Day Eight - a photo that makes me angry/sad

THIS PHOTO MAKES ME SAD BECAUSE IT REPRESENTS MORE THAN JUST A BUM ON THE STREET.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

 THIRTY PERCENT OF THE HOMELESS POPULATION IS FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN?

NINE PERCENT IS MADE UP OF U.S. VETERANS

 WHO RISKED THEIR LIVES IN SERVICE FOR OUR COUNTRY?

ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT, TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND VETERANS ARE HOMELESS.

TWENTY-SIX PERCENT SUFFER FROM ADDICTION?

SIXTEEN PERCENT SUFFER FROM MENTAL ILLNESS?

THE AVERAGE TIME A FAMILY REMAINS HOMELESS IS

 EIGHT MONTHS?

COULD YOU IMAGINE NOT HAVING A BED TO SLEEP IN, A TUB TO BATHE IN, OR A TABLE TO EAT AT SINCE LAST AUGUST??

THREE MILLION PEOPLE EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS?

FIFTY-EIGHT PERCENT ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO FIND SHELTER.

BUT, THAT LEAVES FORTY-TWO PERCENT THAT GO UNSHELTERED.

ONE OUT OF FIFTY CHILDREN

IN THE UNITED STATES EXPERIENCE

HOMELESSNESS.

THAT IS ONE AND A HALF MILLION CHILDREN.

YOU CAN HELP IN HOMELESSNESS BY CAREING!!!!!!

C - Contribute (food, money)

A - Advocate                                  

R - Reach out (volunteer)        

E - Educate                                    

 visit the National Coalition for the Homeless by clicking here.

     

Other ramblings.... The week of April 18-24, 2010 is National Volunteer Week.  This signature event of the Points of Light Institute celebrates ordinary people doing extraordinary things to improve communities across the nation.  As many of you know, I volunteer many hours a week to the Tuscaloosa and University of Alabama communities by assisting The RISE School (click here to view).  I also volunteer advocacy, education, and awareness efforts to The National Down Syndrome Congress' campaign "We Are More Alike Than Different" (click here to view) and The Special Olympics and Best Buddies International "Spread The Word To End The Word" campaign (click here to view). 

On Thursday and Friday of next week I will be volunteering at The Gene Stallings Golf Tournament benefiting The Rise Program at Ol' Colony Golf Course in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. 

I encourage everyone to become a part of National Volunteer Week.  It really is a nation-wide effort to be at the center of social change by collectively making a positive impact in communities all over.  I know that sometimes it seems difficult to find room in our already busy days (trust me, my little "student planner" is filled to the max almost always) but when you see things as a collective force, even an hour or two of volunteer efforts makes a really BIG difference.  And look at it this way, you won't be the only one doing it.  It's a national effort... so don't miss out!

Oh! One more thing.... I ought to inform any of my classmate reader's about The University of Alabama's Green Week, ALSO next week April 19-24.  In celebration of "Earthday" which is April 22, the SGA and other student organizations are sponsoring the week-long celebration of National Volunteer Week and Green Week. 

On Monday, a showing of A Bug's Life will be on the quad.  On Tuesday, on Doster Hall's lawn there will be a fashion show featuring sustainable clothing.  On Wednesday (Sustainability Day), there will be displays and information sessions on recycling and other environmental initiatives around campus.  On Thursday (Earthday), there will be a tie-dye workshop at the Ferguson Plaza where you can bring a t-shirt to tie-dye or $3 to buy an already created tee of your liking.  And on Friday, bring your bicycle to Denny Chimes at 4PM to be a part of the mass ride that will aim to promote cyclist safety and awareness between cyclists and drivers in the community. 

Alright, that's all for now.... I hope everyone has a good week this week as you plan your festivities for National Volunteer Week and Green Week that begin a week from today! :)

PeAcE&LoVe&GrEeN

Bjj

Day Seven - a photo that makes you happy

Honestly, what's better than...

Girl's Night?

Glam cocktail dresses?

and

Running up our guy friend's tabs at the bar?

This is...

Having Girl's Night at Jennifer Burns' house.

In our glam cocktail dresses.

Then going to Medici's to spend our guy friends' $$ because they let us.

And then going to our "old stomping grounds"

(A.K.A. Oviedo High School)

And taking a ridiculous amount of pictures that none of us remember taking.

So that's why this photo ALWAYS makes me happy!

And the fact that I have wonderful friends like Susan, Jennifer,

Kristin, Kinsey, and Kim. 

 (as well as the ones who are not pictured but were there for the FUN!)

pEaCe&LoVe

Bjj

Day Six - whatever tickles my fancy

Since the 30 Day Blog Challenge is allowing me to write about whatever tickles my fancy, I reckon I will share some photos from the University of Alabama arboretum yesterday.  The weather in Tuscaloosa has been top-notch lately and I have definitely gotten my share of sun-bathing in when I'm not at the library or in class.  I always feel guilty when I get to enjoy the outdoors by the pool and on my walks to and from class while Millie has to stay in her crate in my tiny little cramped up bedroom.  So, yesterday she and I went to the university's arboretum which is only about 2.5 miles from campus.  It's actually really close to where I dwelled in my old 2-bedroom apartment with Jenna during our sophomore and junior year.  Too bad I didn't have the wrinkly headed smushy face back then or I would have taken advantage of the beautiful arboretum a lot more.  However, we sneak over there quite a bit now and it has become one of our most favorite places.

Not to mention that we totally got in trouble by the "park ranger" at Snow Hinton Park about a week ago for not being a leash.  We were rockin' the frisbee when the old geezer came up to me and told me to put her on a leash because some of his other old geezer "park rangers" (note the quote and unquote) woul give us a $400 ticket.  I love her and all, but I got that leash on her faster than I ever have.  You're cute and all Millie, but you yourself didn't even cost that much. Big Butch lets us get away with some things, but not some $400 nonsense ticket.

We got to the arboretum yesterday after we passed a bank's sign that informed us it was 87 degrees outside. And SUNNY! We filled up our Camelback with water, Benadryl, Neo-To-Go (neosporin travel size), bug spray, and bandaids. Whoever said I wasn't domesticated or had the motherly instinct in me was wrong. With this allergy-prone mess of a dog - you can't go anywhere without the first aid kit.  And we all know her mom isn't the most graceful or coordinated thing when it comes to uneven ground.  So let's not kid ourselves.

My favorite part about the arboretum is that there are grassy paved rolling hills throughout the entire thing.  The UA cross-country teams train on the grassy trails and they even hold the SEC championship meet out here every few years.  It's beautiful!  And of course, the little runner in me just couldn't wait to lace up my shoes and go for a jog.  I actually surprised myself though... I took Millie off of her leash, tucked it in the hiking pack on my back, and she ran alongside me for a good 2 miles or so.  I joked to my Dad that I ran at a solid "race pace."  If you've got any sort of XC swag then you know what "race pace" is.  Haha, I kid.  But seriously, though, I ran good. It felt amazing!

After that, we sat in the shade, rested, and drank out of the water bottle backpack (for real, whoever invented this - amen, brother) and I squirted us down with bug spray.  I'm not going to lie, it's inevitable that I bust ass at least once on a trail run... so I spritzed myself with the Neo-To-Go (also a cool concept, amen to that inventor brotherman, too). 

As we meandered around the trails taking pictures, picking dandelions, and chasing birds through the wide open area, I saw a group of people and their dogs gathering around the lake at the bottom of the hill.  Millie lead the way down the steep hill while I was saying "eaaaasy does it" and almost expecting to bust again.  We made it to the bottom of the hill safely and Millie acted like a complete scaredy cat around the other dogs.  There were two other boxers there (one really pretty one and one really janky looking one) and a bunch of labs and mutts.  They all shook my hand and asked what my dog's name was, how old is she, yadda yadda.. you know, the typical "dog people" talk.  If you know me, you know I don't catch on very quickly but I did catch on to the fact that this was a little dog group that met on Wednesdays.  I just sorta showed up and crashed the party I guess, but "dog people" are good people and good people are welcoming, so we were welcomed generously.  I sort of felt like all the big labs and mutts splashing through the lake water were the "in crowd" and my tiny, almost miniature looking, boxer was the new kid that everyone was looking at.  Seriously, I had deja vu of a scene from a high school movie or something.  Millie's a complete socialite with other people but the second she gets around a big group of dogs that are unfamiliar to her, she acts like a pansy.  I don't get it.. I just know I felt a bit awk since I 1.) crashed the dog group party 2.) had a 1 year old boxer half the size of the 8 month old janky boxer and 3.) had her hiding in between my legs and licking the bug spray off of my calves.  I just let it be awkward because every time I considered heading back up to the trail I saw how steep the hill was.  Let me be honest for a second, I know I told you I ran sooo good and it felt soooo great and whatnot, but that was the runner's high speaking.  I was hurting pretty bad by the time we went dog party crashing.  No wonder why you're supposed to stretch before and after a run.  I did neither... go figure.

Hopefully this Alabama weather will hold out for a glorious spring which means lots of exercise, sun, and being a scavenger with Millie. Just as long as I remember the infamous first aid kit! Oh, and about my motherly intinct... I do have one, sorta? I might not be the best diaper changer on the block (my classmates are humored by me when I teach the toddler class) but I do know how to pack a fine and dandy emergency kit! But just because she does her business in the woods doesn't mean my little girl comes without the disadvantages.  Say? The dead rat/road kill she drug into the living room like it was her most prized possession the other night.  But that's a story for another day! Plus, my blog challenge says to write about something that tickles my fancy and her little "hunting" kick she's on right now definitely doesn't tickle my fancy. 

Peace&LOVE

bjj

Day Five - fav quote

If you know me, you know I love my quotes. It is never a rare occassion that someone brings up my "facebook quotes" in a friendly conversation.  See, for as long as I can remember I have always had this sort of love for quotes.  Whether it is a cynical comment from my sister that humors all of us around her or a dramatically expressed quote from a movie or even the witty one-liners from television shows, I have always loved to keep quotes that move me or enlighten me in a journal.  But somewhere along the way in these five years since I have been a member of the ever-so-famous 'facebook' I have always quoted lyrics or movie characters or television personalities as my status.  It's always fun to see who enjoys that quote for the day and it truly is something that reflects the emotions or feelings that are inside me on each particular day.  I still journal my quotes as well and as I flip through them and scroll through my facebook statuses, I can't seem to pinpoint a single one that I like more than the others.  I know that takes the fun out of this 30 Day Blog Challenge that I am doing and Day 5 says I am to pick a favorite quote and write about it, but I honestly don't have one favorite.  Of course, many of my favorites come from the movie Forrest Gump and the t.v. show Sex and the City so therefore I have already mentioned some of them, but other favorites come from Janis Joplin and John Lennon and Gandhi and Bear Bryant and Steve Prefontaine. Since quotes are one of my favorite things in the world and there is NO WAY I can pick just one to write about, I am going to share several that either describe the kind of person I am or express the things I believe or inspire me to be better each day.  I hope you ENJOY!

"I always tell the girls, never take it seriously. If ya never take it seriously, ya never get hurt.  Ya never get hurt, ya always have fun. And if you ever get lonely, just go to the record store and visit your friends." -Penny Lane (Almost Famous)
"You have to do the best with what God gave you." -Ms. Gump (Forrest Gump)
"I gotta go on doin' it the way I see it. I got no choice but to take it like I see it. I'm here to have a party on this earth. I'm gettin' it now, today, because I don't even know where I'm gonna be twenty years from now. So, I'm just gonna keep on rockin', 'cause if I start saving up bits and pieces of me, man.. there ain't gonna be nothing left for Janis." -Janis Joplin
"You are the only person on this earth that can use your ability." -Zig Ziglar
"Just love. Make mistakes. Have wonderful times. But NEVER second guess who you are, where you have been, and most importantly - where it is you are going." -Carrie (SATC)
"You get what you settle for." -Thelma and Louise
"I'm not going to change the way I look or the way I feel to conform to anything. I've always been a freak. So I've been a freak all my life and I have to live with that, you know. I'm one of those people." -John Lennon
"Be the change you wish to see in the world." -Gandhi
"Don't compromise yourself - you're all you've got." -Janis Joplin
"THE PRICE OF VICTORY IS HIGH. BUT SO ARE THE REWARDS." -Paul W. Bryant
"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift." -Steve Prefontaine
"Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius. It is better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring." -Marilyn Monroe
"I KNOW GOD WILL NOT GIVE ME MORE THAN I CAN HANDLE. I JUST WISH HE DIDN'T TRUST ME SO MUCH." -Mother Teresa
"I'm tough, ambitious, and know exactly what I want. If that makes me a bitch, okay! -Madonna
"If God had intended us all to be the same, he'd a given us all braces on our legs!" -Ms. Gump (Forrest Gump)

HAHA! See, I told you I couldn't pick just ONE! That would be such a tease for me because I love my quotes! I have lots more and I'm sure you've seen me sneak them in my postings whenever possible and if you're my friend on facebook then you definitely can't miss the infamous "quote of the day" that I put up there.  But seriously, quotes are meant to inspire us so next time you hear something in a movie or on tv or in a speech or anything else, take note of it (you might have to "google it" later) and let is inspire you even more! It never hurts to pull out some of my journals and let some of the quotes do their work on me :)

"I'm one of those regular weird people." -Janis Joplin

Peace ("Give peace a chance." -John Lennon & Yoko Ono)
&
LOVE ("Love and be loved." -George Sand
Bjj

Day Four - fav book

An old man, a young man, and life's greatest lessons.
Even with my love for music and movies, it was not hard to decide what I would write about as my favorite song or favorite film.  The decision on what my ultimate favorite book is, isn't as simple.  However, there is one book that I seek refuge in and read over and over again.  Of course, the Bible is that book to me and before I write about the novel that is my favorite, everyone should know that God's word is by far the most comforting, promising, and truthful book that I ever will read.  No greater hope can come from a book other than the one God has left us in order to guide us and light the path for us.  Once in a while, though, one can come across a book that speaks to them and can be used as an inspiration or motivation for the curve balls we sometimes get thrown.  To me, this book is Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom.

I first read this book during my junior year of high school.  I laughed and cried while all the time being inspired.  I wrote for the school newspaper and was part of the small group of people on the paper's staff that read books in order to write book reviews.  I remember I wasn't assigned a book review and deadline for reading Tuesdays With Morrie but found myself completely engaged in convincing my newspaper advisor to allow me to write a quick, last-minute review for the upcoming edition of the paper.  I felt that the book was way too moving for me to not personally invite other readers to be fulfilled by the words in this particular book.  That was nearly seven years ago and I have read the book six other times since then.  It's a wonderful book for me to read once a year and I would be lying if I said I didn't plan to read it annually in the years to come. 

It was first written in 1997 and topped the New York Time's Bestsellers in 2000.  The book chronicles the lessons about life that Mitch learns from his professor, Morrie Schwartz, who is dying.  The pages hold times of uplift and mourning, just as life itself does.  But in regard to my personal testimony; living the past 11 years with a father who taught me the greatest lessons of all while battling, defeating, and never surrendering to the cancer that threatened his body, I must say that this book is an example of the true respect and admiration that we give to those that lived respectable lives and because of that, we are better people.  I feel like anyone can find a way to connect with Mitch and Morrie while reading this novel.  Trust me, it makes us thankful for the lessons, the people, the teachers, the quality time, and the legacy that our heroes leave us with.

I hope some of you take the time to read this book and see for yourself how incredibly inspiring each person's story is and maybe it will motivate us all to be more like Morrie after we learn the lessons he so wonderfully teaches.  

"Love is how you stay alive, even after you are gone." -Morrie
"Don't hang on too long, but don't let go too soon." -Morrie
"Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live." -Morrie

Peace&LOVE
Bjj

Day Three - favorite t.v. program

Even though my favorite television program is discontinued, I still cannot seem to find another show that comes close to comparing with Sex and the City. I know I have referred to Carrie Bradshaw and "the girls" in other posts, but I'll just fill you in on why I have such a LOVE for this program.  It revolutionized the way society viewed women.  It reflects a realistic way of life.  I mean, c'mon and let's be serious, not all women live the life of a Desperate Housewive's Wysteria Lane and not all of us have an even number of girlfriends and guyfriends that are always at the same coffee shop at exactly the same time.  We're writers, career women, and girls that pay more for a pair of shoes than we do our monthly rent.  But it's more than just the lives that they lead.  It's the truth about ex-boyfriends, and girlfriends, and trying to find our place in a city.  And the sex, well, the show isn't a soft-pornography in the least bit, the word sex in the title is the transcending of a GENDER and a generation that is far unlike women of the past. I learn something new every time I watch a re-run, or when I pop the movie version into the DVD player.  Trust me - it's fabulous! 

"Maybe some women aren't meant to be tamed. Maybe they're supposed to be free until they find someone just as wild to run with." -Carrie Bradshaw

"It's really hard to walk in a single woman's shoes. That's why - sometimes - you need REALLY special shoes!" -Carrie Bradshaw

"Maybe the past is like an anchor holding us back. Maybe, you have to let go of who you were to become who you will be." -Carrie Bradshaw

Peace&Love
bjj

Day Two - favorite movie

I've written an entire post about my love for this movie.  It teaches you things about life and love and destiny.  It's a film that grasps a creative way to portray American history.  My favorite movie, BY FAR, is Forrest Gump.

"I don't know if we each have a destiny or if we're floatin' around accidental - like on a breeze. But I think maybe it's both, both happening at the same time." -Forrest Gump

"What's normal anyways?" -Ms. Gump

Peace & Love,

bjj

Day One - favorite song

Janis Joplin's "Me and Bobby McGee"
Her former lover, Kris Kristofferson, wrote this song originally.  But it was her rendition that went to #1 on the charts.  The sad part is that Janis never got to see it.  She died while recording the album, "Pearl", that contained this song. 

What I love about it:  It is a song about two young lovers who travel together but break up so that they can discover the world on their own.  I think a lot of people think I only like this song because it is my favorite karaoke song to sing.  Or maybe because I embrace my raspy voice and love the fact that Janis did too.  Or they might just think that since I like Janis Joplin's music, I might as well like her best hit.  But, in all reality, I like this song because it almost tells the story of my life.  I have had those special people that I loved with a young heart that forced me to endure hurt and heartache in order to discover who I am on the inside.  I guess when it comes to women who want to make a difference in the world, who stand up for what they believe in, and who like to be as free as their spirit, me and Janis are a lot alike.  I've always interpreted this song as more of the lovers that were more of my best friend.  The guys I love outside of any bounding ties that relationships can bring; you know, the friends in life that love you when you need to be loved while helping you dig deeper to finding out who you really are, and then let you go to discover this crazy, beautiful life on your own.  Needless to say, I know exactly who my "Bobby McGee" is and I'll always love him for helping me find myself when I thought I'd lost it all.  We might not be as close as we once were, but when I think about all the fun times we shared, only good feelings come of it. And on that note, "freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose. Nothing, was all that Bobby left me. And feeling good was easy enough when he sang the blues. Feeling good was good enough for me, good enough for me and my Bobby McGee."

So here's to the ones that let me share the secrets of my soul, through all kinds of weather, while keeping me from the cold.

Peace&Love
-bjj

30 Days Worth!

I realize I have not been bringing my A game when it comes to blogging. Let's just say that I've been my usual "hot mess" of a self and get carried away with the other ventures in my life and even though I have those moments when I say, "I need to write about this!", I often t imes forget or just simply can't put my blogging practices before my studies.  I do have to say that blogging has released so much energy and given me an outlet to express thoughts and emotions and even more, my IDEAS! My family, close friends, and roommates probably would all agree that I have a new "project" every week about the things that I am most passionate about. That being true, I came across this idea on a blog that I follow.  She is doing a "30 Day Blog Challenge" and I figured this would be an interesting way to share my ideas and passions and give me a reason to blog about something even when I don't have anything interesting to share. I think it'll be a fun way to write and hopefully fun for you to read.  Feel free to  try it on your blog as well! :)

30 Days of Blogging:

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie
Day 03 — Your favorite television program
Day 04 — Your favorite book
Day 05 — Your favorite quote
Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy
Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy

Peace&Love
-bjj