Allow Me to Get Political for a Moment

The next few paragraphs are going to get a little political, so if you want to skip it, power to you! We'll be back to our regularly scheduled programing about my excitingly dull life next week.


A few weeks ago, I registered to vote for the first time. I'm almost 25. Due to my state's policies, I don't believe my presidential vote counts for anything, and that makes me sad. This is the first election I've ever paid attention to. I watched the convention and the debates, looked up information about the candidates, read the fact check articles (from NYT and USAToday) after debates and speeches, and looked into how voting actually works so that I had a better understand of how our government operates (high school did a crap job of that). But why now? Why am I suddenly interested in politics.

This election has been a circus. Hate is being spewed like lose change, mud is being thrown and every other day there seems to be a scandal. Real issues, many involving women and their rights are being talked about. Things that impact me. Because of this, everyone is picking sides and leaving America in the middle like a child being tossed between divorcing parents. The news reports, debates and other information is making me question what is happening to our world and to be honest, it's terrifying. In my opinion, there is a clear winner, but no one LOVES either candidate. No one has said "Yep, they're going to be the greatest president ever!", but isn't that the way it's always been? Have we ever truly, 100% agreed with any politician? No. We're not wired that way. We're not supposed to agree or like everything about anyone! Now before you tell me I'm wrong, think about your spouse/significant other. Do you love EVERYTHING about them? Probably not, and that's okay. You learned to love them with their faults anyway.

Thinking about it, I think the reason people get so angered and fired up about politics is because it is change and we are not wired to like change. As humans we need routine and consistency. It makes us feel safe. Choosing a new public figure for the free world is a major change! We don't know how to handle it, so we freak out.

One question that I've had for a while is why aren't we having debates with (at least televised ones) and fighting over our house, senate and congress representatives? They're the ones with the most power in this equation. They can make or break a law/bill depending on their mood or need for a temper-tantrum.

The election is almost over (thankfully!) and then we can go back to our lives of hearing about the representatives and senators fighting over who has the talking stick. I don't know about you, but I'm going to spend the next few weeks getting to know and understand these candidates. They're the ones who are going to make real change.

Allow Me to Get Political for a Moment

The next few paragraphs are going to get a little political, so if you want to skip it, power to you! We'll be back to our regularly scheduled programing about my excitingly dull life next week.


A few weeks ago, I registered to vote for the first time. I'm almost 25. Due to my state's policies, I don't believe my presidential vote counts for anything, and that makes me sad. This is the first election I've ever paid attention to. I watched the convention and the debates, looked up information about the candidates, read the fact check articles (from NYT and USAToday) after debates and speeches, and looked into how voting actually works so that I had a better understand of how our government operates (high school did a crap job of that). But why now? Why am I suddenly interested in politics.

This election has been a circus. Hate is being spewed like lose change, mud is being thrown and every other day there seems to be a scandal. Real issues, many involving women and their rights are being talked about. Things that impact me. Because of this, everyone is picking sides and leaving America in the middle like a child being tossed between divorcing parents. The news reports, debates and other information is making me question what is happening to our world and to be honest, it's terrifying. In my opinion, there is a clear winner, but no one LOVES either candidate. No one has said "Yep, they're going to be the greatest president ever!", but isn't that the way it's always been? Have we ever truly, 100% agreed with any politician? No. We're not wired that way. We're not supposed to agree or like everything about anyone! Now before you tell me I'm wrong, think about your spouse/significant other. Do you love EVERYTHING about them? Probably not, and that's okay. You learned to love them with their faults anyway.

Thinking about it, I think the reason people get so angered and fired up about politics is because it is change and we are not wired to like change. As humans we need routine and consistency. It makes us feel safe. Choosing a new public figure for the free world is a major change! We don't know how to handle it, so we freak out.

One question that I've had for a while is why aren't we having debates with (at least televised ones) and fighting over our house, senate and congress representatives? They're the ones with the most power in this equation. They can make or break a law/bill depending on their mood or need for a temper-tantrum.

The election is almost over (thankfully!) and then we can go back to our lives of hearing about the representatives and senators fighting over who has the talking stick. I don't know about you, but I'm going to spend the next few weeks getting to know and understand these candidates. They're the ones who are going to make real change.

Welcome Back

Hi Friends,

It's been a while since I've posted anything. I'd like to say that I've been off having grand adventures, saving the world or doing something remarkable...but that would be a lie. Truth is, I've just been adulting. I have wanted to get back into blogging for a while, so I'm making a commitment to myself to blog every week through the end of the year. The posts will probably be on Sundays, since that's when I have the most time, but don't totally hold me to that. I don't know what the posts will be about, but I have some ideas. There are a handful of bad date stories that I've tried countless times to use in a novel, but just can't get them to work and they're too good not to share. I have thoughts on current world situations, books that I NEED to review and some other things that might just come out as ramblings. Either way, I wanted a place to share them and this long forgotten blog seemed like the best place to do that.

I'm also getting much more serious about wanting to publish a novel (which one is still up in the air). I'm looking into agents and publishers and considering the pros and cons to self-publishing. No matter which route I go, I know I need to have an online identity. No one will buy my books (beyond my mother) if they don't know about them. What's the point of being a writer if you don't have at least one reader?

So this is it. I'm committing to three months of weekly blogs where I basically can dump the contents of my brain out, discuss how I'm feeling about writing (read: probably complaining), and share thoughts that I just don't have the willpower to dump onto Facebook. A link to a blog is much easier to ignore than a three paragraph post killing your scroll time. I hope you check back weekly and will share your thoughts on my thoughts. Let's reopen conversation!

*R

People are People

There's been a lot of debate in the world lately about different lifestyles and choices and what's right and wrong. I've seen advocates and those who disagree post their thoughts openly on Facebook. Awesome! I'm glad that we can all have different views and publicly express them. That's what makes the world such an interesting place. I'm glad that I can be me and have my own thoughts...

I'm glad that I get to be who I want to be and am accepted by my family, friends and peers. I'm glad that I get to dress in a way that makes me comfortable and confident in myself. I'm glad that I receive respect from those around me and am treated fairly by those I interact with. I'm glad that I live in a time where I can be 24 years-old, single, working on my career, sorting through way too many stupid guys in the whole dating game and HAPPY without judgement, disrespect or discrimination! I would hate to live in a world where someone told me I was wrong for being who I was meant to be.

But what if my lifestyle wasn't socially accepted (think early 1900's). Would I be as comfortable and confident in my own skin, be treated with kindness and respect and be happy? I would hope so, but I don't think society would condition others to believe that I wasn't hurting anyone by being me. That thought makes me sad.

Whenever these debates come around my newsfeed, I'm always reminded of the primary song that goes "Jesus said love everyone. Treat them kindly too. When your heart is filled with love. Others will love you." I don't know about you, but I was always taught to be like Jesus.

So, I'm choosing to support people the way Jesus would. Be who you want to be. Wear the clothes that make you feel comfortable. Cut and color your hair the way you want. Be who you are because there isn't another you out there and we need you to make this world amazing! I may not agree with every lifestyle or choice, but who am I to judge? You never know what someone's story is and how your off-hand comment can change their day. What I can do is show kindness and basic humanity to everyone I interact with. I think that's what Jesus would want me to do.

New Content Coming Soon

It's time to open this blog back up. We're getting a face lift, topic change and a new posting schedule. Stay tuned.

When Did I Become a Junior??

Happy 1st Day of School!!

I'm pretty excited to be back on campus and in my school routine. Working and hanging around for the summer was nice, but I missed the structure schools gives me. As much as I love it, I'm super glad this is the first of my last three semesters!! That's right, I'm almost done with college! I sort of wonder where the time went, but I'm grateful to be close to the finish line.

From the way today went, this semester is going to be a good one. I'm in five classes including: Media Law, Grammar, Psych 1010, Creative Non-Fiction, and PR writing. My law prof seems like a pretty chill guy. He's a practicing attorney and reminds me of one of my other professors from my freshman year. Have you ever seen the movie "What About Bob?" Well my Pysch prof is Bob. He's youngish and seems like he's going to make Psych fun. The class is full of mainly freshman and dang do I feel old!

I feel like such a Rock Star today! Obviously everyone knows books are expensive. A couple of my books were over $100. I bought them because I thought I needed them, but after a little bit of internet searching, I found both books for about the same price the one was going to cost me. So I returned the books to the bookstore and hopefully my books will be here by Friday!!

If you're ever in the need for textbooks try
www.campusbookrentals.com
www.chegg.com

I'm feeling pretty confident about this school year. I have good classes, a JOB, and a good roommate. The other's in the apartment seems pretty cool, but I haven't really hung out with them. We all just do our own thing, which is totally fine with me.

So school is starting, it's hopefully going to cool down a little bit, and I'm going to the lake on Monday! It's going to be a good week.

Rachael

Everything's Changing

Things never go the way you think they will. Life's funny like that. I'm pretty OCD and a major planner, so obviously I had tons of plans for this summer and the way I wanted my life to be. But apparently I'm not immune to curveballs (though I wish I was.) You see, a lot has changed in the last 24 hours. I know the decisions I made are for the best, but it seems like everything exploded all at the same time.

The first major decision came at work yesterday. I've worked at the bowling ally for the last 3 and a half years and there has been a lot of ups and downs. Ownership and management has changed a couple of times and people have come and gone. Through it all, I stayed simply for the fact that it was a job. Some days were better than others and I was grateful that they agreed to work around my college school schedule and allowed me to work weekends. 

This summer though, going back was rough. There was a lot of stuff going on including stupid high school-esqe games. Some people got away with things that should never have been allowed, without punishment, like not showing up for shifts and texting in front of customers (there is supposedly a no cell phone policy.) While some were allowed to shove their duties onto others, people like me and a few of my other hard-working co-workers were required to pick up the slack. No one ever asked if we would, it was just expected that we would. With the games going on in the place, my stress-level was sky high. Yesterday, I hit my snapping point. I am so over the games and when I was told that I needed to stay later than my already 7 hour long shift because someone wouldn't be in until around 7 pm (shift changes are at 4) I lost it. I went straight to the bosses and turned in my 2 weeks. 

The minute I made up my mind, I felt so relieved. I don't have to play the games or lie through my teeth anymore. I got out and have so many other big things happening for me because of school. Basically I have all of August to be a kid and hang out with friends. My last month of summer vacation isn't going to be ruled by a crappy job. 

The 2nd major decision was not as easy to make. You see, this one involved my heart and it hurt a lot.

I met one of the nicest, sweetest guys at the first of May. He came into work one night and we exchanged numbers. One date turned into two and within weeks we were a couple. He was really sweet and being with him made me happy. But the longer I thought about the relationship, it just didn't seem right. I didn't see a future for us, and felt the best thing to do for everyone involved was to end it. Unfortunately, it ended last night.

It was not an easy decision by any means. The thought of ending it tore me up inside, but I knew it was something I had to do.

So now where do I go? I start school in 6 weeks and know there will be a lot to do there. I'm pretty sure I picked some hard classes that will require more work than I've had to do before. So there's that to look forward to. I'm going to try to complete Camp Nano (it's like the writing competition I do in November, only in August.) And of course I have good friends who keep my laughing, even when I don't feel like it. 

The biggest change for me is that I've decided I want to go back to church. Don't ask why, but I do. Maybe I need to start trusting God more. He clearly knows what's going on even when I don't.

So yeah, I'm making a lot of decisions right now, but I know they are all for the best. I'm going to take some time, let my heart heal, figure out exactly what I want, and try to make a road map of how to get it. I do know one thing, I'm headed in the right direction. 

**Rachael