today:

Mark Zuckerberg is Time’s 2010 Person of the Year

“He’s very affable, he’s in the moment, he’s quick-witted,” Time Managing Editor Richard Stengel said, but “he has this thing when he gets on camera” and becomes suddenly shy. [Full story]

today:

Former call girl now escorts ‘Hookers for Jesus’

A former high-end hooker who once made thousands of dollars a night servicing men now trolls the Vegas Strip telling young working girls that with Jesus’ help, they’d be a lot happier working for minimum wage… Full story: ‘Hookers for Jesus’ project

Last year I was blessed to hear her speak with The Whosoevers. What a beautiful story!

I am currently taking a class on media communication. Our last assignment for the semester is an 8-10 page research paper. I am doing mine on the regulation of marketing to children. As daunting as the actual writing of the paper is, I have enjoyed reading up on it. However, I have become more and more disgusted by the lack of care we as a society have for our children. We have become so focused on making money, we have lost our sense of what is best for our kids. I myself am guilty of putting money first. Sometimes it feels like it can solve so many problems. Yes, what a cliche topic this is, but it is still a topic that needs to be discussed because we obviously haven’t turned away from the idea that money is what truly brings us happiness. When we have this mentality, there are consequences. Kids are neglected and not given the proper time and tools to develop. Materialism and more is forced on them before they can even speak. I have come across many organizations and groups advocating and educating on this issue. Check out the Foundation for Media Education’s website. They are a great resource and the ones who planted the seed that sparked my interest on this subject.

Here is a link to information about the movie Consuming Kids, the movie that sparked my interest: http://www.mediaed.org/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=134

I am a camp counselor, and I often catch myself teaching a camper a lesson that I myself need to learn. There are many opportunities for campers to complain about something. One such opportunity is when they don’t get the flavor popsicle or color paper that they wanted. Immediately the phrase, “You get what you get, and you don’t throw a fit,” comes out of my mouth. It’s as if the words, “But I wanted…” trigger my brain, so I don’t even think about what I am telling them as if the words don’t have meaning to me. But, in fact, I am the one who really needs to hear these words. I don’t think I have gone one day in my life without wishing something in my life was different. I don’t fully appreciate the opportunities and gifts I have been given. Instead I complain about being tired when I have the chance to get more the 8 full hours of sleep a night. Instead I wonder what if I was born into a different family. Instead I wish I was as attractive, funny, and likable as “her.” I forget to recognize what I do have. So what if my popsicle isn’t grape. I get to have Strawberry! So what if my teeth look weird. I have healthy teeth! I need to remember my life and all that comes with it is what I have so why not make the best of it and recognized I am blessed to have it in the first place? I got what I got, and I love it a lot!

My mom and dad are about to finish their first year of empty nesting. I must admit, I am very proud of them for not killing each other over the past few months. But I am more proud for what they have done with their time. My mom has been dreaming about redoing so many things in our house that my parents bought almost 11 years ago. Slowly but surely she has made her way through most of the rooms. By the time I moved out last August, she had finished one of the biggest projects: redoing the kitchen and den. What used to be a dark, outdated, brown paneled, carpeted cave is now a bright, green and white, tiled paradise. Before the remodel, she hated being in the rooms but now they are a joy.

Up until these past few months, I believe  they were her favorites rooms in the house, but now I’m sure that has changed due to her latest project: The Studio. I think my mom has finally gotten her dream room, a place for her to sew, weave, craft, and be the artsy women she was born to be. I am beyond happy for her to finally have a place all to herself, clear of clutter (hopefully) and totally built and designed to her specifications. From knocking down a closet wall to building from scratch a work table and loom stand to finding some great bargains on chairs and accessories. With the loving help from my dad and some of my mom’s friends, this room is almost complete. The link below is for her blog that shows the process of creating this beautifully designed room that is perfect for her.

http://themiddleagedmomchronicles.blogspot.com/

I think the reason why I am so proud of her is because that she was finally able to following through on this dream so quickly. Maybe it was the lack of kids to take care of and the drive to keep busy in order to not miss us as much that drove her to get this done, but I really think it is more of her determination to be happy. My mom has been though some tough times and has sacrificed a lot and she really does deserve this.

One more note: props to my dad for being so supportive in this endeavor. From what I hear, he has really helped in making my mom’s dream come true.

So if you’re looking for a moral to this story, then I guess it’s don’t wait around for happiness. Embrace what you have, and make the best of it.

So I’ve been home from college for Easter break since Wednesday, and it has been wonderful. However, I have been realizing more and more that there is definitely no pause button in life. It is weird coming back to find things have changed without you knowing the moment they changed. People move, relationships are broken, new beginnings start all while you are away living YOUR new life in college.

Also, I’ve been thinking about this idea of home lately. Home means so much more to me than the house I used to live in before I left for college. Home is the parish I grew up in, the relationships that have made me who I am, the contents of the room I spent so much time in. I am currently sitting in that same room. I look around at all the stuff I have hanging on the walls, sitting in the closet, lying on my desk. I think to myself, “I should really clean this all up: pack stuff away, organize, get rid of the clutter.” But I can’t seem to do it. I can’t even take one picture down from my wall.

I look at all the pictures and objects, and they remind me of some great times. They remind me that those times are over. People have changed. Relationship forgotten. I begin to wonder if it all was fake. Or was it just a chapter that had to come to an end? Whatever it was, I don’t feel ready to take the memory off my wall. It might be because I feel like if I take it down, I am going to forget. I am going to wonder if it really happened. I’m just not ready to let go of that chapter in my life I guess. I think the ability to come back to my room exactly how I left it (accept for all the boxes my mom has in here for storage) gives me some stability. If I take something off the wall, I feel like I uprooting myself. I know that sounds silly, but it’s the truth. When will I be ready to accept this change? Where is the line between moving on and dwelling in the past?

One of the pictures on my wall. A memory I wish I could jump back into. It seems so forgotten. What happened? Was it meant to just be a memory?

Should we be scared? Excited? Appreciative?

Lord, thank you for Oscar Romero. He was a strong leader who advocated on behalf of the poor, persecuted, and voiceless. May our leaders in America and in the rest of the world take this same stand.

High: Feedback from professor about first project in class I thought I had no qualification being in… “I’d like to use your project as an example in future classes. Good job.”

Low: frustration while learning guitar

Praise God for both

I always thought first blog posts should be interesting and unique. It should explain what the blog is about and what I am trying to accomplish through the blog like I have to explain myself or something.

I’ve decided I’m not going to do this. Not because I am lazy (even though I am), but because I don’t want to set a standard or status quo. This is MY freakin’ blog, and I don’t have to put limitations or requirements on myself.

Maybe this is a contradiction to everything I said above, but I will say one thing about this blog more as a promise to myself than an explanation. It will be a honest and true representation of who I am.

Ok, that’s it. First post done. Thank goodness!