Dominican Republic

            In June of 2011, just after my 16^th birthday, my church youth group went on a mission trip to Dominican Republic. It was one of the best trips I have ever been on in my life so far. We went into the trip kind of expecting the worst. However, it ended up being a fantastic week filled with prayer, bonding, and pure joy.

            Before we left for DR, our friends and families kept trying to warn and prepare us for what was to come. We all received multiple vaccines and prescriptions for anti-malaria medications. We were warned about the mosquitoes and not to drink the tap water. People kept emphasizing that it was a third-world country. One person, who had never been there, described it as “one of the shittiest parts of the world.” I also remember hearing that people would hate us and/or try to rob or hurt us because we were white. Basically, it sounded like our options were to catch a disease or be murdered, neither one of which sounded good. We were excited for the trip, but at the same time, we were absolutely terrified.

            After a long day of flying, we arrived in the Santo Domingo airport in Dominican Republic. We met Brother Robert, a Franciscan friar, who would be our guide for the week. We got on a bus and headed to the friary we would be staying at. A lot happened over the course of that week, but I am just going to hit the highlights.

            One of my absolute favorite things we did in DR was visiting an orphanage. When we first arrived, I’ll admit, it was super awkward. The kids didn’t know what to do with us, we didn’t really know what to do with them. There was bit of a language barrier. It was just very weird for a minute. Then, we broke out the toys we had brought for them and it became a party. We were blowing bubbles and throwing balls and having an absolute blast. Our new friend, Dihandy, looked at us and said, “You guys are like Santas to them right now.”

            A day or two after we visited the orphanage, we were outside the friary playing games when daily mass was letting out. All of a sudden, we looked over and saw a rush of children coming at us. It was the kids from the orphanage! They swarmed us and gave us lots of hugs. We were so excited to see them. On our last day in town, Brother Robert even surprised us by taking us back to see them one last time. That last day, we didn’t have all the toys and things we’d had the first time and we still had just as much fun. A few of the kids sang for us and we sang for them. When it was time to say goodbye, we all shed lots of tears and the kids were so sweet and tried to calm us down.

            Throughout our week, we had eucharistic adoration almost every night. For those that don’t know what that is, it’s when you take the eucharist (the bread you see given at communion during mass, which Catholics believe is the body of Christ) and display it on the altar in a metal frame-like thing called a monstrance. Because Catholics believe the eucharist is the body of Christ, eucharistic adoration is a sacred thing. It’s a special time to pray with Jesus physically present. To some of you, this probably sounds crazy, but that’s fine.

            In youth group, we always loved getting to have adoration, especially on retreats. It was always a very emotional experience. After the first time we had it on this mission trip, we started asking for it every night. Brother Robert loved that we were so into it, so he was usually more than willing to oblige. He said that whenever he would go to get adoration set up, the other friars were always surprised. They would say, “you’re making them do adoration again?”, and he would explain that we had asked for it. I guess quiet prayer time with Jesus isn’t something a lot of teenagers typically beg for.

            Overall, that trip was one of the best experiences of my life. After being prepared for the worst, I was pleasantly surprised. The Dominican people are some of the most joyful people I have ever met. We were all very surprised by that. Everyone we met, whether it was at the orphanage, at mass, or in the hospital, was just so happy. Our first-world teenage minds were absolutely blown. I give Dominican Republic five stars.

The Anthropocene Reviewed

    I recently finished reading John Green's latest book, The Anthropocene Reviewed. In this book, Green writes essays about various aspects of modern life. He covers everything from illness, to sporting events, to trees. If you have not read this book, I highly recommend it. I thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, I enjoyed the book so much, it inspired me to write essay reviews of things in my own life. Those will be posted here soon. Stay tuned!

An Analysis of Metaphors in Chris Colfer's A Tale of Magic Series

 

Chris Colfer’s Land of Stories series may be targeted towards young readers, but in his latest releases, A Tale of Magic and A Tale of Witchcraft, there are a few metaphors his target audience may not quite understand. In A Tale of Magic, one can see metaphors for the struggles of the LGBT community, as well as women, while also alluding to the witch trials of the 17^th century. A Tale of Witchcraft makes not-so-subtle references the topics such as abortion, mental illness, and even the current state of our country.

            A Tale of Magic, the first of Colfer’s Land of Stories prequels, outlines the story of Brystal Evergreen, also known as the Fairy Godmother. In the Southern Kingdom, where Brystal lives, as well as many other regions, practicing magic is illegal. It is also illegal for women to read in the Southern Kingdom. Early in the book, Brystal gets in trouble for both. At home, she gets in trouble when she is caught reading a book her brother gave her. She later gets a job as a maid in the local library. While working late one night, she finds a book with two incantations. If you recite the first one and something happens, it means you are a witch. If you something happens when you recite the second, you are a fairy. Brystal recites them both for fun, only to discover she is a fairy (Colfer 2019).

            Brystal’s conservative father is a well-known political figure in her town of Chariot Hills. Because of this, and the fact that magic is illegal, Brystal cannot let anyone know she is a fairy. She has to stay “in the closet” so to speak. Colfer himself is an openly gay man. I may be reading too deeply into things, but I feel that Brystal, and others like her, having to hide who she really is represents the struggles of those in the LGBTQ+ community often feeling they have to hide who they really are out of fear of rejection and discrimination, which can sometimes lead to violence, from those around them. If caught using magic, Brystal could face rejection from her conservative family, especially her father, rejection by the community, and possibly the death penalty (Colfer, 2019).

            Eventually, Brystal is caught and arrested for using magic. She is put in prison, tried, and nearly sentenced to death before her father steps in and has her sent to a correctional facility instead. The penalties for using magic are reminiscent of the witch hunts and trials held in Europe and North America in the 17^th century. A simple Google search will show that women were tried and killed for being “witches” after committing such offenses as being female, being left handed, having an argument, allowing milk to spoil, and being too young or too old, among others (Hewitt, 2021 & Beckmann, 2015).  

            In A Tale of Magic’s sequel, A Tale of Witchcraft, Colfer makes references to a few very current issues. The first issue I caught some allusion to was abortion. In a later part of the book, Lucy, one of Brystal’s fellow fairies, is cursed with a Shadow Beast, a creature that uses a witch’s body and helps them with one enchantment. While discussing expelling the curse, Lucy and her friends get into an argument. It is later stated that Lucy’s arguments are a side effect of the curse, but there are some obvious references to discussions and arguments often had around the topics of pregnancy and abortion. For example, when Lucy first begins to have doubts about expelling the Shadow Beast she says, “‘What if I regret this decision later? What if this is my last chance to have a Shadow Beast?’” (Colfer, 2020). This is a point often brought up by pro-life advocates when discussing reasons not to have an abortion, as well as doubtful questions asked by those considering an abortion. Lucy also argues that it is her own fault for ending up in the situation and that the Shadow Beast should not be punished for her mistakes. Her friends respond with arguments such as not expelling the Shadow Beast will result in her death, she shouldn’t throw her life away over one mistake, and that she is not ready to raise a Shadow Beast, all of which are arguments often made by pro-choice advocates in regards to pregnancy and abortion.

            Shortly after the scene with the Shadow Beast, Brystal has a conversation with Mistress Mara, the headmistress of the Ravencrest School of Witchcraft, in which it is revealed that Brystal’s recent intrusive negative thoughts, emotionally distant behavior, and lack of self-confidence were the result of a curse. As upsetting as this information is, Brystal is also relieved to know that her recent thoughts and behavior were not her fault. This can be seen as a metaphor for mental illness, the curse being representative of the chemical imbalances that often cause them. Much like Brystal discovering she was cursed, speaking with a professional and receiving a diagnosis can help those with mental illnesses understand more of what is going on and begin to recover. Mistress Mara tells Brystal that in order to overcome the curse in her mind, she must use her mind. When the intrusive thoughts come back, Brystal uses positive self-talk, a common therapeutic tool, to talk back to them and build herself up.

            The book ends with Brystal encouraging her friends by reminding them not to confuse fear and facts, hold on to hope, and not to let people use their emotions to control them. After the chaos of 2020, a lot of people need these reminders. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a lot of confusion and controversy. Biased media outlets on both ends of the political spectrum have not helped. It is hard for many to determine fact from fearmongering and emotional manipulation. Between the pandemic, natural disasters, racial justice issues, violent protests, and lots of political controversies, we are in a time where it is hard to hold on to hope, but for many, it is the one thing we can hold on to. 2020 showed us that almost everything is temporary and can be taken at any moment. Hope is all some people have right now, so we need to keep it alive and keep moving forward.

            While I do have some reservations about including such controversial topics in children’s books, I do understand the importance of putting such topics in terms kids can understand. There is a lot of heavy stuff going on in the world right now, and thanks to the internet, it is nearly impossible to shield kids from it. It is hard for many adults to understand and explain a lot of what is happening, so I appreciate Chris Colfer using relatable fantasy characters to try and help our youth understand. I especially appreciate ending the book on such a positive, optimistic note. Everyone, kids and adults alike, need that right now.

 

 

 

 

 

References

Beckmann, L. (2015, October 22). 17 Signs That You'd Qualify as a Witch in 1692. Retrieved from https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/55276/17-signs-youd-qualify-witch-1692

Colfer, C. (2019). A tale of magic. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company.

Colfer, C. (2020). A tale of witchcraft. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company/

Hewitt, D. G. (n.d.). 18 Reasons One is Executed for Witchcraft during the ‘Burning Times’. Retrieved January 15, 2021, from https://historycollection.com/18-reasons-one-is-executed-for-witchcraft-during-the-burning-times/17/

Being Pro-Life Without Being A Jerk

     When it comes to the topic of abortion, you usually see people who are either passionately for “safe and legal” abortion, or passionately against all abortion. There are very few people who are indifferent on the topic. What also seems to be hard to find are people who are on opposite sides of the debate who can have a civil conversation about it. There tends to be a lot of name-calling and/or graphic images. It becomes more about being right than actually helping women, which does not help either cause. Personally, I am very pro-life, but even I am appalled at the behavior of some fellow pro-lifers.

            Whether it’s at the March For Life, outside an abortion clinic, or on social media, many pro-life advocates use a lot of name-calling and graphic images to try and make their point. They will call women baby killers and murderers while holding up gory photos of aborted babies. This sort of behavior does more harm than good. First of all, it shames a woman who is already struggling. Secondly, it makes the whole pro-life movement look bad. This inappropriate behavior is so common, many of those on the pro-choice side use it to argue against the pro-life movement.

            I recently did a little research and reached out to some people to find some suggestions of how those counseling and praying on the sidewalks could conduct themselves in order to better represent what the pro-life movement is really about.

            The first person I thought to contact was Abby Johnson. Abby is a former Planned Parenthood clinic director who became a pro-life advocate after witnessing an ultrasound-guided abortion. She now runs a non-profit, And Then There Were None, that helps those working in the abortion industry to leave. Between running a non-profit, traveling to speaking engagements, and being a mother of eight children, Abby is kept pretty busy, so her website offers helpful answers to many questions she often gets, including how to behave as a sidewalk counselor. She advises against using inflammatory language, such as calling the clinics death chambers and slaughterhouses and calling the women murderers. You need to show love and compassion, offer resources if the woman decides to choose life, and show that you genuinely care. Abby also states that “if you are on the sidewalk and feel anger in your heart, then just leave.”

            Next, I reached out to a friend of mine, who will remain anonymous, that volunteers as a patient escort at a Planned Parenthood clinic. Recently, a pro-life protester on the sidewalk outside the same clinic posted a video where she harassed my friend and gave out her personal information, including her real name, her Facebook name (that is different from her real name for a reason), and where she works (the video was reported to Facebook, but apparently “didn’t violate community standards”). I asked her if there was anything she saw those on the sidewalk doing that was peaceful and non-threatening.

            My friend began her answer by pointing out that simply having a presence on the sidewalk can be intimidating to the patients. The ones she typically does not mind are the ones that are respectful of clinic property and simply pray. She also gave an example of a group she recently interacted with that were from out of town. They spoke to her as a person about the love and forgiveness of Christ, and they even offered her cookies.

            What does bother my friend is when people bring the graphic signs. Like she said before, simply having a presence on the sidewalk is intimidating enough, the graphic images just add to that and make it worse. It also is very frustrating when people bring their kids to the sidewalk with them. One reason for that is because people tend to not watch the kids and risk them running out into the street. People also often bring their kids to use them as props to make the women coming to the clinic feel guilty. All my friend wants is for those on the sidewalk to simply follow the “golden rule” and think, what would Jesus do? Would he offer prayers and assistance or shout at and intimidate them?

            Lastly, I reached out to Students For Life. The response I got back came from their Programs Director, Mary Briganti. She offered a ton of suggestions. First, she said a sidewalk counselor’s three main jobs are to 1. Minister to the needs of abortion-minded women and encourage them to choose life, 2. Pray for the lives lost within the abortion facility, and 3. Encourage abortion workers to leave the industry. She also told me about Sidewalk Advocates For Life and their 5 Point Method (1. Smile and greet in love, 2. Give literature and explain the help, 3. Ask and listen to her, 4. Solve the perceived problem, and 5. Empower her to leave.)

            Mary reminded me that it is also important to try and engage with clinic workers, not just patients, because if there are no clinic workers, there can be no abortion clinics, but you need to treat them with love, compassion, and respect as well. Her recommendations for reaching out to workers are 1. Always smile and greet in love, 2. Offer resources like abortionworker.com that will help them leave the industry, 3. If met with hostility, always be polite, gracious, and positive. 4. If faced with aggression, remember you are on a public sidewalk and are legally allowed to be there, 5. Pray for their conversion. If you’d like to see an example, I recommend watching the movie Unplanned and observing how Marilisa and Shawn interact with Abby.

            For more information and training on being a sidewalk counselor, visit https://sidewalkadvocates.org/ and/or https://www.studentsforlifehq.com/products/take-down-the-abortion-industry/categories/1180104/posts/5503309

Visiting Universal Studios During The COVID-19 Pandemic

Last week, I went with my boyfriend's family to visit the Universal theme parks (Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure) in Orlando, Florida. A lot of people probably think we're crazy for going to Florida, where they have over 300,000 confirmed COVID cases (and counting), especially to a theme park, during this pandemic. However, we spent a week in Orlando, including four days in the Universal parks, and we all managed to make it home without coming down with the virus.
I'm not one of those people who thinks COVID-19 doesn't exist. The point of this post is simply to point out that it is possible to still live our lives while also being safe. It's also to help explain what it's like in a theme park during this pandemic.
Universal has several rules/guidelines in place to help you have fun while also being safe.
1. Wear a mask. All guests and employees must wear a mask/face covering while in the park. There are a few areas marked as "U Rest" areas where you are allowed to sit and remove your mask. You may also remove it in park restaurants when you are seated at your table. Other than that, masks must be worn at all times. If you remove it or pull it down, staff members will remind you to keep it on, including on rides. This includes the Hogwarts Express. On the train, your party is seated in their own private cabin, but you are still required to keep your mask on. You are under video surveillance, so staff will know if you take it off and will come speak to you about it.
2. Temperature checks. Before entering the park, all guests must go through a temperature check. They say that guests with a temperature of 100.4 or higher will not be admitted. Contactless forehead thermometers are used for these temperature checks.
3. Social distancing. Everyone is expected to practice social distancing. While waiting in line, there are blue lines on the ground to mark where each party can wait. If there is not an available blue line in front of you, you are not to move forward. On rides, only every other row is used. For theater-type attractions and shows (i.e. Bourne Stuntactular and Shrek 4-D), they still only use every other row and make sure there are at least 3 empty seats between each party.
4. Hand Sanitizer. Before each ride, staff members squirt hand sanitizer in each guest's hands. No, it's not optional. There is also hand sanitizer available after most rides. That one is optional, but I still highly recommend using it.
5. Contactless ordering. This part was particularly frustrating for us. At in-park restaurants, you must order your food and drinks through the Universal mobile app. Once you submit your order, the app gives you an order number that you then tell waitstaff so they know which table to bring it to. The first time we tried ordering, as we were submitting the order, the app crashed and deleted/cancelled the order forcing us to start over.
6. Restrooms will close periodically. Due to the need for increased sanitation, restrooms in the parks close periodically for cleaning/disinfecting. They don't all close at once, so don't worry. If one restroom is closed, cleaning staff are happy to tell you where the next closest one is.
A few other notable things:
1. Less people, less wait time. One of the best things I noticed during our visit to the parks was the super low wait times for rides. Due to the pandemic, many people are avoiding traveling and visiting busy places like theme parks, and I don't blame them. This means there are less people in the parks and the lines are much shorter than they would typically be this time of year. Rides I waited an hour or more for on my last trip several years ago I only waited maybe 15 minutes for this time. I think the longest we waited in line for a ride was maybe 30-40 minutes.
2. Buy 2 Days, Get 2 Free. Universal currently has a deal where you can buy a 2-day ticket and get two extra days for free. Tickets must be purchased by August 13th, but you have until December 17th, 2021 to use them. All 4 days do not have to be consecutive, but you must use them within a 7 day period, meaning after your first day, you have six days left to use your remaining 3 days. I highly recommend spacing your days out a bit. Four consecutive days in the parks can be exhausting.
3. Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. This roller coaster is still pretty new and demand to ride is very high. Because of this, you are required to reserve a spot in the "virtual line" through the Universal app. We were not aware of this at first and tried to just walk up and get in line like every other ride only to be informed that 1. the ride was down at the moment and 2. we had to reserve a spot. I recommend reserving your spot first thing in the morning when you arrive (you can only do so when on park grounds), otherwise you may not get to ride it. We were never able to get a spot. It's also important to note that the app showed the ride being down several times, which delayed all reservation times and may have contributed to the lack of availability. Also be aware that the "virtual line" does not mean you'll get on the ride faster when you get to this roller coaster. Every time we walked by during any of the specified times (if it was actually running at the time), the line stretched well into the Lost Continent section of the park.
4. Character meet and greets. Universal has found a way to still allow for character interactions and photos while social distancing. Characters stand on platforms and there are blue marks on the ground six feet away, similar to the ones used for attraction lines, where you may stand for photos and conversation. Character visits and photo-ops aren't rare or limited either. Over the course of our 4 days we met Patrick (from Spongebob), the Penguins of Madagascar, The Cat in The Hat (with Thing One and Thing Two), the Grinch, Captain America, and Spider-Man. We saw several other characters we didn't take photos with as well.
5. If you're going to ride water rides, bring an extra mask. If you plan to ride any water rides, especially Popeye & Pluto's Bilge-Rat Barges, bring an extra mask as the one you are wearing will likely get wet. The only water ride where we were told we could remove our masks was the Jurassic Park River Adventure (and you can't remove it until you are settled on the ride, so there's still a chance it could get wet).

Overall, our trip to Universal was an awesome experience. I'm very thankful to Universal and their staff for working so hard to keep everyone safe without taking away from the fun.

J.K. Rowling and Basic Biology

Recently, J.K. Rowling has come under fire for a thread of tweets that have been deemed "transphobic." A few days ago, she shared an article on Twitter with the title "Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate," along with the comment "People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?"
The SJWs of the internet have been having a field day with Rowling's comments, calling her transphobic and saying she needs to educate herself. Their reasoning behind their crusade is that trans-women are women, although they don't menstruate, and trans-men are men, and many of them do menstruate, so her comments weren't inclusive. Rowling followed her original comment with a thread of comments about the issues that arise when people start refusing to acknowledge biological sex.
What people don't seem to understand is that she is speaking strictly about biology. Regardless of one's gender identity and whatever they have going on psychologically, there are still only two biological sexes with only two reproductive systems, male and female. Only those with a female reproductive system have the ability to menstruate. Now, that's not to say that every biological female menstruates, there are plenty of medical reasons why some may not be able to, but we won't get into that.
The point of Rowling's tweets was that biological sex is real. If we pretend it doesn't exist, we erase the struggles and experiences of multiple populations. "If sex isn't real, there's no same-sex attraction," that erases the struggles and experiences of homosexuals. She also pointed out it is completely okay to acknowledge that your life has been shaped by being the sex that you are. The existence of biological sex isn't hateful and it does affect our lives in various ways, whether we like it or not.
To quote Ben Shapiro, "Facts don't care about your feelings."

A Breakdown of My Views on Current BLM Protests

I don't think I need to tell you that there are Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests going on right now. That's all we see on the news and on social media. I don't know about you, but my social media feeds have been full of a wide range of views on said protests and the issues the protests are about. To be honest, it can all be a little overwhelming and very confusing. I have a lot of thoughts about it all myself, so I'll try to break my views on the matter down a little bit.

Initial Reactions:

1. Black lives DO matter. Regardless of our differing views on the protests and BLM movement as a whole, I think we can all agree on that. Nobody deserves to be murdered, regardless of race, sexuality, gender, etc. Personally, I am pro-life, and adamantly so. You can't be pro-life without believing in the dignity and sanctity of ALL human life. 

2. You have every right to be angry. I'm angry too. It's a completely reasonable emotional response.

3. You have every right to protest. It is a constitutional right. It doesn't matter what you are protesting, why, or if anyone agrees with you, it is a right given to every U.S. citizen.

4. Burning your cities down isn't solving anything. Now, before anyone comes at me about this, yes, I am aware that in many cases it's outside groups, not associated with BLM, that do this and that people involved in BLM have asked them to stop. However, it's still happening and needs to be addressed. Regardless of what side you are on, setting fires, throwing bricks in windows, or whatever other violent acts people choose to commit, is not ok. I'm not ashamed to quote an old Hannah Montana episode here and say, "When you fight fire with fire, you just get a bigger fire." The more you do that, the harder it is to take you seriously.

5. Threatening the livelihood and safety of innocents is NEVER okay. I get that that's kind of the point these protesters are trying to make. Innocent people are getting killed by police and that's not okay either, but again, stop fighting fire with fire.

6. The media needs to chill. A lot of this division on the issue is sparked by the media. I have seen far too many news reports on George Floyd's past and what illegal activity may or may not have been going down when he was initially arrested. None of that excuses the fact that he was murdered. I have also seen far too many reports on the violence occurring during protests and not enough on the peaceful protests that are often seen in participants' live steams on Facebook. Maybe if there were more reports on the good instead of the bad, people, myself included, would be less conflicted.

I also think that the media needs to approach this as more of a general human rights issue. Now, I'm not trying to minimize the struggles African Americans have faced and try to take their platform away with an "all lives matter" argument. All I'm saying is a human was unjustly killed by a police officer while three others stood there and watched, and there's video to prove it. That should really be all we need to know to be upset about it. When they constantly emphasize the races of those involved, it seems to me like it just fuels the fire.

7. It's not everyone. What I mean here is that on both sides of the argument, there's a lot of generalization. Because of the actions of a handful of corrupt cops, people are saying all cops are bad, and because of the actions of small groups of protesters, people are saying all protesters are looters and rioters. This is simply not true on either side. I have friends who are cops and friends who are protesting. Due to these generalizations, there seem to be all sorts of threats coming from all angles, and I really do worry for their safety. 

8. No, this is not like the Boston Tea Party. At the Boston Tea Party, the people were angry about the unfair tax on tea without having gotten a say in it. What did they do? They dumped the tea in the harbor. In our current situation, we have a group of people angry that a cop in Minnesota murdered an unarmed man while three others watched. Now, I'm obviously not saying to do dump the Minneapolis police in the harbor. What I am saying is take your protests to the source. Go protest at the police department, hopefully in a peaceful way. Don't go around hurting innocent people and destroying innocent businesses.

Some Questions and Suggestions:

1. Who is leading this? A priest I follow on Twitter recently pointed out that one issue with these protests is that there doesn't seem to be a designated leader. Considering what has happened to such leaders in the past, it's understandable that someone may be hesitant to take on such a role. However, it's just hard to follow what's happening when there are so many different people approaching it from different angles.

2. What is the objective? Make it clear. We get it, black lives matter. We're not denying that. Now what? Be more specific about what you want from these protests. These marches are being led by different people/groups in different cities saying different things. If your goal is to convince your specific area of a specific thing, then keep doing what you're doing. However, if your goal is to change something in the whole country, it should be made a bit more clear what exactly you want changed. Do you simply want people to see you and be reminded that black lives matter? Do you want white people to somehow apologize and make up for the fact that slavery happened in America? Do you want more/better training for police officers? Do you want the police to get less funding? Do you want to get rid of the police altogether? These are all things I've heard various sections of the movement say they want. Which is it?

3. Reach out to your leaders and representatives. Once you have your objective clarified, start calling and emailing the people on charge who can do something about it. I suggest you start with your local mayor and/or city council and work your way up.

4. Vote. If the people currently in office aren't acting as they should to represent you, vote them out and vote for someone who will get the job done. 

There's only so much that holding up signs, screaming/chanting in the street, and changing your profile picture on Facebook to a black square can accomplish. If you want real change, you need to decide what you want changed and put in the work to get it done, and by work I mean starting/signing petitions, contacting government officials, and voting, not breaking windows and setting things on fire.

Let People Feel Things!

Alright y'all, I've had something on my mind for a few days and I've got to get it out. This may get a bit rant-y, so bear with me.

Due to this virus, life has basically come to a halt for most people. School has been cancelled, for the rest of the year in some places, which means field trips, proms, and graduations have also been cancelled. A lot of other things have been cancelled that people are upset about (concerts, recitals, festivals, etc.), and people have very right to be upset about those too, myself included, but my main focus here is going to be on school.

A lot of kids are in their last year of whatever level of school they are in. A lot of things happen in those last years, trips, dances, graduations, etc., and these kids won't get to experience those events. They have been looking forward to these moments all year, maybe more for some of them. They've worked hard to get where they are now. They deserve to celebrate these milestones. Now that all of that has been cancelled, these kids are heartbroken and they have every right to be. I know I would be.

What is really getting me is the older people on Facebook saying how kids today shouldn't be as upset as they are about their events and milestones being cancelled because at least they're only being asked to stay home on the couch and not being drafted and sent off to a war they may not come back from. I even saw a comment from one woman stating that we need to bring the draft back because "a lot of young people are lazy and on drugs." What? 

I'm really sick of these "I suffered, so you have to suffer" and "don't complain because some else has/had it worse" mentalities. That's like saying don't be happy or excited about things because someone else has it better than you. Just stop. Let people feel their feelings about things. Let the kids grieve the loss of their school year. Have some compassion and be supportive.

This is a hard time for pretty much everyone. The least we can do is be kind to each other and stop being to condescending. 

A Prayer in Uncertain Times

I don't need to tell you what is currently going on in the world. It's on every channel and every website. A lot of people are very worried and scared. I think what a lot of us could use right now is a prayer.

Tonight I'm praying:

For those most vulnerable to the virus

For everyone who is sick

For their doctors, nurses, and other caretakers

For the doctors and scientists working around the clock to sort this whole mess out

For the students and teachers navigating online learning for the first time

For the students whose safe place is at school who are now stuck at home

For the students who rely on free/reduced breakfast and lunch from school who are facing food insecurity

For the retail employees facing the masses of panic shoppers

For everyone to maintain their faith, patience, and sanity in all of this uncertainty

Last, but not least, I pray that this all blows over soon and we can get back to normal life and routines

More Hollywood Nonsense

I'm sure some of you may remember that a few months back, Bella Thorne's phone was hacked. After receiving threats from the hackers saying they were going to post her topless photos, she decided to post them herself in order to "take her power back." This topic came up on The View, and Whoopi Goldberg stated that, regardless of age, celebrities should not be taking nude photos on their phones. Whoopi explained that, when you take a photo on your phone, the image goes up into the cloud and is "there for any hacker that wants it." To be honest, this was probably the one an only time I have ever agreed with anyone on The View about anything.
Following Whoopi Goldberg's comments, Bella posted a tearful video calling Whoopi out for her public opinion, saying, "shame on you, Whoopi." Thorne accused Whoopi of victim blaming and "making every young girl think that they're disgusting for even taking a photo like that."
Now, Bella is making her directorial debut...on a porn site. Wait, what?
Ok, I definitely understand being upset about being hacked and threatened. However, how do you go from being upset about your intimate photos being seen and released to directing a pornographic movie? It doesn't make sense.
You can't be upset about someone taking advantage of you, and then go and participate in an industry that profits off taking advantage of others. 
I'm sorry Bella, life just doesn't work that way. You're a great actress, but if you want to be taken seriously, please re-evaluate your decisions.

To My Ex Best Friend

Hey there,

You probably don't remember me. At least, it sure feels like you don't.

Let me remind you who I am. I was your best friend. And you were mine. We cheered each other on and were there for each other when it felt like the world was against us. Even when we both went away for college, we talked all the time and made sure to hang out when we were home. We saw every Hunger Games movie together. Heck, we even went to prom together.

I guess none of that matters anymore. 

Shortly before this past Christmas, I texted you to check in and maybe try to make a plan to hang out when/if you came home for the holidays. When I asked about you coming home, you said you had moved to another state and didn't know when you would be in town again. 

I was surprised to learn you had moved. What surprised me more was your response when I asked why you never told me.

"You never asked."

That was your answer. Really? Why on Earth would I have ever asked you if you were moving? Who asks that kind of question?

We haven't spoken since that conversation. I'd reach out, but what's the point? You didn't care enough to tell me you were moving, so why would you care how hurt I was? What makes it more obvious that you don't care is the fact that you haven't noticed that I haven't spoken to you since that conversation. I'm kind of tired of our friendship feeling one-sided, so if you want to talk, I'm here. Until then, I wish you the best.
Love,
Your Former Best Friend

To My First College Friend

Dear friend,
You were my very first friend in college. We met through our class Facebook page the summer before freshman year. We exchanged numbers in order to avoid any loneliness in the cafeteria when we got to campus. I bet you don't remember any of that.
When we started becoming close friends that summer before school, I made it known to you that I was kind of scared after a rough experience with a previous guy friend. You promised me you wouldn't do what he did to me. I can tell you don't remember that.

Had you remembered that promise, I wouldn't be writing this.

The first day of orientation, you greeted me with a big hug. You were always there. You were always good about offering hugs and prayers when I needed it.
Junior year, a lot of crazy stuff happened in my personal life. When I finally opened up and told you what was going on, you asked if I was ok. I appreciated that more than you know. You were the first one to ask.
Sometime during senior year, I stopped existing to you. Texts went unanswered. We barely spoke in person. You deleted me from all of your social media. No explanation. No goodbye. Exactly what you said you wouldn't do.
Was it your girlfriend? Did you think I wanted more than a friendship with you? That seems to be a common problem with my guy friends. If that was the case, why didn't you talk to me about it?
A few weeks ago, you got married. Congratulations! I wish I could've been there, just like I wish you'd be there whenever that happens for me.
I do wish you and your new wife all the best. I am genuinely happy for you guys and think you make a great couple.
I just miss you.
Love,
Your former friend.

Stop Donation Shaming

As I'm sure you all know, on Monday, April 15th, there was a fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. This building is significant to a lot of people for a variety of reasons. It's a historical landmark, it holds religious significance, it's a beautiful structure, and, of course, there are probably a handful of people who mostly care about it because of Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Whatever the reason, a lot of people care a great deal for this cathedral and want to help with the repairs by donating money. That should be a good thing right? Well, to some, donating to Notre Dame repairs isn't a worthy cause.
Over the last few days, I have seen the following screenshot of a tweet from user @Kristan_Higgins shared across social media numerous times.

There are a couple of things wrong with this statement. First of all, a quick Google search will tell you that Notre Dame is not owned by the Catholic Church, it is government owned, the Catholic Church just uses the building. A lot of people seem to be missing that little detail.
The most important point I want to make here is stop shaming people for how they use their own money. It's their money and they are free to spend/donate it however they please. You are also free to spend/donate your own money however you please, so if you want to donate to one of the cause Ms. Higgins mentioned, by all means, do it. Just don't shame other people for giving to something different. Giving money to anything that doesn't benefit you, but could benefit someone/something else, is a worthy cause.

Pro Choice = Pro Hypocrisy

I have seen and heard some things that have been really frustrating to me in regards to abortion, and I feel like this needs to be discussed.
First of all, one thing I have noticed a lot over the years is that whenever legislation is introduced that would hold abortion clinics to higher standards in regards to safety and sanitation, pro-choice advocates fight it. Many of their arguments against these bills are about how abortion is already safe and bills like this are just the republican party's way of trying to restrict abortion access and get clinics shut down. These arguments raise a few questions, at least for me.
1. If abortion is already so safe, why are you fighting against these higher standards? I mean, it's already such a safe procedure, and clinics are so clean and safe, so they should have nothing to hide right? If they're going to pass their inspections anyway, why does this matter to you?
2. Along those same lines, if abortion is so safe, how would these standards get clinics shut down and restrict access?
Speaking of bills pro-choice advocates fight against, a bill was introduced here in North Carolina called the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which would essentially ensure that, if a baby survives an abortion attempt and is born alive, he/she is given proper care so they have a chance at life. This bill passed the state senate and house of representatives, but was vetoed by Governor Roy Cooper. Cooper defended his veto by stating, “Laws already protect newborn babies and this bill is an unnecessary interference between doctors and their patients. This needless legislation would criminalize doctors and other healthcare providers for a practice that simply does not exist (source)." 
My question to Gov. Cooper is, how exactly is this bill an interference between doctors and patients? It's not about the woman choosing to have the procedure or the doctor performing it, it's simply about saving the life of the child when the abortion methods fail.
On a related note, Students for Life of America recently shared a video on the Facebook page of Kristan Hawkins, the organization's president, speaking with a student at Boston College during a recent visit to the college's campus. Hawkins asks the student if she thinks children/babies apprehended at the border who are in poor health should be given care, and the student says yes. When asked if babies born alive after a failed abortion should be given care, the student answers no. The student is asked to explain why she feels that way and she states that it's not a baby, despite Hawkins having already explained that science says it's a baby. Hawkins said in an interview with Fox News regarding that interaction, that she could tell from the facial expressions of students who came to protest her event, that even they were shocked at the hypocrisy the student had just displayed.
A little advice to any pro-choice advocates out there, if you want to be taken seriously, make sure your arguments actually make sense.

Why I Don't Get Excited for Wedding Season

Since wedding season has wrapped up, I thought now would be a good time to write this. This is probably going to be one of the most brutally honest and vulnerable posts I have ever written. Based on the title, you probably think this is going to be some rant about being single and seeing wedding pictures on Facebook, but it's not. I do have a wonderful boyfriend, so this isn't about that.
When I went away to college, I met some of the nicest, coolest, sweetest, most fun people I have ever met in my life. For the first time, it felt like I had a real "squad," people who actually enjoyed having me around, and didn't just tolerate me. I had a solid circle of friends.
Throughout my time in college, a lot of people told me to prepare to receive lots of wedding invitations in the years to come. A lot of people get married not long after graduation. I was so ready for it. These people meant a lot to me, I was super happy for them, and I wanted to celebrate with them.
Graduation day was a year and a half ago. Some friends got married before then, and a lot have gotten married since. There have been roughly 25 weddings, and that's only those involving my college friends, some of which where I had been friends with both the bride and the groom. How many of these weddings have I been invited to? One. That's right, 25 weddings and I was only invited to one.
The one wedding I was invited to was that of my roommate from freshman year. Sadly, I was unable to attend due to it being far away, not having a car, and having finals. She said she figured that would happen, but she still invited me. I still have that invitation somewhere among my college stuff.
One friend's wedding happened while we were still in school. When she first got engaged, she had told me I would definitely be invited to her wedding. My best friend and I were both invited to her bachelorette party and her baby shower, but neither of us were invited to her wedding.
Many times when I talk about this subject with friends they say, "Well maybe it was a small venue and they could only invite so many people?" Look, I understand that kind of thing. The problem is, many times when photos from these weddings surface online, everyone else we knew in college is there. It's hard not to feel left out. And it's kind of hard to believe that out of 25 weddings, only one had enough space for me.

A Birthday Letter to Taylor Swift

My dearest Taylor Swift,

            I can’t even begin to tell you how thankful I am that you were born on this day in 1989. You are an inspiration. Your music has gotten me, and countless others, through some dark times. You taught me to be fearless and you taught me how to handle high school boys at fifteen.

            Thank you for teaching me that people who are mean to you are just that, mean. You’ve taught me not to worry about what other people may think or say. At the end of the day, all that matters is how you see yourself. You are the light so many of us need. Your music and your support and love for your fans is unmatched. Your songs get us through dark times, as does your unending love for all of us. Thank you for always making your fans feel like they matter, especially during those hard times when we otherwise feel like we don’t.

            Despite what your reputation might be, you will always be our end game, and you will never go out of style. (Sorry, I know that was incredibly cheesy.)

            HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAYLOR!

            Love always,

            Catie and your Swifties

Spreading Holiday Cheer on Black Friday

Hello friends! Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you all enjoy lots of good food and quality time with family and friends.
There are probably some of you who are ready to get a head start on your holiday shopping by taking part in the annual madness known as Black Friday. If that's one of your traditions, I hope you enjoy it. I would just like to give you a few suggestions on how you can start your holiday shopping while spreading some holiday cheer to the people around you, specifically, the store employees.
1. DON'T START YOUR SHOPPING ON THANKSGIVING! For the love of all that is good, if you're going to go Black Friday shopping, wait til Friday. Companies start their sales Thursday evening because they know you'll come. This pulls innocent employees away from their family holiday celebrations. If we don't shop on Thanksgiving, stores will not need to be open.
2. Be patient. It's the busiest shopping day of the year. There are going to be lots of people, which makes for very long lines. Just relax and be patient. The cashiers are doing their best to get everyone out in a timely manner.
3. Don't complain to the cashier about things like wait times and prices. First of all, by taking the time to complain to your cashier, you are holding up the line. Second of all, cashiers can't control these things. Honestly, cashiers have no control over anything. Complaining to them is pointless. Plus, whatever you're complaining about is nothing compared to the hell these cashiers are experiencing.
4. Don't push or trample people. Almost every year there is at least one story of a Black Friday shopper, or occasionally a store employee, getting severely injured or killed in the rush. Believe me, whatever deal you're trying to get is not worth hurting and/or killing people.1

These are just a few of the things you need to keep in mind when doing your holiday shopping. For more suggestions, visit hownottobeajerk.tumblr.com.

65 Things to be Thankful For

It's November and it's almost Thanksgiving! I know a "what I'm thankful for" post seems super cliche, but I was inspired by a friend of mine. My friend, Kendall, is currently working on a 10,000 things to be thankful for project. She posted on Facebook asking everyone to list the things they're thankful for so she can compile a list of 10,000 things. Now, I'm not going to list 10,000 things, I don't have that kind of time, but I am going to list 65 things (in no particular order), just in case you're having trouble creating your own list this year.
1. My family
2. My friends
3. My loving boyfriend
4. My friends
5. My dog
6. Belmont Abbey College (where I went to college)
7. The St. Joseph Adoration Chapel (at Belmont Abbey)
8. Immaculate Conception Church (where I go to church)
9. My job
10. My students
11. My co-workers
12. Music
13. Books
14. Coffee
15. Sunshine
16. Rainbows
17. Flowers
18. Snow
19. Parks and Recreation (my favorite show)
20. The Sound of Music (my favorite movie)
21. Ladybugs
22. Christmas
23. Food
24. A place to live
25. Theatre
26. Soft blankets
27. Taylor Swift
28. Sunsets
29. Mountain views
30. Peanut butter
31. Marvel movies (RIP Stan Lee)
32. Disney everything
33. Muscadine wine
34. The color of the leaves in the fall
35. Living in the south
36. The Catholic Church
37. Dolphins
38. Turtles
39. Campfires
40. The internet
41. Thrift stores
42. Spontaneous adventures with friends
43. Glitter
44. Musicals
45. Julie Andrews
46. The ocean
47. Seashells
48. Stars
49. My education
50. Past teachers
51. Arts in education
52. Holidays
53. Paid holidays
54. Time off from work
55. No longer working at the grocery store
56. Sleep
57. Lotion (my hands get so dry this time of year)
58. Coats
59. Scarves
60. Gloves
61. Heat
62. Air conditioning
63. My home
64. My car
65. My life

A Prayer in The Face of Scandal

I'm sure most of you have heard by now about the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania. If you haven't, you can read about it here. Upon hearing this news myself, a lot of things went through my head. First, I was disgusted by the acts committed by these priest. I was disgusted at how it was covered up by their bishops. I was also heartbroken. My heart breaks for those victims who weren't truly listened to, and who never got the justice they deserved.
Upon hearing all of this, I said a quiet prayer.
I pray for peace and healing for those who were personally affected by the acts of these priests.
I pray for the officials who uncovered this and now have to clean up the mess.
I pray for healing and mercy for the priests who did these things.
I pray for the communities where these priests served.
I pray for all priests everywhere, that this doesn't discourage them,
I pray for the Catholic Church as a whole.

As a Catholic, it's easy to get defensive when things like this happen, but now is not the time for that. Don't try to minimize the evil committed by these men. That's not fair to the victims, and it won't make anything better. Instead, just pray for healing for everyone involved.

If you or someone you know has been sexually abused and needs help, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE. If there is an immediate threat, call 911.

My Religion is Not A Fashion Statement

As I'm sure many of you know, the annual Met Gala is happening tonight. It's a fundraising event for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Basically, a bunch of celebrities and rich people get together to parade around in ridiculous, fancy clothes and raise money for the museum. This year's theme is Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination. 

Yes, the Catholic Church has contributed a lot in the way of art. However, some of the outfits seen on the carpet tonight are just plain sacrilegious, especially considering most of these people are not practicing Catholics. Rihanna was seen dressed as the pope, wearing a short, jeweled dress and a papal mitre (tall hat that the pope wears). Chadwick Boseman and Jared Leto were wearing some priest-like attire. Many others appeared wearing dresses, suits, and accessories showing various crosses and Catholic imagery. 

Here's what really gets me about this whole thing, if any white person wears anything of a non-white culture (i.e. that one girl's Chinese prom dress and various Halloween costumes that get "banned" every year) it is considered cultural appropriation and everyone loses their minds over it. Yet, here we have a bunch of non-Catholic people wearing a bunch of Catholic outfits and images, some of which are very sacrilegious and not okay, and they're being praised for it. It doesn't make sense. How much more hypocritical can Hollywood and the media get? 

We need to make a choice. Is "cultural appropriation" okay or isn't it? It can't be okay for some people and not for others. That's not how this works. If you're going to tell a teenager she can't wear a dress she finds beautiful to prom because she's not Chinese, or tell little girls they can't dress as Moana or Pocahontas for Halloween because they're not Polynesian or Native American, you shouldn't praise celebrities for turning the Catholic faith into a fashion statement. 

Your culture can't be my Halloween costume, so my religion can't be your fashion statement. Simple as that.