Home is where you find it...

I have found a home in a warm bed on a cold day curled up with my favorite literary character. I have found a home in the embrace of a baby who is dying of AIDS. I have found a home in the taste of my tea as I watch the contortionist work his magic on the Pearl Street Mall. I have found a home in the comfort of family and friends. I have found a home in the mosh pit of my favorite band there lyrics wrapping around me. I have found a home in soles of my Converse treching through the day with me. I have found a home everytime the needle hits the reccord on my phonograph and the music plays. I have found a home when I become devoured by my favorite movie. I found a home in my Grandma Abbotts Macceronie. I am home.

Prose for a purpose!

This is an essay I wrote for my English 112 class this semester!

Prose for a purpose


I sit surrounded by the swarm of mostly teens and twenty something’s, the boys with dreads in their hair, the girls in bright colored clothes as individuality seems to ooze from there very being. They clap, snap and howl! A man on stage commands the microphone, articulating words rapidly then leisurely, piercing then soft. The room is devoured by the aroma of cigarettes and coffee. Judges scores range all the way from the low score of four to a perfect ten. Soon the night is over and the youth of Denver, Colorado disperse back to their suburban homes, college campuses, and high rise lofts in heart of the city. This night has ended but I will be back next Sunday and so will the other “slamaster’s” and their friends. This is a typical night at The Mercury Café’s weekly slam poetry competitions.


Slam poetry is a competition where poets read or recite original work (or, more rarely, that of others). These performances are then judged on a numeric scale of 1-10 by randomly selected members of the audience. On the scale 10 is the absolute best. There are no real criteria for how to judge performers but there is one rule that the performers must abide by. Each Slam poem can only last 3 minutes. Other than that freedom of expression is encouraged. Poems are often political satires and often controversial.

Slam poetry was started by a construction worker named Marc Smith at a lounge in Chicago in 1984. He wanted to encourage audience participation and freedom of expression. His weekly poetry show was an instantaneous success. Soon the grass roots movement became known as slam poetry and competitions spread nationwide. In every city and every urban coffee shop poets were born. Then in 1990 the first ever national slam competition was held in San Francisco. The first competition hosted only four teams but the 2009 slam poetry competition hosted more than 30 teams and numerous individuals from all over the country.

David Meinert one of the founders of slam poetry in Seattle said he loved the emerging movement because, “drunks could read poetry, poets could get drunk, and the crowd could give them all hell." Slam poetry was becoming big amongst the youth of America yet; many educators had their doubts. In the world of education poems were meant to be read, analyzed and discussed in an academic setting. Many teachers feared what would happen if students were allowed complete freedom of expression as many of the poems were not censored. Another group, a non academic group, started the “anti-slam” in response to the emerging sub culture. In the anti-slam all participants get 6 minutes instead of 3 and each performer gets as perfect 10 by all the judges. Harold Bloom- a literary critic- called slam poetry “The death of art.” Bloom’s very bold statement caused even more controversy. Although slam has received much criticism it has also received acclaim and was even featured on an MTV Unplugged special. There have been several documentaries made, and dozens of book written about slam poetry,

Through the debate that surrounds it I believe slam will be ever popular among today’s youth! As you can see, its popularity is rising everyday and with that more skeptics of the sport will surly follow.

videos of some of my favorite slam poetry performances
What teachers make -Taylor Mali
The Impotence of proof reading-Taylor Mali
Like Lilly Like wilson-Taylor Mali
How to write a political poem-Taylor Mali
Toney Steinburg-Taylor Mali
This is for you- Chico speaks out team
PCPentutbutter Jelly-Chesko
podslam.org has a bunch more look under more content
Yellowbird-Andrea Gibson
For Eli-Andrea Gibson
Say yes-Andrea Gibson
Prop 8 I do-Andrea Gibson

I need advice/ a look alike robot to fill in for me for awhile.... either will do.

I need advice/ a look alike robot to fill in for me for awhile.... either will do.



Dear Abby (or whoever may be reading this and wanting to help),

What if you have a friend (no I am talking about a real friend not friend as in secretly refering to myself) who has been super self centered for awhile now and is constantly pushing my buttons. Do I tell this person how I feel? Or does that make me a bitch? I honestly want to tell this person in order to help them see the way they treat there best friends and to help them change into a better human being...unsure!

Sincerly, eh

"I want to free fall out into nothing want to leave this whole world behind"

I updated my blog and made it all spiffy! Ok, so first off cleansing diet= Unltimate FAIL! But Im ok with that..

2nd. If you do read this please comment. I would personally really love it!

3rd. Last year as a gift to my friends little brother I made a documentary and maybe this is a little bias but I think its pretty darn great! It was called "The bare facts" a reference you would understand if you went to my high school but basically it was tips on how to survive high school! You can check (most) all the videos on youtube (Some arnt up yet). Anyway now I really want to make one on Freshman year of college because honestly I have already learned so much! All I need is a cam! Who would of guessed that videos are one of my hobbies!

This is an essay I wrote for my English 111 class last semester....Feed back?

“Never again, ever again”


15 years ago In Rwanda -during the 1990’s- about one million people were killed and the world ignored it. It was later declared “genocide”. Bill Clinton, our president at the time, cites ignoring this genocide as the biggest mistake of his career saying that he probably could have saved over half a million lives. Currently in the Congo and in Uganda genocide, like the one in Rwanda has surfaced. Joseph Koney and the LRA have displaced over 1.4 million people in Congo just within the last year. The most disturbing part of all this is the fact that there is no media attention on the issue. The only light cast on this issue has been by self proclaimed filmmakers turned 301c non –profit- Invisible Children founders –Jason Russell, Bobby Bailey, and Laren Poole. (Invisiblechildren.com)

Invisible children was founded in 2003 after the three college students Russell, Bailey and Poole traveled to Africa in an attempt to film the war in Darfur. What they found instead was a hidden holocaust in neighboring Uganda where the children were being used as weapons. After returning to America the three boys knew they had to make a film out of there footage and show it to anyone willing to listen. They titled the film Invisible Children and traveled around showing it at schools and churches. Reviews of the documentary say “it disgusted and inspired”. The movement quickly grew amongst my generation. They have since held three major events in cities around the globe to bring attention to the issue. (Invisible Children) I have attended all three Invisible Children events, have helped to raise money and I have supported them countless times. I first saw the documentary when they visited my high school. The day I saw the documentary my life changed forever and soon there after I won a film contest with another philanthropic group and traveled to Ethiopia, Africa.

In 2009 Invisible Children worked on getting a bill that would mandate President Obama to apprehend top LRA leaders, demobilize child soldiers, and protect civilians from further rebel attacks passed in the house and the senate. The bill would also work on investing in sustainable peace to heal the war affected areas and help prevent future conflicts. The bill has not yet been passed, and about half of the senators have signed on and half have not. Without United States intervention I see no end in sight for Africa’s longest running war and this is why I believe it is important for the “LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act (S.1067, H.R. 2478)” to be passed. (resoloveuganda.org)

The war in northern Uganda has been called the most neglected humanitarian emergency in the world today. For the past 23 years, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the Government of Uganda (GoU) have been at war with each other as it has left nearly two million civilians in the middle. The GoU's attempt to protect its citizens from the LRA has largely failed, resulting in an entire generation of youth that has never known peace. (http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/uganda.htm)

The LRA can be traced back to a woman named Alice Lakwena. In the 1980s, Lakwena believed the Holy Spirit spoke to her and ordered her to overthrow the Ugandan government for being unjust to the Acholi. Lakwena and her followers, known as the Holy Spirit Movement, gained momentum as hatred toward the government increased. When Lakwena was exiled and no clear leader of the movement was left, Joseph Kony, who claimed to be Lakwena’s cousin, took control and made Lakwena’s rebel army into the modern day LRA. Kony and the LRA did not receive the same support as the Holy Spirit Movement. With dwindling approval for their cause, the rebels resorted to abducting children and indoctrinating them into their ranks. It is estimated that more than 90% of the LRA’s troops were abducted as children. Ironically, the LRA claims they are helping the Acholi people fight for their rights yet; they are not helping the Acholi they are killing and abducting them at astonishing rates. (http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/uganda.htm)

In 1996, as a response to the LRA attacks in the villages, the Ugandan government forcibly evicted thousands from their homes, relocating them into overcrowded displacement camps in hopes of providing protection. But over a decade later, roughly one million individuals still live in these camps and struggle to survive among the effects of poverty, disease, and near-certain starvation. It is obvious that the GoU doesn’t understand and doesn’t have the resources to fix the situation in Uganda. They need our help. (http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/uganda.htm)

In 2005, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Joseph Kony and four of his top commanders. Since then the Government of Uganda and the LRA have met several times, though they have yet to find a peaceful resolution. The most recent talks were in Juba, Sudan in July 2006, and a Cessation of Hostilities Agreement was signed the following month. At this point in time, the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement has expired and Joseph Kony has failed to sign the Final Peace Agreement for a fourth time, ultimately disabling the peace talks. Uncertainty lingers, not only for the thousands displaced in northern Uganda but across the entire northeastern border region of Congo, South Sudan, and Central African Republic where the war has since spread to. It is obvious that the LRA has no intentions of coming to an agreement with the GoU. The only way to ratify the situation in Uganda is with US intervention. (invisiblechildren.com)

There are many people out there who do not think this bill should be passed. They say that America does not need to be the world police and put ourselves in potential danger just to help someone else. Others who agree with them say that Uganda has nothing to offer us in terms of oil, security, or money so there is no reason for the US to intervene, unless it directly affects us. I however, believe this a human dignity and a moral issue. As Rep. Ed Royce -former Chair of the US House Committee on Africa- says,

"This bill rightly targets LRA leader Joseph Kony. Kony's removal is essential to peace in the region. It is fashionable to blame conflict in Africa on poverty and other environmental factors, but sometimes just getting rid of one person does make a big difference. History is full of captivating leaders with bad ideas who do great damage. It’s a lesson I learned from West Africa, where Liberian president Charles Taylor, ran a gangster regime that brought havoc to neighboring Sierra Leone. After his hard-fought removal, the region is peaceful. Kony’s removal won’t guarantee peace — but it will make it possible." (19 May 2009)

Royce points out that many people are blaming the causes of this war on poverty and other such health issues. Although these do have major effects on this war and the people involved, in reality the war is only continuing because of Joseph Kony. Royce also points out that removing Joseph Kony won’t necessarily, “guarantee peace,” which is why the bill also says we would need to help restore the war affected areas and work on bringing sustainable peace to the region.

This issue not only affects the citizens of Uganda, Congo, and Sudan it affects everyone. If we allow this war to continue we are directly responsible for the lives of those who are dying at the hands of this war each day. If we don’t stand up now we are doomed to let history repeat itself and next time you might be the one caught in the middle of genocide. After World War two the world came together and proclaimed that “never again” would they allow genocide to occur. When will the world finally come together, take a stand, and proclaim “never again, ever again”?



Citations

• Invisiblchildren.com

• Resolveuganda.org
• Globalsecurity.org/

Strawberry's and soccer!

Since I have been back at Mesa this semester I have worked out at the gym every day but three days! I am honestly really proud of my self!!! My goal is to feel more mentally and phsyically fit and hey losing a little weight couldnt hurt right? I have always suffered from deep phsyical apperance issues. I always told people I never cared when they made comments about my apperances but thats not true. I don't think theres a single person out there who doesnt care! And if you say you do your lying... I have always wanted to be more fit but never took that next step towards accomplishing my goal. I am finally taking that next step.

This week me and some friends who have been working towards there own fitness goals are doing a cleansing/detox diet. We will only be eating fruits and veggies for a week! Haha wish me luck w/ this! I'll update you! I am also playing my first indoor soccer match! I am really exited but SUPPPPPPERRR nervous! I haven't played in 3 years but before that I played for 12 years so... wish me more luck! I need it! hard core!

Love and rockets,
Drea

Ps. This is the first and possibly only time I have admitted my self image issues!

Videos of the week: The two cutest boys singing the two cutest songs!

Taking The Stage (Season 2) - MTV Shows

Two new songs/ poems I wrote

Story behind the song/poem: In High School Sophomore year I was really close with this kid name Dylan. I met him after he just returned from rehab. He was a very different character from anyone I'd met before. He had blond hair and wore yummy colone. He would put his arm around me and walk through the halls. We wern't dating in fact he had a g.f later on during our friendship. At one point I believed I loved him because he was the only guy to ever call me beautiful...I was sadly mistaken. Anyway he had a pretty bad home life he'd tell me about it sometimes. Eventually he ran away, dropped off the face of this Earth and I never saw or heard from him again. I sometimes wonder if hes dead but then I imagine meeting him on the streets 30 years from now and I smile a little...


If I could paint the world I'd paint it blue
just like the sky expanding ever so high
just like the ocean stretches out before me
but mostly like the color of your eyes
when you told me the first of many lies
1. I'll never do drugs again
2. I'll always be with you
you swore this was true
as I searched your eyes lost in the deep blue
If I could paint the world I'd paint it green
just like the grass on the other side
just like the palm tree above the tide
but mostly like the color of your shirt
that day you told me another lie
3. I'm running away from home it's only temporary
4. I'll be back soon
you swore this was true
as your green shirt wrapped it's arms around me
If I could paint the world I'd paint it pink
just like the flamingos
just like bubble gum
but mostly nothing like you
it hurts to much to paint the world all the colors of you
___________________________________________________
There's better days ahead
when your lying in your bed
the world slows to a crawl
you want to stop it all
but think before you fall
if I knew that you were hurting inside
why wont you confide in me?
I pray that you can make it
through the rain to see the rainbow
I pray for all those struggeling
you are not alone
theres better days ahead
why wont the world slow down
shine light on the lost and make them found
one million every year
a cause that I hold dear
you are not alone
there's better days ahead
when your lying in your bed
the world slows to a crawl
you want to stop it all
but think before you fall