This blog is designed for me to share my opinions about current issues around the world and to introduce ways in which you can be involved in making a difference. This is meant to be an open-minded site which hopes to provoke interest and receive feedback on different topics. Make the world smile...everyone smiles in the same language
LIVESTRONG. The overwhelming visual support for the cancer fighting organization created by Lance Armstrong in 1997 has seemed to fade away as any trend or fad does in American Pop culture. When the organization was first started, the yellow wristbands spread like wildfire across our society, from ordinary individuals on the streets, to politicians, to rock stars and athletes who were seen wearing them. Over time, this has inevitably faded and it is now difficult to find people who continue to sport these arm bands with the same pride they did when they were deemed "fashionable." The organization was not trying to start a fashion trend, they were trying to create a mindset among individuals to push themselves to live their best lives now and fight hard against any devastating diseases that attempts to derail them. The foundation states that "At the Lance Armstrong Foundation, we unite people to fight cancer believing that unity is strength, knowledge is power and attitude is everything." So make your own fashion statement. Start wearing your wristbands and t-shirts again and wear them proud. The message still stands as it did when Lance Armstrong first spoke it to the world. LIVESTRONG each and every day.
The video above includes the song "Maybe Tonight, Maybe Tomorrow" by the band Wideawake. Go to iTunes to download the song and the the proceeds will go toward the LIVESTRONG foundation.
Today is my Grandmother's Birthday and she is turning 83 years old. I know most of you are probably wondering why I may be posting about this - so here it goes. From the first moment I can remember, my Grandma has continuously been an inspiration to me. She fights, she honors, she gives, she devotes, she cares, and she loves. She has worked, raised three children, gone to school, been a devoted wife andmother, and somehow still found time to always be passionate about things she believed in. She doesn't just fight for her...she fights for EVERYONE. If there is such a thing as angels living among us, my Grandma is one of them. I can't even begin to tell you how many times she has written or made phone calls to Senators and Governors over numerous issues that were of concern to her or others around her. One issue in particular was about the preservation of Native American land near her house. She went to the local Indian reservation to speak with the people often and devoted her time for their cause. She knew that they were human beings just like anyone else and deserved a chance. My Grandma has also written countless newspaper articles in order to spread the word, whether it is to honor fallen soldiers, or discuss a corrupt system which she thinks should be changed. She was once President of the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization and has been an active member for several years, helping support the veterans of our country and their families. So on this Birthday, my Grandmother deserves to be honored.
However, today, February 28, 2008, isn't any regular Birthday for her. This time she is faced with something she hasn't experienced since the first time she laid eyes on my Grandfather. She will celebrate her Birthday without the companionship of her dear Husband, and my Grandfather, George W. Brown. My Grandfather was a World War II veteran who was in the Battle of Normandy and Battle of the Bulge - just to name a few. He was even part of a special mission of four men during the War and was the only one to survive the mission. He was also wounded during the War, yet he still managed to help our country maintain its freedom and come home safe. My Grandfather was an unbreakable human being. He returned from the war at a young age and decided to become a Police Officer, which he did for the remainder of his life. He was a man of few words but he was a man of such great character. I think I learned even more about how wonderful of a man he was after his passing then he ever mentioned to me. He was humble but I do know one thing - he was proud of his job, proud of being a soldier, and he loved his country. My Grandmother and him were married following the War and they stood husband and wife for 62 years. Although my Grandfather did struggle with alcohol for several years, my Grandmother's ability to see through his wounded soul from the war kept her strong and by his side through it all. At 6'5", my Grandfather bore resemblance to the strength of an Ox. He was strong, tall, and nothing could stop him. Unfortunately, these unbreakable images I had of him growing up quickly crumbled as I watched him fade away over the past few months. The most painful part about this is knowing that if issues were handled differently in the hospital and in the nursing home, I am certain he would have lived to tell my Grandmother how wonderful of a woman she was on her Birthday today.
My Grandfather was a VETERAN of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. He served his country through times of need in one of the Great Wars and continued on serving by protecting its streets. What did he get in return when he needed help the most? He didn't get the health care he deserved and he paid for it through his suffering. The full detailed account of the horrific events that happened to my Grandfather (while in the hospital and nursing home), will be posted at a later time once they become available from my Grandmother. I can assure you of this though. Within a matter of a couple months, he went from being able to sit, eat full meals, joke, laugh, and talk in November, to merely lay in bed with his eyes full of hopelessness, as he struggled to swallow even a tablespoon of water I fed to him just last month.
I know that in the cycle of life, if the person is elderly it often seems to lessen the importance of issues like this because of the expectation that they are naturally going to pass away. This expectation of the elderly might prove true but it shouldn't make issues like this any less significant. He lived through pain for this country - physically and emotionally - and yet he still died in pain. If health care was more affordable, and if my Grandfather as a Veteran of the USA had received the care he was promised for being in the military, the course of events would have occurred differently, and maybe he wouldn't have had to suffer the way he did. For my Grandmother and Grandfather's sake, please pay attention to issues of health care and its vital importance to human beings. I am well aware that there are politics behind every matter, so do your research. Not only was my Grandfather suffering, but it made my Grandmother emotionally and physically drained as well, as she continued to fight for my Grandfather until his death. And if you have a loved one who is a veteran, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do your research and check for certainty of the health care service they should receive for being a soldier for our country. Because with my Grandfather, all that was promised wasn't given to him, and the little that was offered to him, was either unaffordable or unmanageable for my Grandmother.
One last note. It is extremely simple for each and every one of us to wake up in the morning and quickly jump into our day without much thought. We transition throughout the day in a routinely fashion and before we know it, we are resting in bed again recapping the day's events with our eyelids half open. Tomorrow morning, and the next morning, until it becomes a habit, wake up and before you do anything else, simply THINK. Think of the little steps you can take to tell someone you love them or think of the actions you can pursue to benefit someone going through a struggle. Call someone you love. Write a letter to a soldier. Thank a friend for their guidance.
I thank my fallen soldier, my Grandfather, for the wonderful love, strength, and courage he gave me and this country. I also thank my Grandmother for remaining strong throughout any obstacle she's ever faced and still being a person of such high respect and admiration. Happy Birthday Grandma - you are one person who can truly make the world smile.
The Issue. Stem Cell Research, just like abortion, is a very controversial subject in the political arena. This is an argument that is continually argued by many people but known by few. People are quick to reach a conclusive decision on stem cell research and take a stance on the issue without knowing the scientific significance beforehand. Before I continue I want you to know that I realize this blog post might offend someone and in a way I am thankful. Because if people agreed on everything, there would be no world in which we can learn from and offer new insight. So feel free to respond and give me any rebuttals to my opinions and/or comments.
The Science. In recent years, scientists have discovered that stem cells taken from human embryos have the ability to regenerate tissue and morph into different types of cells within the human body. This type of research can be used to create therapies that can repair traumatic injuries or reverse the symptoms of debilitating diseases including Parkinson's disease, Diabetes, Muscular dystrophy, and Alzheimer's. For more scientific background, please visit this website (http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/basics1.asp), because I am not a scientist and I do not want to relay improper scientific evidence to you.
The Stance of the Government. In 2001, President Bush was the first President who allowed federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research, but he limited his support to only the cell lines that already existed in order to not encourage destruction of embryos. The current process has much limitation as there is rigorous oversight involved and great skepticism due to the belief that this research is "killing a life to save a life." There has been legislation brought about in congress in attempts to expand funding for stem cell research, supported by members of congress that include the upcoming Presidential candidates, but both legislations that were brought up were twice vetoed by President Bush. This brings up another side to the argument. President Bush has vetoed these legislations on the belief that he thinks we should look for alternative methods in which we can obtain these stem cells -- from adult tissue. Now in my opinion, I think this is a reasonable argument because of the hope for the preservation of possible human life. But scientifically, through articles I have read, these adult stem cells are generally limited in the types of cells they can be differentiated into. As opposed to adult stem cells, the embryonic cells are considered 'pluripotent' and can become all cell types within the body. So the debate continues.
My argument. When looking at the current Iraq War or any war the U.S. has been involved in during the past, we notice that our country is readily willing to expend thousands of soldiers' lives to fight in wars for the common good. In the natural course of things, this proves to be understandable, as any powerful and established country should be willing to defend its own. However, these are soldiers who have established lives, families, friends, and naturally, a place within society. We use these fine young men and women at the expense of the rest of us in order for our country to have freedom. This scenario plays out as the sacrifice of a few thousand for the benefit of several million. And coming from a family who has had several generations of soldiers fighting in wars for this country, it is difficult to see what war does to them. Therefore, in comparing our methodology of war with stem cell research, our government should start re-thinking its approach toward this research and focusing more on the vital importance of the issue. I don’t want to undermine the beauty and irreplaceable value of human life by asking for the purposeful destruction of human embryos, but I am asking for the expansion of and re-allocation of funds on the use of the embryos that are inevitably doomed to be "medical waste" regardless. If we use our soldiers' lives to benefit the rest of us - real living individuals - then why can't we see that using these embryos isn't a crime and it will help us protect our living, just as the soldiers have been doing. When your son or daughter wakes up one morning in such agony from their chronic disease a few years down the road, I want you to think of the possibilities that you prohibited, and the opportunities you stripped from them. If only you did not take a stand against supporting the expansion of this scientific phenomenon, they could have had a decent life without enduring such varying degrees of pain.
The Future of Stem Cell Research. Luckily for scientific purposes, and the benefit of humanity, whoever wins the upcoming Presidential race will open up more opportunities for stem cells than the current President. The three leading candidates, Democratic Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, and Republican Senator John McCain, have all taken a stance in which they support the expansion of federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research (according to the CNN election center). This will extend research beyond the limits that President Bush has set, so we as human begins can start protecting our living and fighting for our freedom from disease and debilitation.
As I am sure you are well aware of the (RED) phenomenon that has spurred in recent years, I want to emphasize to you its undeniable importance. Product (Red) was created by Bono (U2) and Bobby Shriver in order to collect money for THE GLOBAL FUND, which donates money to women and children suffering from HIV/AIDS in Africa. Now, I know it is sometimes difficult for us to fathom the extent to which people are affected by these epidemics, because in our own country we are not exposed to it every day. But it is real and it is shocking. Luckily, I have my college roommate, Rachael, to thank for opening my eyes to this usually inconceivable problem and share with us how real it is first-hand. She will share parts of her journal that accounts for the school trip she took to South Africa this past May that focused on the HIV/AIDS problem. She described her trip to be "nothing less than alarming." And the worst part about this is, this is only South Africa. There is a much larger population to the North in Sub-Saharan Africa who are surrounded by sickness and death every day.
Journal for South Africa: Rachael Clark
May 10th, 2007
"We arrived to GrootsSchuurHospital after a little mix-up about how exactly to get there. We were supposed to meet with Dr. Roux, but he had to go out of town unexpectedly, so a new doctor, Sara Jane, talked to us instead about their organization. Their project is called Kidzpositive, and it was started in 2002. The aim is to support people living with HIV/AIDS, not just the patient, but also their family and community. It is also an income generation project to provide moms and children with 600-2000 rand a month and also provide them with transportation to and from the hospital. The HIV positive mothers are given the chance to go to high school and there are also counselors provided for them. Since 2004, Kidzpositive has had government support, which has helped tremendously. They provide clean water to the patients to bring home to their shack. They are sure to support and boost their self-esteem, along with educating the patients before they start the treatment. Sara said that she has seen young women come in feeling scared, alone, and betrayed after they found out they are HIV positive. In about a month, some become healthy and independent women. Hearing the excitement in Sara’s voice when she talked about the patients made me want to be a doctor in South Africa. It’s a place you can really make a difference. There are about 450 children enrolled in the program, and about 300 will stay longer than two years. They currently have two outreach clinics so that they can transfer patients home when they are stable, and the healthcare is within reach of them. She said that most patients are successful as far as following the treatment goes. The treatment that they take is ARV’s. The mom and child both take three different medications, but they don’t take the same ones necessarily. Sara also told us about when she was stationed at a very rural hospital in South Africa. She said it was a very traditional group of people, and she saw many, many sick women and children. The women in their community could not get married until they proved fertility, so they would sleep around to try and get pregnant. Of course, in this process they did not use condoms and acquired HIV. By the time the baby was born, it also had HIV from the mother. It was a sad, endless process. After Sara was done talking to us, she showed us around the ward. It was really sad. One section had tiny little babies that had gastroenteritis, and they were all on feeding tubes. One little boy was in a room all by himself who had recently been admitted. Sara told us that he has TB and HIV. I looked in his room, and he was sound asleep on the bed. She told us that he was 9 years old, but he looked about 4 or 5. His legs and arms were so tiny, and his head looked too big for his body. I felt completely helpless. How could anyone in the world deserve something like that? Then Sara showed us some kids who were HIV positive. I felt very uncomfortable here because their parents/grandparents were with them. I didn’t want them to feel like their children were just on display or something. I looked into one of the grandmother’s eyes who was sitting next to her sick grandchild. I could see pain and anguish. I could see the prayers and hope. I could see the questioning; why, why had this happened? Her daughter had probably died of AIDS and she is taking care of the baby. I once again felt helpless, for all I had to offer was a smile to let her know I was sorry. Sorry? Maybe not the right word choice, but I felt for her, and my heart went out to her. Here we were, ten American girls dressed nicely, walking through this hospital ward. What do we know? We have not been through anything compared to what these people have to go through every day."
In reference to kids at an orphanage they visited later that day..."I had so much fun playing with them—I think we all did! None of us wanted to leave them. Within an hour, I already felt so attached to them. I think I could have stayed there for a month at least and never have gotten bored. But they had to go in for dinner, and we had to leave. No! I didn’t realize how attached to them I had gotten until we actually had to go. Most of the group had already said their goodbyes and started walking away. Most of the kids had been called to their respective areas. Myself and two of the other girls couldn’t pull ourselves away from the kids. We waited until the last possible second to leave, and instead stayed and were giving them goodbye hugs and blowing kisses. That’s when I lost it. After a few more kisses were sent flying through the air, I turned and completely lost control of my emotions and started crying. I turned to see the other girls crying as well. I wanted to take the kids home with me! They truly touched my heart in so many ways. You wouldn’t even know by looking at most of them that they are infected with HIV. They are normal little kids that like to sing, dance, play, laugh, and just live. They deserve to live. This deadly disease should not be able to control their lives. So anyway, we eventually caught up with the group and said our goodbyes to the caregivers and workers. They were some of the nicest people I have ever met. Thank God we have people like them in this world."
May 15th, 2007
"Today we were at University of Pretoria all day, where they have a very extensive HIV/AIDS program. Their campus is also very beautiful. The HIV/AIDS program has been going on for about 7-8 years. Some of the key factors in helping the students at the university deal with HIV/AIDS are gender, sexuality, human rights, and stigma. The group of people that work in this program are very diverse and there are about 30 of them. They are representative of the races and cultures in South Africa, and many of them have social science background. They told us that about 12% of South Africa’s population is HIV positive. The University of Pretoria was an AfricanUniversity up until 1993, but it is now bilingual with the English language just as equal. Their HIV/AIDS program contains peer leading with peer leaders. They have figured out that is it a lot easier for a student to talk to someone their age, if they can relate more to them by having HIV themselves or knowing someone with HIV, etc. They offer counseling on campus, which has counselors who are mostly psychology majors at the university. They also have an education awareness team, community outreach team that goes to high schools and such, and another group that helps at children’s homes, and helps them with their homework and things like that. Another team is the research team, which deals more with data capturing and interviews. A major problem that the school is facing is that students are suffering from “AIDS fatigue.” They are just tired of hearing about it. They know what it is, but not all think that it can and will happen to them if they are not careful. Their program tries to make HIV testing seem very quick and easy (because it actually is!). The program works with various research organizations all over the world, and there is currently a study going on about babies of HIV positive mothers. One of the speakers’ name was Rakgadi, whom was part of the stigma project. There is a faith-based portion of the project, which works with a catholic church in the community, and there is also a work portion of the project, which helps people out in the workplace, providing clinics with a trained staff. One more area in which stigma shows up in is the media. They came up with indicators, and then came up with ways HIV positive people could interact with the media. Stigma happens everywhere, but these three areas are probably the top three. Another issue that they mentioned was that white people with HIV have problems because they don’t have as much support at home, and they don’t have as many people to turn to like in the black communities. It is a known fact that women exposed to abuse and trauma are more apt to get HIV, and there is a very high level of abuse among the communities. When the men find out their wife is HIV positive, they abuse her more and blame it on her, when in fact he is most likely the one who gave the virus to her in the first place. There are empowerment programs set up to help women talk about their rape experiences and get their lives back. A very disturbing fact that they told us was that there used to be gangsters who were paid by the state to create chaos in the black communities. They would gang rape women during the day while the men were at work. I could not believe that the state would actually pay someone to do something that awful. These people have seen some horrible things in their lifetime, and I give them many props for still moving forward."
May 16, 2007
"Today was a very eventful day! We walked back to the University of Pretoria in the morning to meet with them for a little while longer. We learned a lot more about their HIV/AIDS program. We learned about their HIV/AIDS human rights research unit, who works with the UN development program. Discrimination in the work place is an example of violation of human rights. Their job is to find gaps in the laws. Some of their advocacy tools are pocket size cards with lists (checklists), website, CD-ROM, etc. They told us that the will is there, but now always the awareness of how it relates to their lives and HIV/AIDS. Another project that they have is Parliamentarians for Women’s Health. This project is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. I think it is so great how much money they donate to good causes like this one. They really do spend millions, probably more, for organizations like this one. They said that there is a lack of awareness of the issues that women have to deal with such as rape in marriage and issues of that nature. There is polygamy in South Africa, so that also is another issue. Generally, there has been a positive response from the parliamentarians. They are trying not to force people to get tested, but rather inform them and encourage them, but at the same time must warn them of the consequences. The consequences are things such as becoming an outcast in the community, getting disowned by a family or significant other, losing friends, etc. if test comes back positive for HIV. Next, we learned about the ‘To Grow’ project from Jonathan Laphot. They bring together support groups and train them to become a group leader. The aim of the project is to give support to those people living with HIV. The group leaders are HIV positive, to give the others information and be a peer role model. The old president used to believe that HIV does not cause AIDS. A myth went around saying that if you take a shower after sex, you won’t get HIV. The media has a huge influence over people. These are just a few of the barriers that have to be dealt with in South Africa. There is now research going on for eventually suggesting to women to use microbicides, which is a gel that is inserted into the vagina after or before sex to prevent the contraction of HIV. This research is also funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation for the most part. Circumcision helps lower the risk of transmitting HIV, but it is not guaranteed. The Zulu tribes still do virginity testing once a month where the girls have to line up and an elder checks them to see if they are still virgins. Can you imagine? That has to be the most mortifying thing in the world. They told us that this leads them to do other risky behavior like anal sex, which spreads HIV a lot easier. Even though some may think otherwise, they told us that scare tactics don’t work with HIV prevention. They have learned throughout the years many other methods to get their point across, but scare tactics would be a definite failure. Parents are still scared to talk to their children about sex. We thanked everyone at the U of Pretoria and made our way to UNICEF downtown. It was a pretty nice building and the pictures of all the little kids on the walls were so cute. We learned a lot of interesting facts. A few crazy statistics are that there are about 6.29 million people infected with HIV/AIDS in S. Africa. The South African economy and democracy is booming, but child well-being indicators are deteriorating. There are many different departments within the company, some of them being education and adolescent development, health and nutrition, child protection, and advocacy and strategic leveraging. One of their key strategies is early diagnosis and testing of infants. As far as schooling goes, there are one million children out of school, and only 65% reach grade 5. The three main problems at schools are gender inequality, violence, and HIV/AIDS. More than 11 million children live in poverty. Even though all the statistics are very sad, I think this company is doing great things to help the children in this country. We were not at UNICEF for very long, but I would like to learn more about the company on my own at a later date. "
So now that you hopefully have a better picture of the reality and magnitude of this problem, next time you read, see, hear about Product (RED), I want you to think of my roommate's experiences in South Africa. I want you to think of yourself there with the children, holding these HIV/AIDS victims in your arms, knowing that in that moment you would be more apt to give your extra pocket change to this organization or any organization that attempts to relieve the HIV/AIDS epidemic. It is imperative - not seemingly for us because it is psychologically difficult for us to realize the depth of this problem since we are not there. But it is imperative to them - it is their one chance at life, and the only world they know is a constant struggle.
Check out the links on the right side of this blog for the(RED)Campaign and I challenge you to take action for the wellness of human beings.
Cuba's National Assembly has recently chosen Raul Castro as the new President of Cuba. The last name sounds familiar, and it should, as he is the brother of the famed ex-President Fidel Castro. This decision came shortly following the announced resignation of Fidel Castro, who is currently 81 years of age and in poor health, which is the contributing factor to his resignation. However, with the change in Presidency remaining within the same family, will we see much change in Cuba, if at all? The debate seems to be pondered by many. Raul Castro has actually been in the picture behind Fidel Castro for a long time, as the leader of the Cuban Army for about 50 years, and more recently, the First Vice-President. Although he seems to be somewhat different from his brother, we still wonder what he will bring to the island country. The answer seems hopeful and promising. He has reportedly told the press that there will be a transition toward socialism and a more democratic society (according to CNN). However, don't be fooled. He helped out his brother in power and aided him in the same uprising that brought about the Cuban revolution. So will he stand by his promises of a socialist and democratic structure within his country despite his past with his brother? Only time will tell.
The Every Monday Matters Virginia myspace page is currently up and running! Check it out under the Links of Interest on the right side of this blog. If you are interested in getting involved with EMM Virginia, please contact me at megan.smith.a@gmail.com for more information. I am looking for individuals in the state of Virginia who want to start organizations/clubs within their respective towns, schools, and universities. If you contact me at the above address I will be able to direct you in the creation of your organization and help you get this movement started! And if you are already part of an organization (i.e. fraternity, sorority, sports club, etc.) and you want to learn more about getting involved please contact me. Please send me pictures of you and/or your organizations "in action" while living by the book and making TODAY matter. I will post all pictures of you and your organization on the myspace page so we can spread the movement even further. This is still a fairly new project so if you have any suggestions or ideas please do contact me as well. I look forward to hearing from you all!
From left to right: Ryanne Mace, 19, of Carpentersville; Julianna Gehant, 32, of Mendota; Catalina Garcia, 20, of Cicero; Gayle Dubowski, 20, of Carol Stream and Dan Parmenter, 20, of Elmhurst.
Five people. Five different and aspiring individuals. Five young men and women who did nothing more than attend class at their university and were killed for it. What does America have to do to keep its classrooms safe? I have read numerous articles regarding the debate of whether or not it should be allowed for students to bring guns into the classroom for protection. I have a huge issue with this statement. Yes, in certain circumstances it may have been beneficial for the innocent to protect their own lives when they are being viciously attacked. However, I know I would not feel safe if I had a lecture of 300 students and any given individual may have a gun hidden in their backpack. The reason for this is simple - some people may be put over the edge on a bad day and use their weapon in "a spur of the moment" action, when they are normally viewed to be a stable individual no different than your A-student son or daughter. With the upcoming Presidential election, the issue on gun laws still plays a prominent role in our Government. Although this time the issue seems to be put on the backburner in comparison to the Iraq War, healthcare, or the economy, it is still a notable issue of great importance. This is why WE all must do our research and vote in the upcoming election for the candidate who will best represent US in keeping our education system a safe haven for students. As we all know, schools shootings have been a problem for quite a while and the media has enabled us to see these tragic events happen from Columbine, to Virginia Tech, and most recently, Northern Illinois University. Mothers and Fathers, Friends and Family, picture your loved ones in the same scenario of the NIU students above. They walked into their classroom on Valentine's Day for their Introduction to Oceanography class with the expectation of learning, and they never walked out. Now, with that in mind, would you continue to allow individuals to break through the loopholes of our system and obtain access to a handheld weapon to murder innocent human lives, or would you vote for stricter gun laws? More Importantly, my thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of the deceased in the NIU shooting victims, as well as for those who have been wounded and have to live with this struggle for the rest of their lives.
Into The Wild. Powerful, compelling, and simply fascinating. Sean Penn has crafted one of the most awe-inspiring films I have seen. It is a true story of a young man named Christopher McCandless, who sets out on a journey to find himself shortly after his graduation from Emory University. The movie takes you through Christopher's trials and tribulations as he embarks across country, eventually hoping to reach his ultimate destination: the wilderness of Alaska. This movie, inspired by the book written by Jon Krakauer, was a reading requirement for a course I had in high school. Unfortunately, at the age of seventeen, the moral of Chris's story had virtually no impact on me. Back then, I looked at Chris with skepticism, as I could not fathom anyone partaking on such a journey. As I have matured and grown into a young adult, today I can emphathize with Chris's anomaly in his search for solitude away from the complexes of society. My favorite part about Chris is his ability to breakaway from the societal norm and set sail into a sea of unknown, to appreciate the very foundation of human life that people often take for granted - LOVE. And by this I mean the love that encompasses every aspect of our very being...a true appreciation for the world in which we live and others who inhabit it. The reason I have decided to share this movie/book with you on the blog is because I feel that it brings an astonishing perspective to any young adult who is about to venture out into the world after high school or college. It is a self-revelating story that I guarantee will leave any reader or movie-goer with a feeling of wanting to re-prioritize their lives for the better. If you as an individual have a passion or a devotion to something, it's simple - go for it. Don't major in something for the prestige after college; don't enter into a company because of the name recognition; and don't take a job because you know it will give you a lot of disposable income to spend on material items. I am telling you this because that is what our elders always preach upon us at their old age...it is one of the "you-live-and-learn" factors in life. But it doesn't have to be. If people would just listen to those respected individuals who have gone through the peaks and troughs of life, and if people would simply follow their heart and not their pocket or name plate, they will be able to stray away from these beaten paths that society willingly hands to us at graduation day. And yes, for those who know me, I am majoring in finance which through my own trials and tribulations I have discovered it is not my dire passion. Yet for some it is their passion, and that is the beauty of it all. The beauty is that we are all such a diverse group of individuals in this world driven by various wonders in this life. This is why I am here today with this blog, because sometimes we don't listen to those who know best, we don't follow our hearts, and then we have to make changes. Sometimes those changes are tough because it is hard in today's world to sometimes escape that routine of everyday life once you are positioned into it. Luckily for me, I have realized this at the age of twenty-two, but no matter your age, as Christopher McCandless told the elder man in the movie, you can do whatever you want that lets you "live" again. Old or young, think of what makes you come alive and start going for it. Even if you have to take the tiniest steps at first...a little bit always goes a long way. As the famous quote by Harold Thurman goes...“Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
CBS News Poll. Jan. 30-Feb. 2, 2008. N=1,232 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3. "What do you think is the most important problem facing this country today?" Open-ended.
% Economy/Jobs 38 War in Iraq 21 Health care 6 Immigration 4 Terrorism (general) 3 Poverty/Homelessness 3 Other 20 Unsure 5
Based on this CBS news poll which is located on pollingreport.com, people surveyed said that the Economy was the most important problem that America faces today. With the current state of the economy nearing a likely recession, the Presidential hopefuls for November have been pressed on what they will do to stimulate and bring the economy back up if they were in office. Meanwhile, President Bush has passed a bill that will infuse cash to individuals as an incentive for using this money to spend and help the economy grow again. However, once the new President steps into office, the economy will still need a strong policy to maintain it or prevent it from collapsing even further. I would like to see what YOU think on the issue of the economy. Do you think it is the most important problem facing our country today? And if so, what stance do you take on the stimulation of our economy and what Presidential candidate's perspective do you agree with?
Every Monday Matters. After browsing through the impressive, yet small book collection on the shelves in Target, I passed by this book and immediately something about it inspired me to pick it up. I flipped through the pages, reading parts of it here and there, and then put it down. I told myself "No, I am not here to spend money on things I don't need...I came here for one item!" I walked away from the book area and fifteen minutes later, I found myself wandering back towards this book. I picked it up again and without giving it another thought, I threw it in my cart and added it to my "must read" list. When I got home I quickly jumped in my bed and curled up and started reading. Absolutely wonderful. This book is not a novel, it is merely a collection of passionate words designed to inspire an individual to make Mondays' matter, instead of dreading them as most people do. It includes 52 different ways, for each week in the year, to make Monday matter. And the best part about this is, the 52 ways include something as simple as to start exercising! Because collectively, if every one of us could practice these things, as effortless as some may seem, it WILL make a difference in the larger picture. What I love most about this book however, is the simplistic approach it has taken to capture the attention of the reader. In fact, I was moved by this book to the extent that after I read it that day, I went to the website and clicked on the "Contact Us" icon and let them know my thoughts on the book. I did this with the mindset that I knew they probably weren't going to be able to reply back but I wanted them to see the impact it has already had on at least one of its readers! Surprisingly enough, within a few days, I received an e-mail from one of the authors, Matthew, expressing his gratitude for my feedback. We exchanged a few e-mails regarding the book, and I let him know that I was very adamant about the ideas they expressed and I offered my help to enable the movement to grow. Matthew was even kind enough to give me a call and we talked for a while about why they wrote the book, and he shared with me other peoples' feedback he had received. I was utterly shocked that he took the time to even e-mail, nonetheless call me to discuss his new book. Because of the simple thoughts and ideas of two individuals, and the translation of their thoughts onto paper, a movement has begun. So if there is one thing you do this week, pick up the book Every Monday Matters, read it and live by it. Or at least visit their website (http://www.everymondaymatters.com) Also, look for updates on my blog about the myspace website I have started for the Every Monday Matters movement for the state of Virginia!
Why am I starting a blog such as this one? There are several reasons I could tell you, but for purposes of this blog I will give you the condensed version. Due to my experiences in life, the way I was raised, and the people I have come across along the way, I have come to the conclusion that people are generally good. People will help others, people will be happy, and people will be givers instead of takers...if given the chance and the proper knowledge. I believe that the smile of one person could light up the whole world because it is the most contagious thing on this earth, even more than the flu! Therefore, this blog was simply created to help individuals become more aware and hopefully more interested in current world issues because it starts with knowledge. If you have the knowledge, then you have the power to do anything good in this world...it starts with YOU! And for starters, all it takes is a simple smile!
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