Britt Britt's Engaged

Yesterday Kyle proposed to my little Britt Britt! :) He told me friday that he was going to do it and showed me the ring he got. I guess other than his mom and Britt's dad, I was the only other one that knew. Means alot that he decided to share the event with me! Kyle took Britt for her birthday to the Hobo Inn up on Mt Rainer and popped the question yesterday night (Nov 12th). It's no surprise that she said yes but it's exciting all the same. Britt is already starting to think about plans so who knows what the future holds from now until the wedding. Carrie and I are the maid of honors to be.....crazy to think about! Time flies!

So it's been awhile....part of that is to blame on my computers. If I have never made this clear I will do so now, I hate technology! My desktop that has sereved me well since starting college is officially fried. Thank goodness Kyle was able to save my hard drive and put it into my parent's old computer. Now I have their dumb computer that is slower than anything and lacks Microsoft Word. When you are applying to 10-20 jobs per week, Word is essential. My backup computer is my dad's old laptop which is equally as slow, any again lacks Word. My goal is to get a new comp soon so hopefully I'll be back on the map sooner than later.

Wedding season is wrapping up, and this year was a doozey! Emily and Steven got hitched and we all balled our eyes out! Good news is that they are postponing moving to Texas so we don't have to say goodbye to them quite yet! Jenna and Reyna also got married a few weeks ago. It was beautiful and it was great to see them finally get to become an old married couple. With all the wedding fever, Eric and I have been considering eloping but I'm not sure he's ready to commit yet! :)

I'd like to know where summer is! It's the end of July and it's still raining like it was in April. There's been only a handful of nice days, and I haven't been able to any of the usual summer funs like Ruston, the cabin, etc. I am worried that this weather shift is more permanent than just a fluke year.....but I'll keep my fingers crossed that the years to come are better.

Must Reads

Book Lists
Subjects:
-Nuremberg Trials
-WWII
-NATO strikes into Kosovo and Serbia/President Milosevic
-Alchemists
-Mary Sutter
-Sjogren's Disease
-Prosopagnosa
-Cleopatra
-Robert Hansen; cerial killer
-Elie Wiesel
-Chevy Chase
-Mother Teresa
-Gandhi
-Liu Xiaobo
-Politics in Burma and Guinea
-Jawaharlal Nehru
-Bipolar II

Fiction
Atwood: "Jambo Mama"
Balcita, Angela: "Moonface"
Campbell, Bonnie: "Once Upon a River"
Clark, Mary Higgins: "Where are the Children?"
Clark, Mary Higgins: "Loves Dancing, Loves to Sing"
Clinch, John: "Kings of the Earth"
Clinch, John: "Finn"
Culkin, J: “The Final Arc if Sky"
Dinesen: "Out of Africa"
Edwards, Kim: "The Memory Keeper's Daughter"
Fabiano, Laurie: "Elizabeth Street"
Falanga, Diane: "P.S.-I Hate It Here!"
Fossum, Karin: "Black Seconds"
Hammond, Diane: "Hannah's Dream"
Harkness, Deborah: “A Discovery of Witches”
Hoffman, Alice: "The Red Garden"
Kingsolver, Barbara: "Poisonwood Bible"
Kristof & WuDunn: "Half the Sky"
Lamoore, Lou: "The Last of the Breed"
Larson, Stieg: "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoos
Mortenson, Greg: "Stones into Schools"
Mukherjee: "The Emperor of all Maladies"
Oliveira, Robin: "My Name is Mary Sutter"
Parkhurst, Carolyn: "The Nobodies Album"
Patchett, Ann: "State of Wonder"
Paton, Alan: "Cry the Beloved Country"
Picoult, Jodi: “Sing You Home”
Schaffert, Timothy: “The Coffins of Little Hope”
Sparks, Nicholas: "A Bend in the Road"
Speare, Elizabeth George: "The Witch of Blackbird Pond"
Sternbach, Claudia: “Reading Lips”
Stevenson, Robert Lewis: "Treasure Island"
Styron: "Visible Darkness"
Vonnecut, Kurt: "Slaughterhouse"
Vonnecut, Kurt: "Cats Cradle"
Watson, Christie: "Tiny Sun Birds, Far Away"
Woolf, Virginia: "Mrs. Dalloway"
"Journey to Yesterday"

Non-Fiction:
Akpan, Uwem: "Say You're One of Them"
Barash, David P: "Approaches to Peace"
Cox, Harvey: "On Not Leaving It to the Snake"
De Brouwer, Anne-Marie, Sandra Ka Hon Chu, and Samer Muscati: "The Men Who Killed Me"
Dobkowski, Michael N. & Wallimann, Isidor: "On the Edge of Scarcity: Environment, Resources, Population, Sustainability, and Conflict"
Edgerton: "Africa's Armies"
Ehrlich, Paul: "The Population Bomb"
Emerson, Ralph Waldo: "Nature and Selected Essays"
French, Howard: "A Continent for the Taking"
Frey, James: "A Million Little Pieces"
Friedmann & Jacobson: "I Will Still be Moved"
Fuller: "Scribbling the Cat"
Goodwin, P: "Mukiwa" or " When a Crocodile Eats the Sun"
Gregorio: "Days or Atonement"
Hillenbrand, Laura: "Unbroken"
Homer-Dixon, Thomas: "Ecoviolence"
Klare, Michael T: "Resource Wars: The New Landscape of Global Conflict"
Lewis Beverly: "The Shunning"
Malan: "My Traitor's Heart"
Mealer: "All Things Must Fight to Live"
Meldrum, A: "Where We Have Hope"
Mandela, Nelson: "In His Own Words"
Mandela, Nelson: "Conversations With Myself"
Mandela, Nelson: "Mandela: An Illustrated Autobiography"
Pollan, Michael: "The Omnivore's Dilemma"
Sampson, Anthony: "Mandela: The Authorized Biography"
Teague, Don & Barrak, Rafraf: "Saved by Her Enemy" Barrak
Tolle, Eckhart: "The Power of Now"
Tuhabony, G:"The Voice in my Heart"
Tutu, Desmond: "Made for Goodness: And Why This Makes All the Difference"
Tutu, Desmond: “The Rainbow People of God"

-Check out books by William Faulkner and John Steinbeck
-Oprah's Book Club

Movies:
-Murder By Numbers
-Blue Valentine
-Little Fockers
-The Next Three Days
-Conviction
-Tiny Furniture
-Inside Job
-Rent Buried
-The Fugitive
-Easy A
-The Hours
-A Beautiful Mind*
-Hang Over Part 2
-Midnight in Paris
-Something Borrowed
-Kung Fu Panda 2
-Rio
-Horrible Bosses
-The Help
-Pirates of the Caribbean 4
-Limitless
-King's Speech
-No woman, No cry
-Father of the Bride
-Insidious
-Life in a Day (documentary)
-The Frozen Ground
-Machine Gun Preacher

Grandma and Grandpa's Love Story

It was just a regular visit but today I learned exactly how grandma and grandpa met and feel in love. Grandpa explained that WWII ended in Aug and he returned home from the war of Dec 7th, 1945 (Pearl Harbor Day). We he got off back to Yakima that day, his sister explained that she planned for them to go to the "Pearl Harbor Dance" and the armory that evening. Grandpa reluctantly agreed to go so his sis only found it fitting that he have a date! On their walk home, my grandpa and crew passed my grandma who was standing waiting for the bus. Being a friend of grandpa's sister, grandma was a perfect fit so grandpa asked her to accompany him on the outing. it was history after that! Grandma explained that he proposed about a year and a half later. The two of them always went out on Saturday nights, so one evening as they were heading out grandma asked grandpa to help her by carrying a package for her. Grandpa responded that he'd carry it for her as long as she carried the tiny box he had for her! :) There was no drop to one knee but grandma must have gotten the clue!

Original Date Feb. 5th, 2010 10:27 pm How Grandma and Grandpa Met

High School Football Memory

I'm exhausted but I'm so pumped right now that I have to say how my night was today!!! Meg, Brittany, Carrie, and I all drove down to the Snohomish vs Oak Harbor game at our school! We got there early to try and help convince kids to sing kareokee to raise money for spanish club which was soooo funny. We'd go after the young and confused freshamn walking around and put them in the position where they couldn't say no! Then the game started with the traditional cannon explosion that scared the crap out of me! The stands were packed so we all had to fight for our spot and we were all smashed side ways up against each other screaming our heads off. It's completely different when you're a senior. The dumb cheers are much more entertaining so we dance and shake your asses while the dressing up and craziness suddenly makes sense. Brittany and I got in to a war trying to push each other off the beach and she won pushing me into the back of Nate and causing the domino effect down the aisle. That was just the blechers!!!

The game started off with Snohomish up 14:0 after we got two awesome touchdowns! Then Oak Harbor scored and were up and then we were up again. Kept everyone on their toes and we were all so pumped. End of the game....3 minutes to go. Score 28:35 Oak Harbors ahead but snohomish ball on the 40 and all we need is a touchdown to tie! 1st down.... no good. 2nd down....even worse. 3rd down...we get nowhere! So we're forced to punt it with only 2:30 left. Oak Harbor has the ball and we're all soo bummed since it's not looking good until.....THEY FUMBLE!!! SNOHOMISH FOOTBALL!!!! 30 yard line with 1:50 left in the game. The ball is hiked, Roland catchs the ball, long throw to Darling in the endzone, and TOUCHDOWN We couldn't belive it. We were all screaming and chanting and singing the fight song. 34:35 now with Benji ready to kick the extra point to tie. It's up and......NO GOOD!!!!!!! Can you belive it? That's right no good. Our stupid blockers suck and oak harbor blocked the kick with 30 secs left! So that was the game. We lost when we were that close to overtime and a possible victory. I'm bummed but at the same time it was an awesome game. Those are the ones you remember and my friends and I all had soooo much fun.

When the game let out it's was so crowded Carrie and I got separated for Brittany and Meg but we knew just to meet them at the car. All of a sudden I remembered that Brittany had put her car keys in my purse so Carrie and I could get in the car and leave if we got there first! So carrie and I put up our hood and took off running across the parking lot beating the other girls there by a mile. Well Carrie and I got the keys and locked ourselves in, hinding in the back truck from them! You could hear Brittany and Meg outside wondering where we were and they were angry we had the keys! They eventually saw us though but it got our spirits up after losing the game. We drove home laughing and singing to Oldies having the best time ever! It was an awesome night and I can't wait till next week!

Original Date Oct. 6th, 2009 08:02 pm Old Memory

Osama Bin Laden is no more....

Tonight the world heard that Osama Bin Laden had been killed. Ten years of hunting and they got him. I figure that like the Royal Wedding (which also happened this week), this is an event that people will remember and was worth documenting. Below is President Obama's formal address that I orginally watched on my couch after receiving a text just time informing me of the news.

A part of me is glad that Bin Laden is justgone and dead, but another part of me wanted them to catch him alive. Not to torture him later, but because maybe we could have gotten some answers. Understood why he hated all that he did and why he was determined to cause so much destruction. Maybe we could have learned from him how to avoid people growing up to be terrorists. What in his life lead to him justifying the killing of thousands? he coudln't have been born evil right? I wanted them to get him alive but that's not the case. I hope that his death weakens Al Qaeda and there's no retailiation however only time with tell.


I have been thinking about why I don't really agree with killing anyone; even the worse of the worse. When we kill someone, like Bin Laden, we had to justify that their existence poses a significant threat and we're better off with them dead. We make the target into a bad guy but in a sense aren't we just doing exactly what the opposition is doing to us? Bin Laden had his reasons that justified the killing he completed. He believed that the terror he unleashed was the necessary thing to do just like we felt the necessary thing to do was to kill him. How are we any better that the opposition? We do the same thing just with different justifications.  How do we know that we are the good guy every time?

I just don't buy the "eye for an eye" mentality. Where does that get you? Temporary satisfaction perhaps that your loved one's lost life is avenged but eventually one has to realize that the death of the perpetrator still can't bring back the loss. To quote a 9-11 victim's family member, "psychologically, it's a sense of vindication, but the reality is it changes nothing." Kill someone doesn't fill the void. I believe that forgiveness does. People need to be held accountable for their actions but how can they do that if we label them as monsters. That's my two cents for now....below is Obama's announcement on Bin Laden's death:

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Good evening. Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who's responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children.

It was nearly 10 years ago that a bright September day was darkened by the worst attack on the American people in our history. The images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory -- hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless September sky; the Twin Towers collapsing to the ground; black smoke billowing up from the Pentagon; the wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the actions of heroic citizens saved even more heartbreak and destruction.

And yet we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to the world. The empty seat at the dinner table. Children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father. Parents who would never know the feeling of their child's embrace. Nearly 3,000 citizens taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts.

On September 11, 2001, in our time of grief, the American people came together. We offered our neighbors a hand, and we offered the wounded our blood. We reaffirmed our ties to each other, and our love of community and country. On that day, no matter where we came from, what God we prayed to, or what race or ethnicity we were, we were united as one American family.

We were also united in our resolve to protect our nation and to bring those who committed this vicious attack to justice. We quickly learned that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by al Qaeda -- an organization headed by Osama bin Laden, which had openly declared war on the United States and was committed to killing innocents in our country and around the globe. And so we went to war against al Qaeda to protect our citizens, our friends, and our allies.

Over the last 10 years, thanks to the tireless and heroic work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals, we've made great strides in that effort. We've disrupted terrorist attacks and strengthened our homeland defense. In Afghanistan, we removed the Taliban government, which had given bin Laden and al Qaeda safe haven and support. And around the globe, we worked with our friends and allies to capture or kill scores of al Qaeda terrorists, including several who were a part of the 9/11 plot.

Yet Osama bin Laden avoided capture and escaped across the Afghan border into Pakistan. Meanwhile, al Qaeda continued to operate from along that border and operate through its affiliates across the world.

And so shortly after taking office, I directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority of our war against al Qaeda, even as we continued our broader efforts to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat his network.

Then, last August, after years of painstaking work by our intelligence community, I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden. It was far from certain, and it took many months to run this thread to ground. I met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed more information about the possibility that we had located bin Laden hiding within a compound deep inside of Pakistan. And finally, last week, I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action, and authorized an operation to get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice.

Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body.

For over two decades, bin Laden has been al Qaeda's leader and symbol, and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies. The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation's effort to defeat al Qaeda.

Yet his death does not mark the end of our effort. There's no doubt that al Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must -- and we will -- remain vigilant at home and abroad.

As we do, we must also reaffirm that the United States is not -- and never will be -- at war with Islam. I've made clear, just as President Bush did shortly after 9/11, that our war is not against Islam. Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, al Qaeda has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own. So his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity.

Over the years, I've repeatedly made clear that we would take action within Pakistan if we knew where bin Laden was. That is what we've done. But it's important to note that our counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped lead us to bin Laden and the compound where he was hiding. Indeed, bin Laden had declared war against Pakistan as well, and ordered attacks against the Pakistani people.

Tonight, I called President Zardari, and my team has also spoken with their Pakistani counterparts. They agree that this is a good and historic day for both of our nations. And going forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue to join us in the fight against al Qaeda and its affiliates.

The American people did not choose this fight. It came to our shores, and started with the senseless slaughter of our citizens. After nearly 10 years of service, struggle, and sacrifice, we know well the costs of war. These efforts weigh on me every time I, as Commander-in-Chief, have to sign a letter to a family that has lost a loved one, or look into the eyes of a service member who's been gravely wounded.

So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when our people have been killed. We will be relentless in defense of our citizens and our friends and allies. We will be true to the values that make us who we are. And on nights like this one, we can say to those families who have lost loved ones to al Qaeda's terror: Justice has been done.

Tonight, we give thanks to the countless intelligence and counterterrorism professionals who've worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome. The American people do not see their work, nor know their names. But tonight, they feel the satisfaction of their work and the result of their pursuit of justice.

We give thanks for the men who carried out this operation, for they exemplify the professionalism, patriotism, and unparalleled courage of those who serve our country. And they are part of a generation that has borne the heaviest share of the burden since that September day.

Finally, let me say to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 that we have never forgotten your loss, nor wavered in our commitment to see that we do whatever it takes to prevent another attack on our shores.

And tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11. I know that it has, at times, frayed. Yet today's achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people.

The cause of securing our country is not complete. But tonight, we are once again reminded that America can do whatever we set our mind to. That is the story of our history, whether it's the pursuit of prosperity for our people, or the struggle for equality for all our citizens; our commitment to stand up for our values abroad, and our sacrifices to make the world a safer place.

Let us remember that we can do these things not just because of wealth or power, but because of who we are: one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. May God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.

My Angel Story

I had forgotten this story and I can honestly say that when I remembered it today at work, I was thoroughly embarassed that I had. The following events were so influencial in my life and who I am today that a moment should never go by where I don't appreciate them. Unfortunately such is life. I have decided to blog it though so hopefully my experience will be with me always from now on. Here it goes:

God sent me an angel. I believe it with all of my heart.

I was upset. Stressed and frustrated with life and myself. I felt a holexisted and I kept trying to fill it but nothing I went after filled the gap. So I prayed. I prayed harder than I think I ever have. I asked that God show me what it was I was suppose to find. I asked God to remove all my doubt in Him and that he show me what I was looking for.

I forgot about it. I'll be honest. The moment passed. I was still in a crabby mood but in general I went to class and pushed forward. I forgot what I had asked until later that night. One of my lovely friends, Miss Jessica Dottl, dropped by my room and invited me to Ignite. I used the I have homework excuse to get myself out of it but a few minutes later she came back and said "I know you're suppose to go. That might sound weird but I know it'll make you feel better." So I changed my mind. I went to Ignite. Sat in the back nothing to fabulous until the guest speaker started to pray.

He prayed everything that was on my mind. He prayed about confusion and wanting to find the right path. He prayed for guidance. He repented his sins and lack of loyalty. His story matched mine and I broke down. It was a good experience but before you knew it, time was up.
The speaker dismissed us but said that those who wanted to stay and pray could. Normally I would have booked it. I am not comfortable throwing my hands up in the air to pray Jesus. I am actually often quite skeptical of those who are so outwardly expressive of their interaction with God. But for whatever reason, I was ready. I felt it. Everything was calm and peaceful and I knew that I would be ok going to the front to pray with those I had never met.

So I prayed. Jessica by my side. I poured my heart out as I had done before. I prayed for guidance and for that hole to finally be filled. Once they were finished praying, Jess looked at me and asked if I was ready to go. I agreed so she offered to run to our original seats and grab our stuff as I waited up front.

Before Jess came back, my angel showed up. She introduced her. Told me that she lived in the local area. I asked if she came to Ignite very often and she told me no. She told me that for just some reason tonight she just knew she had to go. She explained that she knew God wanted her to be here to guide someone. She didn't know who until she saw me across the room. When she did she said she just knew that she was suppose to pray for me.

So she asked if it would be okay to pray with me. Honestly, I thought she was a little loopy but I couldn't object so I took her hand and she began to pray.

This woman, that I have never met before, prayed my prayer almost work for word. The prayer that I prayed to God while standing in the front flowed out of her mouth like she was reading from a script. She answered my question. She said "you have been trying to fill the hole with frivilous things. God has been waiting for you to see Him as the plug rather than the person who will sell you the solution."

She was my angel. I asked for God to send me someone and He did. He loves me so much that He listened, and was patient, and sent me my angel.I left that night and I just felt different. I knew I had found Him. I found God and I realized that He had been sitting there the whole time waiting for me.

Since then I have ventured off the path. Lost sight of what's really important. When I'm stressed my emotions get the best of me. However for the most part I am at peace. I have found myself through finding God. I have let go of the bitterness and resentment I was carrying. I have gain a newfound courage to face my unrational fears. I am happy despite hardship.

I was skeptical and still find myself questioning if everything was only a mere coincidence....

HOWEVER THERE IS MORE TO MY STORY:

A few months after my "Jesus Moment," as I sometimes call it, I was upset about who knows what. I can't remember....anywoo, I started talking to God and expressing my doubt and anger. Asking question about the world, life, injustice, etc. I fired up. Once I simmered a bit and got my two cents out, I prayed that God remove that type of doubt from my head. I asked that He send me guidence.

I started back on my homework. About 10 minutes after my rant, there's a knock on the door. Expecting it to be Tyler or another usual face, I yelled "It's open." The door cracked open and a woman poked in her head. It took me a second to recognizer her, but it was my angel!

She explained that she had come back to Ignite the week following our first meeting, and when she didn't see me there, it confirmed to her that she was ment to meet me that first night, deliver God's message, and not see me again. However, early that day she said that she felt compelled to write me a letter and bring it to me.

She said she didn't think much of it. She just knew she was suppose to check in on me and make sure I was doing okay. Following the straight and narrow. She handed me an envelop and explained that she couldn't stay because her ride was waiting out by the parking lot. Before I knew it she was gone. I have no idea how she found me. I have thought of all the possibilities but have never truly figured it out.

I sat down that night and opened my envelop from her. It was very personal and something that I have chosen to keep close to myself however I will sat that it answered my prayers and provided me the guidance I was looking for.
I don't know if I'll ever see my angel again. Either way though, I know that the "big guy upstairs" is watching out for me.

Original Date: Aug. 6th, 2008 03:48 pm

My Little Crack...

Cracked.
That's what happened to my little heart.
Nursing has taught me that it's not physically possible for ones heart to break,
However the crack is there despite the arguments of medical technology.
I feel it.

More and more bridges are built each day,
through each new risk and experience.
The crevice is beginning to become more concealed,
less prominent as the the gaps move closer together.
The terrifying expanse grows less fearful with every beat.
Yet its still there.

It's a part of me now.
Apart of my internal architecture.
I am not sad or bitter its there.
I look at it as a landmark.
One that is unique and tells a story.

My heart has a crack,
But I'm glad its there.

Original Date: Aug. 5th, 2008 11:26 am

Opinions

What is one's true intent when they ask for another's opinion. Do they merely want to share their experience and dilemma but to be polite ask for an opinion that they really don't care to hear? Do people genuinely want another's advise to help them figure out the situation? Does the individual want someone else to make the difficult decision for them?

I don't really know why I'm asking these things. I pal of mine always asks for my opinion however she never sides with it or takes my advice, which I personally feel would have avoided a good amount of the drama and stress she puts herself through. Finally, tried of voicing an opinion that is rarely appreciated, when my friend asked for my advise I told her that I didn't want to voice it because there was no chance she'd listen anyway. Then she said something that got me thinking. "I ask for your opinion, and appreciate it, but in no way do I have to accept it. I ask for your two cents because it shows me a different perspective but I don't side with it alot of the time. It's valuable but in a different way than you see it. I see your opinion as the opposition so by asking you, I see how the other side thinks."

Its an odd concept to try and rap my mind around. It's difficult for me to accept that people won't do exactly what I suggest. The idea that people think and act differently. My way isn't the only or right way for other people. I don't know if you'd call me egocentric or something else however I'd like to work on it. I want to be ok voicing my opinion and having someone say, "thanks but that's not for me." I want to be able to state my view and leave it at that. Stop trying to convince and sell it to the person. Accept that people are intelligent people and that they will make their own decisions and their own mistakes. Let them pick their own path and don't berate them if had they followed your advise they could have avoided the problem. Thoughts. Thoughts.

Original Date: Aug. 5th, 2008 09:15 am

Genetics

Family. The people you are willing to put before yourself and who's side you will stand by no matter what. We let our family treat us worse than we would ever put up with from a good friend and make excuses for their faults that we otherwise would never let ourselves be around. And why do we do this? Something as simple as blood? Because my sister and I share pieces of the same DNA we share a bond. Because of we share parents, we are stuck together for life. Basic concepts however the other day I was just thinking, if there wasn't the blood and DNA holding family ties, would I ever stick around for those people I call family?

When did DNA gain the strength that it did? Is it a gift form God or created by society? My sister can call me more things than any other person on this planet but I love her more than anyone else. Parents put up there kids crap that they won't take from anyone else. Why? Is it because society teaches us that you have to care for your blood lines or is it more biological. Other animals give birth and leave their young on their own while others care for their babies for longer periods of time. Why is that? I don't think I'll ever really know this question until the day I can ask God in Heaven (assuming He let's me in). The concept intrigues me though. Family lines that the idea that we live through our children. Perhaps that's why we care for them as we do. To pass on our genes in the biological sense. Or perhaps it's rather we are following societal values and morals that tell us it's the right thing to do. Who knows.

Original Date Jul. 15th, 2008 10:54 am

Un-Answerable Questions

The question that started it all......
Is the Hokie-pokie really what it's all about?? -Sarah Roy

And the questions that followed....
How come we choose from just two people for President and fifty for Miss America?
When does it stop being partly cloudy and start being partly sunny?
In the song Yankee Doodle, is he calling the horse or the feather "macaroni"?
Is there a time limit on fortune cookie predictions?
Do they have the word "dictionary" in the dictionary?
Why is it that on a phone or calculator the number five has a little dot on it?
Can crop circles be square?
If ghosts can walk through walls and glide down stairs, why don't they fall through the floor?
Can you cry under water?
How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?
If money doesn't grow on trees then why do banks have branches?
Why is it that people say they "slept like a baby" when babies wake up like every two hours?
Why are you IN a movie, but you are ON TV?
Can animals commit suicide?
What do you do when you see an endangered animal that is eating an endangered plant?
If laughter is the best medicine, who's the idiot who said they 'died laughing'?
Why are the little styrofoam pieces called peanuts?
Why does the Easter bunny carry eggs? Rabbits don't lay eggs.
Do siamese twins pay for one ticket or two tickets when they go to movies and concerts?
Why does caregiver and caretaker mean the same thing?
Do prison buses have emergency exits?
If a guy that was about to die in the electric chair had a heart attack should they save him?
Why are there interstate highways in Hawaii?
If a stripper gets breast implants can she write it off on her taxes as a business expense?
Do the minutes on the movie boxes include the previews, credits, and special features, or just the movie itself?
Is there ever a day that mattresses are not on sale?
Why do we put suits in a garment bag and put garments in a suitcase?
If Mars had earthquakes would they be called marsquakes?
Why is it called a funny bone, when if you hit it, it's not funny at all?
Do Chinese people get English sayings tattooed on their bodies?
If you died with braces on would they take them off?
How do you handcuff a one-armed man?
If the FBI breaks your door down do they have to pay for it?
Do the security guards at airports have to go through airport security when they get to work?
Are children who act in rated 'R' movies allowed to see them?
What would happen to the sea's water level if every boat in the World was taken out of the water at the same time?
How much deeper would the ocean be if sponges didn't grow in it?
Why are dogs noses always wet?
If a bee is allergic to pollen would it get the hives?
Why do people say "heads up" when you should duck?
Why does a round pizza come in a square box?
Do bald people get Dandruff?
Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?
Why Does Pluto Live in a dog house, eat dog food, etc. but Goofy, who is also a dog, lives in a condo and drives a car?
Are children who use sign language allowed to talk with their mouth full?
When a pregnant lady has twins, is there 1 or 2 umbilical cords?
Why do they put holes in crackers?
What do people in China call their good plates?
Why do they say a football team is the 'world champion' when they don't play anybody outside the US?
If you put a chameleon in a room full of mirrors, what color would it turn?
How old are you before it can be said you died of old age?
If people with one arm go to get their nails done, do they pay half price?
Can a hearse carrying a corpse drive in the carpool lane?
Why do they call it "getting your dog fixed" if afterwards it doesn't work anymore?
What do you call male ballerinas?
Why are the numbers on a calculator and a phone reversed?
Does the postman deliver his own mail?
Why are women and men's shoe sizes different?
Is "vice-versa" to a dyslexic just plain redundant?
Why do we say we're head over heels when we're happy? Isn't that the way we normally are?
If prunes are dehydrated plums, where does prune juice come from?
If there were a thousand seaguls in an airplane while its flying, each weighing two pounds a piece, but they were all flying in the airplane, would the airplane weigh 2000 pounds more?
What is another word for "thesaurus"?

Original Date: Jul. 16th, 2008 02:47

Rain Theory

The other day I was sitting outside Albertsons waiting for my mom to come and pick me up and thanks to an act of God it started to rain. Not really a pour but it wasn't a sprinkle either. What can I say...it was raining. I sat under the store overhang so I wasn't getting wet but I watched all the customers fighting the unexpected change of weather. I thought it was funny watching the old ladies falter to get their umbrellas open outside their cars while still sitting down just to ensure that they wouldn't get hit with a single drop. People would run across the parking lot trying to escape the wetness as quickly as possible only to run through a puddle or get stopped by a car in their way to safety. Customers coming out of the store started to crowd under the overhang beside me trying to figure out how to get to their cars without getting wet either, some choosing to run for it with their hands over their heads and others deciding to wait to see if the rain would pass.

While watching these people flee, trying hard as they possibly could to avoid being touched by the falling drops, I wondered when did rain become such an inconvenience? I know I'm most likely coming off as weird here but I'm trying to figure out at what point did society decide rain was bad. Sure there are those out there that could argue they love the rain and run around in it all the time but from what I witnessed, watching those random people in a parking lot, not many people like to get wet. I admit I don't. Messes up your hair....gets you're clothes all wet and uncomfortable....I will admit that sometimes when you get wet the aftermath is that you're sitting cold and damp but what about the people that run from the rain of a summer storm? People in Florida that ran from getting wet although is was still 85 degrees outside? People are crazy and I will admit I am one of those people myself.

When did dripping hair and soaking clothes first become unattractive? When did the avoidance of string hair and damp close begin? Did wetness become icky when the first umbrella was made? People that could afford the devise that could keep the horrible drops off of you were viewed as superior while wet umbrella-less people were vomit to the rest. Or did so other random event change rain to be seen as poison? If we're all wet and messed up in appearance from the rain what's it matter? Animals don't really mind whether it's raining or not. Or at least I don't think so.....my dogs don't seem to run into the house trying to flee the first sign of a sprinkle. Have humans always hated and run from the rain? What did the Cavemen do? Did they sit in their caves and wait for the rain to pass? It's not like rain burns or inflicts pain when it touches our skin. It's not poisonous or hazardous to our health. We won't melt like the wicked witch of the east. I'm at a loss for why we seem to hate rain so much. One thing I do know however is that whoever invented the umbrella was a genius and is a very wealthy person.....

For the Birds

Sarah: Here is a good question. Birdhouses and birdbaths. Whats up with that? Why did we decide its normal and ok to not only feed birds, but to encourage their presence. Imagine that with another animal . . . doghouses, not for a pet but just extra dog houses with dog food sitting on your front lawn, encouraging all the stray dogs to come and eat out of it. People would come by and say "wow you have a lot of dogs at your dog house today, nice!" and big huge piles of dog poop would be everywhere but whatever, thats cool, nobody cares. But no, we dont do that with dogs, cats, mice, rabbits (i have a lot of wild rabbits that live in my yard), moles . . . just birds, and everything else we spend time and money investing in fences and repellent to get rid of. Why birds??"

Personally I think the trend of birdhouse started back in the day when people ate birds. The little birdhouses were really traps however once Safeways opened and people realized it was much more convenient to buy chicken than eat finches. I do wonder when the little birdies turned too cute to kill and devour!

Original Date: Jul. 14th, 2008 01:36 pm

Trash Talkers

So why do people get so upset when someone talks behind their back? I always seems that that offense tops the charts and takes the cake in screwing up friendships and really pissing people off. But other day I was thinking, why do we get so mad about the idea people are verbalizing their thoughts about us to someone else? Why is it viewed as a negative? As someone who gets equally agitated to hear that someone said something to someone else rather than come to me about the problem, I decided to try flip the perspective and find all the pros.

Is the person talking behind your back really being a jerk? Or are they rather being considerate and attempting to relieve their own stresses without inconveniencing your feelings? Let's be honest, everyone has talked about someone to a person who is not the person involved. If we all do it then why do we get upset? No one intends on the person hearing what they say as they vent to a friend and how often do you think back and realize you might have been a little harsh and irrational at the time you vented your opinion to someone else. Would people really prefer their friends coming directly to them to express even the smallest annoyances and concerns? Let's be honest, there are things every person doesn't want to admit about themselves, so why do we get upset when a person we knows avoid telling us the crap we don't want to hear. They have to vent, yet we don't want to hear it so what else can we expect? Can't one argue that a friend who talks to someone else to relieve stress about the friendship, so that they can still positively interact with their friend without tension and build up irritation, is completing a nice gesture? Being willing to voice the negatives elsewhere to avoid polluting the friendship is almost noble and kind, is it not?

Don't get me wrong, I realize that sometimes people talk cruelly about people that they dislike and are simply jerks and I in no way can condone that. However when your best friend tells their neighbor "my friend can be self-absorbed sometimes" what is so upsetting about them voicing a characteristic that is likely to be at least marginally correct? Would you rather your friend tell the neighbor, "my friend is perfect and we never disagree"? Would that be more impressive? Personally I think that the neighbor would see through the facade and be less interested in two people who are obviously fake and shallow friendship. Aren't the best friends we have the one's that are the most honest and real with us? So why do we get angry when they are honest and real around other people? I think perhaps the next time I realize someone is talking behind my back....I'll simply tell them to do a better job at it because I found out. Just a thought. :D

Original Date: Jul. 14th, 2008 01:24 pm

Go Green!!

Read an article with some easy tips for being more environmentally savvy!

-Tighten your car gas cap: Every year 147 million gallons of gas evaporates due to loose, damaged, or missing gas caps. That's enough to fill the tanks of 8 million Sedans.....
-Switch to a concentrated laundry detergent: Regular detergent is mostly water. Buying a more concentrated brand will look like you're getting less but really it's does the same number of loads (cause you get to use less) and you save plastic by support a brand with the smaller bottle.
-Turn off the lights and put your computer on "sleep" when not in use.
-Fill up the dishwasher to full capacity before running.
-When ordering takeout, support restaurants that use recyclable containers and avoid styrofoam!
-Lower your water heater from 140F so 120F: you can save 6-10% in energy costs and personally will reduce heat-trapping pollutants/emissions by as much as 10%.
-Go vegetarian: Livestock production is responsible for 18% of the world's greenhouse gases. Also, livestock eats more grain than the meat they eventually produce; by cutting out the meat and just eating the grain, we could significantly feed more people and help world hunger.
-Test your toilet: Place a drop of food coloring in your tank and wait 15 mins. If the color shows up in the bowl, you have a leak and could be wasting 200 gallons of water per day. Buying and maintaining your toilet's "flapper" can make a huge difference.
-Do a waterless car wash: There are products, such as Eco Tough, that allow you to wash your car without water. Commercial car washes use over 40 gallons of wash and require 110 gallons of oil to operate.
-Wash your clothes on cold: Saves tons of energy. Tide campaigned that if everyone in NY washed their laundry in cold water for just one day, an estimated 7 million kWh would be saved. That's enough to light up the Empire State Building for a month.
-Cut down on junk mail: Go to catalogchoice.org to cancel the unwanted junk mail you get!

Nkosi Sikeleli Africa

PLUtonics at ICCA west

Season of Love

So church today was pretty fitting given that Valentine's Day is tomorrow; we talked about Love and Marriage.  Everything was related to how God needs to be your number one love and priority if you want your other relationships to be successful. There were some really great points made that I thought were really cool.

Essentially if you try and fill the void in your heart with love/marriage you will face a variety of difficulties:

1. You will compromise more than you should: When getting love/a relationship is so important and seem like a necessity, you will sacrifice other essential components in your life. You begin doing things you should not do for things that you shouldn't have. Determine what your core values are and be sure that the person you find excepts and loves you for all of you.
2. You will have unreasonable expectations: You will expect your relationships to meet needs that really only you and God can offer yourself. It's okay to have some guidelines for the people you share your heart with (such as respect, consideration, etc) however when you begin getting upset and disappointed more often you need to evaluate if your expectations are unrealistic. Is the person a bad person or are you asking them to fill a avoid that only you can?
3. You always end up dissatisfied: Looking for satisfaction in another human will never fully satisfy you. It might for a while but soon the hidden insecurities will push through. Ask those you love to help you discover and become happy with yourself, but never assume that they are the answer.

The sermon ended by talking about how God is truly the only constant you can rely on in your life. Even when you find special people to share your life with, there's no guarantee how much time you will have with them. No one can predict the future and you need to be okay carrying on on your own with your faith because unfortunately tragedy could bring that about.

Season of Loneliness

2 Timothy 4:6-21

Church today really spoke to me. The series on sermons that they just started relates to the various "season's of life."  The idea is that as we move through life, things change in stages that we just have to roll with. Some things pop up more than once and other things for just a brief moment. 

Today the "season" that we considered was that of loneliness. Given where I currently am in my life, this really drew me in because I have been feeling like I'm standing alone as the past few months. The pastor started by explaining that there are four causes for feeling lonely:

1. Change or Transition: Anytime you start a new leg of a journey, it's unfamiliar and seems like you're on your own. 

2. Separation or Isolation: When you are physically away from loved ones you feel alone, but the hardest is when the people you love are near by but you can't seem to connect and close yourself off.

3. Opposition: People wanted to be accepted and often when you have to defend yourself, you feel like an outside and misunderstood.

4. Rejection or Abandonment: When the people that you have come to trust and rely on are not there for you (whether knowingly or not) it's hard to not feel deserted and alone.

Verses from 2 Timothy were used to show that Jesus and his Disciples experienced these causes for loneliness however they were able to persevere. When it comes down to it, everyone faces these challenges at some point in their life, however there are four ways to cope with the loneliness:

1. Utilize Your Time: Basically when life gives you lemons, make lemon-aid. You can sit around a mope about being by yourself, or you can go and be productive. Do things that make you comfortable and contributed something positive to your life.

2. Minimize Your Hurt: Do not dwell on how no one seems to be around and care. Resentment and bitterness doesn't help anything so you might as well not think about it and try to come up with solutions. Try and focus on those who are there for you, rather than those who are a disappointment.

3. Recognize God's Presence: Remember that even if everyone else in the world fell of the face of the planet, you still have God's love. Open your heart and you have His undying affection and be sure to give that the weight and appreciation it deserves when you're feeling lost and alone.

4. Emphasize Other's Needs: Take care of others. There are people out there that have problems and are lonely too. By helping them, you stop focusing on yourself and even have the chance of making a new connection with someone you might not have otherwise. Give yourself to others but be careful not to expect care in return: Only you can fill that void with love for yourself.

It was a great sermon and I realized that I just need to remind myself that God has a plan for me. I might not understand right now why I've been struggling to find work and people have left but it's a all part of the big picture. These challenges are just part of a rough winter that will soon bloom into a new beautiful spring with surprised to come!

Got Privledge? Life Uninsured...

May 30th, 2010 was the day I graduated from PLU but also the day that I joined the millions of uninsured Americans.  For seven months, I just hoped and prayed that nothing too serious would pop up that I couldn't just fix myself or wait out.  Thank goodness I was lucky and only had to put up with a few medical situations that were more of a hassle than harmful (my eyes, dental, OB-GYN).
While uninsured, the Obama Administration passed legislation that requires insurance companies to cover anyone under the age of 26 as a dependence under their parents. Despite the ridicule and controversy this law as imposed, myself and many of my friends have regained insurance as of January 1st, 2011.

When my mom handed me my new insurance card, I felt a flood of emotions. I had once again joined the middle class lifestyle that my parents can offer and with that included the ability to see a doctor when I need to. I was now lucky enough to own a square of plastic that holds so many underlying issues related to economic indifferences and privilege. Why is it that I deserve medical care now when in all actuality my situation is no different than it was as a student at PLU? I feel as if one second I wasn't good enough and then the next second I was all at the whim of my legislators. After living as an uninsured individual, I understand now the injustice involved with our healthcare and insurance systems. I think that anyone opposed to healthcare for everyone should take their insurance card and hide it for 6 months to see what it feels like.

When I went to my first appointment after regaining insurance and I handed my insurance card to the receptionist, I literally felt like I was handing her a card that said "hello, I am apart of a family wealthy enough to deserve this card."  I felt guilty that one day a law deemed me privledged enough while other millions of people still sit waiting for the day that legislation helps them.

The Band Perry - If I Die Young

Psychology of Women

In the Spring of 2010, I rounded out my Psychology minor with the course, Psychology of Women. I recently came across old notes from the class and couldn't get myself to throw them away because some of the discussion points that came up were so intriguing. By documenting the concepts we discussed, I hope to continue developing new ideas regarding the relationship of woman within the world we knew, know, and will come to know.

-"Gender Doing": how we express and perceive our gender to and in others. Ex. A male with long hair is encouraged to cut his hair to meet his male stereotype.
-"Feminism": the belief system that values the experiences of women and argues for social, economical, and politically equality of men and women.
         *Radical Feminists are often the image that comes to mind when feminism comes up, however by definition, anyone who believes men and women should be treated equally is a feminist. Feminism does not support women becoming superior to men.
         *Two types of feminism are 'liberal' and 'cultural'. Liberal feminism focuses on equality for women, while cultural feminism emphasizes the unique qualities of women and the importance of these traits in society. Cultural feminism says that you're silly not to acknowledge the difference between men and women however neither sex should be viewed as inferior.
-August 26, 1920 the US Constitution was changed, granting women the right to vote.
-Men are more willing/eager in choosing a sexual partner while women are more selective of who they wish to procreate with. Biologists attribute this to men wanting to pass on their genes to continue their linage by have as many offspring as possible, however women (recognizing the limitations of the number of children they will bare) are focused on finding superior genetics, not just any guy. Taking this idea into consideration, do women not hold more authority than men due to our ability/power to select what genes will be passed on? Men need to impress to be one of the chosen ones. :)
-Stereotypes of women in the media: commercials about household cleaners are targeted towards women to help them clean up the mess made by their husbands and kids, models/actresses are pressured to be thin which sends messages to women viewers.
-"Our stereotypes are deeply ingrained in our thinking and are passed from generation to generation. It will take introspection and conscious effort for us to change these stereotypes. Only by analyzing our own beliefs, ideas and culture will our society be able to understand our inequalities. It is difficult to question what we know, but it is ultimately valuable." (Coryat, 2006)
-Media portrays the "ideal woman" as one who is young, thin, sexual, subservient. Women use this portrayal to judge what they should look like, while men use this to judge what to look for. The ideal image shown of both men and women are unrealistic expectations for one's self as well as for one's spouse to maintain. Society is shown that physical appearance directly reflects a person's social status.
-Catch 22: Women see that skinny is what is valued. Some struggle to meet the stereotype (lose unhealthy amount of weight, never satisfied with realistic weight, poor self-esteem) while other struggle to resist the stereotype (keep weight on, binge eating, hopelessness/avoidance). Both ways often has negative consequences.
-Is it discriminating/prejudice to hold women to the same physical standard in jobs that require a certain level of fitness? Ex. Should female firefighters have to be able to carry the same amount of weight as her male coworkers to serve?
          *Men physically have more muscle mass and generally more body strength biologically, so that shouldn't be held against women. Yet could a woman not being held to the same physical standard compromise the safety and effectiveness of the job at hand?
-Women are objectivity in our society which makes it dangerous for women to maintain open, active body extension. Basically, women live with the threat of invasion to her body space so women enclose the space by rolling their shoulders, lowering their chest, averting eye contact, etc.  Women who do not close their personal space are seen as promiscuous and at fault should she be sexually violated. There is a strong assumption made about a person's personality based off of the way they carry themself and physical appearance.
-Why do you need to know the sex of a child before they are born?
         *To prepare for the gender of child that you will be welcoming....picking out a name, decorating the room, buying clothes
         *Pressure from others to find out.
-Raising a child in a "non-traditional" home that attempts to avoid gender stereotyping can set the child up for future issues of being unable to relate to viewpoint of peers, bullying, etc. There is value in our society for a "communal expereince" where we are excepted for sticking with the group rather than for going against the grain. However raising a child with gender stereotypes can cause long-term problems (ex. daughter is less independent than she otherwise could have been, or a man has high blood pressure because he was taught not to handle emotion.)
-Children gender type other children in 4 ways:
          *They reject children who do not follow gender stereotypes
          *They encourage gender segregation (kids are sensitive to sharing bathrooms, playing with the opposite sex, etc.
          *They treat boys and girls differently (ex. boys don't hit girls....)
          *They are prejudice against other gendered children.
-Despite parental attempts to limit gender typing, children are flooded with ideas of what makes you a boy/girl from family, friends, toys, television, internet, stores, etc. Look around the house.
-Sex is definitive based off of a individual's reproductive organs (men=penis, women=uterus) while gender is subjective.
-Get excited to expereince an average of 450 menstrual cycles in your lifetime if you're a woman....
-PMS: physical symptoms associated prior to menstruation, including bloating, breast tenderness, acne, etc.  Emotional symptoms generally associated such as irritability, can not be systematically be measured. They can just be the reaction the the physical symptoms rather than being symptoms themselves.
          *Legitimate feelings of frustration/disappointment/anger during a situation when expressed to another person (particularly men) are often blamed in the physical process of menstruation. Feelings are not validated because they are blamed on a condition rather than honest feelings.
-Physical development in children produces a bell curve; some are early and some are late. People hope to be in the middle of the pack to avoid ridicule for not being like the norm.
-Only 5% of women have a 28-day, regular cycle yet it is considered the norm/standard.
-Higher fat intake is associated with earlier menstruation, explaining why American girls begin their periods early than girls in other nations and continue to start at earlier and earlier ages.
-There are still arguments made that men have larger, denser brains that contribute to them being smarter and more superior. Problem with this belief is that larger woman would match if not exceed the intelligence of a smaller man, and how do you explain the current ratios of men to women in universities?
-Studies have shown that women are better with memory tasks and writing capability, have a larger vocabulary, and greater intrinsic motivation (desire to work for personal satisfaction rather than for reward or praise). Men have been shown to have greater internal processing, seek less comfort in others, and have increased spacial abilities, generally attributed to being given blocks, video games, etc as children. The debate remains whether cognitive abilities are related to biological differences or social differences.
           *Girls/women are encouraged to talk more, be openly emotional, and nurturing. Boys/men are often told to hold back emotions and avoid being "girlie."
           *Research shows that while boys get better math scores on standardize tests (SAT), girls get better grades in math class. Do girls freeze under pressure and lack confidence in math abilities?
           *Girls and boys are encouraged to watch/learn their gender role from the parent that matches their sex. However, what about children raised with only a single parent influence? Is gender roles learned from other components in society or are they innate?  Mirror Neurons are neurons that enable us to watch someone complete a task and then commit the action into our memory without us even knowing it.
            *Women's accomplishes are commonly associated with effort rather than ability (ex- she's good at math because she studied a lot rather than she's mathematically inclined) while men's accomplishments are more often attributed to natural ability.
            *Men tend to report more self-confidence than women. One theory is that men are less disciplined for their impulsivity as children because society expects boys to be more wild and girls to be more proper/reserved. The difference in discipline leads to men being more impulsive in the workplace and exude more outward confidence, helping them move up to leadership positions sooner than women.
-"Decoding Ability": ability to look at another person's nonverbal communication and accurately label their emotion. Women tend to be better decoders. Analysis suggests that decoding ability is a trait of those of lower status because they pay closer attention to assess and recognize the need of the superiors quickly. However, is this ability not a skill and strengthen?
-Studies show that people (both men and women) say they would rather work for a man rather than a woman. People tend to not respond as well to power-oriented female leaders or women who claim expertise in traditionally masculine topics. Perhaps this phenomenon exists because men feel inferior/emasculated with a female boss, and women feel more comfortable with traditional social order, such as a male leader?
-Men put more of an emphasis on physical appearance when considering their future spouse, while women focus on personality and intelligence. Studies suggest that, biologically, men are focused on finding a mate that can bear their children therefore a young, healthy, attractive woman is most appealing. Women are looking for a mate that can care for her and her children therefore financial stability, physical strength, and commitment are the primary concern.
-When a marriage between a man and woman fails, public opinion is generally harder on the female partner despite the circumstances surrounding the divorce. There's still an underlying idea that the woman did not do what the marriage needed to save it. (Ex: a husband cheats and the opinion is that his wife probably drove him away with her nagging.)
-In scientific fields, men are shown to be more aggressive, self-promoting and achieve higher visibility while women are more broad-minded, cautious, apt to create their own area of research, and pay more attention to detail.
-US women earn $.76 for every dollar that US men earn (National Committee on Equity).
          *Don't forget the powerpoint and outline you have on this topis!
-Although women are joining the US work force more and more each year the number of men leaving the workplace to stay at home is far from meeting that number. Women have more opportunities for a career however the primary responsibility of childcare and managing the household has been shown to still primarily rest of the woman's shoulders (70-30). Women can have a career but they need to maintain the tasks they had to do before being given that privilege, while men continue to take on less than half of household tasks. Can women handle it all? Or are/will there be long term effects, such as increased heart disease related to chronic stress and fatigue?
-Studies show that a majority of women do not have anger/resentment towards their spouses
who do not equally contribute to housework. However, women that have equal help indicated that they are happier.
-A research study in our psych book suggested that men have more sexual desire and think about sex more frequently because their genital is stimulated more often due to their penis being an appendage rather than an orifice....
-Virginity in men and eventually older woman is often given a negative response. Peers pressure each other into sex and the benefits of virginity are often viewed as minimally important. Benefits of virgins in society include less transmission of disease, greater population control, lower rates of state and federal social needs (higher marriage success rates, etc.
-When a sperm fertilizes an egg, the egg is actually much more active in the selection process than it is often given credit for. The egg has been shown to reach out and put a sperm inward, leading to fertilization. Men are often proud of their sperm and agency is given to men in achieving fertilization.
-Consider the difference between these two close, but very different, phrases...."I got her pregnant" vs "we got pregnant."  The first suggests that something was done to the female while the second recognizes both partners as collaborating factors.
-Talking about sex and parenthood does not result in sex and pregnancy.
-Most swear words hold alternative definitions related to women/are female in origin. We call people bitch, douchebag, etc which is indirectly supporting a lower standard for females. Calling someone a condom isn't an insult...
-Menstruation is given alot of crap however it has been shown to lower cholesterol and maybe one of the reasons that women live longer. After menopause, cholesterol goes up which supports research that indicated women that hit menopause early are at a greater risk for heart disease.
-Men that donate blood have shown lower cholesterol levels.
-Married men have been shown to live longer than single men. One theory is that men with wives are encouraged to go to the doctor more frequently and maintain a healthier lifestyle thanks to their wife!
-Male and Female Circumcision:
            *If a boy received the equivalent to female circumcision, his entire penis would be removed and parts of his scrotum rather than just the foreskin.
            *Cultures that have female circumcision tend to support and even encourage the practice. It is seen as a ritual that joins you with the community and brings you into womanhood. This idea is very similar to cultures that practice late-age male circumcision.
            *The argument that justifies male circumcision is that without the foreskin, rates of infection are decreased. However, is this medical procedure done to preemptively? Why don't we remove the foreskin after a child has repeated infections rather than before hand? The argument to have surgery and remove part of the body to prevent a possible medical condition in another situation would be rejected (ex-remove a breasts as a teenager because of the risk of developing breast cancer in the future.)  Is the reason our society accepts male circumcision really societal and cultural driven? And if the answer is yes, is the procedure acceptable with these influences?
-Rates of depression are higher in women, but why? Are women simply diagnosed more and no real difference exists? Is there a biological association with two X chromosomes and depression? Studies suggest that perhaps menstration is a cause since rates of depression lower after menopause. Do social factors contribute, such as general discrimination, violence and abuse, work and household conflicts, etc. which are generally issues that effect women more than men?
           *Joining the job force has been shown to decrease depression in women, however as women struggling to maintain both a career and household, are women now increasing in depression due to the amount of pressure placed on them? Are we heading in that direction?  Perhaps it's anxiety and/or panic disorders that are on the rise rather than depression.
-Weight discrimination is often overlooked and a form of discrimination that is still not represented in public laws and work agreements. Judging a person who is overweight is often seen as okay because the person did it to themselves, similar to an alcohol. It's a difficult to gain public acceptance and see the underlying issues that cause people to over eat.
-Should there be gender restrictions on professor's that teach gender studies? Ex. Should a woman teach psychology of women?
-Age discrimination is increasing in the United States. Relatives live further away from each and families are having children later, reducing childrens' interactions with their grandparents.
-20s-30s are considered a woman's "golden years" for appearance, while men tend to become more distinguished as they age. Gray hair in men is a sign of power while woman it's a flaw that must be covered.
-When a man leaves from a younger woman, it reinforces the stereotype that age is negative. Woman blames herself for not maintaining her beauty and the man is supported by media, society, etc. that his decision was only natural.
-When a woman goes for a younger man, she is considered a "cougar" and receives much more criticism than men who date younger women.
-Women who have lived through the Women's Rights Movement have seen a huge shift. What they grew up knowing (a woman is to be a mother and wife, not a student, worker, voter, etc) has now been voiced as immoral and oppressive.  Older women encourage younger women to take advantage of the new opportunities avaliable however maintain the traditional role of a woman for themselves. If they acknowledge modern feminism fully, how could they not become resentful at their husbands and those who oppressed them before the Movement? It's hard to see your spouse as a bad guy and justify that men were going with the pressures of society, however when it comes down to it many freedoms where taken from women and still are.
-Just girls have a landmark event that defines when they become a woman (first period), menopause is another landmark that defines when a woman is entering her senior years.  We go so fast through life and rarely reflect, however menopause is an event that stops us for even just a second to think about our past. How do men in our cultural determine when they jump stages?
-Women statistical live longer than men and have a higher likelihood of outliving their spouse. It's essential that women have a strong personal identify and can support themselves emotionally, financially, socially, etc. because one day the person they are dependent on is not going to be there.
-When a crime is committed against someone, there is a sense of control and safety that is taken from the individual. In attempts to regain sense of control, the individual(s) put blame on themselves and obsess over their feelings because that's often all that they can control.
-When looking that the world's population of men, only a small percentage abuse women however often women have a fear of all unknown men.  Do men get frustrated that they are often accused of being a bad guy, and are they frustrated when they have to "protect" their female friends by walking this somewhere, etc? All men might not partake in perversion, but do they go out of their way to help prevent it from continuing? Is it seen as a woman's problem and do guys hold each other accountable?  Men often encourage one another to "get it in" and brag about their sexual experiences. Is this a form of sexual abuse?
-It's estimated that 20-30%of women in the US have experienced sexual abuse by the age of 18.
-Can a woman be "asking to be sexually assaulted" through her behavior? A woman has the right to be sexy and say no to sex. There is no causation between the two. Being sexy does not have to lead to sex, just as being angry doesn't have to lead to a fight.You're entitled to feeling and behaviors, separate from your actions and response.
-When rape is viewed as a crime of passion rather than a crime of violence (ex. the man lost control and just couldn't stop himself) it takes away accountability from the abuser and pushes it on to the abused. If a man knows that he has low self-control than he is responsible for avoiding situations that are temptations. It's not the woman's fault.
-When women commit a crime against their abuser (ex. A woman kills her husband after years of domestic abuse) should she be held to the same standard as a person that kills for other reasons, such as anger, etc?
-Women have many more precautions that you have to take to follow in order to maintain personal safety from perpetrators (you have to walk in groups, not dress to sexy, etc...).  Men do not have to worry about personal safety nearly as much and can't fully understand the fear women have become accustom to.  Women are often considered over cautious and chickens, yet if a woman chooses not to follow the precautions she is often blamed for any actions taken against her.


Further Questions:
1. How does a child's birth rank and number of siblings impact their gender stereotyping? Does a younger child have strong stereotypes because they have a sibling to observe and learn from?
2. Is there a higher ratio of women in college than men because women hold a greater appreciation for the learning opportunities that they were once denied? Do men take for granted a privilege they have held longer than women? Do more women vote than men? Do more African Americans vote that their White counterparts?
3. Do women in traditionally female professions feel less accomplished for choosing a gender stereotyped career, such as nursing, teaching, clerical, and service jobs? Women who choose to stay at home, are they supporting gender discrimination?