Role Models

This week has been both a trying one and wonderful one simultaneously. With the new semester's classes beginning, I was excited to find out that a Women's Studies course I was interested in had availabilities left, but when I went to my advisor to see whether or not it would fit with my schedule, I was told that there were only openings for "special population" students. I think they mean athletes and such, but I believe this to be the definition of irony. I was also a bit disappointed because one of the required texts was Valencia, by Michelle Tea, which I'd read over Christmas break. I suppose that's what I get for trying to be lazy. Perhaps next semester, when I'll have no doubt forgotten what the book was about to start with.





Saturday, I visited a mentor of mine. I believe everyone should have at least one person who inspires them to do something; to be great. I am considerably fortunate, in that I have so many mentors and heroes. It is always such a breath of fresh air to be reminded of two important facts (which I am certain she didn't intend to convey):

1. WHAT you do is never as important as WHY you do it and HOW you do it.


2. There are no do-overs in life. Spending time as if it is truly the precious commodity it is may be the best way to have no regrets.

I've got a handful of talented and brilliant women who have shown me empowerment, pride, and responsibility. I am a privileged minority in that respect, as I know dozens of young women my age who never knew that feeling at the most important times. Perhaps it's the largest part of my character, this idealism, but I wish that for every woman.

I guess we never really know who's looking up to us.

1000 RPM's in Neutral

I almost forgot that I'd committed to blog daily. I was thinking, I posted three or four in one day, I'm actually ahead... but I decided to not subject my new hobby to the all-star slackerdom that I've grown accustomed to in other facets of my life!

So today, as I was speaking to a few people, I've reaffirmed a few priorities. It is easy to place a hobby or obligation ahead of a chore or other task that I don't really want to do, especially if I can somehow mentally manipulate that activity into taking some morally or intellectual superiority over the more mundane idea of something else. It's fairly easy to spend an hour in meditation or at a church or making small-talk with someone I've just reconnected with, in lieu of washing the dishes or studying.

I, like many of my friends, suffer from some cataclysmic-level of procrastination and laziness. The twisted part of that fact is that in my own mind, I don't view it as lazy, just a misappropriation of effort. It seems almost laughable at the moment, but I am currently exhausted and it is past my bed-time. At this very moment, per usual, I am prolonging my sleep for some senseless activity that I can justify for some reason or other.

Sometimes I wonder if there are other people like me, who repeat this insane cycle of perpetuating procrastination. It almost operates of its own accord, completely disregarding what I actually have to accomplish. I doubt that I'm an Internet addict or would honestly be diagnosed as having obsessive-compulsive disorder, but the nonsensical things that I allow myself to waste time on is astounding.

If hoarding is a legitimate psychological disorder, then what my chronic inability (which I need to mention is selective) to do what I am supposed to, is also a psychiatric condition. I say selective, because in many situations, I do take the appropriate actions, and often in a prompt manner. It's almost as if I operate conditionally in a state of chaos and when things are running smoothly, I am uncomfortable and bored. So, in my sub- or unconscious mind, I must create some disturbance or imbalance to stack the situation out of my favor, that my success is a major triumph, or in the event of my failure, "it wasn't a fair fight to start with."

All is not lost, though, I've started some showing some self-discipline, as this insane and selfish behavior has resulted in becoming skilled at things from medical knowledge to teaching myself to play the guitar, and this very documentation of thought!

Until I feel like it,
Shayna

My Bucket List

I know everyone's doing these now, and it's far from original, but here are the things I'd like to do before I bite the big one... (in no particular order)

1. Visit Australia
2. See a volcano
3. Drive across the United States.
4. Protest at a rally
5. Record a CD
6. Donate bone marrow
7. Make it to all 7 continents
8. See the pyramids in Egypt
9. Climb a mountain
10. Write a book
11. Have my picture taken with a celebrity
12. Attend a live taping of a TV show
13. See the Amazon Rainforest
14. Perform jury duty
15. Tour NASA/ Meet an astronaut
16. Hike the entire Appalacian Trail
17. Shave my head
18. Get a tattoo
19. Visit all 50 states
20. Attend a film festival
21. Go skydiving
22. See a solar eclipse
23. Perform comedy in front of an audience
24. Perform music in front of an audience
25. Get a trophy for doing something athletic
26. Learn a martial art, and get a black-belt
27. Get a SCUBA certification
28. Swim with sharks
29. See the Seven New World Wonders (Machu Pichu, Peru; Taj Mahal, India; Great Wall, China; Petra, Jordan; Colisseum, Rome; Christ Redeemer, Brazil; Chichen Itza, Mexico)
30. Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge
31. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge
32. Walk across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge
33. Stand at the Four Corners Monument (Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona)
34. Ride a donkey down the Grand Canyon
35. See and photograph the Aurora Borealis
36. Go on a Safari in Africa
37. Go to the Galapagos Islands
38. Visit Komodo Island, Indonesia
39. Milk venom from a poisonous snake
40. Go on a Buddhist trip to Tibet
41. Go on a trip to Israel
42. See Pompeii
43. Visit Stonehenge
44. See Easter Islands
45. Get to meet a musician backstage
46. Kiss the Blarney Stone
47. Chase and photograph a tornado
48. Walk on hot coals
49. Photograph lightning
50. Join the mile-high club. Again.

This short list was actually really difficult to come up with , as there are so many things that I've already experienced (Sunset on the Pacific coast, fly in a helicopter, kiss at the Eiffel Tower, live in Europe, join the Army, Sunrise on the beach, etc.)

Put Your Tofu Where Your Mouth Is

Well much to the dismay of my high school social studies teacher, I'm going vegan again. I re-joined PETA, and so have stopped with the meat, milk, and eggs. I had cereal for breakfast this morning, but even this lifestyle choice isn't really too difficult this go-round. When I went vegan in high-school, it was pure altruism. Looking back, it was more naivety, but who's really counting? I don't consider animals some vice that I must "quit." I am just really for an animal's right to be here just like we are. I like soy.

I think activism must start somewhere, and since I really don't have the "How-to guide," like Gloria Steinem said, "Activism starts with action."

I'm supposing that eating (or abstaining from eating) is an action. I think for me, it's a practical way to contribute on many levels, like becoming more green, among other things. The difference between "then" and "now" is "then" was a fad, whereas "now" is more of a lifestyle choice.

Thank you for reading.
Tomorrow's topic is going to be my "bucket list."
-Shayna

Pat Robertson is Haitful.

I am not sure if this was as appalling to you as it was to me, but I thought I'd go ahead and just write down some of my raw raging thoughts regarding the Pat Robertson fiasco. I know I should be shocked that a televangelist has once again said something stupid or contradictory of Christianity.

Before I go on any further into this rant, I would like to first turn my thoughts and prayers to Haiti at their time of great need. May we band together during the coming weeks and months to show the world that we CAN set an example of how to help our fellow humans.

OK, so when I was going to view the clip on YouTube, I thought for a second, "it can't be that bad." But then I heard him utter the words, "it may be a blessing in disguise..." and there all hope was lost. We're talking about potentially a hundred THOUSAND PEOPLE. I generally consider myself an optimist, but how is the death of 100,000,000 people a blessing? But it doesn't stop there, Mr. Robertson goes on (nobody knew why) to say that Haitians made a pact with the devil for their independence and that this was their punishment from God.

That is not only nonsense, but as Ambassador Raymond Joseph was interviewed by Rachel Maddow, he stopped for a moment to address the Robertson nonsense. He added that whatever the pact made with the devil is irrelevant, as the reason that USA was able to make the Louisiana Purchase for fifteen million dollars was due to the Haitian revolution from France in 1804.

Well, all Satanic speculation aside, Haiti is a nation who unprecedentedly gained Independence from slavery by overthrowing their European rule. I personally feel that this should have been more of a heartfelt truth to bind us with our neighbors, as we, too struggled in the beginning. But what precedence nobody mentioned is that Pat Robertson turned this devastation and suffering into the modern-day version of The Crucible, by Arthur Miller. It's times like this I'm really hoping that with enough people, we can turn the tides and support our fellow human-kind, instead of paying attention to the loud voices that say nothing.

Mr. Robertson seems to be a bit forgetful of what's actully in his God's rule-book. The bible says, Love your Lord God, and to love your neighbor as yourself.

(I know it's not verbatim, but that's what it means. If it's a huge deal, just look it up, yourself. ;-D )

Also if you notice, there is a link on the side, to the American Red Cross if you haven't yet found a way to contribute.

-Peace and Love,

Shayna

Newbie

Okay, so admittedly it sounds a bit cliche that I have only just now decided to start my blogging career, as I am a college student in the midst of all that is expression and learning about life. As my history has revealed to me, my journal entries have ranged from senseless word vomit to music reviews, and even short stories and essays. Hopefully I can just do all of that here, instead of on the hundreds of composition books and tablets scattered throughout my apartment, car, dorm room, and wherever else they live. I'm not sure if anyone will even read any of this, but it will probably prove to be an interesting experience for me! My goal is to do one blog per day, as schedule permits, and we'll just go from there!