Month: October 2016

Fighting the Fear

1998sakuraLeave a comment

My school has a equestrian program, which I wanted to take advantage of. One year ago, I tried it out for a season. Since my roommate at the time was a rider, I was very excited to learn this sport.

It started out well – I was loving my horse and the sport, but then things started changing. Espada, the horse I was riding, started acting wild, and because I was a beginner, I couldn’t stop his behavior. Espada would kick other horses while I was on him and would try to scare me by jumping suddenly. On the last day of the season, Espada jumped with his back feet and started running. I pulled on him and was able to stop him, and luckily I didn’t fall. But that sudden act brought me to tears. After that, I couldn’t even look at the barn, because I would feel too scared.

Horse with girl

Photo Credit: Evelyn Brokering

I wanted to fight my fear, and I wanted to love horses like my roommate did, so this year I tried equestrian again. The first day I was too scared to walk toward the horse alone. Taking small steps each day, I pushed myself to do something I was afraid of. Day by day, I noticed I was becoming more comfortable around horses.

Now it’s been two months since I started riding again, and I no longer have any fear– I am able to walk and canter by myself. It’s the best feeling: to conquer a fear instead of letting the fear conquer you.

Shattered State

moderatesnotfoundLeave a comment

Syria has been the centerpiece of an ISIS invasion, revolution, Russian aggression, and Western Concerns. With Aleppo as the prime example of what has befallen of Syria, entire populations have disappeared.

Photo Credit: Independent.co.uk

Sections where thousands walked daily are now ghost towns, filled with rebels, daily Russian bombings, and the desperate ones who don’t want to leave their homes. The country once filled with tourism and stability has taken a sudden turn into total chaos, chaos originating from an Arab Spring pro-democracy protest opposing the torture of a group of students in 2011.

Following the mass demonstration, dozens of people were killed, between protesters and the aggressive police, prompting protesters to gain weapons to defend themselves, then eventually rid government forces altogether in cities.

Five years later and millions have run from the country, with the majority landing in Turkey and surrounding Islamic Nations. A small percentage migrated into Europe, prompting anti-Islamic protests within such Nations.

Russia takes lead in defending Syria’s failing government with aggressive bombardment on civilians and rebels alike. The UN has stopped sending aid to civilians due to attacks on their convoys, and the U.S. arms Democratic Revolutionaries throughout Syria while the Islamic State advances. This Nation has fallen apart, and now third parties stroke the flames instead of leaving the situation alone between the revolutionaries and the government.

So where does it end?

So far, there is no ending from a diplomatic viewpoint; the Geneva talks have only been another platform over which the U.S. and Russia disagree. There’s no clear sign over the future of the Nation, or whose hands it will fall into. Whether it’s Western powers, Russia, or radicals, the nation and it’s structure will remain shattered for year to come.

Further Proof That Beyoncé is a Higher Being

paris22Leave a comment
Photo Credit: Pitchfork

On Saturday, October 15, Beyoncé was performing at her Tidal concert, when her braid got caught on her one of her earrings, and the earring RIPPED OUT OF HER EARLOBE.

Photo Credit: US Weekly

Queen Bey didn’t miss a beat in her dance routine however, and kept performing. Later in the performance, Beyoncé touched her earlobe, saw blood on her fingers, and kept singing in a way so holy you might think you just saw God. Now that’s a real performer.

Either Beyoncé is some sort of higher being, or she has superhuman pain tolerance… Or else everyone’s right and she really is a part of the Illuminati (jokes).

After the concert, fans started the hashtags #CutforBeyoncé and #BleedforBeyonce, which are pretty much just a bunch images featuring cuts and injuries. Do not look it up, I made that mistake.

This concert pretty much just proved, once again, the immense power that is Beyoncé.

Tyson… Chicken?

stayhappy123Leave a comment

Behold –

9181f-curtain-call
Photo Credit: shutterstock.com

Recently, one of the top meat producers in the U.S. invested in a new vegan meat producer, Beyond Meat.

But why?

It would seem that there is a new wave of vegetarianism, and I must say that I am in favor. It’s not only the thought of sweet, innocent animals that makes me happy to hear about this, but also my knowledge of the effects of the meat industry on the planet.

And aside from that, who can argue with more (delicious) options in the freezer aisle? I, personally, love food.

And who can argue with more of it?

My next life…

1998sakuraLeave a comment

What a life pets have. Especially the pet who lives on campus: Jack the cat.

Jack is loved by students, gets full attention and is very spoiled. He gets food and treats from the teacher, Ms. M., everyday. Ms. M. even bought him food and water bowls, as well as a cushion for him to sleep on. These days, it has become a daily routine for Jack to come to her to get treats. He spends most of the day on her desk sleeping.

When we are in class, he meows outside the classrooms to let people know he wants to come inside. We always open the door for him, even if we are taking a test. He walks in and wanders around, and eventually rolls on his back allowing the students to pet him on the stomach. Everyone adores him and we all say “hi” when we see him, even though he ignores us. I want to be him in my next life.

14694621_686591841504978_1539100279_n
Jack the Cat — Photo Credit: Evelyn Brokering

Aubrie and Daisy

mariethearistocatLeave a comment

Every month, Netflix updates its movie collection, and ever since 2013, it has put out some new shows with each batch. Recently released was Audrie and Daisy, a documentary that caught my attention.

Released to Netflix on September 23rd, Audrie and Daisy tells the stories of two high school girls’ experiences with sexual assault.

The first girl, 16-year-old Audrie Pott, had gone to a high school party. She was black-out drunk when a group of three teenage boys sexually assaulted her. When she woke up the next morning, she was berated with hateful comments at school and online. It was only nine days later that she hung herself.

The second girl, Daisy Coleman, had a similar story. When she was fourteen, she and her best friend snuck out and went to a “party” in the basement of seventeen-year-old Matthew Barnett, grandson of a former state legislator. There, Coleman was pressured by Barnett and his friends to drink until she was in a coma-like state. When she was immobile and asleep, the boys continuously raped her for hours. She woke up frozen on her front lawn and was immediately rushed to the hospital. Even for almost 12 hours after, her blood alcohol level was a striking 0.1349 (the legal limit for Missouri adults is 0.08.) Immediately following her recovery, she was harassed online by kids at her school and even adults online.

When I heard their stories I was appalled by our society, even though these events happened nearly four years ago. I feel ashamed to live in a world where people who sexually assault others can walk away from a victim they just took something from, and not face any severe consequences. I feel ashamed to live in a society where victims are driven to suicide just so people will stop making their terrible memories even worse. I’m ashamed that grown adults join in on the childish gossiping and bullying.

News stories of these two rapes held a certain air to them. When Matthew Barnett was put on trial, the news anchors refused to say that Coleman had been raped. They would talk about how Barnett’s grandfather was a state legislator and how he would simply apologize to Coleman and be granted two years’ probation. He would walk free, while Coleman would always have to live with what he did to her. She would have to live with the constant criticism in her home town.

We should learn how to help victims of any crime, especially ones as sensitive as rape. We should learn to teach our children not to rape people. We should teach our children not to say things without thinking of the consequences.

Click here to read an interview with Daisy Coleman.

Halloween

paris22Leave a comment
Photo Credit: Urban Matter

It is now mid October, and IT’S STILL SUNNY AND WARM IN OJAI. This irritates me to no end, which means this post will be a long rant.

In Ojai, and pretty much all of Southern California, three of our seasons are summer, and the fourth season is kind of cold, but not really. This means, there is a very good chance that Halloween will be a warm, sunny day. There will also be no cool decorations around town like the Jack O’Lanterns in Chicago (pictured).

Disneyland, scary movies, and cold weather are all things I associate with Halloween. But, obviously the cold weather part isn’t exactly true for California.

But, Halloween is still one of my favorite holidays, whether it’s 80 degrees (ew) or 50. And, The Tower of Terror is closing at California Adventures, which is an amusement park tragedy. But it’s all ok, because after Halloween, Thanksgiving Break will be closer than ever.

Shoes Are Just Shoes

whynotstayinLeave a comment

Shoes may in fact be the singular most important thing put on in a day. They affect the way you walk, the way you experience your day. Goodness knows the power of gorgeous, uncomfortable shoes and their ability to change your entire outlook on the upcoming week.

How you see yourself in the morning all comes down to your shoes. Are you a little taller than you were yesterday? A little more fluid, a little more grounded?

Even to those without shoes on, their shoes affect them. They decided not to wear them, and this influences the rest of their day because, simply put, there are certain things you don’t do unless you have shoes on.

While many would argue that they just throw on the same shoes they wear everyday without thinking about it, that is still their decision to have a “usual” action.

Photo Credit: Road and Track

Are you determined to look as good as you can? More laid back? Aiming to be fashionable? No matter the reason, shoes outrank your clothing.

Shoes dress up an outfit or dress it down. Shoes change the way others see you. Yes, people will see your cool bomber jacket, but are you wearing it with heels like a model, so you can feel like the rest of the world is your personal runway Are you wearing it with trainers, making the world your personal path? Or are you wearing it with boots, telling the world to get out of your way ’cause you mean business?

Your shoes are one of those decisions that make you, you.

Religion is a Diminishing Variable

moderatesnotfoundLeave a comment

Imagine a world with no religion, no set of laws and morals set by a religious sect, set in place to give people a path in life to help themselves or others, and to achieve happiness.

Would the world burn without this path?

Probably not. In fact, religious influence may be diminishing across the western world, including the surprisingly Christian United States.

Yet many fight this fall in religion, by stating rising statistics of incarceration due to the lack of Christian belief and a strong belief in the “rise of drug use.”

The evidence says otherwise – usage of drugs with the exception of marijuana (due to legalization) has steadily declined since the 1970s. However, the large jump of incarcerated people did have a major and steady increase between 1980s and 2000. That increase suddenly halted, remaining the same until 2010, and then slightly dropping the last six years.

So, is the drop in the number of believers due to the rise of criminals? In a graph, the conclusion would be most definitely not. Other variables had far more influence on the rise of incarceration, such as longer jail time, better criminal investigation, and stricter laws. The infamous drug war also had an effect on drug use, though only for a proportion of the population. Today it’s become a black hole of federal spending which will be touched on in another blog.

Photo Credit: prisonpolicy.org

Actually, it is just a coincidence – just because there’s a drop in religion doesn’t mean it’s directly affecting the safety of the world. Funny enough, nuclear weapons have a far larger statistical influence on world peace.

George Carlin famously said, “More people have been killed in the name of God than for any other reason.” This popular quote used across the world is completely untrue, only 7% of all war has been caused by religion and only 2% of all casualties were because of religion. In fact, religion plays as big of a role in our lives as the average person or government. The lack or abundance of faith has little to no influence – bad people are still bad, and good people stay good, with or without religion.

Statistically, religion is an independent variable with little influence except to the ones who preserve it and try to broaden its influence. So whether god is real or not, should all people of the planet were to lose their faith, there’s little evidence of any possible retaliation from the big man himself. Instead, maybe a few more progressive laws could be passed and there will be a drop in hate crimes. Or maybe numbers be damned, and tomorrow the second coming will happen.

The Magic of Cats

stayhappy123Leave a comment

Have you ever pet a cat?

Like-

91615172-find-a-lump-on-cats-skin-632x475
Photo Credit: petfinder.com

really pet a cat?

I mean, yeah, sure, you’ve pet a dog.

But dogs are easy. Dogs, for the most part, will waltz up to strangers, tails wagging, eyes bright, and ready to be loved on. Anyone can pet a dog.

But cats are altogether different Beasts.

Cats are skeptical of strangers, always watching their loved ones from a high vantage point.

(I am certain that, should it come to it, cats would not only survive the apocalypse, but would thrive.)

Cats are not so eager to be cuddled and coddled by those who are not worthy.

Which is exactly what makes it such an incredible experience to be liked by a cat. And I don’t mean tolerated, but really, truly liked.

Perhaps it’s the human want for the unwantable, but no one can deny that there is a certain mysterious air that lends cats their desirability.