Tips for Traveling to Europe

Here's a list of tips I have found useful, or wish I had known ahead of time for traveling to Europe. I'm sure you can use these tips anywhere, but they are specifically designed for European travel. I hope you find it useful, funny, quirky, and a little mind-boggling. Yes, I said it. And I'm generalizing here, big time, so no need to take offense to my stereotypes.

1. Don't be that rude American that expects everyone to speak English. I know it's tempting when everyone in the world but the US learns at least 3 other languages, including English, but at the very least learn how to say Hello, Excuse me, Please, I'm sorry, Where is . . .?, What is .  . .?, Help,  and Do you speak English?
2. Try to blend in. We stick out like a sore thumb in sweat pants, baseball caps, t-shirts, and sneakers, above all else. The easiest thing to change is your sock color. I have found that black socks are more common outside the US, so for one, wear black socks. Secondly, try not to carry a backpack and wear t-shifts that make it obvious you are a tourist. Plain, neutral colored clothing will make it easier to pack less as well.
3. Do you research before you leave your room. Nothing spells out 'pick on me' more than a lost tourist with a wide-open map in the middle of the city center. Obviously, you may need a map to get around, but if you can figure it out before you leave your hotel room (even better if you figured most of it out before you flew over) you are in pretty good shape and will look like a normal traveller.
4. Forgo the fanny pack. Puhleaseeee!! I know they were cool in the 80s when you were a little kid going on a family vacation because it just holds EVERYTHING, but nothing spells 'target' like a fanny pack. The zippers are easily accessible to all on crowded trains and such, and fanny packs do NOT blend in.
5. Embrace the cultural norms. I think this is the most fun part. Do your research ahead of time and figure out what is and is not acceptable. It will also help you to see more. For instance, in a lot of Cathedrals you can not wear shorts and sleeveless tops. Imagine taking a trip all the way to see the inside and finding out you can't go. Or the norms around hugs/handshakes/kissing. It's better not to make a mistake and offend someone.
6. Look up National/Local holidays. I can really appreciate American holidays with a clear meaning behind it. You will find random 'bank holidays' where people have off and every site you may want to see is closed. Or it might be a national holiday while you are visiting. Always good to do a search before you go so you can plan to just walk around or join a local festival/parade when something is going on.
7. Say you are from The States. I've broken this rule already here for brevity (sorry), but remember to be considerate when talking to others. People usually understand if you say you are from 'The States' as 'American' can also imply Canadian (North America) or anyone from Central or South America.
8. Be aware of the political status. It may not be the best time to go right before or after a big election. People might be really happy . . .or really mad, and you really don't want to get caught up in that (unless maybe you are a journalist). Avoid politics usually (almost like a first date) unless you and the other person have a comfortable repertoire. 
9. Don't tell people [that ask] where you live. These seems so obvious, but some people are just so persistent it's easy to let it slip. In order not to be rude, just state a general area (oh I'm about 20 mins from here, or I'm downtown, or I'm a little outside the city). If you build trust with someone that you know (and say, maybe you've already checked out) you can volunteer that information, but if someone is asking, they might have a secret agenda.
10. Use the currency of the country you are in. People are just waiting to rip you off. You'll get a much better price if you spend the country's currency, plus you bring more attention to yourself from on-lookers if you are spending US Dollars.
11. Unlock your phone's sim card or buy a local phone. If you have people meeting you it's a good way to have a local number to be reached. It's also important to know how to dial the phone number from a out of country phone. You'd be surprised how confusing it is with zero's that only get dialed by local phone numbers and country and city codes. Look this up before you go. Also, if you buy a phone pick a provider that is in ALL the countries you will be visiting. Nothing hurts more than to not be able to recharge your phone because you are not in a country that has that provider and the websites to recharge your balance are in a different language or don't take international credit cards. Just saying . . . .
12. Look up hotels on reputable sites. Check ratings, reviews (bad and good), and pictures to see how the place looks and the surrounding neighborhood. See how far it is from the local metro and any sites you want to see. Sometimes saving money is not worth the hassle of living 10 miles outside everywhere you want to be or in a sketchy neighborhood. And when you come back write reviews to help the next person!
13. Be safe. Photocopy your license and passport and leave it with family back home. Give someone a list of where you will be on what dates. Even if you are lost, look like you know where you are going. If you are extremely lost pay the extra money and take a [reputable] cab. Know how to dial the local police and also to ask for help. And memorize your hotel's name/address so that the cab can drop you off. You may want to program their front desk number in your phone.
14. Have fun!!! Take pictures! And Enjoy your vacation :)

Low Hanging Fruit

Never go for something just because it's there.

Today's lesson, is about the peach. You see, I don't like peaches. I have never been too fancy for them, and I honestly don't care enough to make it work. There are so many other delicious fruits, that I never really put the energy into discovering all there was about the peach. So I shrugged and went along my merry way. Until the other day, that is. You see, I wasn't even hungry, or maybe I convinced myself I was hungry, but there was no other fruit in sight, or food for that matter, but a damaged peach hanging off a peach tree. It was so close, and the wind was really pushing it further and further down. All I had to do was reach for it; perhaps stand up on my tippy toes and stretch out my arms; but if I wanted to get it I could.

So, why would I even go for the peach, when I don't like to eat peaches? Because somewhere between walking outside and stumbling up to this tree I became convinced that I was hungry, and that this peach would solve my hunger, at least temporarily. And once you convince yourself that you want something that you know you don't really want, it's almost a wrap. It's like going to the store with no intentions of buying anything and seeing that everything is on sale. That my friends, is called temptation. And to make matters worse, you have thoughts from everyone and their cousin telling you that maybe you should give the peach a try. Perhaps you just had a bad peach long time ago and now your taste buds have changed. Maybe if you just go for it you'll end up liking it. What? If I just go for it - you start doubting your own thoughts and wonder what in the world is going on. YOU DON"T EVEN LIKE PEACHES, you keep trying to convince yourself. But soon your stomach is grumbling and verifying that you are indeed hungry, and it doesn't matter if you don't like peaches, it will tide you over until another meal comes along.

And so I got up on my tippy toes and went to grab that stupid peach, because I was hungry and there was food. I reached and reached and reached but the wind would not let up. And alas, I couldn't reach it. I sat down at the foot of the tree and laughed to myself. I didn't want the peach, and I knew it, but I had a weak moment and tried to go for it. And nothing but God, pushed that peach out of my reach.

I sighed a huge sigh of relief. I began to walk away. The peach fell to the ground, but by this time the decision was made. No peach for me!

We all have "peaches" in our lives that we are tempted to take when the going gets tough. Maybe you are on a budget and you keep wanting to buy things you don't need. Or maybe people around you are irking your nerves and you want to do something about it. Maybe, to you, this story really was just about peaches. Whatever it is, we all need to be strong, and when we get a sign that we shouldn't' take the peach, we should stop and listen and take heed. It just wasn't meant to be.

Now, had this been a mango . . . .(kidding)

The Happiness Challenge

Happy New Year Everyone!!
It is 2012. Wow, I can't believe how fast last year went by. And even now, it's already the third week in January. Craziness.

So sometime last year I stumbled upon The Happiness Project, the book. I was in the bookstore, one of my favorite places, and spotted this really bright blue book. I was in there for a purpose, so I told myself I wasn't allowed to buy any more books; plus I have a waiting list of all the books I'm supposed to be reading. So I wrote the name down in order to look it up later. The book is about doing things that make you happy and getting rid of all the things that do not contribute to you overall well-being. Check out the website: www.happiness-project.com.

I'm sure we can debate on what defines happiness and if there really is such a thing. But to me, The Happiness Project is just like any other list of goals we want to obtain for ourselves, whether or not we articulate it. So, for the new year, I have found that many of the things that I want to do are in line with the happiness challenge from 2010 that I stumbled upon on youtube. So, rather than reinventing the wheel, I've decided (at least for now) to check out the challenge and maybe even follow it. The author - Gretchen Rubin - has posted weekly videos on items inside the Happiness Challenge. And yes, there is one for 2012, but I really like the 2010 one, so I'm going to start there.

I decide to jump right in and start as though I am watching the videos in year they are made. I'm coming on week 4, so I will look at the first 3 weeks and then jump right in. I do need to write more, so I may blog about each of the weeks; we'll see.

So, I've watched the first 4 videos and here's the summary:

Month 1: Get Energized
1. Get more sleep
2. Get more exercise
3. Toss and Organize
4. Tackle a nagging task

Most of these I have already been working on, so great alignment. I definitely need to work on #1 the most. (1) Getting more sleep is so important. I enjoy being up when I know others are asleep. It does make me feel as though I'm getting ahead and getting things done. The truth of the matter is that time is equal whether it's 11pm-1am or 5pm-7pm, so maybe that is one fundamental I will just have to challenge myself with. Getting more sleep for me would mean going to bed earlier. If I go to bed earlier then I will wake up earlier, then I will go in to work earlier, and thus leave earlier, leaving time in the later afternoon to do those things I am doing late at night. In theory this works. In practice, sometimes we leave work at the same time if we get in at 7:30am or 9am, so that will really be a culture change for me. It's ok to leave before 5pm if you got in before 8. I think most young professionals, or maybe just people in general, want to get ALL the work done. And it's really impossible - it will never ALL be done, and it will still be waiting for you when you come in the next day. Work-Life balance is key.

(2) Exercise more. I know this. I used to do so many extracurricular activities in high school. I had the basketball coach yelling at me to run more, run faster, jump higher. I had the volleyball coach yelling at me to run more, run faster, jump higher. And I had phys Ed 2 times a week to learn to run more, run faster, and jump higher. Then you get to college and there is no one yelling at you. you have to motivate yourself. Ok, but that wasn't too bad. I stayed in the dorms and found friends that also missed their coaches yelling at them, so we went to the gym together. We took fitness classes. We ran to our 8am classes (look, I have never been a morning person). And then you graduate from college and your physique is really up to you. So now, years out of structured schooling, and it's time to get back with the program. I'm not in horrible shape, so I don't feel the need to pay a personal trainer to yell at me, but I can motivate myself to get back to the gym. I'm implemented Workout Wednesdays, so at the very least I am doing 30 mins of exercise every Wednesday - no if's, and's, or but's. If I can't make the gym I lay down that yoga mat at home and get to crunching. If I don't want to sweat out my hair I can do toning and stretching. The more excuses we make NOT to do something, the more likely we will get comfortable not doing it. My other pitfall is not being prepared for the gym. Lots of time I will want to go but I might have left my sneakers or clothing at home. And we all know - once you go home, you are NOT going back out!!! (Don't even try to lie to yourself). So I am also keeping a gym bag in the trunk with workout clothes, a lock, lotion, and sneakers. NO EXCUSES!!

(3) Toss and Organize. The story of my life!! I have some much STUFF. I'm still working on minimizing with getting rid of things I don't need. This include physical objects,, as well as negative people. My main source of disorganization is PAPER!! It accumulates so easily. And now with trying to recycle, I have to hold on to it even longer so I can take it to the recycling center. So, I'm working on throwing out papers that do not matter, and filing the important ones. Anything else should just get tossed. I think if I cleared out all the paper in my apartment that was junk, I'd probably clear out 3 full boxes of stuff.

(4) Tackle a nagging task. I have 2 of these facing me right now. 1 is something from work that I have been procrastinating on, and the other is to really get my budget together. The second one is not difficult, it just requires me to carve out a good hour to sit down and crunch the numbers. Probably the contributing factor to that delay is that once I have it in black & white I will have to obey it. My goal this year is to reduce my debt. This means tight spending and minimizing expenses.

Ok, so that's the plan. I will start working on #4, as #'s 1-3 will be in the back of my head. Feel free to join me on this challenge. Comment below on how you are doing, and we can support each other.

(Comments are always welcome - you do not need to sign up to leave a comment)

Not in Kansas Anymore

I think that the hardest part of life and growing up is change. We get used to how things were and how we like for things to be that we resist the things that naturally have to happen. And before you know it you are wondering where things went astray or why you didn't get to accomplish a certain task.

And as 2011 comes to a close, it is a great chance to reflect on the upcoming changes for the new year. The changing of the physical calendar is a great segway into changing things emotionally; of letting go of things and people that perhaps you have changed from. At the end of the day, when I really want to know if someone is truly my friend, I ask myself this: If my car broke down at 3 in the morning and I was stranded would I feel comfortable calling this person to come pick me up? Of course there are the hands-down you know they would come and get you folks, for whom you are glad to have in your life. And then there are the good friends that you would still feel bad waking them up, but you know that you can call them for help. And then there are those other people that, not only would you have second thoughts about calling, but that you probably would rather not call because 1) they might actually not even offer to help you and 2) it's so much of a last resort that you would just feel so guilty that it wasnt even worth the phone call and you'd rather ask a stranger. I actually realized one of these situations when I was stuck somewhere and planned on taking the bus and a train and walking to get home. The people that I thought would offer me a ride (on their way) home just said "well, I hope you make it" and a person whom I didn't know all that well said "I'll take you." Well that is when you make the readjustment and you realize that people are just selfish and only looking out for themselves, no matter how good friends you THINK they are. If it's not reciprocated, then there is a problem.

Change means getting out of denial and either putting action to your words or just giving in to the fact that some things are just not going to happen. You are not going to earn that degree if you don't even crack the book open and study for your exam. Better yet, if you haven't registered in 3 years, maybe subconciously, it's not really on your to do list. 2011 was the year to get things done, and I feel like 2012 is the year to see them into fruition. Change means letting go of ideas that were once true, but are now looking pretty false. Change means asking for help, since your way is not working, or just admitting that maybe you were wrong. It also means realizing the change that you hoped to see in someone else may not happen, and you should just accept them or leave them as they are.

No one is perfect. Change is realizing that and truly accepting it. And as everyone makes New Year's Resolutions yet again, change means doing something differently. If you wanted to work out 3 times a week and that lasted all of 2 months, then try plan B of getting a dog and walking the dog. Change is getting the chance to be creative and just doing it.

So, I have a personal vow, to do things differently next year. I'm excited to try things in a different light. The first task I want to accomplish is a continuation of this years': minimalize. Clearing out physical and inanimate objects will leave room for so much more . . . free space, no pun intended. Haha, ok definitely intended. After that, it will be so much easier for the rest to fall into place.

Another personal goal will be announced in a couple of months. I've started a new venture, and I'm really excited about it.

So, yes, we are not in Kansas anymore. We are somewhere else, and we have to change our game plan. And for once, that's A-OK with me.







Photo Credit: http://www.hotrodsbikeworks.com/features/0804_hrbp_route_66_through_kansas/photo_18.html

Taking Closure back

Closure is not something that is given to you, but rather it's something that you take. I think that recently this was brought to my attention as I was talking about how a particular event made me feel. Some things happened over several months/years/what have you, that made me feel discarded and rejected. And as much as I tried to explain this to the party causing me these feelings, the pleas fell upon deaf ears. Or maybe they were listening, but they just didn't care. And there is the key that I missed.

Sometimes we wait and wait and wait to get closure. We think that if we can get the other person to apologize, or to accept our apology , or when we tell the other person we forgive them, that we can gain closure. But all of those actions require active participation on the other side. And sometimes the story does not end up with a happy ending. Sometimes the other party involved does not care to give you the time of day to explain the situation or to hash things out. And in those situations, the only way to get closure is to take it. Because waiting and waiting is foolish when you know you are waiting indefinitely. At times we think we are waiting for a short period of time, but when that time gets to be too long, it is time to close things up yourself.

I wish that the people that I am talking about knew how I felt, but the truth is that they don't. The truth is that I am done waiting for them to give their page of the story so I can put the chapter away. I just have to write around their parts and leave it as is. But also knowing that that particular chapter of my life is done. The hard part is accepting the fact that sometimes God places people in your life for a single purpose - and when that purpose is fulfilled there was no intent of maintaining those relationships. Some people were your best friends in high school or college and that was their purpose. 10 years later you may not talk to them, and that's ok because they were only in Chapter 1 of your book. By the time you get to Chapter 3, there are different characters. Some people maintain a reoccurring role, while some disappear, and even others leave the story completely and somehow make it back in.

The tricky part is figuring out who are the people worth fighting for and who are the characters that are meant to fade into the background. Anyone that causes you pain or tears and is not a positive addition to your life, is probably someone that was there for a temporary time period. Perhaps they taught you something in the way that they acted or the things that they did. Closure is identifying that your time is too valuable to WASTE with people that do not value you. Sometimes the people we need to be reaching out and talking to are the people that would do the same for us if the roles were reversed.

Everyone can be in your audience, but a select few get to be in the front row (paraphrasing Rev. G. Ross)



Photo credit: http://www.fotosearch.com/BLD060/bld013873/

Interim Post - New Song

I haven't written in a while, so in the meantime here's a song that I like:

"If I Die Young" - The Band Perry

Well, I like the beat and everything. It's a bit morbid, but pretty vocals.

Warrior Dash 2011

There's no real way to describe the events I'm about to tell you about. I will do my best, but unless you were there, and you tried it yourself, you probably won't really understand. Sounding like an exclusive club . . . yes, of Warriors.

Ok I'm going to recount this for you play by play so you can add your own theme songs; wipe black lines under your eye; and get your meanest groan on. In 3 . . .2 . . .1 . . .

"Dude!!! There's like 500 people here!!" We got off the shuttle bus to find hundreds of people surrounding this luscious land, either just having finished the race, about to start, or enjoying the warrior festivities like eating a huge turkey leg without any silverware. We picked up our registration, turned in our waivers - basically giving all rights to sue for injury - away, dropped off our gear, and mentally psyched ourselves up. We were among the marginal group of crazy folk, actually volunteering to run a 3.5 mile obstacle course of shear torture, lol. Well, at least it wasn't hot outside - it was damp and looking like it was about to rain.

My friends and I all lined up near the Start line; well, as near as we could get, with about 100 people in any given wave. And we waited. No one had a watch or cell phone because you knew it would get muddy. You wore just the bare essentials. People had on costumes, crazy decorations on their body, hats, you name it. All in the name of good fun. We're grunting and continuing on like warriors, but little did we know. Grabbed some before pictures and then the countdown began. They counted from a muffled 10 to 3 . . . 2 . . .1 . . . and a loud horn sounded. Everyone pretended to run because there were about 99 people in your way, so you are really at a comfortable walk/jog. We walked/jogged through the dirt as our competitors moved up fast out of our way; and we completed our first obstacle of Muddy Mayhem. Not so bad, we thought. This dash may just be a piece of cake. We continued on to Crusader's Castle, basically a great bottleneck to break up the crowd. It looked like a Castle and fort from back in the hay day.

Not too shabby Warrior Dash, not too shabby. At this point I'm making goals for next year to run more and thinking - I may just do this again. This isn't that bad. What was all the hooplah about? Sheesh. Then we get to this stage in the middle of the woods that we have to crawl under. They called it Blackout. The ends have been covered with black cloth and you can't see, so you are just crawling through dirt and leaves and branches. This is the first really strenuous semi-warrior-like activity. Within a minute we're moving to the next one. Go TEAM!!

And then there was Teetering Traverse. Planks of wood running up and down about 3 feet lay before us. Going up wasn't so bad, but going down was very scary. "Must not fall, Must not fall" is what everyone is repeating to themselves. Obstacle number 4 complete. By now we are seeing how they weed out the fast and the slow. I'm not worried about time though. My only goal was to finish. Running to the next obstacle was tons of fun. We ran through 2 feet of mud, grabbing at shoes and dragging people down. Left and right pre-warriors were falling. When someone fell I tried to get in front of them so I at least knew I wouldn't be in last place (horrible, I know, but you gotta do what you gotta do . . .). I run to Barricade Breakdown and see a series of wooden fences to jump over, followed by barbed wire to crawl under. How bad can this be? I see them do it in movies all the time. Yeah, so these walls were 5 or 6 feet tall, so you really had to push yourselfs up with your arms (I was really impressed with my flexing muscles, lol) then propel your leg over. Yeah, after doing this once or twice it gets real old, real quick. I think we had to do this like 6 times. So your arms and legs are a bit sore and then you must continue running. Yes, run run run, that's all everyone was doing.

I did misspeak earlier - my goals were to 1) Just to finish and 2)Not be the last person. Tunnels of Terror wasn't so bad - basically crawling inside 3ft wide tubes. I did forget about the whole crawling one time and I bumped by head. Luckily it was dark, so I don't think anyone saw. By this time I was on my own - I told my pre-warrior friends to go on without me. I was doing the at-my-own-pace-and-dont-yell-at-me-to-go-faster race. Baby steps people, baby steps, lol. So I'm running and wondering what the next obstacle is when it hits me. Neck-height string was taut between the trees and it was like that scene in Ocean's Eleven with all the lasers and he's trying to grab the jewel in the middle. Remember that? That was an awesome scene. Ok, so I digress; Arachnophobia, as it was called was tricky, but a good time.

As you can see my recounts can get pretty wordy so I'm just briefly touch on Deadweight Drifter, Rio Run, and Slithering Swamp. We ran through the stream with trees and brances and logs in the way, jumping over them to get to our destination. Some trees had like thorns sticking out (ouch, yes it did catch me) so you had to be careful which side to jump on. Plus like I said you had 99, ok, honesty by this time, 20 people breathing down your neck to get out of their way. Then we ran through 4 feet of water to the other side. It was actulaly a nice break and nice way to cool off. Oh, and by run, I mean enjoy the scenery and walk really fast. That of course made the following dirt path all muddy, so you are watching the ground trying not to slip and bust up your ankle like the girl we saw in line when we were dropping off our gear and she was picking up hers. Definitely a helpful remider to be careful.

And then, yes this deserves its very own paragraph. And then you get to the Great Warrior Wall.

It's bringing back bad memories, I might have to write this rather quickly.

So, yes, the Great Warrior Wall. You are running and running, and doing even more running. And you glimpse some barricade out of the corner of your eye, but you really have no idea what it is you are about to do until you reach it. Then you get there. There stands about a 20 ft high wall of wood. There is a rope with a couple of knots in it and pieces of wood sticking out for foot support. Your shoes are muddy from running in all the water and then dirt. I back up and try to pick my spot. I'd like a good spot that I can take my time. I'm also watching to see what other people are doing. That doesn't look so bad, I think to myself. I got this!! Well, I grab on to the rope and realize how slippery everything is. Wow, who thought of doing this with all this mud on your feet? Anyhow, when in Rome, plus I wanted to finish each obstacle. I didn't want to skip any - then I wouldn't really earned my warrior hat. So I grab on again and hoist myself up. After 2 knots I pretty much have to finish or it's a long way down. . I get to the top and am wondering how in the world to get to the other side. You have to swing your leg over and at some point let go of the rope - the only thing between you and the ground. I stayed on top of the barricade for some time trying to figure out which body position would work. If I swung my leg over but didn't have a good grip I could slip. If I let go with my hand and tried to swing my leg over I might miss the footstep. It was a mess. Needless to say there were only two options down - either I fall, or I climb. So I sucked up all the gusto I had that made me sign up for this crazy race in the first place and swung my leg over, holding on for dear life. Then I climbed down. I definitely did a little Rocky jump with the hands in the air when I got to the ground. Of course, there wasn't too much time for celebration as I ran to the next obstacle.

The last leg was a bit of a run or jog/walk depending on who you ask. Then we have a Cargo Climb with a huge rope net. Then we got to jump on top of junkyard cards in Road Rage. We were almost at the finish line and crawled through mud water, under barbed wire and on top of sharp pebbles that hurt your knees and hands.

Finally, I ran and jumped over two fire pits in the Warrior Roast; crossed the finish line; and took a victory picture with my Warrior friends.

That, my friends, is Warrior Dash. I don't know that I'd do it again - not sure it meets my safety standard, but definitely a fun time, and something to cross off my to-do list.

-Warrior Mokah

Decorating Temporary Spaces

For those of you that rent, you may find these tips helpful.

I love renting. You stay in a place for a year or two, then you move somewhere else. You get a change of scenery, even if you stay in the same city/town. You can try different layouts, and it is somewhat of an art to work with different spaces. The challenge, however, is decorating a place that isn't yours. Depending on your lease, and the agreement you have, you may or may not be able to paint, but let's face it, why paint if you know you are moving soon? Then you just have to paint it back, and from someone who has literally moved over 10 times, the only thing you want to do when you are moving out is get your stuff into the new place and hand in the old key.

So, in my last apartment I discovered these temporary stickers from Linens 'N Things (before they went out of business). They are reusable, as long as you stick them back onto the wax paper they came on, and you can easily move and readjust them. I took them off the old wall, and brought them to my current apartment.

Like most apartments, I had boring creme-colored walls. I can't paint (or I don't feel like looking through the fine print to see if I can) but I need my personality to shine through the drabness. So I started playing with these circles in my bathroom. There were different sizes, so I just made a artistic border around the vanity mirror. The picture is a little dim, but it really makes the bathroom pop.

I took these same dots and decided to create a point of interest [for the eye] in my bedroom. I placed dots above the closet space, to add some color to the wall, and I followed the same color motiff by the curtains, to draw your attention. The one trick is to do not overdo it.

I also learned how to powerdrill and drilled in that curtain rod - not an easy feat, I tell you. But I wanted to be able to hang curtains. I know I will end up patching that hole before I leave, but it makes the room feel home-y to have curtains up. I was a little disappointed after hanging the curtains, because it still felt like the wall was missing something, and adding the dots has had a nice effect, but adding a colorful border.

Lastly, I bought some decals (RoomMates Peel & Stick Wall Decals) at A.C. Moore on Friday and I couldn't wait to hang it up. I pretty much copied the suggested layout and put that over my bed, and I love the way it looks. There were additional flowers, but I thought it was a little much, so I decided to add it to the living room, over the couch.

Decals are a great way to spruce up a place and they are so easy and fun to add. There are plenty to choose from, so I definitely suggest using them. And if you can be creative and put them on creative spaces, more power to you.

Lastly, I got a roll of peelable color at A.C. Moore, yup, there was a clearance sale when I stopped by. And I bought this yellow roll. I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do with it but it looked like something I could work with. I wasted a couple of feet trying to make something artsy, but I decided to just insert a splash of color on the creme-colored area between the closets. I just went with it and starting laying it on the wall (It took two strips, overlapped). And I ended up with this:

Voila! I think it adds a funky fresh face to the wall, and it makes me happy to look at. I could potentially have gotten a lot of rolls and tried to color a small space, but I really think less is more in this case. I like checking out this bloggers page: http://lovinglivingsmall.com/ for additional ideas on small spaces.

So, have fun with it, and if my tips helped you leave me a comment!!

Clearing my Head

I love times of renewal. There are two times a year when I feel as though I have the chance to start over. One is New Year's for obvious reasons of physically starting a new year. And the second is the season of Lent. During this somber period of reflection, it's a pivotal time to really take a good look at within and come out a better person. So one of the things I've been "trying" to do for the past couple of months is to minimalize and life a simpler lifestyle.

Minimalizing consists of not only minimizing the amount of material objects one possesses, but also on continuing that effort in other aspects of your life. Really thinking about if you need something or if you just want it. It's a more sustainable way to live, it's very cost effective, and it's a lot less stressful than having a lot of "junk."

Over the years I have noticed people and their stuff. The one question I sometimes ask (sometimes silently) is "Where is all your stuff?" And some people just don't have "stuff" laying around. It's a foreign concept for me. But it makes total sense. You know how much money I could save if I got a smaller apartment? Or if I was able to move more easily and not have to have movers and such? How many times have you NOT moved or NOT gone somewhere because of the hassle of carrying so much weight around. I'm not as drastic as some, but if you are really interested check out the Time Article on the 100 Thing Challenge.

Anyhow, I digress. What I want to accomplish this year, and it's getting a true kickstart over the next 40 (minus 7) days is to clear my life, and by life I mean apartment, and by apartment I mean space, and by space I mean head. Physical clutter and just this attitude of having to hold on to "stuff" is a burden. And to be free of it is an awesome feeling (I hear). I think that physically clearing the clutter and getting rid of the junk will allow for emotional clutter to be cleared. How many times have we not done something because "well I need to clean" or "I need to finish this book before I do that(the book that sits under the pile of other books you haven't read because you were busy looking for a thumbtack in a pile) ." I think part of the mystery of why we continue to have clutter is the fear of not having anything to hide behind. Then there are no excuses as to why we are not doing something. There's ample room, ample time, and ample everything else that we could possibly use to delay the one thing that we actually need to do.

I've got a lot planned that I need to take care of, like 30 books before 30, getting published, writing that which can be published, completing Warrior Dash, and some other personal goals. So I don't have time to waste looking for the same papers all over again, and digging through piles to find a business card. The time is now. Life is too short. So, with the aid of books like Throw Out Fifty Things (Blanke, Springboard Press 2010), blogs, and prayers, I hope to start making moves. "You can't move forward into the future when you're constantly sucked back into the past"(Blanke).

The time is now!!

See you on the flip side!

As always comments are loved. No registration required.
Image credit: http://emotionalclutter.com/

BBD - The Fall of Man

I've decided to start a series called the Bible Broken Down, or BBD for short. It will really be my thoughts and commentary on things I am learning as I get more involved with studying the Word of God, aka The Bible. Even if you aren't Christian, it may give you summaries of things that we believe, so feel free to peruse. Questions/comments on beliefs/theology are welcome, as long as they are respectful. A strong foundation can withstand any question. And I'll do my best to answer or give my opinion. Just keep in mind that I am no theologian.

Ok, so just an explanation for those who may not be familiar - The Fall of Man refers to that instance where everything just went downhill. You may have heard the story of Adam & Eve: Eve gets tricked by a snake to eat the forbidden apple, shares it with Adam, God finds out and banishes them from the Garden of Eden. From that day forward Man is cursed. It feels like everyone always blames Eve. Adam represents men and Eve represents women, so we've been fighting for ions, lol.

I am recapping a great discussion we had tonight. Above is the abbreviated version that we are used to hearing about Adam and Eve. But let's just look at this a little bit further. Some of what I learned tonight was pretty surprising, because I had never looked at it that deeply.

So God creates the world. He makes light, water, animals, you name it. When you get to Genesis 1:27 (NIV version)

So God created man in his own image

God creates man. He doesn't yet have a name, but we later find out it's Adam, so I will call him Adam. God tells Adam

Genesis 1:29
"I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground - everything that has breath of life in it - I give every green plant for food." And it was so.

So Adam has it made. He can eat anything he wants. He's the only human around. Him and God are chillin.' God then made the Garden of Eden and he put Adam there to work it and take care of it.

Genesis 2:16
And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."

The establishment of rules and boundaries. Now where was Eve? This was an interesting question that was asked. Because I guess I assumed that Eve was around when God originally said not to eat the forbidden fruit. But nope, Eve hadn't even been created yet. Eve does not come into existence until Genesis 1:22. Moving right along to the next chapter we are hearing the conversation between the serpent and Eve.

Genesis 3:1-3
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden' ?" The woman said to the serpent "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it or you will die.' "

Ok, a lot just happened right there. First of all there is no text surrounding how Eve found out the rule about not eating the forbidden fruit (fruit, not necessarily an apple by the way). We almost have to assume that Adam told her because God never said she couldn't touch the fruit. Adam might have added that in - he's like, hey don't eat from that tree, matter of fact, just don't touch it. Sometimes we just want to get our two cents in when we should just leave it be. Next Eve is talking to a serpent, not a snake slithering on the ground. It wasn't strange to her that she was having this conversation so the serpent probably resembled her or something that could comfortably hold a conversation with an upright person.

So then the serpent is trying to trick Eve. See, he's already playing on the fact that she is tempted to taste the forbidden fruit. It's the human instinct - as soon as someone tells you don't touch this or don't do that or don't EAT that, that is exactly what you want to do. Even though they had EVERY other fruit and tree in the world.

Genesis 1:4-7
"You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened...

The serpent is manipulating what Eve says that God said to make her doubt herself. He may have touched the fruit to show that it didn't kill him and if one part of her statement was false, then probably the other part is as well. He's trying to get her to see the unfairness is not being able to have that knowledge. He is prodding her temptation. She wants to taste the fruit, c'mon who wouldn't want to know what the one thing in the world you are not allowed to have tastes like? And where is Adam? The text says that he was with her. Why did he know stop her from talking to the serpent? Or why, oh why, did he taste the fruit? Because he also wanted to know what this fruit tastes like and he just saw his wife taste it. What's the harm, right? Even though God who has given them everything and directly told him not to. He is going to listen to his wife, who was being tricked by a serpent.

And as soon as Adam eats the fruit they realize that they have done something wrong - this is their eyes opening. The begin to know the difference between good and evil. Before they were living in pure utopia, where they didn't have a care in the world. And so the curse begins. God is furious and he calls for Adam - Where are you? Adam tells Him he was hiding. God asks him if he ate from the tree. And he says

Genesis 3:12
The woman you put here with me - she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."

Talk about throwing under the bus! Not only does he just put it all on Eve, he blames God too - 'if you hadn't put that woman with me . . .' So if you continue reading the rest of Chapter 3 you will see that God curses the serpent and makes him crawl on his belly (now he is a snake). To the woman he increased pains in childbearing. And to Adam man is cursed to work the land.

Genesis 3:19
"...By the sweat of your brow will you eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; from dust you are and to dust you will return."

(Where we get the expression 'ashes to ashes' that they say at funerals.)

So recap:
God creates the world and then makes man. He puts man in the Garden of Eden and tells him to take care of it, only not to eat from the tree in the middle; everything else was his choosing. God creates woman from man. Man apparently tells Woman about the rule with the tree. Serpent asks Woman if she can't eat anything in the garden. Woman says, "no we can eat everything but from that one tree. " "That one tree? Really? Why is that?" Woman says "if we eat or touch it we will die." Serpent convinces her that that's not the case. Woman eats fruit from tree and gives to Man. Man, knowingly, eats the fruit. God finds out and it's a wrap. Cursed is the serpent, Woman, and finally Man. Man and Woman kicked out of the Garden of Eden, and from reaching the Tree of Life. This is the Fall of Man.

Ultimately it looks like God blames Adam a bit more because he was the one He had directed on eating the fruit. He still holds the serpent and Eve accountable, but from that day forward Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden and never allowed to eat from the tree of life.

There's lots more that could be discussed, but I just wanted to share some of the interesting points we discussed. Hope you enjoyed!

Image taken from http://www.socksoff.co.uk/walls05.html

The Tutor's Dilemma

First of all STANDING OVATION to all the teachers out there!! You guys are shaping our future, and it is definitely not easy.

Easy is an understatement. Here's my story:

I signed up to tutor as a volunteer through my church. You don't really find out too much about the student, just their name and what grade they are in. So we had our first session and I met with him and his mother. We'll call him Daniel. So he's a 13 year old in the 6th grade.

Week One - we reviewed his progress report and looked at the subjects he was having trouble in. I asked that they bring books or homework next time so that I know what types of things he's doing in school.

Week Two - No books or homework. This kid comes empty handed to tutoring. Ok, this is mind boggling to me, because what exactly am I supposed to tutor you in kiddo? So somehow he said he was taking Spanish class, so I started doing basic Spanish with him. We practiced counting to 20 and telling time. This gets a little tricky because I wasn't sure how much he had learned, so I really wanted to help with things he was learning in school, rather than teach him more advanced things.

Around this time I started venting to my friends. I was encouraged to not give up on this little inner-city at risk youth, because I could be the one that helps him. And someone asked me - "What does he want to do when he grows up?" and I had no clue. I guess I hadn't bothered getting to know him and what he wanted to do. Note to self.

Week Three - Still no homework or books. Honestly, at this point I was pretty ticked off. I'm driving out of my way to help this little brat and he doesn't have any homework or books with him. Seriously? So we do some more math that I make up, but I'm not really feeling like I'm helping him because I have no idea if he's even learning this stuff in school. But keeping in mind with what others had suggested I started asking him questions about what he wanted to do when he grew up. Of course - he wants to play basketball (Why is this every little Black boy's dream?? argggg). I asked him what position he plays and he told me center. Well he must have short classmates because he wasn't that tall. So I ask him what else he likes "I don't know" - the all too common line I was soon to hear for weeks.

Week Four - It's a new year. I want to start fresh and put back what happened behind us (I was pretty upset with his mother for not sending him with homework/books/etc). So we meet and he FINALLY has brought some work!! I was holding in my joy and giggles until I saw that he was a handout that the substitute teacher gave out. Oh well, this is what we work on. So it's an assignment about the life cycles of animals and plants. I made him read the page out loud and then we STRUGGLED to answer the questions. Each time he writes down something he puts the pencil down, as if he doesn't know that he needs to finish the WHOLE page. And then he's guessing. You remember in 6th grade how the answers were in the paragraph; you just had to find the sentence that had the question in the form of a phrase. So we go to answer the questions and he's saying words that sound like they would be the answer and looking up at me for confirmation. So I tell him to stop guessing and if he's not sure he should reread the paragraph. So that was a grueling hour. All the while he's giving me this attitude like I don't want to read this; I don't know the answer; I don't want to be here. At some point he says I want to do Spanish and I say well you did not bring any Spanish homework, so we are going to work on what you brought. (My tone here is merely frustration. I was nicer to the kid).

Week Five - We had a week cancelled due to the snow, so this was this past Wednesday. I had told his mother he was not cooperating so nicely, so she decided to sit in on the tutoring session. I know she meant well, but I'm not sure it was the best idea. Firstly we had actual 6th grade homework - math word problems, so for the first time I actually know what he's working on. Secondly, his mom had given me a workbook to work on with Daniel whenever we had spare time. So the word problems are not that difficult, but again I'm not sure how the teacher does it so hopefully I'm not confusing the kid. The problems are as such:

There were thirty airplanes in the sky that day. Four-fifths of them were blue. How many were not blue?

So there are two ways to do that problem. We know that 1/5 are not blue, so take 30, divide by 5, and you get 6. But there's another way. 30 times 4/5 would be the number of blue planes (24), so then 30-24 is the number that is not blue = 6. Anyhow, this is just an exercise in interpreting the problem into numbers and then doing the math. So I walked Daniel through the problem, always making him write on his paper. So after 3 problems you would think he would kind of get the hang of it. Nope, not really. And at this point I don't know if he really just doesn't get it or is it because he's not trying. Mind you it doesn't help that his mom is there also answering the questions (out loud) and then he repeats what she says. I would silently shake my head at her and then continue to ask him the question. And then she would tell me that he's lazy and I really don't like people talking about their kids right in front of them. So I respectively nod and go back to the kid and say ok let's try this. I will have to talk to her about that on the phone.

Anyhow, he tried so many excuses to not do the work. He asked to go to the bathroom. Normally I would say yes but his mom was there so said "no, you can go when you are finished." I noticed that he did not use the restroom before they left to go home, so it had been just another tactic (Note to self). He was constantly rubbing his eyes and leaning back in his chair like he had better things to do. And then he mumbled to himself, but loud enough for us both hear, "I don't want to be here."

So that's where I am with this kid. I'm not vested. I could stop tutoring him anytime I want, but I really feel like there's a way to get in and then once that happens it will be better?

So I posted on facebook that I needed my teacher-friends' help. Here are some of the tips I got:

• A couple comments on how you can't tutor someone that doesn't want to be tutored
  True, but little kids/teens need to be guided. They don't know what they need yet, so just because they don't want to do their homework doesn't make it an option. In college you can choose not to do your homework, you're an adult
• Find out what he's interested in and related the schoolwork to that
  Great idea. So I know he likes basketball and skating. More on that later, I thought of a possible activity
• Search online for information. Maybe he's afraid of failure. Try books at the library. Also, you could try talking to the teachers
  Great ideas!! So I looked online and found some interesting videos and games that we could play (assuming I can get WiFi on my laptop at the church. Or at least I could suggest the websites to his mother. I probably wouldn't talk with his teacher, since that is really something his mother should do. I was also able to find curriculum of schools in this state (not necessarily his school) and that was very helpful to see what they are learning in other subjects
• Disguise learning into games
  We are on to something people!!
• Relate it to rap
  Ok mad respect to the teachers on TeacherTube.com. I found some hilarious stuff on there. And then I saw some videos from School House Rock - do you guys remember that? That was great, so I will definitely be utilizing some videos. As for me and rapping about fractions? Ha! We'll have to see about that.
• Offering Rewards
  I will consider this but it becomes iffy when I'm buying things. I could give him fake money each time he gets something on his own; then at the end of the school year if he has enough fake money he can have a basketball or something? I think those are only 10 bucks or so. (Although this is a whole different topic on bribing kids to succeed; when does it become hurtful?)
• Another friend suggested I showed him "Scared Straight," a tv show that used to take juveniles into prisons and basically have the inmates rough them up and scare them.
  I watched a couple of the episodes and well, wayyyyyyyy too much profanity so unless I find a censored version, I won't be able to do that.

So I love that so many people gave me their ideas. I did some more research online and came up with some other options. Tell me what you think - I will be using some of these this next Wed.

• He doesn't want to do his homework. He wants to play video games and basketball. So how about I pull a reverse psychology Bill Cosby trick and tell him ok, then we won't do homework today. If you want to be a basketball player you have to practice for hours a day. And then take him outside (well I'll watch him from the inside) and have him practice dribbling for an hour with his left hand in the cold. (muhahahahah. Ok sorry, not but really this is an idea).
• I made a list of jobs that I found online (These are all powerpoint slides I made).

  

  There are about 5 jobs on the list that you don't need a high school diploma for - because if he doesn't finish 6th grade he won't get into high school. Working at McDonald's or serving tables or driving a taxi cab. Max salary is about $23,000/yr. So then I'm thinking I show him that list. Then show him some cars that he might want to drive when he's older. Lastly I ask him to choose where he wants to live and he can choose the type of dwelling space. The whole point is to show him that he needs to make more money to buy the that he likes, and in order to do that he has to finish 6th grade. If that's not as tangible then I was going to have him furnish his house and go through IKEA ads and stuff so that he could pick out his furniture and decorations. We'd also go through the grocery circulars and maybe that would help him realize how much stuff costs.

• The next idea was to pretend he was a high-paid basketball player and give him fake checks for $500,000. Then I tell him that 1/5 of that money goes towards his agent and he gets to keep the rest. Then he makes out a check to the agent. When he forks it over and gets it wrong I show him how even if he's a basketball player people can steal from him if he doesn't know basic math. If he says then he'd do it in his calculator then I whip out the calculator and hand it to him. If he says that he'd hire someone to check the numbers then I would tell him that they would steal from him too and there's no way for him to check it.
• Lastly I can show him the youtube videos and raps on fractions, although that might not work if I can't get onto the internet at Church. So I don't want to count on that.
• Additionally, I think there are some things he can do at home that would help, but I don't want to offend his mother. For one, when I was in 6th grade I got to watch tv for an hour and then I had to do my homework. If he's not doing his homework then he should not have privileges such as playing video games, watching tv, or talking on the phone. I don't think his mom can check his homework (which is a downside) but she can at least see that he shows his work.

Ok that's if for now. Let me know what you think I should do for Wednesday. And I'll keep you guys informed of how this goes. Hopefully he will not be a statistic and we can reach him!

Senseless violence

After yesterday's shooting in Tucson, Arizona, aimed at assassinating Congresswoman Gaby Giffords, six people were killed and Giffords is in critical condition after being shot in the brain. Democracy was happening at the time of the shooting, with a community meeting with the Congresswoman and local citizens.

They have a suspect right now, and are investigating.

The only thing I want to say is that the freedom of speech is not only about saying whatever you want, but also having to peacefully listen to others. And this is an example of how someone who doesn't agree with a bill being passed or political views (I presume) took violent measures to make their point. That is not what the 1st amendment is about. That is not what democracy is about.

Condolences to all those affected.

2011: I dare you to Live

Happy New Year!! It is 2011. For some reason I am super excited to be starting a new year. Why is that? I think it's because of all the new things that the flipping of the calendar entices. That the old year is finally behind us and whatever did not get done can be forgotten and we start over.

Take the plunge. To me, 2011 is about trying more things that you've never tried before; to challenge oneself; to possibly walk across your own personal tightrope, 1000 fee up in the air.

2010 was great and I tried a ton of things from oil painting, to building a bridge, to starting a new job, to putting myself out there on the love front, to letting go of things that were not necessarily beneficial to me and to learning how to say no (You can't do everything and go everywhere).

So I was reading Melanie's blog of things she has learned as she is turning 30 and it was a great list. It reminded me of all the knowledge I had picked up in the last year. The life of a twentysomething is very unique. You still get away with acting young and childish, but at the same time you have not yet reached your full potential and you know it. You know that there is a ton out there awaiting you, you just have to go and get it. Well, there's something umm, let's see, "special" about turning 30. It's not like there will be a drumroll and everyone gasp's saying "wow, she's 30," but there is definitely a HUGEEEEEEEE difference between 29 and 30. So us twentysomethings enjoy the fact that we are still young enough to do what we want before this wretched number. Well I'm not 30 yet, no where near it as far as I am concerned, but it is an ever present reminder that now is the time to get things done, to make moves.

There are a ton of things that I plan on working on this year, some of which I choose to keep blogless. One thing I will share, that has been an ever present theme over the last 2 years is about people. I have trouble moving on from people. A friend of mine reminded me that everyone comes into your life for a reason, and not all of these reasons are permanent. There were people that you met that you were meant to be close to in high school, college, grad school, work, social activities, Church, the gym, etc. And perhaps you had a great relationship with them at the time, but things change and it's ok to not have that same relationship when one of you moves on or has a major life change. It makes logical sense, but for some reason this was a very hard idea for me to grasp. I've been holding on to some things or getting mad about them, when really I should just reflect on the good times, appreciate those, and get on with my life. So I will work on doing that in 2011. I simply do not have the energy to spend keeping up with people who are not thinking about me.

The other major goal is to get back into shape. Mainly it's tackling the dreaded middle expansion region we all face as we get older and our metabolism slows down. I don't think I ever went through the Freshman 15 in college. I think I actually lost weight because I didn't have that much time to eat. But, now is the time to get into the best shape of our lives; before marriage and kids ruin your figure forever, lol. (somewhat dramatizing).

I am excited to start a new year because it is the ritualistic cleaning of the chalkboard and starting with a fresh slate. In 2011 I dare you to Live.

Photo Credit: http://www.colinoproperties.com/images/2008/10/tightrope.jpg

Goodbye 2010

Last day of the year. Have a Safe and Happy New Year everyone!!

Goodbye to regrets and things we did not accomplish this year. Hello to a fresh new start and to new beginnings. Time to prepare for fun and challenging things in the year to come. 2011 will be awesome!!!

Feliz Ano nuevo y cuidado con tus amigos and la familia. El ano proximo estare bien, muy bien.

Ciao!

30 Books Before 30

Maybe I'm crazy. Or maybe I just want to wander a little less aimlessly. As many of you know one of my dreams is to become a well known writer - to someday have a non-technical book published, that people want to read (and not just my friends and family), that somehow inspires at least one person, and that makes everyone examine the everyday items in their life, and slightly chuckle. Well, as I stated in a previous post, the best way to really do something is to study your predecessors. In my case, that means read more. I think we all could use to read more. With school and work, reading for pleasure gets pushed to the back burner. But I must say, I really love it. I love being engrossed in a novel or literary work so much that you don't want to put it down. I love reading books that I later remember so vividly that I thought I had watched the movie.

My most recent favorite has to be The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. Great novel on the conflict of 1st generation-ers - the fine line between assimilation and adaptation. The movie (I hated) does not do it justice. At all.

So, I looked at some lists online and compiled a list of 30 books I want to have read by the age of 30. Some of the books I have read already (in bold), but it's been so long that I don't really remember them all. Many of the books I have not read, and a handful I have started (in italics), but never actually finished. So, I'm taking suggestions for the list - maybe you think I should have something on there that's not, or maybe you would take something off. Then, I'll write about the books that I'm reading, or give summaries for the books that I have read - each in it's individual blog post - it will kinda be like the movie Julie & Julia. Hmm, ok maybe not so exciting, since I can't really blog too much about how my hand turned the page, waiting in anticipation, as to what would happen next.

And if there's a book on there that you also want to read - let me know, and maybe we can read it together. A lot of the classic novels are beyond their copyright and are available free online or through an e-reader. I don't read very fast - so if that was a concern, go ahead and nix it.

One more thing - i have a ton of books that I am currently reading, so I may hold off on starting until the new year, to give me time to finish the books on my list. We'll see. And Any suggestions for where to start? I'm thinking of starting light with The Scarlet Letter.

Here's the list: Comments about the list below

1. Animal Farm
2. The Catcher in the Rye
3. Beloved
4. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
5. The Great Gatsby
6. The Grapes of Wrath
7. Catch 22
8. Crime and Punishment
9. War and Peace or One Hundred Years of Solitude
10. The Scarlet Letter
11. The Color Purple
12. Robinson Crusoe
13. The Prince
14. Lord of the Flies
15. 1984
16. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
17. Madame Bovary
18. Ulysses
19. Siddhartha
20. Uncle Tom's Cabin
21. Don Quixote
22. Dracula
23. The Bible
24. The Critique of Pure Reason
25. The Sayings of Confucious
26. Poems of Emily Dickinson
27. Beowulf
28. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
29. Treasure Island
30. Gulliver's Travels
    

So what didn't make the list? There are a ton of wonderful books that didn't make my 30 pick: Metamorphosis (Kafka)- seriously, I could not read past a certain part in the book, when he was describing all of his body parts (man turns cockroach) and how his family wouldn't hug him or welcome him home, I was in disgust, I just had to put it down if I wanted to be able to eat dinner that night. So yeah, that did not make the list. Moby Dick (Melville)- hmm not really sure I want to read that much about a whale - yes I realize that it's about more than a whale. I'm open for persuasion, but so far, no dice. The Souls of Black Folk (DuBois) may be put on, I'd just have to figure out what to take off - I bought it two years ago with every intention of reading it. I love Jane Austen based movies, so I wanted to add either Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility, but because I had seen the movie [Pride and Prejudice], I probably have a good idea of the author's work. And after all this Twilight hype, I had to add Dracula - c'mon Twilight's got nothing on Bram Stoker, lol. The Complete works of William Shakespeare - well in one word WOW - I think it would take a lot to read off of Shakespeare's stuff, plus I've read a handfull of plays in school - Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Taming of the Shrew, Othello, etc. War and Peace looks very long - not sure if that will stay on the list. What do you think? Worth a read? And some others that did not make the list: A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens) , Jane Eyre (Bronte), The Jungle (Sinclair), Oliver Twist (Dickens) , A Farewell to Arms (Hermingway), etc. And I'm excited about some of the selections on my list - I've heard so much about Madam Bovary, it will be nice to read the book. The Bible has been a goal on my read list forever. I even bought one of those Read the Bible in 365 days books. So, hopefully with adding it to my list it will actually get done (finally). I may have a separate blog for The Bible, since that will take a year in itself - even if you are not Christian, the basis for a lot of Western philosophy (whether people agree or not) does take root in The Bible. And a Spanish novel - with Don Quixote, will be an interesting add to the mix.

So, hear goes nothing - taking suggestions/comments/interesting fluff on my list until Dec 31st !

(Image from http://fineartamerica.com/featured/bookshelf-joni-dipirro.html)

What is Wrong with the World? "I AM ! "

On October 25, 2010 I, along with hundreds of others, had the grand experience of watching a film screening of "I AM," a documentary helping to explain what is wrong with the world today and what we can do about it. The director of the film is Tom Shadyac, who has also directed such films as Patch Adams, Ace Ventura, and Bruce Almighty. After the film Tom and co-producer Jackie Zampella answered questions from the audience.

(Pictured: left - Jackie Zampella, co-producer
right - Tom Shadyac, director & writer)

The film repeatedly asks the question "What is Wrong with the World?" and the prevalent and astounding answer is that "I AM" is the answer to that question. That each of us has a responsibility to help make the world a better place than we found it.

The creation of the movie is an interesting story. In short, Tom was in an accident that nearly killed him. He was on the verge of death, and mentally drained and depressed. At some point he reached his very bottom, perhaps his tipping point, and realized that he was not going to go out like that. There was at least one more thing that he wanted to say. And it was nothing but his faith in God that got him out of that bed and gave him the energy to begin the journey of a lifetime. He was setting out to find out what was wrong with the world. And, being a director, he was going to answer the question in the form of a film.

He interviewed hundreds of people - scientists, philosophers, people of various faiths, over 700 hours of film, and compiled it together in the <2 hour film that we watched. The impact can not be described in the words I can write in my blog, but I can share some of the interesting stories that I remember (and took notes on) from the journey.

Some of the interesting studies that were done occurred at the Institute of HeartMath. They were showing the link between the human heart and other living beings. That we are cosmically connected in some way. For instance, they connected yogurt up to electrodes, and with a person sitting nearby, there was noticeably more energy in the yogurt when a sharp emotion (shout or laughter) happened in the nearby person. As if the person was giving off some type of signal to the yogurt. And another study where a person's saliva was analyzed with the person being clear across town. The actions and body responses of the person matched those of the person's saliva, superficially separated. He tested married couples in separate rooms. When one spouse had a bright light shining in their eye, the other spouse's eye had a similar reaction even though they were in a separate room and could not see or hear what was going on.

The purpose of these exercises was simply to illustrate that we are not just individual beings going about our merry way; that our actions and interactions do affect other people, whether we realize it or not. The more that we act as though we are independent and don't need or affect others, the more harm we may be doing.

The film addressed Toms depression and why it is that people get so down on their lives. One of the problems is that when we are in a low time or dark situation that is how we see the rest of our future. The key is to remember that that is just where you are right now, in the present time. If you don't believe it will get better, it is much harder for it to.

I love what he said - "We really need a new definition of normal." There are ideas, at least in the USA that the great American Dream is to have more land, more space, and more material possessions. We are possessive of land - the more you own symbolizes that you have "made it." Sports players, Celebrities, and the most famous of people live in million square footage mansions with BMWs or expensive cars for every day of the week. They buy expensive clothing, outrageously priced jewelry, and import steak for dinner, just because they can. We build up fences around our masses of land to keep our lives private and protected. We don't say hi to our neighbors, we talk on cell phones while riding the bus or train; anything to prevent us from having to have an actual conversation with another human being that we may not know.

The more "stuff" we have, the more we seem to move away from being an equal partner in the community. And that is exactly what we need to get back to. In the film, someone mentioned that a plant that takes more water than it needs will drown. Human nature is probably very capitalistic - we want what we want and we don't care who doesn't have anything. Wouldn't it be better if someone did not have to be poor or hungry because I wanted to eat? If there is more than enough food why should I get 2 loaves of bread and the other person none? What is so wrong with me only taking 1 because that's all that I need? We have become a society where we take it JUST BECAUSE WE CAN; with no regard for the fact that more than you need is a waste.

There is a "delusion of consciousness." We are actually being held hostage by our possessions. Think about it - the bigger your house, the more you have to dust, the more time it takes or you have to hire help. The more cars you have, the more you have to maintain, the more you have to protect, the bigger fence you have to build. When you have a ton more than what you could possibly need you are always worrying about what to do with it, where to put it, and where to put the remains when they go bad. Living simpler is an improvement we all can make.

Lastly, the point was made that an alcoholic will not recover until he or she admits their own responsibility. "I Am" is about us all taking responsibility for the world not being the place we need it to be. We all need to stop pointing fingers at others and step up and do the things that we need to do. We can't compete with the Tsunamis of money, instant gratification of material objects, and the desire of greed and having it all; but hopefully we can lead by example.

I AM the problem, and I AM going to help towards the solution.


To find out more about the film check out Tom's website: "I AM" the documentary. It will release in February 2011. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Adventures in Towland

Because sometimes all you can do is laugh . . .

Here's my true story, written in novel format :) You might want to read this at lunch with popcorn and your door closed. You just might laugh that hard.

*Some names have been changed to protect the innocent, aka, so people don't get mad at me if this gets on the internet, lol. Any rhyming or similarities are strictly coincidental

Dancing, dancing, dancing!! Watch her get down, watch her get down, watch her get down. There we were, twirling around on the dance floor for hours, in celebration of my birthday. We were all set to leave when they played another cool song. So we mamboed to the exit, getting one last hip wiggle as we left the club. It was crowded outside as every other club in the vicinity was closing at this time too. My feet were a bit sore, but I was SOOOOOOO glad that I had carried my flats with me. I don't know how these other women do it, after about 30 minutes my feet were already hurting, but I thought to myself - must look cute, must look cute, keep heels on. About an hour after that, or maybe 2, I finally gave in and put the flats on. It was well worth it.

So the group is all walking towards the same place, and one by one we'd drop people off at their cars. Charletta's car was up first - she was my ride. And we walked a bit further then we thought we had parked; gone too far and stopped. Where's the car? My first thought was that perhaps we parked a bit further up. My friend was like, No, I parked it right here. So then I'm assuming maybe it got stolen. Her assumption was that it got towed. Wow, they really do that? I thought. I had never been towed before, and I remember seeing other cars here (which I guess also got towed). Funny thing is that I remember getting the spot - it was a perfect arrangement. We were driving down Chestnut street and saw no parking, when we turned onto 2nd to make the rounds. There was a spot in front of a motorcycle that was a little tight. But we went for it, and conveniently the lady in front of the spot was getting out, so we had it all to ourselves. We had just finished dinner and were excited to get the dancing part of our evening on. We parked, got out the car, and went into the club, not even noticing the No Parking sign that must have been up. Well this sucks. If you have never been towed, there are no instructions on what to do or where to go, it's like you should just KNOW what to do. Fortunately (and unfortunately at the same time) I had friends that have been in this situation before with us. Reba says to me "Oh, just ask the cop for the number and he'll give it to you." So I walk over to the cop. Mind you Charletta (she drove) is livid and I can see the anger on her face. Well Mr. Copman is pretty nice but he's just spewing information at me. He tells me the phone number like I'm going to memorize it, so then I take out my phone to write it down. Then he gives me four page instructions like I'm going to remember that after I call the place. They should really carry cards or something.

Anyway, I call the tow place and they ask for the make, model, and license plate number for your car (Good information to know by heart, by the way). We give it to them and they confirm (rather happily) that they have the car. So Reba offers to take us down there to get the car. Mind you they close at 3am, and it's like 2:15am, so I'm a little antsy. We get to the car place and they have the stupidest system. There are three lines. In the right most lane is where you verify they have the car and make the payments for the towing fee. When you are done with that you go to the middle lane where they see the receipt and need to verify your registration and insurance (which are probably in your car, so then you have to go to your car (escorted) to retrieve them). Line 3, which we almost didn't see, is when you have everything cleared and you are picking up the car to go home.

In right most lane is an attractive guy. He is giving my friend all the forms and such. At some point my friend is in Line 2 and I'm leaning on the counter of Line 1. He randomly says "Cutie Pie." I look up and say "Are you talking to me?" He replies, "Yes." All I can do is laugh, and say thanks. Then he says "What is your phone number?" And being the coy girl that I am, I ask, "Is this part of the process?" He laughs, as does the coworker next to him and says "It's not part of [the car pick up] process, but it's part of ANOTHER process" Beyond words. I'm just cracking up that I get hit on in a tow station at 3 am in the morning! I have to move so he can help the girl behind me and I go outside (Charletta is still handing paperwork) and tell Reba - should I go for it? She's like sure. And I'm like - it's my birthday, I can do whatever I want!! (lol) So I go back into the office, write my number and name on a tiny piece of paper and try to get his attention, but there's someone he is helping. Hmm, how am I going to do this? Well the pen that I was using belonged to the tow place, so I slipped him the pen and my number and say "Here's your pen back" {wink} He got the hint and took the paper, and I walked away smirking. (I'm so slick, right? ) 

Charletta is on the phone with her insurance company. Apparently she didn't have the newest insurance card in the car at the time and they won't let you go until you show them that. (Note to self - as soon as it comes in the envelope make sure to put it in the care!!). Well it's 4am on a Sunday morning and of course the website is down for maintenance, so access to records is not looking good. Reba and Marques had just left because we didn't want them waiting around and we thought we were good. In the meantime I see this fine looking guy sitting against the window (new guy, not Line 2 guy). Everyone in the tow place is kinda funny because we are all stuck here and no one wants to be here (seriously, you could actually compare it to being in jail). Well there was this Asian chick sobbing her heart out. Loudly. We all felt bad for her, but everyone was mumbling under their breath "Could she cry on the side of the line and move it along?" and "Dag, she sounds like someone died." It was quite amusing. Then this other girl is fighting with the workers at the window because she owes like a dollar on her car. She says "I'm a poor college student. I don't have a dollar. I eat Ramen [noodles]." So me and this fine window guy are laughing to ourselves, and making eye contact and smiling. The seat next to him opens up so of course I sashay over there and sit right next to him.  

"What are you in for?" is my big opening line  - I'm sure I said it a little classier; maybe batted some eyelashes. He tells me that his friend had also been towed. His ethnicity looked very ambiguous to me so I ask him what he is. He tells me he's Costa Rican. I ask him if he speaks Spanish and he does. Little by little I'm getting to know Mr. Window guy. I overhear the guy next to me saying that was his brother. "That's your brother?" I ask him "Yes" Then I overhear something about a wife and kid. I ask Mr. Window guy  if he has kids and he tells me he has a little son. "And a wife?"(add slightly disappointed tone) "Yes" "Well where's your ring?" (slightly hoping he was joking. Yeah, yeah, I could overlook the one kid thing). BAM!! - there it was!! A little piece of metal that I had neglected to see from the other side of the room. "Wow, I did NOT see that" I say to him. He smiles and looks very flattered, but sigh, there's goes another one. I did apologize for hitting on him given that he was married, but he says it's ok (of course he does, so suave) and we continue talking.  As the conversation continues I learn that he's from Cherry Hill and works on BMWs. Of course him and his wife have a Beemer. I poke him with my elbow and ask for a hook up! (worth a try, right) He asks me what I do and I get into my side gig of writing. He sounds interested so I give him my blog address. Who knows if he will check it out. But let me tell you, if this guy were single . . . cuz he's just GORGEOUS!!!

Back to reality - we are stuck at the towing place because we can't get the car, so I call Marques to see if he could pick us up and he's such a sweetie and says he will. 20 minutes or so I say bye to Mr. [married] window guy :(  and we are on our way. I FINALLY get home around 4am and sleep until past the break of dawn. We finally did get the car Sunday afternoon. The guy who asked me for my number (Line 2 guy) texted me. I asked him name? kids? age? and the 3 kids kinda ruled him out. And then we got the car and we went to IKEA.  

Not a bad way to spend at the tow truck place though, right?

Laughing all the way home [at life's irony],

~moi~

Photo credit: http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/1857/30060705sn1.jpg

Blog Action Day 2010: Water, Water Everywhere

Well, don't let the title fool you. Remember the saying "Water, Water, Everywhere, but not a drop to drink"? If you've never heard it before it usually refers to someone being stuck on a desert or on a boat in the middle of the ocean. And you are surrounded by water, but it's salt-water, so you can't actually drink it. I mean, technically, you could, but you'd just dehydrate and die. The world is covered in 2/3 water, but not all of this is drinkable water.

Today is Blog Action Day, the day where thousands around the world will post a blog about one specific topic. We'll discuss this topic at different angles, argue different points, but most of all get a discussion going on a topic that affects hundred around the world. Maybe it will provoke someone to discuss this with their colleagues, or fundraise, or travel in search of helping less fortunate people. Somehow, some way we hope to make a different and positively impact our world community.  

So for those new to my blog my angle is this: I like to find the silver lining in everyday things in life, point out the obvious and not so obvious things we all seem to do, as well as look at the simple fixes. When talking about such an impacting topic as access to clean water I want to talk about the practical side - what can I, or you, do right now, where we are, to help with this issue?

Yet, I digress. Back to the topic at hand: Water. The United Nations has formally decided that they would like to do something about the lack of clean water available to an alarming amount of people around the world. An estimated 884 million people around the world [1] (and remember the world population count is ~6.9 billion at the moment [2]) lack access to clean drinking water. If you do the math that's 12%!!! That's pretty high. Especially when, in 2009, there were 4.9 billion cell phone subscriptions worldwide [3] ! Where are our priorities?

Imagine going a day without anyone washing their hands. How gross would you feel after sneezing and coughing without a way to clean your hands? Then knowing that other people were doing the same thing. Maybe someone gives you a hug, or a kid climbs up on your shoulders. Maybe the baby's parents just changed their baby's diaper then went to serve you dinner. And what if you had to ride the subway? And the rats that were scurrying around came to the platform and maybe you saw one on the handrail. And maybe you yourself don't touch the handrail because you know it's dirty, but the guy before you, the guy that pulled the door open with his dirty hand, did touch the handrail. And you were too far behind him to not have to pull the door open. So now you have all kinds of germs all over your body. All you want to do is go home and take a shower, or even get to the nearest bathroom and scrub your hands clean. And this is the non-graphic version. What if that was your lifestyle because you didn't have another way? Maybe it's hard to imagine it here in the US where people are taking 20 minute showers 2 times a day, and swimming in their individual pools in their backyards. But imagine it if you will and see that it is a very grim way to live, plus add all the other stresses of normal living like school and work.

Death due to unsafe water accounts for 80% of diseases every year. Without proper sanitation it is nearly impossible to fight off medical ailments from diarrhea, dysentery, hepatitis A, E. coli, Salmonella, and other illnesses/bacteria [4]. One tenth of these deaths may be preventable with better water access. 

The improvements that can be made are life-changing. Just looking at the cycle of changes [4] points out that people would save time from walking to get water if it wasn't so far. Germs would not be so readily spread if the community had washing stations and were taught improved hygiene. Kids could spend more time in school if they weren't walking to get water or out sick because of diseases caused by lack of clean water. Hand-washing is able to reduce water-related deaths by 45% [4].

I'm not here to pose a 10 page report. The facts are there. There are numerous resources if you want to read more on the topic. The point is that we do have a problem. We have recognized the problem, and we (collective we - as in the whole world) need to do something to fix this problem. More often than not the very developed world philosophy is to worry about oneself and not to fix something until it's broke. Well the developing world needs our help. This is a world problem. We can not continue to hog up all the good resources and not offer it, or aid to those without these resources we take for granted.

So what can you do? you are wondering . . .

1. Ditch the bottle. Ahh, this is a hard one indeed, but yes having bottled water is not the most sustainable way to go. Finish those bottles off, recycle the bottles, and invest in a reusable BPA free water bottle.

2. Tap water - it's cleaner than you think. The tap water in the United States is one of the cleanest in the world. But is it cleaner than bottled water? The debate continues, but a study from affiliates of Harvard Medical School show that some water is not that much, if any cleaner than the water out of your kitchen tap [5]. Tap water is regulated by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), while bottle water is regulated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). Local impurities will differ based on filtration systems, the pipes in your home, etc. So if you are really concerned you can request a water quality report and filter your tap water.

3. Be good to your drains. A big reason we have impurities in the water are highly due to what consumers are throwing down the drain. Pharmaceutical drugs should not be disposed of in the sink or the toilet - bring them back to your local pharmacy. Similarly, unless it's drain-o or something that you drank, you probably shouldn't pour it down the sink. Communities will hold monthly or annually hazardous waste pickups to collect your hazardous liquids to dispose.

4. Take shorter showers. Seriously. From the UN Human Development Report "An American taking a five-minute shower uses more water than the typical person living in a developing country slum uses in a whole day"[6].

5. Fix leaks. A leaky faucet can waste up to 20 gallons of water per day and a leaky toilet 200 gallons/day [7]. That's a total waste.

6, 7, 8, 9, 10, . . . READ, become involved, and make a change. 

Organizations like charitywater.org and water.org help to get wells built and teach about sanitation practices, to prevent water related deaths. There is a petition for the UN to bring clean water to people around the world. And then there are the 5 little things I mentioned on my list. So, now it's your ball game. The world awaits . . .

Works Cited:
[1] UN article - http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=35456&Cr=sanitation&Cr1
[2] World Population - http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html
[3] Cell Phones - http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13970_7-10454065-78.html
[4] Water - http://www.charitywater.org/whywater/
[5] Tap Water - http://www.brighamandwomens.org/healtheweightforwomen/special_topics/intelihealth0804.aspx?subid=submenu10
[6] UN Human Development Report - http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR06-complete.pdf 
[7] Ways to save water - http://www.nrdc.org/water/pollution/gsteps.asp

Blog Action Day: www.blogactionday.change.org