Rekindling an Old Love: More Slam Poetry!!!

You may have seen my previous posts on slam poetry. It is becoming a bit of an obsession for me... at least for entertainment on rainy days.

I have acquired some new favorite videos during all of these afternoon summer showers ;)

I just thought I would share some....

This girl (Lacey Roop) just might be my new favorite because she gets so passionate.

And this guy is very clever with "What Teachers Make" and funny with "The The Impotence of Proofreading."

This lady has a poem that is only ONE. MINUTE. LONG!?!

And these are some cool Christian poets that bring the Gospel in a very unusual but awesome way through "Does Anybody Even Know that You're a Christian" and "Almost Saved."

Of course, we've got to have a girl power one too: "What Women Deserve."

What is even cooler is some guys pushing for what women deserve in "This is For You" and "Distinctly Beautiful."

Gah! I have even more but I'll share those in the future :)

I hope you enjoy these!!!!

Love Your Body - yesteday, today, EVERY day

Too fat. Too flabby. Too short. Too tall. Small boobs. Big belly. Pimply. Hairy. Flat butt. Fat butt. UGLY.


This is no dark Dr. Seuss tale of One Girl, Two Girl, Ugly Girl, Pretty Girl.

For many of us, it is a daily dialogue with ourselves. Because we don't feel good enough.

We NEVER feel good enough.

Why is that?

There are a host of reasons but I believe the media is a huge culprit.

Take this short quiz (only 10 questions) to see if you agree. If you don't agree as of now, I feel like you will by the end of the quiz. Seriously, take it.

How did you do?

I'm embarrassed to say I didn't make a 100% (I missed 2) since I have been focused on this topic all semester for my WGS Capstone class. I chose this topic because, though I haven't suffered from an eating disorder myself, I have lived with and talked with several friends who have.

In an attempt to combat the issue of self-hatred (like the list above) and eating disorders, I embraced as my activism and educational project the Love Your Body Campaign.

Yesterday, October 20th, was the National Organization for Women's Love Your Body Day.

I made flyers and, with the help of CofC's NOW and Peer Counselors, handed out candy and zines. I also created complement cards to spread the love and encourage self-acceptance; They said things like "You look lovely today," "You are funny," and "You are very intelligent."

The most fun aspect of bringing the Love Your Body campaign to campus was having people create their own "Love Labels." I simply bought a bunch of blank labels and pretty colored pens and had people write "I love my body" or whatever else they'd like to put. Make your own!!!

Some of the Love Labels included:

• I love ALL of me
• I love how short I am 
• I love my butt
• I love my legs
• I love my boobs
• I love my smile (from a girl with braces... how fantastic!)
• I love my beard
• I love my whole body

It was great fun but, I must admit that much of my campaign boiled down to my presentation on media literacy. 

I included my own slides (which will likely show up in subsequent blogposts) but my presentation centered around NOW's Love Your Body Campaign official powerpoint. It was so fabulous that I honestly didn't feel I could create one any better.

So, obviously, I think y'all should check it out. Seriously. Don't be intimidated by the number of slides; it is a lot of images so it doesn't take long.

K, really. Did you view it? I. HOPE. SO.

And if you are now thoroughly pissed off, as I suspect you are, check out these 20 Ways to Be a Media Activist.

But most of all, realize that the media just wants your money.

The way they get that is by using a simple formula:

Step 1: The media creates unattainable, "perfect" images of so-called-beauty

Step 2: We end up feeling not good enough

Step 3: We are eager to buy their products that supposedly provide that "perfect" beauty

Step 4: We give them our money but their products never allow us to reach their false image of "perfect beauty"

Step 5: Repeat the vicious cycle. And feel like crap. 

This leads to self-hatred talk:
Too fat. Too flabby. Too short. Too tall. Small boobs. Big belly. Pimply. Hairy. Flat butt. Fat butt. UGLY.

Don't let it.

Fight back.


LOVE. YOUR. BODY. (Here are 7 Ways to do so right now).

And not just on Love Your Body Day but EVERY day.

Embrace YOUR own, one-of-a-kind, absolutely stunning body and beauty. 

You Wouldn't Think We Are a Country at War

I recently saw this status on Facebook: Lindsey Lohan who? I cant believe the news coverage being given to a spoiled 20-something yr old. Here are a few 20 year-olds worth knowing about: Justin Allen 23, Brett Linley 29, Matt Weikert 29, Justus Bartett 27, Dave Santos 21, Chase Stanley 21, Jesse Reed 26, Matthew King 23, Christopher Goeke 23, & Sheldon Tate 27. These 20-somethings gave their lives for you this week. Repost if you support the Military!


Sadly, it is so true.

You wouldn't think we are a country at war, especially if you tuned in to our news.

We have days of unimportant coverage on Lindsay Lohan, a mis-behaving movie "star" who is surely some role model we should pay attention to. Note: the previous sentence was to be read with a laaaarge dose of sarcasm.

But it isn't just her. It is also stories on car chases, celebrity break-ups, weight loss secrets or whatever other nonsense that is somehow qualifying as "news" in today's society.

You wouldn't think we are a country at war.

Do you remember the last time you watched a report on the War on Terror? Or at least one that was longer than a 30-second sound-bite? Generally no.

A recent exception would be the General McChrystal/Rolling Stone uproar which the media was diligent in covering, probably because it seemed more like the hot-headed Hollywood behavior that they're used to.

You wouldn't think we are a country at war. 

We need coverage of it, namely of the men and women we're losing in it... on both sides.

Back in September of 2006, CBS ran a story where the lead line read: Now the death toll is 9/11 times two.

Did you see the date? That wasn't a typo: 2006!?! Nearly four years ago we had already doubled 2,973 which, according to that same article, was the total number of victims in New York,Washington and Pennsylvania in case you couldn't remember that number.

Other than around the month of September, particularly the 11th, it seems that our country doesn't remember that number or that incident. We're too busy soaking up the celebrity garbage that is taking over our news.

You wouldn't think we are a country at war.


And with as little coverage as the war gets, we don't even have a clear idea of the NUMBERS, whether we would choose to forget those or not.

The problem is, when I went searching for the death toll, it was hard to find, at least accurately. There is so much word play on this "War on Terror/Overseas Contingency Operation" that a ton of different numbers came up. For example, some of the rhetorical re-wordings included "violent" deaths, "attack" deaths, "in combat" deaths, "civilian" deaths, "contractor" deaths, etc. etc. etc.

You know what it boils down to? A whole lot of DEATH.

According to antiwar.com (forgive me for the obviously biased source), here is the most comprehensive list of numbers I could find:

Casualties in Iraq The Human Cost of Occupation Edited by Margaret Griffis :: Contact
American Military Casualties in Iraq
Date	Total	In Combat
American Deaths
Since war began (3/19/03):	4413	3491
Since "Mission Accomplished" (5/1/03) (the list)	4274	3383
Since Capture of Saddam (12/13/03):	3952	3185
Since Handover (6/29/04):	3554	2858
Since Obama Inauguration (1/20/09):	185	87
American Wounded	Official	Estimated
Total Wounded:	31888	Over 100000
Latest Fatality July 21, 2010
Page last updated 07/23/10 5:06 pm EDT That is only our side. And that is only Iraq; if you were to include Afghanistan, we are clearly well past the original 2,973. I know that is not the only thingwe are fighting for. Of course, we want to keep our country safe, defend our freedom, encourage democracy and peace, etc. However, at some point, all of that talk becomes just as rhetorical as the different ways to label death.  What it all comes down to is we ARE a country at war. People are dying. And what are we doing? Distracting ourselves with crap like Lindsay Lohan going to jail.  I think we need to re-set our priorities.  Who will your celebrity be? A girl who can't give up alcohol or a military man and/or woman who can give up his or her life?  ______________________________________________If you'd like to honor a military hero, check out these options.

The Bachelor is Wrong... Biologically

While at SEWSA, I was speaking to a woman who works at a college. What she could not understand was how many women flocked to and fawned all over the guys on campus.

Assuming it was much like my school where the girls greatly outnumber the guys, I said it was probably just that: the guys were in short supply and high demand so they got the pick of the litter. However, she said her school had an almost even break in the girl to guy ratio.

This started a whole discussion on how society might be leading women and men to believe that regardless of ratios, men still get the pick of the litter.

My favorite quote from this conversation was when she said, "I mean take The Bachelor for example... all those women going after one guy!?! That just doesn't make sense. Even biologically, think about it, a ton of sperm go after only one egg. That's how it should be in life."

Amen, sister. I wish.

Biologically it seems the case. Socially though, it isn't lived out. Women chase after men rather than the other way around... after a certain age anyway.

I recently did lunch with a little girl that I babysit who is 5 AND, she was quick to clarify, a half years old. In our conversation, she mentioned her boyfriend. He is not imaginary and he is not her first. In fact, he is not her second but her third boyfriend. I repeat, she is on her third boyfriend and is not yet six years old!?!

Not to beat a dead horse, but - reminder - I am single. And I am 21. AND, unlike the boys at her school, I do not have guys lined up around the corner for me.

I started to wonder why.

At such a young age without the extensive socialization from more adult movies, tv, etc. in the media, and without caring for any "cootie-spreading" sexual acts, these boys are just responding biologically to go after this lovely little girl in their class.

Sadly, boys my age have been more socialized and I think they have gotten the message through media that goes against biology saying that women should chase after them.

Well, ladies, I say we need to have some self-respect and some self-restraint. Let's stop boosting these boys' egos and quit chasing after them.

We. Are. Worthy. Of. Pursuit.

Let's get back to biology and let them chase after us...