Something that makes you cry
More than anything, hate makes me cry. I see it everywhere I go, unfortunately. I experience it a lot of places I go, also. Hate ruins lives. Hate kills. Hate creates more and more problems every day.
The intolerance in the world literally makes me cry. To say anyone is lesser than anyone else on the simple basis of who they are is appalling. Gay, straight, black, white, heavy set, poor, religious, old, young, female, male, differently abled, American, Chinese, intelligent, or not… it doesn’t mean you are worth more or less than anybody. You do not have the right to condemn anyone. None of us are second class citizens because we dare to be who we are. In fact, I’d say that we are some of the bravest in the world. If you have the courage to be who you are in spite of how the world treats you, then you are a head above the rest. I don’t care who you are. BE who you are and love who you are.
Intolerance will continue to try to strike you down. It will continue to make you cry, as it does me, but you have to realize that intolerance is by no means the end-all be-all. Those who discriminate are in the minority and for every bigot yelling “Faggot” across the street, you can find 100 people who will welcome you with open arms and love you for exactly who you are.
Keep on keeping on, my friends. I love you all exactly as you are.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Day 23
Something that makes you feel better
Cuddling with Shannon. And my dogs.
Eating grapes, red or green, it doesn’t matter.
Getting my back rubbed.
Eating ice cream.
Curling up with Alvin, the cutest cat ever.
Listening to music that reflects my emotions.
Drinking ice cold water when I’m really hot.
Reminding myself that I have the love of the most amazing person I know.
Putting on a sweater fresh from the dryer.
Watching a movie I know all the lines to.
Pretending Marg Helgenberger and Jorja Fox are actually dating.
Playing with my brother.
Talking about having kids with Shannon.
Seeing a student finally understand the curriculum.
Finishing an essay.
Waking up and seeing a bright shiny day.
Sleeping.
Thinking.
Loving.
Realizing my favorite food is on sale.
Being dismissed from my history lecture.
Going to Kayamandi.
Learning things.
Crying it all out, no matter how silly or stupid it may be.
Realizing that everything, EVERYthing, is gonna be okay.
Cuddling with Shannon. And my dogs.
Eating grapes, red or green, it doesn’t matter.
Getting my back rubbed.
Eating ice cream.
Curling up with Alvin, the cutest cat ever.
Listening to music that reflects my emotions.
Drinking ice cold water when I’m really hot.
Reminding myself that I have the love of the most amazing person I know.
Putting on a sweater fresh from the dryer.
Watching a movie I know all the lines to.
Pretending Marg Helgenberger and Jorja Fox are actually dating.
Playing with my brother.
Talking about having kids with Shannon.
Seeing a student finally understand the curriculum.
Finishing an essay.
Waking up and seeing a bright shiny day.
Sleeping.
Thinking.
Loving.
Realizing my favorite food is on sale.
Being dismissed from my history lecture.
Going to Kayamandi.
Learning things.
Crying it all out, no matter how silly or stupid it may be.
Realizing that everything, EVERYthing, is gonna be okay.
Day 22
Something that upsets you
I’m trying to decide whether to be serious or make a joke here. However, I just spotted that the prompt after the next one is very similar to this, so I’m going to go with funny instead.
One of my HUGEST pet peeves is annoying noises. It’s almost funny how much certain noises drive me insane. Scratching, sniffling, whispering especially, ticking… they drive me up the wall.
My sister had eczema when we were kids and we shared a bedroom. At night, I could hear her scratching her stomach and it kept me away. As an upperclassmen in high school, my bedroom was right next to the kitchen and there was something (to this day I don’t know what it was) that would emit this little, almost inaudible clicking noise some nights. I would stay up for hours searching for the source of this noise because it made me want to pull out my hair. My sophomore year in college, I was up writing a paper one night and someone’s car alarm started going off, which even for a minute annoys me. However, it proceeded to go off for the next eight hours. EIGHT HOURS. I got a terrible grade on that paper and I didn’t sleep at all that night. I was plotting ways to find out who owned the car and graffiti her door or something equally juvenile. I was basically a zombie the next day. A very neurotic, nearly-insane zombie.
Whispering of any kind when I’m trying to read or sleep frustrates me. I’d rather they just talk in normal voices. Music when I’m trying to read or sleep also annoys me. I HATE the fridge buzz and I can’t stand the hum of a computer if I’m not using it. Noises are my thing…
I’m trying to decide whether to be serious or make a joke here. However, I just spotted that the prompt after the next one is very similar to this, so I’m going to go with funny instead.
One of my HUGEST pet peeves is annoying noises. It’s almost funny how much certain noises drive me insane. Scratching, sniffling, whispering especially, ticking… they drive me up the wall.
My sister had eczema when we were kids and we shared a bedroom. At night, I could hear her scratching her stomach and it kept me away. As an upperclassmen in high school, my bedroom was right next to the kitchen and there was something (to this day I don’t know what it was) that would emit this little, almost inaudible clicking noise some nights. I would stay up for hours searching for the source of this noise because it made me want to pull out my hair. My sophomore year in college, I was up writing a paper one night and someone’s car alarm started going off, which even for a minute annoys me. However, it proceeded to go off for the next eight hours. EIGHT HOURS. I got a terrible grade on that paper and I didn’t sleep at all that night. I was plotting ways to find out who owned the car and graffiti her door or something equally juvenile. I was basically a zombie the next day. A very neurotic, nearly-insane zombie.
Whispering of any kind when I’m trying to read or sleep frustrates me. I’d rather they just talk in normal voices. Music when I’m trying to read or sleep also annoys me. I HATE the fridge buzz and I can’t stand the hum of a computer if I’m not using it. Noises are my thing…
Day 21
Another Moment
There have been a lot of great moments in my relationship that are more than noteworthy. I’ve been blessed with the love of someone that is completely extraordinary in the best ways, and I am grateful for every day that she loves me. However, there is one particular moment that I want to share with you.
It was a perfect day. I don’t recall what we did in the morning, whether either of us had work or anything like that, but I remember that we had an amazing day. We spent the majority of it together, playing with the girls (Bailey and Kahlua, our adorable whippet mixes for those of you who don’t know) and watching a movie or two. Shannon made amazing homemade chicken noodle soup from a chicken we bought at the Co-op. We decided to go on a dog walk as the weather was pretty good and the girls needed a walk. Kaiser was at Erik’s (Erik is our mutual
friend and Kaiser is his 3 (4?) year old son) and since we lived close to Erik’s, we wanted to walk over there to bring Kaiser some soup. The walk was great. When we got to Erik’s, I stayed outside with the dogs and Shannon went in to give him the soup. We finished out walk and when we got home, I really had to pee, but Shannon beat me to the bathroom, so I waited awkwardly near the door. When she came out, she was surprised I was so close to the door. I noticed she had a ring in her hand.
“Will you marry me?”
I was definitely not expecting this, as we discussing getting engaged much later and I thought I’d be the one to propose first. I was so surprised that instead of instantly saying “Yes” (which, obviously, was my answer), I said “Are you serious?” instead. Once I fully grasped the situation, I said “Yes, yes! Of course!” and she slid the ring onto my finger. I cried. She cried. We sat down on the floor in the hallway and called the girls to us. We told them that their mommies were going to get married. It was perfect.
I later found out that Shannon had been storing the ring at Erik’s for weeks and had an entirely different plan. However, due to the perfect day we had, she felt like it was the right moment (and it was) and she thought up an excuse to go to Erik’s. This is also why she wanted me to stay outside with the dogs. It was a perfect day.
And that’s the story about how Shannon and I got engaged.
There have been a lot of great moments in my relationship that are more than noteworthy. I’ve been blessed with the love of someone that is completely extraordinary in the best ways, and I am grateful for every day that she loves me. However, there is one particular moment that I want to share with you.
It was a perfect day. I don’t recall what we did in the morning, whether either of us had work or anything like that, but I remember that we had an amazing day. We spent the majority of it together, playing with the girls (Bailey and Kahlua, our adorable whippet mixes for those of you who don’t know) and watching a movie or two. Shannon made amazing homemade chicken noodle soup from a chicken we bought at the Co-op. We decided to go on a dog walk as the weather was pretty good and the girls needed a walk. Kaiser was at Erik’s (Erik is our mutual
friend and Kaiser is his 3 (4?) year old son) and since we lived close to Erik’s, we wanted to walk over there to bring Kaiser some soup. The walk was great. When we got to Erik’s, I stayed outside with the dogs and Shannon went in to give him the soup. We finished out walk and when we got home, I really had to pee, but Shannon beat me to the bathroom, so I waited awkwardly near the door. When she came out, she was surprised I was so close to the door. I noticed she had a ring in her hand.“Will you marry me?”
I was definitely not expecting this, as we discussing getting engaged much later and I thought I’d be the one to propose first. I was so surprised that instead of instantly saying “Yes” (which, obviously, was my answer), I said “Are you serious?” instead. Once I fully grasped the situation, I said “Yes, yes! Of course!” and she slid the ring onto my finger. I cried. She cried. We sat down on the floor in the hallway and called the girls to us. We told them that their mommies were going to get married. It was perfect.
I later found out that Shannon had been storing the ring at Erik’s for weeks and had an entirely different plan. However, due to the perfect day we had, she felt like it was the right moment (and it was) and she thought up an excuse to go to Erik’s. This is also why she wanted me to stay outside with the dogs. It was a perfect day.
And that’s the story about how Shannon and I got engaged.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Day 20
This Month
Well, it's September.
This month marks the half-way point for my time in Africa. I'm officially on the downhill side.
It's been interesting. I'm already settled, and I won't be leaving soon, so this month has been marked by constancy. I've met many new friends, gotten to know older ones, and have continued to grow as a human and as an African. I've learned that I don't like Stellenbosch as much as I thought I did, and I much prefer Kayamandi and Lynedoch (though I've only been to the latter once). There is too much polarization here, and Stellenbosch represents the side of the battle I'd rather not be on.
This month I:
- Tackled a mountain
- Learned about formulas to calculate poverty
- Cut my own hair
- Learned to trust myself in more ways
- Opened myself up to hurt
- Made some good friends
- Found new muscles I was unaware of
- Cried in front of people
- Let people cry in front of me
- Succumbed to Glee
- Laughed. HARD.
- Taught a kid what culture is
- Seen hope in the eyes of the presumed hopeless
- Danced
- LIVED.
I don't know what's going to happen over the remaining 11 days of this month, but I hope they're as awesome as the first 20.
Well, it's September.
This month marks the half-way point for my time in Africa. I'm officially on the downhill side.
It's been interesting. I'm already settled, and I won't be leaving soon, so this month has been marked by constancy. I've met many new friends, gotten to know older ones, and have continued to grow as a human and as an African. I've learned that I don't like Stellenbosch as much as I thought I did, and I much prefer Kayamandi and Lynedoch (though I've only been to the latter once). There is too much polarization here, and Stellenbosch represents the side of the battle I'd rather not be on.
This month I:
- Tackled a mountain
- Learned about formulas to calculate poverty
- Cut my own hair
- Learned to trust myself in more ways
- Opened myself up to hurt
- Made some good friends
- Found new muscles I was unaware of
- Cried in front of people
- Let people cry in front of me
- Succumbed to Glee
- Laughed. HARD.
- Taught a kid what culture is
- Seen hope in the eyes of the presumed hopeless
- Danced
- LIVED.
I don't know what's going to happen over the remaining 11 days of this month, but I hope they're as awesome as the first 20.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Day 19
Something You Regret
That's kind of tricky because I try to live my life the same way Catherine Willows does; never doubt, never look back.
What is the point of having regrets? You can't change the past. You can only move forward and learn from your experiences. If you lived through something horrible, you shouldn't regret it, you should celebrate the fact that you'll (hopefully) never make that mistake again. For example, I could regret the fact that I failed to put sunscreen on every hour, or I can be glad to know that the South African sun is harsher than the American one and I won't get another sunburn if I'm smart about it. Regretting isn't going to take my sunburn away (though I wish it would, my neck is killing me).
I think it's easy to dwell on the things we wish hadn't happened. It's easy to talk about the things that went wrong because trying to figure out what to do now can sometimes be hard.
Plus, who's to say that if I hadn't been a total dork and worn red jeans to school in 7th grade that I would have gotten the opportunity to meet the love of my life? What if I had been cool? You never know where I'd be now. Serving fries at a local McDonald's maybe. Regretting is a dangerous business. I'd rather stay out of it.
That's kind of tricky because I try to live my life the same way Catherine Willows does; never doubt, never look back.
What is the point of having regrets? You can't change the past. You can only move forward and learn from your experiences. If you lived through something horrible, you shouldn't regret it, you should celebrate the fact that you'll (hopefully) never make that mistake again. For example, I could regret the fact that I failed to put sunscreen on every hour, or I can be glad to know that the South African sun is harsher than the American one and I won't get another sunburn if I'm smart about it. Regretting isn't going to take my sunburn away (though I wish it would, my neck is killing me).
I think it's easy to dwell on the things we wish hadn't happened. It's easy to talk about the things that went wrong because trying to figure out what to do now can sometimes be hard.
Plus, who's to say that if I hadn't been a total dork and worn red jeans to school in 7th grade that I would have gotten the opportunity to meet the love of my life? What if I had been cool? You never know where I'd be now. Serving fries at a local McDonald's maybe. Regretting is a dangerous business. I'd rather stay out of it.
Day 18
Your Favorite Birthday
Hmm...
I think my favorite birthday was my 21st. You may think it's only because I could drink, but you're wrong. It was my favorite for a few reasons, all of which more significant than simply drinking.
1) I could finally go out with my girlfriend when she hung out with her (and our) friends at a bar. It REALLY sucked to drop them off and have to go home, then get a phone call and have to go pick them up. I felt left out.
2) I got to celebrate it. The VAST majority of my other birthdays weren't really celebrated, so I enjoyed that.
3) I no longer had to worry about MIPs.
4) I got to spend my birthday with Shannon.
Hmm...
I think my favorite birthday was my 21st. You may think it's only because I could drink, but you're wrong. It was my favorite for a few reasons, all of which more significant than simply drinking.
1) I could finally go out with my girlfriend when she hung out with her (and our) friends at a bar. It REALLY sucked to drop them off and have to go home, then get a phone call and have to go pick them up. I felt left out.
2) I got to celebrate it. The VAST majority of my other birthdays weren't really celebrated, so I enjoyed that.
3) I no longer had to worry about MIPs.
4) I got to spend my birthday with Shannon.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Day 17
Your Favorite Memory
Aww, I like this prompt.
Okay, I was pretty young, maybe 6 or 7, and my mom had been super busy with work. My sister, Stephanie, and I had been staying with our great grandmother, Virginia. We just called her Grandma (or Gramma, I suppose). Grandma and Mom talked one morning and Mom said that we had the choice between staying with Grandma for another day or going over to our cousin Keri’s house.
I’m going to give brief backstory here.
Keri had babysat us on numerous occasions, and while I like her now, I hated her back then. I have no idea why. Maybe she was too bossy. She had a son named Austin and Stephanie liked spending time with him, but he was a little young for me. Anyways, I really loved spending time with my grandma. She was my favorite person on the planet for a really really long time. She was fun, but strict. She read to me and let me play with her makeup. I miss her so much.
Okay, back to the story.
Stephanie decided she wanted to go to Keri’s, but I wanted to stay with Grandma. So Grandma said she’d take Steph over. We drove in her little red hatch back over the other side of town and dropped Steph off. Then, on the way back, it was just Grandma and me. At a stop light, we realized we were behind an ice-cream truck and we both wanted ice-cream really badly. I don’t know what it is about those songs, but I think that there are subliminal messages in them convincing you that a cold creamy dessert will save your life. Anyway, when the light turned green, my grandmother started cutting cars off trying to get directly behind this truck. It was like we were on a high-speed chase. If she had access to a siren and lights, I am more than 100% convinced they both would have been on. It was hilarious. I’m sure the truck driver was terrified. But we followed him until he pulled into an apartment complex and stopped, and we pulled up behind him and stopped too, completely COPS-style. We got our ice-cream and it was delicious. I remember when we finally got back to Grandma’s house, we had to hide the wrappers because she was worried that Grandpa would be mad if he knew she’d been eating ice-cream. It was an amazing day.
I told that story to my grandma the night she died, and while she was in a coma, I’m sure that she heard it and was laughing just as hard as I was at the memory.
Aww, I like this prompt.
Okay, I was pretty young, maybe 6 or 7, and my mom had been super busy with work. My sister, Stephanie, and I had been staying with our great grandmother, Virginia. We just called her Grandma (or Gramma, I suppose). Grandma and Mom talked one morning and Mom said that we had the choice between staying with Grandma for another day or going over to our cousin Keri’s house.
I’m going to give brief backstory here.
Keri had babysat us on numerous occasions, and while I like her now, I hated her back then. I have no idea why. Maybe she was too bossy. She had a son named Austin and Stephanie liked spending time with him, but he was a little young for me. Anyways, I really loved spending time with my grandma. She was my favorite person on the planet for a really really long time. She was fun, but strict. She read to me and let me play with her makeup. I miss her so much.
Okay, back to the story.
Stephanie decided she wanted to go to Keri’s, but I wanted to stay with Grandma. So Grandma said she’d take Steph over. We drove in her little red hatch back over the other side of town and dropped Steph off. Then, on the way back, it was just Grandma and me. At a stop light, we realized we were behind an ice-cream truck and we both wanted ice-cream really badly. I don’t know what it is about those songs, but I think that there are subliminal messages in them convincing you that a cold creamy dessert will save your life. Anyway, when the light turned green, my grandmother started cutting cars off trying to get directly behind this truck. It was like we were on a high-speed chase. If she had access to a siren and lights, I am more than 100% convinced they both would have been on. It was hilarious. I’m sure the truck driver was terrified. But we followed him until he pulled into an apartment complex and stopped, and we pulled up behind him and stopped too, completely COPS-style. We got our ice-cream and it was delicious. I remember when we finally got back to Grandma’s house, we had to hide the wrappers because she was worried that Grandpa would be mad if he knew she’d been eating ice-cream. It was an amazing day.
I told that story to my grandma the night she died, and while she was in a coma, I’m sure that she heard it and was laughing just as hard as I was at the memory.
Day 16
Your First Kiss
… was with a boy. Eww.
His name was Skylar and it was New Years Eve 2001. It wasn’t horrible, but let’s just say that it didn’t work out.
… was with a boy. Eww.
His name was Skylar and it was New Years Eve 2001. It wasn’t horrible, but let’s just say that it didn’t work out.
Day 15
Your Dreams
Do you mean the pictures in my head while I am unconscious or my aspirations?
I’ll give you a quick summary of both.
I’ll be very general when describing the former, so as to keep it PG. Some of my dreams have involved people from home throwing me a surprise party/visit in Africa (for some reason, it was just Erik and Kaiser, Shannon wasn’t there). I had a weird one a few weeks ago about being pregnant. I attribute this to the fact that I fell asleep watching Juno. I’ve had a couple where Shannon and I… shared a special hug. A deep, passionate special hug. I also had one where my head was a watermelon, but I think that might have just been one of those old Jolly Rancher commercials.
The latter, my aspirations, are less comical (I hope). I just want to do what I love and love what I do. I think I’m well on my way to that. When it comes to big life choices, it’s easy to stay in your head and think everything out so logically completely disregarding your heart and your happiness. I try to take both into consideration. I want to make a difference in my students’ lives, as well as let them make a difference in mine. I want to call many places home, and I’m starting here and now, in South Africa. I just want to be true to myself. I think I’m doing a pretty good job so far.
Do you mean the pictures in my head while I am unconscious or my aspirations?
I’ll give you a quick summary of both.
I’ll be very general when describing the former, so as to keep it PG. Some of my dreams have involved people from home throwing me a surprise party/visit in Africa (for some reason, it was just Erik and Kaiser, Shannon wasn’t there). I had a weird one a few weeks ago about being pregnant. I attribute this to the fact that I fell asleep watching Juno. I’ve had a couple where Shannon and I… shared a special hug. A deep, passionate special hug. I also had one where my head was a watermelon, but I think that might have just been one of those old Jolly Rancher commercials.
The latter, my aspirations, are less comical (I hope). I just want to do what I love and love what I do. I think I’m well on my way to that. When it comes to big life choices, it’s easy to stay in your head and think everything out so logically completely disregarding your heart and your happiness. I try to take both into consideration. I want to make a difference in my students’ lives, as well as let them make a difference in mine. I want to call many places home, and I’m starting here and now, in South Africa. I just want to be true to myself. I think I’m doing a pretty good job so far.
Day 14
What You Wore Today
Well, I wore clothes, that’s for sure. Didn’t we already do this prompt? Why are we doing it again? If you’re going to repeat a prompt, at least make it a good one, like “Name one reason you wouldn’t want to meet a T-Rex.”
Anywhos,
Today, I wore pants. Not shorts. The weather here is bi-polar. South Africa thinks it’s Colorado or something. I wore a t-shirt also. A white one, I think. With a purple tank top underneath. I also wore my black sandal Sketchers WITH SOCKS. It’s a compulsion, I AM from Seattle, after all. I think I wore Shannon’s brown cover thingy too, because I was worried that the weather would get confused and start doing something it wasn’t supposed to. I was right. Go me.
Well, I wore clothes, that’s for sure. Didn’t we already do this prompt? Why are we doing it again? If you’re going to repeat a prompt, at least make it a good one, like “Name one reason you wouldn’t want to meet a T-Rex.”
Anywhos,
Today, I wore pants. Not shorts. The weather here is bi-polar. South Africa thinks it’s Colorado or something. I wore a t-shirt also. A white one, I think. With a purple tank top underneath. I also wore my black sandal Sketchers WITH SOCKS. It’s a compulsion, I AM from Seattle, after all. I think I wore Shannon’s brown cover thingy too, because I was worried that the weather would get confused and start doing something it wasn’t supposed to. I was right. Go me.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Day 13
This Week
Well, it's Monday.
I woke up early today to finish my paper. It wasn't half bad, I'd say. Class was pretty chill. Tomorrow, I have another paper due, so I'm writing that right now (haha). After that, my week will be pretty calm. I get to take photos in Kayamandi on Thursday, finally.
This weekend I'll be hiking Table Mountain, which I am very excited about. The view from the top is spectacular I hear. Pictures will be forthcoming.
That's it. Kinda boring. I'm sure if it were a friday, I'd have much more to say.
Til tomorrow, folks.
Well, it's Monday.
I woke up early today to finish my paper. It wasn't half bad, I'd say. Class was pretty chill. Tomorrow, I have another paper due, so I'm writing that right now (haha). After that, my week will be pretty calm. I get to take photos in Kayamandi on Thursday, finally.
This weekend I'll be hiking Table Mountain, which I am very excited about. The view from the top is spectacular I hear. Pictures will be forthcoming.
That's it. Kinda boring. I'm sure if it were a friday, I'd have much more to say.
Til tomorrow, folks.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Day 12
What's In Your Bag
That could be very personal. However, since it's Spring Break, there isn't as much in there as there usually is.
Into the Wild is in there, complete with a date auction flier for a bookmark, mostly because I like there to be a little weight in the bottom when there's not much to carry around. Looking through, I'm also finding my "wallet" which is actually just a little money clip. It's got my ATM card, my Stellenbocsh University Student ID card, Washington ID, my ISIC card, and my international insurance card in it. There are some pens in the bottom too, but I made sure to take out the evil felt tip one that completely ruined the bottom of my bag and almost masacred a pair of jeans while doing it. That pen is very happy the ink came out of those jeans, trust me.
I also have the one pair of shades that didn't end up at the bottom of the Indian Ocean next to bag. That, and a cup of instant coffee. Mmm.
Oh, and there's also some pomegranate Burt's lip balm in the bottom of the bag.
That could be very personal. However, since it's Spring Break, there isn't as much in there as there usually is.
Into the Wild is in there, complete with a date auction flier for a bookmark, mostly because I like there to be a little weight in the bottom when there's not much to carry around. Looking through, I'm also finding my "wallet" which is actually just a little money clip. It's got my ATM card, my Stellenbocsh University Student ID card, Washington ID, my ISIC card, and my international insurance card in it. There are some pens in the bottom too, but I made sure to take out the evil felt tip one that completely ruined the bottom of my bag and almost masacred a pair of jeans while doing it. That pen is very happy the ink came out of those jeans, trust me.
I also have the one pair of shades that didn't end up at the bottom of the Indian Ocean next to bag. That, and a cup of instant coffee. Mmm.
Oh, and there's also some pomegranate Burt's lip balm in the bottom of the bag.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Day 11
Your Siblings
When people ask, I say that I have two, though if you wanna get technical, I have way more than that.
My sister, Stephanie, is a firecracker. I love her to pieces but it's almost as if she's a new person every day. Her interests change, her opinions change. But that's just who she is, and what's wrong with that? She's the only one in the world that 100% understands what I dealt with growing up because for the most part, she did too. She's had a hard life, harder that mine even because I was able to escape through school. Steph got stuck in it, though I think people don't give her enough credit. She's growing up and she'll be great one day. She just needs to find her footing.
My brother is Dallas and he is four years old. He was 10 lbs when he was born, so this kid will be huge. He's already nearing 4 feet tall. He's a monster, but the most adorable monster you've ever seen. He calls me his "sissy" and he's my little "destructo". I can't wait to see what he does when he's older.
When people ask, I say that I have two, though if you wanna get technical, I have way more than that.
My sister, Stephanie, is a firecracker. I love her to pieces but it's almost as if she's a new person every day. Her interests change, her opinions change. But that's just who she is, and what's wrong with that? She's the only one in the world that 100% understands what I dealt with growing up because for the most part, she did too. She's had a hard life, harder that mine even because I was able to escape through school. Steph got stuck in it, though I think people don't give her enough credit. She's growing up and she'll be great one day. She just needs to find her footing.
My brother is Dallas and he is four years old. He was 10 lbs when he was born, so this kid will be huge. He's already nearing 4 feet tall. He's a monster, but the most adorable monster you've ever seen. He calls me his "sissy" and he's my little "destructo". I can't wait to see what he does when he's older.
Day 10
What You Wore Today
I'm gonna pretend this is on the right day considering it's still the 10th in the US.
It was actually pretty warm, so I was able to wear shorts and a tank top to the grocery store. Flip flops, of course.
I hope the weather stays nice so I can continue to wear shorts and flip flops.
Well... that's it.
I'm gonna pretend this is on the right day considering it's still the 10th in the US.
It was actually pretty warm, so I was able to wear shorts and a tank top to the grocery store. Flip flops, of course.
I hope the weather stays nice so I can continue to wear shorts and flip flops.
Well... that's it.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Day 9
Your Beliefs
Oh boy.
If this is in reference to religion, it's going to be short. I don't believe in God, though I also know we can never really be sure. I suppose that's what you'd call an Agnostic Atheist.
I believe in love and acceptance and charity and ubuntu. I believe that all people are equal and that differences in race, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, ability, class are a good thing, a great thing. Diversity in every sense of the word is what makes this world a beautiful place to live, and people who try to make others feel less valuable as human beings because of those differences are the true evils of the world. That's what I believe.
Oh boy.
If this is in reference to religion, it's going to be short. I don't believe in God, though I also know we can never really be sure. I suppose that's what you'd call an Agnostic Atheist.
I believe in love and acceptance and charity and ubuntu. I believe that all people are equal and that differences in race, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, ability, class are a good thing, a great thing. Diversity in every sense of the word is what makes this world a beautiful place to live, and people who try to make others feel less valuable as human beings because of those differences are the true evils of the world. That's what I believe.
Day 8
A Moment
That's vague.
My mom came to WSU for mom's weekend my freshman year. The school sets up all sorts of events, but the majority of them, you have to pay for. The big event that year was Elton John. He was performing for two nights (because one just isn't enough for Elton) at Beasley Coliseum (our performing arts arena for non Cougs). Tickets were OUTRAGEOUS, and there was no way a poor college kid could afford $100 seats.
My uncle called me right before my mom was supposed to get into town and after a brief conversation, surprised me with informing me that two tickets would be waiting at will call under my name for the show. It was amazing. I was (and still am) very grateful.
When my mom got into town, I didn't tell her a thing. The show wasn't until Saturday (Friday) tickets were LONG AGO sold out) and so we did our normal thing for the first night. She kept saying how sad she was that she couldn't go to the concert because she loved Elton John and I was getting more and more antsy. Saturday afternoon came and I needed an excuse to get my mom to dress up, so I told her I was taking her to a fancy dinner. We got ready and she thought we were taking the bus to the restaurant (neither of us had cars). I was (I'm now over it) terrified of buses, and so when I started walking up the street away from the bus stop, she thought it was because I was just scared. She tried to make me turn around but I just kept walking towards the Coliseum (I lived about 100 feet from it). When she just stopped and said she wouldn't keep going unless I told her where we were going, I told her we were going to the concert and she thought I was being mean and making it up, but just to call my bluff, she walked with me all the way to the arena. She kept telling me it wasn't funny and we should go and she was just getting more sad that she couldn't go. It wasn't until I walked up to will call and the guy handed me two tickets that she realized I was serious. It was amazing. She looked shocked and so happy. It was such a good feeling.
We walked around and looked at all the merchandise before going to find our seats, and when we walked in, she immediately started heading towards the nose-bleeds. But I stopped her and when we started walking down towards the stage, she was just getting giddier and giddier. Finally, we were on the floor and I swear she was almost crying. Our seats were in the 4th row.
That day, that moment of seeing the best kind of surprise on her face, was incredible.
That's vague.
My mom came to WSU for mom's weekend my freshman year. The school sets up all sorts of events, but the majority of them, you have to pay for. The big event that year was Elton John. He was performing for two nights (because one just isn't enough for Elton) at Beasley Coliseum (our performing arts arena for non Cougs). Tickets were OUTRAGEOUS, and there was no way a poor college kid could afford $100 seats.
My uncle called me right before my mom was supposed to get into town and after a brief conversation, surprised me with informing me that two tickets would be waiting at will call under my name for the show. It was amazing. I was (and still am) very grateful.
When my mom got into town, I didn't tell her a thing. The show wasn't until Saturday (Friday) tickets were LONG AGO sold out) and so we did our normal thing for the first night. She kept saying how sad she was that she couldn't go to the concert because she loved Elton John and I was getting more and more antsy. Saturday afternoon came and I needed an excuse to get my mom to dress up, so I told her I was taking her to a fancy dinner. We got ready and she thought we were taking the bus to the restaurant (neither of us had cars). I was (I'm now over it) terrified of buses, and so when I started walking up the street away from the bus stop, she thought it was because I was just scared. She tried to make me turn around but I just kept walking towards the Coliseum (I lived about 100 feet from it). When she just stopped and said she wouldn't keep going unless I told her where we were going, I told her we were going to the concert and she thought I was being mean and making it up, but just to call my bluff, she walked with me all the way to the arena. She kept telling me it wasn't funny and we should go and she was just getting more sad that she couldn't go. It wasn't until I walked up to will call and the guy handed me two tickets that she realized I was serious. It was amazing. She looked shocked and so happy. It was such a good feeling.
We walked around and looked at all the merchandise before going to find our seats, and when we walked in, she immediately started heading towards the nose-bleeds. But I stopped her and when we started walking down towards the stage, she was just getting giddier and giddier. Finally, we were on the floor and I swear she was almost crying. Our seats were in the 4th row.
That day, that moment of seeing the best kind of surprise on her face, was incredible.
Day 7
Your Best Friend
Well, honestly, my best friend is Shannon. But considering the fact that I'm sure you're all fed-up with reading about her, I'll refrain.
I don't really have a best friend because it's more of a best friends.
Ryan Todd, Zorah Oppenheimer, Erik Larson, and Shannon Lord are my best friends. We've formed this crazy eclectic mix of personalities and and interests and passions, yet we are all so similar at the same time. That's really why we are what we are. Ryan is incredibly intelligent and has this ability to concentrate on something so well. I think I speak for all of us when I say that I admire him. Zorah has an amazing heart and love for animals that surpasses my own (which I never thought possible) and it's so beautiful to see how much she cares. She has an insane amount of knowledge that I would never be able to amass. Erik is a genius. He just figures things out so easily, but above that, he has this amazing ability to empathize with and understand anything you're dealing with. I feel like I can talk to him about anything. Shannon is a person that can be anything I need her to be. When I need someone to sit with quietly, she's there. When I need someone to call me on my bull and get harsh, she's there. When I need someone to hold me, she's there. When I need someone to be just as angry as I am about the absurd crap that happens in this world, she is certainly there.
I love my friends so much. Together, they make the best group of people I know, and I am incredibly lucky to get to call them my best friends.
Well, honestly, my best friend is Shannon. But considering the fact that I'm sure you're all fed-up with reading about her, I'll refrain.
I don't really have a best friend because it's more of a best friends.
Ryan Todd, Zorah Oppenheimer, Erik Larson, and Shannon Lord are my best friends. We've formed this crazy eclectic mix of personalities and and interests and passions, yet we are all so similar at the same time. That's really why we are what we are. Ryan is incredibly intelligent and has this ability to concentrate on something so well. I think I speak for all of us when I say that I admire him. Zorah has an amazing heart and love for animals that surpasses my own (which I never thought possible) and it's so beautiful to see how much she cares. She has an insane amount of knowledge that I would never be able to amass. Erik is a genius. He just figures things out so easily, but above that, he has this amazing ability to empathize with and understand anything you're dealing with. I feel like I can talk to him about anything. Shannon is a person that can be anything I need her to be. When I need someone to sit with quietly, she's there. When I need someone to call me on my bull and get harsh, she's there. When I need someone to hold me, she's there. When I need someone to be just as angry as I am about the absurd crap that happens in this world, she is certainly there.
I love my friends so much. Together, they make the best group of people I know, and I am incredibly lucky to get to call them my best friends.
Day 6
Your Day
Again, this'll be tricky because I'm trying to recall the 6th, which was Monday.
I woke up at 12:40pm which was very odd for me. I normally wake up at 7:30 or 8:00 every morning without an alarm clock, completely fine. But this one day, I slept in until almost 1. It was crazy. I woke up several times during the morning, but I couldn't stay awake. When I finally woke up, I tried to keep working on a paper I'd started the day before. I did get a little more written, but I'm still not done with it. I think the day was pretty chill. I went for a walk, I remember that. I needed some air. I cleaned my room and the "living room" and did dishes. I read a little outside, I'm working on Into the Wild right now. The day was nice and shiny.
I watched an episode of Glee (I'm sorry, I tried to stay away but I'm now hooked) and fell asleep right after.
Pretty boring, I know, but I'm on Spring Break. I deserve a little respite.
Again, this'll be tricky because I'm trying to recall the 6th, which was Monday.
I woke up at 12:40pm which was very odd for me. I normally wake up at 7:30 or 8:00 every morning without an alarm clock, completely fine. But this one day, I slept in until almost 1. It was crazy. I woke up several times during the morning, but I couldn't stay awake. When I finally woke up, I tried to keep working on a paper I'd started the day before. I did get a little more written, but I'm still not done with it. I think the day was pretty chill. I went for a walk, I remember that. I needed some air. I cleaned my room and the "living room" and did dishes. I read a little outside, I'm working on Into the Wild right now. The day was nice and shiny.
I watched an episode of Glee (I'm sorry, I tried to stay away but I'm now hooked) and fell asleep right after.
Pretty boring, I know, but I'm on Spring Break. I deserve a little respite.
Day 5
Your Definition of Love
Love is patient, love is kind...
Finally, a Bible verse I can 100% agree with.
I think Love is a lot of things. You can't really define and, and when you try, I think it loses that little... je ne sais quoi. Using words to define love is like trying to fit the whole ocean into a tupperware container. It's not going to happen. Love is big and passionate, and sometimes not. Love is irrational and scared, and sometimes not. Love is always here. Love is painful and it's the most exquisite kind of pleasure. It's entirely unconditional and it will still be there after you've punched it in the face. It's silly and stupid and makes you giggle at really inappropriate times. It shows you how awesome you are in the least conceited way possible. It's that feeling that enables you to lift a car off of a baby... or whatever. Love knows how to fit into any place it's needed, no matter how small or abstract.
Love is the most wonderfully worth it risk in the world and I am insanely happy for closing my eyes and taking that leap. It continues to pay off big time.
Love is patient, love is kind...
Finally, a Bible verse I can 100% agree with.
I think Love is a lot of things. You can't really define and, and when you try, I think it loses that little... je ne sais quoi. Using words to define love is like trying to fit the whole ocean into a tupperware container. It's not going to happen. Love is big and passionate, and sometimes not. Love is irrational and scared, and sometimes not. Love is always here. Love is painful and it's the most exquisite kind of pleasure. It's entirely unconditional and it will still be there after you've punched it in the face. It's silly and stupid and makes you giggle at really inappropriate times. It shows you how awesome you are in the least conceited way possible. It's that feeling that enables you to lift a car off of a baby... or whatever. Love knows how to fit into any place it's needed, no matter how small or abstract.
Love is the most wonderfully worth it risk in the world and I am insanely happy for closing my eyes and taking that leap. It continues to pay off big time.
Day 4
What You Ate Today
Okay, so this one is tricky, because it's supposed to be for September 4th, but I will do my best to remember.
Breakfast - Two egg omelet with cheese and maybe ham. Sliced apple. Rooibos.
Lunch - Mashed potatoes with a dash of salt and some butter. Mmm.
Snack - Sliced apple (I love me some apples).
Dinner - Ground beef, beans, Spanish rice, guacamole, Pico de Gallo, and tortillas, almost all of which was homemade by the wonderful Stephanie Correa. It was amazing!
Okay, so this one is tricky, because it's supposed to be for September 4th, but I will do my best to remember.
Breakfast - Two egg omelet with cheese and maybe ham. Sliced apple. Rooibos.
Lunch - Mashed potatoes with a dash of salt and some butter. Mmm.
Snack - Sliced apple (I love me some apples).
Dinner - Ground beef, beans, Spanish rice, guacamole, Pico de Gallo, and tortillas, almost all of which was homemade by the wonderful Stephanie Correa. It was amazing!
Day 3
Your Parents
Ahh, my parents.
My parents haven't been together since I was about 2 or 3, and for good reason. They don't belong together. I don't know if they ever really did, but I can't complain too much since they brought about my existence. I suppose it makes much more sense to talk about them separately then.
My mom works so hard to make life easier for people. We didn't have much growing up and still, she worked jobs that made her put in 16 hour days just to feed us. She struggled with a lot of stuff of her own, and we had a lot of ups and downs, but she made it all work. I love my mom so much. She may not be the best cook, or do my laundry or know all of my friends' names or that fact that in Southern Hemisphere is currently in Spring, but she knew how to survive and how to help her children survive and that's all you can ask for. She invented games and sang me to sleep and played the part of my cheerleader better than anyone. I love you, Mom.
Now, Michelle. Michelle works her butt off, too. She has a whole crap load of struggles and things to deal with that the majority of the world will never ever have to worry about. Most of us were born into whatever gender we are and never once thought that maybe it wasn't right. That maybe someone made a mistake. We take that completely for granted. My dad doesn't get that same opportunity. She had to fight against a society that still, to this day, tells her she's wrong. She's evil. She's second class. But she's not. Not in the slightest. What kind of evil, second class parent would wake up at 7am and drive 3 hours to go get some bockwurst and have an awesome day with her daughter? What kind of evil, second class parent would take you to the lazarium three weekends in a row to see the same show just because you thought it was awesome. What kind of evil, second class parent would do nothing but support you when you were struggling through the sometimes horrifying process of coming out? Can't think of any? Me either.
Ahh, my parents.
My parents haven't been together since I was about 2 or 3, and for good reason. They don't belong together. I don't know if they ever really did, but I can't complain too much since they brought about my existence. I suppose it makes much more sense to talk about them separately then.
My mom works so hard to make life easier for people. We didn't have much growing up and still, she worked jobs that made her put in 16 hour days just to feed us. She struggled with a lot of stuff of her own, and we had a lot of ups and downs, but she made it all work. I love my mom so much. She may not be the best cook, or do my laundry or know all of my friends' names or that fact that in Southern Hemisphere is currently in Spring, but she knew how to survive and how to help her children survive and that's all you can ask for. She invented games and sang me to sleep and played the part of my cheerleader better than anyone. I love you, Mom.
Now, Michelle. Michelle works her butt off, too. She has a whole crap load of struggles and things to deal with that the majority of the world will never ever have to worry about. Most of us were born into whatever gender we are and never once thought that maybe it wasn't right. That maybe someone made a mistake. We take that completely for granted. My dad doesn't get that same opportunity. She had to fight against a society that still, to this day, tells her she's wrong. She's evil. She's second class. But she's not. Not in the slightest. What kind of evil, second class parent would wake up at 7am and drive 3 hours to go get some bockwurst and have an awesome day with her daughter? What kind of evil, second class parent would take you to the lazarium three weekends in a row to see the same show just because you thought it was awesome. What kind of evil, second class parent would do nothing but support you when you were struggling through the sometimes horrifying process of coming out? Can't think of any? Me either.
Day 2
Your First Love
I'd like to say Thomas whatshisface from second grade, but seriously? I didn't even have all my adult teeth yet.
Love is so fickle. It's easy to think you're in love when you don't really know what it is. Every teenager has had that moment where you cry and cry because the love of your life broke your heart only to find out it wasn't even close to love.
I was somewhat of an "I love you" tramp when I was younger. It was more of a question than a statement though. I'd say it to see if I'd hear it in return, but that wasn't love. I had no idea what love even was. I do now though.
As cheesy as it is, my first love is the woman I'm going to marry. She taught me that truly loving someone else can only come after truly loving myself. And now that I do, I can honestly say that I truly love her.
So Shannon Ruth Lord, you are my first (and only) love.
I'd like to say Thomas whatshisface from second grade, but seriously? I didn't even have all my adult teeth yet.
Love is so fickle. It's easy to think you're in love when you don't really know what it is. Every teenager has had that moment where you cry and cry because the love of your life broke your heart only to find out it wasn't even close to love.
I was somewhat of an "I love you" tramp when I was younger. It was more of a question than a statement though. I'd say it to see if I'd hear it in return, but that wasn't love. I had no idea what love even was. I do now though.
As cheesy as it is, my first love is the woman I'm going to marry. She taught me that truly loving someone else can only come after truly loving myself. And now that I do, I can honestly say that I truly love her.
So Shannon Ruth Lord, you are my first (and only) love.
Day 1
Introduce yourself.
Hello, I'm Sam. Samantha. Some people here give me funny looks when I say Sam because apparently it's more strictly a boys name only. I'm the kind of person who 90% doesn't give a crap about what you think of me and 10% desperately does. I have strong opinions and I'm not afraid to share them, and if you've spent any amount of time with me, you probably already know that.
I'm going to change the world in my own little way. That's what matters to me. Teaching high school English wasn't necessarily always my dream, but being involved with people who really need someone was, and I think that teaching is a good way for me to do that.
I hate seafood, but I love TV. I am getting a little rusty, but a few people still call me a walking IMDB. I'm terrified of having short hair and a little intrigued at the same time. I'm engaged to my favorite person in the world and I cannot wait to start a crazy little family and leave my mark on the planet with her. She's my best friend, my equal, my muse, my favorite thing to fall asleep to and my Love.
I've never had a habit of taking the easy road, and though I sometimes want to, I find that life has been much more colorful and exciting living on the path of most resistance. Might as well live it up while I'm here.
Hello, I'm Sam. Samantha. Some people here give me funny looks when I say Sam because apparently it's more strictly a boys name only. I'm the kind of person who 90% doesn't give a crap about what you think of me and 10% desperately does. I have strong opinions and I'm not afraid to share them, and if you've spent any amount of time with me, you probably already know that.
I'm going to change the world in my own little way. That's what matters to me. Teaching high school English wasn't necessarily always my dream, but being involved with people who really need someone was, and I think that teaching is a good way for me to do that.
I hate seafood, but I love TV. I am getting a little rusty, but a few people still call me a walking IMDB. I'm terrified of having short hair and a little intrigued at the same time. I'm engaged to my favorite person in the world and I cannot wait to start a crazy little family and leave my mark on the planet with her. She's my best friend, my equal, my muse, my favorite thing to fall asleep to and my Love.
I've never had a habit of taking the easy road, and though I sometimes want to, I find that life has been much more colorful and exciting living on the path of most resistance. Might as well live it up while I'm here.
30 Days
So, two of my friends here in Stellenbosch, Stephanie and Jenna, have convinced me to do this thirty days blog with them. Each day is a new prompt, and since it's the 8th of the month, I'm going to have to catch up to them and post the first 8 today. I'll respond to the prompt of the day every day, so stay tuned...
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