Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Celebrating Mediocrity
So, when exactly did we become a nation that celebrates mediocrity while ignoring true achievement?
Why is it that many high schools no longer honor their top graduates with the title of "valedictorian" for fear of making others feel bad?
Why don't we keep score at soccer games anymore?
Why is everyone put on the team and given equal playing time, regardless of ability?
Why are those who barely do what is expected of them congratulated, while those who excel are ignored?
SOMEONE help me understand when and why this happened!
What happened to competition, excellence, working hard, and being recognized for ACTUAL achievements?
This is called life. There are winners and losers. People who work hard, have natural ability, and maybe a stroke of luck, will usually make it big and accomplish great things. Those who are lazy or incapable or don't care - won't.
So WHY are we teaching our children that everyone is inherently the same, that competition is bad, and that being the best isn't something to be proud of?
I think this new found socialistic idea of celebrating mediocrity and ignoring excellence is not only ridiculous and unfair, it is also harmful to our children. We are showing them that everyone wins, that hard work and talent isn't rewarded, and that as long as you just "try your best" that's ALWAYS going to get you everything you want.
Yet we all know this isn't true. This is America. Hard work, talent, entrepreneurship, and being the best at something do pay off. Raising our children in such a way that everyone is a winner and those barely doing what is expected are celebrated does nothing but undermine the very values our society is built upon.
Guess what? Getting cut from a team because they weren't good enough isn't going to kill them. It's going to make them tougher, practice harder, and want it even more. Or it's going to make them realize they want to focus their energy on something else.
And those students who truly do excel in school deserve to be recognized. Kids who are barely meeting minimum requirements should realize they are doing what is expected of them and work harder. Children who exceed those requirements and go above and beyond should see the rewards of that effort.
Do we really want to raise a generation of kids that see no point in giving their best effort and excelling in these, academically, physically, or otherwise, because there is no incentive to do so? Do you know what that would do to this country? We would have no new technology, great political leaders, or Olympic athletes, because there would be no incentive for people to work hard and achieve greatness.
Maybe it's time we stop worrying about everyone's feelings and focus a little more on reality.
People win. People lose. Competition is what makes people better and stronger.
I want my son to know what it feels like to lose. It will teach him humility, patience, and that you have to work really hard to achieve your dreams.
But I also want him to know the feeling of winning and being recognized when he truly does excel.
Taking that away from him is an injustice, not just to him, but to the principles our country is built on.
Why is it that many high schools no longer honor their top graduates with the title of "valedictorian" for fear of making others feel bad?
Why don't we keep score at soccer games anymore?
Why is everyone put on the team and given equal playing time, regardless of ability?
Why are those who barely do what is expected of them congratulated, while those who excel are ignored?
SOMEONE help me understand when and why this happened!
What happened to competition, excellence, working hard, and being recognized for ACTUAL achievements?
This is called life. There are winners and losers. People who work hard, have natural ability, and maybe a stroke of luck, will usually make it big and accomplish great things. Those who are lazy or incapable or don't care - won't.
So WHY are we teaching our children that everyone is inherently the same, that competition is bad, and that being the best isn't something to be proud of?
I think this new found socialistic idea of celebrating mediocrity and ignoring excellence is not only ridiculous and unfair, it is also harmful to our children. We are showing them that everyone wins, that hard work and talent isn't rewarded, and that as long as you just "try your best" that's ALWAYS going to get you everything you want.
Yet we all know this isn't true. This is America. Hard work, talent, entrepreneurship, and being the best at something do pay off. Raising our children in such a way that everyone is a winner and those barely doing what is expected are celebrated does nothing but undermine the very values our society is built upon.
Guess what? Getting cut from a team because they weren't good enough isn't going to kill them. It's going to make them tougher, practice harder, and want it even more. Or it's going to make them realize they want to focus their energy on something else.
And those students who truly do excel in school deserve to be recognized. Kids who are barely meeting minimum requirements should realize they are doing what is expected of them and work harder. Children who exceed those requirements and go above and beyond should see the rewards of that effort.
Do we really want to raise a generation of kids that see no point in giving their best effort and excelling in these, academically, physically, or otherwise, because there is no incentive to do so? Do you know what that would do to this country? We would have no new technology, great political leaders, or Olympic athletes, because there would be no incentive for people to work hard and achieve greatness.
Maybe it's time we stop worrying about everyone's feelings and focus a little more on reality.
People win. People lose. Competition is what makes people better and stronger.
I want my son to know what it feels like to lose. It will teach him humility, patience, and that you have to work really hard to achieve your dreams.
But I also want him to know the feeling of winning and being recognized when he truly does excel.
Taking that away from him is an injustice, not just to him, but to the principles our country is built on.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Random Thoughts of a 20 something...
Random thoughts of the 20-something Generation!
-I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.
-More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can't wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that's not only better, but also more directly involves me.
-Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
-I don't understand the purpose of the line, "I don't need to drink to have fun." Great, no one does. But why start a fire with flint and sticks when they've invented the lighter?
-Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the direction from which you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.
-That's enough, Nickelback.
-I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
-Is it just me, or are 80% of the people in the "people you may know" feature on Facebook people that I do know, but I deliberately choose not to be friends with?
-Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn't work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically fix the problem. Every kid in America did that, but how did we all know how to fix the problem? There was no internet or message boards or FAQ's. We just figured it out. Today's kids are soft.
-There is a great need for sarcasm font.
-Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the f was going on when I first saw it.
-I think everyone has a movie that they love so much, it actually becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I'll end up wasting 90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone's laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I'm still the only one who really, really gets it.
-How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
-I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.
- I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
-The only time I look forward to a red light is when I'm trying to finish a text.
- A recent study has shown that playing beer pong contributes to the spread of mono and the flu. Yeah, if you suck at it.
- LOL has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say".
- I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
- Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron test is absolutely petrifying.
- Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart", all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".
- How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?
- I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a dick from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!
- Every time I have to spell a word over the phone using 'as in' examples, I will undoubtedly draw a blank and sound like a complete idiot. Today I had to spell my boss's last name to an attorney and said "Yes that's G as in...(10 second lapse)..ummm...Goonies"
-What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each other?
- While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and i nstinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart.
- MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
- Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
- I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.
-Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.
-I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.
- Bad decisions make good stories
-Whenever I'm Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don't mind if I do!
- Is it just me or do high school girls get sluttier & sluttier every year?
-If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring would probably just be completely invisible.
-Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from, this shouldn't be a problem....
-You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything productive for the rest of the day.
-Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection.
-There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.
-I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.
- "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.
-I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people watching TV. There's so much pressure. 'I love this show, but will they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren't watching this. It's only a matter of time before they all get up and leave the room. Will we still be friends after this?'
-I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Dammit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?
- I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
-When I meet a new person, I'm terrified of mentioning something he or she hasn't already told me but that I have learned from some light internet stalking.
-I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.
-Why is a school zone 20 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising speed for pedophiles...
- As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.
-Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.
-It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.
-I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
-Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn't know what do to with it.
-Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, hitting the G-spot, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I'd bet my ass everyone can find and push the Snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time...
-My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "What would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the hell do I respond to that?
-It really pisses me off when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link takes me to a video instead of text.
-I wonder if cops ever get pissed off at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit.
-I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
-I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.
.
-I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.
-More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can't wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that's not only better, but also more directly involves me.
-Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
-I don't understand the purpose of the line, "I don't need to drink to have fun." Great, no one does. But why start a fire with flint and sticks when they've invented the lighter?
-Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the direction from which you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.
-That's enough, Nickelback.
-I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
-Is it just me, or are 80% of the people in the "people you may know" feature on Facebook people that I do know, but I deliberately choose not to be friends with?
-Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn't work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically fix the problem. Every kid in America did that, but how did we all know how to fix the problem? There was no internet or message boards or FAQ's. We just figured it out. Today's kids are soft.
-There is a great need for sarcasm font.
-Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the f was going on when I first saw it.
-I think everyone has a movie that they love so much, it actually becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I'll end up wasting 90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone's laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I'm still the only one who really, really gets it.
-How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
-I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.
- I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
-The only time I look forward to a red light is when I'm trying to finish a text.
- A recent study has shown that playing beer pong contributes to the spread of mono and the flu. Yeah, if you suck at it.
- LOL has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say".
- I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
- Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron test is absolutely petrifying.
- Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart", all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".
- How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?
- I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a dick from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!
- Every time I have to spell a word over the phone using 'as in' examples, I will undoubtedly draw a blank and sound like a complete idiot. Today I had to spell my boss's last name to an attorney and said "Yes that's G as in...(10 second lapse)..ummm...Goonies"
-What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each other?
- While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and i nstinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart.
- MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
- Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
- I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.
-Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.
-I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.
- Bad decisions make good stories
-Whenever I'm Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don't mind if I do!
- Is it just me or do high school girls get sluttier & sluttier every year?
-If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring would probably just be completely invisible.
-Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from, this shouldn't be a problem....
-You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything productive for the rest of the day.
-Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection.
-There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.
-I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.
- "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.
-I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people watching TV. There's so much pressure. 'I love this show, but will they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren't watching this. It's only a matter of time before they all get up and leave the room. Will we still be friends after this?'
-I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Dammit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?
- I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
-When I meet a new person, I'm terrified of mentioning something he or she hasn't already told me but that I have learned from some light internet stalking.
-I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.
-Why is a school zone 20 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising speed for pedophiles...
- As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.
-Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.
-It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.
-I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
-Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn't know what do to with it.
-Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, hitting the G-spot, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I'd bet my ass everyone can find and push the Snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time...
-My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "What would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the hell do I respond to that?
-It really pisses me off when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link takes me to a video instead of text.
-I wonder if cops ever get pissed off at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit.
-I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
-I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.
.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Generation "Just Don't Care"
I wrote this a couple years ago - but I think it still seriously holds true, so I thought I'd share my "wisdom" with the world. Excuse the language - I wrote it when I was less... mature. Or really pissed off. Or both. Enjoy!
So I’ve discovered something since moving to Texas… most of our generation just doesn’t give a damn. We as a whole are an apathetic and narcissistic generation, and that’s sad. The only thing most 18-30 somethings seem to give a shit about is what directly affects them… work, family, parties, etc.
When did America seriously start not giving a shit? About politics. The economy. Fiscal responsibility. Religion. Anything? Come ON guys. Do you really not understand the effects that current socio-economic issues have on not only us, but our children?
Look at the economy for example… 58% of college students graduate with over $15,000 in student loans and over $5000 in credit card debt. With current loan rates of 6.8% and at least 14% respectively, it will take the average college grad 10-15 YEARS to get out of that. As banks continue to go under, things are only going to get worse. Money is going to get tighter, credit is going to be harder to come by, inflation is going to increase, and interest rates are going to rise. And why is this do you think? Because people just don’t give a shit. We come from such a ‘I want what I want right now, and I don’t care if I can afford it’ attitude, that has driven our economy into the ground.
Greed, selfishness, and stupidity are to blame for an economic crisis that is going to make your future dreams of owning that little house with the white picket fence impossible to obtain. Bankruptcy rates are skyrocketing, the value of the U.S. dollar is declining, and we as a generation are still out buying new cars, toys, etc. without giving it a second thought. FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY people. You’re going to care when Wall Street crashes, stocks plummet, banks fold, and we find ourselves in another economic Depression. The government can bail us out of a lot, but they can’t fix stupid. So let’s be smart.
Secondly… RELIGION… I am SO sick of this 80 something percent of Americans call themselves Christians but don't actually act that way at ALL bullshit that basically means “yes, I believe that God exists and I really don’t want to go to hell, but I also don’t want to put any real effort into cultivating a true relationship with him or bothering to follow any of his rules except those that meet my immediate needs”. Either you believe in something or you don’t. Either you’re a Christian who lives your life accordingly and makes a genuine effort to live for Christ and do as he commands or you don’t. PERIOD. This wishy washy in the middle thing is dumb.
And people who are mean, judgemental, hypocritcal, cruel, heartless, selfish, and hurtful, are only HURTING things when they call themselves a Christian. So if you are going to act like that, do us all a favor, and DON'T TELL ANYONE.
Finally, POLITICS…there is NOTHING that frustrates me more than people who willfully choose not to vote. How completely ignorant and apathetic can you get?!? We are given the opportunity to help decide the future of our country, and over 60% of our generation didn’t feel the need to take a few minutes out of their life to give their opinion during the last election. Really? People use the excuse of “my vote doesn’t matter”. Whatever. Yes it does. If not in application, then in principle. This election is going to decide the future of our country on a LOT of major issues. Not only on a federal level, but on a state, county, and city level as well. Research. Learn. Talk to a variety of people. Get opinions. Ask questions. Get answers. READ. Pay attention. Figure out what the hell you believe and then decide who you think will best uphold those values. In the time it would take to watch a movie, you could become an informed and aware citizen regarding political issues, candidate values, and what is actually going on in America.
This is our FUTURE, people. And our children’s futures. This is Healthcare, The Economy, Social Security, War, Abortion, Taxes, The Death Penalty, The Environment. Come on, you HAVE to care about one of those. Basically, if you don’t exercise your right to vote, then you have absolutely NO RIGHT to bitch about ANYTHING for the next 4 years. I don’t even care WHO you vote for, as long as you take the time to learn something about them and what they stand for. Don’t vote for someone just because they are a Republican or Democrat. That’s stupid. LEARN about them. Get informed. Or, at the very least, find someone who IS informed and let them give you a 30 second spiel about why they are voting the way they are. I have my personal political opinions, which I would be happy to share, but that’s not the point of this. This point of this is EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE. I don’t care who or what you vote for, just be able to defend it.
STAND UP for something. BELIEVE in something. Get PASSIONATE about something. Pick a side… either you believe in abortion or you don’t. Either sex before marriage is okay or it’s not. Homosexuality. Interracial relationships. Death Penalty. The list goes on. STOP worrying about pissing someone off or offending someone, get informed, and make some damn decisions. LEARN about things. Ask questions. Discover something new. Dare to expand your horizons. Get behind something and be a part of it. Whether or not someone agrees with you, they have to respect you for standing up for what you believe. No one respects apathy. Or ignorance. Ever.
Let’s STOP being known as an ignorant and apathetic generation and start being known as a generation who STANDS UP for what they believe.
So I’ve discovered something since moving to Texas… most of our generation just doesn’t give a damn. We as a whole are an apathetic and narcissistic generation, and that’s sad. The only thing most 18-30 somethings seem to give a shit about is what directly affects them… work, family, parties, etc.
When did America seriously start not giving a shit? About politics. The economy. Fiscal responsibility. Religion. Anything? Come ON guys. Do you really not understand the effects that current socio-economic issues have on not only us, but our children?
Look at the economy for example… 58% of college students graduate with over $15,000 in student loans and over $5000 in credit card debt. With current loan rates of 6.8% and at least 14% respectively, it will take the average college grad 10-15 YEARS to get out of that. As banks continue to go under, things are only going to get worse. Money is going to get tighter, credit is going to be harder to come by, inflation is going to increase, and interest rates are going to rise. And why is this do you think? Because people just don’t give a shit. We come from such a ‘I want what I want right now, and I don’t care if I can afford it’ attitude, that has driven our economy into the ground.
Greed, selfishness, and stupidity are to blame for an economic crisis that is going to make your future dreams of owning that little house with the white picket fence impossible to obtain. Bankruptcy rates are skyrocketing, the value of the U.S. dollar is declining, and we as a generation are still out buying new cars, toys, etc. without giving it a second thought. FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY people. You’re going to care when Wall Street crashes, stocks plummet, banks fold, and we find ourselves in another economic Depression. The government can bail us out of a lot, but they can’t fix stupid. So let’s be smart.
Secondly… RELIGION… I am SO sick of this 80 something percent of Americans call themselves Christians but don't actually act that way at ALL bullshit that basically means “yes, I believe that God exists and I really don’t want to go to hell, but I also don’t want to put any real effort into cultivating a true relationship with him or bothering to follow any of his rules except those that meet my immediate needs”. Either you believe in something or you don’t. Either you’re a Christian who lives your life accordingly and makes a genuine effort to live for Christ and do as he commands or you don’t. PERIOD. This wishy washy in the middle thing is dumb.
And people who are mean, judgemental, hypocritcal, cruel, heartless, selfish, and hurtful, are only HURTING things when they call themselves a Christian. So if you are going to act like that, do us all a favor, and DON'T TELL ANYONE.
Finally, POLITICS…there is NOTHING that frustrates me more than people who willfully choose not to vote. How completely ignorant and apathetic can you get?!? We are given the opportunity to help decide the future of our country, and over 60% of our generation didn’t feel the need to take a few minutes out of their life to give their opinion during the last election. Really? People use the excuse of “my vote doesn’t matter”. Whatever. Yes it does. If not in application, then in principle. This election is going to decide the future of our country on a LOT of major issues. Not only on a federal level, but on a state, county, and city level as well. Research. Learn. Talk to a variety of people. Get opinions. Ask questions. Get answers. READ. Pay attention. Figure out what the hell you believe and then decide who you think will best uphold those values. In the time it would take to watch a movie, you could become an informed and aware citizen regarding political issues, candidate values, and what is actually going on in America.
This is our FUTURE, people. And our children’s futures. This is Healthcare, The Economy, Social Security, War, Abortion, Taxes, The Death Penalty, The Environment. Come on, you HAVE to care about one of those. Basically, if you don’t exercise your right to vote, then you have absolutely NO RIGHT to bitch about ANYTHING for the next 4 years. I don’t even care WHO you vote for, as long as you take the time to learn something about them and what they stand for. Don’t vote for someone just because they are a Republican or Democrat. That’s stupid. LEARN about them. Get informed. Or, at the very least, find someone who IS informed and let them give you a 30 second spiel about why they are voting the way they are. I have my personal political opinions, which I would be happy to share, but that’s not the point of this. This point of this is EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE. I don’t care who or what you vote for, just be able to defend it.
STAND UP for something. BELIEVE in something. Get PASSIONATE about something. Pick a side… either you believe in abortion or you don’t. Either sex before marriage is okay or it’s not. Homosexuality. Interracial relationships. Death Penalty. The list goes on. STOP worrying about pissing someone off or offending someone, get informed, and make some damn decisions. LEARN about things. Ask questions. Discover something new. Dare to expand your horizons. Get behind something and be a part of it. Whether or not someone agrees with you, they have to respect you for standing up for what you believe. No one respects apathy. Or ignorance. Ever.
Let’s STOP being known as an ignorant and apathetic generation and start being known as a generation who STANDS UP for what they believe.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
My Things I Want List...
So, when Christmas or my birthday or random present times come up and people ask what I want, I can NEVER think of anything. But there are plenty of things I'd love to have. I just can't think of them on the spot.
So I've decided to be smart and write them down here, if for no other reason than any other list I make seems to disappear in the pile of papers on my desk. If I put it here, it's a permanent electronic record. How smart am I? :)
So I've decided to be smart and write them down here, if for no other reason than any other list I make seems to disappear in the pile of papers on my desk. If I put it here, it's a permanent electronic record. How smart am I? :)
THINGS BRI WANTS (AND LIKELY ISN'T GOING TO GET UNTIL SHE'S AN ATTORNEY)
Sexy helmet huh?
I NEED a sound system for my truck. Seriously. This is imperative to the coolness of my badass ride. :)
(I couldn't find a picture of this one)
Black Cowboy Boots with white stars. Super sexy.
A guitar case for my guitar. Cuz my poor guitar is cold out in the open...
I LOVE this belt. Love. Need. Want. Desire. Gorgeous.
EVERY girl needs a brown patchwork Coach purse. Necessity. :)
A skydiving package to get my own skydiving license. Super cool.
A breadmaker. My died a sad death this week. :( Granted it was 15 years old...
That's like, 98 in breadmaker years
Nikon D700 DSLR Camera - This is the Ferrari of cameras. It basically takes the pictures for you.
This living room set (not the tables - but the couches) Totally dig.
I'm sure there is more, but that's my short list for the moment.
All things I think I need, but can certainly live without :)
Sunday, January 9, 2011
New Years Eve Pictures
So, I'm running about 2 week behind on posting pictures right now...
We spend New Years Eve on 6th Street in Austin. With fantastic friends. It was a GREAT time, and I enjoyed it immensely.
Here's proof...
Champagne Toast at Midnight. Happy 2011!
Pretty girls!
My most favorite lawyer and his gorgeous wife
Good times. Great friends. Yummy beer.
Happy New Years
You have to love the Madden Girl Glitter Heels. Love them!
Obviously, alcohol was involved :)
Love LoVE LOVE this girl.
I hope everyone had a great New Years Eve and an awesome kick off to 2011.
May this be your best year yet!
HOW am I not married?
This is what I made for dinner tonight...
Bacon Wrapped Beef Tenderloin with Peppercorn Finishing Sauce
White Wine and Herb Sauted Mushrooms
Colorado Parmesean Pine Nut Salad
All from scratch. YUMMY.
(Yes, that is a full bottle of wine. Yes, I'm the only adult. Don't judge.)
I'm not sure my 6 year old appreciated it as much as he should. I mean, he was upset because we didn't have A1 steak sauce. LOL.
It was just me and him. I figure we deserved to be spoiled with an awesome meal. And it was gooood. No leftovers.
Unfortunately, the low carb chocolate brownies that I made for dessert were a total FAIL. Tasted like cardboard. I got the recipe off the internet, and the reviews were fantastic.
The reviewers must be on CRACK. Because they were baaaad.
The custard was awesome though. Batting 500 isn't terrible.
Being such a great cook, how is it possible that I'm still single?
Oh, that's right, turns out I'm kinda a bitch. :)
Saturday, January 8, 2011
25 Random Things About Me
25 Random Facts About Me: AKA Everything you could have lived without knowing :)
1. I don't like chocolate icecream, or chocolate icing. But I LOVE chocolate.
2. I had a full ride scholarship to Tulane University in New Orleans to study medicine that I turned down to have my son and be a momma. Sometimes I wonder what life would be like if I made a different choice, but I have NEVER regretted it for a moment.
3. My two biggest pet peeves are people popping their knuckles and the sound of dial tones that you hear when someone uses speaker phone. Both drive me CRAZY.
4. I'm a natural blonde, but haven't actually had my hair it's natural color since I was 13. Sometimes this has been good, sometimes it has been VERY bad.
5. I spent my whole life in the Colorado/Wyoming area. Texas now feels like home.
6. I drink a lot. Probably more than I should. But definately less than I use to.
7. I love to cook. I HATE to clean up the ridiculous mess I create while doing it.
8. I spent 2 years of my teenage life locked up in juvenille detention facilities. I also have an FBI file because of that time period.
9. I would rather have cheesecake than just about anything else in the world.
10. I had an eating disorder in junior high and high school. Trust me, you couldn't tell now!
11. I would have been the valedictorian of my graduating class, except my high school refused to recognize superior academic acheivement for fear of it making others feel bad.
12. I love scary movies, but I can only watch them with someone next to me and a blanket covering my eyes, so I really don't see the scary parts.
13. I'm a huge flirt and love to flaunt, but I hated working in a strip club where that's what I was paid for.
14. I ran away and hitch hiked around the country with truckers when I was 16.
15. I can't stand cilantro. It is the WORST spice ever. And I can taste it even in tiny quantities.
16. I have 4 associates degrees. They don't equal a doctorate. It bites.
17. My dream car is a supercharged deep purple mustang with silver streaks and leather interior. I'm working on it.
18. I want to ride a bull and eat rocky mountain oysters. Preferably on the same day!
19. I am probably the most self conscious person in the world, but you would never know that by the way I act.
20. I love playing softball as much as I love shopping... that is a LOT
21. I've never been diagnosed, but I am absolutely positive I had ADD. My boyfriend and boss agree.
22. The best and most fulfilling job I have ever had is bartending. I love it.
23. Men randomly fall in love with me for pretty much no reason. I really don't understand it.
24. I'm ADDICTED to coke. The drink, not the drug.
25.My sister and I were once driving from Chicago to St Louis and ended up in Wisconsin. Seriously.
.
1. I don't like chocolate icecream, or chocolate icing. But I LOVE chocolate.
2. I had a full ride scholarship to Tulane University in New Orleans to study medicine that I turned down to have my son and be a momma. Sometimes I wonder what life would be like if I made a different choice, but I have NEVER regretted it for a moment.
3. My two biggest pet peeves are people popping their knuckles and the sound of dial tones that you hear when someone uses speaker phone. Both drive me CRAZY.
4. I'm a natural blonde, but haven't actually had my hair it's natural color since I was 13. Sometimes this has been good, sometimes it has been VERY bad.
5. I spent my whole life in the Colorado/Wyoming area. Texas now feels like home.
6. I drink a lot. Probably more than I should. But definately less than I use to.
7. I love to cook. I HATE to clean up the ridiculous mess I create while doing it.
8. I spent 2 years of my teenage life locked up in juvenille detention facilities. I also have an FBI file because of that time period.
9. I would rather have cheesecake than just about anything else in the world.
10. I had an eating disorder in junior high and high school. Trust me, you couldn't tell now!
11. I would have been the valedictorian of my graduating class, except my high school refused to recognize superior academic acheivement for fear of it making others feel bad.
12. I love scary movies, but I can only watch them with someone next to me and a blanket covering my eyes, so I really don't see the scary parts.
13. I'm a huge flirt and love to flaunt, but I hated working in a strip club where that's what I was paid for.
14. I ran away and hitch hiked around the country with truckers when I was 16.
15. I can't stand cilantro. It is the WORST spice ever. And I can taste it even in tiny quantities.
16. I have 4 associates degrees. They don't equal a doctorate. It bites.
17. My dream car is a supercharged deep purple mustang with silver streaks and leather interior. I'm working on it.
18. I want to ride a bull and eat rocky mountain oysters. Preferably on the same day!
19. I am probably the most self conscious person in the world, but you would never know that by the way I act.
20. I love playing softball as much as I love shopping... that is a LOT
21. I've never been diagnosed, but I am absolutely positive I had ADD. My boyfriend and boss agree.
22. The best and most fulfilling job I have ever had is bartending. I love it.
23. Men randomly fall in love with me for pretty much no reason. I really don't understand it.
24. I'm ADDICTED to coke. The drink, not the drug.
25.My sister and I were once driving from Chicago to St Louis and ended up in Wisconsin. Seriously.
.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Random Rant Over... Back To Reality
So I was highly unhappy earlier... thus the blog post.
However, English Toffee, a hot bubble bath, and a good movie can cure a lot of things. So, mostly, I'm over it.
So we are replacing unhappy thoughts with happy thoughts. I took a psychology class once. So I could pretty much be a therapist. And in my psychoanalytical opinion (emphasis on psycho, probably), if you focus on the good, your life will seem better. If you focus on the bad, it will probably seem worse.
I could be the next Freud.
Riiiiight.
So, in the spirit of the good, here it is: Things that make me superbly happy. Enjoy!
These 2 boys ROCK.MY.WORLD!
The BEST friends a girl could ask for. My junior high crew.
Winning at bowling. Nevermind I was playing against my 2 kids and my partially handicapped father.
A win's a win, right?!
Iceskating with the boys. In Colorado. Outdoors. While it's snowing.
And keeping them off the ground. Bravo.
New Years Eve with one of the most amazing girls I've ever had the honor of being friends with.
Knowing there are people you can count on to have your back = PRICELESS!
I feel better already!
LIES!!!
I hate being lied to. Despise. Detest. Loathe.
Well, okay, maybe I don't hate being lied to.
The part I hate is finding out I've been lied to.
I'm really smart. And pretty perceptive. And I remember details well.
So successfully lying to me is incredibly difficult.
Sometimes I hate being so smart.
There are times I'd rather be blissfully unaware and bounce through life naively trusting people and believing that everything they tell me is true.
Seriously.
The fact that I can almost always see through people's bullshit isn't necessarily a positive quality. It means that I am unable to take anyone at face value, and I spend my life analyzing everything that people say.
But I'm usually right.
Annoying.
So I suppose the point of this little blog, for anyone who is reading this, is
DON'T LET ME CATCH YOU LYING TO ME.
Which, due to my strong analytical skills and ability to figure just about anything out, translates to
DON'T LIE TO ME.
Because, honestly, if you do, I probably will.
And finding out that someone has lied to me really pisses me off.
And then I get vengeful, and vengeful me isn't so pretty.
I'm the fume in silence type, while plotting my revenge in a hundred different, evil ways.
It'll hit you when you least expect it, or better yet, you won't even know about it.
That's how I roll.
Good luck!
Well, okay, maybe I don't hate being lied to.
The part I hate is finding out I've been lied to.
I'm really smart. And pretty perceptive. And I remember details well.
So successfully lying to me is incredibly difficult.
Sometimes I hate being so smart.
There are times I'd rather be blissfully unaware and bounce through life naively trusting people and believing that everything they tell me is true.
Seriously.
The fact that I can almost always see through people's bullshit isn't necessarily a positive quality. It means that I am unable to take anyone at face value, and I spend my life analyzing everything that people say.
But I'm usually right.
Annoying.
So I suppose the point of this little blog, for anyone who is reading this, is
DON'T LET ME CATCH YOU LYING TO ME.
Which, due to my strong analytical skills and ability to figure just about anything out, translates to
DON'T LIE TO ME.
Because, honestly, if you do, I probably will.
And finding out that someone has lied to me really pisses me off.
And then I get vengeful, and vengeful me isn't so pretty.
I'm the fume in silence type, while plotting my revenge in a hundred different, evil ways.
It'll hit you when you least expect it, or better yet, you won't even know about it.
That's how I roll.
Good luck!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Christmas in Colorado
As a Colorado girl, I can not accept the idea of Christmas without snow.
Therefore, despite the fact that I am now a bonafide Texan, I still insist on returning to my mountain home for the holidays.
I spent 10 days home for Christmas with family and friends.
Saw old friends. Spent time with family. Had a great time with the boys. Saw the snow I've missed.
Oh, and I've implemented the new 72 hour rule. I'll explain later. But all I can say is my grandma is a GENIUS.
For now, here are the Christmas pictures!
Therefore, despite the fact that I am now a bonafide Texan, I still insist on returning to my mountain home for the holidays.
I spent 10 days home for Christmas with family and friends.
Saw old friends. Spent time with family. Had a great time with the boys. Saw the snow I've missed.
Oh, and I've implemented the new 72 hour rule. I'll explain later. But all I can say is my grandma is a GENIUS.
For now, here are the Christmas pictures!
The boys with the stockings
Awe. Sweet Brothers in their Christmas jammies.
The boys with their Great Grandma (my dad's mom)
Santa came!
So cute!
Silly Bandz. I don't get it. Oh well.
KK with his favorite present - a Nintendo DS
(Notice that he is wearing PJs and Cowboy Boots lol)
'Tis the Season
... for PICTURES!
If I wasn't too lazy busy to do Christmas cards, this would have been the picture!
He looks like an angel. This occurance is RARE.
Stay tuned for Christmas/Colorado pictures! Coming soon!
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