"AC Green" - Rockie Fresh

This weekend, Austin and I went to the House of Blues in Dallas to see Patrick Stump preform. As you all know (or at least you should know) Patrick Stump is the former lead singer of Fall Out Boy. He was amazing! You never really get to see how talented this man is until now. The opening act for him, was a man named Rockie Fresh. He is amazing. This man is going places and he is going to be huge.

August Recap

I am quite happy to report that the move over last weekend went off without a hitch. I do know one thing, I will never be moving in the middle of August in Texas ever again.

Other than the fact that Dallas had a high of 107 last Saturday, things went perfectly. We were able to have everything loaded into the moving truck by noon and into our new apartment by 2:00. I spent most of the evening and half of Sunday unpacking everything and getting all of our pictures and paintings hung up and it looks great! One of the great things about being super organized and meticulous when it comes to packing is the fact that it makes unpacking much easier. The most difficult part of this entire move was trying to decide which paintings I wanted to hang where. People all seemed shocked that I had everything unpacked by noon on Sunday, I'm really not sure why. When you're organized when you pack things up, you have a much easier time unpacking things and you can get it done in half the time.

Ballet back up this week, something I am very happy to have back in my life. Both Mel and I have been waiting through this last month for it to start. I was able to get her into it over the summer and she loves it! It's great to have someone else to enjoy the class with me. Since we are both planning on taking the exam at the end of the year, we're going to be taking more classes and required to practice a lot more out of class and do homework. Yes, homework. For ballet. Cecchetti is a style of ballet that not only focuses on the ballet, but the theory of the movement. In order to pass your exams, you have to take a written test proving you understand these theories. Anyways, class started back up and I can definitely tell that I have not been practicing as much as I should have, so I have a lot of work to do just to get back to the point I was a month ago. Mlle Angela is also going to be working us harder than ever to make sure we're absolutely perfect, so the next few weeks are going to be a beating trying to recondition myself.

I have found an animal shelter to work at that is fairly close to our new home. Sadly, due to school and ballet, I won't really be able to volunteer as much as I thought I could. At least I can go on Saturdays and help out for a few hours. It might not be much, but at least it is something. So, part of my Saturdays will be spent assisting as needed with all of the dogs and cats they have! I've also been really wanting to get a puppy but I know I don't really have the time and I don't need another pet in our apartment, so this will be a way for me to at least feel like I have a dog. I love to work at these shelters and give these animals the love and attention they deserve, even if it is only for a few hours every week.

And last, but definitely not least, there's school. Since I have been out of school for several years, all of my previous ACT and SAT scores weren't eligible for anything and I did have to take a placement exam. What a drag. It also meant that all of the college credits I had earned through my AP exams weren't eligible to be used. I guess that's what happens when you're out of school for more than three years. C'est la vie. I was able to take my exam which was probably the most boring test I have ever had to take and register for classes. I will be starting them very soon and I really can't wait! Even though it meant all of my previous testing and whatnot doesn't matter, I do think I made the right choice in waiting to go to college. If I had gone straight into college out of high school, I know I would not have been this excited for it. I also know that I would have felt obligated to go and I would not get nearly as much out of the entire experience.

All in all, I think this has been a very exciting and busy month! Now let's just hope I'm not biting off more than I can chew with all of these things and work (which has also become crazier than usual).

We're Moving!

After spending the last three weeks packing and organizing and donating things, we're finally going to be moving this weekend! I'm thrilled that we (mainly I) will be able to finally unpack everything and begin to decorate our new home! This past week, Austin and I have been living in an obstacle course (our a jungle gym if you ask our cats) and it has been driving me crazy.

For those that don't know, or haven't been able to figure it out, I like to have things in their own place. So being so displaced and having all of our stuff packed (and therefore not in it's proper place) has been driving me absolutely crazy. I've also got quite an  extensive system for packing that entails lists and spreadsheets and a little magic to keep myself sane, so Austin has been happy to stay out of my way and avoid getting packed into a box himself.

And this weekend, the real fun begins, unpacking and deciding how to decorate!

Tahini Salad

I don't remember where I originally found this recipe, but I do know it is absolutely delicious! I've made it several times and it's a great vegetarian dish that's quite healthy. This is also a very easy thing to make, considering it is a salad and salads are the type of thing anyone can make.


INGREDIENTS

Dressing:

• 1/2 avocado (I usually skip the avocado completely)
• 1 1/2 tbsp Manitoba Harvest Hemp oil
• 1 tbsp stone ground mustard
• 3 tbsp chickpea reserve water
• 2 tsp tahini
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp herbamare

Salad:

• 4 cups romaine mix
• 1 cup chickpeas – reserve liquid for dressing
• 1 cucumber
• 1 yellow pepper (Really, any color will be fine, I just like the color the yellow adds to the salad)
• 1 small bag of baby carrots, chopped 
• 1celery stalk, chopped

DIRECTIONS
For the dressing, combine all of the ingredients. Whisk all ingredients until they are blended thoroughly. For the salad, well, make a salad. When you have the base for your salad ready, add the dressing.

Enjoy!

"Hummingbird" - Wilco

Wilco = Amazing. This is just a fact of life. And, in anticipation for their new album, The Whole New Love which will be released September 27th, I've been on a Wilco all day and probably will be on and off until I get their new cd.

"God Killed the Queen" - Louis XIV

Austin and I saw Louis XIV shortly after we moved to Dallas over three years ago and they're amazing live. They're a different type of rock, a grunge-trash-garage type rock. Then they add in a little bit of a dance feel... They're definitely one of a kind and worth a listen.

The Way We View Life

I've recently adopted a new way of looking at life and it has altered my perspective of everything around me. I didn't realize that I had done this,  but I did realize it today.

One thing I realized is how easy it is to see art everywhere. Art isn't just the things we can see in a museum, a painting or a sculpture. Art is all encompassing, it is everywhere. Art can be seen in a song, a poem or a story. These things are pretty obvious. But art can also be found in the way we dress, the way we carry ourselves and the way we talk. You can find art in the way you deal with a difficult situation, the way you love people and the way you handle stress. Art can be seen in the way you write, not just what you write. Art is the way you love people, even the people you love. Art can be seen in the food you cook, the pieces you chose to decorate your home. Art is everywhere. Once you notice this, you can begin to see how easy it is to find beauty in life.

Another thing I've recently come to realize is that I have become the type of person that falls in love easily. Whether it is a song, a sculpture, or a poem. Whether it is a friend, a loved one, or a stranger. Whether it is a dog, a cat, or a book. I am becoming the type of person that is able to open up and experience all of these things. When you can easily open yourself up to fully enjoy things and immerse yourself in something, you really do fall in love. While I'm reading a book, I find myself understanding them and loving every word more than I have before. When I am with my friends and loved ones, I find myself really listening to them and just enjoying being in their company. When I am working on a math equation, I see the way the numbers work together and the beauty in the complexity of it all. I know it may seem like a strange concept, but it is a wonderful thing.

Granted, I'm not the overly cheery type of person that is generally associated with this attitude, I still love the way I am able to experience life now. I also do see the awful and horrible things in the world more clearly now. As they say, you can't have a rainbow without a little rain, the same is true for beauty and love and joy. You will still see the horrible things in life, but without them you would never notice how beautiful life can be. If you didn't have troubles in life, you would never realize how wonderful life is. And no matter how horrible, unjust and awful life is, you will always (well, hopefully always, more likely usually) be able to see how absolutely beautiful life can be.

"I Got Mine" by The Black Keys

Who doesn't like The Black Keys? And if you haven't heard of them, give them a listen. You'll enjoy it (if you like good music, that is).

Is it hockey season yet??

Apparently, the NFL lockout has recently ended. Since this is the first time I've mentioned this, it shows you all how much the NFL and football (pansy ass American football, not real football) means to me. I was kinda hoping both sides were going to end up being so greedy and selfish that it would ruin their season and people would be able to focus on a real sport during this same time: Hockey.

I miss going to all of the games. I miss seeing them win (and then eventually lose as the season wore on). I miss being able to go watch a team I care about and watch a sport I actually understand. I miss being able to cheer the team on. I miss bemoaning the losses. I miss yelling about the ref and how unfair he was. I miss the excitement that would fill the stadium. I miss the buzz in the air when the game was tied. I miss the thrill of OT and shoot outs. I miss watching the games on tv with friends over and actually being the one to explain what was happening. I miss Ott, Barch, Benn, Morrow, Ribeiro, Daley, Eriksson and the rest of the team. I even miss those dumb Stars girls.

All in all, I want hockey to start. Now.

Sadly, it's going to be another two months until the new season starts. The Stars play their first game October 8th. I know I will be there to cheer them on for the new season, will you?

Politics at Work

It is common knowledge that talking about politics in the workplace is a bad idea. Everyone has their own views on the government and how things should really be run. Everyone has heard the advice to refrain from talking about politics at work because it can cause unnecessary tension and cause you to view your coworkers in a different (and often incorrect) light. So why do we still do it?

It may start out as something as simple as discussing the current debt crisis and how our country has had it's credit rating downgraded (partly due to the $2,000,000,0000 miscalculation by the S&P) and how it is affecting the stock market and the fact that this is going to lead to a double dip recession and all the progress that has been made in the past two years is gong to be erased, but the conversation will inevitably turn to politics. Some people will discuss the stimulus package that Obama passed as leading to the debt, some will point to the health care reform that has lead to the debt. Some will point out that the ongoing and pointless wars we're in are leading to much of the debt. Some will point out that the tax cuts for the wealthy are a leading cause of the debt. After a while, people will start to blame the Republicans for trying to push through a bullshit bill in order to reduce the debt, blame the Tea Party for their lying tactics and fear mongering, blame the Democrats for refusing to let the bills pass until the last minute, blame the President for not stepping in... There's always someone to blame. And with this continued conversation and this continued line of reasoning, people will be starting to get angry with those that disagree with their thoughts.

It might even be a more controversial issue that is brought up with coworkers that can lead to a heated discussion, like the fact that gay marriage is finally allowed in New York. Or maybe the topic of abortion will be brought up. Or maybe it is the continuing war in Iraq and Afghanistan that is brought up with the news of yet another attack and more soldiers being killed.Or maybe it is the proposed legalization of marijuana.Or maybe it is the thought of lowering the drinking age to match the voting age. Or maybe it is the country's crumbling and deteriorating education system. Or maybe it is the great need for health care reform in the country. Or maybe it is the need for tax reform and budget cuts. Or maybe it is the amount of religion allowed in schools and allowed to influence our country's leaders.

These are all issues that almost everyone has some strong feelings about. And these are also issues that you will usually never change anyone's mind or opinion on. By getting involved in these conversation, you might be able to ascertain why people believe what they do and you might get a new view point on these issues. But, sadly, most of these conversations lead to people getting angry that the other person won't believe as they do and they don't understand how the other person can believe all of the liberal/conservative propaganda in the media.

In the end, most of the time the other person's views on these issues and their political beliefs may change the way you view this coworker entirely. You might have thought that this person was a smart person, capable of doing their job, a hard worker. But now that you know their views in politics, your opinion of them will (maybe only subconsciously) change. If they can believe all of the ridiculous propaganda and lies in the media, are they really as intelligent as you once thought? If they aren't as smart and as competent as you thought, are they really able to do their job properly?

People don't like to admit it, but most of these doubts will arise. I've noticed not only from my coworker's behavior, but also my own. It is (usually, but not always) a subconscious reaction to learning that someone you once respected has what you see as absurd beliefs and convictions. Is this right? Of course not. But it is what happens. After learning of such differing views, you might want to try and point out the fallacies in the the other person's argument. It might be remarks occasionally made. It might be an unspoken tension between you. But your work environment has changed. Hopefully, if you start to see that you view a coworker differently based solely on their political or religious beliefs, you will be able to take a step back and realize that just because you have opposing views on certain issues does not affect the way they can do their job. And if you start to sense the tension based on your differing views, you will be able to step back and realize that you are at work to work, not to argue about our nation's future and our problems.

Why do we get so upset when people have such opposing views from us? Because we want to be right. We want it to be the other person's (or political party's) fault. With all of the issues we're facing in the nation, we want to have someone to blame. If we can blame someone, then we might be able to easily fix whatever is broken. If we can show the other person that they're wrong, they'll stop and we can win. And who doesn't like to win?

"Fire" by Augustana

"Foxy Lady" - Jimi Hendrix

Should people talk about politics at work?

Today, the building I work for is hosting an event for the Dallas Democratic party. This is a very large event where we will be having 500 people here, all Democrats, all supporting our President and celebrating his 50th birthday (Happy birthday President Obama!). And there is one person who I work with that is very much a right wing Republican.

Every time this man sees me, he feels the need to make snide comments about Democrats, the President and politics in general. He knows very well that I am a Democrat. He knows very well that I support our current President. He knows I keep up with current events and politics. I know he doesn't. And yet, for some reason unbeknown to me, he is constantly trying to bring up political issues and attempt to debate with me. Since this man doesn't keep up with anything in the news, he only spouts off the Faux News rhetoric, he really doesn't have any idea what is going on. He does know that Obama is (apparently) a Muslim, Obama is (apparently) not an American, that the new health-care bill (apparently) is trying to kill off old people, atheists are (apparently) trying to take over the country, etc, etc.

And today, with the Dallas Democratic party holding an event here, he has gotten 20x worse.

So, this brings me to my real point: Should we discuss politics at work? This is something that I will go into detail with in my next post, but in short, I feel political debates should be kept out of the workplace. Unless you work in government. In that case, you really can't avoid it, can you?

"Dead Hearts" by Stars

This is a beautiful song. Enjoy.

Should we cut military spending?

The loudest voices against the impending debt ceiling compromise in Washington come from conservatives like Joe Lieberman.   They worry that if future deficit goals are not met, military spending will be cut “disproportionately.” They scream about the fact that any funding might be taken from the military, something everyone pretends receives almost no funding. This is the Great Elephant In The Room.  No Republicans and precious few Democrats dare confront the Military-Industrial Complex President Eisenhower warned would distort our budget priorities and ultimately sink the economy.

America spends as much on the military as the rest of the world combined.  Yet somehow this is never enough. We cut welfare, education, health care proposals,  but continue to spend more and more on the military. Are we really still “the land of the free and the home of the brave?”  Or are we instead a bloated, paranoid giant huddling behind our overwhelming firepower, forever afraid we won’t be able to bomb enough people in enough places to protect our unprecedented standard of living, which after all, is proof of God’s favor upon us?  Or maybe it’s more pragmatic: maybe we’re afraid that cutting the military budget will decimate what has become America’s largest jobs program.

Either way, it’s pathetic.