Camping- Mt. Shasta

This week I took a break from techonology and went camping with some friends in Northern California . We went up to Lake Shasta to camp and ventured to Lake Siskiyou to watch the fireworks.

On Friday, we went on an epic hike with a 4 year old and two dogs. Twice, we had to cross the river swimming with all our stuff above our heads.  I have never done this before, so yes, the first crossing was rather comical. Actually, I had to do the first crossing twice because I had to do a test run.  Thank goodness I did because I lost my balance the first time and float into the current a bit.

Picture Time!

 My chosen sister graduates with a degree in Earth Systems!!

 CELEBRATING THE RIGHT FOR MARRIAGE AT THE CALIFORNIA STATE CAPITOL!

PET Names

If you ever find yourself in the verge of dating me, beware. These are the most like nicknames that I will call you. And yes, I researched these carefully.

1. My little cabbage

2. meine süße 

3. babushka

4. jujube

5. Gizmo

6.Puffin

7. Honey Suckle

8. Love Nugget

9. Sugar Puff

10. Pumpkin

11. Casanova 

My Playlist

As I go through my favorite playlist on IndieShuffle, I am realizing that all of the songs are about a slighted lover or a lover departing.

For instance, take the first song by Daughter.

                                                                        "Medicine"

Pick it up, pick it all up.
And start again.
You've got a second chance,
you could go home.
Escape it all.
It's just irrelevant.

It's just medicine.
It's just medicine.

You could still be,
what you want to,
What you said you were,
when I met you.

You've got a warm heart,
you've got a beautiful brain.
But it's disintegrating,
from all the medicine.
from all the medicine.
from all the medicine.
Medicine.

You could still be,
what you want to,
What you said you were,
when you met me.

You could still be,
what you want to.
What you said you were,
when I met you.
when you met me.
when I met you.

Ooooooooo...
Ooooooooo...

Because, that's when I realized they are all, in some way, relevant to you. 

Tactless Twenties

Never in my life did I imagine myself finding more substantial meaning in Blink-182's song "What's My Age Again?" than entertainment... until it happened today.   This isn't to say that I myself feel like the protaganist in the song.  I feel like I am witnessing two very distinct experiences of the mid-twenty something years play out.

 Hometown/High School Friends vs. College Friends

The hometown/ high school friends that I hear from are all getting married and having kids, or working at retail jobs that they despise. All of them like to party hard to put their life struggles on the back burner for a bit.  They are aware that this will be the majority of their life, rebelling a bit, but ultimately okay with this path as long as they can experience youth for a few more years.

My college friends seem to be the exploring type. Traveling, having lots of exploratory relationships, and trying to out-hip  one another.  Their 20's are more self-indulgent and feel filled with a misdirected angst at the world. It's an angst that almost feels hypocritical and is off-putting to me.  Especially because... well, I am just not that hip and recognize that compromise has to be a part of the game of life.

Polarization will get you nowhere in politics and discussions about society. In fact, when you reference obscure philosphy and thoery in mainstream policy recommendations, it seems snobby and aloof. The majority of Americans, and people in general, do not associate with those readings/writings/films and you need to learn how to integrate those thoughts into strategic critiques.

Maybe, I am just in the group of 20 somethings that is just too focused on my career and the expansion of useful knowledge to fit into those very broad and generalized groups.  I don't need the mayhem of drugs and relationship exploring.  I know what the let-downs and scary depths of human interaction can look like.  Bring me whats next please....

You go, Senator Wendy Davis.

Watching the political support that was sparked today in response to the actions of Senator Wendy Davis of Texas is inspiring.  Very rarely can a political figure engage in an action that evokes such a large public response.  Although I do not think that abortion laws and abortion clinic regulations should be the American public's highest concern at the moment, I think that the focus on women's rights (especially to their own bodies) is important to focus on and give attention too.

Working in policy, it is often that you see how disengaged the majority of people are.  I hear about the hearings and briefings on the budget and proposed legislation.  I see the small number of people in attendance. AND THIS IS CALIFORNIA!  California, the state in the U.S. with the highest population of people.

I want to state that I agree with Wendy's stance.  However, if you agree with her stance or not, you should recognize the ability she had to make people in the U.S. pay attention to legislation that effects their everyday lives.

Mentors

Late night talks about the complexities of life are the best.

Tonight's topic: Mentors

Distancing yourself from mentors can be very difficult.  You find a difference in values and realize that their guidance is opposite from the direction you want to take. Did they have your best interests in mind?

Or did you pass through the phase that they were able to give you advice about?

Relationships and roles can be so situational. They can evoke different thoughts and emotions that provoke action