Friday, April 8, 2011
Birth Control & Families
WOW.
So for some reason the ideas about having a baby have become something entirely different than the realities of having one.
For the record, women, having a baby does not make the following impossible or even improbable:
a)buying a house
b)finding a husband (besides, having a long term relationship with someone you wouldn't want to father your children isn't usually the best idea in the first place)
c)going on vacation
d)earning a degree
In fact, in my experience, having children has led me to many more opportunities and friendships than I would have had otherwise.
Being a mother is unlike any other calling, job, education, learning experience, or joy you will ever feel. It is hard. It is time-consuming. It is so worth it! I feel like the pennies I pay are nothing compared to the millions I receive in return.
At first this commercial didn't even strike me as awful. I just kinda thought, what a lame Ad. The more I thought about it, the more i realized: this commercial is very disturbing.
I am definitely not against birth control. I believe that planning a family is very important, and will benefit everyone involved. I also believe if you are not of age or with someone you don't wish to spend your life with, birth control is a very appealing option. I can attest that the pill is only 99% effective even if it is taken as directed. I have 2 children to prove that 1%.
However, this commercial and others like it tend to lean towards selfishness and avoiding things like... consequences and responsibility. I am very aware that attitudes like the ones presented in this ad affect teens and young adults. I only wish they knew this was false advertising. Birth control will not always stop you from having a baby. It will not make you happy and successful. It will not make your relationships more stable or more fun. If you choose not to have kids because you are afraid you will miss out on life, you are sorely mistaken in this idea!
The Federal Budget
"A budget tells us what we can't afford, but it doesn't keep us from buying it."
— William Feather
A little bugged by government spending?
Yep. A lot of people are.
What is the congress approval rate?
http://www.gallup.com/poll/145238/congress-job-approval-rating-worst-gallup-history.aspx
http://www.gallup.com/poll/146567/congressional-approval-back-below.aspx
http://www.gallup.com/poll/146948/Americans-Give-Equally-Low-Ratings-Parties-Congress.aspx
Ok so... we have a $3.5 trillion federal budget
We have $14.2 trillion in national debt
How can the U.S. afford to cut only a few billion from the budget?
hmmm... this is kind of how I see it.
Let's say I make $2000 a month.
Yet I set my budget @ $3000.
That doesn't follow right?
I obviously have to use the old credit card...
When my debt gets to be too high i decide to cut back.
Let's cut a few dollars off this year, honey...
By a few I mean like $2. the end.
*Check out these websites to find more about the federal budget, deficit, budget cuts, and what is going on in Washington.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/budget-2010/
http://www.federalbudget.com/ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42467884/ns/politics-capitol_hill/?GT1=43001 http://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/histdebt/histdebt_histo5.htm
— William Feather
A little bugged by government spending?
Yep. A lot of people are.
What is the congress approval rate?
http://www.gallup.com/poll/145238/congress-job-approval-rating-worst-gallup-history.aspx
http://www.gallup.com/poll/146567/congressional-approval-back-below.aspx
http://www.gallup.com/poll/146948/Americans-Give-Equally-Low-Ratings-Parties-Congress.aspx
Ok so... we have a $3.5 trillion federal budget
We have $14.2 trillion in national debt
How can the U.S. afford to cut only a few billion from the budget?
hmmm... this is kind of how I see it.
Let's say I make $2000 a month.
Yet I set my budget @ $3000.
That doesn't follow right?
I obviously have to use the old credit card...
When my debt gets to be too high i decide to cut back.
Let's cut a few dollars off this year, honey...
By a few I mean like $2. the end.
*Check out these websites to find more about the federal budget, deficit, budget cuts, and what is going on in Washington.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/budget-2010/
http://www.federalbudget.com/ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42467884/ns/politics-capitol_hill/?GT1=43001 http://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/histdebt/histdebt_histo5.htm
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
My first post - Abortion
This has been on my mind a lot lately. I fully support changes to make getting an abortion a more thoughtful process. Seriously, people... you can't just go to the doctor and say I want my lips and face done, and BAM there ya go! So why should anyone be able to do that with an abortion?
Do you ever feel misjudged, misunderstood, or out of place? Unlike popstar Katy Perry, I don't feel "like a plastic bag drifting in the wind" (terrible lyrics!). I feel very grounded and at the same time as if I am aflight with the birds frantically searching for twigs to build my nest, to keep it safe. I feel the world is in such chaos, yet it is still so wonderful and lovely and I cannot wish to leave it. But some days my sorrows bring me to realize I will gladly leave when taken. I know where I am going.
Sometimes I feel as if I am being pulled by two ropes. One tied to the side of my heart, the other to my brain. Abortion. Legal? Illegal? Right? Sometimes Right, sometimes wrong? Or just plain wrong? and by whose standards are these judgements to be made? Sigh. I cannot even begin to bring all the articles, arguments, and feelings of this topic to this one simple post. I do, however have some opinions of my own to share.
I am not by nature a factual/logical/practical person. I hate math, am no good at science, and I am usually very trusting and unrealistic when it comes to people. If I may do so, I will call this last trait FAITH. I have a lot of faith in people. I strongly believe people can change and will change if given the chance. I also believe people deserve a chance. I have been through a lot in the last few years. Not much compared to many, but I know my experiences have helped shed some light on the subject of abortion.
First off I became pregnant at 19. I was not married. I am very fortunate that the father is the man I love and will always love. I know this isn't always the case in teen pregancies, yet... I cannot help but think of my life without my precious twin girls born 9 months later. How can I not value life when I have seen where it comes from, what it does to people, and how much these little "insignificant" cells can grow to be. Now 4, my girls are a complete joy. As newborns they were crazy. Life was crazy. My life was sort of in chaos for a while. I remember calling my mom one day crying, "I haven't slept in 4 days!" and that isn't even an exaggeration.
Some may argue that teens are not ready for this full-time mommy duty that comes with a newborn (and never actually ends til you die). I agree fully. But, really who IS ready for this? No one can possibly imagine or fully realize what it feels like until they have done it. Sacrifice, service, unselfishness. These are things I have been taught and have experienced all my life. They really do make me happy. I have learned more in the past 4 years about myself and about life than I have ever learned in Church, College, or all the years of my life before then.
Not long ago I got a call from a good friend. I love this girl with all my heart! She had pretty much been "talked into" an abortion by a partner(that is all i can bring myself to call this guy). "If you do this we can be together" he said. "Nobody will want you once you are pregnant and fat. Or once you have a kid attached to you all the time." And she believed him. Some states are putting more waiting period and counseling session requirements into effect in order to have an abortion. Oh how I wished for these requirements in a certain state when I heard my friend whisper to me over the phone, "I have never felt like this. I wish I never did this. I have never felt this low. Like a piece of s***. I am a piece. of. s***."
I always hear the jokes and teases about women and their emotions while being pregnant and afterward. Nobody in my life and certainly nobody in authority ever told me about the emotional consequences that come from having an abortion. The self-hate, the feeling of unworthiness, the confusion about relationships, or the sorrow. Women are women and we have a natural instinct to love and nuture. (Some more than others, please forgive my mistakes dear children!) A woman KNOWS the feeling of loss that comes after an abortion, comes because there was really life in her. A live human being that was hers. Once made, her decision cannot be taken back.
Although many may say they don't regret their abortions and never felt that loss, I dare anyone to look me in the eye and truthfully tell me that to my face.
Last July we lost a baby. My poor little baby died in my belly and my body would not let her go. I had to have a D and C to clean my uterus out. (This procedure is sometimes used in abortions, although now they have easier ways like a pill you can take to discharge the fetus.) Thankfully they put me out for this because I was a mess. I woke up on the bed, nurses all around me. Bawling. "It's okay to cry," said one nurse, "this is a sad thing." I cried all day, could not stop and even now I am crying as a write this. I wrote a dear friend about my experience and she said, "You should know better than anyone that everything happens for a reason. and just so you know, you are not the only one that has felt that loss." She has had an abortion. I know she can understand my loss. BUT everyday I thank God and the Heavens that I did not CHOOSE to feel this way, to have this happen to me. I cannot fully understand the pain that can accompany the loss of a child by choice. No, and I never hope to.
To me this is not about rights. This is about avoiding consequences.
WOMEN: SEX MAY CAUSE PREGNANCY! (hello? is this news to anyone?)
Perhaps the real decisions should be made BEFORE. and the questions asked should be:
1) hmmm, should I have sex this young?
2) should I have sex with this person?
3) what will happen if i get pregnant? what is my plan?
You have the right to have sex, yet you do not have a right to avoid the consequences that come from doing so. This is not a casual issue. and cannot be taken lightly. It certainly cannot be based on promiscuity and selfishness.
All the excuses:
I am not ready
I want to go to college
I don't love/know the father of this child
I didn't choose this
This will ruin my life
I don't want this
It will be too hard to give the baby up for adoption
I just wanna satisfy my urges, I don't want a baby
I, I, I.
Cut it out and be real.
Do what is best for everyone involved.
No matter how hard.
One day you will be grateful.
*find out more about states' laws on abortion and changes
www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/03/25/states-looking-change-definition-late-term-abortion/
www.sfexaminer.com/entertainment/health/2011/03/utah-pushes-stricter-abortion-laws#
www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=14401
law.findlaw.com/state-laws/abortion/
Do you ever feel misjudged, misunderstood, or out of place? Unlike popstar Katy Perry, I don't feel "like a plastic bag drifting in the wind" (terrible lyrics!). I feel very grounded and at the same time as if I am aflight with the birds frantically searching for twigs to build my nest, to keep it safe. I feel the world is in such chaos, yet it is still so wonderful and lovely and I cannot wish to leave it. But some days my sorrows bring me to realize I will gladly leave when taken. I know where I am going.
Sometimes I feel as if I am being pulled by two ropes. One tied to the side of my heart, the other to my brain. Abortion. Legal? Illegal? Right? Sometimes Right, sometimes wrong? Or just plain wrong? and by whose standards are these judgements to be made? Sigh. I cannot even begin to bring all the articles, arguments, and feelings of this topic to this one simple post. I do, however have some opinions of my own to share.
I am not by nature a factual/logical/practical person. I hate math, am no good at science, and I am usually very trusting and unrealistic when it comes to people. If I may do so, I will call this last trait FAITH. I have a lot of faith in people. I strongly believe people can change and will change if given the chance. I also believe people deserve a chance. I have been through a lot in the last few years. Not much compared to many, but I know my experiences have helped shed some light on the subject of abortion.
First off I became pregnant at 19. I was not married. I am very fortunate that the father is the man I love and will always love. I know this isn't always the case in teen pregancies, yet... I cannot help but think of my life without my precious twin girls born 9 months later. How can I not value life when I have seen where it comes from, what it does to people, and how much these little "insignificant" cells can grow to be. Now 4, my girls are a complete joy. As newborns they were crazy. Life was crazy. My life was sort of in chaos for a while. I remember calling my mom one day crying, "I haven't slept in 4 days!" and that isn't even an exaggeration.
Some may argue that teens are not ready for this full-time mommy duty that comes with a newborn (and never actually ends til you die). I agree fully. But, really who IS ready for this? No one can possibly imagine or fully realize what it feels like until they have done it. Sacrifice, service, unselfishness. These are things I have been taught and have experienced all my life. They really do make me happy. I have learned more in the past 4 years about myself and about life than I have ever learned in Church, College, or all the years of my life before then.
Not long ago I got a call from a good friend. I love this girl with all my heart! She had pretty much been "talked into" an abortion by a partner(that is all i can bring myself to call this guy). "If you do this we can be together" he said. "Nobody will want you once you are pregnant and fat. Or once you have a kid attached to you all the time." And she believed him. Some states are putting more waiting period and counseling session requirements into effect in order to have an abortion. Oh how I wished for these requirements in a certain state when I heard my friend whisper to me over the phone, "I have never felt like this. I wish I never did this. I have never felt this low. Like a piece of s***. I am a piece. of. s***."
I always hear the jokes and teases about women and their emotions while being pregnant and afterward. Nobody in my life and certainly nobody in authority ever told me about the emotional consequences that come from having an abortion. The self-hate, the feeling of unworthiness, the confusion about relationships, or the sorrow. Women are women and we have a natural instinct to love and nuture. (Some more than others, please forgive my mistakes dear children!) A woman KNOWS the feeling of loss that comes after an abortion, comes because there was really life in her. A live human being that was hers. Once made, her decision cannot be taken back.
Although many may say they don't regret their abortions and never felt that loss, I dare anyone to look me in the eye and truthfully tell me that to my face.
Last July we lost a baby. My poor little baby died in my belly and my body would not let her go. I had to have a D and C to clean my uterus out. (This procedure is sometimes used in abortions, although now they have easier ways like a pill you can take to discharge the fetus.) Thankfully they put me out for this because I was a mess. I woke up on the bed, nurses all around me. Bawling. "It's okay to cry," said one nurse, "this is a sad thing." I cried all day, could not stop and even now I am crying as a write this. I wrote a dear friend about my experience and she said, "You should know better than anyone that everything happens for a reason. and just so you know, you are not the only one that has felt that loss." She has had an abortion. I know she can understand my loss. BUT everyday I thank God and the Heavens that I did not CHOOSE to feel this way, to have this happen to me. I cannot fully understand the pain that can accompany the loss of a child by choice. No, and I never hope to.
To me this is not about rights. This is about avoiding consequences.
WOMEN: SEX MAY CAUSE PREGNANCY! (hello? is this news to anyone?)
Perhaps the real decisions should be made BEFORE. and the questions asked should be:
1) hmmm, should I have sex this young?
2) should I have sex with this person?
3) what will happen if i get pregnant? what is my plan?
You have the right to have sex, yet you do not have a right to avoid the consequences that come from doing so. This is not a casual issue. and cannot be taken lightly. It certainly cannot be based on promiscuity and selfishness.
All the excuses:
I am not ready
I want to go to college
I don't love/know the father of this child
I didn't choose this
This will ruin my life
I don't want this
It will be too hard to give the baby up for adoption
I just wanna satisfy my urges, I don't want a baby
I, I, I.
Cut it out and be real.
Do what is best for everyone involved.
No matter how hard.
One day you will be grateful.
*find out more about states' laws on abortion and changes
www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/03/25/states-looking-change-definition-late-term-abortion/
www.sfexaminer.com/entertainment/health/2011/03/utah-pushes-stricter-abortion-laws#
www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=14401
law.findlaw.com/state-laws/abortion/
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Discrimination……Who is discriminating?
Safoorah Khan had taught middle school math for only nine months in this tiny Chicago suburb when she made an unusual request. She wanted three weeks off for a pilgrimage to Mecca.
The school district, faced with losing its only math lab instructor during the critical end-of-semester marking period, said no. Khan, a devout Muslim, resigned and made the trip anyway.
Justice Department lawyers examined the same set of facts and reached a different conclusion: that the school district’s decision amounted to outright discrimination against Khan. They filed an unusual lawsuit, accusing the district of violating her civil rights by forcing her to choose between her job and her faith.
Read More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/justice-department-sues-on-behalf-of-muslim-teacher-triggering-debate/2010/07/28/ABfSPtEB_story.html
My husband is a very devout member of our faith and he has requested several times at his job to have Sundays off so he can attend church. However, he has repeatedly been scheduled to work on Sundays. According to the Justice Department this is discrimination against my husband and he is being forced to chose between his job and faith. I’m sure that there are a millions of others in this country, of many different faiths, who have often had to work on their Sabbath day, Christmas, Hanukkah, Easter, or something like a baptism of christening of a family member, etc. (I am not a world religion expert so I am just listing the religious holidays and events that I am familiar with). So why is this specific case worth spending tax-payer dollars on? And if the Justice Department doesn’t look into the case of my husbands employer being discriminatory I am going to assume the Justice Department is discriminating against my husband, or else why do they not consider his situation as serious as they do Ms. Khans?
The school district, faced with losing its only math lab instructor during the critical end-of-semester marking period, said no. Khan, a devout Muslim, resigned and made the trip anyway.
Justice Department lawyers examined the same set of facts and reached a different conclusion: that the school district’s decision amounted to outright discrimination against Khan. They filed an unusual lawsuit, accusing the district of violating her civil rights by forcing her to choose between her job and her faith.
Read More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/justice-department-sues-on-behalf-of-muslim-teacher-triggering-debate/2010/07/28/ABfSPtEB_story.html
My husband is a very devout member of our faith and he has requested several times at his job to have Sundays off so he can attend church. However, he has repeatedly been scheduled to work on Sundays. According to the Justice Department this is discrimination against my husband and he is being forced to chose between his job and faith. I’m sure that there are a millions of others in this country, of many different faiths, who have often had to work on their Sabbath day, Christmas, Hanukkah, Easter, or something like a baptism of christening of a family member, etc. (I am not a world religion expert so I am just listing the religious holidays and events that I am familiar with). So why is this specific case worth spending tax-payer dollars on? And if the Justice Department doesn’t look into the case of my husbands employer being discriminatory I am going to assume the Justice Department is discriminating against my husband, or else why do they not consider his situation as serious as they do Ms. Khans?
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Scary….
I think it is scary that President Barrack Hussein Obama has the following relationships, considering what is going on in Libya.
Here is the basic rundown. Muammar Gaddafi, the crazy Libyan dictator that has hired mercenaries to “protect” him and kill his people or anyone in the country who opposes him, is super good friends with Louis Farrakhan. In fact Farrakhan says that Gaddafi has always been a friend and he [Farrakhan] won’t distance himself from him him. Read More: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/28/louis-farrakhan-libyas-ga_n_829024.html).
Well I bet you can’t guess who is buddies with President Obama? Who goes to visit the White House as found in the Visitor Access Records? Answer: Louis Farrakhan. Where did President Obama celebrate his 2010 Memorial Day?? At Farrkhans BBQ. (http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2010/05/obama_secret_service_agents_in.html) The awesomest thing about the article is that it is worried about the squabble that the Secret Service got into with Farrakhans guards, completely ignoring the fact that the President Obama hangs out with the Louis Farrakhan.
As scary as that is, the scariest thing is how both Gaddafi and Farrakhan address President Obama. In this article Gaddafi is reported calling President Obama “our son.” In general the term son implies being a male offspring. However, when there are not genetic relations it is a term of address for a boy or man from a familiar older person, it can describe one closely connected to a certain environment, and/or describe a product or result of particular forces and influences. Same with the term brother, when not genetically related it is used to describes kinship, association, religious commonality, etc. I think you get the point. Well, Farrakhan addresses President Obama as brother in this clip.
Not only that but he also advises President Obama, his “dear brother” by saying, “Don’t let these wicked demons move you in a direction that will absolutely ruin your future with your people in Africa and throughout the world. They don’t like the way you handled (former Egyptian President Hosni) Mubarak! They don‘t like the way you’re handling the situation in the Arab world! So I would advise you to be careful-and move with wisdom and skill.” Call me crazy but I thought that we the Americans, citizens of the United States, were his people, he being the President of the United States and all. If it matters to President Obama at all who doesn’t like how he is handing the situation shouldn’t it be what Americans think. Why would he even consider what “his people” in Africa and the entire world care? That is unless his future consists of a new world order.
Here is the basic rundown. Muammar Gaddafi, the crazy Libyan dictator that has hired mercenaries to “protect” him and kill his people or anyone in the country who opposes him, is super good friends with Louis Farrakhan. In fact Farrakhan says that Gaddafi has always been a friend and he [Farrakhan] won’t distance himself from him him. Read More: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/28/louis-farrakhan-libyas-ga_n_829024.html).
Well I bet you can’t guess who is buddies with President Obama? Who goes to visit the White House as found in the Visitor Access Records? Answer: Louis Farrakhan. Where did President Obama celebrate his 2010 Memorial Day?? At Farrkhans BBQ. (http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2010/05/obama_secret_service_agents_in.html) The awesomest thing about the article is that it is worried about the squabble that the Secret Service got into with Farrakhans guards, completely ignoring the fact that the President Obama hangs out with the Louis Farrakhan.
As scary as that is, the scariest thing is how both Gaddafi and Farrakhan address President Obama. In this article Gaddafi is reported calling President Obama “our son.” In general the term son implies being a male offspring. However, when there are not genetic relations it is a term of address for a boy or man from a familiar older person, it can describe one closely connected to a certain environment, and/or describe a product or result of particular forces and influences. Same with the term brother, when not genetically related it is used to describes kinship, association, religious commonality, etc. I think you get the point. Well, Farrakhan addresses President Obama as brother in this clip.
Good for her!
When a burly ex-convict forced his way into a posh Florida home last week, he had no idea what awaited him -- a 25-year-old beauty queen with a pink .38-caliber handgun.
She chose not to be a victim.
Gratitude and Unselfishness….
From what I understand the NFL players went on strike because their labor union wanted to add 2 more games to their season but not pay them more for it. Arguably football is a dangerous. The players think they need to be compensated for the danger of injury in those extra games. I have 2 things to say about that. First of all, do they not love what they are doing? Didn’t they dream as kids to get to grow up and all they would have to do is play football? Second it’s not like they aren’t making tons of money to begin with (and I’m just considering their actual salary, not including all their other endorsements). This is all over 2 extra games, really?? If you ask me playing 14 football games a year isn’t that bad of a deal when it comes to jobs. I think 90% of the male population would trade careers with these football stars in a second. So I guess this is all led to a lockout and if it continues there will be no NFL season.
Don’t misunderstand the purpose of this post. I am not bothered that there will be no NFL season, I don’t watch football. Luckily for me my husband won’t even be phased by it either (although he would be one of those guys who would trade careers). The point is the ungratefulness and selfishness in this whole scenario. I don’t believe that every football player is is ungrateful and selfish. However, obviously enough that it has come to this.
Gratitude and unselfishness are values I am trying to distill in my children on a daily, hourly, minutely basis. I would be so disgusted with my kid if he grew up and became a professional athlete, was getting paid in the millions per year, but went on strike because they asked him to play 2 more games of the sport that he supposedly loves.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6121861
Don’t misunderstand the purpose of this post. I am not bothered that there will be no NFL season, I don’t watch football. Luckily for me my husband won’t even be phased by it either (although he would be one of those guys who would trade careers). The point is the ungratefulness and selfishness in this whole scenario. I don’t believe that every football player is is ungrateful and selfish. However, obviously enough that it has come to this.
Gratitude and unselfishness are values I am trying to distill in my children on a daily, hourly, minutely basis. I would be so disgusted with my kid if he grew up and became a professional athlete, was getting paid in the millions per year, but went on strike because they asked him to play 2 more games of the sport that he supposedly loves.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6121861
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