Roe V. Wade Anniversary

So today is the 35th anniversary of Roe V. Wade, the historical decision of the Supreme Court to legalize abortion. I find myself feeling like I have to talk about this topic. For a large portion of my life I found myself 200% pro-life, always thinking that people that have abortions are all irresponsible sex-craving kids who were too young to be having sex and deal with the consequences. Without question, I was not only ignorant and judgemental in this, I was wrong. While there are some people that use Abortion as a form of birth control, there are just as many people that find themselves in a really hard place when they see that test turn positive.

When this matter hit close to home, I had no choice but to re-position my thoughts on this matter. While I do think that every child has a right to life, I also think that every woman has the right to decide what is best for her, for her body, for her future and for the future of that child. There is no reason that ANYONE should ever be able to tell you that you have to have a child. This is on EVERY level a personal, individual, person-by-person situation that can't and shouldn't be mandated by any governing body of law. I think that until you are in, or you know someone in, this situation you can't pass judgement on it. Feel free to think whatever you want, but it is completely unfair for you to protest this so adamantly. Because until you are that person that has to live with the guilt of your decision every single day, until you are that person that has to agonize over making that decision, until you are that person that thinks about this every time you even think about having sex, or every time you have sex, until you live 1 single day in the mind of someone that has had to have an abortion and you understand what happens to their psyche after a decision and a process like this, there is a chance that you may not be able to even begin to tell them how much you protest this, how against this you are, because you will realize it is much more than what you are protesting, it is much more than your convictions and your feelings, it is so much more than politics, it is people and it is personal.

Maybe these pro-life protesters should take the time to sit down with someone that has had to go through this and see what this person is like. Learn that this person is not the devil that you paint them out to be, realize, that maybe they have a lot of the same thoughts as you. All I'm saying is until it hits home for you, maybe you shouldn't judge, maybe your efforts should be concentrated on issues that really need to be fought.

The Way I See It #280

"You can learn a lot more from listening than you can from talking. Find someone with whom you don’t agree in the slightest and ask them to explain themselves at length. Then take a seat, shut your mouth, and don’t argue back. It’s physically impossible to listen with your mouth open."
-- John Moe
Radio host and author of Conservatize Me.

I LOVE this quote, I think that everyone should try this once in a while!!

2008 is bound to be GREAAATT!!!

I actually, for once in my life, feel like things are starting to fall right into place. I started off the new year doing EXACTLY what I wanted to do, and I made the bold decision to stop chasing things and let them chase me. I have a feeling that 2008 is really going to be great!!!

Top 10 Reasons for a Great '08

10. HELLOO Elections!! There is real potential for either a Woman or a Black Man to be elected to office, AND I can't friggin' wait. 2008 my friends, let's get with it!

9. Work, It's a definite plus when you go back to some place at the beginning of the year without hesitation, and with a clear head!

8. My morale budget at Morpheus. Keeping up Morale isn't everyone's forte, but it is my passion :)

7. A potential February visit, with a real possibility!

6. My team at work, we got a restructure, but I could not be happier about the people on my team!! TEAM PINEAPPLE EXPRESS SMELLLLSS GOOD :) :) (On that note, the movie is also coming out this year!)

5. The (RED) Campaign, they only have the potential to get better, more partners, more products, more relief for people with HIV and AIDS

4. Rori's Wedding

3. Andy & Brendan's Wedding

2. I'm FINALLY getting a brother that I LOOOOOVE

1. Friends And Family... Can't live with 'em, SURE AS HELLL can't live without them!!

Ambiguity...

I really hate ambiguity, but I think a lot of times it is something people create all on their own. The best way to avoid it, is just to talk about shit. If you want to know something ask it. If you want to make an awkward situation less awkward, talk about it.. Life is too short for us to sit and wonder why. That is why I often say to people, I don't play by the rules. Who the fuck needs rules? Everybody is different, we all react different ways to the same situations. People say don't do this, you should do this...I say, DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY!!

Say What You Feel...

I'm a firm believer in saying what you feel and what you believe. You really do have nothing to lose and you will live your life regretting that you never said anything. That's no way to LIVE.
So on that note:
here is a quote from my most favorite author:

"Be who you are
and say what you feel
because those who mind don't matter,
and those that matter, don't mind"

DR.SEUSS

Jewgle=Amazing

Google for the jew in you!!

http://www.thefriedmans.net/jewgle/

PINEAPPLE EXPRESS

Seriously...

People just suck, I think that is my official human decision. And maybe it is not that people suck, maybe it is just that some people can't see beyond the bubble they've created around themselves to acknowledge the fact that the world doesn't revolved around them. Don't get me wrong, ALL people don't suck, but there is a percentage of society out there that truly does suck. There are just simple courtesy's that one should be able to expect in a life time, that because other people are ignorant to it, can't.
Really, just once, it would be nice if people realized how their actions effect others.
That's all
I'm out!

"Where The Streets Have No Name...."

My friend sent this to me and it made think about all the possibilities that are out there. This is soo cool that this person is having all these amazing experiences!
ENJOY!!!


"What can I say? This is truly yet another experience of a lifetime.

I have canoed on the Orange River, which divides South Africa and Namibia, and seen the rare Goliath Heron take flight immediately in front of me.
I have driven stick shift on the wrong side of the road with my friend Hillary GAGGING with laugther.
I have camped under a 500-year-old acacia tree ridden with all manner of songbirds.
I have slept in a hammock under a canopy of stars (all completely visible since there is minimal light reflection out in the desert). You haven't stargazed until you've done so from a desert.
I have endured crazy, windy sandstorms blowing straight through our campsite, depositing POUNDS of sand everywhere.
I have bonded with my very fun group of Aussies, Kiwis, and Brits. To the point of ALL 10 of us SKYDIVING above the Namib desert...absolutely stunning and incredible experience.
I have swum in the frigid-but-turquoise beaches of beautifully set Cape Town.
I have climbed Dune 45 in Sossusvlei at 5 in the morning to watch the sun rise over the red sands.
I have been airborne whilst quad-biking on the vast expanse of dunes near Swakopmund.
I have wandered just about every kind of desert available, and recognising how precious water resources are in this world.
I have woken up next to jackals, baboons, and oryx, ravaging through our trash for food.
I have sat atop our truck with a cold beer in hand, while watching the sun set over Fish River Canyon, 3rd largest in the world.
I have learned that oysters are best eaten with a dash of salt and pepper, a squeeze of lemon, 3 drops of tabasco, and a splash of tequila before pouring it down ones throat.
I have danced the night away at discos playing nothing but Africa dance music to very enthusiastic crowds.

And the best part? This is only half-way over! In an hour we head off to go bush camping in a very spiritual place...Spitzkoppe. After that we head to the various game parks and reserves and experience true wildlife (I am EXCITED about gazing at majestic elephant herds!). Then Bots and Zim (the overlander terms for Botswana and Zimbabwe).

Before we reach Bots, though, we will camp near a school/orphanage, where we will interact with the local children properly, and provide them with a little love and happiness, perhaps a soccer game (I will let them win, of course!). I'm very much looking forward to that.

I feel very connected to this continent right now. And to myself. And life in general. Imagine listening to U2's Joshua Tree while hanging out the window of a large truck, feeling absolutely content, fulfilled, and appreciative of all things that have happened thus far in life...that's me right now. If only I could share this with all the ones I love, like, and honour. Hopefully one day I will get to. For now, however, this is mine, and I will enjoy it for what it is and what it is doing to my spirit.

To all those having bad weeks: hang in there. They won't last. There are too many no-named streets waiting to be explored, experienced, absorbed, to focus on the little things.

To all those having great weeks: I am with you in spirit, and hope to join you in person very soon.

Internet is a rarity in these parts, so next you hear from me is probably when I get back. I'm also sending this to random peeps, so feel free to forward to anyone at all interested."

Circle of Life

Becca's Circle of Life
....sponsored by J. Driver

you talk, i listen, he learns, good plan

THAT IS THE CIRCLE OF LIFE

A Clamp For My Head

This is the bajillionith sunday in a row that I have woken up and immediately have had to direct my attention towards my head. Today marked an official turning point though. I came to the realization that I need to buy a clamp for my head because the amount of pressure my head is letting out needs to be matched.

Don't worry, I too find it kind of funny that my initial reaction is not to stop drinking as uch, but to buy a clamp!!

I have to get back to nursing my hangover (yes it is 9 pm at night!)

Kind Words From Kim

First off many congrats to you Kim!!!
Second, here is the nicest thing anyone has said to me in a long time:
"bottom line your freakin cool. so that drives men crazy"
Thank you, it's nice to hear that!

Colbert For President!!!!!!!!!1

"I am offended by reality all the time."

Astonished

I am absolutely, positively, continuously astonished by how selfish people can be. I think it astonishes me to no end because I am CONSTANTLY thinking about other people's feelings. I actually wonder often how someone could spend so much time thinking about one's self. Does that truly make people happy? I'm fairly certain that we were not all put on this earth to fend for ourselves, rather to work together, to be one huge community, working together to improve the world for generations to come.
*We were certainly not put here to kill other people, war should be banished.*
*We were not put here to make others feel inferior, All men are created equal. *
*We were not put here to be overworked and undervalued. You should always work to live, not live to work.*
*We were not put here to have any regrets; everything you do, every feeling you have, everywhere you have been is an experience, good or bad. These experiences make us who we are.*
*On that note, it is not about the experience, but rather what you do with the experience, how you react, that truthfully makes you the person that you are.*
*We are not here to live in solitude. You should never feel alone, there is always someone, somewhere you can go.*
Always remember, you are someone! Everyone has a purpose, a reason for being here.

So back to my original reason for posting, people's selfishness. I just have to again ask HOW?!? How do you get like that? How do you live like that? How can you not care about other people's feelings and other people's happiness? How do you not think about how your actions can affect someone else? The problem is that life should be fun, FOR EVERYONE! And your selfishness is making it impossible for life to be fun for anyone. That is so not fair! Maybe walk a mile in someone else's shoes, and see how it feels....

To sum it up, if you are constantly thinking about yourself and you are the only one you think about, in the end that's where you will be...ALL ALONE

Charlieeeee We Have To Go To Candy Mountain

Lots Of Yelling..

After being in florida for 9 days and watching my grandfather die and then having a funeral, I was (and am) beyond ready to get back home in new york city. I got to the airport 2 hours early with my sister and her boyfriend who were also flying Spirit Airlines (worst airline ever!) back to chicago. After waiting for a little bit in the terminal together we found out that both of our flights were delayed, along with about 4 or 5 other Spirit flights. My 8:05 pm departure time turned into 9:15 pm. Their 8:20 pm departure time turned into 9:15 pm as well. When the time to board comes around they start boarding and my flight is still waiting for a plane to arrive, so we get pushed back to 9:30 pm. 9:30 pm quickly became 9:50. Finally, a plane arrived, passengers deplaned and there was a quick clean-up and boarding. All is good right, SOOO NOT RIGHT!! After most of the passengers are seated the captain gets on the speaker and tells us that there is a mechanical problem and it should be no more then 10 minutes for them to look at and get paperwork done for it, fine, after this long what's 10 minutes. Well, a little bit after that the captain gets back on the speaker and tells us that our flight can no longer land at LaGuardia airport and we are now going to be landing at JFK, didn't make a difference, but oh my gosh the YELLLING that followed that was insane. So many people were yelling. The captain said to call whomever we needed to call and let them know and then we were on our way. A few minutes,and a LOT of crazy yelling, later the captain gets back and asks the yelling passengers to calm down so we can take off, also letting us know that if we do not take off in the next 14 minutes we will have exceeded some FAA regulations and would not be able to take off at all...
So this 14 minutes comes and goes and in the interim of it you hear the wheels of the plane attempting to turn, already I am thinking I would rather get off the plane because I just don't think it's going to make it. (This is not pessimism, but just the nature of my flight experiences!) So the captain gets on and tells the flight attendants to disarm the doors. Ironically, they look shocked that this is what's hapening. Then the captain gets back on the intercom and says that because people couldn't calm down and get in their seats that we surpassed this 14-minute-time limit and would not be able to take off. Imagine what happened next.....that's right YELLING...Now, I am not a fan of spirit airlines, BUT i will also say that the same people that were yelling, are the SAME people that wouldn't shut the hell up and it made it harder for us to go anywhere. In the process of all this, people have their cell phones out taking videos and are screaming, CALL CNN, I'm calling my congressman. Honestly, why can't people just accept that somethings in life are unavoidable. Sometimes, you just have to say you know what, I know this sucks, not just for me, but for EVERYONE involved, and I am going to suck it up and handle it like the grown up that I am.
Nope, that is not a common mentality. Maybe people need to hang out more with my friend mary jane and then it would be but whatever!

Anyway, we finally all deplane and they tell us to go to the ticket counters where they said they had rallied all the ticket agents. We get there, and for a good 15-20 minutes, there is not a single ticket agent or airline representative to be found.
I decide to call my fam, have them come pick me up, book a flight on another airline for the next morning and call it a night. I started to get my refund on the phone and then found out that I could go this line, which i thought was going to be easier. Ohhh was i wrong...Not only was it slow, BUT this man was determined to make it difficult for everyone. He was there with his fam, but needed to ask a question, he went to ask a question and then the airline representative went to find out the answer, however he was in the way of the other passengers getting their refunds so the ticket agent asked him to move, to which he responded with yelling. So security comes out and they are trying to calm him down, then this women in line starts yelling at the security people to stop yelling at him, so now they are asking her to please calm down. She is all riled up, he is all riled up and then this other woman decides to start yelling at the security guards for trying to calm down this woman who is screaming at them about screaming at this other man.

Needless to say, this was not a happy end to an already terrible week. But hey, at least it provided me something to blog about right? Oh and it was also the tipping point in convincing my parents that a private jet IS the way to go!!

PS. if you google spirit airlines flight 710 you will get some good articles about it.

Heroes

I heart Heroes!! I missed it all during the first season and am currently watching season 1 and I am a huuuuuge fan!! Such a great show, so well done. I am looking forward to finishng season one and and starting to watch season 2. I am officially on the bandwagon! If you don't watch I highly recommend doing so!

bad things come in 3s

they say bad things come in 3s right? AM I FRIGGIN DONE YET, OR ARE WE NOW ONTO MULTIPLES OF 3?!?! cut me some slack PLEASE

I want to be a kid again

"There are things that we don't want to happen but have to accept, things we don't want to know but have to learn, and people we can't live without but have to let go." ~Author Unknown

Truthfully, growing up kinda sucks. I want to go back to the days where I didn't have to worry about anything, wasn't afraid of this and that, really just freedom of the mind! I will however say that at least growing up you get to learn who you really are, what life is all about, see new things, meet new people and make new marks on the world. So maybe it doesn't suck, but right now, at this very moment (at 6:40 am on a saturday morning sitting on the airport floor) I just want to be a kid again.

Ranting

What is that saying, "people always want to kick you when you're down." What is that all about??!!? What kind of a person wouldn't want to help pick you back up? You know, pay it forward. Why is that people find it so much easier to make someone's life a living hell as opposed to helping that out. You know where this wouldn't happen, on my PRIVATE ISLAND that i will someday move to!
Thought of the day: People need to just suck it up.
"Those who matter don't mind
and those who mind, don't matter."
-Dr. Seuss