the simple, sometimes taken for granted parts of life, as I do in the big successes and milestones. I rededicating myself to do a better job of showing those close to me how much I love them everyday. I will strive to continue doing the good things I do now better, such as adding more volunteering hours to my schedule, increasing my faith and spirituality by reading the word of God, and continuing to live a healthy lifestyle.

I am going to go into this blessed new year with a light heart, positive attitude, and with the knowledge that life isn't about chasing happiness and successes; life is about actually enjoying living and then those things will find you.

From my family to yours, have a very safe, prosperous, happy, love-filled new year! :)

Sincerely,




Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Whoo! I Got A New Hairdo!

I got a fancy new hairstyle. I love it so much! It's like Pink meets Agyness Deyn. I get bored with my hair very easily, so I am always on changing it and on the look out for my next hot style. I am already thinking about what to do with it the next time I get bored with this do lol.






















CIAO!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Prescription For Panic Rx

I have been so much more stressed then I am usually am these last two months or so. Not only do I have to deal with stress of finding a job in my field, getting ready to attend grad school this coming year, and the regular stress of the holiday season, but I also have to deal with my family's shitty attitudes and behaviors. Let me remind you that I suffer from Anxiety Disorder with panic attacks so things that might moderately annoy a typical person without AD drive me completely up the wall and out on the roof. My family already knowing this, you would think they would try to be at least a tad bit sensitive to me, right (not just because I have AD, but because I'm a PERSON living with them) Fucking wrong! They are so disrespectful.

First, my mom thinks that just because I moved back in with them to try to better weather this recession and save money, that she gets the right to keep me confined to these four walls. When I do try to leave I find myself either assaulted by a barrage of a thousand odd questions, OR in an argument. Great options I have there. I'm 23 years old, and I lived by myself in Daytona Beach and Washington, DC!! I don't need a keeper! I have to almost sneak out to even drive to Leesburg or Orlando to meet friends or hangout. So of course it's easier to just stay in most of the time (which is what she loves) so I wind up not going out anywhere unless it's to a doctor's appointment or something else I HAVE to do, but nothing for leisure.

Yeah, I am totally going stir crazy and becoming depressed. Then, my little sister who's 18 has got this bad habit of borrowing stuff like my jewelry and my iPhone without permission of course. She thinks it's no big deal. She's extremely immature. So, it's not even worth it to argue with her over it. The most I can do is lock up my jewelry cases (which is an inconvenience when I need to get to it) and activate the passcode for my iPhone. I hope I find a job soon so maybe I can save up enough to get a condo or apartment VERY soon, because this is insane.












Sincerely,

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Are You Kidding Me??!

I am more that a little disappointed with Congress at this point in time. First, Joe Lieberman is allowed to filibuster the Senate Healthcare Bill without any real fear of losing his chairmanship. Why would he do such a thing, you ask? Because he's in the back pocket of medical insurance companies. Independent my ass. Then, Congress has several members (i.e. Representative Pelosi and Senator Vitter to name a few) that feel that their state's pet projects are more important than money for our nation's healthcare system. Now, Congress wants to vote to spend more than $2.5 billion on purchasing new C-17 aircrafts for the military when the Pentagon is even telling them that the military already has enough and more of these aircrafts are not needed.

What an amazing example of needless spending on our Governments part. The Republicans are of course in full support of this $2.5 billion dollar project, oh but they say that ensuring that all Americans have access to affordable healthcare is a bigger waste of tax payer dollars. The Senate is expected to vote on the healthcare bill on Christmas Eve, and I am praying that they pass it. That would be a great Christmas present for so many people in this nation.

I remain hopeful that the Senate will do what's right, with gay marriage to be legalized in Washington, DC tomorrow by Mayor Fenty, and federal money going back into stem cell research, I see big signs of societal progress all around. I hope that by next week I will be able to count healthcare reform as another victory for our nation's people.

Yours Truly,

Sent from my iPhone

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Makes Me Want To Scream

I hate how non-profit organizations and healthcare agencies freeze their hirings until after the holidays. I am ready to be working damn it! I turned down corporate job offers (mind you I would have been able to start those jobs immediately) so I could be part of something that was more beneficial to people. The human resource managers at the healthcare advocate firm in Ocala and at another similar job I applied to told me that they were just conducting interviews and reviewing resumes and credentials at this point, but that they wouldn't make their final decision and hire anyone until after the holidays were over. I hate always being told that I have to wait on something I REALLY want! It feels like I am always waiting these days. Waiting for grad school to start next year, waiting to start work, waiting to meet Mr. Right. It. Fucking. Sucks.














Yours Truly,

Friday, December 11, 2009

Hold Your Head Up Baby

I watched the Robin Roberts interview with Janet Jackson this morning. It was really powerful. This was her first time talking to the press since her brother's sudden death in June. People don't give Janet enough credit. She really is a very strong and courageous, not to mention talented, woman. She came from one of the most famous families in the world and was able to successfully step out of their shadow and into her own.

Janet spoke about how the support of her family, along with remembering all the wonderful times she had with Michael, (or Mike, as she lovingly refers to him as) are helping her to heal. She also talked about the new book she has written about how she came to accept herself, and be happy with her body and who she is. Robin asked Janet about her weight issues that have made tabloids in the past.

Janet talked about how she's dealt with low self-esteem due to her weight gain and other body image issues. She talks about how she recently overcame the feelings of low self-worth with the help and love of her long time boyfriend Jermaine Dupri (they have broken up but Janet said they still remain very close friends), and some deep soul-searching on her part.

I can totally relate to those feelings of low self-worth. There have been times in my life, I am sad and ashamed to say, that I have let the negative way I viewed myself stop me from doing certain things. My weight has always been something I've struggled with my whole life. Trying to deal with how I feel about being overweight has even caused me to suffer bouts of deep depression.

In my head I think things like, "Gabrielle that guy is never going to like you because you're not pretty or thin enough." "Gabrielle you can't wear that dress because you're thighs are too fat." "Will people laugh at me or talk behind my back when I show up to the pool party wearing a two piece bathing suit?" This kind of thinking really takes a toll on a person.

The media, along with other stupid ass people who agree with it, constantly try to force feed this unrealistic standard of what the "perfect body" should look like. It's no wonder we pick ourselves apart when we feel like we don't make the grade. We've all felt like this at one point or another-like we're not good enough because of our bodies. And people who tell you that they haven't are straight lying to your face.



The key is to be aware that this is a problem that can destroy your life if you don't confront it. Loving yourself in this society we live in is pretty much a constant struggle from day to day. It's super important that we work on building ourselves up instead of tearing ourselves down. Beauty comes in all different shapes, forms, and sizes. We mustn't let what a few ignorant sources say determine the amount of love we have for ourselves.

























With Love,

Sent from my iPhone

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Just Dance

Yesterday I went to my first jazz dance class and I loved it! I love the other gals in the class with me and the instructor (whom I've know like forever, her and my mom used to teach at the same school). The class is not only fun, but great exercise. We warm up to upbeat music (i.e. Rihanna's Breaking Dishes, one of the three songs we warmed up to last night) using jazzercise techniques.

I have been dancing and performing off and on pretty much my whole life. I did ballet and took theatre from age 4 to 11. I started playing and performing in bands and recitals with the tenor saxophone, trombone, and oboe when I was 12; and I still do play the sax. I did tap from age 15 to 19.

The main point being, that I have always loved the performing arts. I am stoked to be back dancing again. Jazz dance is super stellar. The steps and moves are cool. I can't wait til our recital comes around in June (our costumes are going to be so rad too)!


Yours Truly,












Sent from my iPhone

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Become A Motto Citizen







What quote or words do you live by? What phrase inspires you to be the best you can be? What is your personal motto? The dictionary defines motto as a brief statement used to express a principle, goal, or ideal. That's also true, but a personal motto is more commonly defined as a saying that sums up someone's beliefs, outlook on life, or their purpose for living.

Do you have one? If you do, then great for you! When a person has a personal motto it is a good sign that they know what drives them and who they are. Developing a personal motto forces a person to look deep into themselves in order to evaluate what is important to them. Once a person chooses a motto to live by they are a lot closer to knowing what they want out of life and what makes them tick.

My personal motto is "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." This is a very famous quote by Mahatma Gandhi. It really sums up my belief on why I was put on this Earth. I was put here by God to make a positive difference on this planet. I always think of this phrase to make sure my daily conduct lines up with it. I would like to see people be kinder to one another, stand up to those who do wrong, and get involved in charity.

So these are the things that I do. I am kind to people, I call people on their wrongs and try to show them why they are wrong (although they don't always listen) to hopefully inspire them to make a positive change, and I volunteer my time to charities devoted to animals and needy families.

If you don't have a personal motto you live by, I strongly suggest that you start developing one. Reading philosophical and religious works, studying Latin sayings, and listening to positive music will help get you on your way to finding that one phrase that sums up your view of the world. Choose it carefully and thoughtfully. Once you have it, follow it as closely as you can.











Sincerely,

Thursday, December 3, 2009

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

The title of this blog obviously comes from a very popular Christmas song by Perry Como and The Fontane Sisters with Mitchell Ayres and his orchestra. I also like Bing Crosby's version. This is my second favorite Christmas song of all time (my most favorite being The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole). Okay, enough about me, the title of this song is really true. Here in Lake County it really is looking a lot like Christmas. The street lamps have on their Christmas banners and garland, stores have all their Christmas decorations up, and the local cities along with private residences have their Christmas lights up on display for the world to see. And soon Queenie will undergo her holiday season facelift;) Anyways, here are some pics that I took at last Friday's Light Up Eustis fest.


































Ciao!

Saturday, November 28, 2009

I've Found The Cure To Growing Older

Since I have been back from DC, I have had 7 job interviews that produced 3 job offers. Two of them were from PR firms in Orlando, and one was for a banking consulting firm in Casselberry. They were all good jobs that payed well and offered 401Ks, pensions, and healthcare/dental benefits. But, I couldn't bring myself to accept any of them. The reason is because I have never been a person who just settles. If I am going to do something it has to be something I really want to do and feel strongly about.

I don't care about making lots of money, and I am certainly not going to do something just because I can. I have to actually want to do the job, I need to feel like I am making a positive impact on my work environment and society, and I have to actually look forward to getting work each day. I want a job that I wake up each morning and get excited because I get to go to work. I know that job is out there for me, and I am determined to find it. My parents have been super supportive of me while I try and figure out the next career move in my life, and it has kept me encouraged.

I submitted a resume, cover letter, and an application to work as a patient representative and advocate in Ocala. I also applied to be a court liaison for a nonprofit that works with children in foster care who need to be adopted. I have an interview for the former on December 2nd. I'll let you know how it goes of course.

Sent from my iPhone


Sincerely,

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Countin' Them Down!

Top 5 Things I Am Most Thankful For This Year

1.) My God
2.) My Family
3.) My friends
4.) All the wonderful opportunities that God has blessed me with this past year
5.) My health


(Now, leave me a comment and tell me what are your five things that you are most thankful for)


Sincerely,

The Perfect Thanksgiving Poem

(This poem very eloquently describes what Thanksgiving is all about. It shows us that even though we may not have our perfect life, no one ever does, that we still have a ton of stuff in our life to be grateful for)

More Than A Day

As Thanksgiving Day rolls around,
It brings up some facts, quite profound.
We may think that we're poor,
Feel like bums, insecure,
But in truth, our riches astound.

We have friends and family we love;
We have guidance from heaven above.
We have so much more
Than they sell in a store,
We're wealthy, when push comes to shove.

So add up your blessings, I say;
Make Thanksgiving last more than a day.
Enjoy what you've got;
Realize it's a lot,
And you'll make all your cares go away.

-By Karl Fuchs

Sincerely,

Monday, November 23, 2009

Make Light of It

The American Music Awards were at best, okay. The only parts I was really psyched about and pleased with were Janet Jackson's medley as the opening act, Lady Gaga's performance, Michael Jackson's four wins (Jackson won favorite male artist in the pop/rock and soul/R&B categories. His greatest-hits album, "Number Ones," also won favorite album in both categories, bringing his career AMA total to 25, making him the most honored artist in AMA history.), and J.Lo's fall. lol.

Janet Jackson's 2009 AMA Performance



Jennifer Lopez's fall at the 2009 AMA Awards


Lady Gaga's 2009 AMA Performance


Ciao!

Friday, November 20, 2009

Every Dog Has Its Holiday

What my little Chihuahua doggie is getting for Christmas: http://tiny.cc/wcs7e These lil fun and funky $5 t-shirts are the perfect recession buster gifts for your Fido too;)

























Ciao!

Saturday, November 14, 2009

2AM Thoughts

Don't ask me why I am still awake. I am so tired my eyes hurt, but I just can't seem to quiet my mind. Anyways, I have been thinking that maybe I should get a masters in Business. That plus my degree in politics would make me EXTREMELY marketable. I am really good with interacting with people and speaking with them face to face. I really enjoyed that aspect of my old job.

Now doing a complete 360 on topic, let me just say that I so love the holiday season. I love decorating, eggnog, and festive music and celebrations. But, you know something that really annoys me about the holiday season, all the extra junk mail in my mailbox. Around this time my mailbox always gets bombarded with catalogs and magazines and advertisements from almost every store on the planet. It is so annoying.

I checked the mail yesterday and as soon as I opened it 5 catalogs from Gap, some shoe store I had never even heard of, Fossil, H&M, and Kmart fell out. I only get all that shit this time of year. I am not one of those people who goes crazy and buys tons of stuff I don't need from tons of stores just because it's the holidays. Imagine how much better people's finances would be at the beginning of the new year if they just shopped normally around Christmas.

Black Friday shows just how much we Americans love to overdo it. Instead of people remembering the real reasons for the season (i.e. Jesus, family time, togetherness, charity, etc.), they focus on material stuff that doesn't last or matter. The holidays are so commercial now it's sickening. Well, I guess that's capitalism for you.

Sent from my iPhone

Friday, November 13, 2009

Merry-Go-Round

Well, now that I am back in Florida, I guess it's time for me to get going on what career I want to dedicate my life to. My internship helped me to figure out what it is that I DON'T want to do with my life (work on behalf of big business and banks), now I need to know what field I do like enough to work in. I swear, my life feels so damn random sometimes. I never know what I am going to do next anymore. I have gone from that careful and strategic life planner to a person who just kinda follows whatever looks like a good option at the moment. I must admit, as scary as it can be sometimes, it is less stressful then having to try to hatch a foolproof plan right off the bat and then have A,B,C,D backup plans in case the first one doesn't go as planned. For the first time in my life I am actually enjoying LIVING my life as opposed to just always planning life. However, I am starting to wonder how long it will take me to figure out the path I am going to take career wise. But who says you have to have just one career? Maybe I'll do many different things and then gradually come around to what it is I am supposed to be doing with my life and be so passionate about. Either way, I know I will eventually get to where I need to be with God's help.

That's all for now,
Ciao!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

How Far We Sunk

Tonight at 9:11pm, the state of Virginia killed DC Sniper John Allen Muhammad by lethal injection. The death penalty is wrong no matter how you look at it. Killing to show that killing is wrong is pointless. Killing the inmate doesn't bring back the people they killed, nor does it fix the families who were torn apart by their actions. We are no better than the murderers if we commit the same offense. An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind. Also, from an economical standpoint it cost more to kill (i.e. the mandatory number of appeals each prisoner is entitled to and the amout of stay pleas) an inmate than to keep them imprisoned for the rest of their life. That's a fact. If you think religion justfies this then I guess we should just stone unwed mothers and adulterers to death too. Go do some research, adding the link to the numerous sites would be too easy for you.

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Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Good vs. Evil?

In light of recent violent incidents on the news and other confusing issues related to values in my own life, I have been wondering lately, are there really good and bad people in the world? Or are there just people who get into situations and handle them either poorly or correctly? That last suggestion has been making more and more sense to me these last couple of months. To be honest, when the idea of there not being bad people or good people just people in situations was first suggested to me by a former colleague of mine, I thought it was complete rubbish.

But the more I have been thinking about it lately, maybe there is some validity to it. Maybe that is why the friends and family of people who commit heinous crimes can say that the person is usually kind, sweet, nice, a good person, etc. Maybe the friends and family weren't there to observe the person while they were going through a rough time or a bad situation.

For example, let's look at the accused Ft. Hood gunman, Major Nidal Hasan, by all accounts from his family and close friends he was a stand up guy who was usually mild-mannered and polite. So what could make him do something so terribly out of his character as to kill 13 fellow soldiers? There have been numerous reports that said that Hasan was being...harassed if you will, because of his religion or views on Islam. Maybe his family and friends didn't see the toll that this situation was putting on Hasan? Maybe the situation pushed him too far? Maybe he was a good guy in a bad situation who lacked the proper social skills to cope with conflict?

In NO WAY am I taking up for what he did. It was a very disgraceful, hateful, hurtful, terrible, and destructive act. I have family serving in the armed forces so I was shocked and emotional hurt by the Ft. Hood incident. I am just someone who thinks a lot and tries to look at all angles and sides of an issue before I make my final judgement. It just seems that if people were either good or bad by design then we should be able to spot the bad apples sooner (i.e. before they commit a mass killing) since they would have always been doing bad deeds.

Let's look at a more mild scenario, a loyal wife and friend who happens to cheat on her husband. She's been emotionally and physically loyal to him for say 10 years, but then he gets a new job that requires him to travel and not be home as often. The wife gets lonely feeling more emotionally and physically distant from her husband, and looks for some extra companionship. You can't argue she was always a slut because she has obviously been loyal to him for 10 years. Is the situation to blame here? Maybe she wouldn't have had an affair if her husband hadn't gotten the new job that keeps him away a lot? Someone certainly could make that argument.

I mean, it's no secret that things that happen to us in our life sometimes change who we are and how we react to the world around us. A woman who repeatedly gets cheated on by men she dates might learn to not trust men, and therefore become a person who is more doubtful of others and their intentions. A person who was once optimistic about the world and life might have a change of heart after a very bad or traumatic event takes place in their life. They could become a very cynical individual. I know I have had situations and experiences change me, and I have seen it happen to others countless times. But could a situation really change someone enough to where it could make them kill? And if so, are we all just a negative interaction or bad circumstance away from becoming someone we would never want to be?

I am still not 100% sure of this theory about situations determining a person's behavior rather than vice versa. But it is definitely worth thinking about so I am putting it out here to you all.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Make Or Break Me

How much would you sacrifice for success? To reach the top? To earn respect and the admiration of others? Would you sacrifice material possessions? Would you do things that you felt were less than upright? Would you sacrifice your dignity or pride for an opportunity? These questions are issues that most of the adult population has had to face at least once in their lives. I know I have. Many people in the professional world come face to face with these issues everyday.

And if you haven't had to grapple with these questions yet, you will. And when it comes time to make the decision, I hope that for at least the sake of your sanity, you choose to do what you have always known to be right. As human beings we seem to have a tendency to always want to believe that once we make it to the big league and land that perfect job we will be happy and life will be perfect. Unfortunately, that is so not the case.

I guess the point I am trying to make here is that I have found out the hard way that no amount of success or "great opportunity" is worth my happiness, emotional, mental, or physical health, or my values. I have learned that any gains from compromising are usually not permanent, and if they are, then the scars that you will have to show for it probably won't be worth it in the end. Is all I know for sure is that I am back home in Florida (where I have always belonged), hanging with my family and true friends, minus roommates, blogging on my own terms, free to share my political views, without a business Blackberry, pretty much stress free, and going to the beach often; and I couldn't be happier.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

This Is It

I was blessed enough to see the highly  praised Michael Jackson film, 'This Is It,' on its opening night. Let me tell you this for sure, it was worth all the hype and not at all overrated. The film was put together by Kenny Ortega. Ortega took the best from over 100 hours of footage from Michael Jackson's last rehearsals. The This Is It Tour was easily going to be the best and most elaborate arena show in history. The technology being used was unbelievable. They had developed many new technologies and stage preparation methods that were being developed just for Michael's shows. 'This Is It' is brilliantly crafted and presented. It shows Michael's true genius and God given talent and spectacular showmanship, all while showcasing his heart and sincere concern for humanity and our planet. There is no way anyone could see Michael in this picture and deny he was musically and artistically gifted by God. He had an angelic soul to go along with his unearthly talent. 'This Is It' is the first movie I have seen in a very long time that actually inspired me. I was thinking to myself all throughout the movie, "That's what it looks like to truly love what you do." "That's what it looks like to have a deep passion for life and know your purpose for living on Earth." "That's what sincere charity and humility should be." "This is what it means to live by your own raw and true talent." I can't say enough good things about the film, you just gotta see it for yourself to believe it. You don't even have to be a Michael Jackson fan to enjoy and be touched by 'This Is It.' When you see the film and he explains why he chose 'This Is It' for the title of the show you will be moved. The message he sends is a powerful one. Hint: It's got nothing to do with him and everything to do with mankind. We can't afford to ignore this movie. 

Sent from my iPhone  


Thursday, October 15, 2009

You Can Read Me Like A Book

Last Tuesday, while I was trying to kill time before my show at Fords's Theater (...maybe kill wasn't the best word to use in the same sentence as Ford's Theater...), I went to Dupont Circle. There is an awesome bookstore there that a friend of told me to visit. Kramerbooks&Afterwards is a bookstore and a cafe, it's also open 24 hours a day. I picked up a copy of Madeleine Albright's new book "Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat's Jewel Box," and the had a chicken quesadilla in their outdoor veranda-covered cafe. Kramer's is quaint, has a wide selection of books, and great food; a booklover couldn't ask for more. Writing about books has made me want to talk about my all-time favorite book series. I am going to list them below in no particular order since they are all my most favorite.

1. Amelia Bedelia
2. The Baby-Sitter's Club
3. Dr. Seuss
4.Sweet Valley Twins
5.Clearwater Crossing

Oh, and the play I went to see at Ford's Theater was called "Black Pearl Sings." It was a perfect balance of comedy, tragedy, triumph, and music. It was touching and I would recommend it for anyone who is a fan of good theater productions. I am going to try to give you a little bit of a synopsis of it without telling too much. Pearl is an African American woman with a golden voice who is imprisoned in the South. All Pearl wants is to find her daughter. She meets a woman named Susana who records old African American spirituals and songs for the Library of Congress. Pearl and Susana team up and form a friendship bond all their own. It is a wonderful play. Now, get up and go see it!

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Wednesday, October 7, 2009

I Guess This Is Growing Up

I always swore to myself that I would never be that person. This person; the one I feel that I am slowly becoming. I always promised myself I would never be that square, 9-5 working, predictable, routine-living, professional, suit and heel wearing, in the bed by 11pm, workaholic....adult. Ewww. I feel old. Even though I love my job and it has major perks, I can't help but feel its restraints starting to weigh down on my naturally free spirit and playful lifestyle. I am even forced to keep a job-issued Blackberry tethered to my hip at all times because of my job, and all the funky colored hairbows and Betsey Johnson charms in the world can't make up for that. Sigh. I am just scared of losing my loud, colorful, fun self and turning into a plain vanilla "all business type." IDK, I just feel like I am fighting tooth and nail against the grain. Lol, I guess this is how Lady Gaga feels; only I would never wear a bird's nest around my face. I wonder if Me and this new life can exist simultaneously. I hate having to just wait til the weekends to unwind and be the real me. Well, I guess this is just part of growing up?

Sent from my iPhone

Monday, September 28, 2009

10 Things I Have Learned About Living In DC

1. Catching a No Passenger train at Grosvenor during the morning rush is like an early Christmas present.
2. The shopping here is only second to NY, in my opinion.
3. It can easily be 63 in the morning and 81 by a little after noon.
4. Don't let it's appearance fool you, Cleveland Park has the best sports bars.
5.Seeing sexy men in business suits are as common as seeing street lamps, concrete sidewalks, and street vendors.
6. This city never sleeps.
7. You seriously get blackballed in this town if you don't have a Blackberry or iPhone.
8. A $39 week pass is more economical than using a Smart trip to go everywhere.
9. Things are generally more expensive here, but if you look then you can run across great bargains.
10. Manners don't have as much a place here as they do in the South.

Sent from my iPhone

Rushing to Catch Ourself

My birthday was this past Friday (September 25), and I missed celebrating with my family and friends back home. My mommy did send me flowers though:) Momma and daddy also put some extra cash ( $250) in my account for me to get myself something nice. I bought the most rad Betsey Johnson charm bracelet (But I mean really, is there anything that Betsey makes that isn't rad though??)and treated myself to some Cheesecake Factory. I also discovered that there is a World Market, Sephora, and a Bloomingdale's literally 3 stops away on the metro. How damn cool is that?!

This 23rd birthday was a milestone for me. Not only did I celebrate it here in DC, but I also realized that life moves so fast and it's real. I always knew those to be true before, but the weight of life and what's next just hit me like a rock. I had always been sheltered by my parents and school. Now, I am out here as an adult college graduate and completely by myself. It's a very humbling and scary feeling.

I remember when I was 17, and I would ways say that I can't wait to be done with school and out living my own exciting life. Well, that time is here. I am enjoying life very much, but I do often long for the simplicity and guaranteed stability that being young, in school, and living with mom and dad brings. What fools we are to try to wish life away. Enjoy each chapter of life and live it to the fullest. Plan for the future but, don't long for the future.

Sent from my iPhone

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Homesick

So last night I talked to my mom and dad like I do everyday, and my mom told me that my pets still seem sad that I left. I know it must sound silly, but I cried when I got off the phone with her because I feel like I abandoned them to come to DC. The thought of my cats and my little chihuahua Pookie Bella crying and acratching at my closed room door, looking for me on the bed and at my office computer work station, and wagging their tail and purring when they hear my voice on the speaker phone when I phone home just tears at me. I hope they understand that I am not abandoning them and I will be back very soon. I feel a bit comforted knowing the fact that animals have no concept of time like humans do.

They won't know I have been absent for months. But I do imagine that if me walking out the front door to talk to my neighbor for 10 minutes seems like a lifetime to them (and it must because everytime I would step out momentarily and return, they would act like they hadn't seen me for 30 years lol), then 4 months must seem like an eternity. I am going home to visit in October though:) I also go home for Thanksgiving for 5 days. After Thanksgiving I only have like 3 weeks left of my internship. I miss my family and friends a lot too, but I raised my animals and I am their primary care taker, so I really have a special attachment to them. My family is doing their best to fill in for me in my absence, and they assure me that the animals still play and are adjusting to me being gone better and better each day. I just really miss them, their sweet faces, and the unconditional love and comfort they give. I can't wait to get back to see my babies.

Sent from my iPhone

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Confessions of a Shopaholic

I know my blogs are probably starting to seem a little redundant with me just going on and on about how much I am loving it here in DC, but I can't help myself. Sunday I met up with my homegirl Bennie Baby and we totally did some damage in Georgetown. We went in Urban Outfitters, H&M, Betsey Johnson, Coach, Juicy Couture, and like a million others. Shopping is the absolute best down there. I swear, it has to be a sin to have all those awesome stores in one place! We both spent way more money then we planned but it was totally worth it. I bought the cutest purse from the Betsey Johnson boutique. I have also already got my birthday present picked out (my bday is September 25th for anyone planning to get me anything;) ). I am going to go back to Juicy and buy a gold charm bracelet and two charms to start it off. Oh, I can't wait! Me and Benica then had Sunday brunch at a nice little restaurant with a saloon feel, J. Paul's.

The restaurant was very nice and upscale, with pretty decent prices considering the ritzy area we were in. I also love how part of it is just open and the breeze is able to blow through. And of course, no shopping trip would be complete without a stop at Starbucks. I broke down and temporarily dissed my diet for a double fudge cupcake. It was so worth the guilt later though. I did drink water with the cupcake, so no calories there lol. Anyways, We had a fabulous time, and are planning on making that a twice a month thing. Hey, we work hard so we deserve to shop hard every once in awhile. Every gal does;)

Sent from my iPhone

Saturday, September 12, 2009

With Love

This past week has been crazy busy, but crazy awesome. I love my job. I am learning so much about people, politics, business, and life in general, all while having fun here in DC. I miss my family and my pets a lot though. But I talk to my family everyday. They assure me that all is fine at home, and they tell me how proud they are of me; so that helps a ton:) Tomorrow I am meeting up with my girl Bennie Baby tomorrow afternoon for lunch! She is going to show me around the Foggy Bottom area. I can't wait!

Sent from my iPhone

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Zoom Zoom Zoom

These last couple of days have been full of many new experiences and lots of fun and excitement. There is so much to see and do here! In the last week or so I have attended a lecture at the Carnegie Institute by Juan Williams (very insightful and intelligent man. Look him up), been shopping in the cute little shops on 11th and Pennsylvania Ave., went to the National Zoo (the big cat exhibits were amazing! The sloth bear was a cutie too), painted pottery in Cleveland, saw the White House (We were able to snap a pic of President Obama out on the balcony of the WH thanks to my dad's high powered zoom lens camera), saw the Washington Monument, visited the Smithsonian museums and the U.S. Botanic Gardens. I have become an expert metro rider, found a wonderful hair salon and spa, met some awesome new peeps already; and even met a cute guy yesterday and snagged his number;) I can't wait to finish exploring the rest of the nation's capital. I am super excited
about starting work on Tuesday! People in the city walk EVERYWHERE! No need for a treadmill here lol. I am seriously going to have the best legs for a Christmas present lol.
Sent from my iPhone

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Suga's Been Flyin'!

Suga's Been Flyin'
I have finally made it safely to DC. I am at a great hotel called The Legacy. Getting here was a friggin' hoot, let me tell ya. From a long ass line to check my bags at OIA to a more than 2 hour delay because of a severe lightning storm. My first plane tide went well. I flew JetBlue and they were great. I ofcourse had to speak with the pilots because I was freaking out when we were boarding. Them and the flight crew were so nice to me and reassuring. I was almost totally relaxed during the ride. I watched Family Guy on the TV in the headrest in front of me like the whole time. I also listened to Michael Jackson on the ride. There was some mild to moderate turbulance, but it never lasted too long. Thank God. Our flight was supposed to be 2 hours, but our pilots got us here in an hour and a half. I even earned my wings:) I made a new friend named Anne in the chauffeured car that drove me to my hotel. She told me about all the hot spots here in DC. I can't
wait to go to the outdoor jazz picnic concerts. The shops and boutiques are cute in this area. I shall go and explore them tomorrow;) Anyways, I am sooo thankful to finally be in DC after months of preparation and the busiest week of my life leading up to today. I can't to start this new journey in a new land, and I feel so blessed to have made it here:)

Sent from my iPhone

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Ted Kennedy: An American Great

I was saddened to hear of Senator Ted Kennedy's passing. Kennedy lost his battle with brain cancer at the age of 77 on Tuesday. He was a very inspirational person and a visionary leader. When Edward Kennedy was first elected to the Senate in 1962, no one predicted he would become a master legislator, a liberal hero, "the lion of the Senate"—as not only Democrats but some Republicans called him.

Kennedy was recently honored by President Barack Obama with a Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. Senator Kennedy was the third longest-serving senator in U.S. history. Kennedy emerged as a central figure in the 2008 presidential campaign, boosting Obama's candidacy by endorsing the rookie Illinois senator over former first lady Hillary Clinton in the race for the Democratic nomination.

As a sponsor of landmark legislation including the Civil Rights Commission Act Amendments and the Americans with Disabilities Act, Senator Kennedy worked his entire career to secure a higher quality of life for men and women with disabilities. Making sure everyone had access to a high-quality education – particularly the most disadvantaged – was a major legislative priority for Senator Kennedy throughout his career in the United States Senate. Senator Kennedy believed that civil rights remain America’s great unfinished business, and he had a major role in every civil rights battle in Congress for the past half century.

He attended President Obama's Jan. 20 inauguration despite being severely ill, only to collapse at an inaugural luncheon for the new president the same day. He made his final public appearance in Washington in April, joining Mr. Obama at the White House for the signing of a national service bill named in his honour. As he neared death in recent weeks, Kennedy remained a key Obama ally on the President's primary domestic issue – helping craft legislation intended to produce the most dramatic reforms to the U.S. health-care system in decades. Kennedy called the healthcare reform the summation of his life's work in Congress. I think that the passing of the healthcare reform would be the best way for Kennedy's colleagues to honor his memory.

This man has given so much to our country. We owe him a huge debt. My prayers and thoughts go out to his family and friends during this time of mourning.

"Every American should have the opportunity to receive a quality education, a job that respects their dignity and protects their safety, and health care that does not condemn those whose health is impaired to a lifetime of poverty and lost opportunity."-Senator Ted Kennedy

Where's Waldo?...And Elvis, Tupac, and MJ?

In one of the weirdest video clips I have seen lately, what appears to be a man is shown hopping out of what looks like a coroner vehicle, and being quickly ushered into a back door. It is causing quite a stir on the Internet. Why? Some people are claiming that the man is Michael Jackson. They say that this video that I am about to link you to is proof that the pop star isn't really dead. I say they are crazy, but I'll let you be the judge of that. Well, I guess now we'll have Michael Jackson sightings to go along with all the Elvis and Tupac sightings. Here it is folks: http://tiny.cc/TP75Q

Daily Commercial+Me=More Fame for Me

Here's the link to my article in the Daily Commercial: http://www.dailycommercial.com/082609dclobbyist (I hate how newspapers never put the picture w/ the internet version of the story. You have to get a physical copy of the paper to see your damn picture. uggh!)

Sunday, August 23, 2009

My Article! :D

Here is the article that was written about me in the Orlando Sentinel. The one in the paper has a picture of me. The article is very well written. I love how nothing got twisted around like some things have in the past when I have done interviews. Mrs. Lori Carter did a super job. http://tiny.cc/PAjf2

AND the article was also run in the Baltimore Sun: http://tiny.cc/Lmx1f

Friday, August 21, 2009

Run Me Around Town.

So yesterday I made a run (not literally of course lol) to Daytona to pick up two letters of recommendations for more grad school applications that two of my former professors wrote for me. I felt so sick the whole day though. Ewwww, I felt like I was gonna puke and pass out the whole day. Not fun. However, I did manage to get some more shopping for professional dress suits done, in between the running of a thousand other various little errands. I also had a long conversation with one of my all time favorite professors, Dr. Jackson. He's always a riot lol. The Daily Commercial in Leesburg called my cell yesterday, and they are also running my story in their paper. When I get the details I will post when it will run. I am happy about all this coverage because I really have worked hard to get where I am. With hard work, determination, and God on your side, you are an unstoppable force. Always remember that. Oh, I have another piece of good news. I went to the orthodontist Tuesday, and guess what- I don't have to have my wisdom teeth out after all!!! Yay! That is a blessing and relief in itself.


*Sidenote: Btw, I have been so disgusted with all the "news" and weird "facts" and stuff the papers and news channels have been reporting on Michael Jackson. Now all of a sudden, after the man is dead and no longer here to defend himself, there are all these strange characters coming from only God knows where, claiming everything from that they have had a homosexual encounter with the late popstar, to MJ was taking 40 Xanax pills each night before bedtime. Yeah. Because we all know that if you take 40 of ANY pill you'll be waking up the next morning (total sarcasm at work there). *Gabby rolls eyes* People are obviously trying to cash in on his freak persona that the media has created. It's so sad that even after a person is dead, they can still be drug through the dirt and ostracized. People just need to leave this Black man and his family alone; and let him be buried and rest in peace finally.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Read All About Me!

Today I had my interview with a journalist from the Orlando Sentinel. She is writing an article about me because I am headed to Washington D.C. to work on Capitol Hill. The interview went great! This one was different then the ones I have done in the past. It took about 43 mintues. She asked a lot of good questions. The article sounds great. I just got a call from her. She read it to me and had me give the okay for it to be printed. I even had her put my blog link in there;) I dressed professional for the interview because, of course, a picture will accompany the article. You can read all about me in this Sunday's (August 23) issue of the Orlando Sentinel. You can also check it out online if you can't get a physical copy of the paper. Go to http://www.orlandosentinel.com/ and search Lori Carter (the journalist who wrote the article).

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Welcome to America, Where Ignorance Reigns Supreme.

Bowing to Republican pressure and an uneasy public, President Barack Obama's administration signaled today that it is ready to abandon the idea of giving Americans the option of government-run insurance as part of a new health care system reform.

Who the hell wouldn't want socialized healthcare? Why is making a public option for healthcare so bad in the eyes of Conservatives???! The reason is because most of them are ignorant and only do what corporations and the rich Repubs. on Capitol Hill tell them to do. They research nothing themselves. Their sources of information are people like Bill O'Reilly (who recently said that allowing gay marriage would lead to marriage between humans and turtles. Yeah.) and Ann Coulter (who said that racism and racial profiling doesn't exist because 8 BILLION traffic studies proved it.)

Conservatives idolize people like these along with Sarah Palin because they allow them to continue to believe that their deepest fears and beliefs are valid. (By the way, Sarah Palin advocated for 'death panels' when she was mayor of Wasilla, but has done an astonishing 360 degrees since Obama's healthcare plan has started to come into play. By the way, Obama's healthcare plan would do nothing to promote or create the dreaded 'death panels.' It's just a silly rumor put out in the public to try to discredit the Obama Administration's efforts.)

Republican/Conservative is synonymous with some type of bigotry. Racism, homophobia, xenophobia, sexism, ageism, classism, ethnocentrism, sizism, religious intolerance, etc.; Conservatives exhibit one or more of these traits. They like to think this way because they don't want to know the truth. Not paying attention to facts is what allows them to continue to live in their fantasy world where they are the "perfect" beings.

What I find to be the most ironic about the stance of Conservatives on healthcare reform is that those who are opposing it the hardest, are actually the ones who would benefit the most from it. All these big and loud protest at town hall meetings and outside Democratic politician offices are just plain stupidity. It's obvious that these people have been put up to this by their Republican politicians in D.C. and on the state level. They believe everything that is force fed to them by greedy capitalistic companies, and lying Republicans in Congress who are seeking recognition from helping to defeat the first Black President's major domestic policy goal.

Most of the ones protesting against healthcare reform are the ones who fear that they will lose the little piece of shit coverage they have with Medicare and Medicaid (it's weird how Conservatives claim to hate ALL form of social welfare until you threaten to take it away...they are the ones who use it the most!).

First off, I didn't see anyone protesting against Obama when he signed the first part of the healthcare reform that forces pharmaceutical companies and healthcare providers to help close the doughnut hole in seniors' Medicare Part D over the next decade. The new reform would automatically close that gap!! It's a no-brainer. Medicaid and Medicare are practically bankrupt as it is. Why do you think that they force you to play $4,700 of your own money before they will cover you??!

The reform would just give people who have jobs that don't offer healthcare coverage an option to get it. 43 million people in this country don't have health insurance. That is a social problem because it contributes to high mortality rates and the spreading of infectious diseases. Private providers wouldn't be shut down or run out of town, because the plan would put public and private providers on the same page as far as coverage for price. The Government would not make anyone take the public plan either. A person can choose to keep the same doctors and insurer they have always had if they so choose to.

Most of the people who they interview at the anti-healthcare reform rallies look like they stepped right off the cover of Uneducated Trailer Trash Today in the U.S.A. It's obvious they have just taken the rumor mill and run with it. What makes me so mad is that they don't even try to learn the facts. They are extremely irrational on ALL levels. Not to mention that our President is Black, so that is even more of a reason for them to oppose him. They are really wrecking a good thing for America and society for all the wrong reasons. There is NO logical reason to be against this reform. EVERYONE will benefit no matter what class, sex, religion, race, etc.

Well, look at how Conservatives feel about gun control. They wreck a good thing everytime they oppose stricter laws on gun purchasing and ownership. There is irony at work again: it's their children who get shot and blown up at schools and shopping malls because of the lack of gun control, but yet they claim they want safe schools while still continuing to support lenient gun laws. I swear, being a Conservative is like being a walking contradiction; and is all they're walking on is broken glass.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

iRock the iPhone

So, yesterday I got an iPhone 3G for my annual upgrade, and I totally am in love with it. It's really amazing! I can't believe all the cool stuff you can do with it and on it (ew, that sounded kinda sexual, didn't it?). I can now see what all the hype over it has been about. I don't think I am ever going to use my MP3 player or computer again lol. I spent like 3 hours loading free apps alone! I also bought a ton of music on iTunes. I am totally an addict already. This is the best electronic I own, hands down. Oh, I also got a blu tooth headset for $10 with it, because they were running a special. Those things are usually like $40. I wonder what took me so damn long to discover the magic of the iPhone anyway? I can't wait to take this thing to D.C. It is really going to come in handy on those long metro rides, and so I can take notes with it in Senate hearings.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Presidential Medal of Freedom

Today President Obama honored 16 people with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, an annual award, was created after World War II when President Truman wanted to honor civilian service during the war.

"This is a chance for me and for the United States of America to say thank you to some of the finest citizens of this country and of all countries," Obama told the audience assembled for the ceremony at the White House. "At a moment when cynicism and doubt too often prevail, when our obligations to one another are too often forgotten, when the road ahead can seem too long or hard to tread, these extraordinary men and women, these agents of change, remind us that excellence is not beyond our abilities, that hope lies around the corner and that justice can still be won in the forgotten corners of this world," the president said.

The 16 honored at the ceremony Wednesday afternoon were:


  • Nancy Goodman Brinker: The death of her sister from breast cancer prompted Brinker to found Susan G. Komen for the Cure, which has grown to become the world's leading breast cancer grass-roots organization.
  • Pedro José Greer Jr.: Among the many hats Greer wears, he is the founder of Camillus Health Concern, an agency that provides medical care to more than 10,000 homeless patients every year in Miami, Florida.
  • Stephen Hawking: The internationally recognized theoretical physicist has spent his career making complex scientific concepts accessible to the layman, including penning the best-selling book "A Brief History of Time" and its updated version, "A Briefer History of Time."
  • Jack Kemp: The quarterback-turned-politician was honored posthumously for the years he spent, leading up to his death in May, raising awareness of and encouraging development in underserved communities.
  • Sen. Edward Kennedy: During his 46 years as a lawmaker, Kennedy has called health care reform the "cause of his life," championing nearly every health care bill enacted by Congress in the past five decades. However, Kennedy missed Wednesday's ceremony because of his ongoing battle with brain cancer, the White House said. His sister Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who died Tuesday, received the Medal of Freedom in 1984 from President Reagan.
  • Billie Jean King: With her victory over Bobby Riggs in the "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match in 1973, and in the years since, King has champion gender equality not only in sports but in all areas of public life.
  • The Rev. Joseph Lowery: With the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., the civil rights icon co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, a leading civil rights organization, and has continued to highlight the cause worldwide, including speaking out forcefully against apartheid in South Africa until its end in 1994.
  • Joe Medicine Crow-High Bird: The last living Plains Indian war chief and author of seminal works in Native American history is also the last person alive to have received direct oral testimony from a participant in the Battle of the Little Bighorn: his grandfather, a scout for Gen. George Custer.
  • Harvey Milk: The first openly gay person elected into office in a major U.S. city, Milk is revered as a pioneer of the lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender civil rights movement. He was honored posthumously.
  • Sandra Day O'Connor: At a time when women rarely entered the legal profession, O'Connor graduated Stanford Law School third in her class and went on to become the first woman ever to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court.
  • Sidney Poitier: The first African-American to win a Best Actor Academy Award, Poitier also broke ground by insisting that the crew in one of his films be at least 50 percent African-American and by starring in the first mainstream movie portraying interracial marriage as acceptable.
  • Chita Rivera: The winner of two Tony Awards, Rivera was also the first Hispanic to receive the Kennedy Center Honor, awarded annually for exemplary lifetime achievement in the performing arts.
  • Mary Robinson: Since ending her term as the first female president of Ireland, Robinson has headed Realizing Rights, an initiative that ensures that human rights is not forgotten as nations chart a course toward globalization.
  • Janet Davison Rowley: Her work on chromosome abnormalities in human leukemia and lymphoma has led to dramatically improved survival rates for previously incurable cancers.
  • Desmond Tutu: An Anglican archbishop and a leading anti-apartheid activist, Tutu is widely regarded as "South Africa's moral conscience" and chaired the country's Truth and Reconciliation Commission when it was created in 1995 to discover and reveal past wrongdoing.
  • Muhammad Yunus: A Bangladeshi economist and winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize, Yunus pioneered the use of micro-loans to provide credit to the poor without collateral, a successful model that has been emulated worldwide.

"They remind us that we each have it within our powers to fulfill dreams, to advance the dreams of others and to remake the world for our children," The President said.

I am happy that the people who were honored were chosen and given national recognition for their work. They are all extraordinary, and exceptional people. They are trailblazers in areas of human welfare and health, civil rights and equality, academia, sports, politics, and the performing arts. They are a great group of leaders, and we should all strive to be like them and make a positive impact on our society and influence the world.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

My Favorite Things

My version of My Favorite Things, a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music. The song has now become more associated with the Christmas holiday season. It's one of my favorite songs:-) I was bored early this morning and wanted something fun to blog about. Here it goes, I hope I don't suck out loud too bad.

Sunshine on lilies and whiskers on kittens
White pearly necklaces and soft chairs for sittin'
Pretty pink things all laced up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things

Sweet smelling perfumes and tasty cherry fillings
Rainbows and hair bows and starry like ceilings
Sapphire, amethyst, and ruby red rings
These are a few of my favorite things

Boys in white dress shirts with button up collars
Entertaining books written by wonderful authors
Splendorous winters full of glorious things
These are a few of my favorite things

When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad.

Monday, August 10, 2009

All Bark With No Bite

I love how people act all big and bad when they're able to hide behind a computer monitor. People will say the most horrible and crazy things, things they wouldn't dare say in "real life" or in person, over the Internet. What is it about a monitor, a user name, and a little space on the Internet that makes people feel as though they have magical powers?

People tend to use social networking sites and forums as a way to create a whole new persona. Now, I am obviously a blogger, so I am all for using technology as a voice to carry a message out into the world. Sometimes people who are shy share their thoughts and feelings better that way. The Internet also gives you an opportunity to reach more people.

However, I only support positive messages. So if you happen to be one of those low life, disrespectful, scummy little pieces of sh*t that promote hate and animosity or start drama over the Internet, a little advice: If you wouldn't have the balls to talk your shit in person, then just do the world a favor by keeping your sick thoughts to yourself. It's so obvious that you just use the computer to hide behind because you know you would get your lily ass kicked if you voiced your thoughts in person, which makes you look all the more pathetic.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

That Really Grinds My Gears>_<

These are five things that really grind my gears (term borrowed from Family Guy), and I wish people would get the message on.

1.) I wish people with those stupid McCain/Palin stickers on their cars would take them off already. They look like idiots. Did you not get the message that they lost??! Obama is president for the next four years at least, so get over it and quit living in the past. I live in Florida so I see these stickers and buttons quite often. Obama took FL in the election by the way, but it is still the South. Well, I guess I can't expect too much here since some Southerners are apparently still devastated over the Confederate losing the Civil War; as evident by the number of rebel flags and plates I see while driving down the road. Sawrry baby, but you lost again. :)

2.) I wish girls would quit wearing those super thin AE and AERO graphic screen tee shirts that you can see right through. You can tell what color and design their bra is the shirt is so thin. The chicks look so trashy in them.

3.) Spandex doesn't look good on anyone-period. No matter what size, shape, color, make, model, year you are... just stay away from it. Simple as that.

4.) I wish people would stop depending on Fox (Faux ) News for their political information. Their representation of current events and information is skewed and purposely misleading at best. They represent irresponsible journalism and bias/prejudice reporting to the T. That's why only Republicans watch it.

5.) I hate how no one seems to have manners anymore. I think it's horrible that people showing such common courtesy like saying please and thank you, or holding the door open for someone like 2 inches behind them, has become a rarity in this day in age. The other day I was in the grocery store line and this middle aged woman decides that instead of saying "Excuse me, may I please get through," she would just slide all up on me, and try to squeeze her way through literally a 5 inch space between me and a display case of meat.

Her back totally hugged my stomach and she just pretended like it didn't happen! I was thinking, "I know now that she's so obviously touched me she's going to say sorry now at least." NOPE. Was everyone raised in a dang barn?? I stood there for a couple of minutes totally stunned. I just watched the lady walk down the isle and turn the corner. She didn't even care! I think that people should have to take mandatory etiquette classes to get a driver's license or something, because peoples' lack of consideration for others has gotten way out of hand in this society.

Friday, August 7, 2009

Sing Out Loud!

This is a fun idea I had for a blog. I am going to put bits and pieces of my favorite songs together to make one, and I want you to see if you can guess where they came from. :) Have fun! Goodluck!

(Verse 1)
I'm the life of the party
So contagious
All the boys wanna catch me
But I'm just playin'

(Verse 2)
Now I Believe In Miracles
And A Miracle
Has Happened Tonight


(Chorus 1)
Forever, and ever, you'll stay in my heart
and I will love you
Forever, and ever, we never will part
Oh, how I love you
Together, together, that's how it must be
To live without you
Would only mean heartbreak for me.


(Verse 3)
You were the sweetest thing that I ever knew
But I don't care for sugar honey if I can't have you
Since you've abandoned me My whole life has crashed
Won't you pick the pieces up
Cause it feels just like I'm walking on broken glass

(Verse 4)
Hear the sound of the falling rain
Coming down like an Armageddon flame
The shame, the ones who died without a name


(Chorus 2)
Cuz if you liked it then you should have put a ring on it
If you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it
Don’t be mad once you see that he want it
If you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it



(Answers: Verse 1 is from Saving Jane's Supergirl. Verse 2 is from Michael Jackson's Black or White. Chorus 1 is from Aretha Franklin's I Say A Little Prayer for You. Verse 3 is from Annie Lenox's Walking on Broken Glass. Verse 4 is from Green Day's Holiday. Finally, chorus 2 is from Beyonce's Single Ladies. )

How did you do?! :)

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Let My People Go!

Yay, Bill Clinton frees the captives! At President Obama's request, Bill Clinton made a high profile visit to North Korea on Tuesday to try and secure the release of two American journalist that had been held captive by the North Korean Government for the past 5 months. Laura Ling and Euna Lee were detained by soldiers on March 17 near the North Korean border with China.

In June, they were sentenced to 12 years of hard labor in a North Korean prison camp for committing the "hostile" act of illegally entering a rogue nation before being pardoned. Ling and Lee were in the country illegally in the first place to film a documentary about North Korean women being trafficked into China for the sex trade for Al Gore's Current TV.

Months of preparation and negotiations went into Bill Clinton's "surprise" visit. After all, he is the highest-profile U.S. official to visit the region in almost ten years. Clinton and the White House have reported that Clinton's visit was purely a humanitarian effort, despite some claims made by media that Clinton carried a message from President Obama. There has been speculation that Clinton also spoke about the country's nuclear program with Kim Jong-il. State-run media described Clinton's landmark trip to Pyongyang as resulting in rare talks with reclusive Kim Jong Il that were "wide-ranging" and "exhaustive."

I don't believe that North Korea's nuclear program was a major topic of talk, if at all. Clinton was there to free the journalists and that was his main objective. The situation was already delicate and Bill Clinton's wife, Secretary of Sate Hillary Clinton, had worked hard to separate the case of the journalists from the world wide condemnation of Korea's nuclear ambitions. I believe had he brought up the nukes issues on this trip, then the journalist would not be home now.

The US Administration had recently changed its rhetoric in discussing the case and said it was seeking amnesty rather than an acknowledgment from the North Korean Government that the women had been wrongly arrested. The North Koreans said Mr Clinton, who was acting in an "unofficial capacity," offered an apology on behalf of the women. However, US officials said he made no apology for the conduct of the journalists. The White House made it clear that Mr Clinton’s journey was ‘‘not in any way’’ linked to the nuclear issue

I am hopeful that this success story can lead to the United States and the Korean Government having a better relationship. I hope that trust of eachother and a better understanding of eachother's point of view will be developed on both sides. The trip also brings light to former President Bill Clinton's history as an exemplary diplomat. I think a lot of people lost sight of that when they started focusing on other irrelevant stuff like his affair.

The truth is, Bill is a hell of a unifier and humanitarian. Clinton won an award from NFID for his work to promoting AIDS treatment and prevention in the developing world. If Obama's as smart as I think he is, then this trip was just the first of several diplomatic trips Clinton will make on behalf of the U.S. The right thing to do would be to make Bill a U.S. diplomat. If anyone is capable of helping to greatly improve the U.S. 's tarnished image (we have the Bush Administration to thank for that), it's Bill Clinton. He would serve as an extremely valuable asset to the Obama Administration.