outside

It was a beautiful night last night, and please don't believe those who would say otherwise. I was given the opportunity to sleep under the stars, although I don't know if there were any. You see, I was sleeping in a shadow to avoid getting caught by campus safety.

Simple Living is beginning this new semester with a bang and some action. A group of seven students is embarking on a trip toward empathy with the homeless. This includes sleeping outside, having to ask for meals, going without personal items that won't fit into a single backpack, all while still being an active college student. It will be an interesting week which will conclude by visiting and potentially volunteering at the local Center for the Homeless.

More thoughts will come later. May the peace of the creator be with you this week.

Girl Blues

poetry by mush


To every girl who hides
Behind a sealed mouth and
Big headphones.

Who locks herself in her room and
Turns her music loud to
Drown the demons banging
At the door.

To the girl who thinks she's half-crazy.
Who closes up like a fist whenever the world leans in.
To every girl uncomfortable in a pair of shorts.
And sits alone every night in the dark drinking her tears to take up less space.
To every daughter afraid to admit she is just like her mom.

Purple bruises and rain
Blue of every flame
If you are hard to touch
This ones for you.

To the girl who bleeds underwater and finds
God’s face on her wrist-
It’s time you come up for air

Fucked up and fabulous,
Broken but mending,
Come here.
And I will stand on water with you, in fishnets
Waiting for the tide to rise.

human-ness

"I love you" means something very special and very concrete. It means that I surround you with the feeling that allows you-perhaps requires you-to be everything you really are as a human being at that moment. When my love is fullest, you are most fully you. You may be good, or bad, or both; tender or angry, or both; but you are you, which is the very most I could ever ask or expect. And so I experience you in all your beauty and all your ugliness. But you, not what I expect, or want, or what you feel you should be, or were fashioned to be, but really you.

Thomas Malone & Patrick Malone, Art of Intimacy

resolutions

It's the time of year when my mother usually asks us children to re-evaluate and look at last year's resolutions while making new ones. I've decided that this year's resolutions will be more commitments, not just well wishing or things I want to accomplish. So, here goes it (and I'd appreciate some accountability on these this coming year):

- I commit to buying no “new” clothes this year…exceptions: Goodwill shopping, thrift stores, and gifts of clothing

- I commit to becoming more environmentally-friendly: become more aware and educated, reuse glass and plastic bottles, recycle paper products

- I commit to pursuing the dream, whatever form it takes for one solid year: offering the opportunity to others daily, reading and listening to CDs, attending seminars and rallies, etc

- I commit to physical fitness and the health of my body: exercising three or more times per week, running at least 30 minutes per day, eating healthy and drinking three or more bottles of water per day

the holiday

Merry Christmas...Happy Canadian Boxing Day...Happy Hanukkah...Happy Holidays...(__fill in the blank with the festive event you celebrate at this time of year___)

empowerment

I'm Gonna Do It All - Karine Polwart

What ARE you going to do someday? How are you going to change the world??

World AIDS Day

Today is World AIDS Day. For most on my campus, it is just another day. But for those with HIV/AIDS or those who have been orphaned, it's not just another day. They are most likely grateful for another day of living. For those of us who are educated, it is a day of awareness. It is a day for those of us who know and care to defeat the stigmas fear has created. On Thursday, three of us traveled to Notre Dame for their film festival. There was a little boy named Gao Jun (China) who broke my heart. He was not only orphaned because his parents died from AIDS but he also has the disease. His uncles wouldn't take him because of the stigma and not being able to find spouses. So the little boy was given to another family until he became too sick for them to bear to care for him. AND he is one of the lucky ones. Something in my heart wanted to go over to China and vow to care for that little boy and the hundreds, perhaps thousands, like him. My heart goes out to Gao Jun and the millions like him. You are in my thoughts today.

fear or freedom

"Come to the edge."
"We can't. We're afraid."
"Come to the edge."
"We can't. We will fall!"
"Come to the edge."
And they came.
And he pushed them.
And they flew.

Guillaume Apollinaire, 1880-1918
French Poet, Philosopher

1st Friday

"Our rule is the works of mercy," said Dorothy Day. "It is the way of sacrifice, worship, a sense of reverence."

The Simple Living group decided to attend 1st Friday at the Catholic Worker. It was mass followed by a time of food and fellowship with other young, and old, activists. I was amazed and so motivated to become a part of this movement. For more information, a link is provided: Catholic Worker.

GLBT history month

For more information, log onto http://www.glbthistorymonth.com