tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76863115992556384102024-02-02T01:08:34.528-08:00The Ipsum Laureateaudacity at its wordiestUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-88026191439077693602016-06-08T17:22:00.000-07:002016-06-08T17:38:55.596-07:00Rebutting Sarah Beller: Why Brock Turner's Case Doesn't Make Us Proponents of Prison <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brock Turner: Face of the White Savior Complex</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "times new roman";">I started off responding to a friend's Facebook post like the sassafras I am, but it got a little out of control (Ok. a lot out of control). FB Friend posted a link to an article from TheInfluence.org by a young woman named <a href="https://twitter.com/sarahlbeller" target="_blank">Sarah Beller</a> entitled <a href="http://theinfluence.org/brock-turner-case-our-hatred-of-rape-should-not-make-us-into-proponents-of-prison/" target="_blank">"Brock Turner Case: Our Hatred of Rape Should Not Make Us Into Proponents of Prison."</a></span></div>
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Beller argues that the larger issue at play is how wrong it is that POC have been getting the judiciary shaft for years. What we really need to recognize is that Turner getting a harsher punishment does nothing to help the thousands of minorities and disadvantaged people that are already rotting away in prison for non-violent misdemeanors. She suggests "Transformative Justice" and a future with lighter sentencing for all leading to a future where prison is unnecessary. She even implies that it's beneficial that Turner got a lighter sentence because, "<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "times new roman";">don’t we want sentences to be universally lowered rather than universally raised?"</span></div>
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<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "times new roman";">In the parlance of our times: On a scale of 1 to I Can't: I Can't Even. One of the most mind-boggling parts of this to me is that this was written by a woman. I'm blown away by the idea that a woman would throw ALL WOMEN under the bus in favor of lighter (and eventually no) punishments for violent sexual criminals. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "times new roman";">Anyway, here is my comment-turned-blog on why I think being outraged at Judge Aaron Persky about Brock Turner's non-sentence not only doesn't make me a proponent of prison, but in fact points out Sarah Bellers own inconsistent views and white savior complex:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "times new roman";"><a href="http://theinfluence.org/brock-turner-case-our-hatred-of-rape-should-not-make-us-into-proponents-of-prison/" target="_blank">This article</a> is built like a novice debate case: It sounds compelling on the
surface, but when met with literally any level of scrutiny, it's offensively
bad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "times new roman";">Are
non-violent prison sentences for POC a major problem in America?
Abso-freaking-lutely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "times new roman";">Should
the justice system tie that blindfold a little bit (a lot bit) tighter when
prosecuting cases? Definitely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "times new roman";">Should
we find alternatives to hard time for certain crimes? Yeah.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "times new roman";">Do
any of these preclude this situation from being a miscarriage of justice? No.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "times new roman";">The
absolute, most basic way of separating crimes for comparison is violent vs.
non-violent. This article gives only non-violent examples of prison sentences
being too harsh. I guess it is a lot more palatable than suggesting that
sentencing for other violent sex crimes is too harsh. (Although, Beller's own
refusal to compare apples to apples arguably shows that she doesn't even agree
with what she's saying.) Brock Turner was convicted of three violent, felony
sex crimes. His wrongdoing is not comparable to a misdemeanor, non-violent
crime.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "times new roman";">"Transformative
Justice" is never given a clear definition (Beller admits that there isn't
even one in existence), and it’s certainly never explained within the context
of this crime. The definitions Beller does half-heartedly put forward sound
like POC will get current WASP sentences, WASPs will get rich WASP sentences,
and rich WASPs will do whatever they want without impunity. Or stalks. Either
way, not a positive, progressive change that moves us toward a society that is
truly equal under the law. Not to mention alternatives like “Transformative
Justice” generally come up when discussing misdemeanors and non-violent crimes,
neither of which applies to Turner’s case. (Also, editorially speaking, because
Beller's argument for transformative justice is so worthless, it shouldn't have
even been there.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "times new roman";">Beller
makes a rookie move in her penultimate paragraph by saying, "But don’t we
want sentences to be universally lowered rather than universally raised?".
No rational person is calling for that. To say that Turner's sentence is an
egregious miscarriage of justice is perfectly reasonable (Don't worry, I'll get
to that after I finish critiquing her poorly written conclusion.) and in no way
comments on the reasonableness of other sentences. People's
push for equality under the law for POC doesn't necessarily mean that everyone
needs lighter sentences. It means that the justice system needs to stop being
the most racist institution in our country. It means that when two people of
different socioeconomic and racial backgrounds commit the same crime, they will
be punished the same, and that punishment will fit the crime committed. That’s
the goal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Beller goes on to question, “Don’t we want (at the very least) the incarceration rates of people
of color to be lowered to meet those of whites, not vice versa?”. The answer is
yes and no. Beller’s argument assumes that white people are being properly
punished (Hi, White Privilege. Thanks for stopping by.), and as evidenced by Turner’s case, that is a deeply faulty assumption.
Yet another deeply faulty assumption is that people decrying Turner’s
punishment as unjust are calling for all incarceration rates to increase to the
level of the (also unjust) incarceration rates of POC. This simply is untrue. The
incarceration rates of POC vs. whites is, in and of itself, a gross miscarriage
of justice. Once again, the goal is for equality of punishment based on crime,
NOT race. That being said, Turner’s punishment doesn’t fit his crime. THAT’S
the problem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Beller’s whole
article is balanced on the idea that a punishment can be only too severe, but
it can never be too light. Would she write the same article if he’d gotten off
with a slap on the wrist? Or if the case had been thrown out altogether? That’s
the end goal she points us toward. An America with no sentencing at all because
there are no prisons. And in dogged pursuit of that goal, we should count
ourselves lucky when lighter punishments are passed down. Even when it’s just
one more example of a rich, white man dodging responsibility for his crime.
Because somehow that’s a step toward this prison-less future. And somehow “the
sentencing of one young man who committed an awful crime but was fortunate
enough to be shown some mercy” is going to help POC convicted of those same
crimes to get lighter sentences? (Well, White Savior Complex, I see you showed up fashionably late to the party.) And even if it did result in across the board
lighter sentencing (as Beller calls for), do you want your society to be the
one where men can violently sexually assault women and get little to no
negative consequences, further putting the onus of responsibility on the victim
as opposed to the aggressor? (The answer is no.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Now that we’ve
established that Beller’s arguments are entirely tactless and generally
off-topic, let’s look at how Brock Turner’s sentence is actually a step
backward for equality and justice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">I won’t disagree
that if Turner were poor or a minority that his sentence would’ve been harsher
than it is. Especially if he were both of those things. I also don’t disagree
with the idea that that’s inherently wrong. Not necessarily the eventual
sentence, but the method by which it was determined. Race and socioeconomic
standing should not have basis in a courtroom. Endofstory. That being said,
this <i>is</i> an example of how a punishment fits the race, not the crime—just not
the example we’re used to arguing. As we oppose the mass incarceration and
harsh sentencing of POC, we never really have to bring up that it stands in
such stark relief against how under-incarcerated and gently punished whites
(especially rich whites) are. The answer isn’t that everyone should get lighter
sentences. That’s a really dumb argument that doesn’t actually close the gap of
inequality. It just moves it. Sentencing a POC to six months in county jail for
three violent sexual crimes would also be a gross miscarriage of justice. Not
because the perpetrator is a POC but because the punishment isn’t reflective of
the severity of the crime.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Here’s the REAL
deeply concerning aspect of this case that no one is looking at: Precedent. This
case had physical evidence, eyewitnesses (who didn’t just see it but actually
stopped the assault) and the defendant’s own contradictory accounts of the
assault. There’s a lot more condemning evidence here than there is in a lot of
sexual assault cases. Now the precedent has been set that you need all of that
to get the downy soft punishment of six months in jail for three felony sex
crimes. We already live in a culture where women are responsible for not
getting raped. We already live in a culture where people make excuses for men
to justify them not taking ownership of their actions against women. Now we
live in a culture where that’s codified. The next Brock Turner will be able to
point to this clusterfuck and demand his equality, his justice. Lawyers can
point to this and say, “See? This girl doesn’t even have as much evidence
against my client as Turner had against him.” And they’ll be right. Precedence
can be a dangerous thing. In a society where we already face an abysmal
prosecution rate for sexual assault—in part due to a misogynistic culture and
in part due to the difficulty of prosecuting such a case—we can’t afford to set
precedents like this one. It’s been shown over and over that people who engage
in sexual assault tend to be serial perpetrators. Especially in cases of campus
rapes. Making it easier for rapists to get back onto the streets, into parties and onto campuses should not be the precedent we rush to defend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Make no mistake.
This outrage is not misguided. This outrage is not unfounded. This outrage
should not make someone "queasy." This outrage is justified because it is on
behalf of not only all of the women who have been violently attacked with no
recourse for their aggressors but also for all the women who have to walk
around in communities full of those attackers and be told it’s our
responsibility not to ask for it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-8913856336620875032013-07-24T17:07:00.001-07:002013-07-24T17:07:11.403-07:00Happy birthday to the BEST dad EVER!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga2Z8AnG9W3VJ-ifpUjldZP3eik1G5pUPXkysaMnaiHTrp5zOfoc3z0Ud_Kj-HMx6kjUTE9eiCibVy09KQ_CDP1T5-fs-GatA7N-6CrXon2cpHwHm-6MqEw9gdsRbJrhTwyL_bZ1Q7Rjw/s640/blogger-image-1819474792.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga2Z8AnG9W3VJ-ifpUjldZP3eik1G5pUPXkysaMnaiHTrp5zOfoc3z0Ud_Kj-HMx6kjUTE9eiCibVy09KQ_CDP1T5-fs-GatA7N-6CrXon2cpHwHm-6MqEw9gdsRbJrhTwyL_bZ1Q7Rjw/s640/blogger-image-1819474792.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I have the greatest dad ever in the history of fatherhood.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">He solves all my problems. He gives me more money than he probably should. He allows me to fly all over the world whenever I feel like it. He supports me when I make terrible choices and have to wade through the fall out. He cheers the loudest when I accomplish anything--big or small. He hold me accountable when I think I can get away with murder. He encourages me to make smart decisions. He accepts me when I make bold and stupid ones instead. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">There's no question about it, I'm the luckiest daughter on the planet. I take advantage of it too much, and I don't say thank you for it enough. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Happy birthday, Daddy. I love you. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-92005187165671940382013-06-24T13:52:00.001-07:002013-06-24T13:52:53.176-07:00Hot DenverThere's some wicked awesome graff outside my parking garage and it's being expanded!<div><br></div><div>These two were added in the past 48-72 hours. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHHlfNp8yeW2fBzDqdvq8CgPpiPL2nE15muNqyZ8BhinyEuTepsZLaKc9Nnw02TRj7fIhChvpHCNTJMdNPPeNS0lVgDzsAFMA6t6tdCcnUwDRrWc7bzHpqR9-k2yZAWV5hwbnR6i1GSV8/s640/blogger-image-1196736001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHHlfNp8yeW2fBzDqdvq8CgPpiPL2nE15muNqyZ8BhinyEuTepsZLaKc9Nnw02TRj7fIhChvpHCNTJMdNPPeNS0lVgDzsAFMA6t6tdCcnUwDRrWc7bzHpqR9-k2yZAWV5hwbnR6i1GSV8/s640/blogger-image-1196736001.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I'm loving Denver today!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-53487052201651130642013-06-21T09:44:00.001-07:002013-06-21T09:44:32.496-07:00Hot DenverOk, internet-ers, today's reason to walk around Denver is HUGE. But f'real, though, it's very tall. <div>I don't know if this was commissioned or what, but it's outside the parking garage at the Denver Performing Arts Center. Let me be the first to say, I freaking love this graffiti. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFahdmH_d0jgEmEHsI3QlXYzLBOufHXkL5SZ8CXV6xQpNjyzkLMCjtFUEgNa8etPZ7EynKNE5dOfbCC6aJ7uhyCik8eWAvQrnMlo4RPsxsn7IXXixDzC4q3R0C54MvNTIiFKAhbEYlP8/s640/blogger-image--1955180452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFahdmH_d0jgEmEHsI3QlXYzLBOufHXkL5SZ8CXV6xQpNjyzkLMCjtFUEgNa8etPZ7EynKNE5dOfbCC6aJ7uhyCik8eWAvQrnMlo4RPsxsn7IXXixDzC4q3R0C54MvNTIiFKAhbEYlP8/s640/blogger-image--1955180452.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>And that's why Denver's hot.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-22846047869445039922013-06-20T09:48:00.000-07:002013-06-21T10:01:07.543-07:00Hot Denver<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My transition to Denver has been a little rough despite my awesome (and till last week, empty) apartment in the hipster neighborhood.<br />
<div>
Last week, my dad and I drove my po' little Hyundai up here, which brought on its own set of difficulties.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQPk7gCYN46oym_0UC6ziF-MQn4Sq7kO7dbMsvdhyKf3ruztsBHHhjhA7vNIWvU0RLdIcB-fchCwBkTgbjaiv14aS2xIdSzdreVqWOOAT2TGJ6v0ncHjJpSLikTg69AkaoethyKJefNg/s640/blogger-image--1159413453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQPk7gCYN46oym_0UC6ziF-MQn4Sq7kO7dbMsvdhyKf3ruztsBHHhjhA7vNIWvU0RLdIcB-fchCwBkTgbjaiv14aS2xIdSzdreVqWOOAT2TGJ6v0ncHjJpSLikTg69AkaoethyKJefNg/s640/blogger-image--1159413453.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Least. Colorful. Sign. Ever.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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If you live downtown, there is never parking. NEVER. I can't even count that as hyperbole because its true so much of the time. Luckily, I have the best dad ever (also not hyperbole), and he bought me a month of parking at the Denver Performing Arts Center.</div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0YSpTej8RbHWJhGX6jT62kAM7eP6079cOV9bcuQyPeSg9z85mtQOct_skV6zoAKAq8FF_DtWD44T_-UU51W3Hw_pG3f4UpExxJuNjsnmV0k-XiV1BEmNMNKuL8n6oVOlcMxJvzHkBCA/s640/blogger-image-637981959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0YSpTej8RbHWJhGX6jT62kAM7eP6079cOV9bcuQyPeSg9z85mtQOct_skV6zoAKAq8FF_DtWD44T_-UU51W3Hw_pG3f4UpExxJuNjsnmV0k-XiV1BEmNMNKuL8n6oVOlcMxJvzHkBCA/s1600/blogger-image-637981959.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At least I'll never forget where I parked.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div>
It's a little over a mile from my sweet, hipster apartment, so I put in my fair share of pavement pounding these days. </div>
<div>
There's so much awesome stuff that people miss when they're road-raging down Colfax. But I miss nothing. For I am a pedestrian armed with minimal knowledge of street art. </div>
<div>
As I see awesome stuff and find cool places, I'm going to share them with you. Because sharing is caring.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuzfZ4Y5qaowBPL6g8boEuaGDG-3jzUnPlJaj-f6WGdoexxrwahBKovnE2JQhw1QzaX2BY84GjPkXftLp8YY3Z13UtyXyhCAY0kHNokipECEdH8zO_JJXsvuJ0rMlRE79TIp03XMmPuJI/s640/blogger-image--1326411746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuzfZ4Y5qaowBPL6g8boEuaGDG-3jzUnPlJaj-f6WGdoexxrwahBKovnE2JQhw1QzaX2BY84GjPkXftLp8YY3Z13UtyXyhCAY0kHNokipECEdH8zO_JJXsvuJ0rMlRE79TIp03XMmPuJI/s640/blogger-image--1326411746.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If that was NOT your immediate thought, please internet more.<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-6335963673714014142013-06-08T18:03:00.001-07:002013-06-08T18:03:39.943-07:00Day 4 of My Health AffairI went to the grocery store with my cousin and ALMOST gave in. For a pizza. So not worth it. <div><br></div><div>Luckily, I heard that food cravings only last 20 minutes. </div><div><br></div><div>I came back and made an omelet and some bacon. </div><div><br></div><div>This is my first attempt at Parmesan crisp things. I had a them a few years ago and loved them. </div><div><br></div><div>Just bake little piles of Parmesan in the oven for 3-5 minutes. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTV11HwmxvT5gj4EoOSreOkpBg7Qd-iKELC4Atg4anOWVGj-hQSSCNrllgOKwG6of4HXLjNybfgadV3DHXcVuLgTu1v3Pd-lyF28qBlgGFmCnCKNpEl-5RKdzDGY5SS2C7ZpkeIAjT6Ws/s640/blogger-image-905387982.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTV11HwmxvT5gj4EoOSreOkpBg7Qd-iKELC4Atg4anOWVGj-hQSSCNrllgOKwG6of4HXLjNybfgadV3DHXcVuLgTu1v3Pd-lyF28qBlgGFmCnCKNpEl-5RKdzDGY5SS2C7ZpkeIAjT6Ws/s640/blogger-image-905387982.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">They're ok, but I think next time I'll add a little salt and some spices. They're curbing my craving for something crunchy. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Overall, it's been a good food day. I really hope I can keep it up. </div><br></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Denver Denver39.734556 -104.894281tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-14509457279249577702013-06-08T03:25:00.001-07:002013-06-08T03:25:45.605-07:00Day 4(ish) of My Health Affair<div>Well, it's been three full days on the Atkins diet, and I'm down 5lbs. So far, the best decision I've made is to visit my parents.</div><div><br></div><div>After the less-than-appealing omelet, my parents have stepped in and cooked for me. </div><div><br></div><div>I've already opted to ditch the carb-counting Atkins app and stopped worrying about portions. I measured out a salad and realized I would have to eat non-stop to surpass the allotted veggie carbs, so no more incessant counting for me. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">My dad made an awesome pseudo-taco dish the other night that I thoroughly enjoyed. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Ground turkey with various spices</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Salad with homemade vinaigrette</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Frittata with cheese and veggies</span></div></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHxxTk292GP0X8UHp6qve2sNKMV-OGd4z7IEJdjjguIlWjZgj4BaSi8OjLc6F9F_xfgIWB2w9VcyeHRGtcK-U6POHkvExe5nq-he2epxU5LHci-QnLRs3FmDInQSqkl51Z0dm8XqikUs/s640/blogger-image-1833684589.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHxxTk292GP0X8UHp6qve2sNKMV-OGd4z7IEJdjjguIlWjZgj4BaSi8OjLc6F9F_xfgIWB2w9VcyeHRGtcK-U6POHkvExe5nq-he2epxU5LHci-QnLRs3FmDInQSqkl51Z0dm8XqikUs/s640/blogger-image-1833684589.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">SO. GOOD. If I had a real recipe, I would totally share it, but my dad says recipes "go against [his] philosophy of food."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Womp. Womp. </div><br></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-24633304530572248502013-06-05T11:11:00.001-07:002013-06-05T11:11:14.918-07:00Day 1 of my Health AffairI've decided that it's time to work on those extra pounds I found during my Senior Stress-mester (aka the final semester of college). Now that it's been a year, I can't really rest on the "I just graduated" excuse. <div>It also just so happens that my big bro is getting married at the end of July, and I refuse to be out of shape in pictures that I have to stare at forever. </div><div><br></div><div>So, today begins my journey with the Atkins diet. I'm broke. I can't cook. I know less than nothing about food. But I have a will of steel and an Atkins app. </div><div><br></div><div>I like my odds. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>My initial attempt at healthy food was a cheese omelet. </div><div><br></div><div>2 eggs</div><div>1oz mozzarella </div><div>1/2cup cheddar</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJ5Q7oueSlMWhhKXwYJ3GDp309HBJ7NOSSvjancArp15xJ7MvdWTchncdZ39cY1lQ0RF-Mk6L9bl67hyg_Zc4EMheZd5oBw2s3VRauduDbDtKl56hP-rF-d2uWjWLC5WRwaQNLbFlU-Y/s640/blogger-image-1981889861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJ5Q7oueSlMWhhKXwYJ3GDp309HBJ7NOSSvjancArp15xJ7MvdWTchncdZ39cY1lQ0RF-Mk6L9bl67hyg_Zc4EMheZd5oBw2s3VRauduDbDtKl56hP-rF-d2uWjWLC5WRwaQNLbFlU-Y/s640/blogger-image-1981889861.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>I envisioned it looking prettier, like not something I'd feed a dog. It tasted pretty good, though. I bet my dog would like it. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-14904418508373851472013-04-15T22:27:00.000-07:002013-04-15T22:27:36.749-07:00Belated Dance Salad Foodiness<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Let me preface this by saying that I was pretty darn disappointed that Pronk didn't do his solo, but I'm very glad that he was able to recover from his injury enough to perform with the Polish National Ballet in a stunning piece called 'And The Rain Will Pass...'<br />
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<br /></div>
<div>
I was floored, though, by the experimental piece by by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui called 'Petrus' from his full length piece PUZ/ZLE. It was easily one of the most amazing dances I have ever seen presented at Dance Salad. When I tried to explain it to my friends, the only words I could come up with that were truly acceptable were primitive and transformative.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.dancesalad.org/images/gallery/2013/Persona_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://www.dancesalad.org/images/gallery/2013/Persona_4.jpg" width="400" /></a>The movement was willing to question what was possible with the human body while almost ripping your heart from your chest with a story so deep and visceral it needs to be watched.
I can't say enough about how this piece affected me; the stunning skrims and live music set the truth of it on your lap and dared you to look closer.<br />
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I also really loved the piece 'Persona' choreographed by Robert Bondara. How he has managed to stay off my radar is simply beyond me. I loved what this piece said about relationships, our true selves and who we let into our lives. It was simply lovely.<br />
<br />
<br />
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For those of you who don't know, <a href="http://www.dancesalad.org/index.html" target="_blank">Dance Salad</a> is an epic three night extravaganza that features selections of dance (and videos featuring dance sometimes) from all over the world. This ain't yo moma's iFest where everything is traditional--no--this is top notch, stunning choreography and dancing. It's something that everyone needs to exposed to at some point in their life because it's just good for the soul. It isn't just beautiful. It isn't just visceral. It's the culmination of humanity as told by people who speak a truer language than any of us.<br />
<br />
If you want to help perpetuate the awesomeness that is Dance Salad, you can donate and check out more information on it <a href="https://npo.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=1003665&code=Festival%2000/01" target="_blank">here</a>. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-16511894606947957302013-03-22T10:09:00.000-07:002013-03-22T10:09:54.052-07:00World Water Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Today is World Water Day!<br />
<br />
If you have reliable access to clean water, be thankful. Be proactive in giving other people that same opportunity.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGA6lISrXLQU1YmKxj0X4i8lwa2hB2PdEjCxfWZWSnfBstqehQaGZ5BLfR4UaSfBKKeBL-rQ7H8MjVU3d0xmW3gcOjoOa3u9wzjsAWx0zbLzQN-etCT5kmu92rAekw6Qg5t-YiRD9Om3s/s1600/mehospital.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGA6lISrXLQU1YmKxj0X4i8lwa2hB2PdEjCxfWZWSnfBstqehQaGZ5BLfR4UaSfBKKeBL-rQ7H8MjVU3d0xmW3gcOjoOa3u9wzjsAWx0zbLzQN-etCT5kmu92rAekw6Qg5t-YiRD9Om3s/s320/mehospital.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is not the cutest picture from that trip.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I have always taken it for granted that my water is clean. When I lived in Huntsville, Texas, most people won't even drink tap water there because it's "dirty." Yes, it has trace amounts of arsenic and formaldehyde, yes, it was kind of green that one summer the reservoir got low and all the algae was in it, but it was--and always has been--drinkable.<br />
<br />
Last year, I took a bus from Kathmandu to New Delhi. It was terrible; I don't suggest it. I traveled through rural, northern Uttar Pradesh. I saw villages with no electricity, no running water, people who had never even seen pictures of anyone who looked like me (read: REALLY pale). I didn't drink the water. Even after I washed my hands, I would use Purell. It is impossible, IMPOSSIBLE, to avoid water. It's just a fact.<br />
<br />
When I came home, I thought I had a cold. After being admitted to the hospital, it took a team of surgeons, doctors and nurses a week to start throwing around words like "comfortable" as my organs shut down and my fever stubbornly rose. The resident Infectious Disease Specialist (basically, the hospital's version of Dr. House) happened to be from Uttar Pradesh and immediately knew no American antibiotics could help me. Days from the brink, he began me on a regiment of Antibiotic Chemotherapy and strong anti-nausea meds. I could never thank him enough for, quite literally, saving my life. More than 3.4 million people per year aren't so lucky.<br />
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Here's links to some great resources to support the global clean water effort:<br />
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<a href="http://water.org/water-crisis/water-facts/water/">www.water.org</a><br />
<a href="http://www.unwater.org/water-cooperation-2013/home/en/">www.unwater.org</a><br />
<a href="http://www.cleanwateraction.org/">www.cleanwateraction.org</a><br />
<a href="http://www.compassion.com/world-water-day.htm?referer=120024&gclid=CLrL-_DmkLYCFWamPAod2TsA0Q">www.compassion.com</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-81734019784008381412013-02-28T11:33:00.001-08:002013-02-28T11:33:17.699-08:00It's OfficialI've joined the Mile High Club. <br />
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Ew, not that one, ya nasty! My new home base is Denver, the Mile High City, where art is appreciated and people know what trees are. <br />
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It's really an impressive place to write, copy edit and plot my global takeover. <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguvNFNX9bHRZWOzMiXcHo4bJptHtrd-AkW9fOxIFIf6_JfphpbOKiZMpbneHadvk0FcArZo_-qdT78rOeZ3pzM1r_O0gSKIdfRE-OjJtxmgtiCASS7rDRH3HJ8hTiy3OEu_cEkbj0pQh8/s640/blogger-image-580070277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguvNFNX9bHRZWOzMiXcHo4bJptHtrd-AkW9fOxIFIf6_JfphpbOKiZMpbneHadvk0FcArZo_-qdT78rOeZ3pzM1r_O0gSKIdfRE-OjJtxmgtiCASS7rDRH3HJ8hTiy3OEu_cEkbj0pQh8/s640/blogger-image-580070277.jpg" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Northeast Denver Denver39.774167 -104.816686tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-70655924283651564732013-02-22T10:38:00.001-08:002013-02-22T10:38:44.751-08:00There's a big difference in a little letter.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizb_61z1OvhbidDVVN1VZ7RbXljixHgUfPK39Cu3LSoOMfQYJbxrMHpDvYX0NQfSSTp-a1Z_drEXFctpvNGPKJnwfev6dFSQUMq26npoEFIvOGMNUxHpqommxIvitO3fCDhS6o-U39v9w/s1600/picstitch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizb_61z1OvhbidDVVN1VZ7RbXljixHgUfPK39Cu3LSoOMfQYJbxrMHpDvYX0NQfSSTp-a1Z_drEXFctpvNGPKJnwfev6dFSQUMq26npoEFIvOGMNUxHpqommxIvitO3fCDhS6o-U39v9w/s400/picstitch.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A long, long time ago in the 14th century, 'rap' was the onomatopoeia used when an individual, who I'm sure was just holding it for a friend, was struck sharply.<br />
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Eventually, it evolved to mean that an individual, who I'm sure started it, was wit slapped - or struck sharply with the words of those who wouldn't let others join in their reindeer games.<br />
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Shortly thereafter, ok like two centuries later, people made the short leap from mocking one another to mocking criminals. 'Rap' became synonymous with the various actions of rapscallions.<br />
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This is completely different than a bad wrap, which is what happens when my dad tries to wrap Christmas presents.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-19279734446194953452012-10-07T09:28:00.001-07:002012-10-07T14:16:15.668-07:00Sorry, R, but BL is bringing GG to the Big Screen<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghm_4ZRoURyUR7l983BrxNcA7_dH-0XkwnQYeXmheFqZ778jctId1ol69t2yN_f-Q572FFq2Be9LyrmjE_PKiz9oufUn6s0uKma74BQyRQrj6v95PPn-gPFPeDlGS1hFmY4nfOh1IwDz8/s1600/thegreatgatsby20122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghm_4ZRoURyUR7l983BrxNcA7_dH-0XkwnQYeXmheFqZ778jctId1ol69t2yN_f-Q572FFq2Be9LyrmjE_PKiz9oufUn6s0uKma74BQyRQrj6v95PPn-gPFPeDlGS1hFmY4nfOh1IwDz8/s320/thegreatgatsby20122.jpg" width="202" /></a></div>
I could not disagree more with Jamie Reno of <a href="http://therenodispatch.blogspot.it/2012/10/great-gatsby-in-3-d-destroying-another.html" target="_blank">The Reno Dispatch</a> over his take on Baz Luhrmann's newest project, THE GREAT GATSBY.<br />
<br />
It is true, I feel like the whole 3D movement is a little tired, but having seen this trailer in 3D, the effect was used to give depth as opposed to gimmick. (Yes, it can be done.)<br />
<br />
His insinuation that a movie won't be good because an actor could not possibly live up to what we've imagined about fictional characters is a non-unique argument that can be applied to, quite literally, every single book that has ever been made into a movie from Lord of the Rings to Cat in the Hat. That's the unfortunate nature of the book-movie beast. It gives life to a book, but, in that, kills our imaginations' details. Sorry 'bout your luck, R.<br />
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As for the music choices of the trailer, the songs were carefully chosen to reflect the themes of the narrative. Here's a short article from MTV that breaks down <a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1685668/great-gatsby-trailer-music.jhtml" target="_blank">why each song was chosen</a>. Having modern musicians in period pieces is not something unique to BL, either, and it can be done well.<br />
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Gatsby is a story of opulence and excess. It's setting is stylistic and over the top. It's the story of new money and old love. There's plenty of modern music that reflects those ideals, concepts, and attitudes. And there are certainly plenty of modern artists who can lend their voices to those things.<br />
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I can agree that BL's Romeo+Juliet was not my fave, but that certainly isn't Luhrmann's fault. It was a heavy-handed, melodramatic, over-wrought story when Shakespeare wrote it, so there isn't really much of anything anyone could do to make it good. (Sorry, world, go read some of Shakespeare's other plays. They're much better.) The concept was fresh and interesting, though, and did work in parts.<br />
<br />
It's also important to remember that a trailer for a movie is just a sampling of the larger work. It's common for trailers to include music, lines, even scenes that don't end up in the final cut. They are there to entice, to present thematic elements, and to VERY preliminarily introduce characters and/or plot. It's the movie's "cover," if you will. And we all know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover.<br />
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One can't make sweeping accusations about what a film does or doesn't do - effectively, ineffectively, hipsterly, or at all - until the film has actually been released. Presenting speculation as fact isn't becoming on anyone.<br />
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Growing up, my mom had a rule that my brother and I could go see the movie if we had read the book. Very rarely did the movie ever measure up to the book. Did this <i>destroy</i> the books for us? Of course not! In fact, it's spurred really insightful conversations about adaptation, intention, and the cross over of art from one form to another. Good or bad, film adaptations have added a new layer onto the work. And, really, who can hate on a movie if it inspires someone to go out and read? (If they haven't already read the book in the first place)<br />
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If you don't want to see a movie based on a book because it would destroy your imagination's version, you don't want to see a movie because it uses modern music/artists to convey mood, tone, and attitude to the audience instead of authentic era music (btw, how does that work for movies about the future?), and you don't want to see a movie with modern special effects because the writing was austere - Reno, dear, you should probably just stay home. It's going to be real hard for you to find anything to go see these days. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-58580001219336933612012-08-17T11:39:00.000-07:002012-10-07T14:18:33.895-07:00Is fear the heart of love?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If fear is the heart of love, I'm Tristan and writing is my Isolde. Maybe a more apt relationship is that writing is the Romeo to my Juliet. Either way, I love it and I fear it. I fear how much I love it.<br />
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I'm afraid to fail. I'm afraid I won't be any good. I'm afraid to succeed. I'm terrified that people won't get that I'm funny. (What? I'm hilarious. I can't help that people can't keep up with all my witty literary and/or nerd references.) I'm afraid to offend people - mostly my family - but I'm more afraid that, if I don't, what comes out won't be genuine...or funny.<br />
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I used to be afraid that, if I wrote this book, I would lose my job. They don't like dissent. Now, I have a new job, so I laugh in the face of that danger (and let's be honest, I was kind of hoping they would. It would've made a great ending).<br />
<br />
Even with all of that fear, I love the written word. I can't get enough of it. The way it looks on the page, the way it feels and sounds coming out of your mouth. I love where it came from and where it's going. I love this story and all its ins and outs, the characters, the hijinks, the truth in the war story.<br />
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No, fear isn't the heart of love. Fear is the mistress of love. A hooker with a heart of gold.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-29668491372045372972012-08-10T14:30:00.000-07:002012-08-10T23:49:48.880-07:00WTF is this den of crazy?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've never been around anyone losing their mind. I don't mean that in a mental way, I mean it in a physical way.<br />
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When you have Alzheimer's, your brain physically shrinks. It's the death and decay of neurons in the brain that cause the inability to remember things. This is happening to my grandmother. It has been for quite a while, but I didn't realize what it really meant until I got to Montana and was actually around it for a while.<br />
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She went, along with my grandfather and aunt, to Florida to get a second opinion and hopefully some better care than was available in MT. My mom and I stayed behind and are cleaning the house and putting order back into the havoc that was wreaked on the house when she was "organizing."<br />
<br />
I can't quite wrap my head around everything that I've seen here over the past few weeks. I know It's scary and upsetting and difficult for me, so I can't even imagine what it must be for her. The odd fixations and behavior, the confusion, the agony of relearning loss and grief every day. <br />
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My mom was going through a box and found a Ziploc bag tied off with red yarn. Inside it was layers of paper towels and napkins tied off and secured with yarn and rubber bands. At the center was a piece of paper that been ripped. It was folded in quarters and had the word "Love" written on it in cursive. It was so carefully saved and protected. I love that about my grandparents, they have always fostered an incredible aura of love around everything they do.<br />
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I kept the piece of paper. I never want to feel the terror of forgetting, but I never want to ignore the feeling of responsibility to protect love.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-88022432641040824362012-08-10T02:30:00.000-07:002012-08-10T23:34:44.374-07:00One of my favorite books ever.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i><a href="http://www.leagueofextraordinaryauthors.com/" target="_blank">Stella Link</a> is singularly awesome because they are letting their favorite bitter little intern (me) have her own month to talk about all the stuff she thinks is awesome. So, get on your reading glasses and find out what the kids think is fresh and happenin' these days!</i><br />
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<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312352190/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0312352190&linkCode=as2&tag=stella09-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0312352190&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=stella09-20" width="140" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=stella09-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0312352190" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
"Oh. My. God. Jerusha. I found your bible." That was how my friend introduced me to the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312352190/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0312352190&link_code=as3&tag=stella09-20">Apathy and Other Small Victories</a> by Paul Neilan. Within a month, he and I had convinced all our friends to read it and frequently had Apathy quote-alongs with dinner. Yeah, I've always been this cool.<br />
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Neilan wrote a book for a truly sarcastic generation. It's politically incorrect, it's unapologetic and, best of all, it's hilarious. We're talking snort-because-you-laugh-so-hard funny. People staring at me in the doctor's office (apparently, that's not an appropriate location for any sort of mirth or jocularity) because every line was a new level of sarcastic awesomeness.<br />
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Not everyone feels this way. Some people don't enjoy fun or laughing. Like this guy, "There must be something wrong with me--as [Max] Barry kindly suggests on the back cover--because...I did not find it bitingly satirical." Well, yes, there is something wrong him. He probably also hates memes and kittens. But, most people love this book because they enjoy things that make them laugh and especially things that make them happy. Like this guy, "I am not funny. But this book makes me feel funny..." Or this one, "this is our generation's foul-mouthed Holden Caulfield."<br />
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What it comes down to is this: It's raunchy. It's foul. It's politically incorrect. It's gloriously amusing. It's easily in the top five books I've ever read. So, if you're not afraid of a little sex, swearing, and murder, this book will asphyxiate you with laughter. Ok, maybe not that, but you'll laugh till you do that weird donkey-sounding gasp thing and your eyes are watering. But in a good way.<br />
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The only thing Shane cares about is leaving. Usually on a Greyhound bus, right before his life falls apart again. Just like he planned. But this time it's complicated: there's a sadistic corporate climber who thinks she's his girlfriend, a rent-subsidized affair with his landlord's wife, and the bizarrely appealing deaf assistant to Shane's cosmically unstable dentist. When one of the women is murdered, and Shane is the only suspect who doesn't care enough to act like he didn't do it, the question becomes just how he'll clear the good name he never had and doesn't particularly want: his own.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcwKnFw2uIWesk9SpNU3EyaZGRivZqSAS1p7Gfq8yAyqOZ7vQR3Tv8fkXTIHNcSBYy_CWlthzO16LJsKBeyK_dymmEQlLKhrmkQli4c5jcKgMdH9_Zw-7hVSa8LKCvs-YCRRSZHBIAfVs1/s1600/ME764576867.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcwKnFw2uIWesk9SpNU3EyaZGRivZqSAS1p7Gfq8yAyqOZ7vQR3Tv8fkXTIHNcSBYy_CWlthzO16LJsKBeyK_dymmEQlLKhrmkQli4c5jcKgMdH9_Zw-7hVSa8LKCvs-YCRRSZHBIAfVs1/s200/ME764576867.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<i><a href="http://theipsumlaureate.blogspot.com/">Jerusha</a> got her BA in English from Sam Houston State University. She's an award winning speaker and writer, but prefers to be known as a hipster and a vagabond. You can follow her worldly misadventures on <a href="https://twitter.com/bitterlilintern">twitter</a> and <a href="http://statigr.am/just_jerusha">instagram</a>.
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-24921031955265097272012-07-17T10:02:00.001-07:002012-07-17T10:02:51.617-07:00Basically I live here.I pretty much live in airplanes and airports. Love it. <div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD4gTPXQjv1_5qGEet1cd8k1sJEywmiw3JXDG3j8iHHx1Ty9J8ixfNr30duhRBzRyrieVDQzFKysYo57eD8IRrs1moZA1uG-aR06Vvem_0Qn4iWQ_hYdFqgeioG8pm0J43LLDp78cXDr0/s640/blogger-image--858727949.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD4gTPXQjv1_5qGEet1cd8k1sJEywmiw3JXDG3j8iHHx1Ty9J8ixfNr30duhRBzRyrieVDQzFKysYo57eD8IRrs1moZA1uG-aR06Vvem_0Qn4iWQ_hYdFqgeioG8pm0J43LLDp78cXDr0/s640/blogger-image--858727949.jpg" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-27010424162413271102012-07-05T07:21:00.000-07:002012-07-05T07:21:58.465-07:00Happy Independent Working Women's Day?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
While the rest of the nation was celebrating the 236th anniversary of our country's independence from Britain, I was recognizing a different day. A less glorious day. Independent Working Women's Day, 'cause there ain't no pimps here, sucka.<br />
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You see, I wanted to just be the nice neighbor that shows up at the block party with delicious sugar cookies, but I couldn't - and not just because I burned the shit out of the cookies.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.electronicacordillera.cl/turnomaticos-relojcontrol-tablerosdeportivos/content/NOTICIAS/octubre1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.electronicacordillera.cl/turnomaticos-relojcontrol-tablerosdeportivos/content/NOTICIAS/octubre1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apparently this means their clientele, too.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After the annual neighborhood Fourth of July Parade, I dashed to my local Walmart (Yes, I am ashamed of myself) to buy cookie dough so I would have something to contribute to the neighbor's block party. On my way home, I was reminded that even suburban America has a seedier side.<br />
<br />
As I crested the hill and cruised toward the last red light of my drive, a dude in a pale blue Kia Rio tapped its horn and waved. Having grown up in this town and therefore knowing <i>everyone</i>, I assumed it was just person I probably had some class with in, like, middle school or something, so I waved back. He slowed down and got behind me in the turning lane just as the light turned green. I noticed that this unfortunate looking Kia was still behind me as I made the next turn into my subdivision, and the guy was still frantically waving. Assuming at this point that he needed directions, I slowed to a stop as the portly - we'll be kind and call him a gentleman - pulled up next to me and rolled down his window.<br />
The ensuing conversation went exactly like this. But, seriously, this <i>actually</i> happened.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://photos3.wiju.com/1/2/8/9/5/8/8/0/c8630338847647f435d93d8c1e5f9f6d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://photos3.wiju.com/1/2/8/9/5/8/8/0/c8630338847647f435d93d8c1e5f9f6d.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you drive this, can you<br />even afford a hooker?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"Hey, can you help me out?" says Guy-I-Thought-Was-Lost.<br />
"Maybe, what's up?" I, the completely unsuspecting, appropriately dressed young woman, say.<br />
"Hmmm....I guess just a hand job," says Guy-I-Thought-Was-Lost-But-Is-Really-Just-A-Sleazeball.<br />
"Excuse me?" I couldn't possibly have heard that correctly.<br />
"Yeah, JUST A HAND JOB," says Guy-I-Now-Want-To-Chemically-Castrate.<br />
"What the #%*@ - good luck with that," I barely eked out between my rage and the bit of vomit coming up in the back of my throat as I sped away.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41c3KM0Hk8L._SL160_AA115_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41c3KM0Hk8L._SL160_AA115_.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">srsly. Monster.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The portly fellow in the ugly car began to follow me and there was a moment of dread until I realized that my completely baller dive knife was under my seat and I would totally go Monster on this dude if he so much as attempted to put his no-no place anywhere near me or my hand. Fortunately, he turned around and left the neighborhood, presumably to proposition other young Walmart shoppers.<br />
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The moral of this strange encounter is twofold. 1) There are apparently no hookers in nice upper-middle class subdivisions, or at least they take holidays off. 2) Only bad things can happen to you if you shop at Walmart.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.realbollywood.com/up_images/11117442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="194" src="http://www.realbollywood.com/up_images/11117442.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what I look like when I drive?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This also raised some questions for me: What about my fairly nice car, well-kept hair, designer sunnies and realatively nice subdivision screams "I'm a hooker! Proposition me!"? It was noon, so why would he not just go to a hole-in-the-wall bar and drink alone? Do I actually look like a working woman of the night? Who the hell propositions someone for a handski ON OUR NATION'S BIRTHDAY?</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-91343375137257973352012-07-02T19:07:00.002-07:002012-07-02T19:07:46.688-07:00I Believe in Running Yellow Lights<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
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I believe in never wasting a second, never missing out on anything, and being a part of everything. I don't believe in downtime or taking it easy. I want to experience everything and I never want to accept help for anything I do. I want to take the good and the bad in stride and I want to know that I am making use of each conceivable moment. I believe in sleeping on the plane and drinking way more Redbull than is healthy. I believe in living in the moment and being present for every moment. I don't believe in compromising myself and I reject the idea of backing down. Ever. I believe in being comfortable and I believe in pushing beyond comfort zones. I believe in stopping completely at stop signs and always wearing seatbelts.<br />
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<br /></div>
<div>
I don't actually believe in running yellow lights. I don't even do it that often. I go out of my way to avoid stop lights all together. I don't particularly care for spending more time than necessary in transit. I prefer to be where I'm going so I can get things done. I believe in making continual progress, so in that respect, I suppose I run the proverbial yellow light all the time.</div>
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<br /></div>
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As it turns out, though, it doesn't much matter what I believe or don't believe. No matter how devout I am or how stubbornly I stick to my guns, reality is stronger. Reality is the lovely little RoboCop camera that snaps a shot of your rear license plate when you run that light just a second too late. It takes a while to catch up to you, but when it does, it's a stale reminder of a stupid choice. <br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-64272573847595241842011-09-27T11:43:00.000-07:002011-09-27T11:43:20.228-07:00Don't censor me, bro!I'm a huge proponent of rights. I love having rights. I love using rights. I love being right. I even love letting other people use <i>their</i> rights (and then promptly using mine to correct them).<br />
<br />
I don't love people taking away rights or thinking that the people around them are dumb to notice that they're gone.<br />
<br />
We are in an age of million-hit-a-minute information. It's an incredible thing to stand back and marvel at. We're heading into territories that have never existed before. We are experiencing a global manifest destiny in a way. And that's freaking awesome. Seriously, how is this NOT awesome? <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GZBbtk47vZw" width="420"></iframe><br />
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<br />
The other end of this spectrum, though, is where people have the ability to spew endless amounts of stupid dither into the ether of the social networking universe. Ok, so that video is on that end, too, but you laughed.<br />
<br />
Our right to post anything, no matter how stupid or hateful or intelligent or kind, is protected. We have a well maintained piece of paper locked away in a storeroom somewhere that says,<br />
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."<br />
<br />
That extends into the cyber world of social networking. It extends to youtube and blogspot and twitter and facebook. It protects us when we go outside and when we talk in coffee shops and to people who disagree. <br />
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There's quite a stir right now at Sam Houston State University over what gets to be put out into the final frontier. President Dana Gibson asked the Marketing and Communications heads to come up with a social media policy. This, I think, is a great and necessary idea. Part of its greatness is that it allows an opportunity for minds to come together with bright, young students to create a forward thinking and mutually beneficial policy regarding the treatment of the university and its subsidiaries. Unfortunately, President Gibson didn't feel that it was necessary to include any students (who arguably are much more of experts in the field of social media than the professors), she also didn't feel it necessary to go through any proper channels before setting the policy into a 'beta testing phase'.<br />
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A policy that allows "the university" to remove content and comments from any social networking arena because they feel it could "impact the University's reputation and integrity," amongst other things and allows them the right to "expand this list...without reservation or obligation to defend the action" goes in the face of everything we learned all those years ago during Constitution Week. (I really hope the irony wasn't lost on everyone else that this story broke in the SHSU school paper, <a href="http://www.houstonianonline.com/">The Houstonian</a>, during Constitution Week.)<br />
<br />
The creators of the policy are saying that it won't affect individual accounts because it only pertains to any group who uses the trademarked 'SHSU' or 'Sam Houston State University' as a part of their profile. They seem to be forgetting that all of those groups are comprised of individual students whose comments and content are exactly what they're censoring. They seem to forget that at the top of their facebook profiles it says they study at SHSU. They seem to be forgetting, most importantly, that SHSU is a state university that has no choice but to honor its students' rights. <br />
<br />
This bothers me. Greatly. Mostly because I go to Sam Houston and I like my rights. <br />
<br />
This brings about an important point. The power now lies with the students. The ball is in our court and we can do whatever we want with it. I applaud the brave students of the <span data-scayt_word="SHSU" data-scaytid="2">SHSU</span> Lovers of Liberty, Young Democratic-Socialists, <span data-scayt_word="Bearkat" data-scaytid="3">Bearkat</span> Democrats and College Republicans for mounting a Free Speech Wall in protest of the policy. It's unfortunate that a professor felt the need to breech the piece and vandalize the wall. I further applaud these students for being strong in their resolve and planning two more peaceful protests. I love that they aren't just complaining about it, they're doing something about it.<br />
<br />
I think that rabble-rousers fall into two basic categories: those who talk about change and those who <i>are</i> change. Thus far, I've been the former and I don't like that. I prefer to fancy myself a go-getting, ass-kicking, point-raising kind of person, but so far all I have is this blog post and several angry facebook posts.<br />
<br />
That changes now. While searching for the perfect combination of fun, cute, and cheap for a Halloween costume, a friend joked that I should be the free speech wall. I responded by saying I would just look like Goldie Hawn circa Laugh In, but then I realized that it is exactly what I needed to do. It's a bit literal, but sometimes people need literal shoved in their face. Lady Godiva did it for the arts, Thoreau did it to prove a point about taxes. I figure I'm probably cuter than either of them, so if I truly believe in free speech, and I do, the only obvious option is to express it and encourage others to as well. It's a huge leap of faith, but if I can't make that leap then I'm just as bad as the school that's afraid to hear its student's opinions.<br />
<br />
So, I dare you, Dana Gibson: censor me.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-19674364675171094062011-09-10T08:45:00.000-07:002011-09-10T08:45:54.807-07:00I Have a Wanderlust DreamI have a dream that one day this nation will accept the fact that when I grow up I want to avoid all adult responsibility for as long as possible. It will live up to its less popular creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that not all men <i>want</i> to work 9 to 5 jobs and come home to the suburbs."<br />
<br />
I have a dream that one day at the boardroom tables of New York City business executives and vagabond hipsters will be able to sit down together over a delicious plate of fresh hummus and pita at the table of brotherhood and respect each other's life choices.<br />
<br />
I have a dream today.<br />
<br />
I hated the first day of class this semester. I have awesome classes and professors, don't get me wrong, but I hated the first day. Usually there's the explanation of the syllabus and then you're either done or you go straight into lecture. You stop having to go around introducing yourself after freshman level classes. Apparently Sam Houston State University underwent some sensitivity training between Summer II and Fall.<br />
<br />
Each class started with each student introducing themselves and saying what they wanted to do with their life. This wouldn't be a problem, but I'm an English major with a Political Science minor. Everyone in my English class has grand plans of going out and educating America's youth in the finer points of Emily Dickinson and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Everyone in my PolSci classes plan on going to law school. I recently decided that I wanted to be a beach bum. No, seriously. That's my plan.<br />
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I'm not just going to cruise over to the Bahamas and lounge on the beach sipping something fruity out of a coconut. I'm currently working on my PADI SCUBA diving certification with the aim of eventually being an instructor. Following graduation, I'm going to Alexandria, Egypt to get my TEFL certification and to study Arabic. Then I'll be off to Rio for the World Cup, I mean, to teach. By the time I leave Rio, I'll be functional in four languages. None of that comes across when you say, "Hi, I'm Jerusha. I'm a senior and when I grow up, I'm going to be a professional beach bum...and almost definitely a writer."<br />
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I get the same dropped-jaw, why-are-you-here reaction as I did from my high school adviser who told me, "you don't have to apply to community college," after I told her I was taking a year off before going to college. Quite a way to scoff at the girl graduating in 3 years with a 4.25 GPA.<br />
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I desperately want to do something great with my life. I feel like can; like I'm supposed to. I just don't feel like it <i>yet</i>. I never felt like I was meant to settle down in the town I grew up in with someone I knew in high school. I never felt like I was meant to truck my toddler around the same Wal-Mart I went to in elementary school, saying hi to all the other toddlers' mommies that I've known just as long.<br />
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I want to put pins in a map in the far corners of a map, representing memories of exotic places. I want pictures on my wall of the place that says "here there be monsters." I want to speak languages with clicks and be able to read from right to left. On my deathbed, I want to know that somewhere someone's life is better because I wasn't afraid to go to where they are.<br />
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So, when I grow up, I want to be a beach bum. That is, I want to be an altruist whose temporary home is near a body of water, or who gets to visit them frequently. One who breaks the stereotype that all beach bums are perma-fried surfers. One who learns the native language. One who isn't afraid to get her hands dirty (even if she's terrified of roaches and large mice).<br />
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I have a dream that one day choosing to be something different won't be treated like a cop out or a poor choice by the people that young adults are told to look up to.<br />
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I have a dream that when I come home, shoes worn through and English rusty, that I won't be looked at as someone who wasted her life, her education, her opportunities -- but as someone who used them carefully to do exactly what she meant to do.<br />
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I have a dream today.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-59150804164652456122009-12-10T08:25:00.000-08:002009-12-10T08:32:09.250-08:00Oh, the Sadness of GeographyA poem I penned for Intro to Poetry based on <a href="http://mypage.siu.edu/puglove/twenty.htm">this</a> writing exercise:<br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">On the Boulevard</span></span><br /><br />My mind was a truck, cemented into place<br />I reached my hand in to turn over the key,<br />But all I got was a shudder and a crank.<br /><br />His eyes were the color of weathered slats<br />On a railroad track and, oh, they had seen all of those miles.<br />His voice tasted like breeze through an apple<br />Orchard deep into May; it rustled in my lungs<br />Like so many sun-drenched, late summer leaves.<br />“Let’s go sit by the Hollywood sign. I’ll be Charlie Chaplin<br />And you be Myrna Loy,”<br /><br />The ignition turned over in my head<br />And I blinked once. Twice. Three times<br />My mouth shifted into drive.<br />“I like the smell of the boulevard<br />Just after dark, like exhaust and too greasy pizza<br />Like a million hopes and dreams caught up in smoke<br />And swallowed out of coffee cups,”<br /><br />“I know you got muhn-nee,” the gas station attendant threw my mouth<br />Back into park. The debt collectors called today<br />And I said I was penniless, so I smiled<br />Pulled a five-spot from my jeans.<br />No lack of pennies could keep us from the 7-11 Special –<br />Coca Cola Slurpees and green apple Rips.<br />They tasted too much like a simpler time, when we were both bulletproof<br />And it was promises of laughter, not heckling ‘open’ signs<br />That lit up the night.<br /><br />The caustic vials of absolution squirreled themselves away<br />On bottom shelves, in back corners of dingy second hand stores<br />We could never find twice. Our lives measured by what happened<br />Between moon rise and moon set<br />When I was Truth and he was anyone<br />He wanted to be.<br /><br />One day my voice will be the clarion’s call in a trendy bar<br />Thick with smoke from cloves, and quiet lies, and Lucky Strikes.<br />And he’ll break the hearts I couldn’t with diminished chords<br />Coaxed from chipped ivory keys. But for now, we settle<br />On jumping into the ocean, living underwater<br />Where time comes and goes<br />A floating jelly fish, unaware and unconcerned.<br /><br />“Let’s throw away reality, the neon lights are on,”<br />A worm poked through an apple,<br />But still the smell is so sweet.<br />“Truth is the first casualty of war,” I whispered<br />As the white pedestrian flashed our destiny.<br />“<span style="font-style: italic;">Cap ou pas Cap</span>?” his words dripped out like charlatan tears<br />From a Virgin Mary statue.<br />Sunrise pulled us sputtering, coughing from the water<br />And we walked back to 7-11 for coffee and cigarettes.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-80643852497914189292009-12-10T08:19:00.000-08:002009-12-10T08:24:52.980-08:00White Paper Number TwoHere is the white paper for the opposing viewpoint:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Price of Prophylactic Mastectomies</span><br /> Mapping the human genome was the scientific breakthrough of the century and with that came tremendous advances in the medical research field. For the first time scientists were able to determine the genetic causes that are at the root some of today’s most pressing medical needs. This has brought about a surge in medical trials, experiments, and in some cases even FDA approval for new or improved treatments. It would seem that the medical world has hit the jackpot, and perhaps they have, but it can not be fully realized for some time. Insurance agencies must not act on the hope of cures hidden in the genetic make-up of their policy holders. Solid proof must be present before Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas (herein called “BCBS”) can cover major medical procedures. It was discovered that a mutation on the BRCA1 and/or 2 genes drastically increases the risk of developing breast cancer. Thanks to the breakthroughs of science, doctors can now test women for these genetic mutations, helping them understand their risks better. If a woman is positive for these genetic mutations, she has the option of a prophylactic mastectomy, or the removal of healthy breast tissue “in hopes of…reducing [a patient’s] risk of breast cancer” (<a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/prophylactic-mastectomy/WO00060">mayoclinic.com</a>). This procedure is being peddled as the solution to women’s anxieties about developing breast cancer and as a promise that they will not develop it in the future. The cost to health insurance companies will be too much for them to bear if prophylactic mastectomies are covered. In a simple cost/benefit analysis, it is clear that covering this radical procedure would be unwise.<br />This procedure is designed for high-risk women who fit into one or more of the following categories:<br />• A strong family history of breast cancer<br />• Positive gene testing for the BRCA1/2 mutations<br />• Having had radiation prior to the age of 30<br />• History of Lobular Carcinoma in situ<br />• Previous breast cancer diagnosis or precancerous findings<br />Or<br />• Dense breast tissue (mayoclinic.com)<br />This list fits a huge number of women, most of whom will go through life being healthy and cancer-free. Radical measures are not necessary for the vast majority of these policy holders. <span style="font-style: italic;">The New England Journal of Medicine</span> reported on a 1999 study that included 639 women who chose to undergo prophylactic mastectomies. Of these, 20 deaths were projected to occur. Surprisingly, there were only two. Though the 18 lives that were saved need to be taken into consideration, so do the 621 that “because of the fear of breast cancer, underwent a disfiguring and potentially psychologically damaging operation.” The report describes this as a “price that will be considered unacceptable in the future.” (<a href="http://johnhawks.net/weblog/topics/biotech/testing/testing_ties_of_blood_2006.html">Sister vs. Sister</a>) According to mayoclinic.com, prophylactic mastectomies do not “guarantee that you'll never develop the disease” because “sometimes breast tissue can be found in your armpit, above your collarbone or on the upper part of your abdominal wall, where it may not be detected at the time of your mastectomy.” At the point where the preventative surgery can not even remove the tissue where cancer develops, it can not be effective to the extent that it needs to be in order to warrant coverage by BCBS. Health care is already hard pressed to pay for all the necessary things without adding on unnecessary, expensive procedures.<br /> Mammograms, self check-ups, and other breast cancer screening procedures are a part of every woman’s health regime and are covered by BCBS. These costs only spend treatment money on women who have been diagnosed and keep healthy women informed of their status. There is not a need to offer an expensive preventative option that is not 100% effective.<br /> In addition, there is always risk associated with surgery. If these risks can be avoided with noninvasive and inexpensive procedures that are already covered, they need to be. A policy holder who does not absolutely need a mastectomy should not be put at risk for any complications that may arise from one. Possible risks associated with mastectomies include, but are not limited to:<br />• Infection<br />• Fluid build up at surgery site<br />• Delayed healing<br />• Blood loss<br />• Blood clots<br />• Pain (post-operative and long term pain syndromes) (<a href="http://www.facingourrisk.org/risk_management/mastectomy.html">Risk Management</a>)<br />These risks can lead to further complications that will cost BCBS even more dollars in unnecessary treatments. The cost to BCBS is purely financial, the policy holder, on the other hand, must deal with the emotional cost of the surgery and any complications. It would be much more cost effective and kind to keep coverage as it is and not include this preventative procedure. Long term risks are even more costly to the individual because the procedure is “permanent and irreversible” (<a href="http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/prophylactic_mast.jsp">breastcancer.org</a>). They can include:<br />• Causes significant loss of sensation in the breast, which can have an impact on sexuality.<br />• Lose the ability to breastfeed from the affected breast(s)<br />• Anxiety or depression about body image<br />• Doesn’t guarantee that breast cancer will never happen.<br />• It’s not possible for a surgeon to remove every last cell. Breast cancer can develop even in the small amount of tissue that remains. (breastcancer.org)<br />There are important costs for BCBS that could be incurred because of the long term risks. Prescriptions for decreased sexuality, depression, and anxiety as well as the doctor's visits will add up to be an unacceptable amount of money for an imperfect treatment option.<br /> Insurance companies can not afford to hope. They are not allowed the luxury of ‘maybe’s and ‘probably’s that researchers and trials provide. They must make decisions based on facts and long-term research showing that a proposed course of action will result in the desirable outcome it is meant to achieve. Put simply, if insurance companies cover each “hope” that comes along, they will no longer have the resources to cover and treat all of their other policy holders. The companies can not forget the kids with chickenpox and adults’ yearly check-ups in favor of the “hopes of…reducing” risks.<br /> Putting women through a litany of side-effects and possibly costly risks to hopefully reduce their risk would be an irresponsible business decision. When preventative measures are already covered, it would be unwise to cover a preventative surgery that has been described by <span style="font-style: italic;">The</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">New England Journal of Medicine</span> as “disfiguring” and “ potentially psychologically damaging operation. Blue Cross Blue Shield can not cover prophylactic mastectomies because it would fiscally and morally irresponsible.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-37941195277586375192009-12-10T08:03:00.000-08:002009-12-10T08:18:53.577-08:00White PaperArgumentation and Persuasion has proven to be a hugely entertaining class. Where else can you talk about post-rapture pet care, Tiger Woods' alleged mistresses, health care, and the intricacies of shading venn diagrams and always be on topic? The major paper that was required of us this semester was a set of white papers showing opposing viewpoints on a single topic. We were instructed to create a rhetorical situation in which this could realistically happen and go to town. I chose to do mine on the coverage of phrophylactic mastectomies in Texas. In most states, this procedure is covered by law. Texas does not have this law yet and according the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas coverage outline, it is not included in even their most expensive option. 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mso-level-number-position:left; margin-left:2.5in; text-indent:-.25in; mso-ascii-font-family:OpenSymbol; mso-hansi-font-family:OpenSymbol; mso-bidi-font-family:OpenSymbol;} ol {margin-bottom:0in;} ul {margin-bottom:0in;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><b style=""><span style="font-size:13;">Prophylactic Mastectomy Coverage<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><b style=""><span style="font-size:13;">and Its Benefits<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style=""> </span>Mapping the human genome was the scientific breakthrough of the century and with that came tremendous advances in the medical research field. For the first time scientists were able to determine the genetic causes that are at the root some of today’s most pressing medical needs. This has brought about a surge in medical trials, experiments, and, in some cases, even FDA approval for new or improved treatments. Breast cancer causing mutations on the BRCA 1 and 2 genes were just two of the many discoveries made. A test was developed to test women for these mutations in hopes of determining if they are at higher risk for breast cancer before it develops. The next natural step for researchers and doctors has been to find a way to take these high-risk women and help them prevent the development of cancer. The answer came with prophylactic mastectomies, or the removal of healthy breast tissue to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. (<a href="http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/prophylactic_mast.jsp">breastcancer.org</a>)</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style=""> </span>The use of prophylactic mastectomies are useful in the health care industry because it can reduce a woman's risk of developing breast cancer significantly, put her emotional and mental anxieties about cancer at ease, and save health insurance companies money on treatment as well as other ongoing preventative measures. It is absolutely essential that these procedures be covered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas (herein called “BCBS”) to give policy holders the best health care available.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style=""> </span>Prophylactic Mastectomies have been shown to reduce a woman's risk of developing breast cancer by over 90% (<a href="http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Therapy/preventive-mastectomy">National Cancer Institute</a>). In order to be eligible for prophylactic mastectomies, a woman must fit into the high-risk category. What that entails is that a patient fit one or more the following categories:</p> <ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="">A strong family history of breast cancer</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Positive response on BRCA 1 or 2 tests</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Personal history of breast cancer</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">A diagnosis of Lobular Carcinoma in situ</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Are a recipient of radiation therapy to the chest prior to the age of 30</li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal" style="">Or</p> <ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Have widely spread breast microcalcifications or dense tissue (breastcancer.org)</li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">These policy holders already have a much higher probability of costing more money. Over the course of their life the insurance company will have to pay for these costly procedures. Cutting this number drastically would be monetarily beneficial to the company because it could dramatically reduce the amount the company would spend on expensive treatments, therapies, and follow-ups. It could also increase the life-span of these high-risk policy holders, increasing the revenue to the company.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style=""> </span>In the status quo, one out of every eight women, or 12.7%, will be diagnosed with breast cancer sometime in their life (<a href="http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Detection/probability-breast-cancer">Probability NCI</a>). When a possible reduction of 90% in high-risk policy holders is taken into account, this number could be lowered to as few as 1 in 69, or 1.3%. The savings to BCBSoT could eventually pay for the procedures.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style=""> </span>Stress lowers immune system functions which, in turn, can lead to low-grade illnesses that take up doctors' time and insurance companies' coverage dollars (<a href="http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Does_stress_weaken_your_immune_system">wikianswers</a>). That, coupled with anxieties about one's health because of family history, can cost insurance companies an excessive amount of money in otherwise unnecessary doctor's visits, prescriptions, preventative measures, and check-up costs. The emotional and mental well-being of policy holders in important in a field where there is always an option of who to go to for coverage. Women and families with higher risks of being diagnosed with breast cancer will be more likely to opt for a plan that covers the best and most effective preventative measures, ensuring that they will be able to live long, healthy lives. This benefits the company because the better coverage means more policy holders. More policy holders means more people paying into the system. More people paying into the system means greater revenue.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style=""> </span>Another consideration with the mental health of patients is the emotional and psychological effect chemotherapy and other aggressive breast cancer treatments have on the patients. Many patients seek out psychologists in their stages of recovery to help deal with these effects. Although it seems like a drop in the bucket at first, when a company looks to how many women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, it is easy to see that the cost can add up quickly, especially if mood-altering drugs are prescribed. If the diagnosis of cancer and the treatments can be avoided altogether, then so can, and so should, these costs be avoided. Although the prophylactic mastectomy changes the physical appearance of the patient’s body at first, a reconstructive surgery is preformed to leave the woman looking no different than before the mastectomy. This means that feelings that could lead a patient to seek psychological help are avoided, as are its associated costs.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style=""> </span>Once a patient undergoes a prophylactic mastectomy, heightened screening procedures will not be necessary. Vigilance is a responsible part of health care and currently BCBS covers all the procedures that make this possible, but offering prophylactic mastectomies to high-risk policy holders allows the company to save money on these measures in the long run.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style=""> </span>With the option of prophylactic mastectomies in high-risk individuals, the company can cut costs in all three stages of care: ongoing preventative measures, cancer treatment, and post-treatment care and follow-ups. As the board can see, coverage of prophylactic mastectomies for high-risk individuals would be a monetarily beneficial opportunity for the company. It would also be beneficial for potential and current policy holders at high-risk for developing breast cancer. When both the potentials to cut costs and increase revenue through more and longer-held policies are taken into account, it is clear that the best option for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas is to cover prophylactic mastectomies.<br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7686311599255638410.post-51044261929713981072009-09-15T08:33:00.000-07:002009-09-15T08:37:37.706-07:00Houstonian Article - Don't use less words, use moreThis is my article that ran in the September 8th issue of The Houstonian, Sam Houston's newspaper.<br /><br />Over Labor Day weekend, I visited family and friends in Tampa. I always say visiting them is like an exercise in sleep deprivation because there's so much to do that we just don't really have time to sleep. This trip was no exception.<br /><br />Usually we start with catching up on each other's lives and planning a basic outline of the shenanigans to ensue, but this time we started by watching four movies in a row. In between there was a little small talk, but it was mostly jokes about what we should put on next.<br /><br />After everyone else had fallen asleep, I went on a walk with one of my friends and it reminded me of something: the natural world is really important.<br /><br />We spend so much time in front of computers and plugged into Xbox Live that we no longer value the interpersonal connections in the everyday things.<br /><br />When a walk around downtown is long overdue, too often we settle for a music filled trip to a drive through and back to the movies, TV, and video games.<br /><br />Even classrooms have become impersonal. Students are increasingly separated from teachers by laptops, and let's be honest, they're probably on facebook.<br /><br />What ever happened to good, old-fashioned discussions?<br /><br />Instead we have blogs to write and can find the answers to all our questions online, minimizing human interaction and human connection. How is it even possible here at Sam to enroll in Interpersonal Communication and Speech for Teachers as online classes? What sense does that make?<br /><br />We should be together, interacting to learn the skills of true communication. We need to interact with the world around us to grow and expand our horizons. We need to be connected face to face, not P2P, to be better students and better people.<br /><br />On our walk, we talked about everything from health care to the livelihood of the Tampa Bay swing-dancing scene. We noticed trees, architecture, little midnight bistros, and things you miss when you drive past, intent on getting to the next distraction.<br /><br />Things are distinctly different when conversation is the central entertainment as opposed to small talk before falling silent in the dark of a movie theater.<br /><br />When we, as a community, create a discourse we strengthen our society. It simultaneously becomes more open and more closely knit. There is no hiding behind screen names and headphones.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong. I love my iPod and computer just as much as the next guy, but there really is so much more.<br /><br />Yes, the internet has everything you could ever want and even more of what you don't, but it doesn't have people.<br /><br />I can find that kid from my second grade math class and see all the funniest new clips, even read all the breaking news, but can e-friends and iPods ever be as good as walking from class-to-class with real friends?<br /><br />Will an assignment due on blackboard lead to thought provoking discussion or the minimum response from less than enthusiastic students?<br /><br />Who are we without having our faces stuck in our phones texting?<br /><br />More importantly, why does this even need to be asked?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0