An Open Letter to Hobby Lobby

Dear Hobby Lobby ~ 
How are you? 
I hope you haven't been partying too hard this past week in celebration of the recent Supreme Court ruling in your favor. 

How does that feel, by the way? Pretty awesome, I bet. 
You must be pretty pleased with yourself that your company has changed the course for women's right to contraceptives through their employers. Well done. 
It must feel so empowering that you've given major for-profit organizations the same rights as individuals! WAY TO GO! 

Your 23,000 employees are probably so grateful to you. 
Now they get to continue selling discounted crafts supplies in your soul-sucking, potpourri-scented warehouses, AND that awful weight of deciding of what to do with their own bodies has been lifted! They are SO lucky! 
Not only do you pay them $9.41 an hour, but now you've made it a point to really look out for the decisions they make in their personal lives as well. 
Take THAT Obamacare! 

Those silly women on the Supreme Court only voted the way they did because they were probably on their periods, which we all know prevents them from making rational decisions. It's like when that liberal hellion Hillary Clinton made a statement saying this decision is a "really bad slippery slope" for women's rights. She just doesn't realize that YOU guys know better! 

I'm sure that earning almost 4 billion dollars in revenue last year took no part in the way this  decision went. With that amount of money you totally deserve the same rights as the minimum-wage paid individuals who work for your company. 
It must also feel cool to overturn a government mandated element in health care reform that was only there to help - dare I say it  - the liberal agenda. (I know, gross, right?)  
And with you giving nearly half of that annual income away to The Pentecostal Church of the God of Prophecy every year, thank GOD (oops, sorry - I mean thank goodness) that you're saving every last penny through a stand like this. Smart thinkin, guys. 

Your church represents .00025% of the population, and now this Supreme Court ruling affects literally every woman in the country! 
It must feel good to be you.

I'm actually glad this happened. 
I was getting pretty darn tired of those pesky little civil liberties. 
I take extreme comfort knowing that I could be fired at any minute if my employer decides to care about my contraceptives situation. It's more fun to live on the edge like this. 

You probably don't give a shit about my note, though.
Why would you? You're #135 on Forbes' list of largest private companies, and I'm just

another hell-bent floozie hoping to participate in protected sex. 
No concern of yours. 
Well, certainly not now. 
You only cared about me and my uterus until you shut them down, and since you've accomplished that, I'm no more of a concern. 

OH!
AND NOW - You've served as SUCH an inspiration to other religious organizations, that they felt confident enough to write the president  asking that they be allowed to discriminate hiring employees based on their sexual orientation as well!
WAY TO GO! 
Now not only women are being discriminated against legally, but it looks like members of the LGBT community are next! 
You must be so proud. 
Why would you want gays working for you anyway? They probably know nothing about art or decorating. Let one of your straight people deal with silk floral arrangements - just the way God intended. 

Anyway.
I should probably wrap it up - I know you guys are really busy producing discounted needlework patterns and depriving some minority somewhere of their right to work. 

I just wanted to tell you that I think it's really cool that you and all your bros care so much about women. 
I mean you really care what we do with our bodies, don't you? Your need to be in control over our reproductive rights must mean you care! 
So I just wanted to say thank you from all of us. 
Being a woman is already pretty easy as it is, so I appreciate you making it even more effortless that we don't even have to worry about our own bodies because corporations like you have it covered. 
Thanks, guys.
No. Really.

The Millennial Manifesto

We live in an age of limitless options. 
We are growing up in a time of expansion, technology, excitement and confusion.
We are bombarded with images, information and ideas at an unprecedented speed. 

We are Millennials. 

Generation Y. 

We are unlike any generation before us. 
Just like the children of the printing press were unlike any generation before them. 
Or the generations after Edison, Jefferson, the Industrial revolution. 

The thing is, people weren't called selfish because they wanted electricity, or to drive a car.
Generations before us weren't accused of narcissism when they sat for months to have their portraits painted.
(OK Maybe they were, but it feels a little more targeted these days.)
We take advantage of the unfathomable technology at our fingertips and are chastised for being obsessed. 
We are crippled by boundless options, and look at lives with no clear path, questioning everything. 
We reel from the economic deficit that's been dealt to us, while competing in an antagonistic job market. 
And then we are called lazy. 


According to some, we are "not interested in developing a meaningful philosophy of life."

I disagree.
We are very interested in developing a meaningful philosophy of life. We are just redefining what that means. 

We are discovering uncharted terrain. 
And sometimes you have to get a little lost. 

We are EXPLORERS. 
We are pioneers. 
We are pirates. 

We are movie makers for the masses. 
We are professional phoneographers. 
We are authors with fewer words. 

We are brave.
We are engaged.
We are terrified. 

We are impatient. 
We are greedy. 
We are ravenous. 

We are uninsured.
We are unmarried.
We are unemployed. 

We live at home because no one will pay us for jobs that ten years ago would never have been considered to be done for free. 
We rent because we've seen what happens with ownership.
We date because we've experienced what happens to marriage. 
We're afraid of commitment, but we thrust our every thought on to the internet for people to see. 

We are a paradox. 

We are the most educated generation to date. 
We are addicted to Candy Crush. 
We defend women's rights and same-sex marriage. 
We drink Pabst Blue Ribbon and grow ironic facial hair.
We are dealing with the effects of a massive economic recession and are recovering from multiple wars.
We smoke pot - sometimes even legally.
We are "trophy kids" spawned from "helicopter parents."
We express ourselves with emojis. 
We are being left with a global climate crisis. 
We spend hours of our lives online.  
We live in a stagnant job market. 
We take selfies. We take Gap Years. We take things for granted. 

We are NEW. 
We are FIGURING. SHIT. OUT.

However. Despite any arguments we may have against our adversaries, there are some definite things that need to be examined.

Our state of affairs invites a few reflections.

1. We will Put the Screens Away
Less Facebook, Less Facetime, More Face to Face.
No more vines of twerking, no more real housewives. 
We have the right to explore the cyber world we've been given, but we will also try to focus on the here and now in front of us. Even if it means taking a picture of it on our phones.

2. We will Stop Questioning Every Move
From what frozen pizza to buy, to what grad school to attend, to how to function in our relationship, we will trust ourselves and lessen our avalanche of anxiety. 
We will learn that there really is no right right except the one that makes us happy. 

3. We will Respect Each Other
No more name calling. 
No more "fat." No more "ugly." 
No more slut-shaming, no more twitter-wars, no more anonymous hateful trolling.
NO more bullying. 
No more unnecessary judgement. We will defend the underdog.
And we will permit equal rights to all men and women. 

4. We will Take Responsibility 
We will acknowledge the power of words. 
We will share thoughts and information in a positive way. 
We will give constructive criticism and receive it with grace. 
We will own up to mistakes and THINK before posting, before acting, before making a move. 
We will not misappropriate cultural property. 
We will use less airbrush.
We will take ownership of our ideas, bodies, lives, safety, consumerism, relationships and futures. 
We will not deflect blame.

5. We Will Use Our Powers For Good
Despite frustration with our critics, we DO need to step up for the good of the planet. We need to help the people, the climate, the country.
We could spend a little less time focusing on uptown problems, and more energy on what really matters. 
We will be optimistic, we will contribute, we will engage, we will be team players on a global level. 

6. We Will Look to the Future
We will provide generation Z with proper role models, a sense of confidence and security, and a decent and kind world to live in. 


And maybe someone could invent a calorie-free pizza...
Teleportation would be pretty cool too. 

Devastation and Love

December 14th, 2012.

There's nothing I can say that hasn't been said, and nothing I'm feeling that isn't resonating with the entire country.
This is a horrible, painful day, forcing us to confront horrible and painful realities.

The whole world is heavier. From the flags at half mast to parents hugging their children tighter, everything is weighed down.


Like the rest of the nation, I am horribly lost.

I am taken back to my memories of Columbine, which are as vivid today as ever. I was in 6th grade, terrified to my core, and that deep sense of phobia has never quite gone away. 

Around this time last year, I was at a dinner party and began discussing my long-standing fear of being shot in a movie theatre or a mall or coffee shop. At the time, everyone told me I was overly paranoid. I wish they had been right. I've been sick to my stomach to have these fears warranted time and time again in a year filled with terrifying mania. 

Where is the dialogue even supposed to begin? The issues are so messy and intertwined, and the pain is so deeply piercing.

While there are endless issues that must be discussed, and voices that need to be heard, I was out tonight when silence was what spoke volumes. 
I was at a bar, and when the NBA game came on and they asked for a moment of silence before playing, a jam-packed bar hushed to a chilling mute. No one made eye contact, no one flinched. Even after the game resumed, no one spoke or moved until the bartender turned some music on, which slowly thawed the air.

I will not make this into something political. It's not the time, it's too complicated, and many much more articulate people than myself have entered the dialogue. 
(If you're interested in hearing some of these voices, see a few here, here, and here.)

I am here to focus on love. On gratitude for the fact that with the hateful actions of one sick individual, there were many acts of love and heroism. 
It's time to remember love must help us move past the petty and small of the everyday and focus on what's important.
Love must be shared and spread and expressed every second of every day.
Love must motivate change and progression. 

Love must win. 

Congrats!

Congratulations to America.
Congratulations to every person who voted, no matter for which party.
Congratulations to all of us for living in a nation of freedom and hope.
And congratulations to you, Mister President. 
I have a crush on you.

Yes. We. Can.

Happiest of Election Days To All

Election Day: 

e·lec·tion

 

[ih-lek-shuh n] 

day

 [dey]

1. The day we decide what direction our country will head in

2. The choice of officials by individuals through the democratic process

3. One of the most important days in the world

4. Another excuse for themed outfits!

Happy Happy Election Day to All!

Xoxoxo

Some Facts - The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

It's almost election day, Readers!
I'm sure you're all pretty sick of my political propagation, and I swear it's about done, but the election is in 3 DAYS and I feel so strongly about so much, I just need to share as much as I can before the big day. So today's free day is full of Facts! Ranging from the silly (Where Barack and Michelle's first kiss was) to the gravely important (Just how many times Mitt Romney has lied this year so far.)

Here We Go!

• Fifteen Fun and Frivolous Facts about Barack Obama (Not necessarily vote-for-him material, but a peek into some fun details about our Commander-in-Chief)

1. He's Left Handed
2. Since being elected president, he has not missed a single parent-teacher conference
3. He's a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan
4. His favorite things about Hawaii are Shaved Ice and Body Surfing
5. During "Snowmageddon" he and his daughters had a snowball fight on the white house lawn that he says is his favorite White House memory so far.
6. He still uses a Blackberry (What the what? No iPhone?!)
7. He is the first president to Tweet
8. He read all of the Harry Potter books with his daughter Malia
9. He lets the family dog, Bo, have free reign in the West Wing
10. His favorite healthy snack is apples. He keeps a bowl of them in the Oval Office
11. His favorite TV show is Homeland
12. His workout music includes Jay-Z, Stevie Wonder and the Rolling Stones
13. He voted early this year in Chicago
14. His first kiss with Michelle was outside of a Baskin Robbins 
15. When he began in office, he had a swing-set installed on the White House lawn outside the window of the Oval Office so he could watch his daughters play when they got home from school 

And now for some more serious stuff:

• HERE is a fascinating article that entails a week by week account of all the false claims, un-truths and flat-out lies that Mitt Romney has made SINCE JANUARY. I'll give you a hint - there are more than 900.

• A peek into Obama's Job Creation:

• So you know I'm not the only one questioning Romney's honesty, watch the video below to see what top REPUBLICANS have to say about Mitt's Campaign

• Still not sure of both candidate's plans? Look at THIS and get the facts.

Hope you found these as interesting as I did! 

Have a great weekend!

Contra(Inter)ception

Ok y'all, it's time to get serious - Election day is in four days. FOUR DAYS!
If you've been following me, you're aware that I am pretty riled up about the whole thing.
This election is one of the most crucial in our nation's history.

Regardless of what you think of the rest of this post, or what side of the line you stand on, PLEASE exercise your right to vote. If you don't contribute, you don't get a say. 

I am incredibly emphatic about a lot of issues at stake in this election. Predominantly the social concerns. I guess I just think that all Americans should be treated equally. Crazy, right? Well, anyway, there are some issues that are particularly important to me that I want to talk about. The first of these is a little thing called "Women's Rights."

I dunno if you've heard anything about it, but there are a bunch of folks out there who think that they have the right to tell women of our nation what we should do with our bodies.
Hm.
Interesting...
You know, it's hard enough being a modern woman without having to fight for basic rights to our own bodies. Do they have ANY IDEA how hard it is to be taken seriously but remain light and feminine at the same time? Or to balance career goals with traditional feminine decisions like marriage? Or to find a good deodorant?
Being a 21st Century Lady is tough business. 

We've come SO far. We have careers. We have Oprah and Tina Fey. We have spanx! 
And now these men are trying to bring us down!

The truth is, dealing with contraceptives is hard enough as it is! Out of the countless women I know, only a tiny percentage of them are even happy with the type of birth control that they have! Too many hormones, not enough hormones, too permanent, too impermanent, uncomfortable, unsafe, unsure. 
There are SOO many freaky factors and things to consider about what kind of birth control to use, that it is an incredibly sensitive and STRESSFUL issue all on it's own! THEN we have to add the additional concern that we may not even be legally allowed to get it? OR in extreme situations get FIRED for using it? No. Fucking. Way. 

I live in Arizona, which is particularly conservative on women's rights, even though, ironically, our governor is a woman.
In this state alone in the last four years, TWENTY-SIX bills have been introduced that diminish women's rights! TWENTY-SIX!
On top of that, congressionally, Republicans are trying to ban abortion altogether AND end all federal funding for Planned Parenthood! 
By the way - 97% of the work done at planned parenthood is not abortions. It is contraception, cancer screenings, prenatal care and guidance, and more. Women NEED a place to go to get that kind of help. Because, while we're at it- the conservatives ALSO don't believe in Universal Health Care! So basically they are continually chipping away at any and all chances women have to get the help they need. Awesome.

In the end it's not even necessarily about the birth control itself (even though it is), it's about the fight for women's rights and us getting total control over not only our own bodies but our own futures.

Ok. Whew! Enough about the baby-makers. Let's talk equal pay real quickly.

For those of you who don't know, THE VERY FIRST bill that President Obama signed into law is called The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. This law states that women who do the same job as men are required to be paid the same amount. Go figure. 

It is MIND BOGGLING to me that anyone, especially women, can support a candidate who openly says that he/she does not believe that women deserve equal pay for the exact same work. What. The. What?! There is NO other way to spin that than sexism on the brink of misogyny. HOWEVER I believe in Pro-Choice on all issues - including who women choose to vote for.

These issues are just the tip of the iceberg. 
The controversies involved in this election not only extend to women's rights, but gay rights, immigration rights, citizen's rights and so much more. 
Women have come so far, and yet there's still so much to be done. The pill has only been publicly legal to the masses for 50 years. We haven't even had the right to vote for 100 years yet! 
How can we respect ourselves until we require the public, the law and the government to respect us as well?

We need to elect a president who truly believes that All PEOPLE are created Equal. 
Period.

Thank You, Mr. President

           What happened in the oval office this week was too awesome to ignore. In a crucial re-election stage, Barack Obama became the first ever sitting U.S. president to openly support gay marriage. It rocked. 

From Barack Obama's Instagram

If you haven't seen the video of the president's interview, check it out below:

           Obama's announcement was very important to me because I am in off-the-charts favor of Gay marriage. Every single person should be allowed the right to marry the person they love. Period. Any position other than that is driven from a place of bigotry, fear and hate. 

           I am not alone in my appreciation of our president this week. Millions of Americans across the country both gay and straight feel this is the right thing to do. Americans like Ellen DeGeneres.

           I just want to say thanks, Barack. Thank you for acknowledging that all American citizens should have equal rights. Thank you for recognizing that love and commitment know no gender, no race, no superficial restrictions. 
           Thank you for understanding that "traditional" values should consist of nothing besides equality, humanity and compassion. 
           Thank you for spreading tolerance, understanding and kindness. 
           Thank you for your ceaseless focus on what needs to be done in America.
           Thank you for your perpetual eloquence and unflinching courage in the face of innumerable critics and haters. Thank you for bringing an unprecedented amount of class and cool to the Oval Office. 

Barack On.