Step away from the wall it's time to join the dance floor!

When I try to sit down and out line my sytem of beliefs I can't whenever I try to explain it to someone I can't. I think I try to make it this big deal when really my belief system is pretty simple. I believe....

That you should respect others and respect the earth.
That you should do things in the spirit of love
That every day you should ask yourself have I accomplished anything that benifits others?
That everything you do has an effect on others
That everyone is born inately good.
That you should find your passion
That you should use that passsion to help others
That nothing is more powerful than love
That you should live simply so others can simply live
That you should be the change you wish to see in the world
That each moment is a gift
That the heart of life is good
That you get of life what you make of it
That every experiance is a learning experiance
That every one has a purpose for living

Sadness and exitment!

So yesterday we got the news that we were going to have to put my dog and best friend Smokey to sleep and that is what I did earlier today. Smokey has been the one pet we have had throughout pretty much all of my child hood but he was old and it was his time to go. My family will always love and miss him very much! Rest In Peace buddy maybe Little Foot will be waiting for you in Heaven. :')

I also visited my college last Friday. Orientation was good but boring I signed up for classes toured the college saw my dorm room etc. I have also been talking to my roommate who seems actually pretty cool! So I am exited for college.

Here's my classes for next year:

MWF
Music appreciation
9-9:50am
Huston Hall 129
Bailey

MWF
Theatre appreciation
1-1:50pm
Huston Hall 129
Ivanov

MWF
English Composition
2-2:50pm
Huston Hall 233
Schaack

MWF
Intermediate Algebra
4-4:50pm
Huston Hall 216
Smith

Thursday?
Human growth and development
5:45-8:30pm
Academic classroom building
Landoll- Young



Well hopefully I will write something more inspiring later but for now that's it!
The Heart Of Life Is Good!

College pangs come and go

I have lived in the same house my whole life surrounded by the same people in the same city on the same street but soon I will be moving. I will be going away to Mesa State college in Grand Junction Colorado where I will be surrounded by new people in a new school living in a new room with brand new things. I am scared. However; I am exited as hell. I am exited for all the newness. I just recieved a letter today telling me I got a new roomate. I am hoping we get along. I usually get along with most people but I have never shared a room before. I believe that things always go the way there supossed to good or bad. On Friday I go to my college orientation where I get to visit the school, sign up for classes etc. College seems too soon yet also to far away...


Wish me luck on my new adventure!
:D

"Give me your Christ but keep your Christians"

Today at work a kid who was probably 7 years old asked me if I was a Christian because I was wearing a cross neckless. I didn't exactly know how to respond. I have come to the conclusion that I don't believe in Christianity or really religion in general not to say that I don't believe in God and Jesus because I do.I guess its hard for me to explain. Anyway, the kid was telling me how he moved here a day before with his family of 6 to be Missionaries of Christ. He went on to tell me how happy he was but how he missed his friends back home. I have to admit I was pretty amazed that this child of 7 years beamed with a glow that I rarely see. He seemed to be genuinely fulfilled and happy with his life. I don't think most adults I know could say that. I don't know why but for some reason this seemed to be a pretty amazing experience.

So for those of you who are asking what I believe here goes: I believe what all Christians believe Jesus is the son of God died and rose again. I believe in the bible. However; I also believe in Buddhism. I don't think of Buddhism as a religion more as a guidelines for the way you should live your life. I believe in the 4 noble truths, karma, samsara, Siddhartha Gautama, meditation and nirvana. I believe you should live each of these teachings in a literal sense as they were meant.

Books to consider:
Siddhartha- Herman Hesse
Irresistible Revolution (as mentioned b4)- Shane Claiborne
Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance

Please remember that I am never asking you to believe what I believe only to consider and find whats right for your life and what makes you happy is most important!


Love always,
D

Can you really have a mide life crisis at age 18? Does this mean I will only live untill 36? and Why do I feel so old?

So tonight with my newly formed insomniac sleeping habbits I started thinking about an old friend that I havent seen in years. He was a person I loved and cared deeply about. I always used to say that we drifted apart but I am not really sure if thats what happened. Any way I really miss this person or maybe I just miss my first big crush. Anyway I feel real old right about now and can't fathom how much things have changed and how much things are still changing. Can I have a mid-life crisis at age 18?


Sciencerly,
The confused and the old?

Bead sorting and life sorting!

So today I met with the Cunningham Foundation (that's the group I traveled to Ethiopia with) to help sort beads! Bead artist from all over the US of A donate hundreds of beads every year to be made into bracelets for the Foundation. The beads are all so different and amazing. Basically we sat at a big table dumped all the beads on a table and then put around 7 beads we thought would look good together in a bag. These will then be sent to Project Mercy in Ethiopia where the bead artist down there will put the bracelets together and add the heart beads and other beads they make down there to each unique bracelets. They will then ship them back so they can be ready to sell for next Christmas. The bracelets sell for $100 each which is symbolic because $100 is the average salary an Ethiopian person makes in one year. The money raised goes back to support the amazing and talented bead artist in Ethiopia. I have actually seen some of these beads made down there and the art of bead making is truly beautiful. I can't wait to see some of the bracelets I helped with supporting the Ethiopians who work hard on them all year. I guess I will have to wait for next Christmas. (They make great gifts too!)

I have realized that the times I feel most alive are when I am living for everything but myself and doing things in the spirit of love. Helping out today gave me the reminder I needed to focus on my dreams and my goals over the things I often feel tempted by in my life. I was also reminded how important it is to do more with each spare second that you have. I only work 9 hours a week and am hoping I can find more charity's to lend my time too during this summer. There are so many people who could use my services let me know if any ideas cross your mind!

-Dre

list list list!

So this is just a little chracter detail about me but I love lists. Every year I make a list this year is my '09 list. It is an ongoing list of movies, books and music I want to see/read/listen too. Once I have done that I check it off my list and cross it out to make it official. So here is some new music I just found interesting from my list:

• Barefoot truth
• State radio
• Collective soul
• David Gray
• Josh Radin
• Rusted root
• Hey Mister!
• The Shook twins
• Ray Lamontag
• Hey Monday
• Jamiroquai
• Sonic youth
• Blues Traveler

More to come as the list goes on but for now check these out! And remember music changes lives everyday!

♫♫Andrea♪♪

Summer list.

I just felt I should write since I havent in a couple days. So my summer goals are these:

• Make money (as I will be a poor college Freshman next year!!!) To achieve this I just got a job as a waitress at Souper salad! My friend works there and helped me get the job. Its going good so far and the tips are great!
• Learn to screen print and start my own t-shirt buisness. I decided I wanted to design my own t-shirts and sell them to make money however start up for a simple screen printing business is around $60 :( lammeee. Thats ok it should be fun and I am exited to see what I can make and how many I can sell.
• Hopefully, do some sort of philanthropy this summer. I know it will happen :)!

I guess I will see what else comes up and add it to the list!

Peace Corps?

So this past year I had a really amazing teacher who was such a good influence on my life. He is one of the coolest people I have ever met and his class was the highlight of each day at school. If you were one of the 12 kids in that class then you know who and what I am talking about. I once mentioned to this teacher that I had hopes of joining the Peace Corps after College. I am still unsure why but he made me promise I would not join the Peace Corps. He was very adamant on this. He even told me that if he ever found out I had joined it he would be very disappointed in me.

So I just started reading the book with the longest title ever First comes love then comes malaria: how a Peace Corps poster boy won my heart and a third world adventure changed my life. It is the true story of Eve Waite who after falling in love with a Peace Corps recruiter spends one year in Ecuador before returning back home (note: generally you spend two years in the Peace Corps). The story is still good although I feel it barely focuses on her Peace Corps experience brushing over it in a blur. The things the book do however mention about the Peace Corps makes it seem like a very underfunded government project. She arrives in Ecuador with a project that ultimately falters. Waite then is left alone to fend for herself basically attempting to find her own projects to help out with.... I will write more on the subject as I continue to read the book.

-A
unsure....


Sites (Factual and opposing views):
http://www.peacecorps.gov/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_Corps
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/05/AR2008050502192.html
http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/peacecorps/peacecorps.html
http://www.transitionsabroad.com/publications/magazine/0409/the_real_peace_corps.shtml

Learning out side the lines and What the scilenced say

Growing up as a student labeled Learning Disabled (LD) since k-5Th. I really related to Jonathan Mooney the author of Learning outside the lines and the speaker in the video What the silenced have to say. Reflecting on his experiences growing up he sheds light on how the education system we have in place today effects our students.

Growing up Jonathan was labeled ld, adhd and dyslexic. He had troubles all through school teachers telling him he was broken, not understanding his learning style and he was often told he was stupid. At one point in his life a High school guidance counselor told him he would be flipping burgers the rest of his life. Although he did have a few saving graces one was his mom who advocated for him in and out of school. In 6Th grade Mooney dropped out of school for a year and had plans to commit suicide. Although his father had often fought with the feeling that his son was a failure he also turned out to be one of his saving graces. At a world cup baseball game one night his father told him son I love you no matter how good you do in school and the next year Mooney went back to school. One of the most important people in Mooney's life was his 4Th grade teacher who helped him become interested in learning and told Mooney to do what he loved (story telling). The story ends with Mooney graduating at the top of his class with a degree in English Lit from Brown University. Yes it is success story.

Some of the things I read in this book I immediately related to others broke my heart. The fact that a guidance counselor would ever tell a student that they are not smart enough for school, to tell them to quit and to flip burgers for a living made tears roll down my cheeks. I find it unacceptable that these children are slowly slipping through the cracks. and why? All because they learn differently. Mooney doesn't only criticize the schools but he offers important advice and tools we can all use to help these students or to help yourself. I think the most important things are to advocate for them and to let them know that grades do not define who they are. Attending a school like Cherry Creek so much pressure is put on the students to perform well. I will tell you every math class I took at Creek sucked and when most kids got angry if they received a C in that class I was happy to even get that. I think the pressure on kids these days is ridiculous and then you add standardize testing to the mix (you don't even want to hear my rant on that).

If you are struggling student, a parent of one or a teacher I recommend the movie or the book. You can most likely find these at your local library. I did! Or if you have any stories or thoughts post them here!


Hoping,
Dre Dre

Websites:
http://www.jonathanmooney.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbBLYHyR7qg

Dear Sienna,

"Strangers are friends waiting to happen!"

My quote of the day to you!

Love from NOT IN PERU WITH YOOU, Drea

"How can we worship a homeless man on Sunday and ignore one on Monday?"

So tonights post is about one of the books I mentioned below. I am talking about The Irresistable revolution by Shane Claiborne. I have read this book several times and have thumbed through many more times- often these times are at night when my soul is searching. I recieved the book as a gift from a mentor Sophmore year and the book renewed my faith in Chrisianity. I recently passed the book along to a good friend of mine who I thought would enjoy Claibornes writing.

The book begins with Claiborne reflecting on his childhood growing up in the Bible belt east Tennessee where he says "theres a Church on nearly every street corner". He attended church every Sunday with his family and went to the youth groups that drew the largest crowd. Eventually he began to feel discontent with the church he said "people had taught me what Christians believe, but no one had told me how Christians live,". Frustrated and searching for the truth in Christianity he decided against his mothers wishes and with God by his side to enroll in Estern College in Philidalphia.

Eventually Claiborne's search for a real Christianity leads him to sleeping on the streets with the homless in Philidalphia, saving an abandoned church, working with Mother Theresa in Calcutta and living with Lepers in India.

I highly reccomend this boook. It tells the story of a man just looking to live out an authentic Christian faith. For all the believers, non-believers, the lost and the soul searchers read this book and I promise you wont look at Christianity the same.

Love Love Love, Drea

PS. Read more on it here: http://www.thedubyareport.com/irresistible.html

Books for the religious, the spiritual and the philanthropist inside us all.

• The irresistable revolution: living life as an ordinary radical- Shane Calaiborbne
• The alchemist- Paul Cohelo
• Siddhartha- Hermann Hesse
• A long way gone: memories of a boy solider- Ishmale Beah
• What is the what- Dave Eggers

+If you have any reading suggestions for me please feel free to share them as I love new books! :)

Ahmesugenalew, Drea

Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion.- hebbel

Dear whoever may be reading this,

I don't know you or maybe I do. Maybe you live oceans away from me. Maybe your life is completely different from mine. I am about to tell you my story and I would love to hear yours in return.

Here is my story: I am 18 years old and 3 years ago my life was forever changed. I saw the documentary Invisible Children. It focused on the plight of the children in northern Uganda. It showed a hidden war where children were abducted and forced to fight. I saw people starving for the most basic necessities but filled with the purest love. I knew at that moment that I had found it. Some people spend there whole lives searching for it. There's a moment in every one's life when they realize there passion and there purpose for living. At only 15 I had found my passion and I felt it in my heart that this would take me on many wild adventures. Already it has!

After seeing the movie I became very involved in Invisible Children fundraising and efforts to help end Africa's longest running war. Then at my school I joined a club called STAND (Students Taking Action Now Darfur)- they work with Save Darfur to help end one of the worst genocides since the Holocaust. Although this was in a different part of Africa my passion continued leading me all over the African continent. A year later I was on my way to Ethiopia, Africa with the Cunningham Foundation. this foundation works to help educate, feed and clothe the children at a place called Project Mercy. Through a video project I received the chance a long with 3 other high school students to visit Project Mercy and see where are fundraising was going. I had been a part of a club at school called 4 quarters 4 kids that first got me involved with the Cunningham Foundation. The club has done various fundraiser to raise money for the organization. We are the first 4q4k club in the world and are inspiring other schools to join this growing movement. Thanks to the support of my friends and family I have been able to raise a-lot of money for various charities and I feel I have accomplish a-lot. But be warned my work is not over yet and my passion for the beautiful people of Africa will never end.

Next year I will be attending Mesa State College. This will be a new chapter of my life and another adventure for me to partake in. I am going to this college and hoping to eventually earn my teaching certificate, I know in my heart I will return to Africa. I plan on going back and teaching.

So that is my story and as I mentioned before I would love to hear yours so please share it.

With Love in my heart,
As the Ethiopians say Ahmesugenalew (Thank you)


Websites for the mentioned charities:
Invisible Children- http://www.invisiblechildren.com/
Invisible Children- http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=logo#/group.php?gid=2365284904&ref=ts
STAND- http://www.savedarfur.org/
Cunningham Foundation- http://www.cunninghamfoundation.org/