Evolution

Ever since my first year of biology back in the 10th grade, the idea of evolution was nothing but a joke to me. Looking at a picture showing the development of man starting out from monkeys did nothing but make me shake my head and say "no". Aside from the fact that it has no correlation with the bible, the whole science of it to me just did not make any sense.

During my year at Tarleton, one of my biology professors would go on and on about how evolution was everything scientists ever needed to know about life.

Well recently, archaeologists have found a 4,000 year old tooth that resembles that of today's man, otherwise known as a Homo sapien. Some people would read that sentence and say "big deal" and shrug it off, but this ancient tooth rules out the whole theory of evolution.

Evolution only dates back about 2,000 years before humans were considered to be "monkeys".

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101227/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_ancient_teeth

The Continuous Development

It is now 10:24 pm and Okaloosa Island Beach is being closed off. It is now considered hazardous to your health due to the aroma of the oil. Tar balls are continuing to wash up onto the beach, just like I predicted that would be during high tide. If you look out onto the ocean, you can see the oil coagulating on the top. Hopefully, tomorrow morning I can get one last look at how the oil spill is developing.

(Marine animals are suffering in the picture below)

(The picture below is from nwfdailynews.com)

53% of Americans disagree with the way Obama is handling this and I do not doubt that that number will continue to rise if no actions are taken. Cleaning up the shore to make it look more appealing does not mean that it is not there, it doesn't make it just go away. It has gotten to the point where announcements are being made about calling 311 if you see any animals in danger. By tomorrow morning, I would not be surprised if the beach is covered.

The news team stopped by around 5:30 pm, which made sense as to why the beach was cleaned by the time my mom and I dropped by after dinner. Once again, this proves that Americans are being uninformed about what is really going on. The only thing that news video showed was dime sized tar balls with a clear ocean in the background. Does something seem wrong with the fact that they are so willing to clean the beach up before a news team comes by for a story but they are not willing to clean this up to save the living conditions of the fish, animals, fishermen, and homeowners?

About 2 hours before the beach was closed due to its condition. The link is attached, pictures are provided from 5 miles out.

Start praying.

http://nwfdailynews.emeraldcoastphotoswest.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=1025615&CategoryID=28208&ListSubAlbums=0

http://www.nwfdailynews.com/articles/okaloosa-30053-villani-island.html

Okaloosa Island Pier

One of the things you must do when visit the beach is visit the pier. All the different types of fish you see are just amazing. On our visit, we were able to see large sting rays eating fisher's bait, barracudas lurking in the water waiting for fish to be thrown back in, dolphins jumping in the sunset, and little sharks. Or should I say, things we thought were sharks, we were in for an awakening.

My family and I overheard a woman telling her children that there were sharks. So of course, we hurried over to where the woman was and looked over the edge. Sure enough, there were 'little sharks'. In my opinion, I would not have said they were little. Anything over 4 feet is considered a big fish to me. As time went by, we stayed there watching the 'sharks' and people came by to see what we were looking at.

One of the fisherman, who spends most of his days on the pier fishing, came over to ask what we were looking at.

I pointed down near the pillars and said that we were looking at the group of 5 or 6 little sharks. He looked over the edge and laughed. I looked at him a little confused at what he thought was funny. I looked at me and said "honey, those aren't little sharks, those are the little fish that STICK to the sharks". If you look closely to the pictures below, you can see them.

That thought scared me. I looked back over the edge at the 4 foot long strange fish and remembered the old days of watching Discovery Channel. I pictured the sharks with those so-called 'little fish' attached to the bellyside of the shark. They did not look quite that big when I saw it on television. I looked back over the edge, and come to my surprise, a huge shark was next to all those fish. I called the guy back over and he looked down. While pulling his hat back, he assured me that those were the sharks he was talking about, the Tiger Shark, which can grow up to 16 feet in length. That thought made me shiver and I decided to go to a different side of the pier. Come to my attention, they were not that easy to get away from. The further down the pier I went, the more I saw them. I was also informed by an air traffic control man that sharks swim closer to the shore than people think.

I found a group of fishermen and decided watching them would take my mind off of the sharks.

I wound up next to a young man and things seemed pretty calm. I was looking over the edge and found myself looking at long, slick fish. I asked the man next to me what they were and he told me that I was looking at a group of Barracudas and that they like to wait for people to unhook a fish and throw it back in.

Moments later, the guy that I originally came to watch was surronded by a crowd of people and reeling in with all his strength. About 15 minutes later, he finally reeled in a fish called the Cobia.

All in all, I must say that it was an interesting visit and you never know what you'll learn or the things you'll find on your visit.

Clean Up Clean Up Everybody Everywhere

So, in response to my earlier post, I must say that I am impressed. The beach was covered in tar balls when we walked back up to our condo around 2:30 and by the time we were dressed and ready for dinner on the local beach hotspot, the oil on the shore was cleaned up and people were back to swimming. If you looked out onto the ocean, you saw 3 or 4 boats sucking up the oil from the water, and some even pulled out the dolphins from earlier and cleaned them up.

We ate dinner at Floyd's Shrimp House right on the beach. The food was delicious! I had shrimp alfredo and you could tell that the shrimp was fresh. And of course, my family had to order a dish of their fresh sushi, which was also to die for. If you ever visit Okaloosa Island, stop by for a wonderful dinner.

My brother and father went back to the pier to fish while my mom and I walked along the beach. There were still quite a few tar balls but not near as much as there were earlier in the day. I have to admit, I am afraid to walk down to the beach after high tide tonight.

Luckily, the shores were clean enough to take family pictures, and since I love photography, I also went to the liberty of taking a few pictures of the beach. I am just happy that things cleared up for out last night. I went ahead and posted my favorite pictures. Hopefully, I will have some more photos in the morning.

From Vacation To Disaster

When my family and I first arrived here on Okaloosa Island, everything was more than we expected. We had a beautiful condominium, handfuls of tourist attractions, and a more than gorgeous beach with white sand, clear waters, and a beautiful sunset.

I am originally from Florida and the beach has always been one of my favorite places to visit, and because I lived here for almost 10 years of my life, I was hesitant to step foot in the water because the temperature of the water in June is usually a little chilly. I stepped one foot in and the water was warm. I was a little confused by this but didn't really think much of it. The second thing that really through me off was the color of the seaweed, it was lime green, almost the same color as if you visited a sushi restaurant and ordered seaweed salad. Also, the seaweed was not all connected, it was chopped up and scattered across the water.

By the second day, the water was still warm but the seaweed had all been washed up to the shore. Everything seemed to be going great. We all took a walk down to the pier and saw sharks, barracudas, and even had the experience of watching a man catch a fish called a Cobia. Which is supposedly very delicious.

The third day, which is today, my father and my brother visited the pier once again so that my brother could fish. Within 5 minutes, my mom received a call from my dad saying that the oil has washed up to the shore.

The first picture of the oil on the shore was taken today at 12:33 pm, the one below was taken at 1:47 pm. What is the beach going to look like by the end of the day when high tide kicks in?

There are 2 1/2 million gallons of oil spilling into the Gulf PER DAY, estimates are raising.

I walked down to the shore and was highly disturbed. Tar balls were covering the shore, oil was resting on top of the water, dead fish were washing up, and birds dove in for food and never came out. The lives of these animals are going to be lost because no one is doing anything to clean up this mess. Do I believe that they are trying all they can to cap it? Yes, possibly, but no actions are being taken to clean it up.

Dolphins were about 50 feet from shore struggling to swim, in a group of about 15. The coast guard informed me that sharks are usually found about 10 miles out, now they are being found about a mile. He also said that seaweed is being cooked by the temperature of the oil, which was why it was scattered instead of all connected.

When my mom and I returned to the condo, we turned on the local news to see what was being said about the oil on the beach. The weather man was standing in front of a picture of the beach where you could clearly see the oil on the shore, about 5 seconds later, he moved over so that could no longer see the snapshot of the oil. Also, the beach provides warning flags: Green means everything is ok, yellow is warning, red means bad water conditions, purple means dangerous fish, and double red means that the beach is closed. If the beach is closed, all of the people who rented a condo get their money back. There is oil all over our beach and there is still not a double red flag, why? Money.

Anyways, I want to save my rantings for later on tonight when things get worse.

Later on tonight, we will be going to dinner at Floyd's on the pier, so we'll see how thins go. The pictures at the very top were taken 2 days before the oil snapshots. It continues to get worse by every passing hour.

When are we going to put an end to this?

Love, Fudge, and Team Work

For starters, Happy Memorial Day everyone!

John and I, along with my family, had a cookout with the neighbors. After a couple of hours of 'healthy relationship competition' (as John called it) in a game of Kirby Air Ride, we decided it was time to head back over to the house, sit back, relax, and watch some television.

Most of the time, it is hard for us to agree on a show to watch, but when we see Cake Boss, we both approve. And just our luck, it was a marathon! After about an episode of watching them put together delicious, mouth watering looking cakes, I decided I was going through one of those cravings, girls, you know what I am talking about.

I got up from the couch and tried looking for the bag of salt and vinegar chips that were in the pantry the day before. Come to my attention, my dad had eaten them. Disappointing, but I moved on. I then looked at the tv to see the chef talking about fudge. And that little light bulb appeared over my head. FUDGE. And not just any fudge, my grandma's homemade, melt in your mouth, fudge. So of course, I had to call her because I had never made it without her next to me. I recieved the directions over the phone and she told me to call if I needed any assistance. It was exciting for me just because I had never done it by myself before, and because I got that time to talk to my grandma about something we both enjoy.


Now, it was time to create. I read the ingredients and 2 cups of sugar seemed a lot less when it wasn't in the pot. I then added the 4 tablespoons of cocoa as directed, and lastly, the cup of milk. I put the oven on high and watched it boil. John started smelling the chocolate and came over to see what all I had done. When he looked into the pot, he glanced at me and asked me if something was missing because it was watery, and not thick like fudge. I smiled realizing that was what I had said to my grandma the first time I watched her make it. I told him to be patient and never to doubt my grandma's fudge recipe. He then had the idea to make a peanut butter cream cheese topping to put over the fudge when it was done. He just winged it. He threw in butter, half and half, loads of peanut butter, and cream cheese. After the creamy chocolate boiled and started folding, I tested it in cold water and knew it was ready to beat. I added butter and vanilla and let John beat it while I stirred his peanut butter creation. I ran over to him to check the fudge, and by this time, my mom was also in the kitchen interested in the fudge. It was ready and I knew it. I could feel it. Of course, I had to call my grandmother for the 4th time to make sure. He quickly poured the fudge onto a plate and it hardened immediately, we almost didn't have time to spread it. Then, my mom grabbed the peanut butter mixture and added it as a finishing touch.


The three of us stepped back and realized how much work that actually took, but it was a success. After it cooled, we were in heaven! John's peanut butter topping was amazing and the fudge was perfect, creamy, and delicious.

What Is Christianity Becoming? The Museum of Idolatry

Have you ever come across a website where your first thought was something like "what in the world" or "is this serious"? Have you ever had your beliefs mocked and ridiculed?

As I was browsing the web, just trying to possibly find a topic, and I came across a website that literally made my jaw drop in disgust.

The 2nd youtube video on this website is a "man" called The Demoniac Preacher, 'preaching' to his audience while he mocks my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. There is also a advertisement of a Sunday service at this "church" and the introduction is, and I quote: "Jesus' death and resurrection are just not relevant anymore. So...rather than risk being irrelevant, Pastor Tom Skiles decided to preach about the movie Avatar on the highest holy day in the Christian Church". A church service on Avatar? On Easter Sunday?

Also, this 'church' promotes a play called Corpus Christi. The only reason I have ever heard of this disgusting and offensive play is because it was performed at Tarleton (another reason why the school now disgusts me). Anyways, ever heard of it? Well if you have not, read on for a quick summary.

The 'gay Jesus' play may be hitting the stage in North Texas after all.
Cathedral of Hope , the large Dallas church whose ministry is primarily directed toward gay and lesbian Christians, has announced that it will host a Los Angeles production of Corpus Christi, a play by Tony Award-winner Terrence McNally. The play is about a 20th-century Christ-like figure (called Joshua) who is gay. In one scene, Joshua kisses Judas at the senior prom at "Pontius Pilate High School." In another, he performs a wedding ceremony for two of his disciples, who are also gay.
Earlier this month, the play made headlines when a theater student at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, chose to direct a version as a class project. The student's play was to be staged on the Tarleton State campus. But that show was canceled at the last minute, after vociferous criticism from Stephenville clergy members and others.

Another name for this play is the "Gay Jesus Play".

First of all, I find it shocking that a so-called 'christian' church supports and promotes gay and lesbianism. Does it not specifically say in the bible that homosexuals will NOT enter the kingdom of heaven? Don't believe me. Get a bible and read it! Here are examples:

• If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.(Leviticus 20:13)


• Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)


• Romans 1:26-27 - For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

And what is even worse about this, is while introducing this play, the director said that although there may be some who disagree with this play, he would ask that you not judge. THEN has the audacity to use the bible and say "Judge not lest ye be judged"!

Needless to say, you should check the website out for yourself and speak up against those who mock your beliefs. This is unacceptable and I speak for myself when I say that I am tired of the mockery, I am tired of people thinking it is ok to say it is ok to be homosexual by trying to say Jesus was homosexual. Jesus was perfect, sinless, and died on the cross so that christians could go to heaven, so that they could be forgiven for their sins, and this is how 'christians' are repaying Him? Pathetic. I am at the point now where I do not even want to call myself a christian if this is what 'christianity' is coming too. I know my beliefs and I am sticking to them. I believe in God, the maker of heaven and earth, who sent His son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins. Why is there any need to label my beliefs if I stand strong on what they are? Should I give anyone the right to think that I believe Jesus was a homosexual or that I think His death and ressurection are irrelevent to Easter Sunday? Should I give anyone the right to believe that this church's preachings are acceptable? NO! If being a 'christian' means mocking my Lord and Savior, supporting homosexuality, and leading a life of hypocrisy, then I am not a christian.

Here is the website, check it out and get the word out. It is time we start standing up against this mockery and hypocrisy. Also, notice the categories on the side labeled "Christian Erotica" which is a link that takes you to a section of the site where you can purchase pornography, sex toys, prostitution in the church, how you can meet homosexual singles, a "Belly Dance for God" video, and it also talks about about a youth group sex series. The video of this series starts with a line that reads "12 reasons to do it before you're in 12th grade" and "Undress her with your eyes before you get caught". Whatever happened to lust and immorality being a sin? Have these people forgotten that Corinthians says that every other sin is committed outside the body, but immorality is a sin committed inside the body which is where Christ dwells? Or do they just not care? And this is supposed to be ok? This is supposed to be what God wants?! Or how about their line "Undress her with your eyes"? Is that not lust? What if I mentioned Matthew 5:29 where it says: "So if your eye--even your good eye--causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell."? Once again, maybe they just don't care.

http://www.alittleleaven.com/
http://cathedralofhope.com/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=305

That's the website. I know you'll be just as shocked as I was. And just incase, I added the website for the church in Dallas (the 2nd link).

What Is It I Want To Write About

Due to my university choice, my major on its way, and living life, I have been thinking over and over about what it is I want to do with my major. What is it that I want to write about. This question kept me up at night because there are so many different topics out there, but if I had to choose one, what would it be?

After going through all the "what ifs" I could think of, I narrowed my choices down to a few topics. During college, I may write about the adventures of college life or if that doesn't seem to go anywhere, I can write about my truest and deepest passion, dance. I have been dancing for 5 years now and I love every bit of it. Dancing is my own personal escape from the world around me, it is truely my dream and John recently reminded me by asking why on earth I haven't been dancing. When my response like "I don't know", I knew something had to change here. So I took myself back a minute and remembered what it felt like to walk into a dance studio, the smell of wood and the view of ballet bars and mirrors. With a good, worn out pair of jazz shoes, one pant leg pulled up so I can watch my form, and a smile on my face, I am ready as soon as my feet touch the floor. Once the music plays, I disappear from the world as I know it. Everything fades; thoughts, fears, stress, everything.

Choreographing is an activity I really enjoy. The past semester at Tarleton, I taught at a dance studio with a good friend of mine and it reminded me just how much I have been missing. It has also motivated me to get a grip and do what I love to do. I am going to take classes this coming semester, and who knows, maybe I'll tryout for the dance team next year. Maybe when I get on my way in my career, I can open my own dance studio and start a dancer's magazine. We'll see.

Lastly, my final topic is travel. I have not been to very many places, but I have always wanted to travel. My boyfriend and I have been dreaming of taking a trip to Ireland together. I also want to visit Italy, Spain, Russia, Australia, and South America! There is so much to see, and I only have one life to live. Hopefully when I get out of college, I am blessed with a job in the travel industry. I would love to write about the experiences I have and the people and places I discover. Who knows, maybe I can change the ideal vacation to something more than just renting a cottage in the same boring place every year. Maybe I can motivate my readers to visit the Alps, admire the paintings in Rome, appreciate the volcanoes in Hawaii, or have the drive to go scuba diving in the Caribbean.

So now that you know my ideas, what do you think?

Anyways, I am so excited to see where life takes me, and I am ready to get there with all the people who love and support me.

Johnson City Exotic Zoo

So advice on planning a unique and fun trip for your family is all right here in this post. Read it and weep.

Johnson City Texas is one of those towns that if you blink, you miss it. But it also has so much history because it was the home of President Lyndon B Johnson's Ranch. Back in March, John and I visited Johnson City for the first time, just something to do over spring break. We found a little shop famous for their jerky, a cafe called The Silver K that turned out to be quite delicious, we visited Lyndon B Johnson's Ranch house, but also on this journey of ours, we found the Johnson City Exotic Zoo. Of course, John is allergic to just about everything that breathes, so he did not really want to go on a bus for an hour that was infested with animal hair and saliva, can't say that I blame him. I only have 2 dogs and he gets itchy and sniffles, not to mention what would happen if he was surrounded by over 150 different species. Who knows, maybe someday I will get him to go.

After I came home raving about this place to my family, my mom decided it would be fun to take my grandparents there on their visit here. The idea struck her fancy and she made up her mind.
We took the back road, which turned out to be 1) a beautiful route and 2) way quicker than 35 to 290. Once we got there, I was surprised that the tour was only $11 a person and a huge bucket of feed was only $6.

We all got onto this bus looking thing connected to a tractor, and as soon as the gate opened, the animals came flooding to the bus. They just walked right up to you and started eating. My favorite was the buffalo. I had no idea how sweet those animals are, even though it is quite disturbing to feed them. They stick their heads up and stretch out this long blue tongue and wiggle it around at you until you drop food in their mouth.

The llamas were a little irritating and word for the wise, if they throw their ears back, RUN.
My dad was right in the middle of feeding one, and this hideous llama just spits right on my dad. First off, their "spit" isn't actually spit. It is mucous from their stomach, and let me tell you, IT STINKS. My dad was disgusted and even mentioned that it smelled so bad, he'd rather have been sprayed by a skunk. Of course, all of us were laughing because it didn't hit anyone else but him. Oh well, guess that is just his luck. It was still funny, and he won't live that down.

I was also highly amused by a 5 year old camel named Goober. He made the weirdest noises and loved to stick his entire head and neck right into the bus. The tour guide told us to hide our buckets of feed because Goober would snatch them right up.
Needless to say, my grandfather REALLY enjoyed it. But then again, so did everyone else. Personally, I can say it was a good experience for me being that I love animals, but it was also a great way for my family to spend some time together, with a dash of fun.

And lastly, I think my newest fear is of ostriches. This one in particular was about 13 feet tall. His head came over our tour bus. I had no idea how HUGE they were, not to mention they are vicious. I learned that you can tell when they are becoming aggressive by how red their legs turn. Let's just say, I kept my distance, no hesitation.

So if you are trying to plan a fun day trip with your kids or even your whole family, take a day or two out to Johnson City and visit the zoo. I promise you'll enjoy it. Well, if you don't get spit on by a llama.

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

So tonight, just to change things up a bit, John and I went to the Round Rock Express game. Being that I absolutely love watching baseball, I was pretty psyched about going.

We started out by walking around the stadium just because John had never actually been there, or at least, he doesn't remember ever going. They have a pool, several concession stands, a place called "The Fun Zone" were kids can be kept busy throughout the game by bungee jumping, rock climbing, or playing basketball.

There were also a few stands up around the area for an organization called United Way. Basically, John gathered information to see if they would sponser 4JP. He didn't really ask many questions involving his personal organization but he did ask plenty of questions on the organizations they currently sponsor. Turns out, they really do a lot in the community. They help with the maternity home, the dioscease of Austin, The Caring Place, and basically any organization involving health, finance, or education. It was actually interesting to hear the summaries from each different table and all about what they do in the community. Hopefully they will sponsor his project so he can really get going on the advertising. Who knows, maybe it will help with more muscians, fund raisers, and such.

Anyways, after our little journey around the field, we decided to sit down and enjoy the awesome deal on hotdogs. $1 for hotdogs at a baseball game, not too bad. We sat next to some of his buds from work and I felt special that he introduced me to them all. Close to the end of the 7th inning, we decided Dippin Dots sounded amazing. So, instead of being smart and checking to see if there was one close by, we walked all the way to the other side of the field to the table we saw earlier. They were a tad bit over priced, but worth every bite.

By about 10:30, the game was over and Express won by 3 points, the final score was:
Express: 9

Las Vegas 51s: 6

All in all, it was a good game and the night was fun with my baby with me.

4JP- A Christian Organization

I am sure by the title, you are wondering what 4JP means. The first time I saw that abbreviation, I had no idea what it meant either, so don't feel bad or out of the loop. My boyfriend John Vandivier has recently started a project called the "For Jesus Project". As he has explained, it is a christian organization looking to promote the making and listening of local christian music. How else could anyone possibly keep people motivated to listen to God's word? God DOES speak to you through other people, maybe I am that person.

Check out the facebook page at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/4-Jesus-Project/117374014940785#!/pages/4-Jesus-Project/117374014940785?v=info

The website for the project is:

http://www.4jesusproject.webs.com/ (Right now, it is still under construction but within a week or so, it should be up to date with a full description of the organization as well as the beliefs of the founder, news, and even a link to send a prayer request!)



Please support John and his inspiring organization. God Bless :)

Back In Action

So it has been a while since I have posted, but I am finally done with my freshman year of college and I am on my way to bigger and better things! First of all, I am transferring as far away from Tarleton as I possibly can. Long story short, it just was not for me. I am more and more eager to get my major in Mass Communications. The more I think about it, the more I feel ready.
I've been in my first week of summer, going onto my second. Moving out of the dorms was the biggest pain, especially being on the third floor with not one single elevator and TONS of boxes to carry down to my car, which by the way, had a $150 ticket attached the the windshield. I have been trying to get it repealed because you cannot just simply put up a handicap sign, and say I was parked in the wrong area. Yup, you read that right. The day I parked there, there was NO handicap sign, the next day, it magically appeared.

Anyways, by the time I got home, I was so ready for summer. I walked in the front door and my grandparents are both on the couch! I have not seen them in a year, so it was fun to spend some time with them again. We went to the Exotic Zoo in Johnson City and got to feed all different kinds of animals, not to mention, my dad getting spit on by a llama was also priceless, but I will save that trip for another entry.

Tomorrow night, I am going to a baseball game with the love of my life, John Vandivier! I will of course, have to tell you all about that, or maybe not. You will just have to wait and see!

From Tacky To Trendy

Most women in the morning will shower, apply make up, and do their hair before they even have the slightest clue what they want to wear to work, school, or just out. I have even been faced with mornings where I stand in front of my closet for at least 20 minutes trying to figure out what to wear because for women, sometimes looking at your clothing selection is depressing.

Truth is, most women do not know how to dress for their body, therefore some of their clothing selections make them feel heavy, frumpy, or just plain out of style. The problem is because women will look through a magazine expecting to find the perfect answers as to what they should buy, when in fact, the best thing to do is to take your best girlfriends and try on things you never thought you'd wear, because who knows, you may surprise yourself.

For example, have you ever watched the show on TLC called What Not To Wear? Most of those women have gotten to the point where all of the items in their closet make them feel so self conscious about their bodies that they purposely dress to hide themselves. That is because the clothes you see in magazines may look cute on the model, but that is because they were specifically picked out to look good on her so that you would want to wear it too. That's half the battle.

The other half is actually trying it on and deciding if the digits on the price tag are worth the material on your body.

I have recently started a new job at an accessory and clothing store. I have only worked there about 3 weeks and I have already learned things about my own body that I never would have realized on my own. Dressing up to look nice for work or even for your husband is simple! Reading that sentence you may or may not say "but not for me" or "but all the things I like are too expensive". Wrong and wrong again. Dressing for your body type is all about finding items that compliment your curves. You may say that is impossible too but maybe that's because you won't try on things you never thought you'd like. Being fashionable is all about keeping up with trends and trying new ideas. If it doesn't work, so what? It's one bad outfit and you can change it to look better the next time around.

Now, to discuss tacky to trendy. Most women wear suits to work. Maybe the occasional button up and slacks right? How can we play up a button up and slacks? High heels, belts, and jewelry. That's it. Never and I mean EVER wear crocks. No they are not comfortable and they are one of the ugliest shoes I have ever seen in my life. HUGE don't. Stay away from big clunky shoes as well. They are not attractive. Boots, flats, sandals, and heels are as good as it gets.

Shoe Do:

Shoe DON'T:

Use your shoes and your belt as an accent color to your clothing so that you don't look dull. Now, you can either pick an accent color to play up the belt along with the entire outfit, or you can pick a shoe that closely resembles the color of your slacks so that you have one elongated leg.

Putting it all together:

A white tailored button up- possibly roll the sleeves, not too much, but just enough so that they would be considered 3/4 sleeves.

Next, pick a larger sized belt and put it right above your belly button. This accentuates the smallest part of your torso and makes you look skinnier. Fun trick right?

Now, you can have any color belt but pick a color that won't get swallowed with the white button up, and also a color that will play up the black slacks. A black or chrome belt would really keep it classy but if you wanted to be a little more edgy and fun, I would pick an accent color such as pink, red, or blue.

Honestly, even the chrome belt below really would play up the black slacks, and with the jewelry coming next, you're bound to get compliments wherever you go. Especially with the blue shoes up top, wow!

Last, the jewelry is simple. Go with whatever color your belt is. But I would wear something delicate if you are wearing a big belt. Think of maybe a long silver chain, with a few pearls. And to top it off, black shoes so that your legs appear longer (because of your black slacks). Now you look taller AND thinner. See? Is that not simple? Every girl can do that. Now go have fun shopping!

Why Children Hate To Read: For Starters

Sadly, today I spent lots of time at the doctor's office and in the hospital. Don't worry, everything is fine. Knowing me and my impatient self, I decided none of the magazines were worth my time so I thought maybe I could get a kick out of reading a children's book called "Not Norman".

I opened the first page of the book and began reading. By the second page, in my mind I was thinking "wow, this kid is a brat". To summarize the book, I will just say that a kid for his birthday received a goldfish from his parents as a gift and he was not happy because he wanted a "real" pet, I recall the book even describing that he wanted a pet that he could play with, sleep with, run around with, etc. The pictures also imply that the kid is hurting the goldfish's feelings. Yes, I know it is a goldfish and in reality, if a kid didn't want a goldfish, it wouldn't cry, but I started wondering if in the long run, it makes kids believe that it is ok to hurt someone's feelings by either mocking them, bullying them, or not wanting to be their friend.

As I continue reading this book, I try to figure out where it is going. Was it trying to tell children that it is ok not to appreciate presents? He wanted to return his goldfish and trade it for something "cooler", he even tries to sell it to his classmates. I then ask myself, why am I reading this? Not only was the message terrible, but the book itself was boring and the character was conveyed as rude. Just so that I could generate a valid opinion, I continued to read the book and of course there was the happy ending where the kid finally accepted the goldfish and wanted to keep it.

Then it occurred to me, books like these were the very reason I hated reading in elementary school. Boring books with characters like the one in this book made me hate reading (and don't get me started on the reading passages that are given to you for standardized testing. If you really want a child to do well on a test, give them passages that will be somewhat interesting).

So then I started thinking back to when I actually developed the desire to read. I did not like reading until about 10th grade when I discovered Stephen King, then after my interest developed, I moved to other authors. Yes, Stephen King may be considered a freak to most people but admit it, the guy can write a novel and keep you interested. Now I am not saying Stephen King is what elementary students should be reading but I am saying that books should be written in order to encourage students to develop the desire to read. Make it interesting and fun, and I think that should apply to not only elementary school but middle school and high school as well. Point is, if kids are reading books like "Not Norman" and are even half as bored as I was, you're teaching them right off the bat that reading is boring.

Now for my point- STOP GIVING CHILDREN A BORING SELECTION OF BOOKS! Reading is a good thing!
If you have an interest in writing or even think that I made a point in this blog, have you ever considered writing children's books? The thought crossed my mind and I am heavily considering it. If you are too, get busy!

The Last Song: 2 Thumbs Up

Saturday April 3, my mom and I decided to have one of our 'girls day out' and went to see The Last Song. Personally, I like Miley Cyrus as an actor, not to mention the amount of talent that girl has that goes unnoticed and unappreciated. I started out liking Cyrus during her show Hannah Montana, yes I know. It is Disney Channel and childish right? Wrong. First, I would like to say that I like Disney channel because it has 'clean' humor. No sex, no drugs, nothing vulgar, morbid, or perverted. Just clean comedy. If you have any good movies that do not involve sex, drugs, perverted 'humor', or stupid comedy (like Napoleon Dynamite) feel free to tell me what they are. I'd love to know.

For example, just typing in 'Comedy Movies' in yahoo images search engine, I find things like "The Hangover" or "Sex Is Comedy". First of all, I did not think highly of The Hangover at all because one: I thought the 'comedy' in that movie was stupid. Secondly: the message behind the movie was pathetic. A man goes to Vegas with friends for a bachelor's party, gets so drunk he forgets everything, and almost leaves his wife stranded at the alter because his friends forget he is on top of the hotel building. The entire movie is about 4 immature and idiotic men trying to figure out what happened the night before. What good message comes from that? Anyways, I will save that for a different day.

When I went to see The Last Song, multiple things impressed me. Miley Cyrus showed more talent than I thought she had, plus the movie, in my opinion was very well made, not to mention, a beautiful story (and this time, I decided to read the book after the movie so I could keep separate opinions on the two). Cyrus not only showed good acting skills, but she also presented her talent on the piano. When discussing this movie with several different friends, I was shocked to hear most of them say they refused to see the movie because Miley Cyrus was the main character. Why?

I believe that society has defined 'comedy' as crude, perverted, sexual, or pointless so actors on Disney channel never get a chance when it comes to the big screen and I think that is because people believe that the actors on Disney are there because they can't really act when in reality, that statement is false. In my opinion, if Miley Cyrus had never signed a contract with Disney, I think more people would consider seeing her movies in theaters. Why do Disney productions make a difference? Because 'mature' teenagers and adults do not take her seriously because they think that she has no talent, so in the long run, Disney has done her no justice. Yes, she has made her way onto the big screen in Nick Sparks movie as well as her songs on the radio, but I believe that is more because of the talent she offers and because her father knows the business.

If your reason for not considering to see The Last Song is due to the fact that Miley Cyrus has "poor acting skills" or no talent, I would think again. You cannot base your opinion off of a Disney channel show that is specifically made for kids and family viewing. Walk into that theater with an open mind and pretend as if you have never heard of Miley Cyrus and I guarantee you would be impressed. So instead of saying "yea but it's Miley Cyrus" enjoy a night out to see a movie, you deserve it. Oh and bring a box of tissues. I even heard men sniffling in the theater.

Everlasting 'Food'

Have you ever purchased too much food at the grocery store and eventually it becomes moldy or stale after a week or so? Why? Because food is supposed to decompose naturally after a certain amount of time. For bread, it is a few weeks or so. Bananas, also a few weeks. But what would your reaction be if you left a piece of bread on the counter for over a year, and nothing happened? If it did not get stale, it did not mold, and no flies were attracted to it? Would you consider buying that brand of bread ever again? Probably not.

In the article Happy Meal Is Still Happy One Year On written by Bethany Sanders on March 24, 2010, consumers of today's fast food industries may or may not be shocked to read about her experiment.
Sanders partner Joann Bruso left a Happy Meal from McDonalds on her shelf for one full year, it maintained a similar appearance by the end of the year. Nothing molded, rotted, or decomposed.

http://www.diet-blog.com/archives/2010/03/24/happy_meal_is_still_happy_one_year_on.php

Now, this is not an attack towards McDonalds because almost all fast food resturants apply preservatives to their food so that it can sit for long periods of time throughout the day and still be edible to the consumer. Just a train of thought, if the McDonalds happy meal still appeared to be edible, don't you find it disturbing that a year old hamburger simply heated in the microwave could be what your child is eating?

Chaos In A Tiny Town

Have you ever been one of those people who have asked "what is wrong with the world today?"
I know I have asked myself that question numerous times during incidents such as 9/11, the terrorist attacks in London, and the health care bill passing recently (really stupid plan people, but that's for another day).
After reading this article, I thought of how each and every town, city, state, and country has their share of murderers, kidnappers, serial killers, burglars, etc. Even the biggest acts occur in the smallest towns. But in the end, it gets you nowhere. I don't understand what would lead anyone to hurt another person. What could possibly be a good enough reason?
This man's reason was because he was "angry with the mental health organization"

http://www.kens5.com/news/Mom-stabbed-in-the-back-at-Stephenville-park-87771417.html

Central Market Treasure Hunt

Wow, it has been a while since I have posted. But let me say, even though it seems that I have not been focusing on my blog, I have been.

Early this week, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to head down to Central Market in South Austin (off 290 West and Lamar). Of course, the man I went shopping with was in food heaven. Even though I am not too into cooking personally, I really enjoyed looking at all the different varieties of food, some items I have never even heard of such as Golden Raspberries. Nearly everything was organic, even the chocolate, not to mention, the prices were not bad at all, extremely affordable if you know what you want and don't go overboard. We got out with dinner, desert, and lots of different ingredients for about $30. We purchased aged Goat cheese soaked in wine, Goat cheese and Herb Ravioli, tons of items from the candy isle (homemade peanut butter cups, chocolate covered gummy bears, chocolate covered banana chips), sugar plums (more out of curiosity), heavy whipping cream (for our homemade pesto sauce), a few healthy choices beverage wise, and lastly, the reason for my article, Kombucha.

Personally, I had never heard of Kombucha. Kombucha is a pro biotic tea with over a billion organisms. While reading the label on the bottle, the ingredients seem a little intimidating. But because we traveled to Central Market specifically for healthy items, we decided that choosing a detoxifying beverage would be a rather smart decision. Kombucha contains significant amounts of B vitamins and has been proven to aid in fighting off specific health conditions, diseases, and even cancer.
Kombucha does not contain caffeine and the taste was interesting (to say the least).
Kombucha is known to:

• Stabilize Blood pressure
• Improve circulation and remove toxins
• Prevents canker sores and oral irritations
• Clears nail fungus
• Flattens and fades old liver spots
• Eliminates and reduces heat rash
• Removes rust
• Returns grey hairs to original color
• Improves conditions of people with liver problems
• Prevents and helps heal bladder infections
• Eases Carpel Tunnel Syndrome
• Insect repellent
• Smoothes out cellulite
• Removes toxins from the body
• Helps with Eczema
• Stops severe menstrual cramps
• Eliminates desire for alcohol
• Helps Arthritis
• Soothes sting and swelling from bee stings
• Improves eye site

Give it a try!!

http://www.answers.com/topic/kombucha
http://www.kombucha.org/

Just Something Small To Brighten Your Day

If you ever feel like someone is watching you, know that it is God and that He has plans for your every move. Psalms always helps me, maybe it will help you.

O LORD, you have searched me and You know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
You perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
You are familiar with all my ways.
Psalm 139:1-3

Need2know Common Sense

Today, while trying to concentrate on a crucial english paper, I overheard 2 girls talking about 'the plan'. Being the nosie and curious person that I always have been, I got distracted from my essay because I wanted to know exactly what this 'plan' was that they were talking about.
I then heard one of the girls talking about how she was going to get pregnant without getting introuble with her parents (she was informing girl #2 of the 'ingenious' plan).
"Well first, I'm going to pay one of my good friends to get me prego. I am going to tell my parents that I went to a Fraternity party and got drugged by some guy, then I am going to wait until 3 months into my pregnancy so that they can't press charges. But oh my gosh I'm so excited. I get to have a little baby and it's going to be so much fun".
Before she even got to finishing her 'plan', I was disgusted not only by her immature idea but also by her lack of common sense. She just oozed with stupidity.
I wanted to turn around and say:

• After you have this baby, your parents run DNA and find out who this baby belongs too and I am almost positive that this guy would rather throw you under the bus than go to jail for rape.
• Do you honestly think having a baby is all 'fun and games'? I highly doubt you factored in food, medical bills, staying up half the night because the baby is crying, raising the child without any help, and not to mention the amount of responsibility it takes to raise a child, which obviously, you lack maturity on a disgustingly pathetic level.
• Did you ever take into consideration that disappointment and anger your parents will have towards you when they find out you lied just so you could have fun with a baby? Did you ever consider the awful life you will be giving this child? What will you do when the 'fun' is done? What will you do when you're infant is sick and you have gone weeks without sleeping, or when you run out of money for food, dipers, medical bills, ect?

The lack of common sense in so called 'highly educated college students' is sickening.

As I stood up from my chair and grabbed my things, all I could think about was the life of this baby. I did not even know what to say to her. So I looked at her and simply said:

"If you honestly think lying about rape will get you out of the consequences you're going to bear, I can't believe you claim to have a brain."

Spiritual Wellness Benefits Health After All

There are many ways to keep your body healthy. Just because you eat healthy food and exercise, that does not necessarily mean you are 'healthy'. There are other factors that play a role in your all around physical being such as Social Wellness, Intellectual Wellness, Environmental Wellness, Occupational Wellness, Emotional Wellness, and lastly, Spiritual Wellness. Although all forms of fitness and wellness are important, spiritual wellness really stuck out for me. Why? Because Spiritual Wellness is the unifying power that brings together all dimensions of wellness.


Spiritually well people have claimed to have a sense of meaning and direction in life. Life is a joy to them, as it should be. But how can someone be spiritually well?
Studies show that people who attend church and regularly participate in religious organizations are proven to enjoy better health, have a lower incidence of chronic disease, handle stress more effectively, and live longer.

Next, prayer, otherwise known as a sincere and humble communication with God, has shown increase of Spiritual Wellness in numerous lifes.
Appoximately 200 studies have been conducted on prayer and the affect it has on spiritual wellness and health. As long as prayers are offered with love, empathy, sincerity, and compassion, postive health is an ongoing outcome. Some studies have even shown faster healing time and fewer complications in patients that didn't even know that they were being prayed for, compared with patients who were not prayed for.

• Hospitalized people who never attended church have an average stay of three times longer than people who attended regularly.
• Elderly people who never or rarely attended church had a stroke rate double that of people who attended regularly.
• In Israel, religious people had a 40% lower death rate from cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Also, scientific studies have shown that people who are more religious show less cases of depression than those who are not. And those who do become depressed, recover faster than those who are not religious.

Lastly, my previous entry about Lincoln. Who can argue that prayers really work? This child will always amaze me, but in addition to his strength, the strength and power in prayer blows me away.

Matthew 6:7 "When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again."

John 15:7 But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted!

Matthew 26:41 "Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak!"

Luke 18:1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

Most of this information, I have retrieved from my professor during our Health Lecture. I was very impressed that christianity was mentioned in our spiritual wellness chapter.

God listens, so speak up!

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=50874

http://www.prayerguide.org.uk/bible.htm

Miracles Still Happen

The creation of the universe including plants, animals, and humans (Gen 1-2), Daniel saved in the Lions den (Dan 6:16-23), the healing of two blind men (Matt 9:27-31), Water turned to Wine (John 2:1-11), Jesus walks on water (Mark 6:48), the list of miracles goes on and on. A question I have heard lately is "why did miracles happen back then but they don't happen now?"
As I pondered this question from many different people, I simply replied "because you're looking in the wrong places".


Lincoln Hammett has been battling Leukemia since he was 3 months old. Last year, on March 13, he was not eating and was extremely fussy. When the Hammetts took his temperature (expecting an ear infection or the common cold) they found blood in his stool. They first expected a blockage in his intestine due to the lump they felt on the left side of his stomach.
Next, the doctor took x-rays of his chest and did blood work. The doctor informed the Hammetts that the x-rays looked normal, but he was concerned with the blood work. Lincoln's white blood cell count had elevated to over 290,000 (normal never goes over 11,000). March 14, 2009 Lincoln was diagnosed with Infantile Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia-MLLR.

About 2 months ago, the doctors told the Hammetts that there was only one other option they could try to save Lincoln's life and that was to try a 24 hour infusion of Chemo for 5 days straight. They also told the Hammetts that if this did not work, Lincoln would only have a few weeks left. Luckily, the Chemo started working even though it was taking a lot of energy from Lincoln's body. Then, one of Lincoln's older sisters fell down the stairs while carrying him and he broke his femur. This was not an easy step for Lincoln.

Thankfully, on February 4, 2010, they found no cancer cells in the spinal fluid. This was great news. And on February 20, his cancer count had gone from 100% to 10%.

In the snap of a finger, February 24 came around and Lincoln was undergoing a very difficult time. He spiked a fever so the Hammetts first reaction was to rush him to the ER. His blood pressure was 62/9. Within hours, Lincoln was in Intensive Care and the doctors asked the Hammetts to leave the room because things could get ugly. Later that day, the doctors had told them that maybe it would be best to unplug everything and just hold him. Being the fighter that he is, his parents believed in him and continued to love and support him. Mr. Hammett was supposed to be promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force that same week but due to his priority to Lincoln, he announced that he would not be there for the ceremony. But because of Lincoln's progress, the ceremony was held at the hospital in Lincoln's honor.

Currently, Lincoln is out of ICU and back on the Oncology floor. His CO2 level is now back to normal and his heart rate has been steady.

Everytime I hear of Lincoln Hammett's progress and the strength and faith his family has in him, I believe he is a miracle. Lincoln is in serious pain but he keeps a smile and shows the world he is ready to play. He has more strength than any child I have ever known and I believe that is the works of God, the love and comfort of his parents, and the prayers of those who believe in him.
Prayers work. If you would like to know more about Lincoln, visit:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/lincoln/journal/1
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/dayton-news/an-air-force-fighter-at-age-1-579158.html?imw=Y


Please keep praying. Thank you!
God bless!

Spread of Christianity Through Actions, Not Words

With each blog posted, you learn a little bit more about me, my opinions, and my view of the world. So far, you know that I am in love with a wonderful, romantic guy (unbelievable right?), I enjoy writing songs/poems, I love movies almost as much as I love to read, I do not support PETA because of their immoral advertisements, and I am a fan of EasyHits4u. With this next blog, you will come to find that I am strong in my walk as a christian. I normally do not forward e-mails or even give forwards a second thought, but I decided this would be a good message for those of you who are Christians, but do not spread the word of God through actions. Think about it and enjoy.

His name is Bill. He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans, and no shoes. This was literally his wardrobe for his entire four years of college. He is brilliant. Kind of profound and very, very bright. He became a Christian while attending college. Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very conservative church. They want to develop a ministry to the students but are not sure how to go about it.
One day Bill decides to go there. He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair. The service has already started and so Bill starts down the aisle looking for a seat. The church is completely packed and he can't find a seat. By now, people are really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything.
Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit, and when he realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet. By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air is thick. About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back of the church, a deacon is slowly making his way toward Bill. Now the deacon is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, and a three-piece suit. A godly man, very elegant, very dignified, very courtly. He walks with a cane and, as he starts walking toward this boy, everyone is saying to themselves that you can't blame him for what he's going to do.
How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some college kid on the floor? It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy. The church is utterly silent except for the clicking of the man's cane. All eyes are focused on him.. You can't even hear anyone breathing. The minister can't even preach the sermon until the deacon does what he has to do. And now they see this elderly man drop his cane on the floor. With great difficulty, he lowers himself and sits down next to Bill and worships with him so he won't be alone. Everyone chokes up with emotion. When the minister gains control, he says, 'What I'm about to preach, you will never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget.''Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some people will ever read!'

Easy Hits? I'll say

One of my many questions as a new blogger is how on earth people generate traffic to their sites. I have been looking around here and there, learning more and more as I go along. One of the sites that has really impressed me is EasyHits4u.com

This website makes generating traffic to your site as easy as it gets. You sign up for a free account and you decide how many "credits" you want by going to your account settings and transferring credits to your page. I set my computer aside for one day, came back to look at Google Analytics, and with 13 hours, I have had 113 views to my site.

It also gives you the chance to look at other blogs, experienced and well, not experienced.
So if you're one of those new bloggers that has no idea how to get people going to your site, check it out.

Have fun!

PETA: When is going too far?

PETA, otherwise known as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, is the largest animal rights organization. When people hear of PETA, some will say "well I agree with a lot of their views but I think in some areas, they are going too far". I was one of those people. I do think that animal abuse, animal testing, clothing trade, and factory farms are pathetic and for that, I give PETA a thumbs up.

While performing my research, I was disgusted to find that "alligators killed for their skins are commonly beaten to death with hammers and axes, sometimes remaining conscious for up to two hours after they are skinned. Undercover investigations of fur farms in China-now the world's largest exporter of fur-revealed that animals, including rabbits, cats, and dogs, are often skinned while they are alive".

Next, I explored the PETA website and noticed the FAQ link. I was thrown back by PETA's response when asked the question "Where does the animal rights movement stand on abortion?"
The first line alone was enough for me: "There are people on both sides of the abortion issue in the animal rights movement, just as there are people on both sides of animal rights issues in the pro-life movement".
First off, ANIMALS ARE NOT HUMANS. How can you support the "ethical treatment of animals" but allow abortion? You disagree with killing animals because if they are "alive and have a heartbeat, they should have rights and should not be killed". Is a baby not alive? Does a baby not have a heartbeat?

Also, animals were put on this Earth (whether you like it or not) for the benefit of humans. They are here for food, clothing, and work. It is natural to eat meat. Is it natural to kill more than you need? No, and I see PETA's view on that. I do think that the amount of meat that is wasted in stores is disgusting, but I do not see a problem with eating meat if it is not wasted. Is it wrong for a lion to attack and eat a buffalo? Their prey are eaten alive, is that not abuse? Are you going to start a movement on animal abuse against other animals?
I will say that the way animals are slaughtered is not right, but killing them for food is not wrong.

Lastly, I was not only disappointed but I was disgusted to find that a PETA supporter becomes undressed to "take it all off" for animals. Appropriate? I do not think so. This is specifically an ANIMAL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION, where does any form of nudity or pornography tie into animal rights?
This "woman" uses lines such as "It's our privilege to arouse America in our own way"
"To turn Americans on to a more kind way of living"
"Take matters into your own hands"
Let's not forget she is touching herself throughout this speech.
If nudity and pornography have to be used in order for people to support your movement, then maybe animal cruelty issues are not as crucial as you are making them seem. Is animal abuse wrong? Yes.
What about the "Naked Campaigns World Wide Slideshow"?
Tell me where that relates to animal cruelty. How can PETA announce that America is being immoral for mistreating animals, yet they advertising by using naked men and women? Is that not immoral in today's society? Not to mention unprofessional.
I do not believe that this 'advertisement' was for promoting better treatment for animals in any way. This was a sick way to get the immediate attention of the male chauvinistic pigs in the audience. The audience stood and clapped only when an article of clothing was removed. PETA is advertising by saying "you can see a woman dance naked around on stage if you join our organization" when in fact, these so-called 'men' care nothing about the organization to begin with.

Nice job PETA. You have gone too far.

Movies vs Books- Who wins?

How many times have you read an amazing, well-written novel? How many times has that novel been turned into a movie and made a total disaster?

Personally, my opinion is that if a movie is made to tell a story from a bestseller, it should follow the story line verbatim. It seems that the very few movies that DO follow a novel's storyline turn out better in the long run for not only the readers, but for the viewers as well. For example, other than the additional narrator, the Notebook actually followed the novel pretty well. Angels and Demons by Dan Brown did leave out a few points (I believe this was do to time constraint) but overall, conveyed the meaning and gave the viewers adventure like the novel.
But in relation to Dear John, Time Travelor's Wife, My Sister's Keeper, and so on, Hollywood ruined the novel for all those who read it.

Why do producers do this? Apparently because "following a book loyally does not guarantee box office success".

In Dear John, Hollywood altered the ending so that they could give their viewers the sense that John and Savannah lived "happily ever after". In the movie, John and Savannah continue their loving relationship after the death of Savannah's husband, Tim. This novel was purposely written to be a tragedy. What is so tragic about a happy ending? Sparks wrote the first half of the novel as a love story so that the readers could connect with John and Savannah, so that in the end, the readers are able to relate to John's suffereing when he loses his love while away at war. Also, the movie did not touch on why John and his father had such an awful and distant relationship, so in return, you never understand the true meaning of the coin collection unless you read the novel.

In My Sister's Keeper, Hollywood turned a beautiful and heart breaking story into "an outrage" for the readers. For everyone who read Jody Picolt's novel, this movie was a HUGE disappointment. The ending is what captured the readers and Hollywood chose to tweak it in the worst way. Also, characters were left out as well as all of the struggles in the relationships. The movie focused mainly on Anna, Sara, and Katie while the book walks you through the entire family's suffering. Do you think that if Hollywood captured the true beauty behind this novel instead of changing the ending, that it would not have been a box office success?

Do you think movies in general would be better if Hollywood stuck to the author's story?


Hollywood's 'excuse' - http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/02/prweb205661.htm

The Art In Writing A Song

Most people envy those who can write a song that has a powerful meaning. Whether it is about love, anger, happiness, or sorrow, people turn to music to express themselves. It could be the artist expressing their emotions through lyrics, or the listener expressing themselves by relating. Regardless, music connects to the soul.

As a musician, I often hear a good song and ask myself how did they come up with these lyrics? But I have found that is the wrong question to ask. Instead, I should be asking what the meaning is behind the lyrics. Once you find their meaning and relate, you can find your own way to write a lyrical masterpiece. Anyone can become an artist. It does not take right-brained or left-brained, it takes emotion. The only difference between an artist and an every day average joe is that artists feel emotions on a whole new level. They are able to feel pain, joy, excitement, any emotion and express them through words. Revealing your thoughts without worrying what others will think will transform you into a true artist.

Now, to write a song, you need to sit back and think. Ask yourself what it is your feeling. If it helps, get a pen and some paper and write down all the emotions you are feeling and try and describe them. Do not think of any one else's opinion until after you have a rough draft (this is important because in order to have others relate to your lyrics, you have to relate to them first). This is what makes writing songs so frustrating. If you try to think of other people's feelings so that you can write a song that they can relate to, you are not really writing what relates to you. Yes, other people are your audience but in order for an audience to relate, YOU have to relate.
You can start out by confessing a mood. For example:
Happiness- The thought of you brings a smile to my face
Then think of what it means to smile- My spirit has been lifted and I feel free
Next, ask yourself how can you feel free simply because of happiness- I am free because I can laugh, I can smile, I can love, I can dance, I can sing, I can play and I can live (things you can do that make you feel free)
(You can go as far as you want but make sure each thought relates to the previous one).
Then, move to your verse, for example:

I think of you and happiness surrounds
My spirit is lifted, my feet can't touch the ground
I can laugh, I can dance, I can love, I can sing
With your embrace I can do most anything

See? Simple. Some people prefer to rhyme but it all depends on the rhythm. It is not written anywhere in a secret handbook that your lyrics have to be like the example above. It is actually simple to rhyme but using words that are compatible makes your lyrics that much better.

Once you have written a song, do not be ashamed to show your close friends. In fact, their critique will help you become a better writer. Think about writing an essay. Is your final draft exactly the same as your rough draft? Or do you edit it and ask for people to read it in hopes that their opinion will perfect it? Point is, you cannot be afraid to show people your work. The whole challenge in being an artist is being able to tell others exactly how you feel.

Lastly, you do not have to be a master at guitar or piano to be an artist. Writing a song, or even a poem in ways that others feel your heart and soul is what makes you memorable, that's what relates you to other people. Most importantly, have fun and do not let anyone discourage you. Think of all of the things, people, and places that inspire you and use them as your muse. Just because one person does not relate to your song does not mean no one will.

Remember- Music washes from the soul the dust of everyday life
Have fun and start writing!

Romance of Valentine's

Waking up with a smile on your face and a warm sensation in your heart isn't always familiar, but when that very feeling is familiar, it's love.

My Valentine's Day experiences have always been disasterous. I eventually started to become like Jessica Biel's character in the new movie Valentine's Day. I was that one that wanted to throw the "I Hate Valentine's Day" parties. One year, I thought a nice gift to a former boyfriend would be to take him out to dinner. Of course, I told him "get whatever you want sweetheart! This day is for you!" He took that a little too literal and my bill ended up being $126.78 so two people. My end of the bill was $16.99 for the shrimp dish and $2.99 for my tea. Next he took me to see Friday the 13th. If you have not seen the most recent Friday the 13th, I would advise you not too. Highly unenjoyable, especially on a 'romantic' evening such as this. Another year, I planned out this amazing day. I had purchased tickets to a theme park and made dinner reservations and everything. It was 10 minutes past 7pm and I was wondering where he was. Then 30 minutes, then 2 hours. Then he finally called to say he got caught up playing golf with his buddies and that he could not make it tonight. That was the last straw. No more believing in romance for me.
Then, the current man I am with told me he had plans for me on Valentine's Day. Immediately, this got my attention because for once in my life, a man planned Valentine's Day and not me? I started asking questions but he just would not budge.
Before I know it, it's Saturday morning and of course, Valentine's Day. I wake up with a smile on my face and a warm sensation in my heart. A feeling I have now gotten used to but today was different. Today, I was excited.
It was now 4pm and I was anxious to get ready. He told me to wear something really nice because we would be going to the most elegant resturant he could find. I took a shower, did my hair and make-up and chose 2 outfits to dance around looking in the mirror with. The first outfit was cute but not fancy, the second outfit, disaster. I had a breakdown. with 30 minutes left before his arrival, I had NOTHING to wear. My best friend ran over, made me get in the car, and took me straight to the mall, thank God it's close. I found the perfect dress and got back home with 2 minutes left. As the door knocked, I was zipping up my dress and my friend ran to answer it. As I walked out into the living room, his jaw dropped and he gave me that look that said "wow".
"Are you ready to go?"
Of course I was. We walked outside and he opened the car door for me, watched me get in, and closed it. The reached for my hand as he always does when he is driving.
I noticed we were going to his house so curiously, I asked why.
"I just need to get something. Will you come in with me? I may be a while."
I did not think anything of it until he told me to close my eyes when we got to the front door. I closed them and he led me into the house and told me to keep my eyes shut. I heard noises and clicking and finally, he was behind me.
His whispered "You can open" into my ear.
When I opened my eyes, he was holding a rose out infront of me and the whole house was only lit by candles. I was shocked. He kissed my forehead and took my hand to lead me to the kitchen. There it was. The romance of a lifetime.
The kitchen table was decorated with a beautiful white, silk table cloth. The table itself was covered in rose petals, and there was a bottle of sparkling cider because I am not too much a fan of wine. I looked over at him speechless as he held my chair out for me.
"I am going to make you dinner"
I immediately felt my cheeks turn red. As he prepared dinner, I sat looking at him in amazement.
After a wonderful dinner, he walked over to the stereo, messed with the volume, and came to take my hand.
"Want to dance?"
I felt as if I was in a movie or a dream of some kind.

That smile on my face and warm sensation in my heart was not only familiar, but permanent.