Project Rainbow

This letter was not written by me, but shared with me. Thanks momma. I love it, as I am an enthusiastic fan of parks and recreation. Thanks Leslie. The following is a letter from  Leslie Knope , who works for the U.S. Department of the Interior, Midwest Branch, in her hometown of Pawnee, Indiana. She believes that optimism defeats pessimism, and asks that if you have the means, you kindly make a donation to the  ACLU , the  International Rescue Committee , or the charity of your choice, to help the country and those most in need. Dear America, Amidst the confusion, and despair, and disbelief, it was suggested to me by a very close friend of mine (I won’t say her name, to protect her identity) (Ann. It was Ann) that perhaps a few people would enjoy hearing my thoughts on this election. So I sat down at my computer, cleared my head, and opened a document. Then I started crying. So I had some hot chocolate, and my close friend (Ann) rubbed my back for a while, and I got myself toge

How to have political discussions....yay!  Open your mind and heart to different points of view Prepare to have different opinions Respect your conversation partner  Listen Don't interrupt  Make sure each of you are talking roughly the same amount Cultivate empathy for the other side Do not use words like us and them Focus on personal values Be curious, not judgmental Excuse yourself if you find that you are getting angry Listen Did I say listen yet? If necessary agree to disagree Don't hold a grudge Act on your values  In this time of political turmoil in the US, I think one of the best things we can do is have empathetic conversations with each other. Please make sure that your opinions or beliefs are respectfully shared and not forced onto other people. Always analyze the other person's perspective. I am working towards all of the above. Nobody's perfect as we know. Also, give a lot of hugs. That always works, but make sure they are consensual.

Due to the results of the election, many kids at my school held a protest. We walked out during brunch and marched through our city chanting: black lives matter, love trumps hate, not my president, our bodies our choice, and other wonderful phrases. Politics can be such a sensitive topic, and I don't usually tread on it lightly, rather say what I feel and try my best to listen to others. Listening is SO SO SO important, but it can be hard for me. The next post will be about how to have a political discussion. For now, enjoy these pictures! It is my understanding that to put yourself out there in such a public way, such as participating in a protest, I do not need to ask for permission, but if that is not the case, please contact me. There were about 200 people at our protest. We walked around our city and went to city hall. Anyone could speak about how they felt. It was truly beautiful. I was given a sign by a friend.  People made signs and brought them to school. Social m

Mola Molas are the coolest fish ever. In German their name translates to "swimming head" LOOK AND BE AMAZED !!! (these images are not mine) Why are they amazing? 1. They are huge 2. They look super funky 3. They don't have mouths that move 4. They may be giant plankton 5. They don't have a tail 6. They can grow up to 5,000 lbs 7. They are 14 by 10 feet 8. They live all over the place 9.I LOVE THEM SO MUCH