A blast from the past.....

Was outside earlier this evening when the littlest thing reminded me of the better part of my childhood. Want to know what it was? The single most solitary firefly. When I saw it, I stopped and stared. I remembered my old home; the trees, the brilliant emerald grass, and the warm breeze that gave fireflies a reason to dance around. The old basketball hoop that stood out by the road where my little sister and I competed against my parents during the twilight hours. This simplistic memory melted my heart and made me crave those better days. Before my relationship with my family tanked. Before I was ever truly unhappy due to my uncertainty of my sexuality. But then I stop and thought about it. I am as happy as I was back then. I have a family. Whether i see them or not, I have not changed. I have simply become a better person. But I will smile back on those memories and I hope to have them forever.

I am proud of who I have become. No matter the decision I have made. I will step up and take the consequences. I want my friends, family, and wife to be proud of the person I've become. ....I am proud of how far I've come and I will look back and learn from misfortune and guilt and strive for a pride and joy.

ICC NJCAA DII WOMEN'S Championship

Generally, I work at Illinois Central College as a student worker. I work in the media department with an energetic, exciting crew of people. On a normal schedule, we would just be broadcasting educational programs for twelve week courses. At least until basketball or volleyball season. During a normal season, we would broadcast games using stationary cameras and using screens to switch between each of these cameras.

This Nationals tournament is different. ICC has upgraded its equipment. This is the fifth of it's six year contract for the tournament that Illinois Central College will be hosting. After that, another school takes over responsibilities. We now have three cameras operated by student workers that are far from stationary. We have better quality for television purposes and it is quite exciting to say the least!

The woman in the tournament have been working really hard to get to the top! There has been some really close games and one game that have a 70 point lead! These girls are talented and some of the most interesting people you will ever meet!

If you are a basketball fan and are interesting in watching the games; we will also broadcast and internet stream for those who wish to watch! I will be working one of the three cameras! It's pretty exciting! Let me know how we did! Support the girls and wish them luck! Thank you!

http://www.ihigh.com/icccougars/index.html

Coffee shops

Mocha Latte <3

One of the most serene places to go that many people wouldn't even think....a local coffee shop. Yes, ladies and gents, it is quite true. After a long day or shortly before it begins, we all need a little pick-me-up. Coffee drives the American work force. Popular yet comforting. Energizing yet fattening: lattes, frappes, decaf, espresso, and so on. It doesn't seem to bother us too much. In the end, coffee is the fuel for many lives and the obsessive habit that we partake in. There is an art to coffee. Beautiful, delicious, and relaxing.

It isn't just for those hipsters, barbie dolls, college students, geeks, or nerds. Everyone is welcome. Before you know it, the man or woman making your coffee knows your name, any gossip, or brightens your day with a smile. Coffee shops are my refuge. A place for academic studying, social interaction, an artistic atmosphere that offers everything that home may not full fill. When I enter the local coffee shop, known as The Blend, I glance around at the pastel colored walls, smell the warmth of roasted coffee, hear the spoken conversations, and see students preparing for tests or doing their homework. In one place, you will see the community come together. There is no R-rated material or inappropriate interactions; at least typically.... Adults, teens, and children are welcome. These simplicities feed the void of my seemingly empty life as a college student.The stimulation of noise is perfect. I can feel scholarly to myself and to those around me. I can have interesting conversations, appropriate or not, and enjoy myself.

But why would I write about something like this? It is quite simple. I love sharing moments with complete strangers. I love my community coming together. It knits us together. We meet people, talk about others, and through fate-we create a family oriented community. Keeping positive ties with other people that will influence us all. We need an outlet. We need creativity. It makes us human and distracts us from the problems of our lives. Coffee shops offer so much without words. Take my word for it!

My puppy, my child, and my snuggle buddy

Since the beginning of my life, I can never remember a time that I did not have a furry little friend by my side. I learned the values of caring for an animal, the satisfaction and comfort of companionship, and the hardships of loss and sadness through out my entire life. I have grown accustom to their goofy smiles, kisses, and exciting bursts of energy.

Just a few days after Valentine's day in 2011, my soon-to-be mother-in-law brought home a puppy that was all our own. From the first time we met, I knew she was the beautiful soul that would forever be my child.

Her name is Daisy May DeVore. She is a chow-terrier mix puppy at approximately six weeks old in this photo. She was born December 17th, 2010. The perfect mix of chubby and wrinkles and energy. She entered into our lives; scared, excited, and destructive.

The first memory I have of her is stumbling around on the floor. She was somewhere she did know or understand. She had just parted from her only known brother an  hour ago and strangers will flocking around her--just to get a look at the cuteness that was our new puppy. The only people that knew of her presence in the house was myself, my girlfriend, and my "mother." Dad works third shift at CAT and had been asleep the entire morning. To be quite honest, I was fearful of even telling him about the new puppy. We already had an elderly chow-husky mix and her age was beginning to get to her. About three hours of play time, we decided to face the music. We all entered into the bedroom where dad was sleeping. Carefully, we set her on the bed. Something about dad set her off and she stumbled right up to his face and began licking it. We were awestruck by how adorable the scene was. Waking from his sleepy stupor, he started loving on Daisy and faintly asked, "Whose dog is this?" We all cringed back and replied, "Our new puppy!" There was an immediate, "Oh no! No! No NO!"  Daisy bounced on his chest because of the sudden change of tone in his voice. After several upset words, he watched her roll around on the bed. Next thing we knew, Daisy had curled up next to Pa-pa and fell asleep. A sigh later and arms around the puppy, they were both fast asleep. It was love at first sight.

This is one of the videos we took of Daisy and for some reason it is sideways. :) She is insanely adorable!

This is a pic of her in the kennels on day 5

After a week of having her, she quit eating. Her energy was zapped and she just laid around miserable. We all assumed it was because she missed her sibling(s). She couldn't keep food or water down and stopped using the bathroom altogether. After the third day of this, we took her to our local vet whom prescribed temporary medication. Unfortunately, the meds never eased the puppy's upset tummy and she got worse. After another day and a half passed, we took her back with a sample of the only stool that we had managed to get from her. She was immediately boarded and had surgery at exactly two months old. They tested her from multiple things: parvo, obstruction in the intestines, other diseases, and viruses. We were only allowed to visit Daisy once a day. And whenever she had seen us or heard us, her tail would only wag faintly and then she would close her eyes in defeat. It broke our hearts to see our puppy like this. We thought that she would never make it. We cried constantly--every time the test was negative or inconclusive. After a full week and a half of not eating, things looked grim. In a last ditch effort to save our dog, they have her a shot of pepdo bismol. An hour later, our puppy was playing, eating (just slightly) and alive again. We got the phone call and cried our eyes out in relief. We went to the vet to pick her up and got the news that she either was diabetic, had a liver shunt, or was just really sick. There was no way she was diabetic and if it was a liver shunt, the signs would come back when she hit 50 lbs. We fled the vets office after paying the bill and get her into the car. Her little body was perched in my lap and she cried and bayed all the way home in excitement. She was the noisiest, happiest puppy we could have ever hoped for. To this day, Daisy is a healthy puppy that runs around and constantly wines for attention.

Since then, everyone has been in love with our puppy. She has more energy than any one can keep up with. She tears around the house like crazy and skids around Duchess, the elderly dog, and perceives everything as PLAY!?!? She is the angle in my life that I will never let go. She is my puppy, my child, and my snuggle buddy.

I will continue posting stories about my puppy later on! Thanks for reading!

Car Accident February 24th, 2012

This morning around 6:34 A.M., Amanda and I were driving from Metamora to Illinois Central College for work and classes. Our usual routine is Metamora Blacktop that is split in half by Woodford county and Tazewell county. It's about a 16 minute drive from home to school

This morning was definitely unusual because we were having a warm winter and we had woken up to snow flying down in icy blotches. So of course, it was a weird start to the day. We pulled onto the highway behind a semi-truck. About a quarter mile down the road, the semi-truck flashed his hazard lights. Not knowing what was going on, we glanced about, looking for a cause or reason. I finally noticed a vehicle lying upside down in the field to our right. From a distance, it looks as though the car was totaled. The windows that were visible to the road were busted out. The body was a mess. And several men were rushing to the vehicles aid. Wanting to know if the driver was okay, I had Amanda stop and I got out to help as much as I could. When I finally reached the car, I could see the scarred mud that the vehicle had passed over . The glass shimmering darkly against the ground on the passenger side with papers, note books, and personal belongings everywhere. I asked the guys where the driver was.

Before they replied, I heard a voice from within the upside down car. When I bent down, a woman was pinned in her seat by her steering wheel. Luckily her driver side windows were not blown out and her driver side still in the right shape. We began asking her questions, making sure she was conscious and if she knew what had happened. She replied with little difficulty. She began asking for her phone. I was the only one small enough to get into the vehicle and slide over the broken glass. Surprisingly, I had minimal cuts on my hands in the end. I Several minutes of searching lead me to finding the phone case. The driver found her battery and I made the necessary phone calls for her while the other men on the scene called for an ambulance for her. While in the car, I remembered that there could be a possibility of the car catching fire. I removed her keys and sat wit her. For the next thirty minutes, I knelt down in her window and continuously reassured her that she would have help soon.

When the paramedics finally arrived, I checked on the woman once more before being told that she would be fine. I sighed a relief. I hope she will have a full bill of health and that she recovers quickly!

Horror story of gay student suicides VS church influence.

Source:
http://communitymatters.biz/2012/02/06/rolling-stone-magazine-one-towns-war-on-gay-teens/

Note:
This article is very disturbing. I would appreciate others thoughts on it.

When I read this article, I already knew what it was going to say. I was informed of what it was when my partner, Amanda, had originally read the article. This article is about 9 suicides in one school district down south. This district was controlled by Conservative churches in the area. No Home Promo was enacted in the school district. Basically, allowing the gay community to be harassed, bullied, and allowing these students to become suicidally depressed without help from staff members who were forbidden to discuss homosexuality. I am lesbian and I support my LGBTQ community and what happened in this article was an abomination. These kids are gay for a reason! Because we are born that way or how ever anyone else takes it. Being gay is not an abomination. "Be yourself and love the life you live." This is quote from a boy just before he killed himself.

I was heart broken, shocked, angry, and upset. I don't think I've ever cried that long just from reading something. The LGBTQ community is at risk for suicidal tendencies because of bullying and religious beliefs of others. Nine students committed suicide because of this. Michele Bachmann is to blame. She was the one running the district.

Everyone has a right to freedom of speech and freedom of religion. But when you knowingly influence those into such extreme environments, wouldn't you feel anything? Michele Bachmann, do you feel anything? Conservative or not, you are wrong. I am disguised by you and the district school board. These kids were not mentally ill until those students got through with them. I hope society reads this article and feels for these poor families who lost their children.

Please sure your thoughts or ideas to prevent such harsh realities that are happening in our schools.

Illinois Governor plan to shut down 14 IL Facilities

Source:
http://www.pjstar.com/free/x1353884176/Quinn-plan-would-shut-14-Illinois-facilities

SPRINGFIELD —

Gov. Pat Quinn prepared Tuesday to deliver an Illinois budget proposal stuffed with grim news including closing two prisons and 12 other state facilities, slashing Medicaid by $2.7 billion and cutting spending at most state agencies.
The facilities Quinn wants to close include the supermax prison at Tamms, a maximum security prison for women at Dwight and six halfway houses for inmates nearing release, said an administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to discuss the budget publicly.
Of the other facilities Quinn will propose for closing, four are run by the Department of Human Services and two by Juvenile Justice.
Quinn was set to present his budget Wednesday in a speech to a joint session of the General Assembly.
In recent weeks, Quinn warned that Illinois must reduce the fast-growing price of health care for the poor and slow the annual growth in government pension contributions. He says most state agencies will see cuts of 9 percent, and he's challenging other statewide officials to make similar cuts to their own budgets.
He said universities and schools downstate and in the Chicago suburbs might be asked to share the cost of retirement benefits for their employees. Government workers might be required to work longer before retiring with full benefits or contribute more money to their pensions, he said.
All this comes after years of belt-tightening and a 67 percent increase in state income taxes.
Republicans spoke out Tuesday to criticize Quinn's past actions and some of the ideas he's likely to propose Wednesday.
Several legislators condemned the idea of making more schools share in retirement costs, which is already done in Chicago. They said schools can't absorb those costs without hurting education or taxpayers.
"You're either going to lose teachers or have a massive property tax increase," said Rep. Ed Sullivan, R-Mundelein.
Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady, joined by U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock, accused Quinn of showing no leadership on pensions and warned him not to build the budget on projections of Medicaid savings that may never materialize. They called for "a government we can afford" but declined to say how deeply Quinn should cut Medicaid or to comment on the merits of closing state facilities.
A governor's budget proposal can be significantly changed by lawmakers, which happened last year when legislators felt he wanted to spend too much. Some of Quinn's ideas this year, such as making schools contribute to pension costs, could prove particularly controversial.