My One and Only Political Post

In light of the big election tomorrow, I decided to create my only political post. I typically like to steer away from political conversations, especially on social media. But this is my personal space, so I'll do what I want.

Let me start this off by saying this is not a debate arena. This is my blog, my expressions and my hard work. This is not about how much I hate one candidate, nor how much I love another. Don't even bother arguing with me, trying to get me to see your point of view, bashing me, or bashing my opinions. If you do, I will delete your comments. Without hesitation.

That being said, voting is a lot of hard work. Who you decide to align yourself with, or who you decide to put that little mark next to their name is a pretty loaded decision. I know, I know, your one tiny vote won't make a difference. But what if every person, or even half the population voted uninformed or apathetically? Just think about that, 'Murica.

While listening to hundreds and hundreds of nonsense political ads, both at the state and national level, I've really gotten to thinking what I want in a president. While I do lean towards Democrat, there are so many times that I wish it were easier to vote for specific ideologies rather than party lines. In the last few weeks, I've come up with a list of everything I want in a president. If, for some inexplicable miracle, these things could all be in one person, I would not only stand behind this nominee 1000%, I would even donate part of my piddly salary to their campaign. I want someone in office who will:

• keep abortion legalized
• let women make decisions about their bodies themselves
• abolish abstinence-only sex education in public schools
• completely stand true to a separation of Church and State
• legalize same-sex marriage
• get this country out of this damn recession
• create more jobs
• bring our troops home
• take care of problems at home before taking care of other countries
• make education more affordable and accessible
• make healthcare more affordable and accessible
• not bash their opponent
• mean what they say and say what they mean
• actually do what they say, mean and keep promises

Things I have Learned in My Mere 24 Years

• No matter how cliche, laughter really IS the best medicine. Even when I don't want to laugh and someone makes me, I can't help but feel a little better.
• Whether it's jobs, relationships, or anything else in your life, you need really shitty experiences so you can appreciate the good ones when they come along.
• Revisiting history will teach you buckets more about culture, history, and news than any text book ever will.
• No matter how much you may want to, you can't change someone. 
• You should listen to your gut. Chances are, it's right.
• I love America, but American society in general and as a whole sucks. This country is full of stupid (and I really mean stupid), ignorant, lazy, greedy and selfish people. We feel entitled to everything, are so rushed with everything and are impatient when things don't go our way.
• No matter how much you try to stay out of other people's business, their business will find you.
• There will always be someone who doesn't like you...and for no good reason. 
• Being happy in what you do is far more important than being wealthy.
• It is way easier to gain weight than it is to lose it
• Everyone should have a stress-relieving hobby.
• Picky eaters are incredibly difficult to cook for.
• There is nothing more satisfying than getting lost in a novel for hours. Except for the moment when you finish, and you actually feel lost.
• Everyone should have at least one one-night stand.
• Volunteering is one of the most fulfilling things you could ever do with your time.
• The best relationships come when you least expect them, and likely, with a person you least expect to be with.
• Bitching to your best friend can be the most therapeutic thing when you're upset
• The general population has the spelling ability of a fourth grader. 

GNO Lock-in

Saturday night, we had our first-ever GNO Lock-in. Even though I decided to leave at 11 instead of sleeping over, I had a blast with the girls and it was a hugely successful night. I found out on Monday at regular GNO that the girls didn't go to bed until about 5:30 a.m. so I was quite glad I left when I did.

The Lock-in was similar to Camp U-Nah-Li-Ya trips in the fact that it was all of the Green Bay GNO girls together. How many girls is that, do you ask? 76. That's right, 76 sixth grade girls together. And that is exactly why I didn't stay over night.

But in all seriousness, it was actually a great time, and I had just as much fun as the girls did. The biggest difference between the lock-in and typical GNO sessions, or even the camp trips, is that there were plenty of different  activities and things for the girls to do, and although activities and time frames were staggered, they never had to do one thing at a certain time. In our Monday sessions, we have a theme and the girls all have to be participating in large and small group activities and the physical component. With the lock-in, they had the opportunity to choose how to spend their time.

Because the Y decided to cut GNO short by a few weeks in order to go up to Camp earlier in the year, they decided to bring some of the guests and themes to the lock-in. The girls were able to do facials with Mary Kay and learn about healthy skin care habits, got to learn about and practice self defense moves as well as lock-in specific activities.

A big hit for a lot of the girls was the two-hour open swim option. I, of course, wanted nothing to do with the pool so I have no idea what they were actually doing, but the majority of them nearly ran us over to get there when we gave them the ok. The girls who didn't want to swim, or only wanted to for a little while, were able to play board games, Wii Just Dance, and paint their nails. One of the volunteers apparently is a nail-painting guru because she brought half of the Health and Beauty section at Walmart with her. Seriously, she had a bin full of nail polishes and application tools. She even had those little image roll-on things. I watched her working on some of the girls' nails and they all turned out wonderfully.

I played a game of Sorry! and more importantly, got to meet some new people. The point of GNO and all of  our efforts are to get the sixth graders to open up and make new friends, but it's just as beneficial for the volunteers. I have a really hard time  talking to new people (though I've gotten way better) and it's really cool to meet other volunteers with similar interests. Our Sorry! game consisted of me, two other volunteers and a girl from a different school. I can't speak for any of them, but I think we enjoyed ourselves.

My final hour at the lock-in was spent watching the girls prepare for their garbage bag fashion show. You read that right. Garbage bag fashion show. The girls had to break up into small groups and had to make one item of clothing out of a garbage bag. They were able to glam up their outfit with strips of fabric, duct tape, foam stickers, glitter, ribbon and pipe cleaners. I was amazed at how well some of the groups did. One group's dress was actually so good it looked real. Many groups made dresses, and the majority were clearly strong channels of creativity. ...And there was also the group that decided they were going to make a cape that was "just random," aka, they just dumped a whole bunch of shit on their flat bag and wore it as a cape. While not the most creative and thought out, they did make me laugh.

If there is one thing those girls are good at, it's making me laugh.

A Perfect Life

Throughout my mere 24 years, I have become acutely aware of my over-active imagination. I daydream all day long, making up stores or scenarios in my head. Honestly, I think my imagination is in just as much over-drive as it was when I was just a little nugget. Perhaps more so, even. And I happen to love it. It's one of the strongest forces behind what makes me a writer. And frankly, I'm never bored with myself.

One thing that I imagine all the time, and perhaps too much for any realist out there, is how my life would be if it was a movie or a novel and I was the writer. I have a personal little fantasy created of exactly how my life would be if everything could be absolutely perfect. And I've decided to share it with you, dear readers.

Some of these are unlikely, though still plausible goals. I'm working towards them every day, to no avail. Some, as you will see, are simply made up. This is when you suspension of disbelief would have to come in. That's what makes stories so good anyway.

• Job: I would have a full-time, permanent job in public relations with a non-profit. In particular, it would be working with young girls like the YWCA or the Girl Scouts. It would be a fun job that I loved going to every day, with fabulous co-workers and the ability to stress very little about my job once I came home. I would make about $75,000 a year. I'm sure this is where I will lose some people. I can just hear people saying, "well, if you could be filthy rich making millions, why would you only choose $75,000 annually?" Because it's very important to me that I never forget what it's like to want. $75,000 a year would be the perfect amount for me to be financially stable, be able to save, pay off my loans, still have plenty of fun money, and yet, I would still have to create a budget.
• vehicle: I would have a beautiful little red convertible. Don't ask me about make/model/year or anything like that. Cars are cars to me. I just know that I've always wanted a convertible. And red seems to be a good color for convertibles.
• residence: I would have a cozy house with a big back yard and a deck outside. (And let's be real here: my significant other would be taking care of the yard work. Fuck that.) Inside would be fully furnished with matching furniture and decor. The wine-themed kitchen would have all kinds of appliances, particularly Food Network ones. I would have a room dedicated solely to reading, writing and scrapbooking. There would be as many bookshelves as I needed to hold all my books (I'm already at two so you can only imagine how many I'd have if I had the money and space for how many I would like to have), a table for scrapbooking, (even if it's just a folding table that could fit in the closet) and a desk for writing. The closet would be bursting with my scrapbooking bins and maybe even my shoes if they overflowed from my bedroom closet. Speaking of which, I'd have an even better shoe collection than I already have.
• environment: I freaking hate the cold. Hate it. Summer is by far my favorite season. I do love fall though, as well. Can't leave out all the wonderful meals, smells and colors that come out of fall. It would be wonderfully hot and sunny summer from March to August. September to December 21st would be fall. I thought for a long time I would want just summer and fall. But it is nice to have a tiny bit of snow on the ground for Christmas and New Years. So winter would last from December 22nd to January 1st. I've also thought about having it go right from winter to summer. But, that would just be a flooded, slushy mess. And the blooming of all the trees and flowers is pretty as well. So we can have spring from January 2nd to March when summer starts back up. Also, pollen and dust of any sorts would be allergens. There would be no scratching of the eyes, nose and throat...nor would there be watery eyes and sneezing. 

This is the most that I've come up with so far. Maybe a second post will come after some more day dreaming. 

Be the Light Community Walk for Suicide Prevention

On Saturday I participated in Brown County's First annual Be the Light Walk for Suicide Prevention. Previously, the walk was under the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, but this year the organizers decided to break away from the nationally recognized chapter to focus their efforts locally. With AFSP, half the proceeds were donated at a local level and half national. With the change to Be the Light, 100% of profits were donated locally.

This was my third year participating in a walk for this cause, through the same group of walkers and organizers. Every year we see a bigger turn out, raise more money, and see more raffle donations. This year, the walk has raised a total of $14,893! Especially with the money going towards QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) training programs, school programs and prevention in Brown County, this is an incredible feat and an amazing number.

Our balloon release

Knowing I'm part of such a needed and important organization is really overwhelming, but in a good way. I'm so proud to be working for an organization and towards a cause that doesn't get much coverage. Suicide just doesn't get talked about much, and prevention and awareness programs get even less acknowledgement.  I've come to the realization today that whenever I get down on myself about feeling like I'm not doing anything towards my future or with my life, I need to remember my involvement with Be the Light. Raising $240 and participating in the walk is nothing to scoff at.

As wonderful as it is gaining more support every year, seeing the walk participant rate grow and the donations number rise, it's heartbreaking. Absolutely heartbreaking. Every person there knows someone who completed suicide. Everyone there has lost someone and everyone there has had to find their way to grieve. I'm glad the loved ones of the lost have put together this walk and organization, though, because it seems to be so therapeutic for everyone, the parents in particular. Hearing the stories of parents, children, siblings and friends brings in such a sense of community.

Every year that I see so many people gathering for support and in hopes of prevention of losing anyone else, it makes me wonder about those who have passed. If they could see how many people come out every year to remember them, honor them and grieve for them, would they have still felt so hopeless?

Labor Day Weekend Funsies

This weekend was one of the best weekends I've had in quite some time. I had been looking forward to it for weeks, mostly and simply because of the extra day off from work. Who doesn't love a three day weekend? Luckily, my holiday weekend wasn't a disappointment. I didn't go out, or have a plan-packed few  days like I typically do on Friday through Sunday, but sometimes the quiet ones are the best kind. So, dear readers, I have decided to share my enjoyment with you.

Thursday:

Coworker and I at the game

Ok, so I know that Thursday wasn't technically part of the weekend, but I can't not write about it. My coworker bought tickets from someone else at work for the Packers game and I was lucky enough to be able to go with her. I didn't even care that it was "only preseason," as many loyal fans would say. I was so pumped to go. It ended up being the perfect night to go to a game, and nearly everything ran smoothly. We hardly ran into any backed-up traffic on our way up to Green Bay from work, which was incredibly surprising. Usually the entire drive is a nightmare and the highway typically comes to a dead stop at least 2 or 3 times on my way home. After a fairly easy drive home, we were able to park at Man Friend's work. His office is just a short walk from Lambeau, we didn't have to worry about paying for parking or getting out of a congested parking lot/yard. Score! Anyway, the game was great and so much fun to watch. There's just something about being part of the energy of watching the game live that is so much different from watching on tv at home. We had pretty decent seats in the endzone and had a perfect view. I didn't even have a Sasquatch sitting in front me to block my entire sight. Score again! The only complaint I had about the game was the douchebag sitting next to me, who took up the space of a seat and a half, plus his child. Not only did he take up extra space, he was not polite and told Coworker and I that we needed to move over, despite the fact that the entire row was full. Ill-mannered neighbors aside, I had a blast at the game. It also didn't hurt that we won 24-3.

Friday:

In an effort to save some moo-lah, Man Friend and I decided early last week to have a pizza and movie night Friday. All week I looked forward to having a relaxing night in and have some couple time. Man Friend is really into comic book/super hero movies and has seen them all a zillion times. They typically aren't my style of movies, but I have started watching the "Avengers" series (as I call them) to be able to engage myself in his interests. We watched Thor a few weeks ago, so I decided I wanted to watch Iron Man this weekend to continue through the characters and their stories. I never thought I'd hear myself say I was excited for this kind of movie, but I was. Man Friend picked me up in the evening, we grabbed a Take n Bake pizza, and grabbed some movies. In addition to getting Iron Man, we also got 21 Jump Street. IM was really good; I enjoyed it far more than I had expected. I couldn't follow everything and did have to ask a few questions, but I am definitely looking forward to the sequel. 21 Jump Street was absolutely hilarious. I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard during a movie. I love Jonah Hill, and he and Channing Tatum actually made a pretty good pair. Not to mention, what woman doesn't like looking at Channing Tatum? Date Night In was a nice change of pace, and it was great to be able to actually enjoy each other's company by ourselves for once.

Saturday:

To continue with our date night, Man Friend and I spent the afternoon at the N.E.W. Zoo. I love going to the zoo, and Man Friend hadn't been since he was a little nugget. Maybe it's the excitement of watching the animals, or the feeling of being a kid again, but I always have so much fun at the zoo. We were able to feed the giraffes and the billy goats, in addition to checking out all the exhibits. It was a beautiful day for the trip, too, warm and sunny. The only thing I hadn't taken into consideration was that it was a Saturday on a holiday weekend, right before school started for many kids. The zoo was pretty busy, and thus, we didn't get to stay at each exhibit as long as I would have liked. There were lines behind us, as well as kids (not to mention parents!) weaseling their way in front of us and through the lines. Aggravated, we ended up just letting others get through and quickly moved from each animal.
                                                                        

                                                          
At night, I had two of my friends over to catch up. I hadn't seen them since November, and was really excited to be able to hang out. Ok, let's back track. The two friends are actually my ex's brother and his girlfriend. When I was with T-Douche, the four of us hung out all the time. Pretty much every time I was home for college, we spent time together. When we broke up, the hardest part of the break up was not being able to see those two as much. Luckily, though, the three of us have actually stayed friends and in contact. Although, we don't hang out every weekend anymore, we still try to get together every few months. Also, luckily, Man Friend gets along with them really well and there isn't any awkwardness of hanging out with my ex's family. Man Friend, Friends and I chatted and laughed for five hours, and it hardly felt like any time had passed at all.

Sunday:

During the day, I didn't do much. At all. By the time 4 p.m. had rolled around, I hadn't even showered yet, and the only things I could account for all day were a walk, finding recipes to make, and coming up with a grocery list. Because I had high hopes of a really productive afternoon, I was frustrated with and disappointed in myself for wasting an entire day. But then I realized how nice it was not be rushing around on errands or with plans. I wasn't stressed out, and had given myself plenty of time to clear my head off all the thoughts that have been racing through lately. The guilt I had been experiencing quickly drifted after this realization.

At night, Roomie, Man Friend and I got Chinese take-out and watched movies. Ok, ok, Roomie and Man Friend watched a scary movie about some dolls and I read. I tried my best to tune out the movie and focus on my book. I'm such a pansy ass when it comes to scary movies. Hell, just thinking about Are You Afraid of the Dark? still gets me close to peeing my pants. Anyway, even after just catching glimpses and snipits of the movie, I was still afraid to leave the brightly-lit living room. After their movie finished, we all watched Wanda Sykes stand-up. I love her, mostly because she's so vulgar. The vulgar comedians are always my favorites.

After a rejuvenating and stress-free weekend, I'm actually (almost) ready for the week ahead.

Happiness is...

It is so easily to get caught up in the negative things in life, especially when you have a string of bad luck. My whole existence has always been focused on trying to stay positive no matter what the situation. Unfortunately, in the last year or two, I've really started to lose that quality in myself. And lately, I've been giving myself some mini reality checks that I still have so much to be happy about in my life. I've noticed that it truly is the simplest of things that can put me in a good mood or change my entire outlook on a day. So I've decided to share some of these simplistic miracles with you, my dear readers.

Happiness is...

• Realizing you're grown up enough to be friends with your friends' parents
• Playing with your favorite little munchkin
• Getting complimented on your tattoos
• Good morning, Beautiful texts
• Someone else noticing you've lost weight
• Freshly painted toenails (in your favorite heels, of course)
• Finishing an incredibly well-written and suspenseful book
• Eating a delicious meal
• Hearing a great song for the first time on the radio
• Man friend reaching his arm up for you to hold while he's on the ground and you're on an air mattress
• Enjoying a bottle of wine with your best friend
• Laughing with your friends until your gut hurts
• The smell of an apple cinnamon candle burning
• Getting a massage
• Gaining a new follower on Twitter
• Summer
• Fitting perfectly in your man friend's arms
• Having the satisfaction of knowing you're right
• Getting mail that's not a bill, credit card application or other form of junk
• Broken in Chuck Taylors
• Watching a Packers game, particularly a Packer win
• Finding a really great item on clearance