Walk For Choice Chicago FEB26 2011 Wisconsin Pro-Union Rally

I took this picture today at the Walk For Choice in Chicago when we joined forces with the Wisconsin Pro-Union Rally...

Let me break it down..

Eliminating access to affordable contraceptives, creates more pregnancies. It creates more abortions. It also creates more children.

Almost all of the time, abortions are done because the mothers cannot afford motherhood. When you cut Planned Parenthood, you cut affordable pre-natal care for low income expectant mothers. Where will they go now?

 And after these babies are born.. When you cut WIC, how will these new mothers feed these babies??

When you cut funding for Head Start.. who will help these mothers take care of them? How will these mothers work without affordable child care? How will these mothers provide for them?

Who will be their teachers? Have you even looked at the sub-standard education in right to work states? Look at the bottom of the education rankings. That's where you will find them.

As these children grow up,.. malnourished..with questionable health.. with sub-standard health care.. horrible educations.. what becomes of them?

Do they become productive members of society??

Do they have a high level of unwanted pregnancy?

Are they at a high risk to become involved in crime??

Will these young women have access to STD screenings? What about cancer screenings? HIV tests? Breast exams? Contraceptives of their own????

WHERE WILL WE BE THEN???

You don't have to be pro-abortion to be pro-choice. I would not get an abortion now. But 10 years ago I would have, and I think it is your choice to become a parent. I am not asking for the government to pay for abortions. PLANNED PARENTHOOD HAS NOt RECEIVED FUNDING FOR ABORTIONS SINCE 1976. The Pence Amendment cuts funding for cancer screenings, birth control, STD screenings, family planning, pre-natal care, condoms, EVERYTHING! 100% OF FUNDING! This is a society where SeXXX is one of the biggest industries we have. Add up porn sales, sex paraphernalia, lingerie, and all other things sex.. Pay attention to the social acceptance of casual sex.. Sex is often listed as the number one causes for divorce.. all day long it's SeXXX SeXXX SeXXX!! NO ONE WILL STOP HAVING SEX. So make it safe.

“Gay, straight, black, white! All unite for women’s rights!”

“They say no choice! We say pro-choice!”

“Pro-life, your name’s a lie! You don’t care if women die!”

“Women’s rights are under attack! What do we do? Stand up, fight back!”

“Ho, ho! Hey, hey! Women’s right’s are here to stay!”

“Not the Church! Not the State! Women must decide their fate!”

SAVE PLANNED PARENTHOOD!!

I'm a sucker for pictures...

So I finished the photo challenge. By the way, my boyfriend has been out of town all week. We've lived here for 9 months now, but we've known the entire time that we are only here in Chicago for 2 years. So it's not like we've been trying to build up our friend base. We know they won't last. I have made some semi-friends, but they were from a job I had that I quit (we worked alone out in the sales field anyways, so its not like they were good friendships) and there are people I talk to at school, but its not like I live close to school to actually hang out with them. So when Alex is out of town, I'm flying solo. It's ok though. I don't mind. I like getting to watch what I want and fuck around on the computer for ridiculous amounts of time. Hence the finishing of the photo challenge. I love photos, but I feel like I was robbed. My computer died halfway through it and I had to take it to the shop. I tried to play catch up at school but I only had so much time and weekends didn't help me keep up. Puter was in the shop for 2 weeks.. I finished most of the photo challenge this week, after I would have already been done =(

So I'm not happy about that. I liked it, but its kinda dumb to do it all at once. And I didn't want to abandon it. Sooooo... (hee hee hee)... I found another one to do ; ) This one is 100 days ; ) ; ) ; ) (ps.. why don't they have emoticons on here???) Anyways, its just like the 30 day one, some of them are even duplicates, but it's obviously much longer. So this also gets even better.. I found a 365 day one.. Sounds obsessive, I know.. The 365 day one is a lot different though. It's actually very simple. You take a picture every day, for 365 days. What you do every day, might be boring to you but exciting for someone else. No I'm not going to do 2 photo challenges at the same time. I'm not nuts. But this all ties together beautifully, just watch. If I start a 100 day photo challenge now, it should take me to early June. And what happens in early June?? The countdown.. 1 full year left in Chicago.

Let me tell you.. I LOVE CHICAGO. I could live here forever I think. Not Aurora, I'd move much closer to the city.. I've always loved Chicago, and have always been a Cubs fan, but I never thought I'd dream of living somewhere as much as I dream of living in New York City. There's always a chance that we'll end up near NYC, we could end up anywhere. But I really love it here so much. I get so excited when we head downtown. It's like I can't even contain it. I feel like I'm living a dream. But I will eventually awake.. Boyfriend will finish his management training program and he will get his management position.. and its so very unlikely we'll stay here. Like as little as a 5% chance. Hell, maybe less than that.

So I will have 1 year left in this beautiful city that I call "home"... ummm that's in addition to "home home" by the way (Akron, Ohio). So I feel like I will forever wish I had been able to stay here longer. I feel like I should explore. I feel like I should see it all. I feel like every day will be the last time I get to do _______. Sure there are things that are available every day, but there are things that come but once a year. There are places you only have so many opportunities to go to.. like when they dye the river green for St. Patrick's day.. The Rubber Ducky Race on the river downtown (benefits Special Olympics, my all time favorite organization).. the list continues. By the way, have you ever looked at the neighborhoods and towns that are all suburbs in this great big Chicagoland?? They are amazing. I want to see them all. So when it's down to one year, I will try to do whatever I can do to see what all I can see.. and that will be my 365 day photo challenge. I'll be in school for some, and working some, but I will do what I can to make it and keep it interesting.. And at least that way I'll have documentation of 1 year of living in Chicago..

So anyways, 100 day photo challenge.. coming soon..

by the way...

Pro- Choice Rally- Feb 26 2011!!

LOOK FOR ONE NEAR YOU!!

I am so excited. I have been searching for a rally. I couldn't find any here! I live next to a Planned Parenthood in Aurora, supposedly one of the nation's largest. I see protesters all the time, right outside my house. By the way, in searching for a rally I discovered that at one point the pro-life protesters outside my neighboring planned parenthood left dead animal carcasses outside the doors. Really?? Psycho.

I can't wait. I am so excited to participate in something so important. Time to go buy my orange shirt!! Perhaps some iron on letters too... does "PLANNED PARENTHOOD SAVED MY LIFE" sound ok? hmm... I'll have to think on it... Perhaps combining the issues doesn't work? hmm...

Oooh how about this! I kinda like the t-shirt slogan, not gonna lie.. So how about a poster that says on one side 'i stand with planned parenthood' just like the sign, and on the back it says 'if you're against abortion, I suggest you don't get one'. Are those ok??

5 Questions- 02.23.11

1. What is the one thing your love does for you that you can't live without?

He supports me, day in.. day out. It doesn't matter what is wrong, he is there for me. I will get stressed about something that I'll ultimately get over, he makes sure he lets me get it out and gives me whatever encouragement I need to get through it..

 

2. When did you know your love was "the one"?

When I realized how much I couldn't stand the idea of picturing my future without him.. it made my skin crawl haha

3. Does your love have a special ringtone on your cell?

No. I wanted to give him one, but we couldn't decide on one. He did on my old phone.. forever, chris brown. And that's kind of embarrassing now ; )

4. What are you attracted to most in your special someone?

His smile.. His eyes move a certain way when he genuinely smiles that just 'gets me' every time..

5. Did you know when/where he/she was going to pop the big question?

We aren't engaged, but I think it will be some time within the next year.. Our income tax refunds help with the ring fund ; )

How sweet is this...??

How adorable is this light fixture??? Yes, I search for little oddities for my someday home all the time. This is designed to be above a kitchen island... love it! It's vintage key plates.. they have this one for $600, then there's one that has 2 tiers, and there's one that is rectangle with 2 tiers.. those last 2 are both more than expensive, but this is the one I want anyways.. Chances of my boyfriend to allow us to purchase this someday? Ohhh about 5%. But it's on the list either way!

Ray Lamontagne - Can I stay

So I posted the Black Keys as my favorite group, but I think it's honestly Ray. I just cannot get over his voice. I've never heard anything so soothing... And he's coming to Chicago June 7th.. I asked my boyfriend for tickets, but it's on a Tuesday... Chances are we couldn't go anyways.. pretty bummed..

This was one week ago!!



This will be one of the cutest things you ever see...

She did this all by her lonesome.. I didn't pose her or anything...

Technical Difficulties

Ya know.. I would totally Blog if my computer wasn't in the shop for the next week. Sigh.. I'll have to cram the photo contest into one day to get caught up!

5 Questions- 02.08.11

1. If you had $1,000 to donate to a charity, which would you choose?

Special Olympics of Medina County (Ohio).. I'm biased. My brother has Down's Syndrome and has been participating in Special Olympics since the year I was born, literally. It used to be that they all went to the state meet in Columbus (at the horseshoe at Ohio State) and got to compete in the state games and stay in the dorms. It was the highlight of his year, probably more than Christmas. But funding ran out, and instead of the dozen or so guys getting to go, they had to limit it to 2. It was the equivalency of taking away Christmas from a dozen mentally challenged guys. It's not like they really have social lives outside of Special Olympics, so this was heart breaking.

2. Snow days: Do you welcome them happily or are they a pain in your butt?

Are you kidding? I welcome them happily. I had 3 last week. Amazing!

3. What talent did you wish you had and why?

I wish I could sing. It would make my commute much better. Oh yes.. and I wish I had the 'talent' of working out.. errr is that discipline? We'll call it talent.

4. Are you a news, politics or celebrity gossip junkie?

Well... I do like news, as long as its not boring or convoluted. If I can learn it what I need to know about the issue from the article, we're good. If I have to research the issues between the Palestinians and whoever else, then I don't want to read it. I do like political issues as well (hence the undergrad in political science), however, if its skewed republican I won't read it. And if it's strictly about campaigns and elections, I also won't read it. And I don't really like celebrity gossip because I can't keep up to date on who they are really.. at least not the newer celebs that come from stupid stuff like the hills or laguna beach or whatever those shows are.

5. What is your favorite "cocktail"? (Are you a beer person, a kiddie cocktail junkie, or perhaps your more the "Cosmo" kind?! Anything flies...doesn't hafta be alcoholic!)

Well... I was a bartender for what... 8 years? I know quite a few drinks. But for my own tastes, I love vodka. Especially flavored. And mixed with ginger ale, not 7. Current fave is whipped cream vodka and ginger ale. It replaced bubble and ginger, which replaced white grape vodka and ginger ale, which replaced blueberry stoli and ginger ale. The ginger makes it so you can't taste any alcohol even though the vodka flavors are typically cheaper liquors anyways. PS.. if you like cream soda, try vanilla vodka and ginger ale. It's a dead ringer. I don't recommend apple and ginger, pear and ginger, orange and ginger is kinda boring but if that's you, go for it..

Also, if anyone ever wants a really good 'hot' liquor drink, try goldschlager and hot chocolate. You won't regret it.

Oh and for beer, layer young's double chocolate with hoppin frog raspberry ale if you can find it.. I called it a Chocolate Frog.

The Black Keys - Tighten Up

Ahhh... The Black Keys. Do you know them? Maybe! They're up for 4 Grammy's and they are now in tons of commericials. They're are from my lovely hometown of AKRON, OHIO! The hometown I miss so dearly after leaving just 8 months ago. I've been listening to them for years now. It's one of those deals where since they are from home, we heard them first, and we heard them for a long time. So of course, I feel as though they are more mine than other people's. Hell.. they're t-shirts are mixed in with my 'skinny clothes' that I will of course some day fit into again. If you don't know them, please learn them. They are absolutely amazing. I listen to them now more than ever.. And it's a good thing they have become so popular, because now I can find more of their music to listen to... and they remind me of home <3

Oh and I also think that I used to serve them drinks, sometime in the early middle of my 7 or so years that I was a professional bartender in Akron. Particularly the drummer. Seriously. I made him drinks,.. often. I just can't prove it.

Blizzard!!

Snowmagedden!

Snowpocalypse!

The Point of Snow Return!

Thundersnow!

Snowfa King Miserable Weather!
snOMG!

Snurricane!

The Jesus Blizzard!

SNOWTORIOUS B.I.G.!!!

She's prepared. Bed. Blanket. Mom. Dad. Dinner. & Window.

I'd like to give a big Thank You to Northern Illinois University for cancelling classes for this evening (no Chem!). And I'd also like to thank all of my professors who have said that even if NIU doesn't cancel class, it's ok if those of us who commute can't come.. whew! That means I probably won't have Bio, Human Development, or Stats too!

Happy snow day everyone!