To Infinity and Beyond...

Wowza! I can't believe it's been August since my last post. Since then, I feel like I've been to the moon and back. Just scroll through the pictures and you will see what I mean (and hopefully find it in you to forgive me :)

Denver Airport

Love this girl ;)

 Baltimore Inner Harbor

 White House

 Washington Monument

Capital Building

And I went to Jacksonville for a couple days while the hubby was home recovering from surgery :(

I need to be more like the bloggers I follow and schedule posts in advance. Maybe that will be my new year's resolution.

And the Nominees Are...

The 57th U.S. presidential election will be held on November 6, 2012. So far, there are 16 republicans and two democrats, one running in the green party, one in the libertarian, two in the prohibition, one in the socialist and three in the independent party (who, I might add, includes Roseanne Barr and Robert "Naked Cowboy" Burck).

I believe that every American should be involved in the election process. I know, I know. What's the point with the electoral college? The point is to care about the affairs of your nation and take a stand on government issues. Now that you know how I feel about the upcoming election, I will tell you how I feel about a couple of the candidates.

Michele Bachmann of Michigan is married to Marcus Bachmann, who is a clinical psychologist. Together, they have five children, and the couple owns Bachmann & Associates, which is a Christian counseling clinic. Michele holds a law degree from William & Mary and has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2006. I like her Christian values but I think she's one of those God-fearing people who wants to make everyone else be Christian. I'm a Christian and of course, all Christians want everyone else to be a Christian, but I'm completely against forcing any belief on anyone. Plus, she recently switched from a Lutheran church to a more Evangelical one, which shows me that she isn't even completely sure about her own identity.

Herman Cain of Georgia is married to Gloria Cain, and together they have two children. Cain has never held political office but has held many higher up positions in very prominent companies such as business anaylst for Coca-Cola, vice president of Pillsbury, president and CEO of Godfather's Pizza and CEO of the National Restaurant Association. He has been praised for his successful tenures at each of these companies, but I don't know how I feel about someone who changes jobs more than I change my nail color. He holds a position as an assistant minister at a Baptist Church, which he has attended since he was 10 years old. I appreciate his religious roots, and most especially I appreciate the article he wrote defending Mitt Romney's being a Mormon. I think it shows great character and a sense of equality--an attribute that this country seems to be lacking.

Newt Gingrich is a republican from Georgia with a vast history as a politician. To me, he just seems average. But all I really have to say about him is that he's been married three times and cheated on his first two wives. I will not vote for anyone with such an evasive history of disloyalty and deceit.

Mitt Romney grew up in Michigan, but eventually settled in Massachusetts with his wife, Anne, after attending law/business school at Harvard. Together, the couple have five sons. He comes from a family of politicians and served as Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007. He is well-known for "flip-flopping" on issues including abortion and stem cell research, but I don't think these choices should define his candidacy. I think many times politicians vote for something that they believe is right but later find out that it wasn't a good choice, and instead of swallowing their pride and changing their agenda they would rather bare and grin it, even in a flailing economy.

Rick Perry is a governor from Texas who served in the Air Force. Sound familiar? He is married to a nurse and together they have two children. He is the sterotypical republican who opposes abortion and same-sex marriage, supports the second ammendment and really REALLY likes the death penalty. In fact, half of all lethal injections that have taken place in Texas since its reinstituion in 1982 have happened under Perry's governance. That's 234 death sentences in 11.5 years. Seems a little morbid to me. But of course he tries to spin it as a hardcore politician who doesn't put up with heinous crimes. My question for him: As a hardcore Methodist do you not believe in forgiveness?

Barack Obama--not much to be said. He was elected because this country needed "change." But not much has changed under his direction unless you want to count the fact that the economy is definitely getting worse. No, I do not blame President Obama for the mess this country is in, but I don't hink he is helping either. I think he probably had good intentions to begin with, but was eventually overwhelmed with the idea of becoming the United States' first black president. In fact, everyone become overwhelmed with the idea and now look at where it has brought us. Nowhere!

Randall Terry, the other democratic nominee, claims to be a hardcore Christian and has a long history of pro-life activism and has been arrested over 40 times. With his first wife, he had one child and three foster children, two of which he eventually adopted. One coverted to Islam, another was banned from the family after getting pregnant twice as a teenager and another he disowned for being a homosexual. After marrying his second wife, Terry coverted to Roman Catholocism, quit claiming his only biological daughter and has four new sons. Yeah, he's not getting my vote.


If you're struggling like I am to decide on a candidate I hope this blog helps. I haven't quite made up my mind on who I will be voting for, but I do know that once I do I would like to get heavily involved in the election process. After all, I want to be a part of history in the making :)

How "The Help" Helped Me

Recently, I had the opportunity to watch this movie:

Sure, I'm only one of the over 2 million people who saw it, but I like to think that my experience was sort of special.

Entering the theater 15 minutes early we were sure to get good seats. However, as we turned the corner to face the audence we quickly realized we would have to settle for what we could find--the place was packed! And to my pleasant surprise, the crowd appeared to be 50/50 Caucasion- and African-American.

The movie is set in Jackson, Miss. and based on the story of a young journalist who writes about something that "disturbs [her], particularly if it bothers no one else," and that is the spiteful treatment of "the help" in 1960s Mississippi.

So you see, when I entered a Mississippi movie theater on a hot Mississippi day and saw that I would be able to inadvertently address the racial issues that we still face today in 2011, I was very excited.

There was laughter, there were tears and in the end, something very surprising happened, something I have never before experienced in a theater. It was intense applause. I teared up as I looked around to all the smiling faces in the audience and realized wow, we have come a long way.

I know, I know the applause was for the direction of a masterfully-played movie. But I also like to think that the applause was a celebration of how far South Mississippi has come when it comes to racial issues and integration. Just the fact that we could sit in a theater together and enjoy a movie together that addresses racial concerns proves that we have come a long way.

Now, I am not ignorant. I know we still have a long way to go. In fact, I devoted an entire thesis to proving that racial prejudices still exist in America. But I do believe that there has been great progress.

When we drove away from the theater that day, my husband said to me, "You remind me of Skeeter." I take pride in the statement because like Skeeter and Kathryn Stockett I do find things that disturb me but don't seem to disturb anyone else.

Working 9-to-5...but why?

Read here>>>>Would you like a shorter workweek?

Such a silly question. Of course, I would love a shorter workweek! Who wouldn't?

I'm always telling the hubby that we are away from our home and family for far too many hours each day. His reply: "That's life." I sit and ponder this.

Is this our life? I'm at work, or en route to work, about 9 hours each day. The hubby is at work/en route to work for 11-12 hours each day. That leaves us with about 3-4 hours a day to spend time with one another.

But wait. We also have to fit in the grocery shopping, exercising, cleaning the house, mowing the grass and all the other things on life's list of things to do.

It's very VERY rare that we have time to just lounge around and do whatever we feel like. He says it's because I keep us too busy with so many outside commitments. My reply to him: "That's life."

The only justifiable answer I can come up with is that workforce hours need to be shortened. I guess for that to happen the economy would have to slow down. Maybe employ more people to work less hours, which means lower incomes and less spending, which means fewer jobs...so no, that wouldn't work.

But do you see how our "booming" American economy has forced us to be slaves in this so-called free country!?

Okay, maybe I'm being a little dramatic, but I just don't think it's fair.

Family should come first in this life, not work. So why do we agree to devote a third of our lives to something we despise? Is it just because we have to?

Someone please give me a solution to this dilemma.

Loving Yourself First

Last week, a fellow employee shared a poem with me. It's all about loving yourself and putting yourself before all your other loved ones in your life because yourself loves you unconditionally and needs your attention from time to time. I would like to share it with you...

Love After Love

by Derek Walcott

The time will come

when, with elation

you will greet yourself arriving

at your own door, in your own mirror

and each will smile at the other's welcome,

and say, sit here. Eat.

You will love again the stranger who was your self.

Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart

to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

all your life, whom you ignored

for another, who knows you by heart.

Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,

the photographs, the desperate notes,

peel your own image from the mirror.

Sit. Feast on your life.

I love the idea of recognizing yourself and even saying "hi" once in a while. Reflecting on myself, I do feel like a stranger sometimes, as if I don't have enough time to really get to know who I am.

My favorite part reads, "Give back your heart to itself, to the stranger who has loved you all your life, whom you ignored for another, who knows you by heart." Wow! Such powerful words. Sometimes we get so caught up in the idea of romantic love and the unconditional love that exists between parent and child that we forget about the adoration that we should have for ourselves first. After all, myself is the one that has always been here, undeterring, unconditionally in love with who I am.

So why do I not pay myself more attention? I'm not talking about treating myself to a fancy spa date, but actually recognizing the self that's inside of me and all the capabilities and talents that are kept so bottled up because of the busy world we live in.

Last night I went to the mall, just a simple trip taken all by myself. I'm the kind of person that enjoys being around others and would have loved to have had someone join me but the way it turned out I was alone walking from store to store...and I liked it. I did what I wanted to do with no one to answer to or no coversations filling the air surrounding me--it was just me and my thoughts.

I was having a conversation with the hubby on Saturday and we were talking about how much we really enjoy spending time with one another, how we would rather do something together than alone. This is true, but I must say that by constantly being with him I have made myself a perpetrator of ignoring myself for another. It's not that I want to spend less time with him, it's just that I need to spend more time with just myself.

It's easy to overlook yourself and "let yourself go" as the saying goes. So from now on I will try to greet myself, treat myself, be in love with me and "feast" on who I am. And I encourage you to do the same.

DIY Anyone?: Part 1

Inspired by my dear friend Amy's blog and her "do-it-yourself" attitude and this blog that my sister, B, recently escorted me to, I decided to take matters into my own hands and spruce up some things around my home.

I'm starting small but it's a very big step for me. I'm the kind of person that would rather buy it off the shelf than take time to make it. Because I'm rich right?...haha...yea right!

We recently planted some herbs and I wanted to make some cute name tags for them.

What you'll need:

Indoor/outdoor stain (approx. $12)

1 small paintbrush (approx. $1)

Marker (approx. $1)

Paint stirrers (FREE)

I had some leftover stain from another project. I couldn't decide between the black with silver marker or clear with gold marker so they are both pictured. And I eventually went with the clear and gold.

Using your marker of choice, write the names of your herbs on the paint stirrers. Make sure your stain is well shaken and apply an even coat on all sides of the stirrers. Let dry for at least one hour and apply another coat. Let it dry again and decide if you want to add another for a more intense gloss or leave it as it is. I applied three coats to mine.

After the stirrers have completely dried, voilà!, you have your own handmade herb labels.

It was so easy and fun! You should try it.

Women Can't Drive

Read here>>>Saudi women defy driving ban

Yes, you heard me right--women can't drive. Now that I have your attention, I should tell you I'm not referring to the the unrealistic stereotype held by a lot of men that all women can't drive. I'm talking about the fact that women in Islam can't drive because they aren't allowed.

There is no law against women drivers in some parts of the Middle East; however, religious statutes prevent women of Islam from doing many things such as driving, looking a man in the eyes, opening a bank account, attending school, walking in front of a man, etc.

Nevertheless, today, women in Saudi Arabia took to the streets to participate in a peaceful campaign. Women everywhere started their engines and rolled through the streets of this conservative country to make a statement and hopefully, make a difference.

I know I'm guilty of taking my driving capabilities for granted. In fact, I tell people all the time that I hate driving. But today I will happily climb into the driver's seat, push the pedal to the metal and follow the road less traveled with all my Saudi sisters in mind.

Green Tips: #2

In the second part of my green tips series, I was going to talk about twist ties but my dear friend and fellow blogger has written an article about something much more meaningful.

For just $30 you can buy an eco-friendly iPhone case that also benefits the victims of the recent tsunami and earthquakes in Japan.

Yes, the people across the Pacific are still suffering. Magic doesn't happen over night people! And besides, doesn't everyone on earth own an iPhone now?

What better way to showcase how cool and giving you are?

To find out more read her article here.

Side note: More to come on the twist ties later.

Card-carrying Member of the 9/11 Generation

"Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true."

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

On May 2, Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was killed. It was announced to the world, and Americans everywhere felt a since of relief and peace. People celebrated in the streets and gathered at ground zero. Initially, I jumped right into the mainstream celebration, but after the dust settled and I was left with my own emotions, something about it didn't quite feel right and I didn't exactly know why.

This was a man responsible for killing so many Americans. His extreme beliefs have not only led to the death of my fellow countrymen but even his own as he convinced his followers to die as martyrs, while he lived as a coward in a cave.

Along with millions of other Americans, I will never forget where I was when I heard about the 9/11 attacks. As a sophomore in high school, I was too wrapped up in petty teenage drama to even know what a terrorist was. I didn't know how serious it was, I didn't know about the history of al-Qaeda and the U.S., and I definitely never would have predicted the ensuing battle that would take place over the next ten years.

I am a part of the 9/11 generation, one of many who have words like terrorist, al-Qaeda, Muslim extremist, Afghanistan, World Trade Center, Taliban and many more permanently embedded in my lexicon. Over the last ten years, I have watched and read the news, caving to the agenda-setting function set forth by American journalists. I don't agree with the actions taken by bin Laden, and in fact, I'm completely against it--I know it's wrong and that he should be stopped and punished for his wrongdoings. After all, that is justice, a justice that I firmly believe in. Yet, his murder does not seem right either.

In the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., "Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Hate cannot drive out hate--only love can do that." The words of this respected man, who also died as a martyr, ring true as we are being told by al-Qaeda that "[They] will remain, God willing, a curse chasing the Americans and their agents, following them outside and inside their countries. Soon, God willing, their happiness will turn to sadness. Their blood will be mingled with their tears."

As much anger as I have towards this killer, I still feel sorry for him. He appeared wise, but he was ignorant in so many ways.

I'm not a tree-hugging radical or anything. I know that his death was inevitable and somewhat necessary, but I'm also a simple-minded girl who truly believes in the healing powers of forgiveness and love. I don't have all the answers, I don't know what could have or should have been done--I'm just confused and unwilling to accept a violent death as recompense for a war on terrorism. In my opinion, this won't put a stop to anything, it will only work to feed fuel to the flames.

Side note: Sorry for the lack of pictures, but how do you match an image with this?

Something Happened...

When you're a child, time seems to...to...well, take it's time. It's slower, less ambitious. As you get older, time goes by more quickly, and before you know it you're all grown up and sometimes time appears to be nonexistent as you try to recall where the time has "flown."

I'm 25 now, but I still tell people that I feel like I'm 15. Not mentally or even physically, I guess I just thought when I was finally an "adult" that I would have a commpletely different mindset...and I don't.

Sure, I have matured and learned many things about myself and the world I live in, but I'm basically still the same person that was born 25 years, 6 months and 13 days ago. Obviously, I have come to believe that nature definitely outweighs nurture.

I'm married, I have a master's degree and a good career, we own our home, blah blah blah...so I know I should feel like a grown-up. But on a day-to-day basis when I'm swimming my way through the motions of life just striving to keep my head above water, I forget that society considers me all grown up. That is, until this morning when something happened...

I'm covering a story for my local paper tonight and I had to call the local high school to get some background information on the event. Lo and behold, who do you think answered the phone? Well, it's none other than my college roommate, S, from sophomore year. I knew that she worked there and we still vaguely keep in touch within the social media realm, but I never imagined we would have crossed paths through our careers. We used to talk about boys and homework, not facts and percentages.

As I hung up the phone, I realized once and for all that I really am all grown up. I felt like it was a conversation I should be having 20 years from now, not today!

There's no going back now, no more clinging to those braided tresses from my youth. I guess all there is to say is here's to the future, to my grown-up life.

Why Animals Are So Awesome!

My dog, Scout, is pretty awesome. I know everyone says that about their dog, but mine really is the greatest :)

Case and point:

On Easter, my mother-in-law's next door neighbor has a little girl who decided to bring her new guinea pig over to "show." I happen to look outside and my niece is frantically pointing to the woods, and I see Scout jumping into the woods. I walk to the door and hear her yelling "The guinea pig! The guinea pig!" and the little girl is standing with an empty container crying "My other one died." The hubby and I run outside assuming the worst. I'm thinking my dog has taken this poor little girl's new Easter pet and gobbled it up...my dog is about to emerge from these woods with a bloody massacre all over her mouth...how will I ever make it up to this little girl?

But lo and behold, Scout emerges from the woods, guinea pig in-tow, and offers the pet back to the child. After a close look, it is obvious that nothing is wrong with the little fur ball. And I inquire with my niece about what happened.

She explains that when the little girl brought the guinea pig over it jumped out of the container and ran into the woods. Scout quickly went after it and brought it back to the little girl. The pet then leaped from the little girl's arms again and headed for the woods. Scout once again jumped into the woods and brought the pet back to its owner. My niece said that Scout very gently handed over the pet not just once, but twice!

This story makes me think of two things: first, what the heck is that little girl doing to that poor guinea pig to make it so persistent in running away? and I am so inspired by the nurturing and intellectual capabilities that animals truly have.

I love my puppy :)

1 Minute Pity Party

Do you ever feel like nothing is going your way? Like you just want to throw your hands in the air, your face into a pillow and just cry? Well, you're not alone.

Lately, I've been participating in petite pity parties for myself...and I invite you to join with me.

I have a lot going on in my life right now with a lot of demands. Sometimes I get overwhelmed and discouraged because I feel like there is too much to do and not enough time. Plus, I feel like I've been making so many more mistakes than I usually do. The hubby says I just have too much going on so I've become a little absentminded.

So I've been allowing myself to have one minute pity parties. For a quick (and very enduring) 60 seconds I cry and think horrible thoughts about myself and my life. And then I wipe away the tears, tell myself that I can't change things and I just have to make the best of my situation, and then I press forward.

It sounds a little psychotic, I know. Like when I was having a one minute pity party for myself on Saturday outside the Sheraton Hotel because I accidently booked our hotel at the Sheraton uptown instead of the one downtown where we needed to be. I know people were staring. But you wouldn't believe how rejuvenating it is!

Just cry and move on--that's my new motto.

Blogging the Gospel

"With so many social media resources and the multitude of more or less useful gadgets at our disposal, sharing the good news of the gospel is easier and the effects more far reaching than ever before...Perhaps the Lord's encouragement to open our mouths might today include 'Use your hands to blog and text message the gospel to all the world...'"

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf

I've been wary about posting something about this event in my life but obviously I should just go ahead and do it.

I like to write about things in my blog that the world can relate to. I never wanted to make it into a personal blog or a "family blog," but now I think this is my blog and my followers obviously like me so they might be interested in learning a little more about me.

My blog profile, which you can see right to the left here, states that I'm LDS. Well, what does that mean you might ask. It means that I am a Latter-day Saint and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Recently, my husband and I attended our local church temple where we were sealed together for time and all eternity. Most civil marriages are declared "until death do you part," but my church believes that families can be together forever. After all, "whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven" (Matthew 16:19).

Besides that, can you even imagine heaven without the ones you love the most being there? I know I can't.

Random Act of Kindness

A few weeks ago a young mother bustled her way into the chapel on a Sunday morning. She had three kids in tow (I believe all are under the age of 3). She worked throughout the hour-long service to keep her kids hushed and in their seats. This was no easy task as these kids were bursting with energy and very excited about the big open space just behind their row of chairs.

Some people tried to help her by chasing her kids down the hall and picking up dropped toys. Others scoffed and made comments like "She needs to hush them up!"

At one point her toddler ran out of the chapel. She had the baby on her lap and as she was going to set him on the floor to run after the other one. Just as she was doing this the baby regurgitated what appeared to be the last three meals he had eaten (it was A LOT).

She was flustered, and everyone else was at a loss of what to do for her.

She left.

Two weeks went by and there was no sign of the mother and her three children. But last Sunday the mother returned with three children in tow yet again. There just happened to be an emptly row in front of us. Everyone sitting on the row, me, my uncle, my sister and my niece, braced ourselves.

But then something happened...

My grandmother who was sitting on the lefside of me immediately pulled out a bag. This bag contained books and toys, and she quickly began doling out these things to the children. The mother watched out of the corner of her eye and smiled.

I know my grandmother, and I know that she had gathered these things together and brought them with her every week in case the mother returned.

The rest of us were sincerely touched and we all began pitching in. Picking up toys, occupying the children, chasing them around, even holding them on our laps.

Sure, they weren't angels. But it definitely helped.

Isn't that an awesome lady?

Green Tips: #1

Being "green" isn't always easy. After all, you may not want to drive a funny looking car, buy used clothes or take two-minute showers. But there are ways to be green without sacrificing much at all.

I am beginning a new series of blogs that will give you small tips on how to be green and fabulous at the same time :)

Tip #1: Ask your cashier at each store you visit to put as much stuff in one bag as possible.

Have you ever noticed how cashiers at Wal-Mart love to put only one or two things in every bag? Then, you end up having to load fifty bags into your car and then unload them when you get home. This green tip will make your life a bit easier and Mother Nature a lot happier.

I do this every time I go grocery shopping. I know that I'm not making a huge difference in the environment, but I figure if I go grocery shopping every 1.5 weeks I probably use about ten bags each time. So that's about 347 grocery bags each year instead of the 1,200 bags that statistics say each U.S. resident uses each year.

If you're still not convinced, here are a few facts from Envirosax about the impact that plastic bags have on the environment:

1) 380 billion plastic bags are used in the U.S. every year.

2) It takes an estimated 12 billion barrells of oil to make that many bags.

3) Even when they photo-degrade in landfills, the plastic from single-use bags never goes away, and toxic particles can enter the food chain when they are ingested by unsuspecting animals.

Don't forget that many stores now sell reusable bags for really cheap. I must admit that while I have bought two of these bags I always forget to bring them with me to the store. That's something I must work on ;)

And I don't know about other stores, but you can also recycle your used bags at Wal-Mart. There's a box by the shopping carts in the front. It's usually cluttered and blocked by the greeter and all his stuff, but it's there.
Side note: True story--My sister, B, went to our local grocery store and as she was checking out the following conversation took place:
Cashier: I put as much as I could in each bag because I know that's how you like it.
B stares at the girl with a very confused look on her face
Cashier seems puzzled: That is you isn't it?
B: I have four sisters so you might be getting me confused with one of them.
Cashier: Well, the girl looks exactly like you.
B: Come to think of it I know that's my sister Kaley. She's always trying to be "green" (fingers making the quotation marks as she rolls her eyes).

Peace!

Japan is Calling

Read here >>>> Tsunami Aid and Relief: How You Can Help

It’s early Friday morning. You crawl out of your warm comfortable bed and turn on the news. An 8.9 earthquake has struck off the coast of Japan. Oh, no! 8.9, 8.9 is that bad? The news anchor states, “This is one of the top five earthquakes to strike since 1900.” Oh gosh! That’s horrible! Those poor people! I wish there was something I could do. You go to the bathroom, turn on the shower and continue on with your day.

Stop. What if this was you…your country? What if your brother lived there, your cousin, your aunt, your friend? What would you do then?

After a devastating natural disaster, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out what you can do to led your support. But I'm here to tell you there are many MANY ways you can help from afar. Here’s a list to name just a few:

1)     International Medical Corp. focuses on healthcare after a natural disaster. To donate to the Corps you may visit their website or text “med” to 80888 to give $10.

2)     Children are sometimes the most overlooked after a natural disaster as they are trying to cope with all the changes. Save the Children is a nonprofit organization that focuses on getting children back into their normal routine. To donate to the Children’s Emergency Fund visit their website.

3)     Action Against Hunger is an organization that works year-round to provide food to people in need. They are working in Japan to provide those affected with food while they rummage through the rubble and try to get their lives back on track. If you would like to donate please visit their website and click the “Donate Now” button.

4)     Donate $10 to World Vision, an international humanitarian group, by texting “4japan” to 20222.

5)     Donate $10 to Red Cross by texting “redcross” to 90999.

6)     Donate $10 to Salvation Army by texting “japan” to 80888.

7)     Donate to AmeriCares, by visiting their website and clicking the “Donate Now” button.

8)     Are you unsure of which organization to donate to? Global Giving is a nonprofit organization that works for many causes and allows donors to select which cause they would like to donate to. They have established a Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund. You can donate to it by visiting their website and they will disburse money to various on-site organizations as needed.

9)     Don’t forget about the animals. The Humane Society of the United States has been working since the 1900s to set up shelters and rescue animals after natural disasters. To donate to their cause please visit their website.

10)  Are you looking for a missing person? Do you know of any survivors? You can use Google’s person finder to look for someone, or you can post updates about people who have survived the quake. This helpful tool will keep people worry-free as they search for their loved ones.

Are you still a little apprehensive to give your money away to so-called “charities?” Check out Charity Navigator to find statistics and evaluations on all nonprofit organizations. I recommend finding a charity that you would like to donate to, then check out their profile on Charity Navigator. If you feel good about it then just go with it.

In the meantime, here are some tips from Charity Navigator about donating:

1)     Avoid newly formed charities. Only give to charities that are well-established and are working directly with Japan.

2)     Don’t send supplies, send money. Although you would rather send something that you believe will be used for a good cause, it just isn’t practical. You have to trust that the charities are using your money in an admirable way.

3)     Think before you text. There will be lots of messages out there asking you to donate through simple texting, but you have to make sure the organization is legitimate first.

4)     Avoid giving into telemarketers. Most nonprofits will not call you, they will ask you to call them.

5)     Be careful of email solicitations. Again most nonprofits will not contact you, they ask you to contact them.

“If ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth.

Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—”

Moroni 7:46.

All pictures are from CNN's Live blog.

Just a Thought

I was talking to my Mom once about all the things I have been able to accomplish in my life. I feel extremely blessed to be mentally, physically and spiritually capable of setting goals and achieving those goals.

However, many of things that I have experienced I feel were due to pure luck, a small gift from God. I was explaining to her that I had a premonition of each of these gifts. I knew I would go to school in Hawaii, I knew I would marry the person I did, etc.

Her reply: Kaley, these are not gifts nor premonitions. You are a determined person. You saw something you wanted and you worked hard to get it.

Hmmmm...

My message to you:

Dream big and work hard.

Never settle for less because you can do it!

I Know, I Know

I haven't blogged in almost three weeks! How did I get to this point?

Well, let me tell you how. A few blogs ago I talked about how I needed to take on a second job. It happened...times two. I now have a second and third job.

First, I acquired an interview with a major local publishing company for a writing position. Here's the scenario: I walk into the interview and I'm a little intimidated to see not one, not two, not three but four people awaiting at the conference table. Nerves are setting in but I remind myself that it's not like I haven't done this before...try being interviewed by five supervisors during a power outage by candelight. Now that was intimidating and a little spooky. But I got the job, and I got this one too. They hired me on the spot and I'm now an official writer (not just one of those desperate bloggers ;).


This is Roco. He had a facelift when he was just a pup
because his wrinkles were blocking his sight. You can
kind of tell by his consistent surprised look.



Second, the place where I hold a full-time job requires many employees to go out of time for weeks, sometimes months, at a time. Applying my dog-sitting idea, I tossed out a line and people have been biting since. I recently kept Roco, a Shar Pei mix, for two weeks and made a whopping $120.00. That's $10/night folks...I don't mean to brag but I've got to have the cheapest prices in town! And I currently have a bid in to keep four bullmastiffs for a week. Let's see that's four dogs, an average of 450 lbs. all over my couches, 64 claws scratching my wood floors and 6,382,769 hairs all over everything. At $40/night, for seven days that comes out to be $280. Yeah, I'm going to have to mull this over.

So you see forget my hands being full, my life has been pretty full. Not to mention the peewee basketball team I'm coaching, my two callings at church, the photography class I'm taking, the political campaign I'm volunteering for and all the other little things life throws at me.

But believe me I'm not complaining. This is a very exciting time in my life right now. I have a very awesome and extremely supportive husband, a loving family, my good health and three great jobs. What more could a 25-year-old girl want?...Maybe just a little compassion from my followers?

Go Ahead and Mark That One Off

I finished my master's degree at approximately 2:55 p.m. on Friday, January 28, 2011. And yes, it feels good!

Over the past six and a half years, I have taken about 185 credit hours of classes. If the philosophy of my alma mater is correct then that means I have spent 185 hours of my time in class (because I almost never missed class) and 370 hours outside of class studying, writing a ridiculous amount of papers, working on the dreaded group projects, creating countless powerpoint presentations and reading almost incomprehensible articles and books. That's 555 hours of  hardwork, blood, sweat and tears (really, those papers will cut you).


I still remember when I loaded up my 1998 pearl white Mazda 626 and drove more than 250 miles to Starkville, Miss in August 2004. I was all by myself hitting the road at 4 a.m. I don't even know how I made it there (I had only been there once before), but I did. When I got on campus I didn't even know where my dorm was. I literally had to call the registrar's office and get them to direct me to Herbert Hall. I pulled up to my new home and walked inside. The lady, who seemed very exasperated, handed me a key and told me that I would be "lucky" enough to be one of only three people on the entire campus to not just have one roommate but two. Yippee! I can still see the joyous look on my roommate's face when she opened the door.


Knock, knock.
(She opens the door.)
Me: Hi, I'm you're roommate!
Her: (while rolling her eyes) Gosh, another one!
Me: (shrugging my shoulders) Uh yea, looks like it.
Her: So you need help with ya stuff or what?


Awww joy. That was just the first day of an extremely trying two months of my life. I had no idea how much college would cost. I went to the campus bookstore to buy my textbooks and I was shocked at the prices...and extremely dismayed because I did not have $400 to buy books. And I looked for a job EVERYWHERE! Finally, I took one at Sonic. Needless to say it only lasted one night. So I resorted to student loans (which reminds me I'm going to have to start paying those back here pretty soon).


I was just a kid all on my own. I didn't go up there with a bunch of friends. Heck, my Mom didn't even drop me off. I was courageous, independent and confident. I was ready to take on the world. In actuality, it was more like naïve and ignorant. But I learned a lot over those two years, and then I decided to make my next move.


Hawaii. Ah, the spirit of aloha! I've never been before so why not move over there and go to school? So that's what I did. I boarded a plane in August 2006, and I haven't been the same person since.


Boy, was I in for the shock of my life...a culture shock that is. Only 45% of the students who go to BYU-Hawaii are from the U.S. mainland, while the other 55% comes from mostly the Asian-Pacific Rim and other foreign countries. But this was not what shocked me. I was shocked by all the Mormons! Now don't get me wrong I was raised a Latter-day Saint, but coming from southern Mississippi I was never surrounded by this many Mormons before. Everyone was so pure and spiritually motivated. It was inspiring but depressing at the same time because I felt like I couldn't live up to the school's high standard.


Brigham Young University-Hawaii

We had to follow an honor code while attending. This honor code includes "abiding by the standards of Christian living taught by the Church, being honest in all behavior, respecting personal and property rights, obeying the law, avoiding drug abuse, complying with all university regulations, observing the church's Word of Wisdom (which includes abstaining from alcohol, tobacco, tea and coffee), abstaining from sexual relations outside of marriage, observing high standards of taste and decency, observing university standards of dress and grooming and helping others fulfill their responsibilities under this code." I know what you're thinking: so you sign a piece of paper, but these are college students no one is going to follow the rules. But trust me they did. And I did too :)



My Mom and Me at graduation



Hawaii changed my life. I graduated in December 2008, I left the island and I have missed it ever since.

I immediately accepted a job at city hall that paid well. I always told myself if I couldn't find anything after I graduated then I would go back to get my master's. Well, that time came when my contracted position was not renewed. I looked for another job for the next three months before I decided to apply for graduate school. I received my acceptance letter on a Thursday night in August 2009 and started school just four days later.


It wasn't as grueling as I thought it would be. It was a lot of work, stress and driving (an hour and a half each way) but it went by fast and now I'm done. I can't even believe it sometimes. I feel like I've been in school forever. It's actually kind of weird knowing that I don't have a paper due next week and I don't have any exams to study for. So I'll go ahead and mark that one off my list of things to do...


Get my bachelor's
Get married
Get my master's
Get pregnant...

A Little Culture for Your Thoughts

Read here>>>>10 Ways to Look Like a Local in Asia

Americans can be extremely ethnocentric. We tend to live in our own little free world and think democracy is the only way to go. Even the mere thought of being born and raised in another country can make some people squeamish.

This way of thinking is what hinders us from taking a more in-depth look at all the thousands of cultures that exist outside our little bubbles. In fact, this ignorance is what gets many Americans in trouble when they attempt to live their dream and travel the world.

Just to remind you...no one is purely American. Sure, we may have been born here but our ancestry is from elsewhere. Learn about it, embrace it, be multicultural.

In the meantime, here are some things you can take away from the article:

1) Men in Shanghai always carry their spouses purse.

2) Do it big and eat at least one raw thing in Japan.

3) Refer to all your elders as auntie or uncle in Singapore. (They do this in Hawaii too.)

4) Don't dare cough in public in Hong Kong unless you're wearing a surgical mask.

5) When travelling to South Korea, be sure to know your blood type.

Your Husband Might Be a Redneck If...

The deer meat is taking up all the room in my freezer, rifles are taking up precious shoe space in my closet and even our guest closet is plagued with camouflage. How did this happen?

In a previous blog I talked about how the hubby went hunting and killed a doe and how I believe that he is turning into a redneck. I must mention that this is the first time he has been hunting out of the 4.5 years we have been together. However, he claims that he used to go hunting all the time and it is just one of the many hobbies that he has always enjoyed.

This is the man I married.

Notice how neatly groomed and handsome he looks. How cute!

This is the man he turned into.

Whoever said men don't change is a liar. They do! And sometimes they morph into a redneck.

I've already forewarned him that he is not allowed to hang any type of carcass on my walls. He can show off his testosterone-driven hobbies in the shed where all the other dirty man things are located.

In the beginning, I thought if he wants to go hunting that's fine. I will spend some weekends alone and eat nothing but deer meat during the winter. But when he started wearing wife-beaters, shaving his head and cutting up the body of a dead deer in my white porcelain sink I had enough.

I want my husband back...oh, and my closet space :)