Tag: life

Why I Chose Politics

therightliberal1 Comment

I could blog about anything I wanted. I could choose to pursue a profession that was less cut-throat and more fun. I could hide under a rock and pretend it was not there.

But instead, I have chosen to involve myself in the often frustrating and  continuously puzzling world of politics.

(Augustus Caesar, one of the greatest politicians in history)

Yet I do not lack reason for this choice. While many see themselves as having a calling in fields such as business, health-care or others, I have always seen myself in politics.

My reasons are simple. I feel it is a way in which I can help people, something I have skill in, something that I enjoy, plus there is money too. It is not easy nor is it always fun, but I feel as though I would fit in well.

Politics is tricky because humans do not agree. It is difficult because a politician seeks progress in a world that is not often accepting of change. The best politicians make people feel as though nothing is changing when in fact, everything is.

Take FDR for example. At first glance, one might say, “Everyone knew how much the world was changing during his time in office!” But did they?

We look back and see how much he did to halt the Great Depression, from passing bills to inspiring the people. He also led us through one of the most difficult war times our country has seen.

But what made him great was the instilled confidence in the people. He was calm and confident. He understated the reality of the situation. He understood that sometimes the American people did not need to know information until after the fact.

The confidence he instilled in the people and the respect he earned is the glorious side of politics. There is a chance (though quite slight) to obtain a type of immortality; infamy. I do not see this as being the sole reason why anyone should seek public office, but if one’s goal is to help the people in every way possible, representing them and what they believe, then go for it.

I see myself in the wild world of politics out of a self-duty. I do not see it as a chore nor a thing of pure enjoyment. I see politics as my way of leading and my way of giving. I do not believe in fate but I do believe (at least at this point) that I want to help create the world I will live in.

Warren G. Harding said, “America’s present need is not heroics but healing; not nostrums but normalcy; not revolution but restoration.”

This is true today and it will be true tomorrow. And despite what we face, I want to be part of it.

Nutella Vs. Peanut butter

r3t5nom1 Comment

nutella vs PB

I like peanut butter but I LOVE Nutella. I’ve always been a fan of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches; they are good and you can never go wrong with a PB&J. Unless you’re allergic to peanuts, yikes. But see, Nutella is delicious, sure there is some things much like peanut butter that could be harmful to some but it’s just so good that even those who don’t like it actually really do.

Its taste is AMAZING, and there is so many tasty ways to eat it.

Nutella with bread, Nutella crepes, Nutella croissants, Nutella with strawberries, Nutella with bananas and MANY MORE!!!!

I really want to know what everyone’s thoughts are on this subject, even if you feel it’s a stupid one

I think Nutella wins, what do you think?
nutella

You Are My Sweetest Downfall…

yrreskrap2 Comments

I am obsessed with the song Samson by Regina Spektor. Ask my roommate, she knows.

What I love the most about the song is not the beautiful, velvety vocals but the lyrics (to be specific, the meaning behind them).

It tells the story of Samson through the eyes of Delilah, his deceitful wife. Samson was blessed by God with incredible strength (he could even kill a lion with his bare hands). With that strength, Samson fought off wicked people and God was pleased. Samson was good. He was obedient and he loved God. So, God promised Samson his strength as long as he never cut a hair off his head.

Delilah had given into sin by accepting the bribes of the Philistines. Blinded by money, she sought to find Samson’s ultimate weakness and to bring about his downfall. Every night, he incessantly asked her husband where his shortcomings lied. But every night, Samson gave her the wrong answer. After being given the answer, Delilah called the Philistines to her house to attack her husband, just to have Samson fight them off.

Finally, one night, Delilah got to him. She had told him that if he truly loved him, he would confide in her.

and he did.

Samson lost his hair that night and Delilah sold her husband to the Philistines. Tied to a pillar in their palace, Samson watched as the Philistines celebrated with a feast. Samson, deceived, guilt welling up in his chest cavity, prayed to God for one last chance. He asked for forgiveness and he asked for his strength. And for the last time, Samson got up and used his power to break the pillar that he was tied against, killing all inside the building, including himself.

This story is particularly moving to me because it shows how easily mankind can fall into sin’s trap. Everyday, the story of Samson lives on in every one of us. We are the deceived but more often, we are the deceivers.

Once you branch off from the straight path, like a tree that has grown crooked, you can never go back and straighten in out again. The past will always remain in the past. But life’s goal is to turn back once a mistake has been made. You must live and learn. Let the present be something you will never regret.

Tribal Issues (Chairman’s Program)

theycallmedame5 Comments

I want to change lives.
I really, really do.
And now, finally, I’m given an opportunity to do it.

I’ve been doing volunteer work with an organization called Rustic Pathways for two summers in a row. In 2010, I went to Costa Rica to help sustain sea turtle life by building a hatchery for eggs and moving the eggs from dangerous areas to a safe place where they will survive. This year, in 2011, I went to China to volunteer at a Giant Panda conservation center, where I helped care for and feed the endangered pandas.

That was all fun, and helpful, and all that jazz, but I wanted something more.

A week ago, my friend Max (who I’ve done both of the Rustic programs with) called me and told me about this amazing program hosted by Rustic.

“There’s limited spaces available,” he said, “And you don’t get to just sign up, you actually have to send in an application and have an interview to see if you get accepted or not.”

Right away my curiosity was piqued, I needed to be accepted to go? I kept asking Max, one of my best friends since kindergarten, question after question about it until he finally directed me to the site where the trip was explained.

I read through it and my breath got caught in my throat. It sounded so important, so influential, so life-changing.

I sent in my application right away and emailed the director to ask for an interview.

The next day, I received an email from Rustic:

Hello Aria,

Congratulations on being accepted into our programs in Southeast Asia.

I literally squealed, my hands flying to my mouth, and my eyes started to tear up. This is the experience I have been waiting for!

In the summer of 2012, from July 3 to July 20, I will travel with my friend Max and roughly six other students into Thailand, Burma, and Laos. But it will not just be for seeing the other countries and what their culture is, no. I will travel to an estimated fourteen tribes and speak with young men and women there about their life, their hardships, their experiences, and anything else.

I will help sponsor various children to go to school and supply villages with water, food, bicycles, soap, and a friend. I will work with Rustic and the other students on the trip to think of ways to better the lives of all the people in those tribes, and try to set our plans into action.

I want to experience life, and I can’t do that by just talking about making a difference. I have to actually go out there and do it.

And I will go out there.
And I will do it.
And nothing is going to stop me.

The Subtle Difference Between Living and Experiencing.

theycallmedameLeave a comment

Everything always seems to flow so quickly before me.
I feel like it was just yesterday I was a stumbling, mumbling, and awkward freshman.
It was just yesterday that I was lost
confused
scared
and lonely in a new place with new people and new feelings I had never witnessed before.
There is no distinct line
no significant bright flash
no abrupt change in events that separates all the past years from this one.
How did I get here?
Where did the time go?
Why did I not grip to those moments while they lasted?
And now I’m back.
Freshman and sophomore years are over.
Surreal summers have come and gone, flying past in an unreasonably quick wind.
It barely rustled my hair before it was gone, leaving still and stale air in its wake.
Now that there is no wind
no more cool breeze
the air is hot and suffocating.
It weighs down on me with a significant pressure
I am Atlas.
I am willed by others to be mature
respectable
in control of absolutely everything and anything I can be.
I am willed by myself to succeed
to be in control of what I can
to be happy instead of content.
I do not want to be responsible for everything else
if only to just live life.
I want to be responsible for myself
and experience life, not just mundanely live it.
I reach for the excitement that others only yearn for.
I want to explore the world
change lives
become a better person than anyone ever anticipated.
I want not to live up to others expectations
but to live up to and surpass my own.
I want to be free from others and myself.
I want to be happy,
I want to experience life,
I want to change lives.
I need to be me.

“SHORT SLEEPERS” DO EXIST!

Paloma SpencerLeave a comment

I have to admit that as a person with strange sleeping hours, I am extremely jealous of those who can get so little sleep but yet still function so well.

Turns out there are actually people that acquire this condition as a young age; they are called “short sleepers.” They are naturally early risers and late sleepers.

In contrast to people who simply sleep less than the recommended 7 hours, this rare species can actually continue their day without endless cups of coffee or countless 5-minute naps. Instead, they feel perfectly normal and healthy, and continue their day with optimism, an outgoing personality, and tons and tons of energy.

But how could this be possible? I mean, they have to be tired, right?

Scientists have determined that this type of sleeping pattern usually develops during childhood and simply continues into adulthood. I assume it is comparable to nail biting, not only can it be a natural habit but it is also an easily developed and continuous tendency.

But at least this habit has it’s perks. While some people may believe that sleep is the best part of their days, these people believe quite the opposite.

“Sleep is a waste of time.”

Yep, that’s right. The main personal reason they do not sleep is usually because they find better things to do, and thus began multitasking away.

As much as I would like to say that I acquired these “short sleeper” genes, I know I have not.

But at least its an excuse to sleep more!

RELAY FOR LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

yrreskrap3 Comments

As you can tell by my all caps, exclamation marked title, I am a very happy, excited girl!

Last Friday, I organized a meeting for those interested in Relay for Life. An amazing 25 people showed up, almost a quarter of our small school‘s population. Yesterday, I announced that our school’s team has been made a Relay for Life website. A goal had been set for $500 to be raised by May 15. However, an overwhelming wave of happiness blanketed me this morning when I checked on our team’s site.

In just a span of two days, we raised $520 and trumped our goal with only a few people who had donated! $520 in TWO DAYS. Crazy. Tomorrow, I will announce our new goal of $1,000.

Words can’t describe how proud I am of my friends. Giving to the community is one of the greatest, most rewarding feelings and to know that my small community on the hill is giving back to another is fantastic. I can’t wait till May 14th comes to see my friends walk around the track in the name of fighting cancer. Until that day comes, I will try my best to keep our school inspired.

The Moment

theycallmedameLeave a comment

One step forward.
Seven steps back.
The train is still moving,
But it’s running off the tracks.

One stunning truth.
Twelve useless lies.
We can never be trusted
If we can’t even try.

One real friend
And another with a knife.
They’ll stab you in the back
To take away your life.

One more day
‘Til your life begins.
Live in the moment,
This isn’t a game you can win.

Just F–k ’em.

theycallmedame1 Comment

It’s funny how someone can completely change your view on something by simply uttering a phrase. It’s funny how you can be hell-bent on doing something that you are blinded to the faults of your plan. You want to runaway from a place that makes you happy just because a few things went wrong, and you close your eyes to the bad things about the place you’re running to.

But there is no such thing as a perfect place. There is nowhere you could possibly go to escape everything bad. There is no running away from mean people and unhappy situations. They follow you forever.

But even though they will follow you, you don’t have to let them make you sad, or angry, or feel like you don’t belong. Even when they try to tear you down at the very seams, try to break every thing that is you, they can’t get to you. Because the people who make others miserable are only doing so so they don’t feel as bad about themselves. Because the people who are cruel and border-line evil don’t deserve your tears, they deserve your pity.

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In this day.

theycallmedameLeave a comment

For, although in this day and age
in which life and death are questioned,
life and death still go on.
For even the smallest breath
and the most insignificant death,
will steal your marching son.

Every moment, of everyday,
As you wait hopelessly by the door
He marches, unblinking.
And his tears have all come and gone,
They drained them, smiling, it was done.
Empty thoughts worth thinking.

A thousand miles away
Or a single step out of line
All eyes shoot down.
They are trapped in a single frame
The camera and the gun are the same
Death is a clown.

Screeching tires stumble sideways
The car flips, once twice, three times.
The water fails to drain.
A struggled breath lingers
Shivering hands and fingers
Is he in love or in pain?

A sudden blow to the head
No stars, only music plays
A swollen, shifted skull.
Invisible drums, out of time
Twisted tongues, out of line
A hospital life, worn dull.

With a march,
A crash,
A hit,
Even if death cuts in,
Life waits for its next dance.