Another headline from the Huffington Post caught my eye today. It said "Someone Smashed the Disputed Oklahoma Ten Commandments Monument to Pieces". At first I read the headline and just kept scrolling. Then, the more I thought about it the more irked I got. So to give you a little background story on what actually happened...
In Oklahoma City, last night, a person drove their car up a ramp near the Oklahoma City Capitol steps and purposely smashed into their granite statue of the Ten Commandments as an "apparent act of vandalism". The statue was over six feet tall, so it most likely totaled the vehicle. The driver abandoned the car and fled the scene.
The thing that bothered me when I read this article was that the American Civil Liberties Union has been suing to have the statue removed because it "violates the state constitution and could be seen as a state endorsement of religion". It doesn't matter what your perspective is on religion, the Declaration of Independence blatantly states "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights...". This country was founded by people who believe in God. I don't understand why now all of a sudden people are trying to undo the religious foundations of our government. In the pledge of allegiance we say "one nation under God". Maybe I'm bias (being a Christian) but just because you think that a statue of the Ten Commandments standing in front of your city's capitol building violates the Constitution doesn't give you the right to smash into it with
a car.
Friday, October 24, 2014
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Finding A Balance
I've been working on my homework for the last few hours and I am now to the point where I just want to quit for today, which got me thinking...
I think, as humans, our initial reaction when something seems to be more than we can handle is to just give up. I know that I am definitely a one-track minded person. When I get focused on doing a task it is best for me to only focus on that task and get it done as quickly and efficiently as possible. If something comes in the way of my task, I get frustrated and don't know how to balance them. Like with my classes starting, I'm perfectly fine sitting for six hours and just doing homework with no distractions. But when my mom tells me to clean the house, or someone wants to hang out, then I get frustrated because something isn't quite going according to my plan.
Balancing multiple things at once is hard, but how can we expect to live life if we only do one thing at a time? Something I'm trying to work on is not getting stressed out about every little thing in my life. I have a lot in my life that I'm trying to balance; whether it be my relationship with my boyfriend, relationships with friends, my relationship with my family, work, school, or just making time for myself. I'm not saying that I'm the only one doing these things, everyone is trying to balance their life. Sometimes I focus more on myself than I should, instead of focusing on relationships with other people. Sometimes I want to just sit on the couch and watch TV instead of do my schoolwork. But I have to keep reminding myself to not be so selfish, or to not be so lazy, and try to find balance.
I was raised to be respectful and to recognize authority. I know right from wrong, and I know what my morals are and how to stand by them. The one thing I wish I was taught, was how to be open-minded. But even after typing that sentence, I'm beginning to realize that it's not anything that someone can teach you. Your thoughts are your own to control and, sure, there will be outside influences, but they are still your thoughts. I'm beginning to realize, with some help, that I'm not as mature as I thought I was. I lack understanding in situations that are unfamiliar to me. I think selfishness is a big part of it too, with the fact that I'm unwilling to understand people's perspectives. How can I expect anyone to trust me if I don't give them the chance to? Or if they do give me an opportunity, why am I so unwilling to adapt to new situations?
I think, for right now, I need to work on balance and unselfishness. I thought I was always so good at finishing work that needed to be done. My dad taught me how to be a hard worker who knows what needs to be done and can get it done. But it also goes beyond physical work. It goes beyond anything that anyone can teach me. I need to figure out how to work hard at relationships too. I usually expect people to be there for me, but what kind of a friend am I if I'm not willing to return the favor? Instead of staying comfortable in my own little Allison bubble, I have to experience what other people experience and to figure out what makes people happy. Putting other people before myself is something I know how to do, I just sometimes would rather be self absorbed and comfortable.
Being selfish has gotten me in a lot of trouble. Sometimes I say things before thinking, or tell someone something that I shouldn't, or do something that inadvertently hurts someone without realizing at the moment that that's what I'm doing. There are bigger and more important things out there than me, and I'm working to figure out what they are and how to make them a priority.
I think, as humans, our initial reaction when something seems to be more than we can handle is to just give up. I know that I am definitely a one-track minded person. When I get focused on doing a task it is best for me to only focus on that task and get it done as quickly and efficiently as possible. If something comes in the way of my task, I get frustrated and don't know how to balance them. Like with my classes starting, I'm perfectly fine sitting for six hours and just doing homework with no distractions. But when my mom tells me to clean the house, or someone wants to hang out, then I get frustrated because something isn't quite going according to my plan.
Balancing multiple things at once is hard, but how can we expect to live life if we only do one thing at a time? Something I'm trying to work on is not getting stressed out about every little thing in my life. I have a lot in my life that I'm trying to balance; whether it be my relationship with my boyfriend, relationships with friends, my relationship with my family, work, school, or just making time for myself. I'm not saying that I'm the only one doing these things, everyone is trying to balance their life. Sometimes I focus more on myself than I should, instead of focusing on relationships with other people. Sometimes I want to just sit on the couch and watch TV instead of do my schoolwork. But I have to keep reminding myself to not be so selfish, or to not be so lazy, and try to find balance.
I was raised to be respectful and to recognize authority. I know right from wrong, and I know what my morals are and how to stand by them. The one thing I wish I was taught, was how to be open-minded. But even after typing that sentence, I'm beginning to realize that it's not anything that someone can teach you. Your thoughts are your own to control and, sure, there will be outside influences, but they are still your thoughts. I'm beginning to realize, with some help, that I'm not as mature as I thought I was. I lack understanding in situations that are unfamiliar to me. I think selfishness is a big part of it too, with the fact that I'm unwilling to understand people's perspectives. How can I expect anyone to trust me if I don't give them the chance to? Or if they do give me an opportunity, why am I so unwilling to adapt to new situations?
I think, for right now, I need to work on balance and unselfishness. I thought I was always so good at finishing work that needed to be done. My dad taught me how to be a hard worker who knows what needs to be done and can get it done. But it also goes beyond physical work. It goes beyond anything that anyone can teach me. I need to figure out how to work hard at relationships too. I usually expect people to be there for me, but what kind of a friend am I if I'm not willing to return the favor? Instead of staying comfortable in my own little Allison bubble, I have to experience what other people experience and to figure out what makes people happy. Putting other people before myself is something I know how to do, I just sometimes would rather be self absorbed and comfortable.
Being selfish has gotten me in a lot of trouble. Sometimes I say things before thinking, or tell someone something that I shouldn't, or do something that inadvertently hurts someone without realizing at the moment that that's what I'm doing. There are bigger and more important things out there than me, and I'm working to figure out what they are and how to make them a priority.
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Reasons Why I Want To Travel
Ever since I was little, I have always dreamed of traveling around the world someday. Whether it be on my own, with friends, or with my future family, I really want to visit different places and learn about new cultures and ways of life. Saint Augustine once said, "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." I don't want to be one of those people who say that they want to travel but only ever stays at home and pins pictures of places they'd like to go (because, Lord knows, I've definitely pinned a lot of pictures already). So I've come up with a list of ten places inside and outside of the United States that I want to travel and reasons why.
1. Mole, Haiti
You're probably asking yourself why on earth would I want to go to Haiti. Are you looking at that picture?? It's absolutely gorgeous. Haiti holds a special place in my heart and ever since going there on a mission trip two summers ago, I really want to go back. I want to go back to Mole and Mar Rouge and visit the kids in the orphanages. Creole is also such an interesting language. It's sort of a mix between French, English, and Spanish. It was really fun going to Haiti, because I had taken two years of French in high school so I could sort of understand the people. I met so many amazing kids and got to spend an entire week playing games and singing songs with them.
2. London, England
I actually would be perfectly fine visiting anywhere in the UK, but I have always wanted to go to London. Big Ben is one of my favorite pieces of architecture to draw and I would love to go see it in person. I want to ride in a double-decker bus, visit the Buckingham Palace to see my good friend Queen Elizabeth, and visit a pub (or a few pubs). I am in love with British accents, and I love their iconic red telephone booths. I also would love to visit the English countryside, I hear the air is very fresh there.
3. Dublin, Ireland
The thing I love about Ireland is the fact that it's so green. I also like that they're mostly red-headed, I like people with red hair. I've always joked that when I grow up I want to move to Ireland and become a sheep farmer. It really doesn't sound like a bad idea. I would love to go visit old castles and small Irish villages. I've also always dreamed of getting married there...
4. Portland, Oregon
I have family who lives in Portland and Silverton, Oregon. I love how there are so many trees, and the air is so fresh. I haven't been there in a while, since we don't get to visit family very often, but what I remember about it I absolutely love. I've always wanted to live in the upper west coast area because you have ocean to the west, mountains to the east, Canada to the north, and Disney Land just a few hours away. Don't even get me started on the climate... I am in love with rain. I don't need sun (as I get burnt so easily) but I will always love the cloudy and overcast days. The reason I love Portland is because it's such a cultured and art centered place that I really feel like I could start an art career there.
5. Barcelona, Spain
Don't judge me, but the first time that I decided I wanted to go to Spain was when I watched the Cheetah Girls movie. I want to go see the Spanish style architecture with their unique designs and all of the different colors. From what I've seen, Spain is a place full of life. I want to eat food and learn how to salsa dance with a tall, dark, and handsome Spaniard (joking) (sort of).
6. New York City, New York
I want to go to Times Square and be in the middle of all the bustle and people. I want to ride in a taxi and go to a multistory Macy's. I want to spend Christmas in New York, with the snow and giant Christmas tree in Times Square. I want to go ice-skating in Central Park. I could never live in a big city, because I do like my peace and quiet, but I would really enjoy visiting.
7. Japan
I'm not entirely sure where in Japan I would like to go, but I just know that I want to go. I've always been inspired by Japanese art and architecture. My absolute favorite thing about Japan are the cherry blossoms. This is one of the places where I really just want to go be immersed in their culture and to learn their ways of life. This picture was taken at Mount Fuji, so I probably would visit there eventually.
8. Sydney, Australia
I think that I would be happy going to just about anywhere in Australia (except wherever there are venomous snakes and large spiders). Swimming in the Great Barrier Reef would be an amazing experience, as would visiting a large city like Sydney. The landscapes are gorgeous, and I really enjoy Australian accents.
9. Fairbanks, Alaska
I'm not exactly sure why I love cold climates so much, but I think staying in a lodge in the Alaskan mountains and being able to kayak on a lake like that would be amazing. I'm not much of an outdoor person, but I think I could definitely handle a trip with a view like that.
10. Lofoten Islands, Norway
Last, but most certainly not least, I would someday like to travel to Norway. My ancestors from my dad's side of the family come from a long line of Norwegians. I think the landscapes are beautiful, and the climate seems to be exactly what I like. Ever since I was a kid (when I watched the Disney movie Brother Bear), I've always wanted to see the Northern Lights in person. The Oslo Opera House, home to the Norwegian Opera and Ballet, is another place that is definitely on my list to visit. If I could live anywhere outside of the United States I would probably choose to live in Norway. The towns and their architecture are beautiful, and the landscapes are painting worthy.
Monday, October 20, 2014
EU vs. USA on Ebola
The thing that bothers me about this whole Ebola crisis is the media. In America it seems that the only thing the media is doing is scaring the crap out of everyone. Instead of reassurance, we get news people telling us that we're probably all going to die. There are theorists saying that our world is due for a new crisis because there are too many people. People are taking it into their hands to create blogs with all of the worst possible cases of this disease and trying to pass it off as the real deal.
Now, to back-track, I'm not saying that Ebola isn't a big deal. It is. It's actually a huge deal. According to the World Health Organization there have been somewhat major Ebola outbreaks dating back to 1976, possibly even earlier. It's a deadly disease that kills most of its victims, and has terrible symptoms. If you've read my last two blog posts about the matter, you'll know exactly how big of a deal it is.
As far as I know, there has been one reported death from Ebola in the United States. He contracted the disease when he was escorting an infected and pregnant neighbor to a hospital in Monrovia, Liberia (which, I might add, is the center of where this outbreak happened). This is the only death that America has had so far.
There have been a handful of other cases that have been treated as well. Teresa Romero, one of the other patients has been cleared of Ebola. She has one more day of testing to do before she is allowed to leave the hospital. The doctors tested her friends, family, and anyone she was associated with for symptoms and they all came up negative. This happened in Madrid, Spain.
I think it's safe to say that when looking at the big picture, America is perfectly capable of handling the virus as of right now. Something that caught my eye on my Twitter feed today was a headline from the Huffington Post. It said, "EU Seeking To Create $1.27 Billion Ebola Fund". By the end of this week, European Union workers are working to reach 1 billion euros to send to West Africa to aid the fight to end Ebola. The goal is to build more treatment facilities and have better training for health workers. This is exactly what America needs to be doing. Instead of freaking out every time someone coughs, we need to be cutting this off at the source. Sending money and supplies to Africa is the best way to fight Ebola. As of today, the Ebola contributions from Europe equal around 500 million euros ($640 million).
We need to stop sitting around and listening to the media tell us how we're all going to die. Instead of waiting for a chance to freak out about Ebola, we need to be aiding the contribution to help set up better facilities, better training programs, and better measures of safety in West Africa. So the next time I sneeze in public and someone says Ebola, I am giving myself permission to strangle them.
Now, to back-track, I'm not saying that Ebola isn't a big deal. It is. It's actually a huge deal. According to the World Health Organization there have been somewhat major Ebola outbreaks dating back to 1976, possibly even earlier. It's a deadly disease that kills most of its victims, and has terrible symptoms. If you've read my last two blog posts about the matter, you'll know exactly how big of a deal it is.
As far as I know, there has been one reported death from Ebola in the United States. He contracted the disease when he was escorting an infected and pregnant neighbor to a hospital in Monrovia, Liberia (which, I might add, is the center of where this outbreak happened). This is the only death that America has had so far.
There have been a handful of other cases that have been treated as well. Teresa Romero, one of the other patients has been cleared of Ebola. She has one more day of testing to do before she is allowed to leave the hospital. The doctors tested her friends, family, and anyone she was associated with for symptoms and they all came up negative. This happened in Madrid, Spain.
I think it's safe to say that when looking at the big picture, America is perfectly capable of handling the virus as of right now. Something that caught my eye on my Twitter feed today was a headline from the Huffington Post. It said, "EU Seeking To Create $1.27 Billion Ebola Fund". By the end of this week, European Union workers are working to reach 1 billion euros to send to West Africa to aid the fight to end Ebola. The goal is to build more treatment facilities and have better training for health workers. This is exactly what America needs to be doing. Instead of freaking out every time someone coughs, we need to be cutting this off at the source. Sending money and supplies to Africa is the best way to fight Ebola. As of today, the Ebola contributions from Europe equal around 500 million euros ($640 million).
We need to stop sitting around and listening to the media tell us how we're all going to die. Instead of waiting for a chance to freak out about Ebola, we need to be aiding the contribution to help set up better facilities, better training programs, and better measures of safety in West Africa. So the next time I sneeze in public and someone says Ebola, I am giving myself permission to strangle them.
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Change Is Hard
I think the title of this post pretty much sums up my life right now. I'm not even in college right now and I'm still enduring that stupid transition that high school seniors go through after they graduate. I came home from Hays expecting things to be all hunky-dory and my life to just go back to the way that everything used to be. But that's definitely not what happened.
My plan was to come home and take a semester off of classes, work a lot, and hopefully get enough money to start K-State in the winter semester. But then I figured out that in order to keep the subsidized loan I got from the government from winning an essay contest, I have to give proof that I was enrolled in 12 credit hours with a 3.5 GPA by the end of this semester. So I weighed my options and ended up choosing to enroll in online classes through Highland, still work, and then make enough money to go to K-State next school year. I spent weeks and weeks going through all of the classes at Highland, figuring out which ones I needed for a Bachelor of Arts through K-State, and then figuring out which of those classes transferred over.
When I finally (FINALLY) got all of that stuff figured out, the next step was to enroll. Naturally, that wasn't as easy as it should have been.The first time I tried to enroll, they emailed me back and said, "we're sorry, you can't enroll because you cannot exceed the limit of 12 credit hours per 8 week period." I was only taking 14 credit hours because I needed a lab with my biology class, but I guess there was a limit on how many hours could be taken. So I did some research and found that I can apply for an overload request on credit hours. So I did that, and got permission to take 14 credit hours. So I tried enrolling again. Then I got an email that said, "we're sorry, you can't enroll yet because we have no record of your AP scores." I totally forgot that I had enrolled in English 2 because my AP credits weren't enough to transfer to K-State, so I would have to take the class over again. So I had to call MHS and get them to send my AP scores to Highland. Naturally, they never contacted me that they actually got my scores. So I tried enrolling again, and they finally accepted my classes.
So now that you know the minute details of that story...
My plan is to do three different 8 week sessions online, one this semester and two next semester. Right now I'm independently studying French and plan to take the CLEP test at K-State when I feel like I've studied enough. Potentially, by the end of this school year, I will be done with Highland and have at least 50 credit hours already done.
I thought that if I could figure out everything and get my life in order, everything would go back to normal. But I'm still waiting for that to happen. I feel like now my day consists of getting up after a crappy night of sleep, not being able to eat breakfast, going to work for 6 or 7 hours, going home, watching TV, and then going to bed. I feel like I'm lacking a purpose. I've resorted to doing Serena's homework because I miss writing papers. I feel like everyone is busy. Well, I'm busy too. But I feel like people are losing interest in me, like everyone is changing and moving on with their lives while I'm here grasping at anything and everything to get my life back.
I also feel lonely. I hang out with my friends and stuff, but I feel like something is still missing and I have no idea what it is. I'm hoping that when I start classes next week (FINALLY) I will be so busy that nothing will be a problem anymore.
Sharon told me that I need to stop controlling every aspect of my life, which I agree. But change is hard, and changing how I am is hard. I like being able to be one step ahead of everything. I like planning things out, and knowing the outcome. But now I'm not sure about anything anymore. I don't know if I will be able to handle my classes, or if I'll end up with enough money by next year to pay for tuition. I haven't even applied to K-State, what if I don't get in? I hate my job, what if I'm stuck there? I can't seem to find any other place to work that will get me enough hours to pay for school.
I miss dancing and I miss long walks on the Konza. I miss playing piano and painting. I miss dressing up and doing crazy things with my friends. I miss coffee dates. I miss curling up and reading a good book. I either don't have the time or don't have the motivation to do those things anymore.
I honestly can't think of anything else to write since I've been rambling and writing this dumb post for hours. So I'll stop now.
Peace
When I finally (FINALLY) got all of that stuff figured out, the next step was to enroll. Naturally, that wasn't as easy as it should have been.The first time I tried to enroll, they emailed me back and said, "we're sorry, you can't enroll because you cannot exceed the limit of 12 credit hours per 8 week period." I was only taking 14 credit hours because I needed a lab with my biology class, but I guess there was a limit on how many hours could be taken. So I did some research and found that I can apply for an overload request on credit hours. So I did that, and got permission to take 14 credit hours. So I tried enrolling again. Then I got an email that said, "we're sorry, you can't enroll yet because we have no record of your AP scores." I totally forgot that I had enrolled in English 2 because my AP credits weren't enough to transfer to K-State, so I would have to take the class over again. So I had to call MHS and get them to send my AP scores to Highland. Naturally, they never contacted me that they actually got my scores. So I tried enrolling again, and they finally accepted my classes.
So now that you know the minute details of that story...
My plan is to do three different 8 week sessions online, one this semester and two next semester. Right now I'm independently studying French and plan to take the CLEP test at K-State when I feel like I've studied enough. Potentially, by the end of this school year, I will be done with Highland and have at least 50 credit hours already done.
I thought that if I could figure out everything and get my life in order, everything would go back to normal. But I'm still waiting for that to happen. I feel like now my day consists of getting up after a crappy night of sleep, not being able to eat breakfast, going to work for 6 or 7 hours, going home, watching TV, and then going to bed. I feel like I'm lacking a purpose. I've resorted to doing Serena's homework because I miss writing papers. I feel like everyone is busy. Well, I'm busy too. But I feel like people are losing interest in me, like everyone is changing and moving on with their lives while I'm here grasping at anything and everything to get my life back.
I also feel lonely. I hang out with my friends and stuff, but I feel like something is still missing and I have no idea what it is. I'm hoping that when I start classes next week (FINALLY) I will be so busy that nothing will be a problem anymore.
Sharon told me that I need to stop controlling every aspect of my life, which I agree. But change is hard, and changing how I am is hard. I like being able to be one step ahead of everything. I like planning things out, and knowing the outcome. But now I'm not sure about anything anymore. I don't know if I will be able to handle my classes, or if I'll end up with enough money by next year to pay for tuition. I haven't even applied to K-State, what if I don't get in? I hate my job, what if I'm stuck there? I can't seem to find any other place to work that will get me enough hours to pay for school.
I miss dancing and I miss long walks on the Konza. I miss playing piano and painting. I miss dressing up and doing crazy things with my friends. I miss coffee dates. I miss curling up and reading a good book. I either don't have the time or don't have the motivation to do those things anymore.
I honestly can't think of anything else to write since I've been rambling and writing this dumb post for hours. So I'll stop now.
Peace
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