Sunday, August 23, 2009
Been a while!
Alright, so I'm back in class and I've been ridiculously busy with all things life the last few weeks! I am hoping to sit down and hammer out a bit more of "Oliver" this week, so watch for that. Thanks to those who are leaving comments and voted in the poll!
<3
<3
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Working now
Alrighty, so the poll I thought I added didn't go up, but it is there now! So please, vote and leave me some comments! I'd love to hear your thoughts, guys. <3
Oh! By the way! You do not have to be a registered blogger to comment on my two journals! Anyone can post! Just please let me know who you are if you do comment 'anonymously'. Thanks guys <3
Oh! By the way! You do not have to be a registered blogger to comment on my two journals! Anyone can post! Just please let me know who you are if you do comment 'anonymously'. Thanks guys <3
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Next addition?
Alright.. so I don't have anywhere to go with Once Upon A Dream right now, so I'm leaving that. I have a lot of stuff for Atlantis that I need to edit, and a lot of ideas for Oliver I need to get down on paper [or, on my computer, whichever!] I also have more of my Nuke Fanfic to put up. SO! I'm making another poll. I can't do all three at once, so I need to pick just one to work on for now. So go vote for what you want more of! Atlantis, Nuke, or Oliver! <3
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Hey there!
Be sure to check out my personal blog, now through blogger!
http://ripleysoap.blogspot.com/
<3
http://ripleysoap.blogspot.com/
<3
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
New Story?
Alright. I have a story, start to finish, and! two parts, that I might start working on. Thouuugh, I might hold off on it. It's a love story, but not one you've ever heard. I promise. Well, the second part is, but with a twist, and its fun. Aha. But the beginning is about young love, heart ache, betrayal, and just how strong love can be.
When Leona Conily went to England with her family and met Dillion House, a sweet local boy who helped them find their way around the city, she never thought she was meeting the boy who would change her life forever. After two weeks of bliss and happiness on the tail coats of young love, their summer romance ends in heart break and confusion, leaving them both with opposing perspectives and mixed signals. Leona returns home and goes back to school, believing life will get better. She moved on, and back in England, so did Dillion.
Unforeseen circumstances cast Dillion into a new lifestyle and he is sent by his rich but unloving father to America for school, now taking the name Dillion Hepburn. What happens when two past love birds find each other again, only to realize that things can never be the same? What happens when revenge becomes more important than love?
After everything, can Leona ever forgive Dillion? Can Dillion ever escape his past and his father? More importantly, will love actually prevail through such pain? They say love is everything, but they also say that sometimes love isn't enough. For Dillion and Leona, both are true as day, but which will they decide to live by?
<3
When Leona Conily went to England with her family and met Dillion House, a sweet local boy who helped them find their way around the city, she never thought she was meeting the boy who would change her life forever. After two weeks of bliss and happiness on the tail coats of young love, their summer romance ends in heart break and confusion, leaving them both with opposing perspectives and mixed signals. Leona returns home and goes back to school, believing life will get better. She moved on, and back in England, so did Dillion.
Unforeseen circumstances cast Dillion into a new lifestyle and he is sent by his rich but unloving father to America for school, now taking the name Dillion Hepburn. What happens when two past love birds find each other again, only to realize that things can never be the same? What happens when revenge becomes more important than love?
After everything, can Leona ever forgive Dillion? Can Dillion ever escape his past and his father? More importantly, will love actually prevail through such pain? They say love is everything, but they also say that sometimes love isn't enough. For Dillion and Leona, both are true as day, but which will they decide to live by?
<3
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Please Vote!
Please vote in the poll on the left hand side of the screen! I really would like to continue working on something I just don't know what to focus on. Thank you. <3
This I Believe
This was my final paper for my Comparative Politics class. You can learn about 'This I Believe' by going to ThisIBelieve.org.
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“America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say "You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours. You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country can't just be a flag; the symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then, you can stand up and sing about the ‘land of the free’.”
Since I was a little girl these words have been like my political bible. It may be short and it may be simple, but it guides me not just politically but morally as well. I live by them and swear by them and believe in their meaning passionately and completely. Sure, they are the words of a fictional character, a fictional president at that, but Andrew Shepherd’s words at the end of “The American President” will forever ring true and direct me in life. I wish I could meet Aaron Sorkin, the man who wrote these words, and shake his hand.
“The American President” is one of my all time favorite movies. I didn’t love it simply because it had Michael Douglass, as my mom did, or for the back and forth humor between Andrew Sheppard and his aides that my father loved. What has always captivated me is the speech that President Andrew Shepherd gives at the end of the movie. The press are asking questions about him to his press secretary, asking if he will ever comment on some of attacks his opponent has been slinging. Suddenly, he walks out onto the platform and says, “Yes, he will.” He starts into the speech that to this day continues to inspire me.
Growing up in a family where politics were often discussed and strong opinions were thrown at me from every angle, it was no surprise when I began to take an interest in politics myself, joining in on these conversations with the adults during family get-togethers and expressing my own opinions at a young age. For most kids, their only views were not really views, but teachings, things their parents had instilled in them and taught them to believe but were not based on their own experiences and questions. The same probably would have happened to me, agreeing with what my family members believed, had any of them actually agreed on things.
Alright, so they agree on some things, but they even argue over what they agree on! It can be pretty ridiculous at times, though mildly entertaining. Politics is a touchy subject in my family, especially on my dad’s side. The Ripleys have always been an opinionated bunch and we’re not afraid to show it. Debate is a constant form of communication and “stubbornness” is a common trait in all of us, making our back-and-forths an interesting experience to say the least. My mother learned early on when she married into this family something I am slowly learning myself: Just stay out of it because you can never win. While I know this is true, especially with my grandfather, I still can’t bring myself to “stay out of it”. I’m always throwing in my two cents and defending my arguments until I am so frustrated that I have to leave the room and go play with the little kids in order to calm down. My mom just laughs at me and shakes her head. As much as I hate to admit it sometimes, I really am a Ripley.
It can be hard, disagreeing with people you care about on issues that are important to you. I struggle with this all the time, and not just with my family, but with friends and peers as well. I can’t count the number of times I have sat in this Comparative Politics class or my Contemporary World Problems class, and literally bit my lips to keep from bursting. I can be overly passionate at times and have been known to bite off my friends’ heads when we get into an argument to heatedly, and I always regret it in the end. I want to defend my values, but I wonder sometimes if it is worth it at the expense of my friendships. It’s like that expression, stuck between a rock and a hard place. The sad truth is, I do believe that my values are worth more than my friendships. I hope, though, that I will never have to chose between the two, and so far I haven’t. I’ve had friends that completely disagree with a stance I have taken and that I back whole-heartedly, yet we are still friends. The beliefs shared by Andrew Shepherd, the fictional president, is exactly why this is possible. “Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours.” I believe in this so completely that I am willing to look past the disagreements and move on to something more productive. What good is fighting? I could fight with this person, argue with them until my lungs give out, and get absolutely nowhere. Or, we could listen to Aaron Sorkin and Andrew Shepherd and continue our friendship and respect each other enough to agree to disagree. I believe that this course of action would not only benefit our own sanity, but if more people would hold these views and actually act accordingly, everyone would be better off. These ‘wars’ between parties would not be so bitter and counter productive. People shouldn’t be afraid or ashamed to support their beliefs, but they do because no one understands the concept of respect.
Respect. Now there’s a word you don’t hear often enough, let alone see being instituted in every day life. People are too concerned with winning, with being on top, that they will do anything to get there, including walking all over respect, dismissing it and spitting on it. In this country, we can not afford to treat respect so poorly. Our country is the Land of the Free! How is anyone truly free if we suppress each other on a daily basis? How are we the Land of the Free if the amount of disrespect people unload upon one another causes us to hide our beliefs, or worse, change them. You can believe whatever you want, but at least have the decency to be educated, and to consider all the opposing arguments. Listen to those words that make your blood boil, and let them stand center stage. Respect them for being brave and informed and passionate. Only when you have done that do you deserve your own podium, to stand up and oppose at the top of your lungs that which they have advocated at the top of theirs.
As children we are taught that it doesn’t matter if you win or lose, as long as you played the game and gave it your all. When did we stop believing this? When did we become so self-centered that we would even toss respect out the window in order to achieve our own ends? When did power become more important that what that power was used for?
The fact that these questions even exist is frightening in its own right. I believe that America has lost itself, that we have forgotten what we are here for, what we were founded upon. We were not suppose to be a country of people who step on each other to reach the top. We were suppose to be a country where those who manage to discover a way to the top, extend a hand and offer help to those below. America may offer opportunity and freedom, but what good are those freedoms if people turn them around and use them to suppress?
I believe that as Americans it is our duty to be informed and our responsibility to be strong and stand our ground. We can not just sit back and allow others to bully us into their views, or to take advantage of our ignorance. It is also our duty to not be the bully, or to take advantage in return. Just because we can step on the little guys doesn’t mean we should. Respect is a powerful thing, a tool that we have forgotten but could do a world of good with if we all would just clear off the dust and wield it once more. This country can not afford to step on each other. As much as so many hate to admit, we are dependant upon one another in more ways than we could possibly realize.
Respect and understanding goes deeper than just our respect for one another as human beings with differing opinions. We are Americans, but we seem to forget just what that means. People do not respect their country anymore, and I believe that this fact is almost more heart breaking than the lack of respect you find between people. Regardless of your stance, chances are you love this country. Why is it, then, we do not respect it? Why do we not respect the obligations set before us enough to actually fulfill them? Most people do not care about the issues, let alone vote and share their opinions. As much as I believe in listening to one another, how can we listen when no one is doing the talking? No one is trying anymore. As the opening quote begins, America is advanced citizenship. You have to want it, because it will put up a fight. And it does put up a fight, one that is easy to win. The problem is that no one cares to fight in the first place. America is a beautiful country because of freedoms granted to us through words written with the blood of those who died fighting for it. They died for an idea, a concept that had yet to be established. They risked their lives, and lost their lives, just for the dream that some day, America would be real. Yet people today aren’t even willing to risk embarrassment, or opposition for something that is here, that does exist. Are we really that pathetic?
Another movie I love is “Swing Vote”. The idea is that somehow the next president will be decided by one single vote, and the world is watching as Bud, a drunk factory worker who doesn’t even know who is running, makes a decision. The two candidates are overly stereotyped towards their parties and Bud is the last person anyone would want deciding who becomes president. Through the course of the movie, the candidates try and play to Bud’s ignorance, something I have already frowned upon. However, they go further than bribery, throwing him parties, and playing to what he knows. They go so far as to change their views to try and sway Bud to their side. The Democrat becomes Pro-Life, the Republican is for Gay Rights and saving the environment. They end up twisting their views for power, and Bud falls for it every time. In the end his daughter, a rather brilliant little girl who knows more about politics and is more confident in her opinions than most American adults, shows Bud just how important his decision is, and why he can’t take this lightly. America waits, begging one man to pick their candidate. In the end Bud realizes that his daughter is right, and decides that he wants to hold a final debate between the two candidates. He takes the time to read the hundreds of thousands of letters people have sent him, and educates himself on the issues. He realizes that just because he has the right to be ignorant and the right to not vote, doesn’t mean he should exercise that right. He finds respect for himself, for the candidates, and for the political system and his country. Bud realizes that from the top of the chain, all the way down to the bottom, we can not afford to be petty, to be misinformed, to be uneducated, or to be disrespectful. We must stop playing games and make the system work the way we were taught it should.
Here is a quote from Bud at the end of the movie in his opening remarks before he moderates the debate:
“I can’t say I’ve been much of anything most of my life. Its sort of like somewhere along the line I checked out and its not like I had big dreams to begin with, but I had something once, something close to faith or hope or whatever word you want to use for how good life could be. But then the years, they start moving quicker and what’ s going good for everybody else ain’t going so good for you. But tonight I feel embarrassed. I’ve had my chances more than most. I’ve grown up in a country where if I decided to do more with my life than just drift and drink, then I could be standing where maybe you stand tonight. Instead I’ve taken freely and I’ve given nothing. I’m ashamed in front of my daughter and my country. I’ve never served or sacrificed. The only heavy lifting I’ve ever been asked is simple stuff like, you know, pay attention. Vote. If America has a true enemy tonight I guess its me. Tonight a below average man is going to chose between two exceptional men. Tomorrow one man’s vote is going to make a difference, cause Tomorrow we are going to have a president and not just someone to fill a chair in Washington. We need someone who’s bigger than their speeches, the kind of president we learned about in school when we still cared. America needs a big thinker. You know, like a giant, really. Someone who has a good sense to get in front of our problems, somebody who has the wisdom to lead us to a place where we are at peace with ourselves in the world.”
Bud is at the bottom of the barrel, believing that his voice would never count, and therefore he never defined his voice. He learns that his voice does matter, and not just because of the fictional happenstance that one vote decides an election, but because the issues themselves matter, and the people matter. I believe that it is our duty as Americans to be involved, to take a stand and fight for what we believe in. No matter who you are, whether you are running for president, or just trying to support your family on minimum wage, you do matter. That is what makes America so great is that every single person in this country has a voice and they are allowed to use it! So why don’t they? How come people don’t believe in themselves, in their voices, in the system, in this country? If people would only believe again they would see that we can fix these problems with our society. We can’t attack this deficit, or make ruling on same sex marriage, or come to a decision on gun control, or anything else, until we have the means to do so. This doesn’t mean money, this doesn’t mean power. This means that we can not decide what is best for America if we have no idea what America is thinking because they are too ignorant or too scared to do anything about the world around them.
I can’t describe how frustrating it is to look at this country and see where we as a society have landed ourselves. We have forgotten what real freedom is. We have forgotten how to make opinions and to support those opinions versus taking sides. We have forgotten that through our disagreements we can actually bring unity. We have forgotten to respect each other, and to respect ourselves. We have forgotten that these rights were not granted to us, but earned and fought for. We have forgotten that just because we can do something, doesn’t mean we should. This country has forgotten what it means to be an American, and until we wake up from this illusion that it is okay for everything to be decided for us, that it is okay to just sit back and let the world happen, we can not proclaim that we are Americans and proud of it. Until we open our eyes, there is nothing to be proud of.
I believe that America needs to wake up and remember what it is that makes us so great. I believe that respect, passion, dignity, and responsibility must be regained. I believe that the system can work and that America is capable of so much more, but only if its citizens work for it. America is like a citizen. It can succeed, or it can fail, it all depends on what it chooses and how hard it works for that success. I believe that America is not trying hard enough, and if we don’t wake up soon, we are bound to fail. The beauty is, I believe we can pick ourselves back up, that if we start fighting for our rights and start believing again, we can come out on top once more.
I believe in a lot of things. I believe in freedom, in respect, in voting and education, but most importantly, I believe people, and that in the end they won’t let America down.
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This I Believe
By Stephanie Ripley
By Stephanie Ripley
“America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say "You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours. You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country can't just be a flag; the symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then, you can stand up and sing about the ‘land of the free’.”
Since I was a little girl these words have been like my political bible. It may be short and it may be simple, but it guides me not just politically but morally as well. I live by them and swear by them and believe in their meaning passionately and completely. Sure, they are the words of a fictional character, a fictional president at that, but Andrew Shepherd’s words at the end of “The American President” will forever ring true and direct me in life. I wish I could meet Aaron Sorkin, the man who wrote these words, and shake his hand.
“The American President” is one of my all time favorite movies. I didn’t love it simply because it had Michael Douglass, as my mom did, or for the back and forth humor between Andrew Sheppard and his aides that my father loved. What has always captivated me is the speech that President Andrew Shepherd gives at the end of the movie. The press are asking questions about him to his press secretary, asking if he will ever comment on some of attacks his opponent has been slinging. Suddenly, he walks out onto the platform and says, “Yes, he will.” He starts into the speech that to this day continues to inspire me.
Growing up in a family where politics were often discussed and strong opinions were thrown at me from every angle, it was no surprise when I began to take an interest in politics myself, joining in on these conversations with the adults during family get-togethers and expressing my own opinions at a young age. For most kids, their only views were not really views, but teachings, things their parents had instilled in them and taught them to believe but were not based on their own experiences and questions. The same probably would have happened to me, agreeing with what my family members believed, had any of them actually agreed on things.
Alright, so they agree on some things, but they even argue over what they agree on! It can be pretty ridiculous at times, though mildly entertaining. Politics is a touchy subject in my family, especially on my dad’s side. The Ripleys have always been an opinionated bunch and we’re not afraid to show it. Debate is a constant form of communication and “stubbornness” is a common trait in all of us, making our back-and-forths an interesting experience to say the least. My mother learned early on when she married into this family something I am slowly learning myself: Just stay out of it because you can never win. While I know this is true, especially with my grandfather, I still can’t bring myself to “stay out of it”. I’m always throwing in my two cents and defending my arguments until I am so frustrated that I have to leave the room and go play with the little kids in order to calm down. My mom just laughs at me and shakes her head. As much as I hate to admit it sometimes, I really am a Ripley.
It can be hard, disagreeing with people you care about on issues that are important to you. I struggle with this all the time, and not just with my family, but with friends and peers as well. I can’t count the number of times I have sat in this Comparative Politics class or my Contemporary World Problems class, and literally bit my lips to keep from bursting. I can be overly passionate at times and have been known to bite off my friends’ heads when we get into an argument to heatedly, and I always regret it in the end. I want to defend my values, but I wonder sometimes if it is worth it at the expense of my friendships. It’s like that expression, stuck between a rock and a hard place. The sad truth is, I do believe that my values are worth more than my friendships. I hope, though, that I will never have to chose between the two, and so far I haven’t. I’ve had friends that completely disagree with a stance I have taken and that I back whole-heartedly, yet we are still friends. The beliefs shared by Andrew Shepherd, the fictional president, is exactly why this is possible. “Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours.” I believe in this so completely that I am willing to look past the disagreements and move on to something more productive. What good is fighting? I could fight with this person, argue with them until my lungs give out, and get absolutely nowhere. Or, we could listen to Aaron Sorkin and Andrew Shepherd and continue our friendship and respect each other enough to agree to disagree. I believe that this course of action would not only benefit our own sanity, but if more people would hold these views and actually act accordingly, everyone would be better off. These ‘wars’ between parties would not be so bitter and counter productive. People shouldn’t be afraid or ashamed to support their beliefs, but they do because no one understands the concept of respect.
Respect. Now there’s a word you don’t hear often enough, let alone see being instituted in every day life. People are too concerned with winning, with being on top, that they will do anything to get there, including walking all over respect, dismissing it and spitting on it. In this country, we can not afford to treat respect so poorly. Our country is the Land of the Free! How is anyone truly free if we suppress each other on a daily basis? How are we the Land of the Free if the amount of disrespect people unload upon one another causes us to hide our beliefs, or worse, change them. You can believe whatever you want, but at least have the decency to be educated, and to consider all the opposing arguments. Listen to those words that make your blood boil, and let them stand center stage. Respect them for being brave and informed and passionate. Only when you have done that do you deserve your own podium, to stand up and oppose at the top of your lungs that which they have advocated at the top of theirs.
As children we are taught that it doesn’t matter if you win or lose, as long as you played the game and gave it your all. When did we stop believing this? When did we become so self-centered that we would even toss respect out the window in order to achieve our own ends? When did power become more important that what that power was used for?
The fact that these questions even exist is frightening in its own right. I believe that America has lost itself, that we have forgotten what we are here for, what we were founded upon. We were not suppose to be a country of people who step on each other to reach the top. We were suppose to be a country where those who manage to discover a way to the top, extend a hand and offer help to those below. America may offer opportunity and freedom, but what good are those freedoms if people turn them around and use them to suppress?
I believe that as Americans it is our duty to be informed and our responsibility to be strong and stand our ground. We can not just sit back and allow others to bully us into their views, or to take advantage of our ignorance. It is also our duty to not be the bully, or to take advantage in return. Just because we can step on the little guys doesn’t mean we should. Respect is a powerful thing, a tool that we have forgotten but could do a world of good with if we all would just clear off the dust and wield it once more. This country can not afford to step on each other. As much as so many hate to admit, we are dependant upon one another in more ways than we could possibly realize.
Respect and understanding goes deeper than just our respect for one another as human beings with differing opinions. We are Americans, but we seem to forget just what that means. People do not respect their country anymore, and I believe that this fact is almost more heart breaking than the lack of respect you find between people. Regardless of your stance, chances are you love this country. Why is it, then, we do not respect it? Why do we not respect the obligations set before us enough to actually fulfill them? Most people do not care about the issues, let alone vote and share their opinions. As much as I believe in listening to one another, how can we listen when no one is doing the talking? No one is trying anymore. As the opening quote begins, America is advanced citizenship. You have to want it, because it will put up a fight. And it does put up a fight, one that is easy to win. The problem is that no one cares to fight in the first place. America is a beautiful country because of freedoms granted to us through words written with the blood of those who died fighting for it. They died for an idea, a concept that had yet to be established. They risked their lives, and lost their lives, just for the dream that some day, America would be real. Yet people today aren’t even willing to risk embarrassment, or opposition for something that is here, that does exist. Are we really that pathetic?
Another movie I love is “Swing Vote”. The idea is that somehow the next president will be decided by one single vote, and the world is watching as Bud, a drunk factory worker who doesn’t even know who is running, makes a decision. The two candidates are overly stereotyped towards their parties and Bud is the last person anyone would want deciding who becomes president. Through the course of the movie, the candidates try and play to Bud’s ignorance, something I have already frowned upon. However, they go further than bribery, throwing him parties, and playing to what he knows. They go so far as to change their views to try and sway Bud to their side. The Democrat becomes Pro-Life, the Republican is for Gay Rights and saving the environment. They end up twisting their views for power, and Bud falls for it every time. In the end his daughter, a rather brilliant little girl who knows more about politics and is more confident in her opinions than most American adults, shows Bud just how important his decision is, and why he can’t take this lightly. America waits, begging one man to pick their candidate. In the end Bud realizes that his daughter is right, and decides that he wants to hold a final debate between the two candidates. He takes the time to read the hundreds of thousands of letters people have sent him, and educates himself on the issues. He realizes that just because he has the right to be ignorant and the right to not vote, doesn’t mean he should exercise that right. He finds respect for himself, for the candidates, and for the political system and his country. Bud realizes that from the top of the chain, all the way down to the bottom, we can not afford to be petty, to be misinformed, to be uneducated, or to be disrespectful. We must stop playing games and make the system work the way we were taught it should.
Here is a quote from Bud at the end of the movie in his opening remarks before he moderates the debate:
“I can’t say I’ve been much of anything most of my life. Its sort of like somewhere along the line I checked out and its not like I had big dreams to begin with, but I had something once, something close to faith or hope or whatever word you want to use for how good life could be. But then the years, they start moving quicker and what’ s going good for everybody else ain’t going so good for you. But tonight I feel embarrassed. I’ve had my chances more than most. I’ve grown up in a country where if I decided to do more with my life than just drift and drink, then I could be standing where maybe you stand tonight. Instead I’ve taken freely and I’ve given nothing. I’m ashamed in front of my daughter and my country. I’ve never served or sacrificed. The only heavy lifting I’ve ever been asked is simple stuff like, you know, pay attention. Vote. If America has a true enemy tonight I guess its me. Tonight a below average man is going to chose between two exceptional men. Tomorrow one man’s vote is going to make a difference, cause Tomorrow we are going to have a president and not just someone to fill a chair in Washington. We need someone who’s bigger than their speeches, the kind of president we learned about in school when we still cared. America needs a big thinker. You know, like a giant, really. Someone who has a good sense to get in front of our problems, somebody who has the wisdom to lead us to a place where we are at peace with ourselves in the world.”
Bud is at the bottom of the barrel, believing that his voice would never count, and therefore he never defined his voice. He learns that his voice does matter, and not just because of the fictional happenstance that one vote decides an election, but because the issues themselves matter, and the people matter. I believe that it is our duty as Americans to be involved, to take a stand and fight for what we believe in. No matter who you are, whether you are running for president, or just trying to support your family on minimum wage, you do matter. That is what makes America so great is that every single person in this country has a voice and they are allowed to use it! So why don’t they? How come people don’t believe in themselves, in their voices, in the system, in this country? If people would only believe again they would see that we can fix these problems with our society. We can’t attack this deficit, or make ruling on same sex marriage, or come to a decision on gun control, or anything else, until we have the means to do so. This doesn’t mean money, this doesn’t mean power. This means that we can not decide what is best for America if we have no idea what America is thinking because they are too ignorant or too scared to do anything about the world around them.
I can’t describe how frustrating it is to look at this country and see where we as a society have landed ourselves. We have forgotten what real freedom is. We have forgotten how to make opinions and to support those opinions versus taking sides. We have forgotten that through our disagreements we can actually bring unity. We have forgotten to respect each other, and to respect ourselves. We have forgotten that these rights were not granted to us, but earned and fought for. We have forgotten that just because we can do something, doesn’t mean we should. This country has forgotten what it means to be an American, and until we wake up from this illusion that it is okay for everything to be decided for us, that it is okay to just sit back and let the world happen, we can not proclaim that we are Americans and proud of it. Until we open our eyes, there is nothing to be proud of.
I believe that America needs to wake up and remember what it is that makes us so great. I believe that respect, passion, dignity, and responsibility must be regained. I believe that the system can work and that America is capable of so much more, but only if its citizens work for it. America is like a citizen. It can succeed, or it can fail, it all depends on what it chooses and how hard it works for that success. I believe that America is not trying hard enough, and if we don’t wake up soon, we are bound to fail. The beauty is, I believe we can pick ourselves back up, that if we start fighting for our rights and start believing again, we can come out on top once more.
I believe in a lot of things. I believe in freedom, in respect, in voting and education, but most importantly, I believe people, and that in the end they won’t let America down.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Atlantis pt. 2
This is the second part to Atlantis =] Enjoy. & Please leave comments!
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As we got closer to The Square we could hear the buzz of the village gathering and the sound of The Horn echoing off the buildings. The Horn was only used when there was an emergency or there was to be an unplanned announcement of importance being made. As we came into The Square we found it crowded and we couldn’t see the front of the Council Hall where no doubt the speaker would be. Grabbing my hand Chris led the both of us through the crowd, attempting to push closer to the front. About half-way through, near enough to see a little better, we came across our friend Sylvia and her younger brother Trenton.
“What’s going on?” Chris asked immediately as we came within ear shot to Sylvia.
“I’m not sure. We were inside earlier with our father when suddenly a few of the other council members came running in. I was sent out immediately. There was a stranger with them…” Sylvia seemed worried, though as curious as any child would be. A stranger? Who wouldn’t be curious?
“Silence! Silence!” a loud voiced suddenly called over the crowd. I had been expecting Kiamin to speak, but that was not his voice. I stood on tip toe, attempting to get a better view.
“Everyone, please, quiet down.” The voice repeated. Finally, the crowd began to tone down. The man before them all straightened himself, standing proudly and he had a presence to him that made you want to listen. He seemed nervous as well, though I could not blame him. He was young, hardly older than myself, but he stood tall and with confidence. His name was Joshua, the son of Kiamin and the youngest member of the council. Standing before everyone I couldn’t help but feel proud. Joshua was a friend of mine and often wished that the rest of the village would take him more seriously. While he was wise beyond his years many found his youth to be a negative feature, for youth came with naïve and misguided perspectives. To see him addressing everyone made me glow, realizing he was finally being given than chance to prove he could hold his own within the council.
“The Council was approached this morning by an outsider concerning some very important news. While we had considered waiting until we made a decision on the matter before bringing this news upon you, we do know that whispers are already beginning to travel throughout the village about this stranger and what his message may have concerned. I am here to put an end to these rumors and inform you what the purpose of the stranger’s visit was centered towards.” The rest of The Council sat in chairs on the steps behind Joshua, who stood alone in front of the crowd. We all watched in silence, waiting.
“I have always felt that directness was the best means of relaying information, so pardon my lack of warning. The stranger today has come to us requesting that a family from his nation be allowed to come here for trade. The nation he is from…” I couldn’t help but notice the slight pause in his words and the stutter in his voice. “The nation his from is Atlantis.”
The moment those words left Joshua’s lips the entire Square was up in arms, speaking loudly to everyone around them, yelling all sorts of opinions on the matter.
“No! Their kind isn’t welcome here!” some shouted, while others hollered back that everyone was welcome in Gentue. The words flew back and forth and people were quickly becoming restless.
“Silence!” Joshua’s voice boomed over the crowd and immediately the noise came to a halt. “This man wishes to bring only one small family, a family of which is merely attempting to help their nation rebuild itself. I need not remind anyone of the attack by the Eastern Islands on Atlantis not long ago,” Joshua said almost as a warning, “and we can not deny they need all the economic help they can manage. We are not saying that we are allowing them in, only that the idea is being considered and voted on by The Council. Once a decision is made, you will all be informed. We only pray you stand beside us when that time comes.”
Staring over the crowd with an almost pleading look in his eyes, Joshua recollected himself and turned from the crowd and gave a nod to Kiamin. The men behind Joshua rose from their seats and the chatting began again. I couldn’t help but watch with a curious eye as The Council returned to their quarters.
“They can’t be serious! Why would a place as prestigious as Gentue ever let the likes of them into our village? The idea is preposterous!”
I was shocked when I later heard Chris shouting these words in a variety of ways as we returned down the path to the spot we had been so happily been talking before. The fact that he was so angry surprised me, for children rarely cared much for the politics of society, blowing it off and giving it to the adults to deal with.
“It’s not that big of a deal, Chris,” I said in an attempt to calm him down. Sadly, these attempts failed miserably. If anything, I only enraged him more.
“Not a big deal? Penelope! They are the most … appalling nation of them all! Do you pay attention in history? They nearly wiped out the Eastern Islands a century ago, only a decade after attacking the Western Coast! They have no respect for anyone, not even their own people! They are a monstrous society and deserve what they got!”
“How do you know this family had anything to do with that?”
“They are still trying to support their entire nation and because of that, I don’t care what they had to do with anything.”
The conversation died. I stayed near Chris as the crowd slowly began to disappear around us, heading back to their business or to their own houses. It was silent between us for some time. Sylvia and Trenton departed, sad to see Chris in such a foul mood and asking me what was wrong. I apologized on his behalf, wishing I had an answer to give them.
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As we got closer to The Square we could hear the buzz of the village gathering and the sound of The Horn echoing off the buildings. The Horn was only used when there was an emergency or there was to be an unplanned announcement of importance being made. As we came into The Square we found it crowded and we couldn’t see the front of the Council Hall where no doubt the speaker would be. Grabbing my hand Chris led the both of us through the crowd, attempting to push closer to the front. About half-way through, near enough to see a little better, we came across our friend Sylvia and her younger brother Trenton.
“What’s going on?” Chris asked immediately as we came within ear shot to Sylvia.
“I’m not sure. We were inside earlier with our father when suddenly a few of the other council members came running in. I was sent out immediately. There was a stranger with them…” Sylvia seemed worried, though as curious as any child would be. A stranger? Who wouldn’t be curious?
“Silence! Silence!” a loud voiced suddenly called over the crowd. I had been expecting Kiamin to speak, but that was not his voice. I stood on tip toe, attempting to get a better view.
“Everyone, please, quiet down.” The voice repeated. Finally, the crowd began to tone down. The man before them all straightened himself, standing proudly and he had a presence to him that made you want to listen. He seemed nervous as well, though I could not blame him. He was young, hardly older than myself, but he stood tall and with confidence. His name was Joshua, the son of Kiamin and the youngest member of the council. Standing before everyone I couldn’t help but feel proud. Joshua was a friend of mine and often wished that the rest of the village would take him more seriously. While he was wise beyond his years many found his youth to be a negative feature, for youth came with naïve and misguided perspectives. To see him addressing everyone made me glow, realizing he was finally being given than chance to prove he could hold his own within the council.
“The Council was approached this morning by an outsider concerning some very important news. While we had considered waiting until we made a decision on the matter before bringing this news upon you, we do know that whispers are already beginning to travel throughout the village about this stranger and what his message may have concerned. I am here to put an end to these rumors and inform you what the purpose of the stranger’s visit was centered towards.” The rest of The Council sat in chairs on the steps behind Joshua, who stood alone in front of the crowd. We all watched in silence, waiting.
“I have always felt that directness was the best means of relaying information, so pardon my lack of warning. The stranger today has come to us requesting that a family from his nation be allowed to come here for trade. The nation he is from…” I couldn’t help but notice the slight pause in his words and the stutter in his voice. “The nation his from is Atlantis.”
The moment those words left Joshua’s lips the entire Square was up in arms, speaking loudly to everyone around them, yelling all sorts of opinions on the matter.
“No! Their kind isn’t welcome here!” some shouted, while others hollered back that everyone was welcome in Gentue. The words flew back and forth and people were quickly becoming restless.
“Silence!” Joshua’s voice boomed over the crowd and immediately the noise came to a halt. “This man wishes to bring only one small family, a family of which is merely attempting to help their nation rebuild itself. I need not remind anyone of the attack by the Eastern Islands on Atlantis not long ago,” Joshua said almost as a warning, “and we can not deny they need all the economic help they can manage. We are not saying that we are allowing them in, only that the idea is being considered and voted on by The Council. Once a decision is made, you will all be informed. We only pray you stand beside us when that time comes.”
Staring over the crowd with an almost pleading look in his eyes, Joshua recollected himself and turned from the crowd and gave a nod to Kiamin. The men behind Joshua rose from their seats and the chatting began again. I couldn’t help but watch with a curious eye as The Council returned to their quarters.
“They can’t be serious! Why would a place as prestigious as Gentue ever let the likes of them into our village? The idea is preposterous!”
I was shocked when I later heard Chris shouting these words in a variety of ways as we returned down the path to the spot we had been so happily been talking before. The fact that he was so angry surprised me, for children rarely cared much for the politics of society, blowing it off and giving it to the adults to deal with.
“It’s not that big of a deal, Chris,” I said in an attempt to calm him down. Sadly, these attempts failed miserably. If anything, I only enraged him more.
“Not a big deal? Penelope! They are the most … appalling nation of them all! Do you pay attention in history? They nearly wiped out the Eastern Islands a century ago, only a decade after attacking the Western Coast! They have no respect for anyone, not even their own people! They are a monstrous society and deserve what they got!”
“How do you know this family had anything to do with that?”
“They are still trying to support their entire nation and because of that, I don’t care what they had to do with anything.”
The conversation died. I stayed near Chris as the crowd slowly began to disappear around us, heading back to their business or to their own houses. It was silent between us for some time. Sylvia and Trenton departed, sad to see Chris in such a foul mood and asking me what was wrong. I apologized on his behalf, wishing I had an answer to give them.
Nuke Fanfic Part 1
So my story doesn't have a clever name. Whoops. Its just a fan fiction written about characters from the soap opera "As The World Turns". 'Nuke' stands for Noah and Luke, a young gay couple on the show whom I adore. This story takes place in the upcoming school year, and assumes no drama after Zoe & Zac [save the Damian stuff, but no Colonel Mayer]. No drama for a whole summer in a soap opera for two young people?! Impossible. I know. But deal =D
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She did her best to not appear nervous as she walked in Java and sat down at one of the small tables near the front counter. She had been coming here for weeks but not while he was working, at least not since the first time she had laid eyes upon him. She knew his schedule but still she seemed to always miss him, only catching a glimpse as he strode out the door with the blonde boy at his side, and this was if she was lucky. Today was quiet, simple. Today Noah Mayer did not have any emergency to run off to. Today Naomi Yearwood finally had an opportunity to make herself known.
Leaving her things at the table Naomi came up to the counter and bit the inside of her cheek when he turned to her with a smile.
"What can I get you?"
Her heart skipped a beat.
"Um… just a vanilla latte today." she answered quickly, holding her breath. He smiled again. She paid without looking at him, afraid she might crack if she looked at his blue eyes again.
"Coming right up." he said cheerily, making her stomach flip.
Stepping off to the side Naomi finally let herself breathe, shutting her eyes momentarily as she tried to her hold herself together. While she had seen him a couple of times, actually speaking to him, knowing that his attention was on her, was harder to handle than she could have possibly expected. Hearing the sound of the door swinging open and the small bell chiming, Naomi looked up, and just in time. Noah turned back from the bar wither her drink, handing it to her carefully.
"There you go. Have a good one."
Naomi just nodded wordlessly and returned to her seat with her lip between her teeth. She was such a fool! Why was she so afraid to talk to him? A couple of months ago she had everything figured out. There was one problem though in this perfect plan of her: he had been less charming and she had been more bold.
About half an hour passed and was still staring at a book, though she had yet to turn a single page. She was contemplating her next move, or more exactly, trying to build up enough courage for there to even be a next move. Finally, as she tried to drink from her empty cup, she decided that enough was enough. She had to talk to him.
"Hey, can I get a refill?" she said in a small voice as she approached the counter.
"Sure. Vanilla latte, right?" God he had a great smile.
"Yes."
Naomi leaned on the empty counter, watching as he made her drink. She inhaled a much needed deep breath, though it did nothing for the butterflies.
"Are you new here by chance?"
Noah looked puzzle, shaking his head.
"Nope, I've been here for a while now. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, its just that I haven't seen you working here before. I've only been here a few weeks so I guess that was a pretty silly assumption."
"Understandable. I haven't been working as much these past few weeks." He handed her the drink and she could see that there was more to his answer than simply what he had said, something he'd rather not discuss. She decided not to pry, already having a bit of an idea.
"Gotcha," was all she replied.
"So are you a student at OU then?"
"Yes, this is my first semester here. You?"
"This is going to be my fourth semester here. It's a pretty great place, I'm sure you'll like it."
"Yeah, it seems nice."
He smiled.
"So what are you studying?" he asked her with friendly curiosity.
"Creative writing." Naomi began, a little stunned by his curiosity. "What about you?"
"Film. I'm trying to be a director."
"He's too modest. You're already a great director."
Naomi turned to the new voice, seeing the familiar blonde boy smiling at the two of them.
"And you're biased." Noah laughed.
"Oh, I'm sure your great." Naomi threw in, grabbing Luke's attention.
"Thanks. Oh, this is Luke. Luke, this is.. actually, I never got your name." Noah admitted with an embarrassed laugh.
"Naomi," she said, offering her hand to Luke. "Noah was just telling me how great OU is."
"How do you know my name?" Noah asked, causing both boys to eye her curiously. For a moment she panicked, but quickly recovered as she looked him over.
"Name tag." Naomi smiled, pointing at Noah's chest. They all laughed.
"I was actually just stopping by to let you know that we're having dinner at the farm before Faith's concert tonight." Luke interceded.
"Awesome, I can't wait."
"I got to run. I'll see you later?" Luke naturally leaned forward and placed a brief but affectionate kiss on Noah's lips. They smiled at each other as Luke departed and Naomi watched the joy on Noah's face, bringing a small glow to her own.
"So he's your…"
"Boyfriend." Noah said before she could finish, and she blushed, realizing he probably got that a lot.
"How long have you two been together?"
"Just over two years." he replied happily, though seeming a little surprised by her nonchalant reaction.
"That's great. You two seem happy."
"Yeah, we are. It took a lot to get here, but it was worth the wait." Noah grinned and Naomi couldn't help but feel like she was on the outside of an inside joke.
The door opened and a few more people approached the counter, Noah's coworker attending to them.
"I don't want to distract you from work. Thanks for the refill." she said, stepping back and tipping her drink to him. She walked away before he could say anything and so he simply nodded with a smile before turning to the next customer in line. Naomi packed her things and with a light heart and renewed confidence she slipped out into Old Town with every intention of returning in the very near future.
-----------------------------------------------------------
She did her best to not appear nervous as she walked in Java and sat down at one of the small tables near the front counter. She had been coming here for weeks but not while he was working, at least not since the first time she had laid eyes upon him. She knew his schedule but still she seemed to always miss him, only catching a glimpse as he strode out the door with the blonde boy at his side, and this was if she was lucky. Today was quiet, simple. Today Noah Mayer did not have any emergency to run off to. Today Naomi Yearwood finally had an opportunity to make herself known.
Leaving her things at the table Naomi came up to the counter and bit the inside of her cheek when he turned to her with a smile.
"What can I get you?"
Her heart skipped a beat.
"Um… just a vanilla latte today." she answered quickly, holding her breath. He smiled again. She paid without looking at him, afraid she might crack if she looked at his blue eyes again.
"Coming right up." he said cheerily, making her stomach flip.
Stepping off to the side Naomi finally let herself breathe, shutting her eyes momentarily as she tried to her hold herself together. While she had seen him a couple of times, actually speaking to him, knowing that his attention was on her, was harder to handle than she could have possibly expected. Hearing the sound of the door swinging open and the small bell chiming, Naomi looked up, and just in time. Noah turned back from the bar wither her drink, handing it to her carefully.
"There you go. Have a good one."
Naomi just nodded wordlessly and returned to her seat with her lip between her teeth. She was such a fool! Why was she so afraid to talk to him? A couple of months ago she had everything figured out. There was one problem though in this perfect plan of her: he had been less charming and she had been more bold.
About half an hour passed and was still staring at a book, though she had yet to turn a single page. She was contemplating her next move, or more exactly, trying to build up enough courage for there to even be a next move. Finally, as she tried to drink from her empty cup, she decided that enough was enough. She had to talk to him.
"Hey, can I get a refill?" she said in a small voice as she approached the counter.
"Sure. Vanilla latte, right?" God he had a great smile.
"Yes."
Naomi leaned on the empty counter, watching as he made her drink. She inhaled a much needed deep breath, though it did nothing for the butterflies.
"Are you new here by chance?"
Noah looked puzzle, shaking his head.
"Nope, I've been here for a while now. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, its just that I haven't seen you working here before. I've only been here a few weeks so I guess that was a pretty silly assumption."
"Understandable. I haven't been working as much these past few weeks." He handed her the drink and she could see that there was more to his answer than simply what he had said, something he'd rather not discuss. She decided not to pry, already having a bit of an idea.
"Gotcha," was all she replied.
"So are you a student at OU then?"
"Yes, this is my first semester here. You?"
"This is going to be my fourth semester here. It's a pretty great place, I'm sure you'll like it."
"Yeah, it seems nice."
He smiled.
"So what are you studying?" he asked her with friendly curiosity.
"Creative writing." Naomi began, a little stunned by his curiosity. "What about you?"
"Film. I'm trying to be a director."
"He's too modest. You're already a great director."
Naomi turned to the new voice, seeing the familiar blonde boy smiling at the two of them.
"And you're biased." Noah laughed.
"Oh, I'm sure your great." Naomi threw in, grabbing Luke's attention.
"Thanks. Oh, this is Luke. Luke, this is.. actually, I never got your name." Noah admitted with an embarrassed laugh.
"Naomi," she said, offering her hand to Luke. "Noah was just telling me how great OU is."
"How do you know my name?" Noah asked, causing both boys to eye her curiously. For a moment she panicked, but quickly recovered as she looked him over.
"Name tag." Naomi smiled, pointing at Noah's chest. They all laughed.
"I was actually just stopping by to let you know that we're having dinner at the farm before Faith's concert tonight." Luke interceded.
"Awesome, I can't wait."
"I got to run. I'll see you later?" Luke naturally leaned forward and placed a brief but affectionate kiss on Noah's lips. They smiled at each other as Luke departed and Naomi watched the joy on Noah's face, bringing a small glow to her own.
"So he's your…"
"Boyfriend." Noah said before she could finish, and she blushed, realizing he probably got that a lot.
"How long have you two been together?"
"Just over two years." he replied happily, though seeming a little surprised by her nonchalant reaction.
"That's great. You two seem happy."
"Yeah, we are. It took a lot to get here, but it was worth the wait." Noah grinned and Naomi couldn't help but feel like she was on the outside of an inside joke.
The door opened and a few more people approached the counter, Noah's coworker attending to them.
"I don't want to distract you from work. Thanks for the refill." she said, stepping back and tipping her drink to him. She walked away before he could say anything and so he simply nodded with a smile before turning to the next customer in line. Naomi packed her things and with a light heart and renewed confidence she slipped out into Old Town with every intention of returning in the very near future.
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