Not that my whole trip to New York/Washington D.C. wasn’t Providencial enough…
When I sorted through the hundreds of photographs I took, I unintentionally came up with 44 that I wanted to share (Link to my Flickr Photo Set is below).
Funny how that works.
I hope you all enjoy! I have video to share as well!!! That’s coming up soon, so check back here soon!
Good news people. I just spoke with my friend Justin Ruckman, the editor at CLT Blog, and it looks like they’ll be using some of my content from the Obama Inauguration on their site!
I’ll be posting commentary, photos and possibly video here, but make sure you pop over there and check it out as well! Love all my Charlotte people at CLT Blog! Keep tearing it up!
Before diving, fearlessly, à la Michael Phelps, into 2009…let’s take a moment to fondly remember 2008.
Finally. God, I’m so over 2008.
On to 2009!
After posting on goal-making strategies and tactics, I thought it only right that I post some of my own. You’ll notice, however, that I’m not calling them goals/resolutions/aspirations. Nope. It ain’t the little girl way. I’m just skipping over all of that fluff and defining them as achievements/successes/accomplishments to start with.
Wait, isn’t that playing against the rules? I haven’t actually achieved/succeeded at/accomplished any of these things as of yet. It’s definitely possible that I’m breaking some hallowed goal making rule, but it’s also certain that I really don’t care. One thing I learned from my college volleyball coach, Joel McCartney, is that you have to create the environment you want to exist in. That means if you want to be playing Nebraska in the NCAA Tournament at the end of the season, you put the dates on your schedule. You train and work with the idea that YOU WILL BE THERE. And guess what? We made it all four years I played at Winthrop.
How d’ya like dem apples?
Point being: I’m taking initiative and pre-manifesting my success in order to create an environment where every single thing on this list is crossed off by this time next year.
Here it goes! In no particular order…
Between January 1, 2009 and December, 31 2009, I:
1. Ran the Eugene Marathon in less than 3 hours. Training program began Monday, January 5. I also raised $10,000 for Train For Humanity. (This is like a three for one deal as far as goals go! I’m not sure if that means I’m more efficient or just an over-achiever. Suspecting the latter…reasonably certain I’m O.K. with that)
2. Traveled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to report via photographs on the situation there (Honestly, I’d settle for a trip being in the works. It’s going to take a lot of resources for this one)
3. Called three friends who are long-distance from me each week. Wrote one personal connection email every single day. Went out of my way to engage and meet new people. Handed out my card to EVERYBODY (O.K. not all 6 billion of us, but you get the picture!)
3. Supplemented 1/2 my income from revenue made off of my website. (I’ll need some help from all of you on this one. Keep reading! Keep using your voice! Together, this small group of concerned citizens can and will make a difference. Want to advertise you business on the site? Let me know!)
4. Got accepted into graduate school, with scholarships, for documentary photography. (I’ve got 5 schools on my A list. I’ve got 7 months to put together the most bangin’ portfolio out there. If you have any ideas/leads for me, please feel free to leave a comment or email me!)
5. Volunteered 2+hours a week. (I, like most Americans, don’t give back nearly enough to say thank you to the universe for the amazing opportunities I receive in life. That’s changing. I hope you’ll join me!)
6. Was published (photographs and/or written word) in 6 magazines.
7. Got a show in a gallery/had my artwork included in a gallery show
8. Published one video story every month that was developed, reported and edited by lil ol’ me.
9. Chopped off all my hair (well not ALL, I’m not going for the Britney Spears in the midst of emotional breakdown look) and dyed it platinum blone! Hollaaaaaaa!!!
and No.10 (drumroll puh-leeeezzzzzeeeeeee) Crossed every item off my yearly To-Do List for the first time ever.
It’s that time of year again. In the week between Christmas and the start of whatever new year it happens to be, most Americans are recovering from over-stuffing themselves with holiday goodies and shopping exhaustion (unless, of course, they to0k my advice and made donations in the name of their family/friends and avoided the mall like the plague). We also tend to use this time to make a list–though it’s usually one that doesn’t get checked once, much less twice.
I’m talking about the infamous list of New Year’s Resolutions. You know, that note-to-self you wrote on a Post-It last year and promptly lost on January 5th, along with all your will to accomplish any of the tasks laid down on it? Yeah, that one.
Why are we so bad at following through on that which we resolve? It’s certainly not the de jure “American Way“. Where the hell did the Protestant Work Ethic (that, by the way, built our great nation up from its boot-straps) go? Was it bred out of us? Or have years of advancing technology, designed to save time at all costs, ruined our ability to get anything worthwhile done? Either way, it looks like we could all use a visit to Ideators Anonymous.
Hi, My name is little girl BIG VOICE and I use all my energy and ingenuity to make endless lists instead of actually accomplishing anything on said lists.
The issue is not that we don’t have fabulous aspirations and innovative ideas. It’s that we’ve put so much emphasis on coming up with awesome ideas that we’ve forgotten how to make them happen. And our culture is suffering a major ideating hangover because of it. One that keeps us from getting much of anything done. We’ve gone from being specific to vague; from focused to overly broad.
And we need to get back to goal accomplishing basics–and away from Resolutions that look like this:
CODE PINK: Resolutions That Will Never Succeed
The biggest issue about this particular list is that it’s impossible to actually DO anything on it. It’s a classic example of that infamous Miss America answer to the question about what they want most in the world: World Peace.
OK, so we all want to contribute to world peace. That’s freakin’ great. But we each need to determine a specific way we can do so. Maybe that means you’ll become a Big Brother or Big Sister to a child who, without a positive adult role model, would have a much higher risk of joining a gang and leading a lifestyle rife with violence. Or maybe you’ll join the Peace Corps. Whatever. The point is that no single person is going to accomplish world peace on their own, but we can each find a way to contribute to that idea. Once we’ve determine the what, we can start on the how.
Work-flow/Productivity guru David Allen says that the key to accomplishing our goals is to take the next step. Don’t just create the goal and then walk away from the table. We have to get specific about our long-term goals and then map out the short-term tasks that will get us there. Now, don’t freak out on me here, but I’m gonna use the “R-word” in just a sec. Figuring out how to accomplish your goals is going to require <wince> RESEARCH.
I’ll give you a second to recover…
OK, bring it back now.
Sorry, but if you thought that after graduation, you’d never again need to bust out those knowledge seeking skills, you were sorely mistaken.
Most things in life worth doing take prep-time and deliberate intention. That reality can be hard for us to stomach. We are used to instant results. We live in a culture of convenience. But goals aren’t anything like the fast-food industry. You can’t compromise quality for efficiency or speed. If you do, you’re left with a lot of resolutions without a line through them.
Photo Credit: Doug Beghtel (The Oregonian)
Example: If you want to run a marathon, you don’t just start running. You’ve got to train your body in a way that won’t leave you in the back of an ambulance at mile 15. That takes a training program designed by experienced professionals (and adapted by you to meet your body’s abilities). There are different methods out there, so finding the one that works for your skill level is crucial. You’ll also need to figure out your time-line. If you wait until two weeks before the race to start training, your dream of running your first marathon will probably end up on next year’s Resolutions. It takes a good three to four months to be adequately prepared to run 26+ miles–even for experienced runners.You can’t McDonald your way out of training time–unless you’re Kenyan and graced with the other-worldly ability to run really fast for really long distances (sometimes without shoes!). Maybe then you could squeeze training into a shorter time frame. The rest of us have to live with the fact that marathons are a grueling process–albeit one that leaves us with the feeling that having conquered this mountain, we are capable of most anything.
Last November over half of the American voters bought into the idea that, “Yes. We can.” It made us feel good. We got that rush of adrenaline that comes when stumbling across an amazing possibility!
Many people think the mere act of subscribing to that idea was the big test. They’re wrong. That was just the mid-term people. We’ve still got a final exam to prepare for and it’s going to be a doozy. The good news: Getting an A on it is far from impossible. But it will take specific goals and a dynamic roadmap of how to accomplish them. And finally, there has to be room for error. We’ve forgotten how to do that as well. Cushioning your goal process enhances the ability to navigate adversity and still successfully cross your 2009 New Year’s Resolutions off that list one by one. I recommend purchasing a big black Sharpe for the task and doing it with a lot of drama and flair. Ah, the triumphant feeling of crossing something off of your list! It’s half the reason I even make them in the first place!
Happy Listing! May your New Years Resolutions for 2009 ALL be realized! Manifest that shit!!!
Photo Credit: AP Photo/Heifer International
As we’re all aware (unless you’re lucky enough to live on a remote desert island and have no contact with the retail world) CHRISTMAS!!!!!!! is in full swing. Target and WalMart have had their wares out since before Halloween and your Starbucks cups are a lovely shade of red. We came/saw/conquered Black Friday and are now entering “Oh My God I haven’t done any shopping and it’s two weeks until Christmas” mode.
But wait! Before you schlep back out to the mall or some mega-store, let’s take a time out and rethink the game plan. Wanna hear a secret? As much as retailers work to get you to believe it, the holidays aren’t about expensive presents (giving or receiving them). They aren’t about one-upping your neighbor with flashy decorations (As in: Do you really need that 4th blowup snow globe?). And they aren’t about volunteering for one month out of the year because you feel like “you should”.
The holidays do involve gifts. But the best way to give a gift is to be thoughtful about it. The best way to give a gift is to give something that will touch someone or change a life. That doesn’t mean you have to go all out and change the world (though that would be fine if you feel the urge). It does mean that you should take a little time and enjoy finding something that your friend will really love. Skip the cheap lotion sets and stinky candles. They hardly ever get used and they have a giant tag on them that says, “I felt like I was supposed to get you a gift, but I’m either lazy or don’t know you well enough to do any better than this.” **
“Well that’s great Little Girl, but what the heck am I supposed to do for gifts then?!”
So glad you asked! In my humble opinion, I think you should give your friends and family a goat.
Yes, that’s right. You heard me correctly: a goat. And if you’re feeling generous…go ahead and give two!
I’ll explain.
Heifer International is a non-profit organization that provides sustainable solutions to rural poverty all over the world. The people who benefit are the ones who haven’t gotten anything good out of globalization. They’re at the bottom of the wealth totem pole and they’re stuck there. So here’s the deal: Heifer creates programming that addresses the needs of the community and sets up the opportunity for it to become self-sustainable. They do this by giving goats, or other relevant livestock/plants, to families and then providing education and training on a variety of topics (breeding, community dynamics, sustainable agriculture, health and sanitation, etc.).
What they need from you is funding. And the way they have things set up, allows a person to purchase needed livestock, etc. or donate in someone else’s name.
It’s so easy.
1. Get online
2. Go to www.heifer.org
3. Buy a goat or 5 mango trees (or whatever)
4. Print off a special card to give your friend/family member saying that you made a gift in their name.
5. Enjoy the moment. You just gave a deserving family a lifeline AND gave a loved one a gift that goes beyond shallow material frou frou.
But maybe Heifer International isn’t you cup of tea. Maybe you want to support a different cause. Go ahead! Or perhaps you see the need to donate to a more local organization. Completely valid desire. In that case, I have to promote giving to your local food bank and making your own “I donated in your name” cards. As the economy continues to operate in dire straights, food bank donations are disastrously short, while need is skyrocketing. In my community it only costs about $5-10 to put together a food basket. Weigh it out. What act would fit the holiday spirit better? $5-10 for crappy body wash set? Or $5-10 that will nourish a struggling family?
For me, at least, the answer is clear: Avoid useless material gifts whenever possible and donate to causes my friends/family support instead. That doesn’t mean I won’t be buying some gifts, but I’ll at least be taking a look at where I can up my giving efficiency by giving two gifts in one transaction. I absolutely urge you to do the same! We vote with our dollar and while I’m a supporter of capitalism, I only want to support products and services that inspire me. A lot of them out there are useless crap, taking up space on our shelves that could be opened up for better, higher quality things. Yet we spend our money on said useless crap over and over again instead of on causes that feed our souls. And this little girl is no exception to the rule.
So why not give a goat for someone you love this holiday season? It’s like that story: Give a man (or a woman for that matter) a fish and he’ll eat for a day. Teach a (wo)man to fish and she’ll eat for life. In this case, the goat comes with an instruction manual, so the family receiving the goat will not only receive daily nourishment from its milk, but will also be able to sell the extra supply and breed more goats for continued success in the community. Bada-bing bada-bam bada-boom. The holiday spirit lives once more!
And P.S. We’d love to hear any other ways you get unconventional with your gift giving. Comment below to add your ideas and creative deviations from the norm!
**Unless candles and/or lotion are loved by the receiver of the gift. Then, by all means, lotion it up! Get candles galore! But at least buy pleasantly scented ones, eh?!
Photo Credit: SeeTwist Productions
I know I said that I wasn’t one to beg, but I’m making just one more tiny tiny exception (two in one week, YIKES!). OK, I’m lying. It’s a big fat, pie-in-the-sky whopper. In addition to my plea for just one of the 1000 journals (which still stands, but this wish DEFINITELY pre-empts that one!), I’m also willing to get down on my knees for tickets to Obama’s inauguration. Unfortunately, everyone else and their mom wants to go too, and there are only 240,000 seats. That’s like 2.5 Dallas Cowboys mega-stadiums, but considering the entire nation wants to fit inside, it’s creating a bit of a problem for those of us who propelled the Obama movement to victory, but don’t have thousands of dollars sitting around to be spent on bad ass moments in history.
Never having been one to give up easily, I’m still trying! Miss Amira Dugrhi (my very favorite documentary film wonder-child) and I have hatched a plan to crash the party! We searched E-Bay first, but holy cow, even on November 12th the prices were ridic. So, I also wrote our congressman, Peter DeFazio, and am stopping by his office tomorrow to make our case in person.
Additionally (and boy is it your lucky day!), we’ll also make it to you. Practice makes perfect, you know? Plus you can send in feedback that might improve our argument (hint hint!).
Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury:
Our generation–so-called Generation Y–was a major force in the Obama Campaign’s success for a White House bid. We tuned into his energy and tone early on and were vocal supporters for the three years this presidential cycle spanned. We talked about him to anyone and everyone. We got our parents and families excited about him. We made videos, wrote blogs and songs about him. We designed freakin amazing posters, T-shirts and stickers for the cause. We exhibited all the signs of Obama fever and it paid off for his campaign in a big way. History was made.
Yet, the “millenials” are largely being squeezed out of an event that we should be on the VIP list for. January 20, 2009 is a big freakin’ deal! Obama’s speech will undoubtably go into the history books. We can only guess how many boxes of Kleenex will fly off the shelves the day before. Put simply: The moment will be unforgettable. Incredible. But we won’t be there, because we don’t have those good ol’boy connections to get tickets from our Congressmen and women, and most of us can’t afford to buy scalped tickets at thousands a piece.
It’s not exactly the way you keep Generation Y inspired to build an era of greatness in American history. We want to be involved. We want to engage. We expect access, because that’s what we are about. That’s where we are taking society. Because we believe in access (we are, after all, the children of the Internet, the ultimate symbol of access), we feel strongly that people from our generation have a right to experience this moment in history; that the rich shouldn’t be the only ones in attendence; that CNN and the like shouldn’t be the only media entities to receive press passes!
Sidenote to readers: we were super stoked to see this article on CNN (Yeah we know we just made them out to be our arch nemisis, but you know how it goes…gotta know your enemy!) about the program Earl Stafford has put together to grant access to the event to the poor and underpriviledged. Major major respect for him re: this.
But we digress. Where were we? Oh yeah…
Considering the role Generation Y played in electing our soon-to-be 44th President, and because we are the rapidly approaching future of news media (among other things), we implore you to support us as its representatives at the inauguration. We’ve got the means to get there. We’ve got the vision and talent to cover the occasion for our peers and beyond. But we haven’t got one of those 240,000 passes to get in the door.
We’re kind of like Charlie. Frantically searching for the last golden ticket, hoping to meet the illustrious Willy Wonka.
Can you help us find a ticket? We’ll even do the Ooompa Loompa dance for you if you can (SUCH an amazing/motivating incentive, I know!).
Many thanks.
(a.k.a. the vision and the voice)
On deck: Episode No.2 of our Torture! It’s What’s For Dinner series. We’ll be taking a look at the history of torture in America, in order to better understand how we got to where we are today. Keep a look out for it! It’s sure to be enlightening.
Torture…It’s what’s for dinner!
Well, maybe not, but it might as well be.
When did it all come to this? I thought we left torture behind after the Salem witch trials and slavery.
Isn’t torture an act reserved for demented rapists, serial killers, dictators and rebel armies to engage in?
Evidently not.
It was quite the story when the atrocious methods being used on the “night watch” at Abu Gharib were revealed in pictures.
Check out this video from www.ted.com on how easily humans are persuaded to use torture against their brothers and sisters.
“Bad form,” said the U.S. Army. Just a few bad apples.
But the truth is that many techniques, considered torture by the “civilized” international community (which P.S. we are supposedly at the forefront of), are still being used–more often than not at the now infamous Guantanamo Bay/Camp Delta facility.
And we, the people, have looked the other way. Because we want to eat dinner in peace. We don’t want to think about things we allow to happen by being silent and complacent about their existence.
So my good friend Amira Dughri and I are going to be doing a series on torture, how it’s being used in the U.S. and what’s being done to combat its use.
I hope you’ll join us here at little girl BIG VOICE as we explore this fascinating and disgusting topic. We’re so sure that you’ll be as appalled as we are, that we’ll even throw in a few ideas to use your voice and make a difference!
It might ruin your appetite, but if our efforts are successful, at least you’ll be able to sleep at night.
(Photo Credit: www.lexpress.mu) A young supporter is moved to tears at a Cleavland, Ohio Obama rally.
For the past 48 Hours, I’ve been sitting here trying to process what an Obama presidency means.
Does it mean racism is over?
No.
Does it mean America is all of a sudden Blue as the sky?
Nope.
Does it mean that a new day has dawned in history?
Hell yeah and I’m proud to be a part of it!
When Americans woke up on Wednesday, things were different. Not just because the rest of the world won’t look at us like we are complete and utter idiots (I can’t blame them after we RE-ELECTED George W. Bush) or because we’ve got a first lady-elect rocking Narsico Rodriguez rather than Coco Chanel (I freakin’ loved it–go Michelle!!!). Wednesday morning was a reality check for many of us–like, whoa! The world we live in today doesn’t look a thing like it did yesterday. For some that constitutes a really good (and long overdue) state of affairs. Others probably just wanted to get back in bed. Certainly the Obama victory means different things for each of us, but the most important point to take away is that we, as a nation, didn’t like much about what was going down. And WE, AS A NATION decided to do something about it. We voted, Obama won and for better or worse, we are setting off in a different direction.
Exciting as that is to this little girl, I have to caution against the temptation to be naive about the situation. Barack Obama alone will not change America. WE will change America under his (hopefully fabulous) leadership. It’s extremely unfair (albeit inevitable) to put him on this sort of guru-esque pedestal. Don’t hate me for saying it, but it’s not all about him. It’s about US. We CHOSE him to lead US. And frankly we have to hold ourselves, as well as our president-elect, accountable for what happens next. Much as George W. would love it, running the United States of Freakin’ America is not a one man show. Therefore, we can’t point a finger without pointing three back at ourselves.
It’s kind of like losing weight or quitting smoking. People usually fail a few times on the road to success. We need to be aware of that and be ready for minor setbacks. We also need to be committed to manifesting change in spite of the likelihood of imperfection.
Creating change isn’t like flipping a light switch. We have to keep at it and put our energy into it every day. We have to vote for it every day–with our dollar and with our time. It will be long and arduous task–one that will show us what our generation is really made of. Can we do it? Yes we can. Will we do it? God I hope so.
Yes, good people, it takes action (not just wishful thinking) to manifest change–a concept we finally figured out on a Tuesday that will be talked about for centuries to come. It was one of those small steps for (wo)man, giant steps for humankind things. The coolest, and most emotional, part for me is that for the first time in a long time, the youngest voters had the loudest voice. We stood up, asserted ourselves and forced our leadership, the media and the world to listen. It was a coming of age moment. It proved we give a damn about our country (and our world). It showed we are ready to move on from this racial and gender inequity B.S. and focus on more important things. It was so inspirational that your’s truly shed a few grateful tears over it.
But what does an Obama victory really mean? Well, I think you’ll have to answer that question for yourself. It is indeed symbolic, historic and incredible, but it isn’t a guarantee for lasting, viable change. WE have to make that happen by trusting our new fearless leader, by changing how we live and following his lead, and by continuing to demand only the best out of our government–and ourselves.
Stay tuned for ways to keep the change a comin’…we’re just getting started around these here parts.
Tomorrow (NOT November 5th!!!) is election day–something I’m sure you know very well. So, I’ll leave you with a simple image that says it all. Please get out to the polls tomorrow and use your voice!
Photo By: Joao Silva for The New York Times
Home Sweet Homelessness
Photo Credit: EyeTunes (CC)
I’m in Portland, OR today, searching for houses with my three roomies. I won’t lie. I’m pretty freakin’ excited! New city, new people, new beginnings. And it starts with a home.
We were out looking at places yesterday and since I’m the daughter of the best Realtor ever (YAY Mom!), I’m generally pretty discriminating. But while we were shuttling between viewing appointments, I got to thinking. I started thinking about how lucky I am to be employed right now. And how grateful I should be to be able to have a home. There are so many people in this world, and increasingly, in this country that cannot boast the same blessing.
I have bums at my local coffee shop. That’s what most people would say. In reality, they are homeless gentlemen, who have become some of my favorite people. They break my heart and inspire me at the same time. These are people who most consider to be the dregs of society. Many of the baristas look condescendingly at them as they order a small coffee or hot water. They roll their eyes as they take a seat and read the paper.
God, they’re sitting down. What will our customers think?
Well, this is what I think. I think the gentleman who humbly asks for hot water in his stainless thermos, says thank you with genuinely grateful eyes and then precisely rations a portion of coffee he bought from the shop is an incredible human being. He doesn’t fuss over no-foam, light whip, 148.7 degrees. He doesn’t sigh with exasperation, checking his watch and tapping his polished designer-soled foot when he has to wait in line behind two people for 3 minutes (God forbid). He’s polite. He’s appreciative. If he had any money to leave a tip, I’m sure he would. He does the freakin’ New York Times Sunday Crossword IN PEN. He is not stupid. He’s just homeless and yes, he does smell a little. But I’d rather sit and converse with him than most of the yuppie hypocrites at the next table. What a life story he probably has! You wanna sit and brag about how you’ve diminished your carbon footprint with your Prius? Who the hell cares? Why don’t you ask him about sustainable living? He could probably give you a few pointers on conservation and reducing excess.
We just get so into ourselves, don’t we? It’s ALL about us, right? I gotta get mine. Me me me me me.
It’s not ALL our fault. American society is built to cater to the desires of the customer. “The customer is always right” right? And that infrastructure of expectation and entitlement makes it really tough to step out of a critical mindset and be grateful for what we have at that moment. For instance, I have two jobs. I have a home and a reliable car to get me around. I have good friends and a loving family. I got to play volleyball in college–hell I got to GO TO COLLEGE! I live in a country where women can work and own property and say what they think! So why is it so hard for me to pull my mindset away from BMW’s and hot condos in the Pearl District?
As the U.S. economy and housing bubble continue to deflate, leaving thousands of Americans wondering if they’ll have a roof over their heads next month, I find myself so thankful that I’m capable of providing one for myself. I am acutely aware that the organic 1/2 decaf quad espresso with a splash of soy sitting to my right is a luxury–not a right. We have to be prepared. 2009 is going to bring stories of intense hardship as more people lose their jobs and enter the realm of financial uncertainty. Good people. Talented people. People with college degrees and 10 years experience. No one is immune. You might be one of them. I might be too. So we each need to be grateful for what we have right now. We might not have it tomorrow. Besides, it’s not a 3000 square-foot house, richly furnished with European imported furniture and surround sound that will make us happy. A shelter from the storm will suffice. Like my homeless friend, whose name I don’t even know, we can learn to smile more while working with less. It all comes down to what your priorities are. Success, wealth and acclaim are nothing to be ashamed of wanting. But we don’t need them. And we can <gasp> be happy without them.
I’ve already written out goals for 2009, but now I’m thinking that I need to get my priorities in line as well. Accomplishing everything on my list will make me feel good, but I’m convinced that I can still be happy if a few of them fall by the wayside. Don’t get me wrong–that doesn’t mean I won’t be busting my ass trying to get them into the “been there, done that” category, but I also don’t want to lose sight of the big picture. It’s Maslow’s Hieracrchy of Needs. We can’t neglect our foundation in the scramble to get to the peak. Who wants to be rich and unhappy, while my friend enjoys his daily ration of coffee and the abandoned New York Times Crossword from a wealthier man’s paper?
Not this little girl.