Running in the New Year

The end of 2010 concludes our year of running. At the beginning of last year, the hubby and I decided that we would start running and soon we dedicated ourselves to running one 5k a month. We began our New Year's resolution in March, and I am proud to report that the only month I missed was July and that's only because there were no 5ks to participate in (I think because of the sweltering heat here in the South).

Come March we were well conditioned and ready to go. On March 20, we participated in our first ever 5k. I must admit that I was a bit nervous. I never participated in a 5k before and I wasn't familiar with the logistics. But everything turned out fine and I actually placed second in my age group. My very first 5k and I won a trophy! Can you believe that?

In April, there weren't a lot of 5ks to choose from so we ran in a 2 mile. There was also a 10k that day but we weren't even going to delve into that. We thought those people were out of their minds for running so far. Overall, the hubby placed second with a time of 14:09.

In May, we were able to participate in a 5k right in our hometown. Out of 209 people the hubby came in 17th place. I was so proud of him. And we both placed third in our age groups.

In June, I participated in the Sweat'n Oil 5k (the hubby said he gave up running for the summer because it's so dang hot). It was a really great run but it was really REALLY hot! And again I placed in my age group.

In August, we both ran in the Diamondhead 5k. I have to say that race was the hardest one I've ever run. Diamondhead, Miss. is full of hills and the humidity that day was killer (see how red our faces are). I did place third in my age group though.

September was full of fun runs. The hubby completed his first duathlon where he ran 2 miles, kayaked 2 miles and ran another 2 miles. He did an awesome job and finished in 57:20. Also that month, we competed in the annual Volkslauf 5.5 mile mud run. It was so diry and so much fun! We are definitely going back next year.

In October, we did the Halloween Hustle 5k. It was at night and the path was lit up with luminary bags. It was really nice but I didn't where my glasses and I really can't see in the dark. Needless to say the only reason I ran it so fast was because I was trying to keep up with the guy in the white shirt in front of me so I wouldn't get lost (yikes!). The hubby and I both placed in our age groups.

In November, we ran in the 20th Annual Mississippi Coast 5k. It was FREEZING! I think it was about 35 degrees during the run (which is really cold for South Mississippi), and I don't think either of us even broke a sweat. I placed second in my new age group, 25-29 year old females.

After all the running we did we decided to end the year with a bang. We actually competed in our first 10k in December! I am proud to say that the hubby finished in 66th place with a time of 49:20 and I finished in 177th place (hey, no complaining here) with a time of 1:02:29. I remember thinking back in April that a 10k seemed so far, but it really wasn't bad.

We definitely accomplished a new resolution and we will continue running. In fact, the hubby is signed up to compete in an ultramarathon (that's right, I said ultra) in March. Him and five teammates will run 126 miles from Baton Rouge to New Orleans. I'm so excited for him!

But what will my new year's resolution be for the upcoming year? I guess I need to figure that out soon...

'Tis the Season...

'Tis the season for giving. The holidays give people a wonderful opportunity to spend time with family and friends, celebrate the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ, eat lots of great food, decorate trees and homes, give and receive awesome gifts, ride around and look at all the pretty lights and bake cookies and make gingerbread houses.

But sadly it also becomes a time of stress and depression for those who cannot experience all these simple luxuries that so many people take for granted during the Christmas season. Many people cannot afford to succumb to the societal pressures that the commercialization of Christmas has created, while others simply don't have a family to celebarate the holidays with.

That's why I, along with many others, like to think of this time of year as a time of giving. A girl I went to college with once said that her family alternates years for when they give and when they receive. Every other year they take all of the money they would have spent on Christmas and buy gifts for a family in need. I think this is a wonderful way to be completely selfless during the holiday season. And while it may be a little too late to dedicate yourself to something like this there are many other ways to give this time of year.

Sure you can always donate to Toys for Tots or the Christmas Tree Angel program but there are so many other ways to help and many other people who need help this year. I have compiled a list of things you can do with family and friends to contribute to the season of giving...

Christmas 2009

(1) Get in touch with your local bishop, pastor or priest to find a family in need. You can buy gifts and food for the family and have fun delivering the goodies on Christmas Eve in a hit and run.

(2) You know that old lady down the street that's always yelling at you to keep your dog off her lawn? Well, she deserves love too. You can bring her a warm meal or cookies. You can leave it anonymously or stick around and give her an ear to talk to.

(3) Cover someone's meal at a restaurant. It's as simple as requesting a $10 gift card for the people standing behind you at McDonald's or asking the waiter to let you cover the bill for another family seated in the restaurant. This simple act of kindness will definitely lift someone's spirit and hopefully encourage them to "pay it forward."

(4) Pets need love too during the holidays. Animal shelters around the nation are being overcrowded with with cats and dogs, especially as the economy continues to worsen and people are having to choose feeding their kids over feeding their pets. Shelters are non-profit organizations that work solely from donors. You can either spend a Saturday feeding and walking the animals and cleaning the kennels or you can offer a monetary donation to help get them through the next year.

(5) Invite someone you don't know that well over for dinner. You never know what friendships can be born over a simple meal. The hubby and I used to be so caught up with our busy lives that we never took time to make new friends. Shamefully, a new couple that moved into our ward invited us to have dinner with them instead of the other way around. Now we are great friends and the hubby and I take more opportunities to do the same with others.

Christmas 2007

(6) Whatever happened to Christmas caroling? This is something that my family did often when I was growing up. I remember knocking on the door of an elderly woman one night and as we belted into O Holy Night you could actually feel the shock and excitement beaming from her face. And she made us stick around for milk and cookies so it was definitely worth braving the cold. As I have grown older I see less and less of this but I say let's bring it back this year!

(7) Bake cookies for your neighbors. These days we live so close to one another yet we hardly know eachother. Take time this season to reach out to those who live around you by leaving a yummy gift in their mailbox or on their doorstep.

(8) Visit a nursing home on Christmas Day. Sure it's nice to relax and hang out with family and friends this day, but sadly there are many people living in nursing homes who don't get any visitors all year long. Make their day by taking an hour or two to share yourself or your family with them.

(9) Leave some baked goodies for the garbage men. It's a dirty job but somebody has to do it. Why not make their job a little more pleasant by leaving them a present? This is something that my grandmother has always done every year and I think it's a great way to show these people that you really appreciate what they do.

(10) Do you know a couple who could really use a break from the kids or who need to get away to do a little Christmas shopping? The holidays can be hard on parents with young kids but you can help lighten their load. Offer to babysit one night so that the couple can enjoy a nice date together. And as an added bonus, clean the house while their gone.


Christmas 2006

(11) Did you forget something and need to pick it up last minute on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? Give the cashier a tip at the check-out. It doesn't have to be money, it can be as simple as adding a candy bar to your check-out list. Give it to them and tell them how much you appreciate the sacrifice they're making to make your life a little easier.

(12) Do you see a homeless person walking in the cold but are too scared to give them a lift? You don't have to. Call a cab and pay them in advance to take them as far as the payment will go. You may also offer them directions to the nearest homeless shelter.

There are tons of ways to show you care this Christmas season and lots of them won't cost you a penny. Don't procrastinate...the holiday season is already here. And I guarantee you that you'll walk away feeling even better than those you served :)

Peace Begins with a Dialogue

Read here >>>> Hiker Freed from Tehran Prison: Time for U.S.-Iran Ties

Sarah Shourd, her boyfriend at the time and one of their good friends were hiking in Iraq in July 2009 when they were arrested by Iranian officials who said they had crossed the border. Accused of espionage, the three spent 410 days together in a Tehran prison before Sarah was freed on humanitarian grounds. Sarah's boyfriend, Shane, proposed to her while they were in prison and him and his friend still remain imprisoned in Iran.

Sarah and Shane. Photo courtesy of news.com.au.

Since Sarah was freed, she has spoken about her experience many times. In her interviews and speeches she never speaks poorly about the Iranian people. Instead she calls for both the U.S. and Iran to open a better dialogue between them.

Sarah and Shane lived in Demascus for a year teaching English to refugees and practicing journalism, respectively. Both, truly believed in the possibility of creating a bridge between the two cultures through their humanitarian efforts. Their time spent there was an effort to embrace the Middle Eastern/Muslim culture and share it with it with those who were interested, which eventually led to their friend's visit in July.

Many people believe that Sarah and her friends were merely improsined due to political tensions between the two countries. In fact, two witnesses claim that the hikers were not in Iran territory at all but were in fact kidnapped from Iraq. The U.S. has no current diplomatic relations with Iran and has resorted to communicating with Iranian officials through Sweden.

Shane Bauer, Josh Fattal and Sarah Shourd. Photo courtesy of http://www.whatsonxiamen.com/.



Sarah has become an advocate for improving relations between the two nations so that nothing like this will ever happen again. She stated, "I don't believe that the animosity between Iran and the United States is an insuperable obstacle; it's the responsibility of all governments to engage diplomatically, regardless of their differences, and when they can't or don't, it is their people who suffer the most."

I agree with Sarah and I believe that maintaining an open dialogue with anyone, whether it be between governments, family members, friends, spouses, etc., keeps peace at the forefront of a relationship. What do you think?

100 Books to Read in Your Life

My aunt recently sent me a list of 100 books you should read in your lifetime. Now that I'm finished with all my college classes (you heard me right...FINISHED!) I'm beginning a new adventure. I want to read and own (hardback only please) every book on the list. I can just see my bookshelves now filled with all the greatest literary works...*sigh*.

Although I'm extremely turned off to fantasy books I will at least read the first book in the series. (I apologize to all my Twlight, Harry Potter fanatics. Plus, I know Aunt J will be proud :) Besides, reading only the first book brings my total to exactly 100.

Here's the list if you would like to join me on this adventure...

A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens

I think I'll begin with this one...since it's Christmas time and all :)

Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien
Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte
Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
The Holy Bible (I have started this but would rather stick to the BOM because it's so much easier.)
Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte
Nineteen Eighty Four, by George Orwell
His Dark Materials, by Philip Pullman
Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens
Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott
Tess of the D'Urbervilles, by Thomas Hardy
Catch-22, by Joseph Heller
Complete Works of Shakespeare (Oh boy, this will be a doozy! For those of you wondering, it includes 42 pieces of work that are basically written in a foreign language.)
Rebecca, by Daphne Du Maurier
The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien
Birdsong, by Sebastian Faulks
Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger
The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
Middlemarch, by George Eliot
Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell
The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Bleak House, by Charles Dickens
War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams
Brideshead Revisited, by Evelyn Waugh
Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck
Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll
The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame
Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy
David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens
Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis
Emma, by Jane Austen
Persuasion, by Jane Austen
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis (I'm not sure why this is listed separately as it is part of the Chronicles of Narnia.)
The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, by Louis De Berniere
Memoirs of a Geisha, by Willaim Golden
Winnie the Pooh, by A.A. Milne (This one should be easy...I hope.)
Animal Farm, by George Orwell (I've actually already read this. I know I'm from Mississippi, but we were actually required to read this in high school. But I think I will read it again :)
The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown
One Hundred Years of Solitude, by Gabrial Garcia Marquez
A Prayer for Owen Meaney, by John Irving
The Woman in White, by Wilkie Collins
Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery (I love this movie!)
Far from the Madding Crowd, by Thomas Hardy
The Handmaids Tale, by Margaret Atwood
Lord of the Flies, by William Golding (I read this one too in high school. It's crazy! I highly recommend it.)
Atonement, by Ian McEwan
Life of Pi, by Yann Martell
Dune, by Frank Herbert
Cold Comfort Farm, by Stella Gibbons
Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen
A Suitable Boy, by Vikram Seth
The Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens (Believe it or not, I did start this one...it's incredibly hard to read. I might have to move it to the bottom of the list.)
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, by Mark Haddon
Love in the Time of Cholera, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov
The Secret History, by Donna Tartt
The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold
Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas
On the Road, by Jack Kerouac
Jude the Obscure, by Thomas Hardy
Bridget Jones’s Diary, by Helen Fielding (I hope the book is as good as the movie.)
Midnight’s Children, by Salman Rushdie
Moby Dick, by Herman Melville
Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens
Dracula, by Bram Stoker
The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson (I love love LOVE the 1993 adaptation of this movie. It's so sweet.)
Notes from a Small Island, by Bill Bryson
Ulysses, by James Joyce
The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath
Swallows and Amazons, by Arthur Ransome
Germinal, by Emile Zola
Vanity Fair, by William Makepeace Thackeray
Possession, by A.S. Byatt
Cloud Atlas, by Charles Mitchell
The Color Purple, by Alice Walker (Another great movie!)
The Remains of the Day, by Kazuo Ishiguro
Madame Bovary, by Gustave Flaubert
A Fine Balance, by Rohinton Mistry
Charlotte's Web, by E.B. White
The Five People You Meet In Heaven, by Mitch Albom
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Faraway Tree collection, by Enid Blyton
Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad
The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint Exupery
The Wasp Factory, by Iain Banks
Watership Down, by Richard Adams
A Confederacy of Dunces, by John Kennedy Toole
A Town Like Alice, by Nevil Shute
The Three Musketeers, by Alexandre Dumas
Hamlet, by William Shakespeare (Again, I don't know why this one is listed seperately from the works of Shakespear.)
Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl
Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo

Gollee, that's a lot of books! Can't I just watch the movies?...just kidding.

Where Did November Go?

This month just flew by. I know I probably say this every month but this time it really did.

Let's recap....

The hubby took me camping.

I turned 25.

We visited grandparents in Alabama.

The hubby killed a doe (yes, he is turning into a redneck. i'll give more details later).

Spent some time with the brand spanking new cousin.

Took family photos.

Ate turkey with the in-laws.

Decorated our tree.

Ran another 5k in a new age group (25-29) and placed second.

MSU won the Egg Bowl.

So close to finishing my master's I can taste the success.

"What's That?"

A few months ago I was picking up my 4-year-old niece and as she climbed into my 10-year-old truck she pointed at the manual window crank and asked, "What's that?"

I paused, thought for a second...and then it dawned on me. She's probably never seen one of those before!

At first, it made me feel extremely old. But then I started to think of all the things that are totally familiar to me but won't be to my future children. It's kind of like eight-track tapes or drive-in theaters for my generation.

So now I'm wondering what my kids are going to be pointing at and asking, "What's that?"

What do you think?

I'm Impressed

On Wednesday morning, I was in charge of hosting a 5k at my work. The event culminated with our annual Share Thanksgiving Food Drive where we put boxes around the various buildings and ask people to bring in canned/dried goods to benefit local food pantries before the holidays.

At the race, we asked all participants to bring one canned/dried good to donate to the drive. We had about 170 participants so you can imagine the chaos. Overall, we collected two big boxes of food and we were very satisfied with that.

So when I got to work this morning I was very impressed to see people dropping by my office and calling me to bring the canned/dried food in that they forgot to bring on Wednesday. We didn't keep track of people who brought food and who didn't. We didn't send out a reminder saying "If you didn't bring your food today please bring it on Friday." We were pleased with what we had and left it at that.

These people did not have to put forth this extra effort--maybe go out and buy the food, remember to bring the food from home, bring it to my office (which is set away from all the other buildings), etc. But they did!

And something as tiny as this gives me a new found hope for the human race.

Women Finally Onboard

On Saturday, I watched the movie G.I. Jane. I've always liked this movie. It's one of those that I can watch every time it comes on no matter how many times I've seen it before. It's just so empowering! (You can watch the trailer below.)

Then Monday I came to work and started catching up on all the Navy news. I came across an article entitled "Navy Picks First 4 Subs to Get Female Officers." Huh?

So I started reading...

The first sentence states, "The Navy has selected four commands as the first submarines to integrate women, a process expected to begin late next year, the Navy announced Thursday." Hold up. Let me get this straight. It's 2010 and the Navy is just now allowing women to board submarines!

G.I. Jane came out in 1997 and there is a particular scene where Demi Moore's character mentions that she was turned down for a position on the submarine because there were no female bathrooms onboard.

So 13 years later the Navy is finally considering this to be a major issue. And they are acting as if it's an act of heroism. As if women should have never expected to be allowed onboard and they are simply doing us a favor. Well, thank you very much United States Navy for suppressing the female gender.

Not-So-Green Thumb

I love gardens. I think they're beautiful, inspiring--God's gift on earth. I often find myself browsing through Better Homes & Gardens just so I can admire other people's amazing work.

When we got married and had our own place I had dreams of making my backyard look like this...

picture from www.bhg.com (I love tulips!)

It's a little far-fetched I know, especially for someone with a not-so-green thumb. We literally have tons of empty pots sitting around just waiting to be filled with flowers, herbs, anything!

I'm just scared to start a project until I figure out what the heck I'm doing. Afterall, I haven't had much luck so far...

Our first summer in the house I decided I would start with a small flower garden on the side of the house. Little did I know that it would be way more work than I bargained for. Just creating the garden was back-breaking. Digging up the dirt, placing the weed barrier, shoveling the dirt back on top, buying the plants, digging holes for the plants, and on and on and on...Plus, I wanted to be environmentally friendly. So instead of laying down non-biodegradable weed paper, I used newspaper. BAD IDEA! I had weeds just two weeks after I planted. And I didn't have a lot of time to weed the garden so it basically turned into a jungle.

I also tried growing some hanging plants. My mother-in-law gave us some ferns. I killed those. My impatiens were the only thing to survive my garden so I replanted those into hanging baskets. They lasted a month or two but eventually died also.

This summer I officially gave up on my garden. Actually, I didn't really have a choice after the hubby mowed over my overgrown plot.

Nevertheless, I decided to stick with my hanging baskets (I didn't want to be a total quitter). But this time, I checked out a gardening book from my grandmother's very extensive library collection. I searched and searched for a hearty plant ideal for hanging baskets that didn't require much sunlight or water. What did I find?...Portulaca (aka moss roses). Oh my precious portulaca. They have done amazingly well. I have both light pink and yellow and also a very bright pink color. They open up in the early morning and begin to close-up as the day goes on. Their colors are so vibrant and the vines grow like wildfire. And I only water them every two to three days. They do require some pruning, and I try to do this about once a week.

They have done so well this summer that I'm actually going to move them indoors for the winter (I never had this problem before because all my plants died before the summer was over). I just hope they survive indoors. Keep your fingers crossed.

p.s. I have also managed to keep my camelia plant alive (wedding gift from Ms. L-thanks!), but only after some much needed TLC because apparently I wasn't giving it enough water. And I have managed to keep an aloe vera plant. I don't exactly know what those brown spots are, but I just told the hubby that they are freckles from all the sunlight. Hey, it keeps growing :)

86-year-old Apostle Stirs Up the Nation

Read here>>>>Mormon leaders remarks spark outcry on same-sex marriage

During the 180th Semi-Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which aired on October 2-3, President Boyd K. Packer stated, "We teach a standard of moral conduct that will protect us from Satan’s many substitutes or counterfeits for marriage. We must understand that any persuasion to enter into any relationship that is not in harmony with the principles of the gospel must be wrong. Some suppose that they were preset and cannot overcome what they feel are inborn temptations toward the impure and unnatural. Not so! Remember, God is our Heavenly Father."

Picture from http://www.lds.org/

He is clearly stating that the church believes feelings towards others of the same-sex are disagreeable with God's plan. And he is also explaining that those people with these types of feelings should not give up because there is hope.

So why then has his comments sparked such an outrage in America?

The gay and lesbian community has responded with protests and petitions as if they are surprised by what Packer said. The church's stance on same-sex marriage has been known for a long time, and it will most likely never change. In case the gay and lesbian community didn't know, we live in a free country and we are free to practice and preach what we believe. Not everyone has to think and feel the same way you do. This is the beauty of freedom.

I am a Latter-day Saint (LDS) but my best friend is a lesbian. She knows how I feel about her sexual orientation and she respects what I believe. I know about her feelings for the same sex and I respect those feelings. Do I go out rallying against same-sex marriage and protesting gay and lesbian relationships? No. Am I going to go out and vote for the legalization of same-sex marriage? No. How can I do this to my friend you might ask. Because it goes against what I believe in, and it is my right to hold to that belief just like Packer.

It is hypocritical for gays and lesbians to protest against what Packer said. They are mad at the LDS church for not agreeing with their way of life, but at the same time they are not agreeing with ours.

In the soundoff section of the article (I always like to read these :), Bill replies to someone calling Mormons a hate group by stating, "Hate speech? Hate speech? Really? I don't agree with what this guy said, nor do many others, but calling it hate speech is reactionary and self serving of his opponents. It shows just how crazy people can get. This guy didn't call for people to be harmed, ostracized, excommunicated or discriminated against. He said that their orientation was wrong and could be changed with enough faith. Where is the hate in that? Put it in perspective and put your soapbox away. Just because you disagree with someone does not make the other person a bigot, racist, liberal, left winger, right wing nut or Hitler reincarnate." I couldn't agree with you more, Bill.

So what then is the solution? Learn to coexist!

And this process begins with a little r-e-s-p-e-c-t. Respect others beliefs!

Trapped Miners Receive a Complimentary Blanket

Read here>>>>Chilean president: Looking forward to imminent mine rescue

In case you haven't heard, there are 33 miners who have been trapped in a Chilean mine for over two months.

Nonetheless, they are supposed to be rescued sometime today or tomorrow. Yeah!

So what do they get for being trapped in a small, dark hole for more than 60 days? A complimentary embroidered blanket of course!

According to the president of Chile, each miner will be given a blanket embroidered with their names. "They're going to be able to keep it for their homes," he said.

Wow, how nice! I bet those miners can't wait to get their blankets.

First of all, what PR person thought of this? I'm not even going to explain why this is a bad idea. Second of all, it better be a blanket made out of benjamins.

Got Mud?

So...a few weeks ago me, the hubby and the sister-in-law ran the annual Volkslauf Mud Run.

Was it fun?...Hell yeah it was!

It was a 5.5 mile run through the stinky, wet, disgusting mud.

My boss, L, looked at me after I told her I did it and said, "Kaley, why on earth would you do something like that!?" My reply, "I don't know. Because it looked like fun." And believe me, it was.

We ran as a team so we had to cross the finish line together. We finished in 58:20. Just under an hour! Which we totally thought was impossible.

Here are some pics.

That's me in the blue shirt.

That's the hubby in the grey.

And here we are taking a shower with hundreds of other people.

This is us after the race.

I would like to publicly thank my teammates for being so great and hustling their little butts off. Ya'll are awesome :)

The Power to Be Me

Fortune Magazine has published a list of the 50 most powerful women in the world.
Read here >>>> 50 Most Powerful Women

The question is--what constitutes power? What characteristics does someone have to possess to be considered powerful? Is it wisdom, worldly experience, looks, expertise, money?

After grazing through the list, I discovered that power is all about position. The top five women are all CEOs and Chairwomen of various conglomerates. Care to take a guess at who's in the number one spot? It's Indra Nooyi, chairwoman and CEO of PepsiCo. That's right, the most powerful woman in the world runs a soda company. Maybe she exerts this power through a little thing called caffeine. After all, most of the world is addicted to the product she sells (at least my grandmother is anyway).

Our beloved Oprah comes in at number six. I would have to say that her power does not just stem from position but also talent, money and visibility. People love her, they listen to her and buy whatever she sells. She holds the power of persuasion.

The COO of Facebook comes in at number 16. EVP of Wal-Mart is slated at number 23. The president of McDonald's is ranked at number 25. The VP of search products and user interests for Google is ranked at number 42 (she's also the youngest on the list at age 35). The president of Ebay is at number 44. And VP of worldwide corporate communications for Apple is ranked at number 50.

In this hegemonic world we live in, it is obvious that the women with the power are those with higher-up positions in internationally recognized corporations. But is this just?

I know that I will never be CEO of PepsiCo., McDonald's or Wal-mart, but does that mean that I'm not powerful? I feel pretty powerful...my dog listens to me when I tell her to sit. I feel in control of my life, I know where I'm headed, I have goals that I would like to accomplish.

So I think I might add my name to this list maybe as number 51 or number 1,364,459,782. What does it matter? As long as I feel empowered I have the power to do anything I set my mind to.

How Fast Are You?

So apparently the fastest texter in the world can text "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious. If you say it loud enough you'll always sound precocious" in just 42 seconds, which is about 3.6 characters per second.

In my competitive spirit I decided to try it out....

60 seconds. Not too shabby. Just 18 seconds behind the world's fastest texter. (and I wasn't even trying that hard.)

How fast are you?

Creating the Madness

Whew! I am busy, busy, busy. I have a full-time, 7-3:30 job, I'm in my last semester of my master's program, I teach Sunday School, it seems that every weekend there is some event we have to attend and I'm trying really hard to exercise everyday.

Believe me, I do not think I'm the busiest person in the world. I know that lots of people have many more unchecked tasks on their to-do lists than me. Nonetheless, it seems like I can't catch a break.

I'm performing pretty well at work but I am forgetting some things (like showing up to take pictures at an event two weeks ago. my bad.) I'm doing well in school (I guess. we've only had 3 assignments due), but I can say that I'm sick and tired of it already. By the time I graduate I will have been in school for 6.5 years, and I'll only have my master's. I went straight through, I only changed majors and schools once, never failed a class and never took a semester off. You would think I would have been done sooner. I'm also really tired of the drive. I have to drive 1.5 hours each way to get to and from school. I hate driving to begin with. I wish I had a chauffer. Any takers?

And just as a side note, I'm not just tired of classes and driving, but I'm really sick of dealing with stupid universities. Example: My advisor told me that the track I was taking would have me done with classes in December and finishing up after taking comps in January. What he failed to tell me was that to be able to take comps I have to register as a one hour student, which will cost me about $300 and because I'm registered as a student in the spring semester I won't get my diploma until May. So what am I supposed to do for four months while I wait for my diploma to come in? STUPID!

Anyway, I also teach a Sunday School class at my church (seven and eight year olds). I don't mind doing it but I feel like I'm not giving it 100% because I'm so busy with other things. We're supposed to take time planning our lessons and doing all the prepared readings, but my preparation consists of throwing the lesson together on Sunday morning and cutting stuff out while I'm sitting in the pugh when I'm supposed to be concentrating on the speaker. (shout out to the Zs who sit behind me. I'm sorry, I know I'm a distraction.)

And why is it that our social life requires so much attention? Can't we just be friends and leave it at that? No, we have to go to weddings, baby showers, engagement parties, house-warming parties, Monday night football, etc. Don't get me wrong, I love to do all these things and be with friends and family, but when you're as popular as I am it's just non-stop (seriously :).

Now, for the exercising. I'm 5'4" and I weight 123 lbs. Why is this not good enough? I'm skinny but according to this chart I'm reaching the top of my weight class so I could stand to lose a few. So why then is it so hard to do? I don't eat that much....cereal for breakfast, yogurt for snack, sandwich for lunch, maybe a few cookies when I get home and then something small for dinner. And don't even tell me that it's the cookies. I only eat about four or five and it's NOT every day. I drink water ALL day and if I ever have anything different it's milk or juice in the morning or a Sprite every other week.I try to run or do the eliptical 3-4 times a week and I run a 5k every month.  What's the problem!?

Oh, how I long for a long weekend where I can take bubble baths, sleep-in and watch old movies. But then again I know that would make me feel so unproductive.

It's me....I create the madness.

Cheers!

Read here >>>> My Not Drinking Bothers Friends

Wow! I love this article. It's from a completely different point of view than my own, but I couldn't agree more.

There have been so many times when I've been around friends or family members who drink and I can feel them glaring at me. It's as if they wish I was drinking just to ease their own comfort. But why does my not drinking make them so uncomfortable? I have oftentimes wondered this. Maybe they feel like I'm judging them or maybe they think I'm uptight.

On the contrary, I'm completely comfortable being around people who drink. I've been around it almost my entire life. And while it isn't something I would prefer doing, it is something that I have accepted as part of other people's lives.

My sister, B, and I had lunch today. We were discussing people who drink versus people who do not. She said she feels like a granny around all her friends because she just isn't into drinking. I told her that society makes her feel that way and it's not right.

It's just like those old public service announcements about kids doing drugs or smoking cigarettes because they were trying to be "cool." Adults laugh at those advertisements because they think they're so corny. After all, adults are independent thinkers who make choices based on what they want to do not what others expect of them. Well, I beg to differ. Lots of adults still base their decisions on peer pressure.

After all, why do you think people drink anyways? Because it tastes delicious? No. Because it makes you feel wonderful? No. Because it doesn't cost anything? No. Because it's acceptable in society and they grew up around it and have made it a part of their lifestyle and can't imagine their life without it? Yes.

Sadly, drinking is the norm and people don't like to be different.

People ask me why I don't drink and I reply-freedom. Freedom from having to stop by the liquor store on my way home. Freedom from getting wasted and making a complete fool of myself. Freedom from having to find someone to drive me home. Freedom from being laughed at. Freedom from waking up with diarrhea and a massive headache. Freedom from wasting hours of my life doing something that I won't even remember. Freedom from something that can easily become an addiction.

I'm not judging people who drink. I love all my friends and family members who do. I just felt the need to state the reasons why I don't. So you can stop glaring now....

Why do you believe a lie?

This article is written for anyone who has a problem with a "mosque" being built near Ground Zero....

Side note: Feel free to imagine me screaming while your reading this because that's what I feel like doing.

How fitting? America--"the land of the free, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal" is now persecuting fellow Americans for simply practicing their religion.

I am sick and tired of this ongoing dialogue. And I cannot believe that the media has allowed this topic to veer so far from the truth of the situation.

Those crazy Muslims are building a mosque on Ground Zero. How dare them you say. Well, you're wrong! And now I will give you four reasons why you are wrong.

Reason #1: It isn't a mosque. A mosque is a place where Muslims can go and worship their god. The proposed building is actually an Islamic center, which could include a library, swimming pool, classrooms to teach langugage and religion, etc. A center may or may not incorporate a mosque as part of its structure but it does not have to.
Reason #2: It isn't on ground zero. The proposed property is 2-3 blocks away from where the twin towers were located.
Reason #3: All Muslims aren't terrorists. And while we're discussing it, not all terrorists are Muslim. Muslim extremist groups such as al-Qaeda "envision a complete break from the foreign influences in Muslim countries," which means they have complete disregard for those who do not believe what they do (hmmm...sound familiar?) and actually seek to destroy these people. There are over 1.5 billion Muslims in the world and groups like al-Qaeda only consist of a very small portion of this number.
Reason #4: The foundation of America is based on freedom of religion. Hello, people! Many of our ancestors came here seeking the freedom to worship their god freely. And now you want to take that away from a people because they don't believe the same things you do.

How dare you! I am an American and a Christian yet I'm constantly persecuted for the things I believe in just because they aren't mainstream. Well, I will not sit idly by and let you do the same to others.

As Americans, we believe in the separation of church and state. We believe that we should be able to worship whoever we want however we want. And if Muslims want to live in America and study their Qur'ans and worship Allah, then by God let them do it.

Wake up! Educate yourself! Don't believe everything you read and see in the media. Do your own research and form your own opinion about things.

Abraham Lincoln once stated, "America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." People are worred about crazy Obama leading our nation into communism; well, I say you are being the communist by not allowing people to be different. You want everyone to think and act and worship just like you do. Well, get over it! Learn to coexist.

Missing the Island

So I've really been missing Hawaii lately. Living there for 2.5 years has left a small splinter on my heart.

When I got to work this morning I quickly logged into Pandora and created a new radio station--Iz. As I started listening to the music it quickly brought me back to the many hours I spent working at the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) where they played all the same music over the sound system. Then, I began daydreaming about my beach cruiser, acai bowls, waiting for "The Bus," studying at the beach, people strolling along on their skateboards playing the ukelele, jumping off Waimea and being caught in a 30-second rain shower on my way to class.

I can say that I truly tried to not take a single day for granted while I was there. Each day I rode my bike to school I would pass the temple and stare at all its wonderment. On my way to a dreaded class, I would close my eyes and listen to the Tongan drums playing at the PCC. On days when I was really busy and felt there was no time to get anything done, I would go into the Aloha Center and listen to the many different languages swirling around me....the sound was beautiful.

I miss not having air conditioning and sweating my butt off while trying to cook dinner in a scorching 1x1 foot oven. I miss not having a car and not being able to buy everything I needed at the grocery store for fear of it throwing off the balance of my bicycle. I miss taking 2-hour bus rides to the mall on the winding roads of Kamehameha just to get to the mall and not be able to find anything modest enough to buy.

I miss the laughter of the people, their smiles, their sweet spirits.

It's been almost two years and I feel the aloha spirit slipping away from me. I no longer feel the urge to begin my emails at work with "Aloha" or shout out a roaring reply to someone's greeting when they stand to give a speech.

I need to go back to the island. I need to revitalize my mind and refuel my spirit.

Vacation Part Dos: VIVA LAS VEGAS!

We stayed at the Monte Carlo right on the strip. I would definitely recommend this hotel. It was very family friendly with a small lazy river and wavepool, mall and foodcourt. Really cheap too ;)

The first day we spent walking up and down the strip exploring all the amazing hotels and casinos. The Wynn is my absolute favorite. Everything about it is classy and beautiful. I wish I could afford to stay there (sigh).

We had a frrrozen hot chocolate from Serendipity's. Apprently, there are only three in the whole world....Manhattan, Las Vegas and Boca Raton. Boca Raton, Fla! That's random, but much closer to home. And I'll let you readers in on a little secret....a new one is opening in Washington D.C. sometime this year. If you have never tried one of these, you have to add it to your bucket list.

We also saw the Blue Man Group at the Venetian. I've seen their show once before in Vegas and they didn't fail to shock and delight. Those guys are CRAZY!

We decided to take a dam tour while we were there since we were so close. Yep, we took a dam elevator down to the dam bottom and saw all of the dam power generators. (Haha....that never gets old!)

Next stop, the four-story M&M store. Yes, I did say four-stories. I don't know how they did it, but they managed to put the M&M logo on everything possible and actually selll it.

Overall, our trip to Vegas was great, but we were actually a little homesick for Utah.

Vacation Part Uno: UTAH

We spent the first part of our vacation in northern Utah at my aunt and uncle's house. They moved there almost three years ago so we hardly get to see them and my six cousins.

But first things first. My favorite part of the trip was getting to see all my old college friends :)
(And by old I mean we used to go to school together back in the day. I don't mean we're old because WE ARE NOT!)

You know you have a great friend when they are not only willing to spend your two-hour layover with you at the airport, but also bring you breakfast. Thanks, Amy!

Our first day we got to spend the entire afternoon with none other than the fabulous April. She's a local to the city so she took us around and showed us the sights. She made a wonderful tour guide.

We finally made our way to my aunt's house by about 10pm. We were exhausted but really excited about the fun week ahead.

We did a lot of this....

And some of this....

And this....

Overall, we had a great time in Utah and we are currently job searching there.

Yes, I'm serious.