Last night I was scrolling through Instagram when I bumped into a gorgeous picture of Emmy Rossum sporting her naturally curly hair. I stopped scrolling and stared at the beautiful picture for a couple minutes and thought, "you know what? Curly hair is beautiful. Maybe I should start wearing mine naturally more often..." It's not that I don't think curly hair isn't pretty, because I do...it's just that I don't think it looks pretty on me. Big difference. But why?? I've never loved it. I always wanted straight hair because mine was so thick and unruly, it never looked "done". It always looked like I just rolled out of bed, while all the other girls' hair looks glossy, straight, perfect, with no frizz. From an early age, perhaps reinforced by the media and representations of "beautiful put-together women, I always disliked my naturally curly hair. For instance: "Samira Ahmed, senior news presenter, who has been working at Channel 4 News in the UK for the past 11 years. Earlier this week, Ahmed announced her departure from the media company after being told that her hair was too "scruffy" for TV" Her decision to leave comes after claims that she was repeatedly told by executives that Channel 4 chiefs did not like her hair." [Here] I'm sure you can relate to this, if you have curly hair. "No doubt we have all heard it before ourselves: “Your hair looks so pretty straight,” “Why don’t you straighten more often,” or even, “Your curly hair is ugly!”. It can be tough out there when you're hair doesn't look like the blown-out goddesses. So here's a list of all the beautiful curly haired celebrities that make me want to LOVE wearing my hair naturally curly. Celebrities with Naturally Curly Hair That Make me Want to Love my Own 1. Emmy Rossum Of course my #1 has to be the Gal that inspired this list and made me want to love (and wear!) my hair naturally curly!! I just love her, she's a gem! Brains and beauty! 2. Kate Hudson Penny Lane...how can you not love her?! Her hair is a direct representation of her lively and free-spirit personality. 3. Julia Roberts Goddess Supreme, Julia Roberts was one of the first women that made curly hair "cool". Of course, it was ALWAYS cool, but you know what I mean. 4. Lorde I cannot even put into words how much I love her and her hair. She is perfection. 5. Beyonce I'd be remiss if I didn't include Beyonce on a 'hair list inspo' list. Her hair is GORGEOUS. 6. Sara Jessica Parker I could not forget about Carrie Bradshaw; her curls are just as iconic as the white tutu/pink tank combo, her "Carrie" necklace, and Manolo Blahnik. 7. Mila Kunis This Ukranian beauty's curly tresses first graced our TV screens on That 70's Show, and she continues to inspire me with her natural curls. 8. Alicia Keys GORGEOUS. Natural. And the super talented singer/pianist started a bare face campaign that is so inspiring! Natural IS beautiful! 9. Nicole Kidman Nicole's red curls were one of the highlights of 90's fashion, because they were unique and carefree. This updo has me seriously rethinking my next "going-out" style. 10. Shakira There's nothing cooler than Shakira and her volumized, beautiful blond curls!! 11. Debra Messing Oh, Grace. I have ALWAYS been a fan of her hair!! She'd always beautiful, but when she let's her (natural) hair down, it's some of the best curl-action in the biz. 12. Tatiana Maslany Perhaps my favorite new comer, the outstanding and crazy-talented actress from Orphan Black ((who plays 14 different clone characters on the series)) rocks her natural curls all the time! She IS curly hair inspo! So, for all the curly-haired gals out there, let's let down our curls and enjoy the beautiful bounce we were born with!!

I love the beach, just about more than any other place, except Disneyland of course. There's something so revitalizing about the ocean; the sound of waves crashing on the beach in rhythmic sets, the feeling of sand between your toes and wind through your hair, the smell of salt in the air. The sun has a way of warming your skin in a manner that makes you feel more alive than you ever have been. I find myself at the beach; I find piece of me I never knew existed or sometimes a piece that I'd forgotten about. It's so cleansing and so absolutely vital to my sanity; if I'm away for too long, I start to go stir-crazy. I just need need it. I can't explain it more than that, it's just something that you either feel and understand or you don't. There's obviously some essentials I always bring with me- flip flops (obviously), a book, sunglasses, my notebook and a really great beach hat. But maybe the most important thing I bring to the beach is my iPod and an amazing beach mix. It just goes hand in hand with the whole "beach experience", it's part of that cleansing, that rebirth that I feel when I'm there. One of my favorite quotes from JFK is something he said at a dinner in 1962, "we are tied to the ocean...[and] when we go back to the Sea- whether it is to sail or to watch- we are going from whence we came." That's definitely something I feel, like the ocean and I are interconnected, like somehow I've been birthed from the ocean and when I return, it's like going home. It's like finally being where I belong. The ocean just gets me. Am I a crazy person? Another favorite of mine. RWE's my homeboy. Maybe so, but by the slews of songs written about it, I'm starting to think that maybe a lot of people feel that way. Being from California, it's in our blood. But I bet every state or city that sits on the ocean believes that. But the thing that's so great about it is that it's an entirely personal (if not, spiritual) experience. It's a complete rebirth for me, every time I go. I have a my own beach. Not in the literal sense (I WISH!), but a spot on a specific beach in Northern California that's just mine. Everything is perfect there; there are no worries, no negative emotions, nothing but me, the sand, the water, and a perfect beach mix. [As always, clicking on the title of the Playlist will open it up to listen to for free on Spotify.] ESCAPE 1.Pompeii- Bastille 2. Escape (The Pina Colada Song)- Jack Johnson 3. On Top of the World- Imagine Dragons 4. If Not Now, When?- Incubus 5. The Great Escape- Boys Like Girls 6. Hard to Concentrate- Red Hot Chili Peppers 7. Summer Day- Coconut Records 8. Breakdown- Jack Johnson 9. Summer Skin- Death Cab For Cutie 10. Cabin by the Sea- The Dirty Heads 11. Oceans- Coasts 12. San Francisco- The Mowgli's 13. We Won't Go Home- The Colourist 14. Knee Deep- Zac Brown Band/Jimmy Buffet 15. Amsterdam- Imagine Dragons 16. One Headlight- The Wallflowers 17. City of Blinding Lights- U2 18. Margaritaville- Jimmy Buffet 19. Dosed- Red Hot Chili Peppers 20. Best Day of my Life- American Authors 21. Seaside- The Kooks 22. Peaceful Easy Feeling- The Eagles 23. Strawberry Swing- Coldplay 24. Mudfootball- Jack Johnson 25. Brown Eyed Girl- Van Morrison 26. Keep Your Head Up- Ben Howard 27. Fever Dreams- Dashboard Confessional 28. Road Trippin'- Red Hot Chili Peppers Hopefully you make it to the beach at least once this summer...I'll be going AS MANY times as possible! :)

"Happy" UN-EQUAL Pay Day!! Today, April 10th, is Equal Pay Day and we have a lot to talk about. What is "Equal Pay Day" you ask? Equal Pay Day symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year. Equal Pay Day was originated by the National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE) in 1996 as a public awareness event to illustrate the gap between men's and women's wages. ALSO, it is important that we discuss the fact that, because race/ethnicity also impact women's wages, this Equal Pay Day is symbolic of White Women's wages (80%): July 31 – Black/African American Women’s Equal Pay Day (63%) September 25 – Native American Women’s Equal Pay Day (59%) November 2 – Latina Women’s Equal Pay Day (54%) I had the distinct pleasure of giving a presentation on AAUW's research study, "A Simple Truth", available for free download here, alongside AAUW California's Lobbyist Shannon Smith Crowley and City of Sacramento's Councilwoman Angelique Ashby on Saturday (04/04/18). It was such a phenomenal program! But I'd be remiss if I didn't put something up here as well. So let's talk about Equal Pay and the Gender Wage Gap. I know there are still many people think that the Gender Wage Gap is "fake", that it's made up, or a misrepresentation of the labor and wage climate in the U.S. But it's not. We're going to talk about all of the things that make up the Wage Gap and break it down, piece by piece. First, let's talk about AAUW's (American Association of University Women) research study, since that's what I'm basing my numbers on. The study has also been replicated by other institutions. The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap was written by former AAUW Vice President of Research Catherine Hill, Ph.D., in 2011. It was substantially revised by Senior Researcher Kevin Miller, Ph.D., and former Research Associate Kathleen Benson in 2016. Former Vice President of Government Relations Lisa Maatz and State Policy Manager Kate Nielson, J.D., wrote the section on federal and state policies. An updated/current 2018 version is available by clicking on the link above. WHERE DO THE DATA COME FROM? Federal agencies such as the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Department of Education, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics conduct surveys of individuals, households, and businesses to gather information about people’s salaries and other earnings. Most reports on national workforce participation, pay, and pay differences depend on data from the Current Population Survey (CPS) (www.census.gov/cps), the country’s primary source of labor force statistics. The CPS is a monthly survey with a sample of 100,000 households sponsored jointly by the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (U.S. Census Bureau, 2016). The estimate of the pay gap using weekly earnings is based on the annual average of median weekly earnings for the previous year, usually released in January of each year by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov/cps). The estimate of the pay gap using annual earnings is based on the CPS Annual Social and Economic Supplement, which is published each September by the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPS provides more detailed information on income compared with other government surveys. In recent years, this information has been published in the report Income and Poverty in the United States (Semega et al., 2017). So let's get down to it. What is the Gender Pay Gap? The gender pay gap is a comparison of women’s and men’s median earnings. Median earnings are typical, not average, earnings. Looking at the salaries of all women and men working full time, the median is the number in the middle of the group. We often say “typical” to refer to median because it is the person “right in the middle.” Half the people earn more, and half earn less. (Why not use averages? Because very high earnings can pull up the average, but they don’t pull up the middle point in the same way. Average wages tend to be higher than median wages.) The calculation of the earnings ratio and the pay gap is simple: Earning Ratio= women's median wages divided by men's median wages, which equal a percent. Pay Gap= men's median wages subtracted by women's median wages divided by men's median wages. The Pay Gap Over Time While the pay gap has steadily narrowed over time, it is nowhere near being eliminated, and in recent years progress has actually stalled. The gap has narrowed since 1960, due largely to women’s progress in education and workforce participation and to men’s wages rising at a slower rate. At the rate of change between 1960 and 2016, women are expected to reach pay equity with men in 2059. If change continues at the slower rate seen since 2001, women will not reach pay equity with men until 2119. The Pay Gap & Race/Ethnicity The pay gap affects women from all backgrounds, but its effects vary among different demographics. The chart shown here lays out the pay gap by race and ethnicity among full-time workers in 2016. You can see that among workers who are Hispanic, black, American Indian and Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, both women and men had lower median earnings than workers who are non-Hispanic white or Asian. Women were paid less than men were within each racial and ethnic group, and the pay gaps between men and women within group was smaller among black, Hispanic, and American Indian and Alaska Native workers compared with the within-group gaps among white and Asian workers. It is clear from the chart, however, that this smaller gender pay gap among these groups is due solely to the fact that the men in these groups were paid substantially less than non-Hispanic white and Asian men were paid in 2016. Asian and white women typically were paid more than other women, and Asian men were paid the highest wages of any group. The Pay Gap in Comparison to White Men's Earnings Using a single benchmark provides a more informative picture. Because non-Hispanic white men are the largest demographic group in the labor force, they are often used for that purpose. Compared with salary information for white male workers, Asian women’s salaries show the smallest gender pay gap, with an earnings ratio of 87 percent of white men’s earnings. For White women, the pay gap was 79% and 63% for Black women. The gap was largest for Latina and Hispanic women, who were paid only 54 percent of what white men were paid in 2016. The Pay Gap by Age The pay gap is narrow among younger women and men, but it increases for workers of middle age and older. For example, in this chart, you can see that among young people ages 16–34, women are paid close to the same amount that men are paid. In the peak earning years of 35–64, in contrast, women are paid between 74 and 83 percent of what men are paid. The Pay Gap by Education While earnings tend to increase with education level, education does not eliminate the pay gap. The pay gap exists at all levels of education and, in some cases, is larger at higher levels of education. For example, this chart shows that women with less than a high school diploma were paid 77 percent of what their male peers were paid in 2016, whereas women with advanced degrees were paid only 74 percent of what men with advanced degrees were paid. The Pay Gap, Disability, and LGBTQ People Disability status is a challenging population demographic to capture because it covers many definitions. In the current American Community Survey (ACS) questionnaire disability is measured by answering questions related to six disability types: hearing, vision, cognitive, ambulatory, self-care, and independent living. According to the ACS, in 2016 people with disabilities made just 68 percent of what people without disabilities made. And among people with disabilities, the gender pay gap is substantial: Median pay for women with disabilities is 72 percent that of men with disabilities. According to a Williams Institute study of Census Bureau data, eliminating the gender pay gap would significantly mitigate the poverty rates for any couple that includes at least one woman, creating benefits for women and their families regardless of sexual orientation. When we analyze the gender pay gap, it’s also important to include people who do not identify with the gender they were assigned at birth. The Williams Institute estimates that 1.4 million adults in the United States identify as transgender. Preliminary evidence from the National Transgender Discrimination Survey also suggests that people who transition from male to female gender expression experience a drop in pay after the transition, while those who transition from female to male gender expression see no difference in pay or even a small increase. What Causes the Gender Wage Gap? The pay gap itself is more complicated than a single number, since it summarizes a huge diversity of women and life circumstances. The origins of the pay gap are also more complicated than a single cause. Women and men have always participated in the workforce in different ways—and have been treated differently by employers—and though those differences have shrunk over time, they still contribute to women being paid less than men. One major cause of the gender pay gap is what researchers call occupational segregation, the tendency for men and women to work in different fields with different levels of compensation. Another substantial cause of the gender pay gap is different patterns of work. Women tend to work fewer hours, are more likely to take time away from the workforce to care for family, and are more likely to need flexible work schedules. In addition to these factors, research evidence points to the impact of bias and discrimination on women’s pay relative to that of men. Let’s look a little more closely at these three factors: occupational segregation, work patterns, and gender bias. The Pay Gap Across Occupations In nearly every line of work, women face a pay gap. Among the many occupations studied by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women’s earnings are higher than men’s in only a handful. Jobs traditionally associated with men (like computer programming and aerospace engineering) tend to pay better than traditionally “female” jobs (like nursing and administrative support). Even in jobs where the same level of skill is required, jobs associated with men tend to pay more. Parking lot attendants, who are predominantly men, are paid more on average than child care workers, who are predominantly women, even though child care workers are increasingly required to obtain post-secondary education. Over the past 50 years, women have started to enter jobs that were once occupied almost entirely by men, but women and men still tend to work in different kinds of jobs. This segregation by occupation is a major factor behind the pay gap. But it’s not the whole story. Schedules & Parenting Women are more likely to leave the workforce or work part time when they have young children. Many stay-at-home and part-time working mothers will eventually decide to return to the full-time workforce, and when they do they may encounter a “motherhood penalty” that extends beyond the actual time out of the workforce. Fathers, in contrast, do not suffer a penalty compared with other working men. Many fathers actually receive higher wages after having a child, known as the “fatherhood bonus.” Women also tend to work fewer hours than men, even when they work full time. (Full-time work is defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as 35 hours a week or more.) Gender Discrimination & Bias Choice of occupation and different patterns of work account for some of the differences in salaries, but they aren’t the whole story. In 2015, despite making up almost half the workforce, women held only 26 percent of private-sector executive positions, with women of color particularly unlikely to hold such positions. (For more information on the leadership gap, see AAUW’s 2016 report Barriers and Bias: The Status of Women in Leadership.) So how do we know that discrimination and bias affect women’s pay? Studies have found that as women enter an industry, wages in that industry drop, even for men. Because discrimination cannot be directly detected in most records of income and employment, researchers look for the “unexplained” pay gap after statistically accounting for other factors such as college major, occupation, work hours, and time out of the workforce. The 2012 AAUW report Graduating to a Pay Gap: The Earnings of Women and Men One Year after College Graduation examines this question. After accounting for the issues raised above as well as others, the study found that there was a 7 percent difference in the earnings of women and men one year after college graduation that was still unexplained. Studies by other researchers have found similar unexplained gaps. Federal Public Policy Congress has a history of considering, and in some cases enacting, laws that address discrimination in employment. Yet these legal protections have not ensured equal pay for women and men. With AAUW’s support, President Barack Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law on January 29, 2009. This law lengthens the time period in which employees can bring legal action for pay discrimination lawsuits. It clarifies that pay discrimination can occur when a pay decision is made, when an employee is subject to that decision, or at any time that an employee is injured by it. Other pending legislative measures include the Paycheck Fairness Act, the Fair Pay Act, and the Pay Equity for All Act, which would expand fair pay protections and strengthen enforcement efforts. On Equal Pay Day in 2014, Obama signed two AAUW-supported executive orders addressing pay discrimination and subsequently worked to add regulations to increase pay protections. However, in 2017 President Donald Trump rescinded several equal pay protections, including rolling back requirements for federal contractors to comply with labor and civil rights laws and halting implementation of a data collection tool to increase wage transparency. Federal budgets need to ensure adequate enforcement of all civil rights laws through sufficient funding and staffing of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, and the various civil rights divisions. The Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau, the only federal agency devoted to the concerns of women in the workplace, should be fully funded to continue its important work on fair pay issues. Equal Pay in the States In addition to complying with the 1963 Equal Pay Act, a federal law that prohibits gender-based discrimination in the payment of wages, most states also have some kind of additional equal pay law. Currently, two states—Alabama and Mississippi—have no state pay equity or sex-based employment discrimination regulations. All other states have at least some basic equal pay protections. But roughly one-third of states also have major loopholes in those protections that allow employers to continue to pay women less than their male peers. Although many states have some equal pay regulations, few state laws include the necessary details to help employers and courts establish and enforce fair pay. AAUW advocates for all states to pass and enforce equal pay laws in addition to developing other innovative ideas that chip away at the gap. Learn more about equal pay in your state at www.aauw.org/resource/state-equal-pay-laws So What Can We Do? The pay gap is real and pervasive, and it affects all women. There is no one silver bullet to fix the problem. Rather, individuals, employers, and communities need to take action. The best place to start is AAUW’s page on fair pay advocacy, fightforfairpay.org. AAUW is involved in finding solutions at all levels, including helping women get the pay they deserve immediately. Their salary negotiation workshops are designed to give women the tools and confidence they need to make a change for themselves. You can find out how to bring a workshop to your community at salary.aauw.org. Studies (and the Financial Women's Association) show that the amount of money women lose because of the pay gap is an average loss of nearly $530,000 in wages over her lifetime. And if you thought that was bad, you may want to skip over this next line because those of us who thought continuing onto college and receiving a higher education would benefit us are noted for earning $800,000 less over their lifetimes than equally qualified men. Surprising, right?! THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY BEING LOST BASED ON DISCRIMINATION. We need to take action to stop further bias and level the playing field. Equal Pay for Substantially Equal Work is crucial. Not only that, but the Pay Gap affect all women, of all races. Women are about HALF THE WORKFORCE, which means that HALF of ALL WORKERS in the Nation are being underpaid BASED ON THEIR SEX (& RACE). SO LET'S PUSH FOR CHANGES!! IN OUR COMMUNITIES, IN OUR STATE, IN OUR NATION, AND WORLD WIDE. WE CAN DO THIS, BUT WE HAVE TO BE UNIFIED.

Last night I was scrolling through Instagram when I bumped into a gorgeous picture of Emmy Rossum sporting her naturally curly hair. I stop...

I am an American. I was born in the State capital of California to parents who were also born in Sacramento. My family has, for a long time, been Americans, once originating from the likes of England and Wales. I am proud of my heritage and I am proud to be an American. But we (America and I) have always disagreed about one particular thing- sport. I love sports. I love almost every sport. I love basketball, baseball (after all, it is the American pass time) and American football. I also like volleyball and tennis and hockey. There really isn't a sport I don’t like (unless you try to include “sports” that are actually just hobbies). But where America and I have always disputed is the fact that soccer is the best sport in the world. All sports where not created equal, and unlike the majority of my country, I believe in this simple statement; soccer is, above all other sports, the greatest display of athleticism, creativity and pure genius that the world has ever seen. Soccer, more commonly known throughout the rest of the world as football or “the beautiful game”, is a full contact sport consisting of two teams of 11 players facing off in the ultimate battle of strength, endurance and ingenuity. At the turn of the 21st century, this game was played in 200 countries with 250 millions players, making soccer (or football) the most popular sport in the world. [Please note that I stated “the world” and not “America”, and we will get back to that later.] Versions of the sport have been around for thousands of years. In 1863 the “Laws of the Game” were created by The Football Association in England but has since evolved alongside the game. Now, the sport is regulated by the International Federation of Association Football (more commonly known as FIFA). Might I emphasize briefly that the sport is so huge that it actually has an INTERNATIONAL governing body? Okay, back to the issue. I have spent all of my life involved with this sport. I played soccer competitively for 13 years. I've coached soccer and watched it my entire life. It becomes a way life- it is not just a game. As a player and as a fan, I have been enamored and enthralled by it since I was five years old. I am constantly perplexed by the lack of acceptance America has for soccer, when the rest of the world embraces it whole-heartedly. Why is that? I haven’t really figured it out, maybe it has something to do with a general lack of patience or attention span. But I've been pondering and comparing soccer to the other sports, and it just doesn't add up. Maybe Americans just haven’t given it a chance. Maybe it’s viewed too much as a “grade-school” sport instead of the high intensity, blood-spattering war that it is. People always seem rather puzzled, if not bewildered, when they find out my favorite sport is soccer. After all, in their words, it doesn't compare in the amount of strength or physical contact to [American] football or compare to the excitement of basketball. In fact, most people were completely dumbfounded when they found out that last summer I drove 13 hours straight (about 800 miles) from Sacramento, California to Seattle, Washington to see my favorite English Premier League team (and the greatest team of all time) Chelsea play on their summer tour in America. When most people found out, they looked at me as though I were a lunatic. My love for “the world’s game” goes against the grain in America. But here’s why every other sport is unequal to soccer: Soccer is all about endurance, creativity, possession, patience, strength, control, discipline, vision, and unity. A full match is two halves of 45 minutes equaling 90 minutes of play. There are no time outs. There are no breaks to decide on which play to run. There is no “offense team” and “defense team”, in fact, all players MUST be able to do both the entire game. There is no absurd number of points one gets if they score- you see, one goal is equal to one point, not 6. And the further you are from the goal does not increase the number of points for your goal, only the glory. Soccer is a constant sport of possession. The beauty is in the number of completed passes, the fluidity in which the ball moves across the pitch (field) and between all 11 players. You are not rewarded with possession, the stop of play or increase in "yardage" down the field just for a completed pass. (Super Frankie Lampard scores from a free kick 30 yards out and get's the glory (not more points) of an incredible strike and helps Chelsea beat Tottenham 5-1 in FA Cup Semi-Final) Soccer has one of the largest sports fields, at roughly 120 yards long and 80 yards wide, in which players are constantly running for a full 90 minutes. One break is given at half time. Tackling, while not head-on, is done so with minimal “padding” and must be executed perfectly or discipline (yellow cards/red cards) is required. Yup, He just got kicked in the face... And broke his nose...and kept playing. Because Clint Dempsey is a total BA If you think being tackled in soccer isn't painful, you've never taken a cleat to an ankle bone, had one smashed into your face or dug into and drudged down your thigh. But I have. In fact, if you don't think soccer is a "full-contact" sport, you're completely delusional. Keep in mind we don't wear any protective gear except one thin piece of plastic on both shins. I have broken my nose, broken a piece of my cheek bone, dislocated my jaw, dislocated both my shoulders on numerous occasions, broken all my fingers, some toes, bruised my ribs more times than I can count, have had more concussions than I'd like to admit, partially ripped my Achilles tendon and blew out both my knees. Every single one of those was from a collision with another player. Soccer is not a "wussy" sport like many Americans like to say. Only 3 substitutes can be made the whole game. If all three substitutes are used and an injury(injuries) occurs or a player(s) is/are ‘sent off’ with a red card, the team must play down that many players for the remainder of the game, which means each individual player’s fitness and discipline are absolutely crucial. And the game goes on...no matter what. You don't get "rained out" or even snowed out...why? Because that's how it is, you have to learn how to play through anything. Like the World Cup qualifier we played against Costa Rica in a snow storm. They has people on the sidelines trying to just keep the lines on the field visible. You know, just playing through a BLIZZARD... No big deal. Soccer is about vision- it’s up to the players to be constantly re-working the ball across the field, with minimal direction from the coaches, as there are no time outs. Players must be creative in the way they keep possession of the ball. Every pass and every time they receive the ball must be perfect. [Note: Mastery of eye-foot coordination is much more difficult than hand-eye coordination.] All players, except for the goalkeepers while inside the penalty area, cannot use their hands or arms. Players must keep or steal possession of the ball with their feet, legs, torso/chest or heads, with impeccable accuracy might I add. I think why Americans have such difficulty embracing the “world’s game” as their own is because of the low scores. A typical match could result in only 1 goal scored, between both the teams. But the beauty isn't just within that one goal; it’s the entire 90 minutes of play. Soccer is about perfection. Because it is such a low scoring game, every misguided pass, dispossession, and mistake, however minute, could very well cost the game. The fact that it takes sometimes 90 minutes to even get one goal does not discredit the sport or the “action” of the game, if anything, it brings more merit. Perhaps the inability to wait for that moment says more about the audience than the sport itself. Whatever it may be, soccer is, without a doubt, the best sport, with the greatest display of athleticism, creativity and pure genius that the world has ever seen. Maybe one day, America and I will see eye to eye. Until then, I'll be working on moving to London where I can watch the boys play at Stamford Bridge and be surrounded by people who understand just how amazing this sport actually is.

Last night I was scrolling through Instagram when I bumped into a gorgeous picture of Emmy Rossum sporting her naturally curly hair. I stop...

Tina Fey. What is there to say about Tina that hasn't already been said before? Probably not a whole heck of a lot, so you'll just have to bear with me. She's intelligent, beautiful, genuine, sassy, strong, independent and oh yeah, hilarious. She's a writer, producer, actor, Mom, yogurt-facial extraordinaire and probably everything else under the sun. I think she can probably do anything she wants. A self-proclaimed "super nerd", she's given us gems like Mean Girls and 30 Rock (Liz Lemon people! LIZ. LEMON.) and some of the funniest skits on SNL. Tina's like the founding member of the "Nerds Are Cool Too" club, and for that, I'd pay to thank her personally. [I kind of want that club to actually exist now!] Her book "Bossypants" is a New York Times 'Best Seller', obviously. Because it's smart and witty and funny and written by Tina Fey. She's one of the coolest cats around, and if I ever meet her, the first question I'll probably ask is if "night cheese" is really something she engages in. I hope she says yes. Wait, maybe I don't want to know the real answer to that. 1. Fake it till you make it. If you act like you're the shiz, people won't think twice about it. Own it. Own yourself and your life and never look back. People are too insecure to question someone who looks like they know what they're doing. 2. Don't stop, beeeelievin'. Hold onto that feeeeleyaaaan! Just kidding. Just Don't stop. Whatever you're working towards, just keep doing it, despite all the crap that gets lodged into your way. You'll make it. And even if you fail, just make like Aaliyah and try, try again. (Too many random musical references in that one? Sorry.) It'll happen, just don't give up. Ever. 3. Amen sister, Amen! 4. I love this so much. I've spent most of my life being terrified of failure. I have to be the best. I have to perform at 100% all day, everyday. I can't make any mistakes. Sure, it can push you to do extraordinary things, like getting an 99% on my brain anatomy exam, but it can also cause insanity, ulcers, and hair loss, so there's that. I've learned to dial it down...a notch. (I'm just not cut out for a completely carefree attitude!) It's a work in progress... 5. 'Haters gonna hate'. While the grammatically incorrect phrase makes my ears want to bleed, the sentiment is great; there will always be people that sucker-punch you and then kick you while you're down. But those bullies only have power if you let them. Ignore them and knock 'em out with your awesomeness. THEN, when you're above them, kick 'em to the curb! (Or the stomach...just kidding...kind of.) 6. We have to STOP caring so much what other people think of us, of how we look or what we say or our life choices. We've got to just do our best to be happy and forget everyone else. Wear makeup if you like the way you look or how you feel wearing it, or don't it you feel better au natural. Wear your hair curly if you like it or stop dying it blond just to fit in. Whatever it is, just do it because YOU want to! I think happiness is the most beautiful thing, and everything else is just filler. 7. No more being afraid! Some of the best things aren't and can't be calculated! I know for the last 10 years or so, I've been extremely guarded and closed off, afraid of the risks of getting hurt again or failing or breaking. But no more! I'm learning to jump off those cliffs and enjoy the free fall! Say "yes to love, yes to life, and yes to staying in more!" 8. Being perfect is overrated. Being real, well that's something to strive for. Just be yourself. Don't do things just because other people are. Originality and sincerity go a long ways. 9. Appreciate what you've got. EVERYONE has things about themselves they don't like. And that's okay. But those things DO NOT define you. YOU define you. And when you feel down and you're laying on the floor in the corner of your room in fetal position, remember those things that you love about yourself and repeat them over and over until the demons go away. Also, be able to laugh at yourself. Life isn't so serious. Everything feels better after a good laugh. 10. I love this. It's a lot like what I've already said, but I couldn't help myself. Embrace your fear, take a leap, and as Tina says "figure it out later". You can't spend your life calculating all the risks or you'll never live it. Remember Along came Polly? (I'm just full of random references today!) 11. Forgive the curse word, but this is one of my favorites! Because you know what? We do. I feel like this quotes belongs in a Spice Girls song or maybe a Sylvia Plath poem. ;) No, but really, be strong, be independent, be adventurous and motivated and hard working and awesome. Be you. Empower yourself, you're the only one that can!

I'm learning to love my age. There are so many things that are BETTER in your mid twenties than they were in your early twenties. You still have LOADS of fun, but instead of partying until the wee hours of the morning, rolling outta bed to go to school/work looking like a train wreck with only a couple hours of sleep and last night's makeup on, you have dinner parties and movie nights, and designated 'girls night outs' (which actually DON'T involve boys at all, except to talk about them, of course). In fact, you have a lot more fun because everything is more intimate and real and people are actually sober and even more interesting. Not to mention in your mid twenties, you travel more with your friends, not just day trips but weekends away because you're old enough to actually afford it/check into a hotel/rent a car. But as we get older, there are some habits from our late teens/early twenties that we have to give up. I'm not saying that we shouldn't embrace our inner child and just become mature robot adults, (I mean, come on, I still laugh at potty humor!) but that there are some things we should leave to the youngins and embrace our awesome older (although slower metabolism) selves. Things We're (I'm) Getting Too Old To Do 1. Midnight movies… Remember when you were dying to see a movie that came out and would flock to the nearest theater with a group of friends for the Thursday MIDNIGHT release? Yeah, me too. It was awesome. But remember how TIRED you were the next day? Well, that times a thousand is how it feels in your mid twenties when you don't enough sleep. 2. All-day concerts I love shows, don't get me wrong. Like, I LOVE THEM. Concerts are just about my favorite things. But they're exhausting. They take A LOT of energy, especially the outdoor summer concerts, which in Northern California, are like 110 degrees... Ugh, I'm tired just thinking about it. You want to party and dance and have fun, but you start to panic when all the youths are still goin strong and you're desperately hoping for the bands to switch so you can rest your achin' bones. 3. Really, just trying to stay up for The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon is hard enough. I've always had a crush on Jimmy Fallon, so when he got Late Night and then The Tonight Show, I was desperately eager to watch him EVERY NIGHT. Except when 10 o'clock hits, my eyes start to droop and I'm ready to pass out by 11. So I watch it recorded instead. Only when you're growing up does sleep out weigh your crushes. 4. All nighters... When I was younger (okay, from elementary school until like Senior year of high school), having "sleepovers" meant your friends came over and you talked ALL night, watched movies, played truth or dare and DIDN'T sleep a wink. And then when you're first in college, pulling an "all nighter" was considered a badge of honor, just part of the whole "college experience". Nowadays, anything that happens after midnight is a freaking blur. I get delirious, somewhat deranged and really really giggly. I just can't function whatsoever, not to mention the next day, as I guzzle Redbull after Redbull just trying to keep my eyes open. At a certain point, none of that is worth it anymore. 5. Eating anything you want at any time of day/night. It used to be that you could eat anything you wanted at any time of day and not feel or notice a thing! However, in your mid twenties you start to notice a change in metabolism. You can't have everything you want anymore and definitely not any time of day. Eating something completely awesome tasting past 8 pm will surely have you waking up with heart burn the next morning and hating your life. 6. Carelessly spending money Remember when you didn't really have any bills to worry about and you could just spend your money on anything (and everything) you wanted? Yeah, me either. But as you grow up you attain more and more grown-up bills, which are daunting and expensive and heavy with the weight of responsibility. You love to spend money but have gotten yourself into trouble (maybe on several occasions) in the past, and it's time to start having "big-kid finances". You can no longer drop a wad of cash at the MAC counter or Steve Madden, just because you want to. You can no longer eat out for every meal because hey, why not!? No, you have bills to pay and creating a budget is absolutely essential, not to mention putting money away into savings and balancing a check book. Kids have it so easy. 7. Not using your phone calendar to log appointments We used to think we could manage our worlds just with our brain power. I'm never going to forget that appointment! How could I?! It's only the most important appointment in the history of appointments! And then you realize you've forgotten and you're kicking yourself as it feels like you're life is ending and mass amounts of anxiety and fear are scourging through your blood stream. Okay, this may be dramatic but you get the idea. The feeling as you realized you forgot about your doctors appointment, forgot to pick up the dogs, forgot to update your drivers license, forgot to pick up your medication and it's a Friday before a holiday weekend, is indescribable. Growing up means organization and using your "appointment book", except now they make it easy and everything's available on your smart phone calendar! There's even this free post-it note app that you can write memo's on and set up notifications for! 8. Not drinking enough water. Yeah, drinking water was never a priority for me except during soccer season. But in my early twenties when I wasn't playing soccer anymore, I could care less about my water consumption. Pass me a Diet Coke or a Rockstar please! Water was for wussies! Not anymore. As you get older you understand how important water is for your health, your skin, and well, just about everything. 9. Letting other people walk all over you. Most of the time, in our late teens and early twenties, we're still struggling with self confidence, we're still unsure of ourselves, and more willing to let people walk all over you. But not anymore! You're a real adult now; you're smart, capable, and ready to take on the world! And you can! But you know now that you can't accomplish your goals if you let people take advantage of you and walk all over you. Stand up and respect yourself. 10. Under-appreciating nights staying IN. Ahhhh, a night in, watching OnDemand or your Netflix que or even some movies...ordering takeout and having it delivered so that you don't even have to put a bra on or heck, maybe even pants... IS THE WAY TO LIVE. Sure, going out is still nice, every once in a while. But staying at home, either by yourself or with your friends, and just relaxing is the way to go! Bring out the games and grub and enjoy an evening completely centered around each other (or yourself!) without having to get dolled up, wait for a table, or struggle to find parking downtown. 11. Caring what other people think about us. Kevin G sure had a point. Because this year is Mean Girls' 10 year anniversary, I had to include this. When we're younger, most of us seriously care what other people think of us. I had a strange timeline because I didn't really care what people thought of me until I graduated high school, which lasted from my late teens through my early/mid twenties. Only now am I starting to not care anymore; I'm getting more comfortable in my own skin. I'm figuring out who I really am and learning not settle for anything less than what I want. As we age, we're more sure of who we are as individuals. We're learning to stand up for ourselves and not take anyone's crap, because you know what, we're freaking awesome. 12. Not using sunscreen when you're outside. Ahhh yes, the moment the sun starts to shine we run to the beach or pool side (or backyard) and lounge in the radiant light, soaking up that Vitamin D, eager to start our summer tans. As young, naive teenagers we used to spritz that Banana Boat Dark Tanning Oil all over us and sit in the sun for hours and hours. Sure, we got lovely dark skin (and sometimes a horrible sunburn) but it seemed worth it! Now, we know better. We know that while we may get tan now, we're WAY more likely to get skin cancer later, and more wrinkles! Growing up means forgetting our childish notions of glamor and accepting our skin for the way it is. Growing up means sunscreen, SPF 70 style. 13. Not believing in ourselves. Sure, everyone is unsure of themselves at one point or another. But no more. We are no longer girls, we're women! We're beautiful, strong, intelligent, independent women! Take a page out of Beyonce's book and embrace who you are, embrace the flaws that you've always hated but actually are AMAZING and what make you, YOU. Believe in yourself. You're fierce and you you've totally got this! It's easier said than done, but it's a great goal to work on. And hey, fake it till you make it! And eventually you'll be there! 14. Not getting enough sleep/basic necessities. We used to pull all nighters or party until dawn and it was totally fine. Nowadays it's more like we're hard workin girls with jobs or families or school, and we sacrifice A LOT to have what we have. And we love it! But as we grow up, we have to learn when and what to sacrifice. Sure, you'll get more done but it's not worth it when you've got ulcers, insomnia, and dark circles under your eyes. It's time to give up those bad habits and prioritize! Give up something (anything!) else, but don't give up your sleep/eating/hygiene. Seriously, we've all done this before, but enough is enough! We deserve to relax and get our eight hours a night, thank you very much! 15. Not giving ourselves enough credit. Let's just get one thing clear: WE'RE REALLY AWESOME. We work hard and play hard and we deserve to be happy! We deserve to get what we work hard for. And when we get there, we deserve to be proud of it! We're not cocky, we're confident and we know now what we deserve and we're not settling. We're reaching the top and basking in the sunlight. And when we get there, you better believe we're high fiving a million angels, a la Liz Lemon style.

Last night I was scrolling through Instagram when I bumped into a gorgeous picture of Emmy Rossum sporting her naturally curly hair. I stop...

I thought I'd start off this series with Amy Poehler, because of course I would . Not only is she funny and brilliant, she's also a str...

Sophia Bush is a Feminist Icon. But I have a little bit of truth to tell you first before I get into it, which I'm not proud of. The last year has been VERY difficult for me. For someone who is very loud and proud about feminism and social change, the November 2016 Presidential Election results knocked the wind out of me. I was more than disheartened...I was heart broken. You see, I'd been very actively working in my community with Non-Profit Organizations and State Agencies to advocate for women's rights and fight for justice and change. It seemed as if we were on a forward propellant, climbing up and up...I could see our bright new future, it was on the horizon, but I could see it. I could see a world where women and girls were given equal opportunities and equal access to education and funding and pay equity. I could see a world where women and girls held 50% of the jobs in STEM fields, where they were 50% CEO's, leaders, lawmakers, judges, politicians. A world I could be proud of to show my nieces that whatever they dreamt of being, (a vet, a scientist, an artist, a ballerina, a mom, whatever they wanted!) they could grasp, as long as they did their part. A world where they felt safe at school, where they were treated with respect, where I didn't have to fear for them walking home. A world where bullies and sexual assault and violence against women had decreased to such an extent, that it was like talking about the Dark Ages in history class. I dreamed of that world. I knew we could become that world. And then suddenly...it was gone. The horizon now held only blackness. I'm not proud that it took me a while to shake it off. I'm not proud that at many times during the next several months, I thought, "Why even try." I'm not proud that I considered, truly considered, giving up the fight. But I am proud that I had the guts, the tenacity, the willpower, to get back up and keep fighting. And I did that, because of this amazing person, Ms. Sophia Bush, and her incredible strength. I watched interview after interview of her talking about feminism and social change. I followed her IG and Twitter accounts religiously, because it was the daily ((if not, hourly)) pep talk I needed to keep going, to keep fighting, to keep picking myself up defeat-after-political-defeat. [If you don't follow her on social media, stop reading this right now and DO IT!! They're both linked above] She has positively impacted me so greatly, that I wanted to share it with all of you, in case you also need the Sophia-Bush-Empowerment-Magic-Pep-Talks! Here are some of my favorites since election day: (Newest to Oldest) 1. "L.A., I love you. For your fight, your heart, your diversity, your tolerance. The food vendors, community organizers, legal teams, day laborers, storytellers, artists, chefs, farm workers, creatives, and more. The fabric of our community is colorful and fantastic. It was an honor to march with you, my neighbors, today. It was a thrill to speak before you. And I am endlessly inspired by the ways that you show up, stand up, and speak up. You are truly a City of Angels." -IG 2. "Speak your truth. Even when your voice shakes." -IG 3. "That’s the tremendous value of friends, right? People who can come into your sacred spaces, be it your home, your heart, your psyche, and help you see what’s in there in new ways. I’m so grateful ladies." -IG 4. "ALL HANDS ON DECK PEOPLE. Call and leave comments before the end of the day on the Trump administration's proposed rollback of contraceptive coverage for the ACA. This script will get you started! Birth control is HEALTHCARE. It’s a basic right for women who want to go to school, have careers, have families, and be able to PLAN those families. Do not let this archaic patriarchal moron strip you of your rights to control your own life. BURN UP THE PHONE LINES! 🔥🔥🔥 " -IG 5. "Here's to the fierce females. The choir getting louder every day. Anyone who has ever felt silenced, who now knows they can roar. Here's to each of you." -IG 6. "Thought & Prayers. Policy & Change. We demand action. Your pattern of offering lifeless condolences with no follow-through will not be tolerated any longer. You work for us. You are not keeping us safe. We can vote you out. Soon. Stop insulting us by hiding your profiteering behind religious words. It's ugly and painfully obvious. Sincerely, A Gun Owner Who WANTS Sensible Gun Laws + Every Other American Who Is Sick of the Slaughter." -IG 7. "sleep is not coming. anger is the gnawing, nauseating pang that keeps you up past 3am. screaming is what your insides do when you give them just enough space to breathe. fury moved in a long time ago and set its roots. joy still exists. make no mistake. they are not mutually exclusive. it is hard won, and worth fighting for. but if you mistake my joy, other women's joy, to mean there is an absence of pain? we will burn you to the ground when we open our mouths to share our rage. you are not entitled to more pieces of us than we are ready to share. be very careful what you wish for, when it comes to information. you just might get it. and once you've seen, you can never unsee. sometimes we withhold to protect your eyes." -IG 8. "It's shocking to see how many men are shocked. That women they know, perhaps even EVERY woman they know, has been sexually harassed. Sexually assaulted. This problem reaches farther than Harvey. Or Donald. (Both of whom, by the way, I hope get their due.) We live in a country where 1 in 4 women is assaulted or raped by the time she leaves college. And those numbers come from what gets reported. Estimates put the true stats at 1 in 2. Half of all women. By the age of 22. And if you scoff at that reality, you are part of the problem. If you are feeling a little uneasy, wondering if your behavior is part of the problem? It is. I promise you. If you're a woman who has been manipulated or bullied into feeling like her assault was her fault? It was not. There is no excuse for the behavior of abusers. And so many abusers are adept at psychological and emotionally abuse, thus masterful manipulators. And if you're one of those men that I know? One of those men whose palms are sweating reading this? Wondering if your names are about to be exposed because of what you've done? How you've abused. How you've twisted. How you've lied. Good. Sweat. Be afraid. Welcome to our world. And watch your backs. We have looked over our shoulders in fear, every day and night, for long enough. Your turn. To you abusers and the ones who stood by and stayed silent? Consider this your notice. From me and from women everywhere. We are roaring, alright. #MeToo #WomenWhoRoar" -IG 9. "Did you know, on this #InternationalDayOfTheGirl, that 130 million girls worldwide are not in school? That's 130 MILLION potential doctors, coders, researchers, designers, future leaders. Stripped of their potential. That has to change. And it can. From @onecampaign: We know (Girls) + (Education) = Unstoppable. Let’s make sure world leaders know that ALL #GirlsCount" -IG 10. "Some of you have come at me on social media recently, telling me that I deserve to die. That I'm a disgrace to America. That I should get shot and stop complaining. All because I am heartbroken and really, really f-ing angry about America's gun problem. I've had people tell me to give up my body guards. Guess what? I don't have any. Tell me that if I'd ever shot a gun in real life I'd feel differently. Guess what? I've been a sharp shooter since the age of 12, own my fair share of guns, & love nothing more than an afternoon at the range. Especially with the SWAT team and/or the servicemen & women I've visited on USO tours. I've had people tell me that I live in a "celebrity/coastal/libtarded bubble" & have no clue what real people go through. That my outrage is just band wagon jumping. Guess what? My cousin's 9 year old was murdered in a mass shooting. In Arizona. No coastal bubble in sight to save her. So STOP. If you're more outraged that I'd say "f- you" to a President & GOP masquerading as leaders, than you are that they're pushing laws to make silencers readily available (because they're getting NRA $$) the same week of a mass shooting? Well then you & I have different priorities. And that's fine. But on my end? I'm angry that the NRA wants to sell more crap that we don't need so they can make money. I'm angry that they're claiming it's about ear protection. Newsflash it's not. That's what cans are for. I'm angry that money is valued more than human life in this country. I'd happily go through more rigorous background checks, wait longer to get a gun, or give my guns BACK, if it meant we could work toward stopping this madness. Saying it doesn't work that way just ISN'T real. Data doesn't lie. Every country that's enacted some form of gun control has ended massacres. And for the "dangerous criminals who don't abide by laws?" That's what our police & military are for. And they don't think any of us need auto/semi-auto weapons or silencers either. So the next time you tell one of your fellow Americans to die/get raped/leave the country because she doesn't like that leaders value kickbacks over children's lives? Look in a mirror. Long & hard." -IG 11. "Donald Embarrassment-to-us-all Trump called an American citizen exercising his right to free speech, who is peacefully protesting violence + racism, a "son of a bitch." Trump called a group of NAZIS chanting racial slurs who murdered an American citizen "very fine people." Let that sink in. I'm damn proud to count myself as a son of a bitch by those standards." -IG 12. "Dear Senators who are willing to kill 35 million Americans to offer tax cuts to the super rich and get kickbacks from corporations who stand to profit off of your constituents dying? Shame on you. Where do you all think you came from? Pregnant women. Who will NO LONGER BE COVERED IF GRAHAM CASSIDY PASSES. Us. THAT'S WHERE. Though given your current disregard for the lives of human beings you're sworn to serve, perhaps you all crawled from the bellies of beasts. And to the Senators taking the GOP bribe of YOUR states keeping the Affordable Care Act while others are stripped of its coverage? (Yeah Murkowski, I'm looking at you. Hard.) Shame shame shame on you. The richest nation on EARTH should be better than this. Too bad all we seem to have is money. Nothing "caring" about this." -IG 13. "If your house is burning, so is mine. If your liberty is threatened, so is mine. Your fight is my fight. Our fight. We stand with you and we will fight to #DefendDACA. Sincerely, Me + Americans who know what, and who, makes this country great." -IG 14. "I'm tremendously grateful to have friends who are disrupting the world for good, prioritizing quality culture, and shining lights on the incredible women in their workforce. Not to mention proving that doing good is also good for business."- IG 15. "Silence is violence. Silence is encouragement. So hit the streets. Make some noise. Be safe. Hug your neighbors and let them know you've got their backs. Love people by showing up for them. That's what we are here for." -IG 16. "You are not alone. Humans, we are in this together. All of us. Injustice thrust upon any group is injustice thrust upon us all. Defend the brothers and sisters in your communities. Step up for the marginalized. They will step up for you when this monstrous "leader" inevitably threatens your existence and attempts to take away your rights. It's coming. In the same way that he lied when he held a pride flag and stumbled through the LGBTQ acronym to say he would defend our fellow man, he will lie to your face and eviscerate you behind barely closed doors to prove that he won and he can do whatever he wants. We are here to tell him that we will not abide by his cruelty and betrayal. We have to stand united in the face of this." -IG 17. "I've watched so many people kick off #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth with astonishing and beautiful vulnerability. That takes so much courage. And it got me thinking about how each of them has shared that while they may look like they have it all figured out to people peering in from the outside, they don't. No one does. Remember that whatever you perceive -- or are just "certain" about -- when you look at another person is quite simply a projection of yourself. You literally have no idea what anyone is going through, or experiencing. So meet people with love rather than judgement. Meet them in ways that allow them to expand, rather than causing them to contract. Nothing else matters." -IG 18. "That's the kind of thing that makes my soul cry out in a way it only does when it comes face to face with deeply universal truths. The kind that encourage human tenderness. Yes. There is only your way. You will learn the hard way. You will make mistakes. You will have great love. You will experience tragic loss. People will give you advice and it will, sometimes, be taken but it will not save you from the good or the bad. You will live in your own way and you don't need to apologize for ANY of it. There is only your way. There is only your heart beating in your chest. Serve it first. Do so with kindness and consideration for the world around you, obviously. But dammit. Own your own way. Grip it in your first and hold it tight. Be true." -IG 19. "The Resistance is WORKING. Making noise works. Giving a s- works. Demanding that people be held accountable and treat others with some gd decency and respect WORKS. Keep it up y'all. Keep changing the game. And don't let them forget that we are watching. We both expect AND deserve better." -IG 20. "They say that it takes 100 positive thoughts to undo a negative. Our little human brains have evolved over time to keep us alive based on our fear responses, but in modern times these evolutionary traits have gotten out of whack. Harboring a deep and paralyzing fear that you are not enough, and thus hating yourself, isn't going to keep you alive the way that knowing you should fear a lion or a rattlesnake will. Almost everyone I know struggles with the negative self-talk spiral. It's a silent killer of fun, creativity, self worth, romance ... the list goes on. So let's, for the next few minutes, start to beat it back to where it came from k? Great. Really sit, and be thoughtful. It might be scary. It might feel weirdly hard. Avoid the desire get snarky or to say, "I'll do this later." See what happens. Maybe it'll make you feel surprisingly free! You can keep them to yourself or share them if you like. But I'd love for each of you to change your day, even momentarily, by coming up with three things you like about yourself ... go for it." -IG 21. "#PrettyMighty is ... every woman out there using her inspiring brain and worthy voice to stand in defense of her community. They define strength. Commitment. Grace. Gumption. The willingness to head toward the fear. They are beautiful and bold. They have my utmost gratitude." -IG 22. "You deserve better. Examine the ways in which you deserve more, and also look at the ways that others deserve more from you. Make sure you're being shown up for, and make sure you're showing up to the best of your abilities. Life is a two way street. Own your successes and failures so that you can keep growing. You deserve to." -IG 23. "I still believe in us. I do. I think if anything this should motivate us. This should wake us up. We've clearly been complacent. We haven't sought out one another and had the tough conversations and really LISTENED to each other. People are hurting. You don't decide to risk throwing the whole country out the window to "change the system" if you aren't hurting. People who feel like they've lost everything today are hurting. Their rights as women, the LGBTQ, POC, environmental champions, union members, and the list goes on. People are terrified. So please... Instead of giving in to the fear and reacting with savage hearts, let's come together now. Have conversations with people who believe in different things than you do. And instead of needing to be right, try to hear them. Then ask for the same respect in return. Build bridges, not walls. Let's sew the broken pieces of ourselves back together again, and remake the fabric of America. We can." -IG ***I didn't intend for this to be so long, but then I couldn't stop choosing things and I couldn't kick any of these off my list!! So anyways, here's to you, Sophia Bush, for being a beacon of light in these dark, dark times. For reminding us to keep fighting, to stand up, to make noise, to care for each other and fight for each other. You are a goddess and a Feminist Icon. An incredibly smart, vibrant, kind, talented, beautiful, powerful human being with a soul of compassionate fire. Thank you for your words, your empowerment, your courage to scream from the hilltop and not care what the haters have to say. You are an inspiration, and you truly got me through this though time, and helped motivate me to continue to fight the good fight for social change. From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU. Sincerely, Ashley, aka: Brown Eyed Girl

Malala Yousafzai is the youngest Nobel Prize winner in history, who received the award at just 17 years old, though she is perhaps more famously known as the young Pakistani girl that was shot in the head by a Taliban assassin on the bus traveling home from school. She was just 15 when this happened, and she ended up making a full recovery, and continuing to advocate for girls’ education around the globe, and especially in her home country. Malala, an activist for female education, was born on July 12, 1997 in Mingora, Swat, Pakistan. Her family is Sunni Muslim of Pashtun ethnicity; Malala was named after a Malalai of Maiwand, a famous Pashtun poet and female warrior from southern Afghanistan, who rallied local fighters against the British troops at the 1880 Battle of Maiwand. Malala was born to Ziauddin and Tor, and has two younger brothers, Khushal and Atal. She was educated primarily by her father, Ziauddin, who was also an education activist, private school owner and teacher, and poet. During her childhood, the Taliban occupied Swat, a district in Pakistan, and at one point, prohibited girls from going to school and receiving an education. In 2008, at just 11 years old, Malala spoke at the Peshawar Press Club in the capitol city. She is quoted by journalists covering the conference as saying "How dare the Taliban take away my basic right to education?" In 2009, Malala started at the Institute for War and Peace Reporting's Open Minds Pakistan youth program, where she worked as a trainee and later a peer educator, working in schools across her region to help her young peers engage in constructive discussion on social issues through journalism, public debate, and dialogue. Simultaneously, in 2008, Malala was asked to be an anonymous blogger through BBC’s Urdu, and report about the Taliban’s occupation and her experiences as a young woman in school under those circumstances. Even though the offer was dangerous, her father, who had been helping the BBC find a volunteer, then offered the position to Malala, although she was four years younger than the other girls they’d sought after. She was only in 7th grade at the time. BBC accepted, as did Malala, and she began publishing blog posts under a pseudonym. By 2009, the Taliban had destroyed most of the girls’ schools, and had threatened more destruction and terror; Malala’s school was shut down, and by January 15, 2009, all girls were banned from attending school. By the end of that year, however, her pseudonym was leaked and Malala started receiving death threats, while war broke out all around them. She was uprooted from her home and sent to live with relatives while her home town was under attack once again. Malala served as the chair of the District Child Assembly of the Khpal Kor Foundation from 2009 to 2010. In October 2011, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a South African activist, nominated her for the International Children's Peace Prize of the Dutch international children's advocacy group KidsRights Foundation. She was the first Pakistani girl to be nominated for the award. The announcement said, "Malala dared to stand up for herself and other girls and used national and international media to let the world know girls should also have the right to go to school." However, she didn't win. But this was only the beginning… On December 19, 2011, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani awarded her the National Peace Award for Youth. By 2012, she was organizing the Malala Education Foundation, which would help poor girls go to school and receive an education. Malala was gaining recognition and support. Because of this, in the summer of 2012, the leaders of the Taliban unanimously voted that Malala needed to be killed in order to regain control. On October 9, 2012, a Taliban gunman entered her bus on her way home from school and shot Malala in the head. The bullet traveled from near her left eye, through her neck, and into her shoulder near her spinal cord. After receiving emergency surgery to immediately reduce the swelling in the left side of her brain, the doctors removed the bullet after 5 intensive hours. Malala was eventually transported to England, where she received further treatment. Mala writes about this experience, saying “In October 2012, on my way home from school, a masked gunman boarded my school bus and asked, “Who is Malala?” He shot me on the left side of my head. I woke up 10 days later in a hospital in Birmingham, England. The doctors and nurses told me about the attack — and that people around the world were praying for my recovery.” On October 17, 2012 she woke up from her coma and continued to make a miraculous recovery. On November 11, she underwent an 8 hour surgery to repair her facial nerves. On 15 October 2012, UN Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown, the former British Prime Minister, visited Yousafzai while she was in the hospital, and launched a petition in her name and "in support of what Malala fought for". Using the slogan "I am Malala", the petition's main demand was that there be no child left out of school by 2015, with the hope that "girls like Malala everywhere will soon be going to school". Brown said he would hand the petition to President Zardari in Islamabad in November. The petition contains three demands: We call on Pakistan to agree to a plan to deliver education for every child. We call on all countries to outlaw discrimination against girls. We call on international organizations to ensure the world's 61 million out-of-school children are in education by the end of 2015. In January of 2013, she was finally released from the hospital. Later, on Malala’s 16th birthday, July 12, 2013, she spoke at the UN, calling for worldwide access to education; the UN dubbed the event "Malala Day". It was her first public speech since she had been attacked and shot by the Taliban. At one point during her speech, she said: The terrorists thought they would change my aims and stop my ambitions, but nothing changed in my life except this: weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born ... I am not against anyone, neither am I here to speak in terms of personal revenge against the Taliban or any other terrorist group. I'm here to speak up for the right of education for every child. I want education for the sons and daughters of the Taliban and all terrorists and extremists… Malala day is not my day. Today is the day of every woman, every boy and every girl who have raised their voice for their rights. On October 10, 2014, Malala was announced as the co-recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for her struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education. Having received the prize at the age of 17, she is the youngest Nobel laureate. Malala writes: "It was then I knew I had a choice: I could live a quiet life or I could make the most of this new life I had been given. I determined to continue my fight until every girl could go to school. With my father, who has always been my ally and inspiration, I established Malala Fund, a charity dedicated to giving every girl an opportunity to achieve a future she chooses." On July 12, 2015, her 18th birthday, Malala opened a school in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, near the Syrian border, for Syrian refugees. The school, funded by the non-profit Malala Fund, offers education and training to girls aged 14 to 18 years. She then called on world leaders to invest in "books, not bullets". As of 2018, Malala is now studying Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Oxford. She writes: “Every day I fight to ensure all girls receive 12 years of free, safe, quality education. I travel to many countries to meet girls fighting poverty, wars, child marriage and gender discrimination to go to school. Malala Fund is working so that their stories, like mine, can be heard around the world. We invest in developing country educators and activists, like my father, through Malala Fund’s Gulmakai Network. And we hold leaders accountable for their promises to girls. With more than 130 million girls out of school today, there is more work to be done. I hope you will join my fight for education and equality. Together, we can create a world where all girls can learn and lead.” Malala has been an incredible inspiration to me. She has fought and survived more than I can even imagine. She has lived through war, lived through an assassination attempt, all before she was 15 years old. And she didn’t let her experiences break her. In 2013, she wrote her memoir called “I Am Malala”, which was so beautiful and heart shattering, but so vital to our day and age. Malala’s courage and bravery seeps through every word, every page, and drastically impacted me more than anything had in a long time. Her next book, titled We Are Displaced: True Stories of Refugee Lives, comes out on Sept. 4th, 2018, and I CANNOT WAIT TO READ IT! Seriously, I’m not doing anything until I finish that book! You can learn more about the Malala Fund by following this link https://www.malala.org/ where you can also donate to the non-profit, and feel good about helping an organization that funds safe, quality, and free secondary education for girls in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria, Syria, Brazil, and India.

What is it about baby animals that girls, myself included, just die over? Is it...

"Non-violent resistance (NVR) is the practice of achieving goals such as social change through symbolic protests, civil disobedience, economic or political non-cooperation, Satyagraha, or other methods, while being nonviolent. This type of action highlights the desires of an individual or group that feels that something needs to change to improve the current condition. It is largely but wrongly taken as synonymous with civil resistance. Each of these terms—nonviolent resistance and civil resistance—has different connotations and commitments.” “Civil resistance is political action that relies on the use of nonviolent resistance by civil groups to challenge a particular power, force, policy or regime. Civil resistance operates through appeals to the adversary, pressure and coercion: it can involve systematic attempts to undermine the adversary's sources of power, both domestic and international. Forms of action have included demonstrations, vigils and petitions; strikes, go-slows, boycotts and emigration movements; and sit-ins, occupations, and the creation of parallel institutions of government. The phenomenon of civil resistance is often associated with the advancement of democracy.” Perhaps some of the greatest examples of nonviolent resistance and civil resistance have been at the hands of leaders and people like Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Henry David Thoreau, Leo Tolstoy, Nelson Mandela, Alice Paul, Rosa Parks, amongst many, many others. From the Freedom Riders, to the Marchers at Salem, to the #NeverAgain and #EnoughisEnough protests (Marjory Stoneman Douglas student activists), we have seen great political and societal change from these nonviolent forms of demonstration. Let’s take a quick look at some historical NVR’s: Exhibit A: 1848-1920: Unites States: Women’s Suffrage was a political movement that spanned over a century, where women protested in order to receive the right to suffrage, or the legal right to vote, in the United States. This movement emerged from the broader movement of women’s rights; in 1848, the Seneca Falls Convention (the first women’s rights convention) passed a resolution in favor of women’s suffrage. It was a long battle, and included many marches and much protest, but eventually, in 1920, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was passed, giving women the right to vote. Exhibit B: 1823-1829: Ireland: One of the first mass-membership political movements of Europe, the Catholic Association was founded by Daniel O'Connell to use non-violent means to push the British government to pass Catholic emancipation, which culminated in the passing of the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 by the government of the Duke of Wellington Exhibit C: 1819: England: Peterloo Massacre: Famine and chronic unemployment, coupled with the lack of suffrage in northern England, led to a peaceful demonstration of 60,000–80,000 persons, including women and children. The demonstration was organized and rehearsed, with a "prohibition of all weapons of offence or defense" and exhortations to come "armed with no other weapon but that of a self-approving conscience". Cavalry charged into the crowd, with sabers drawn, and in the ensuing confusion, 15 people were killed and 400–700 were injured. Exhibit D: 1955-1968: United States: The Civil Rights Movement included tactics of nonviolent resistance, such as bus boycotts, Freedom Rides, sit-ins, marches, and mass demonstrations, were used during the Civil Rights Movement. This movement succeeded in bringing about legislative change, making separate seats, drinking fountains, and schools for African Americans illegal, and obtaining full Voting Rights and open housing. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision of "the Beloved Community" was inspired by his leading Christians in nonviolent resistance. Exhibit E: 1968: Worldwide: The protests that raged throughout 1968 were for the most part student-led. Worldwide, campuses became the front-line battle grounds for social change. While opposition to the Vietnam War dominated the protests, students also protested for civil liberties, against racism, for feminism, and the beginnings of the Ecology movement can be traced to the protests against nuclear and biological weapons during this year. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said that “nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon. Indeed, it is a weapon unique in history, which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a sword that heals.” I’ve been thinking a lot about the innumerable wise words of Dr. King. Coretta Scott King, an author, activist, and civil rights leader (and wife of Dr. King) stated that “nonviolence is the only credible response to the violence we’re seeing around the world.” Many people question what the purpose of walk-outs, sit-ins, and protests are, saying that they don’t actually do anything. I would whole-heartedly disagree. I think there is great power in the collective, in unifying people under a cause, and standing with each other and supporting one another. The example I often give when responding to the question “do you think that just wearing a specific color assigned to your protest day and showing up for a rally/march really matters?” is that of breast cancer awareness. Wearing a pink ribbon or pink clothing during Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a pretty standard and accepted social display of support. No one ever thinks twice about it. I’ve never seen anyone complain or riot about people walking for breast cancer awareness, raising funds for victims and survivors, or posting pictures on social media wearing pink for #breastcancerawareness. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO SEXUAL ASSAULT, THEY ALL COME OUT OF THE WOODWORK. I cannot even comprehend the amount of backlash I saw and received for wearing black in support of Dr. Ford and ALL sexual assault survivors on our day of protest last week. I mean, literally, so many people blasted me on Facebook. I was truly dumbfounded and appalled. It rocked me, to my core. What was the difference? You have a victim, who took a polygraph test about her assault and showed ZERO signs of lying, who KNEW her assulter before she was assaulted by him, and spoke out about it when this person was being interviewed for a lifetime appointment to the highest COURT in the USA. And when millions of people want to stand up and stand with her and victims like her, wear black to unify together and draw attention to the issue, people really want to degrade all these women, say horrible things about them, disregard their democratic showing of protest and make them feel like trash?? Really?? So much of what I’ve seen and read these last couple weeks makes me sick. I am disgusted, appalled, outraged, and disheartened by the last of empathy and understanding and support of victims and survivors. But I (we) cannot let this stop us from using our voices, from standing up for our beliefs, from supporting each other because we fear the repercussions of doing so. THIS IS NOT FOR NOTHING. THIS IS NOT IN VAIN. What we’re doing is IMPORTANT. IT MATTERS. IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE. Even if that difference doesn’t come about quickly or visually, it matters to the millions of people who’ve experienced sexual assault, to know that WE BELIEVE THEM, that we support them and stand with them and will fight for them. People make the mistake of thinking that the only goal of protests and nonviolent resistance is to reform law and change practices. While this is a main goal, of course, it is not the ONLY goal. We stand, we sit, we march, we chant, FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THESE TRAUMAS. THIS IS NOT FOR NOTHING. THIS IS NOT IN VAIN. THIS MATTERS. THIS IS IMPORTANT. THIS DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Amy Poehler is absolutely one of my favorite human beings on the planet. She is not only hilarious, but kind, genuine, talented, empathetic, and one heck of an activist. Plus, she created and brought to life one of my all-time FAVORITE fictional characters, Leslie Knope. Amy is an incredible writer and one of the most hilarious comedians of all time. She is also the creator of Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls, an organization dedicated to helping young people cultivate their authentic selves. They emphasize intelligence and imagination over “fitting in.” [Visit their website here] Amy is an ultra-successful writer and actress; she's been nominated for three Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, two Golden Globe Awards, and one Screen Actors Guild Award. She is also an activist in women’s issues and serves as Ambassador for the Worldwide Orphans Foundation. “On screen and off, Amy believes in empowering women and girls everywhere. Her dedication to helping young women has gained her numerous accolades, including Glamour’s Woman of the Year. Through her digital series Smart Girls at the Party, Amy continues to acknowledge and support girls who are ‘changing the world by being themselves.’” As a woman working in government, Leslie Knope is one of my biggest heroes. As a woman, Amy Poehler is one of my biggest heroes. She is feminist AF and stands up for what she believes in, and dedicates her time to making her community, and the world, a better place. She’s written a wonderful autobiography, called Yes, Please! and has given (me) some of the best advice I’ve ever read. Amy Poehler is essentially my life coach (unbeknownst to her). So I thought I'd share some of her best advice with you, in this differently-styled Feminist Profile. Picking my top favorite pieces of advice was really difficult, but I managed to narrow it down to 15… you’re welcome! ;) 1. “Anybody who doesn’t make you feel good, kick them to the curb. And the earlier you start in your life, the better.” She’s so right on target here. Sometimes we put up with awful things from people for various reasons. Maybe its lack of confidence or respect for ourselves, maybe it’s because we feel we owe that person for some reason, or maybe it’s because we don’t know how to stand up for ourselves. Whatever it is, follow Amy’s advice and give it up now. You deserve SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT. You deserve to be happy and you don’t need ANYONE in your life that makes you feel belittled, insignificant, ugly, stupid, sad, angry, etc. They aren’t worth it, and the people who are would never make you feel that way! 2. “No one looks stupid when they’re having fun.” I love this. I’m not the type of person who embarrasses easily. In fact, I’m more likely to embarrass you for being seen with me. I love to goof off and have fun and some people just can’t handle that. Sure, there’s a time and a place, but the list of places you shouldn’t goof off is pretty small compared to the list of places you should. There was a brief moment in my life when I started really caring about what people thought and it was awful! I never had as much fun! I know a lot of people are afraid to let go because they don’t want to look stupid or embarrass themselves, but I say, who cares!? Embrace it! The fun you’ll have will be well worth it in the end, trust me. 3. “Continue to share your heart with people even if it’s been broken.” Smart lady. This was something I’ve definitely struggled with in the past. It’s a natural reaction; when we get hurt, all of our walls go up as our heart tirelessly prevents itself from having to endure that pain again. It’s a defense mechanism that’s really sophisticated and efficient and great at what it does. Learning how to lower your guard, to break down those walls and let people in again is truly difficult. But it’s absolutely vital. And totally worth the hard work it takes to get there again. 4. “Rooting for other people’s failure does get in the way of your success.” Classy, classy woman. We should always be uplifting each other instead of dragging people down. There’s enough of that going on in the world, we don’t need to be doing it to each other too. I’m a firm believer that what you put out into the world always comes back to you. 5. “You can’t do it alone. As you navigate through the rest of your life, be open to collaboration. Other people and other people’s ideas are often better than your own. Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, and spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life. No one is here today because they did it on their own.” Sometimes you want to go at it alone because you feel like if you ask for help, you lose a little of the reward. It might feel like you don’t deserve the product if you had help with the development or maybe you might feel like you don’t want to share credit with anyone else because IT’S YOUR BABY and you’ve put your heart and a lot of hard work into it. I know I’ve felt that way before. But asking for help doesn’t mean any of these things. In fact, success is rarely accomplished by doing things alone. Ask for help, take other peoples’ opinions and ideas into consideration and create something beautiful and amazing together! 6. “Taking risks and making choices is what makes life so exciting.” I used to be such a free spirit; I never thought that taking risks would be something I’d EVER struggle with. But when you get burned badly, when you break into thousands of pieces and you spend so many awful days trying to put yourself back together, you most often end up overcompensating by playing it safe. As mentioned before, those walls come up to prevent anymore heartache, but more often than not, they actually deprive us of truly experiencing happiness. Sure, we may feel safe when we don’t take risks, but like every cheesy Lifetime movie says, life isn’t about playing it safe. When we have something to lose, only then do we experience life at its fullest. 7. “Great people do things before they’re ready. They do things before they know they can do it…doing what you’re afraid of, getting out of your comfort zone, taking risks like that—that is what life is.” BE BRAVE. When something scares me, I make myself do it (within reason). Obviously some things are incredibly dangerous and possibly detrimental to your health/job/life, and in those circumstances do not ignore your gut feelings! But with everything else, try things you wouldn’t normally try, eat things you wouldn’t normally eat, experience something you’ve been strangely interested in, but too afraid to do your whole life! Be uncomfortable, be afraid, but just do it! 8. “I get worried for young girls sometimes; I want them to feel that they can be sassy and full and weird and geeky and smart and independent, and not so withered and shriveled.” If Amy is anything, she’s real. I love how empowering she is for women. I feel like she’s that one friend who’s always your cheerleader, no matter what. With everything she’s accomplished, she’s really pushing the envelope in a male dominated field. AND I LOVE THAT ABOUT HER. She practically IS feminism. 9. “Try to keep your mind open to possibilities and your mouth closed on matters that you don’t know about. Limit your always and your nevers.” Pretty good advice if you ask me! Keeping an open mind allows us to continually grow and challenge ourselves. And before casting an opinion or making up our mind about something, we should learn about it first. 10. “The earlier you learn that you should focus on what you have and not obsess about what you don’t have, the happier you will be.” When does Amy NOT look happy? The answer is NEVER. She’s someone that you can totally trust taking advice on happiness from. Most of us would agree with her here if we were asked, but sometimes we lose sight of these simple but true principles. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the world. We work so hard to obtain what we want out of life that we sometimes forget to actually live it. Take a step back, re-evaluate yourself, your priorities, your plans, and make sure that what you’re doing is going to make you happy while reaching your goals. We can’t bank on living life once we’ve achieved them; we have to live it in the moment. We have to be in the present while looking forward to the future and not forgetting the past. We have to find happiness with what we have and who we are at that very moment. 11. “There’s power in looking silly and not caring that you do.” This, I LOVE. Forget everyone else. Live your life the way you feel is best and don’t worry about what others think. If you’re happy, block everyone else out. And if you can’t help but be worried about them, just remember, confidence is the key. People won’t question you if you don’t let them. 12. “Sometimes painful things teach us lessons that we didn’t think we needed to know.” It’s all about perspective. We don’t have to like the painful things in life, but we can accept them for shaping us into the people we are and will be. It’s important to learn to look on the bright side of things. And if that doesn’t work, then let’s look at the funny side of things. 13. “It’s just about honoring the fact that, yeah, I should be writing, producing, directing. I should be believing that the world is mine to have.” BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. Self confidence is the key that unlocks your true potential. Once you have that belief, you are strong, powerful, and the world is yours for the taking. 14. “When you do talk about yourself or to yourself and you have that tape running in your head about yourself, try to picture you are talking to your own daughter or your younger sister, because you would tell your younger sister or your daughter that she is beautiful and you wouldn’t be lying, because she is. And so are you.” We need to treat ourselves better, that’s for sure. We are our biggest critics and sometimes our worst enemy. We cannot truly be happy until we love ourselves. 15. “You deserve love and you’ll get it.” And last but not least, be patient and believe that good things will come your way. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying to sit idly by like a damsel in distress waiting for your Prince Charming to come rescue you from the Evil Queen, because let’s get one thing straight, we don’t need a man to save us, we can do it ourselves. But life requires a certain amount of patience. Go after what you want and don’t settle for anything less. You deserve it. And you’ll get it.

Senator Elizabeth Warren was born on June 22, 1949 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Pauline and Donald Herring. Before her political career, Senator Warren was in academia; she was a professor of law at University of Texas School of Law, University of Pennsylvania School of Law, and most recently at Harvard Law School. She specialized in bankruptcy law and commercial law and was considered one of the top minds, and one of most cited law professors, of the field in these areas. Following the 2008 Financial Crisis, Senator Warren served as the chair for the Congressional Oversight Panel, which was created to oversee the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). She was a renowned consumer protection advocate and forged the path for the establishment and implementation of the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in 2011. She served as Assistant to the President and Special Adviser to the Secretary of Treasury for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau under President Obama. In 2012 she ran for a spot in the Massachusetts Senate against republican incumbent Scott Brown and won, becoming the FIRST FEMALE elected to the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts. While campaigning for the Senate election, Sen. Warren replied to the charge that asking the rich to pay more taxes is "class warfare" by stating: “There is nobody in this country who got rich on his own. Nobody. ... You moved your goods to market on the roads the rest of us paid for; you hired workers the rest of us paid to educate; you were safe in your factory because of police forces and fire forces that the rest of us paid for. You didn't have to worry that marauding bands would come and seize everything at your factory, and hire someone to protect against this, because of the work the rest of us did. Now look, you built a factory and it turned into something terrific, or a great idea. God bless. Keep a big hunk of it. But part of the underlying social contract is, you take a hunk of that and pay forward for the next kid who comes along”. President Obama later echoed her speech during a 2012 election campaign speech. Sen. Warren was assigned a seat on the Senate Banking Committee, and immediately started to put on the pressure. At her first Committee hearing in 2013, she pressed banking regulators as to why they hadn’t taken any Wall Street bank to trial, citing that she was worried that big banks were being treated more leniently than others, which shouldn't happen. A video of her questioning the regulators went viral through social media. At another banking hearing in March of that year, Sen. Warren questioned Treasury Department officials as to why criminal charges for money laundering were not brought up against HSBC. She showed her adamant disapproval, stating that "If you're caught with an ounce of cocaine, the chances are good you're going to go to jail... But evidently, if you launder nearly a billion dollars for drug cartels and violate our international sanctions, your company pays a fine and you go home and sleep in your own bed at night." She later sent letters to the Justice Department, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Federal Reserve questioning their decisions to settle instead of go to trial. Senator Warren was appointed to be the first-ever Strategic Adviser of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, a position that was created just for her. In July 2015, she, amongst others (Sen. John McCain, Maria Cantwell, and Angus King) introduced the new Glass–Steagall Act, a revamped version of the Banking Act of 1933, which intended to reduce the risk for American taxpayers in the financial system and decrease the likelihood of future financial crises. She stated that “despite the progress we've made since 2008, the biggest banks continue to threaten our economy”. In 2016, she was appointed a seat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, fueling [hopeful] rumors that she might be up for a bid in the 2020 Presidential Election. (I, for one, would be completely ECSTATIC is she ran. I’d probably even join her campaign!) Despite making considerable splashes along the way with her no-nonsense, no-free-tickets attitude towards big corporations and Wall Street, she made another [even bigger] splash when she gave rise to the current Feminist Battle Cry last year during a Senate session in the debate over Jeff Session’s nomination for Attorney General. Sen. Warren read a letter written by Coretta Scott King in 1986 to Sen. Strom Thurmond regarding Jeff Session’s Nomination as a Judge at that time. The letter stated: “Civil rights leaders, including my husband [Dr. Martin Luther King] and Albert Turner, have fought long and hard to achieve free and unfettered access to the ballot box. Mr. SESSIONS has used the awesome power of his office to chill the free exercise of the vote by black citizens in the district he now seeks to serve as a federal judge. This simply cannot be allowed to happen. Mr. SESSIONS' conduct as U.S. Attorney, from his politically-motivated voting fraud prosecutions to his indifference toward criminal violations of civil rights laws, indicates that he lacks the temperament, fairness and judgment to be a federal judge.” — Coretta Scott King As Sen. Warren read the letter allowed, she was interrupted, talked over, and badgered by Presiding Senate Chair Steve Daines of Montana who reminded her of Senate Rule XIX which prohibits ascribing "to another senator or to other senators any conduct or motive unworthy or unbecoming a senator". “Senator Warren stated that she had only said that former Senator Kennedy had called Senator Sessions a disgrace, and she asked whether reading King's letter that had been admitted into the Senate Record in 1986 was a violation of Senate Rules. Presiding Senate Chair Daines again quoted Rule XIX. Senator Warren asked to continue reading Mrs. King's letter, and Presiding Senate Chair Daines allowed her to do so. “While Senator Warren continued reading the letter, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky interrupted, saying, "The senator has impugned the motives and conduct of our colleague from Alabama, as warned by the chair." Senator Warren said she was "surprised that the words of Coretta Scott King are not suitable for debate in the United States Senate", and requested to continue. Senator Daines asked whether there was objection. Senator McConnell objected, and Senator Daines called for a vote saying, "The senator will take her seat", preventing Senator Warren from continuing. The Senate voted to sustain McConnell's objection along party lines, 49–43, silencing Warren for the duration of the Sessions confirmation hearings. Thirty hours remained in the hearings, and Democrats objected to Senator Warren's silencing. Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon subsequently read the letter from Coretta Scott King without objection. Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey pointed out that the letter was already in the 1986 Congressional Record.” On February 7, 2017, Republicans in the Senate voted that Sen. Warren had violated Senate Rule 19 during the debate, claiming that she impugned his character when she quoted statements made about Sessions by Coretta Scott King and Sen. Ted Kennedy. Following the Senate ruling to silence Senator Warren, Senator McConnell said on the Senate floor: “Senator Warren was giving a lengthy speech. She had appeared to violate the rule. She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted.” Nevertheless, she persisted. Amy Wang, from the Washington Post, wrote “If the Republican senators had intended to minimize Warren's message, the decision backfired—severely. Her supporters immediately seized upon McConnell's line—giving Warren a far bigger megaphone than if they had simply let her continue speaking in what had been a mostly empty chamber, some pointed out.” "Nevertheless, she persisted" was an instant battle cry for all nasty women in the resistance, to continue our fight for equality and justice and fair treatment. I think it rang so true to women because the scene of watching an incredibly brilliant, tried-and-true female leader, an expert in her field, be condescendingly shut down, interrupted and talked over, and berated by one of the many males in the room was all to familiar. And then again when she was voted to be silenced, a male colleague read the letter and finished it without continuous uproar that had been directed at her. How many of us have been in the same situation. We have been talked down to, mansplained to, talked over, silenced, belittled, ignored, after countless times of proving ourselves worthy of our (1/8 of a) seat at the table- a table which claims to be equal, inclusive, and gender-blind. Senator Elizabeth Warren taught me that 'you can't win what you don't fight for'. How true that is, in every aspect of our lives, but especially as it pertains to social justice. When I graduated with my degree in psychology, I decorated my graduation cap with this very phrase, because it summed up my entire educational and life experience up to that point: NEVERTHELESS, SHE PERSISTED. May we all continue to persist and resist! Sometimes the fight gets too hard, too dirty, too unfair, but we must press on. We cannot win what we do not fight for.

London, England Wanderlust, a strong desire for or impulse to wander or to travel and explore the world. Let me tell you, I could probably be President of the Wanderlust club, if there was one. (Can I make one?!) And it's not something I picked up in adulthood, I've felt this way since I can remember, since at least elementary school. I've always been that kid who had lists of places she wanted to travel, pins stuck into maps and grandiose aspirations of things she wanted to do. I've dreamed about certain places (ehm, France and England) since I was very young. I know I'm not the only dreamer, because John Lennon told me so, but I always felt like my desire was a little stronger than normal. My wanderlust leaves me restless and anxious and physically aching to travel. Paris, France And I LOVE to travel. But it's never enough; the hunger is never satiated. There are always more places to see, more things to do, and never enough time or money to do them all. Even as (or especially as) I write this, I want to travel. No, it's not even that I want to, I NEED to. And it's almost indescribable. I'm constantly dreaming of a plane fight away, checking into a hotel and setting off on a new adventure with my camera in hand. I dream of finding a small eatery where the locals pick up their favorite chocolate or cheese or bread. Or stumbling upon a football game in a pub and staying the afternoon with new found friends. Or sweating the morning away hiking on an unknown trail on the backside of a mountain. These aren't new aspirations either, I've made (and blogged) about my bucket list before. But why do I feel like this? I know that that makes me sound like a Psych major, but I am, and I can't help it. What is it about traveling that makes me simultaneously giddy and restless with anticipation? And why do I feel suffocated and slightly out-of-my-mind when I go too long without at least taking a day trip away? Prague Listen, I know I'm a Sagittarius and by nature we have "restless energy" and a "need to travel for personal, business, or b/c of that overwhelming need to escape". I know that as a person, I need to get away to clear my head. There's something almost magical about physically moving out of your environment and into a new one, even momentarily. But is there something more than that? Rome, Italy Is it the act of packing your life into a suit case for a couple weeks and leaving everything else behind? Is it the open road or the excitement of being on a completely new continent in a matter of hours? Is it the culture shock? The new food to eat? People to meet? Places to see? Is it the shopping for new vacation clothes or new music to put on your iPod? The clearing of your SD card in preparation for new pictures or the prospect of having those new pictures framed on your walls? Is it that glowing tan you come home with or all the goodies you buy for your friends/family, just because you want them to experience it too? Is it the hope for something more? For the kind of life changing experience that brought about "Eat, Pray, Love" or "Under the Tuscan Sun"? Is it the rush of searching for a new mug in every new city you visit? St. Petersburg, Russia But I'm pretty sure it's ALL OF THAT. Scientists have become pretty interested in the idea of "wanderlust" themselves. Studies have found that travelers have a chemical reaction in their brains, showing that changes in scenery stimulated brain rhythms. Another very interesting find was that travelling also releases the hormone adrenaline into your system, which acts as a stimulant and which many people find extremely rewarding. This makes complete sense for people like me who are natural "adrenaline junkies" and always seems to rather enjoy that "flight or fight" response. Barcelona, Spain Martin Milton, a British Psychologist, believes that it also has to deal with effects that getting out of our comfort zone seem to have on us. He says that “there is evidence that the degree of difficulty, getting out of our comfort zone, makes the experience richer and more emotionally rewarding.” Is that why we crave travelling? For me, it's a legitimate physical, as well as mental and emotional response; I have to get away from everyday life and experience something new. Greece There is just something so liberating about it, about being somewhere different and exciting. Milton seems to agree. "Too much routine can be stressful, so can too much variety...but one aspect of travel that attracts us is the way it frees us from other people’s expectations. At work, we strive to be what is expected of us; travel releases us from that. The jungle doesn't know us, and we don’t know it." Building on this idea, Bruce Chatwin says that there is evidence that “monotonous surroundings and tedious regular activities wove patterns which produced fatigue, nervous disorders, apathy, self-disgust and violent reactions” in people involved in studies. So maybe this our survival instinct kicking in? Perhaps our brain and body recognize the benefits travelling gives us and urges us to fulfill it? Venice, Italy The truth is, for whatever reason, we seem to find joy in it. And by joy, I mean pure undulated euphoria. We seem to find happiness and rejuvenation and peace in places we've never been. We seem to discover a little more of ourselves in the open road or museums or old castles in Europe. For me, it's these prospects that keep me going, that get me through each work day or through the hellish semester. It's the reason why the calendar hung at my work desk are pictures of places in Europe- because I need that hope, I need something to look forward to, I need that escape, almost daily. It's a lust only comparable to that of Ryan Gosling, and which nothing else can fill. And as it seems to benefit our health, why not give in to it every now and then? ;) Bran Castle, Romania I think TS Elliot said it best; “we shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” New Zealand References: http://www.wanderlust.co.uk/magazine/articles/advice/are-you-addicted-to-travel?page=all http://www.udel.edu/chem/C465/senior/fall00/Performance1/epinephrine.htm.html

First off, let me come right out and say that yes, I know that Hogwarts is a fictional place. (Much to my deep sadness) I know Harry Potter and the gang are fictional characters and that all of this created by the Supreme #BossWitch J.K. Rowling. BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT ANY LESS REAL. If that statement bothers you in any way, I suggest you stop reading now and save yourself the frustration and misunderstanding that will follow if you continue. But for those of you who are on the same page as me, let's real talk a bit. When I was young, what seems like many many years ago, I tested into Gryffendor, which made me unbelievably happy. I was a female athlete who felt the most pride in my bravery and courage on the pitch (soccer field). It was part of my identity as a person and I very much related to the lion mascot and values that made up a Gryffendor. Not to mention the obvious reasons that one would love to be sorted into that House, like the fact that the whole series is centered around Harry, Ron and Hermoine (Gryffendors), who were lead by the greatest wizard of all time, Albus Dumbledore (Gryffendor) and mentored by the coolest #bosswitch around, Minerva Magonagoll (Gryffendor). WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO BE A GRYFFENDOR?! It's been a long time since then and I recently rejoined Pottermore (if you haven't, DO IT NOW!!) and had to retest into a House. I thought there was a good chance I wouldn't be a Gryffendor anymore because many things about me have changed since I was young. But honestly, I thought I'd be sorted into Ravenclaw. My focus in my life has been education for the last 7+ years, and I'm pursuing a career devoted to academia and higher education. The qualities I'm most proud of these days are no longer related to my athletic abilities but rather my intelligence, and it was because of this that I KNEW I'd test into Ravenclaw. Until I tested into Hufflepuff. Suffice it to say that I was SHOCKED and utterly LET DOWN when I tested into Hufflepuff. HUFFLEPUFF!! I almost created a new email just so I could sign up again under a different one! (You can't be re-sorted, obviously.) I mean, Hufflepuff is like the House nobody knows or cares about, right? And a badger? Really? But then I thought that would be totally rude and disrespectful to JK Rowling (since she created the houses, Pottermore, and the sorting test), so instead I decided to do some research because, now that I had thought about it, I didn't actually know or remember that much about them. I'm sure my previously conceived notions about them were entirely based on what other people said about them (or rather didn't say about them). WHO ARE THE HUFFLEPUFFS? We know each house has major characteristic that make them them, so who really are they? I began researching and researching and what I've found has completely changed my mind about being a Hufflepuff! #1: VALUES First of all, Hufflepuffs are the most loyal, kind, supportive, and true of all the houses. Their signature characteristics are loyal friendship, honesty, reliability, tolerance and patience. They value justice, compassion, fairness and loyalty above all else. Hufflepuffs are very hard working and willing to go to the end of the earth to achieve their goals and help their friends. They are relentless. "Their friendly demeanor means that they're super popular with everyone". Sure, Gryffendors may be the heroes, Ravenclaws the intellectuals, and Slytherin the tacticians, but "Hufflepuffs are the moral, the Healers and the reminder of the human impact- often undersold, but no less important". Why would any of these things be a bad thing?? Why WOULDN'T anyone want to be in Hufflepuff?! I had been blinded by the glory of Gryffendor and the awe-inspiring intelligence of Ravenclaw to see what Hufflepuff has been about this whole time! Hufflepuffs are brave and courageous, but not foolhardy or show-offy like Gryffendors, are smart but not elitists like Ravenclaw, can bend the rules if it is morally right to do so, but not power hungry like Slytherin. In many ways, Hufflepuff has many of the other Houses good qualities without most of the bad ones. In Harry's 5th year, the Sorting Hat gives us some history about the different houses at Hogwarts: "Said Slytherin, "we'll teach just those whose ancestry's the purest." Said Ravenclaw, "we'll teach those whose intelligence is surest." Said Gryffindor, "we'll teach all those with brave deeds to their name." Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot and treat them just the same." GOOD. That's what Hufflepuff is. "I'll teach the lot and treat them the same". Treating people just the same, isn't that a very very good thing?! Very democratic and fair. J.K. Rowling said Hufflepuffs are the "friendliest, most decent and most tenacious house of them all". #2: J.K. ROWLING J.K. Rowling has said that Hufflepuff is her favorite House! I'm sorry J.K. Rowling, I really am!! I'm not disappointed anymore!! #3: TONKS Tonks has always been one of my favorite characters. She is a total BA. She is always there to back Harry up and to fight for what's right, whatever the cost (her life). Plus, she is perhaps the COOLEST person in the series (Luna Lovegood is my *favorite* girl and Hermoine is a really close second, but they aren't as COOL as Tonks. No one is.) #4: BADGERS Badgers are actually awesome. Rowling said that at first Hufflepuffs were going to be bears, and maybe she should've kept it that way so that people respected the House more. But she had a good reason for changing it to badgers. Rowling says that badgers are "often underestimated because it lives quietly until attacked, but which, when provoked, can fight off animals much larger than itself, including wolves". Underestimated but tenacious, relentless and ferocious. #5: The Common room rules of Hufflepuff should be our rules in general.... #6: Hufflepuffs are INclusive not EXclusive. Sure, we may not have the most famous names in Wizard history, but we love, befriend, help, and embrace everyone, gladly. When you're not welcome anywhere else, you're always welcome with the Hufflepuffs. #7: True Friendship and Adventure: Is there anything better than being a good friend and having good friends? Not to me. Hufflepuffs are ALWAYS loyal, supportive and fierce friends who will support and stand up for their friends until the end. "They're the type of people who will wait at the end of a marathon to watch their friend finish, even though it's 4 a.m. and still hug you when you're sick." And boy, do they LOVE adventure!! Hufflepuffs are always down for fun! #8: Hufflepuffs always forgive. They don't hold grudges, they forgive and forget and don't hold your past or mistakes against you. They BELIEVE in the GOOD in people but they are not naive. They know not everyone chooses to be good people and will morally stand up against those individuals. #9: BECAUSE OF THIS. #10: We're happy and not afraid to show it. Hufflepuffs are fun, happy, bubbly, warm and affectionate. What's not to love?? #11: They are GROSSLY UNDERRATED. Hufflepuffs are seriously underrated; they are the MOST underrated House and they're okay with it. It's better to be underrated than overrated, and they use that successfully as a tactic. Rowling wrote that they are "trust worthy and loyal. They don't shoot their mouths off but cross them at your peril; like their emblem, the badger, they will protect themselves, their friends and their families against all-comers. Nobody intimidates them". HUFFLEPUFFS ARE FEARLESS BADASS FIGHTERS. #12: Hufflepuffs are optimists and that's extremely valuable. Hufflepuffs BELIEVE in GOOD. They believe is justice, fairness, and doing what's right. They believe that good will always conquer evil in the end and they bring that eternal hope and brightness to the game that no other House does. Hufflepuffs hope even when all hope is lost. Need a silver lining?? Go to a Hufflepuff, they will always have at least one positive thing to say and believe. Some people (ehm, Slytherin) think this is a weakness, but it is indeed our strength and one of the reasons that ALL the Hufflepuffs stayed and fought the final battle. (where were you Slytherin??) Hufflepuffs are people you want on your side!! #13: Hufflepuffs are humble and valiant. Hufflepuffs know how to win and they know how to lose. They are relentless, but they are good sports and win gracefully. They are humble, valiant, and hold great integrity. #14: Cedric Diggory was a total BA. AND a Hufflepuff. Who doesn't like Cedric Diggory?? He is brave, smart, cunning, and courageous. He was amazing in the Tri-Wizard Tournament and was such a humble, hardworking, nice guy! Such a Hufflepuff! When Slytherin passed around support Diggory, Potter stinks buttons, Cedric told everyone not to wear them and to be nice to Harry. He befriended Harry and even helped him solve the riddle in the second challenge of the tournament. GOOD. GUY. #15: Helga Hufflepuff The founder of the Hufflepuf house, Helga Hufflepuff is a total #bosswitch, known for her charm and loyalty, not to mention her "food charms". In fact, most of the recipes used for the End of Term Feast are hers! So she's an awesome cook and and awesome witch! Not to mention brave, fearless and clearly an awesome fighter. No one should want to cross her. #16: Our Common Room is the BEST. Their common room is light, earthy, and cozy, with beautiful views of the sunny greenness outside and sits right next to the kitchen...where you can get all the midnight snacks you want. The way to gain entrance into their commons is through a secret barrel, where you have to tap a specific tune in order to gain entry. Unlike the other houses, there are security measure in place if you don't do it correctly...being doused with vinegar! Hufflepuff is the ONLY house Commons to not be infiltrated by non House members in more than a thousand years! The bedrooms are ground level as well, with far better sleeping quarters when it comes to storms...seeing as though the other houses are kept awake from all lightening and thunder! Being burrowed sure has it's privileges. There's even secret tunnels from the common room to the dormitories! Super cool. Rowling wrote that "like badgers, they know exactly ow to lie low and how to defend themselves". #17: Hufflepuffs are easy to get along with. Hufflepuffs genuinely like people. All of them. They're the ones most likely to share their Netflix password with you, always show up to the party with goodies to share, like all your Instagram photos just to make you feel good, offer to split the bill evenly, even if theirs was less, won't judge you for your guilty pleasures, keep your secrets, are always up for games, eat breakfast for every meal of the day, share their food with you (and send you home with leftovers), remember your parents' names and break out into song and dance, whether it's appropriate or not. Basically, Hufflepuffs are the most fun and pleasant people to be around. What's not to love?? #18: Hufflepuffs are calm under pressure. Need someone you can count on when the pressure's on? A Hufflepuff will always be cool as a cucumber and perform well under pressure. They can always be counted on and will always give 100%, every time. They are not slackers and not only hold their own, but help to shoulder the weight of those you can't. #19: Other Famous (Fictional) Characters that are most definitely Hufflepuffs: Captain America, Jess Day/Winston Bishop (New Girl), Batman, Clark Kent/Superman, Phil Dunphy/Cameron Tucker (Modern Family), Weevil (Veronica Mars), Huck/Quinn (Scandal), Morgan Tookers (Mindy Project), Thresh (Hunger Games), Sookie St. James (Gilmore Girls), Lanie Parish/Kevin Ryan (Castle),Pam Beesly Halpert/Michael Scott (Office), Ann Perkins (Parks & Rec), Emily Fields (Pretty Little Liars), Lizzie McGuire (Lizzie McGuire), Miranda Bailey (Grey's Anatomy), Joan Watson (Elementary), Kenneth Parcell (30 Rock). #20: Best House Ghost; Fat Friar Hufflepuffs definitely have the best House Ghost! He's friendly, helpful, always ready to have a good time, fun and energetic. Not at all needy or depressing or dramatic like the other ghosts. #21: Hufflepuffs are BRAVE. They are motivated not by heroism, but instead are pulled by a force of pure love and compassion. They tirelessly work toward their goals and don't stop until they make it. And they are BRAVE. Rowling talked in an interview about them and how at the final battle, all the Hufflepuffs stayed to fight, along with the Gryffendors. She said that: "The Hufflepuffs virtually to a person stay, as do the Gryffendors. Now, the Gryffendors comprise a lot of foolhardy and show-offy people. That's jusy the way it is. You know, there's bravery and there's also showboating, and sometimes the two go together. The Hufflepuffs stayed for a different reason. They weren't trying to show off, they weren't being reckless. That's the essence of Hufflepuff house." #22: They will always make you feel good about yourself. Hufflepuffs are constantly building people up instead of tearing them down. That's why they're so likable! And with a Hufflepuff, it's NEVER fake, even if you want to believe that they couldn't possibly be that nice or that complementary without an agenda or being two-faced. They CAN. And they ARE. #23: Hufflepuffs ARE smart! Smarty pants! But they aren't like Ravenclaw that will tell you they're smart. Rowling wrote that a myth about the Hufflepuffs is that they aren't cleaver, but it's not true. They are "certainly the least boastful house, but they've produced just as many brilliant witches and wizards as any other". So now that I've gotten to know them, the Hufflepuffs are AMAZING. They sound like the type of people I'd want to be friends with and want to be around! The most important thing to learn from this was that being a Hufflepuff doesn't mean you're not as brave, intelligent, or cunning as the other houses. But your motivations are different and the way you feel and carry yourself are different than the other houses. And that's not a bad thing! We need all types of people to fill all the different roles in our society and so it's SUPER IMPORTANT that we're different and that we celebrate our differences instead of comparing ourselves to each other. So needless to say, I am so happy that I've been sorted into their House. It is actually an honor and I am happy to be amongst good company! I'll get excellent training in potions and Herbology and I'll be able to fulfill my destiny as a healer, which is what I've always wanted to be anyways! ;) We can't ALL be Gryffindors or Ravenclaws, but what we can be is ourselves, and that's the best thing we can be. Whether you're Hufflepuff, Gryffendor, Ravenclaw or Slytherin, your House does not define you, you're heart does. Love who you are and don't try to be anyone else!

This weeks #WCW goes out to one of my favorite fictional females ever... Professor Minerva McGonagall. Ya'll probably know how much I love her (I was her for Halloween this past year), but I'm going to keep telling you about it anyways. Because she's the original BOSS WITCH and altogether B.A. But first, a little background on our favorite Professor, and head of the Gryffindor House at Hogwarts. According to J.K. Rowling (via Pottermore), Minerva McGonagall was born to a witch mother and a muggle father, and struggled with her magical identity. When she arrived at Hogwarts, the sorting hat took 5 minutes to decided which house she belonged to, deciding between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, eventually settling on the former. "Minerva was quickly recognised as the most outstanding student of her year, with a particular talent for Transfiguration. As she progressed through the school, she demonstrated that she had inherited both her mother’s talents and her father’s cast-iron moral sense...By the end of her education at Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagall had achieved an impressive record: top grades in O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s, Prefect, Head Girl, and winner of the Transfiguration Today Most Promising Newcomer award. Under the guidance of her inspirational Transfiguration teacher, Albus Dumbledore, she had managed to become an Animagus; her animal form, with its distinctive markings (tabby cat, square spectacles markings around eyes) were duly logged in the Ministry of Magic’s Animagus Registry." "Known to successive generations of students as ‘Professor McGonagall’, Minerva – always something of a feminist – announced that she would be keeping her own name upon marriage. Traditionalists sniffed – why was Minerva refusing to accept a pure-blood name, and keeping that of her Muggle father?" -J.K. Rowling Now, without further ado, the reasons why Minerva McGonagall is one of my favorite fictional females. #1) SHE'S A BAD A. BOSS WITCH. Seriously, nobody does it better. #2) She didn't take any crap from anyone. McGonagall is the first person to call you on your crap. Don't try it with her. Just don't. I very much appreciate this. #3) She is a loyal and trusted friend to Dumbledor until the very end. Minerva is moral, honest, and always fighting for the right, alongside Albus Dumbledor and even steps in as Headmaster when it's her time. She never pushes for the limelight or takes the power because of greediness, she does it because it's what's right. #4) Her one-liners are the BEST in the series. #5) No seriously. Her wit and humor are my most FAVORITE THINGS! She reminds me of my Grandma who was a retired elementary school teacher in the old days. #6) Despite her sarcasm and frankness, she LOVES her students. #7) When Hogwarts and all of the Wizarding World needed her, she stepped up. Minerva defends Hogwarts like the Bad A. Roman Goddess of Wisdom and Strategic Warfare that she was named after. In the final battle, there's no one I'd rather have by my side than her. #8) She is compassionate. While being known for her strict adherence to the rules, McGonagall is always compassionate and loyal. Though she seems (and is) undoubtedly fierce, she is also compassionate, which makes her a great leader. #9) May I offer you a cough drop, Dolores?!?! MAY I?!?! Seriously, put that B back her her place! No one does polite B- like she does. AND I LOVE IT. #10) Sometimes, doing the "right thing" means breaking the rules. McGonagall isn't afraid to bend the rules when she knows it's the right thing to do. She doesn't do it often, her strict moral compass is something that's she's known for, but when it has to be done, she does it. She helps her students any way she can. #11) She is a great fighter. #12) Seriously, her sarcasm makes my heart happy. #13) This look. The original RBF. My like is this look. #14) DID I STUTTER?! Queen. #15) She's got no time for your foolishness. #16) Have a biscuit, Potter. Perhaps my FAVORITE Potter/McGonagall moment ever!! She backs up her students when they're in the right against other figures in power (Umbridge) are wrong and using their position to manipulate and degrade morality. #17) She gets right down to business. #18) She is my hero for the amount of grief she gives the kids. #19) Mic Drop. #20) SAVAGE. #20) She is a super talented Animagus. Proving that those who CAN do teach also teach. #21) She knows how to command a room. #22) Crack that whip! #23) She knows the importance of sometimes turning a blind eye. #24) THAT APPROVING SMILE. Not freely given out like candy, Minerva approval has to be earned, but it's worth it. Ultimately, Professor McGonagall is the person I'd want most as a mentor. She is incredibly brilliant, courageous, moral, brave, relentless, tenacious, sarcastic, and unshakable. She is a phenomenal teacher and headmaster and one of my most FAVORITE fictional females. Keep slaying, Queen. You're the bossiest boss witch of all the boss witches.

Well, it's that time of the year again, when Brown Eyed Girl turns another year older and wiser too (or so she'd like to believe). Don't worry, I'm not going to write in the 3rd person this whole time... ;) I have a yearly tradition I rather enjoy keeping up, where I write a short Memoir on my Birthday that sort of reflects on the last year and looks towards the coming year. Isn't that what New Years is for? you ask. Yes, many (most?) people go through the same sort of process on New Years, but my Birthday is my special day and I'll do what I want. ;) So I turned 27 this year and I have to say, it's ALREADY quite different than any other birthday I've had thus far. It wasn't necessarily a conscious decision, but it seemed like once I turned 27, I no longer cared what people thought of me and my life. You see, this had always been a problem in my early twenties; I used to spend a great deal of time worrying what others thought and I never felt I measured up. I worried how they saw me, as a person, my life, the decisions I've made, the way my life had turned out, etc. Yes, a great deal of stress and anxiety had been devoted to worrying about all these things and more. Maybe it was because my life had gone in a direction contrary to those within my sub-culture and I didn't have the self-confidence to get past expectations and reality. But suddenly, I didn't care anymore. Don't get me wrong, I still have insecurities and other things I'm dealing with, but I no longer cared or thought about how people thought about me or my life, and I started living for me. It's so freeing when your thoughts are Will this make me happy? or This is what I want/don't want instead of how will this make me look? or I hope it looks like I don't care about ____ or Maybe if I fake being happy long enough, it will actually happen. There is so much pressure and anxiety in your early twenties, and somehow, that just sort of evaporates in your late twenties. Maybe evaporates is the wrong word, shifts is probably more accurate. In your early twenties, you care more about how OTHER people think about you/your life/your looks/your happiness/your choices/etc. In your late twenties, you sort of realize that you have to live with yourself the rest of your life, so you'd better find a way to enjoy it. You become concerned with your happiness, for your own sake, and not any others. You may still be doing the same actions, but the motivations are different. You notice that you're doing them for you, and not for anyone else. I'm not sure if that makes any sense, so in full disclosure, I'll give you some examples from my own experiences: 1. You start listening to your "guilty pleasures" without turning the "private session" button ON on Spotify, or listening with your windows down, loud and proud. And you realize that it's not even a "guilty pleasure" anymore because WHY SHOULD I FEEL GUILTY ABOUT LIKING WHAT I LIKE?! Now they're just pleasures, screw worrying about being "cool" or whatever the heck that's supposed to mean anyways. Ex: Taylor Swift. Loud and proud. 2. You find yourself wearing make up because it makes YOU feel good or you like doing it, not because you feel like you "NEED" to or people expect you to. Ex: Running errands Saturday morning without makeup on because I can now do it without feeling disgusting or wearing a super dark shard or lipstick because I LIKE IT, regardless if other people think it's "too dark" or whatever. It makes ME happy, so I'm doing it. 3. You find yourself wanting to do yoga/run/lift weights or go to the gym (or whatever form of exercise you do) not to "be thin" or "lose weight" or fit societally based gendered expectations or so that other people are attractive, but because it makes YOU feel good and you ENJOY it. Ex: Yoga. Not because it's "cool", but because it genuinely makes my muscles feel good, alleviates my stress, and makes me feel more relaxed. Oh yeah, and my joints are already arthritic and it's low impact. :) You also start completely changing behaviors you'd never really thought about before. Such as: 4. You start being choosy with your group of friends. Friends are extremely important, and you notice that while your amount of friends may be dwindling, your relationships are actually growing, in new, sturdier ways. You have fewer friends, yes, but you also have fewer "frenemies" and A LOT less drama. And the friends you do have are so close, they're like actual family. Oh! And your family becomes more of a group of friends than ever before. Ex: I used to have a lot of friends and a lot of different groups of friends. Nowadays, I'm content with hanging out with the same set of people, without feeling the need to keep adding to my friends circle. Not that I wouldn't if I didn't meet someone who I really loved, but I don't really go out looking to make new friends anymore. I have amazing friends, they are few, but they are AMAZING, and my relationships with them are deep and complex and vital to my being. And my family has become a group of my best friends. I actually hang out with them the most! 5. You start appreciating nights/weekends spent IN rather than going OUT. You are busy now, always on the go, and you may even commute A LOT, which means you actually look forward to getting home, getting into your pjs, eating dinner on the couch and catching up on your shows. You rarely go out on the weekdays, and if you do, it's to the store on the way home because you need something essential. (tampons, deodorant, Panda Express, or you know, chocolate.) Weekends are spent basically the same way. Ex: If it's 8 pm on a Friday and Saturday and I haven't left the house to go out, it's not going to happen. Unless I'm going to Bestie's ((in my pjs)) for a movie night. And NOTHING happens on Sunday evenings after 6. Helloooooo, I have work in the morning. My accomplishments will be showering and going to bed on time,not getting stuck on Pinterest looking at AMAZING bathrooms . Have you seen how big some of those free-standing tubs can get?? :::drooling::: 6. You realize that sleep is the HOLY GRAIL and almost NOTHING else matters as much. Ex: I'm still a night owl, but I WILL make sure that on the weekends, I get a full 9 hours of sleep. maybe even 10 if I'm feeling jazzy. On the weekdays, the struggle is real, and it's more like 7. Which is awful. Because no human being should have to live off of 7 hours of sleep. It's inhumane. But I deal with it until the weekend and the sleeeeeeeep. Gloriously. Do NOT expect me to be out of bed, or heaven forbid showered, before noon. It won't happen and you'll only be disappointing yourself, because I'll be living the dream. All-in-all, I'm glad 26 is over, it was a rough year for me, dealing with A LOT of things emotionally, and I'm actually REALLY glad my early and mid twenties are over, because I actually think I'm really going to ENJOY my late twenties. It's been wonderful this first month! Here's to another year, hopefully my next year's Memoir will be just as hopeful!

And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light that shines on me, Shine on until tomorrow, let it be. There have been times in my life when this song has been my constant companion. There's something so calming about Paul McCartney's voice; like a rising tide, it washes over you and pulls back in its wake, all your worries, doubts and fears. For a mere 4 minutes, whatever you're going through doesn't feel as bad anymore. There's hope, a light that shines on you, warming from the inside out. That's what makes the song so compelling- that message of hope, those words of wisdom to "let it be". When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be. Paul McCartney wrote the song for the Beatles after having a dream about his mum Mary, 10 years after she had died. He had been in personal turmoil and dreamt that she came to him with reassurances and comfort. Mother Mary, while sounding biblical in nature is actually his literal mother, Mary. And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me, Speaking words of wisdom; Let it be. Obviously a deeply moving experience and what turned into an extremely personal song, which is why I think it's so captivating and spiritual. It's so genuine and touching, coming from such a place of love and hope, it's no wonder that it was as popular as it was and still is today. Let it be. Three simple words yet sometimes that's the hardest thing in the world. When we don't have control over whatever is going on in our lives, it can make us feel helpless, frustrated, scared, and even disheartened. Darkness closes in on us and we can't seem to find our way back- lost on the black raging sea without a compass to point north. Until, that is, we spot a lighthouse in the distance and then all we have to do is follow it back into shore. McCartney's voice has always served as a lighthouse for me- a beacon of hope and happiness. There's so much we don't have control over and at some point we have to learn to put hands up, wave the white flag and stop trying to make sense of everything that happens. This song has been playing on repeat for the last several months as life seemed to once again spiral out of control and I struggled to put the pieces together. I'm reminded as I sit and think about how I learned this lesson the hardest way there is- sitting next to my sister as she laid in the hospital bed a couple years ago, fighting for her life, her cold limp hand wrapped in both of my worried palms. I sat there, just beside myself, struggling to understand, to wrap my head around what was happening. Everything was so dark, so grim, so absolutely devastating that it felt like I couldn't see; it was just blackness for what felt like an infinite amount of time until a small piece of hope, a little ember of light pierced the darkness and pulled me back. "There will be an answer, let it be." Lines that radiate warmth and comfort, like a big hug from the sun that wraps around your entire being and doesn't let go. They speak of patience (a definite virtue but nearly impossible for people like me) but that doesn't come easy; not at least when the floor is collapsing underneath you and you're just trying to hold on. I've never had patience tested like I had in those 72 horrible hours, waiting, hoping, begging for answers to questions not even the doctors with their fancy medical degrees could answer. The hard lesson I learned is not everything can be fixed right away and sometimes nothing can be done. Not all the answers are available now. But they will be, in time. And eventually, the answers did come, as they so often do, in the most simple if not perplexingly obvious ways. I'm reminded of that when I think back to those long hours spent in that uncomfortable chair under the fluorescent light bulbs of the ICU room. Or the moment I realized that miracles sometimes hide in the strangest of places. Not all problems in life are this severe or dramatic, but they are the ones that really stick with you, that teach you and mold you into who you are. They're the ones that come back to you when other problems or troubles arise, those little beacons of light that remind us how to get back to the shore. What I've learned is this; learn to leave your problems behind you, learn how to move on with your life, and learn to let go. I know I'm not the first to say this and I won't be the last, but "letting go" of whatever it is we're struggling with really is hardest thing to do. Some experiences, mistakes, or people take a lot of time before it can be put behind us. Life can be tricky that way. Sometimes we have to learn just to "let it be", and in my life, that's some of the best advice I've ever received. There's something so peaceful about giving up the reins and just existing in the current moment; to forget everything else, just for a minute, a day, a night and just BE. And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light that shines on me, Shine on until tomorrow, let it be.

"Women Crush Wednesday" has really given me an opportunity to make a tradition out of highlighting women once a week, and I have to say, I'm very grateful for it. What started out as a "fun thing" has morphed into something more for me, and I've really become invested in learning, researching, and my most favorite, SHARING all of the great things wonderful ladies are doing to uplift, impact, and change my life. I am a self-proclaimed Feminist. And while I'm a Psych Major, I have added in gender studies within my coursework because I LOVE IT SO MUCH. I hope to one day so something as amazing and impacting as what these lovely ladies have done, but for now, I'll do my best to just keep learning and improving so that I can one day get there. They have, however, inspired me to make small changes and become more involved, and for that I am forever grateful. We can't all be Emma Watson's or Malala Yousafzai's or Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's, but we can be ourselves, and we have SO MUCH to offer! We can ALL make a difference by making small changes, by doing the little things that add up to big things. If we ALL do OUR PART, we can unify and make a REAL IMPACT. I believe that, whole heartedly. I believe that small changes can grow into big changes; after all, doesn't a small pebble dropped into the vast ocean still send ripples far beyond it's reach? Couldn't we do the same? These wonderful women are sure showing us that, indeed, WE CAN! Women Who're Changing the World Emma Watson, UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, He For She "Men—I would like to take this opportunity to extend your formal invitation. Gender equality is your issue too. Because to date, I’ve seen my father’s role as a parent being valued less by society despite my needing his presence as a child as much as my mother’s. I’ve seen young men suffering from mental illness unable to ask for help for fear it would make them look less “macho”—in fact in the UK suicide is the biggest killer of men between 20-49 years of age; eclipsing road accidents, cancer and coronary heart disease. I’ve seen men made fragile and insecure by a distorted sense of what constitutes male success. Men don’t have the benefits of equality either. We don’t often talk about men being imprisoned by gender stereotypes but I can see that that they are and that when they are free, things will change for women as a natural consequence". [Source] Dear Emma. What a source of goodness and strength you exhibit for all of us. I'm just barely two years older than her, but I always felt like the same age, and naturally, I looked up to Hermoine Granger because she was the most amazing #bosswitch EVER! But As Harry Potter ended, I very soon began to look up to Emma Watson, the person, rather than just Emma Watson, the wonderful actress that played one of my favorite Heroines. Emma is changing the world. The "He for She" campaign is changing Feminism as we speak. But even more than that, she's inspiring us to be better. She's taught me how to speak out, speak UP, despite the "credentials" other may or may not think you have. You are important. You have something to say. And YOU have the right to say it, regardless of sex, education, occupation, or social class. You are YOU, your individual perspective matters, you have a voice for a reason, so use it, and use it for good. I used to be nervous about saying things that I believed or speaking up about issues, especially those that meant so much to me and those that I very much disagreed with others close to me. But she taught me to believe in myself. Still, till this day, I mutter her words from the UN speech, if not me, who, if not now, when? [Watch the full beautiful speech above] Sophia Bush, Invisible Children, Global Green Gulf Relief, DoSomething.org, Pencils of Promise, Global Poverty Project, I Am That Girl, etc. “I gave myself some space and traveled for two and a half months...I opened the school I built for my 30th birthday in Guatemala, and then built another school in Guatemala...One of my best friends describes me as an activist who is inconvenienced — in a good way — by her career as an actress...I love my job, but I couldn’t keep doing this if it ever actually precluded me from working on the world. I would just get another job....I wish I’d known to trust my instincts more, but that’s just life, though. When a red flag comes up and you ignore it because you’re trying to be nice or keep things easy, I’ve learned not to do that. I’ve really realized I don’t need to be a people pleaser. I don’t need to give anyone else’s opinions more weight than my own. My opinions should matter the most because they’re mine. And if your opinions are formed from a place of genuine honesty and kindness for others, then your opinions are worth defending — and now I do.” [Source] I have a deeply rooted love for Sophia. She is the kind of role model I'm glad girls have to look up to. I certainly look up to her, and We're roughly the same age. She inspires me to be better, to do more, to give more. I love how she uses her platform to promote good. I love that she speaks up for injustices. I love that she declares and defends her opinions, never shrinking back like I feel I so often do. She embodies courage, bravery, honestly, and kindness. She shares that with the world and I could not be more appreciative. She has really influenced me to become a better person. Just look at all those organizations she's involved in, all of which I didn't even include! And she works A LOT, which begs the question, WHY AM I ((WE)) NOT DOING MORE?! Thanks for being your amazing self Sophia, and thanks for inspiring us to better ourselves! You are a true GEM!! Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, We Should All be Feminists "Some people ask: "Why the word feminist? Why not just say you are a believer in human rights, or something like that?" Because that would be dishonest. Feminism is, of course, part of human rights in general - but to choose to use the vague expression human rights is to deny the specific and particular problem of gender. It would be a way of pretending that it was not women who have, for centuries, been excluded. It would be a way of denying that the problem of gender targets women. That the problem was not about being human, but specifically about being a female human. For centuries, the world divided human beings into two groups and then proceeded to exclude and oppress one group. It is only fair that the solution to the problem acknowledge that. We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller. We say to girls: You can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful but not too successful, otherwise you will threaten the man. If you are the breadwinner in your relationship with a man, pretend that you are not, especially in public, otherwise you will emasculate him." I bought the paperback copy of Chimamanda's Ted Talk and stayed up reading the whole thing because I COULD NOT STOP. Since, I can't stop reading her works. She is so extremely talented, so honest, so brave, that it just lights a fire inside my soul. I used to worry that I'd intimidate men, that my career and educational goals would make it hard for me to find someone to eventually settle down with, that I should, in some ways, turn down the notches of my mind/heart/voice so as to not make any waves. I've always had a problem with wanting to be liked. I needed it for so long, it's actually pretty embarrassing. But she's taught me so much; she's taught me to be myself, to not hinder myself or tone it down, just to appease other people. She taught me that by being myself, I can create more profound and honest work, that I can actually do more, do better, once I've fully accepted to I am and no longer shy away from it. She taught me embrace my femininity, to embrace what being a woman means to me, to live my life for myself and not anyone else. She taught me that there's power in talk, even a single voice. [Listen to the full Ted Talk above] Jennifer Lawrence, Lenny Letter- Why Do I Make Less Than My Male Co‑Stars? "When the Sony hack happened and I found out how much less I was being paid than the lucky people with dicks, I didn’t get mad at Sony. I got mad at myself. I failed as a negotiator because I gave up early. I didn’t want to keep fighting over millions of dollars that, frankly, due to two franchises, I don’t need. (I told you it wasn’t relatable, don’t hate me). But if I’m honest with myself, I would be lying if I didn’t say there was an element of wanting to be liked that influenced my decision to close the deal without a real fight. I didn’t want to seem “difficult” or “spoiled.” At the time, that seemed like a fine idea, until I saw the payroll on the Internet and realized every man I was working with definitely didn’t worry about being “difficult” or “spoiled.” This could be a young-person thing. It could be a personality thing. I’m sure it’s both. But this is an element of my personality that I’ve been working against for years, and based on the statistics, I don’t think I’m the only woman with this issue. Are we socially conditioned to behave this way? We’ve only been able to vote for what, 90 years? I’m seriously asking — my phone is on the counter and I’m on the couch, so a calculator is obviously out of the question. Could there still be a lingering habit of trying to express our opinions in a certain way that doesn’t “offend” or “scare” men? A few weeks ago at work, I spoke my mind and gave my opinion in a clear and no-bullshit way; no aggression, just blunt. The man I was working with (actually, he was working for me) said, “Whoa! We’re all on the same team here!” As if I was yelling at him. I was so shocked because nothing that I said was personal, offensive, or, to be honest, wrong. All I hear and see all day are men speaking their opinions, and I give mine in the same exact manner, and you would have thought I had said something offensive. I’m over trying to find the “adorable” way to state my opinion and still be likable! F--- that. I don’t think I’ve ever worked for a man in charge who spent time contemplating what angle he should use to have his voice heard. It’s just heard". [Source] I LOVE Jennifer Lawrence, like most of the world. She's an Oscar winner, been a revolutionary in the war against body image, and single handedly took down the "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels" argument. But even more amazing than that, she wrote a letter published in Lena Dunham's Lenny, blasting Hollywood's issues of sexism and the gender wage gap that so many women, in the US and abroad, are affected by. I couldn't believe the amount of backlash I heard on the internet, radio, school, etc. Seriously, I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT. Of course, it only furthers her point. And in a very Jennifer way, she acknowledges that in her situation, it's not about the money, it's the principle. I have, on so many times I couldn't even count, felt that same way, that I shouldn't complain and just be grateful for something, because I was a girl or afraid to voice my opinion on matters, just because I was afraid I'm come off too aggressive, too mouthy, too harsh. But I think she's absolutely right in suggesting that these concepts seem to be gender-specific for the most part. I think she's incredibly brave for speaking out, especially in an industry that is so male dominated. I had to have taken a lot of courage to publish this essay, knowing that people were going to most likely say "what does it matter to you, you're not hurting for money". Ugh. That argument bothers me to NO END. It's not about the money people, it's about principle. It's about feeling equal to men, in a way that we should and deserve to feel. It's about fairness and being appreciated, and acknowledging that THERE IS STILL A PROBLEM HERE. Even in 2016. Amy Poehler, Amy's Smart Girls “Some big actors and musicians feel like they have to speak to their audience and [feminism] is confusing to their audience. But I don’t get it. That’s like someone being like, ‘I don’t really believe in cars, but I drive one every day and I love that it gets me places and makes life so much easier and faster and I don’t know what I would do without it.’ ” [Source] I just love Amy. She has been an icon for me for so long; her openness about her beliefs, her willingness to stand up for them and her shining positive example has definitely influenced me throughout the years. She is a strong Feminist, who doesn't take sexist-crap from anyone, and doesn't shy away from speaking up about the issues, even if they are uncomfortable or unpopular. She is an all-around superstar; she writes, produces, and directs, but maybe my most favorite creation of hers is Amy's Smart Girls. Amy's Smart Girls is an organization which is "dedicated to helping young people cultivate their authentic selves [and] emphasize intelligence and imagination over “fitting in.” The website, amysmartgirls.com, offers a place of support for girls, activities and DIY, articles like "How to change a flat tire", "How to interview like a boss", etc, and my personal favorite, downloadable Women's History coloring pages, because, you know, everyone loves to color, amirite?! I also love the "ABC's of Smart Girls", which are articles like "K is for knowledge", "M is for Magic", "J is for Justice", "I is for Intelligence", "F is for Friendship", and so on. They are truly inspiring, honest, and positive. I think all women, not just girls, can benefit from what they have to offer! They also have an amazing "Take Action" segment that shows people getting involved in making changes around their community and also ideas for how you could get involved in your own community. Basically, Amy's Smart Girls is FREAKING AWESOME and its everything we could've ever dreamed of and more. Malala Yousafzai, Winner of Noble Peace Prize, The Malala Fund "As far as I know, I am just a committed and even stubborn person who wants to see every child getting quality education, who wants to see women having equal rights and who wants peace in every corner of the world. Education went from being a right to being a crime. Girls were stopped from going to school. When my world suddenly changed, my priorities changed too. I had two options. One was to remain silent and wait to be killed. And the second was to speak up and then be killed. I chose the second one. I decided to speak up. The terrorists tried to stop us and attacked me and my friends who are here today, on our school bus in 2012, but neither their ideas nor their bullets could win. We survived. And since that day, our voices have grown louder and louder...I tell my story, not because it is unique, but because it is not. It is the story of many girls... I dedicate the Nobel Peace Prize money to the Malala Fund, to help give girls quality education, everywhere, anywhere in the world and to raise their voices. The first place this funding will go to is where my heart is, to build schools in Pakistan—especially in my home of Swat and Shangla. In my own village, there is still no secondary school for girls. And it is my wish and my commitment, and now my challenge to build one so that my friends and my sisters can go there to school and get quality education and to get this opportunity to fulfill their dreams. This is where I will begin, but it is not where I will stop. I will continue this fight until I see every child, every child in school." [Source] https://www.malala.org/malalas-story Malala is seriously the most amazing role model in the history of role models. She is the YOUNGEST winner of the Noble Peace Prize (2014), who then donated the $1.1 million dollar prize to finance and open a secondary school for girls in Pakistan. She is an education activist, who's fought for the rights of all children to have the ability to go to school, both boys AND girls, which is HUGE. In 2011, she was awarded Pakistan's first National Youth Peace Prize and was also nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize. These acknowledgements of her work, and her growing popularity as a child activist, received the attention of the Taliban leaders, who voted to kill her. On October 9, 2012, gunman attacked her school bus, shot her with a single bullet that entered her head, neck and shoulder and was left for dead. She survived, though she was hospitalized for months before she made a full recovery. "The Taliban's attempt to kill Malala received worldwide condemnation and led to protests across Pakistan. In the weeks after the attack, over 2 million people signed a right to education petition, and the National Assembly swiftly ratified Pakistan's first Right To Free and Compulsory Education Bill". She of course did not stop her work; in 2013, she and her father created The Malala Fund, which advocates for girls receiving education and bringing attention to the social, political, legal and economical factors that have denied girls in her country from getting a formal education. [Source] I can't think of a better example of standing up for yourself, for others, and fighting through persecution than Malala. She is a true shining light in our often dark world. I can't wait to see what she continues to do, and she's certainly inspired me to stand up and DO MORE. As Malala said, "let us pick up our books and pencils. They are our most power weapon". *** Malala has teamed up with TOMS to create an exclusive scarf in which 100% of the profits will be donated to The Malala Fund, which supports girls' empowerment through education. Buy it here: http://www.toms.com/malala-fund-toms-scarf/the-malala-fund-toms-scarf [Watch her full Noble Prize acceptance speech above] Beyonce Knowles-Carter, Gender Equality is a Myth! "We need to stop buying into the myth about gender equality. It isn’t a reality yet. Today, women make up half of the U.S. workforce, but the average working woman earns only 77 percent of what the average working man makes. But unless women and men both say this is unacceptable, things will not change. Men have to demand that their wives, daughters, mothers, and sisters earn more—commensurate with their qualifications and not their gender. Equality will be achieved when men and women are granted equal pay and equal respect. Humanity requires both men and women, and we are equally important and need one another. So why are we viewed as less than equal? These old attitudes are drilled into us from the very beginning. We have to teach our boys the rules of equality and respect, so that as they grow up, gender equality becomes a natural way of life. And we have to teach our girls that they can reach as high as humanly possible. We have a lot of work to do, but we can get there if we work together. Women are more than 50 percent of the population and more than 50 percent of voters. We must demand that we all receive 100 percent of the opportunities". [Source] Beyonce wrote the above letter for Maria Shriver's ShriverReport.org about gender equality and it is fantastic! Queen Bey is a music icon in her own right, but she is also an activist and philanthropist, which many people don't realize. Beyonce is a Co-Founder with Salma Hayek-Pinault in ChimeForChange.org, which is a global campaign to promote health, justice, and education for girls and women around the world. She put on an amazing concert in 2013 called The Sound of Change Live, which was broadcasted on TV, and in which she headlined, joined by Florence + the Machine, Jennifer Lopez, Ellie Goulding, Mary J Blige, and you know, her hubby Jay Z (amongst others). Ticket prices were donated to the organization, as well as the ability for viewers watching on TV to donate as well. It was pretty amazing, and the videos are on YouTube if you still haven't seen it. I respect people for using their platforms for good and to advocate for change, especially when those platforms are as large as Beyonce's world stage. From her girl-power style anthem's to her charitable work, Beyonce is an awesome figurehead of Feminism and Activism, and reminds us that there is still much work to be done within our Country, and we ALL need to do better!

STEM is very important to me. As a woman with a degree in a STEM field, working (in STEM) as a researcher, it's VERY important to me, to say the least. I've always admired STEM women, before I even knew what STEM was. By the way...STEM stands for Science/Technology/Engineering/Mathematics, fields where women are typically underrepresented. That lack of representation is why it's so important for women in STEM to be at the forefront. As unlikely as it is to see women represented in these roles, women of color fulfilling STEM roles is even MORE unheard of. THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE. LIKE, NOW. It is appalling that these issues still exist. Representation is important to young girls and young women because when they dream and plan out their lives, they need to be able to SEE themselves in these roles, on their TVs, their movies, their computer screens, in their books, in their real lives... Ashley Zweig, in an article for the Odyssey, states that "whether we choose to admit it or not, the characters that inhabit our screens have a great impact on our lives; they help to shape who we are, the way we view the world around us, and who we aspire to be. That's why representation in the media truly matters." Representation for women in STEM is of upmost importance. Aleks Krotoski poses this question in an article for the Guardian: Technology companies build products that help us make sense of the world- How can they do this without input from 52% of the world's population? She goes on to state that "in 2005, women made up 24% of computer science students. By 2010, that figure had dropped to 19%, according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency. A 2012 report from Creative Skillset found that only 29% of the interactive media industry in the UK is female, and the majority hold positions in art and design and communications rather than engineering." AAUW's data in their research reports Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (2010) and Solving the Equation: The Variables for Women’s Success in Engineering and Computing (2015) reflect these sentiments. In America, "more than ever before, girls are studying and excelling in science and mathematics. Yet the dramatic increase in girls’ educational achievements in scientific and mathematical subjects has not been matched by similar increases in the representation of women working as engineers and computing professionals. Just 12 percent of engineers are women, and the number of women in computing has fallen from 35 percent in 1990 to just 26 percent today. The numbers are especially low for Hispanic, African American, and American Indian women. Black women make up 1 percent of the engineering workforce and 3 percent of the computing workforce, while Hispanic women hold just 1 percent of jobs in each field. American Indian and Alaska Native women make up just a fraction of a percent of each workforce." As tomorrow is International Women's Day, and after seeing Black Panther again, for the third time, I've decided to release this week's #WCW highlighting my FAVORITE Fictional Women in STEM. Shuri, Princess of Wakanda, The Black Panther (Movie) Shuri is a princess of the fictional African kingdom of Wakanda. Shuri is a technical genius; she designs the special armored outfits and gadgets for her brother to use. She also fights alongside the Dora Milaje, the female warriors who protect the King, in defense of Wakanda and her brother, the Black Panther. Her technological innovations rival that of Tony Stark and Q (of James Bond fame). She is such a phenomenal character! [Actually, all of the women in the film are STELLAR. They're all of my most favorite parts!] Dr. Ellie Sattler, Jurassic Park It's important to me that you know this; Dr.Ellie Sattler is the most important character in Jurassic Park. She is my earliest #WCW; I can vividly remember seeing this movie as a very young child when it came out, and instantly wanting to BE HER. Dr. Sattler is a paleobotanist, who, along with my first crush, Dr. Grant, saves the characters from an island of genetically grown (by-mosquito and-frog DNA) Dinosaurs. She doesn't sit back and let the men rescue the day, she does it herself. She's an integral part of why the characters survive to tell the tale. Cosima Niehaus, Orphan Black Cosima is one of the clones masterfully played by Tatiana Maslany, and the brains behind finding and interpreting the science behind their genetic makeup. She was once a PhD student in Experimental Evolutionary Developmental Biology, but dropped out of school to study the female clones' biology. Despite congenital respiratory illness (that has killed other clones) still threatening her life, Cosima continues to fight for truth and justice with her clone sisters. She is one of my all-time favorites!! Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler, Big Bang Theory Amy is the incredibly smart Neurobiologist is the only one who can keep up with Sheldon Cooper. She is probably my favorite character on the show. She is hilarious, loyal, loving, and tenacious. She is a wonderful best friend to Penny and never sacrifices her intellect or standing up for what she believes in. Dana Scully, The X-Files Another one of my first #WCW! Scully is an FBI agent and a medical doctor. She is brilliant! Scully has a Bachelor of Science degree in physics (her undergraduate thesis was titled Einstein's Twin Paradox: A New Interpretation). While in medical school at Stanford University, she was recruited by the FBI, and accepts their offer. She is the brains of the operation in so many ways. But she is also courageous, brave, fierce, and resilient. Angela Montenegro, Bones Angela Montenegro is a specialist in forensic facial reconstruction at the Jeffersonian Institution. She uses her skills as an artist to develop, maintain, and improve the lab’s three-dimensional graphics and computer simulation systems. She is credited with the innovation of the "Angelator", which is later recreated/replaced with a newer version, the "Angelatron". Happy Quinn, Scorpion Happy is mechanical engineer prodigy; she's part of the literal team of geniuses, called Scorpion. Happy's genius has saved the fictional world so many times; without her, the team would not be successful. Dr. Maura Isles, Rizzoli & Isles Dr. Isles is the Medical Examiner and the other half of Rizzoli & Isles. She has a warm, happy personality, who's extremely curious, interesting, and funny. She has a brilliant mind and devoted to her work and her best friend (Jane Rizzoli). The pair are a crime fighting team, showcasing women in leadership roles working together to save the world (or at least, their city). ;) Dr. Jane Foster, Thor Doctor Jane Foster is one of the world's leading astrophysicists, the world's foremost astronomer, the creator of the Foster Theory, as well as one of the premiere experts on Asgard. She found Thor after he was banished from Asgard and fell to Earth while she and her team were in New Mexico studying astronomical anomalies. Need I say more?? She is literally my favorite part of Thor. (Sorry Chris Hemsworth!) Dr. Jo Harding, Twister Dr. Jo Harding lost her family in a storm as a child, which inspired her to become a meteorologist that studied catastrophic weather activity. Her team, nicknamed ‘storm chasers’ develop a machine that tracks storms and records the activity,in hopes to increase the amount of advanced warning time and save lives. She continually puts herself in the harms way, even willing to give her own life, for the sake of science and helping to prevent the unnecessary loss of human life. Dr. Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz, Big Bang Theory Bernadette has her Ph.D in Microbiology and a lucrative job at a pharmaceutical company. While the show may have been at first about the male geniuses, it has developed into a more inclusive gang of scientists with Bernadette and Amy, who simultaneously hold their own and elevate the thinking of the male characters around them. Bernadette also working during her pregnancy and after the baby is born, by choice, and it a great example for many career moms that it is doable and okay to choose to be both a mom and a scientist. Dr. Temperance Brennan, Bones Brennan is a forensic anthropologist, who investigates human remains at crime scenes where the flesh is too degraded for a coroner to obtain evidence. Nicknamed "Bones", she is the protagonist of the series and undergoes a lot of character development throughout the series, while still remaining true to herself and her love of science. Towards the end of the series, she has a daughter, and also showcases the struggles of being a working mom. She is the leading expert of forensic anthropology, and uses her incredible brain to help her partner fight crime. Dr. Mindy Lahiri, The Mindy Project One of my favorite (and humorous) portrayals is done by the lovely Mindy Kaling, of Dr. Lahiri, an OB/GYN in New York City. Mindy is bubbly, hilarious, and wickedly smart, trying to juggle her personal life with her professional life. She's romantic, honest, self-deprecating, and unapologetically herself. Kaling has stated that Dr. Mindy Lahiri is inspired by her own mother, which makes this even more wonderful! Abbey Sciuto, NCIS Abby is a forensic scientist at the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) headquarters at the Washington Navy Yard, with expertise in ballistics, digital forensics, and DNA analysis. She is the show's best feature. Don Bellisario (the show's creater) said he "wanted to take an alternative-style person with tattoos and make her someone who is happy, totally put together and successful. All the script said about her was: black hair, caffeinated and smart...She's completely unaware that anybody thinks she looks weird. She thinks she looks pretty and never calls herself anything other than happy". Abbey pushes boundaries and breaks stereotypes, and of course, I appreciate her "gothic nature". Penelope Garcia, Criminal Minds Penelope is a technical analyst for the Behavioral Analysis Unit that is the center of the show. She is brilliant, confident, fun-loving, and hilarious, providing much of the show's comic relief. She is highly optimistic and provides a great support system for the other characters on her team. So, here's to all the real life STEM women out there, working tirelessly in male-dominated fields. If you get tired of being "the token woman", remember what we are fighting for. And that, some day, our daughters and nieces will know a world where women are just as likely to hold jobs in STEM fields as men, and just as likely to be CEO's, Judges, Astronauts, Engineers, Mathematicians, Scientists, Technological Innovators...

Fall officially starts on September 23 and I can't tell you how excited that makes me. It’s no secret that Fall is my *FAVORITE* time of year! I mean, what’s not to love right? And yes, I do like summer, for about 12 minutes and then I’m ready for Fall again. Truth is, I never really want Fall to be over. I LOVE IT. Sure, Winter is great, and definitely second best, but Fall is for sure the BEST. I know most people are clenching onto their last days of summer the way I do to Lindor Chocolate Truffles, but seriously you guys, it’s really time we get this show on the road and say sayonara to Summer. Here are the 10 reasons why I CANNOT WAIT for Fall: 1. Hoodies. Hoodies are my FAVORITE thing in the world. They’re so comfy and cozy and warm. Mmmmmmm… they just put you in the best mood! Not to mention the weather that’s associated with hoodies. Give me cold and cloudy ANY day of the week over hot and sunny. Sweater weather is better weather. 2. The changing of the seasons…in the literal sense. I love when the trees change color; orange, yellow, purple…so many beautiful colors! One of my favorite things in the world is to stomp on crunchy leaves...really, you can never be too old to do this! I love when they cover the streets and everyone’s front yards. It seriously makes me SO HAPPY. The weather is perfect because you're not sweating your butt off and you're also not experiencing frostbite yet. It's the PERFECT medium! 3. Bonfires w/ SMORES, obviously. Sure, you can have these in other seasons too, but it’s not as good. It doesn't even taste as good, I swear! Sitting by the fire in a hoodie and wrapped in a blanket, roasting marshmallows at dusk…doesn't that sound like the *PERFECT* night?? Add in some ghost stories and you have the best.night.ever. 4. RAIN. I love rain. It’s my favorite type of weather. I’m not sure what it is exactly, but it’s just perfect. Maybe as the earth gets a nice cleanse, I get a metaphorical one as well? I’m not sure if that makes any sense, but that’s how it feels. And the smell of the asphalt as it just starts to drizzle is indescribable. 5. PUMPKINS!! I love ‘em. I love how they look in our garden in the front yard, I love how they taste, I love the fake “pumpkin spice” flavoring that goes into EVERYTHING. Pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls, cider, muffins, cookies, bread, you name it, it’s going to be sold starting October 1st. Not to mention the pumpkin scented candles! I love lighting those babies every day after work. It’s like a pumpkin wonderland! 6. Apple Hill. For those who might not live near me, Apple Hill is an area of apple orchards (yes, on a hill) that put on like a farmers market, but bigger! They have boutiques set up everywhere, tones of food places, the best CARAMEL in the world, and some pretty bangin’ apple pie using their own apples. You drive around going to different people’s orchards and pumpkin farms (where you can hand pick your very own!) and eat tons of delicious food, buy tons of unique things and enjoy the beautiful fall weather in a little slice of nature’s paradise. We've been going every year since I was young, it’s a family tradition. And one that will not be broken. EVER. 7. Rainy days inside. I love a wonderful Saturday when the weather is “ghastly” outside and you curl up in your pjs with a great book and a warm blanket on the couch with your pup and read for hours. Maybe at night you throw on Casablanca, The Philadelphia Story (personal favorite), or ANY black & white Hitchcock and enjoy it while the rain pelts against the window glass. It’s also my favorite time to listen to Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, Dean Martin, and you know, Michael Buble. If you're lucky, the power will go out and you can play Clue by candlelight! Which is hands down the best thing in the world. 8. HALLOWEEN. It’s just about my favorite holiday…tied for 1st with Christmas. I love everything about Halloween. And starting October 1st you can start decorating and not stop until the 31st! I mean, it’s wonderful. I always re-read POE during October, because you HAVE TO. And also Practical Magic because it’s about witches and it’s really great, fun, endearing and definitely “Halloween-ey”. Not to mention watching a scary/holiday themed movie every day. ABC family does their 31 days of Halloween where you can revisit Disney Channel classics like Halloween Town. And then on the weekends you can watch grown up scary movies with all your friends! It’s great! -Runner up is Thanksgiving, because it's a huge family holiday, usually around my BIRTHDAY... and also I love to shop! :) 9. Scarves, scarves, and more scarves! A great scarf is the best fashion accessory in fall/winter. It can take a normally unexciting drab outfit to fabulous instantly. A lot of fall/winter colors are darker, but a great scarf can add a punch of color or print to an outfit and knock it out of the park. Not to mention, a scarf looks instantly chic, perfect for date night or girls night! 10. SEASON PREMIERES OF YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOWS!! Who doesn't honestly wait for their favorite TV shows to come back with new episodes?? Maybe we don't like to admit it, but most of us are eagerly waiting for September to arrive with our Fall favorites! It's been rough waiting for their return, and USA does a great job with their summer shows helping to ease the pain, but my goodness are we ready to get back with our favorite characters every week! I mean, David Clark is ALIVE?? What is Emily (aka Amanda) going to do?? Will she finally realize that she's loved Jack all along? [Revenge] Olivia Pope quit her job and got on the plane with JAKE and Fitz is staying with Milley and what's going on in the White House?? [Scandal] Don't EVEN get me started on where we stand in the Apocalypse and the 4 horsemen. [Sleepy Hollow] It will be SO GOOD to get back to our friends and perhaps make some new ones with all the new shows coming out this year!

It's no secret that I LOVE Wednesday and Morticia Addams. If you're anywhere on my Instagram account (brwneydgrl1988) , you know that on Wednesdays I like to post Wednesday Addams pictures, because, well, of course I do. Ever since I was a little girl I loved the Addams Family. I loved the TV Show and I especially loved the movies. This should be of no surprise since my favorite movie as a tiny tot was Nightmare Before Christmas and I've been in love with Johnny Depp since he was Edward Scissorhands. So, suffice it to say that I have always been a lovely goth girl at heart (and later on, in real life lol). I LOVE Halloween. It's the best holiday there is. Sure, I love Christmas too, but Halloween is my favorite. I love the whole month of October, I love scary movies, I love witches, werewolves, zombies (Walking Dead shout out!), vampires (the scary ones, not the sparkly ones), demon hunters (Supernatural shout out!) and basically all that comes with it. So to celebrate the beginning of my FAVORITE month, I thought I'd pay homage to two of my favorite people...Wednesday & Morticia! :) Wednesday & Morticia Addams are my Spirit Animals #1: First of all, let's talk about their total #BOSSWITCH looks. They are very different but equally important and equally enviable. I guess will start with the B.A. matriarch, Morticia... Morticia's trademark "look" is that beautiful knowing look that immediately screams "I know what you're really doing/saying/thinking, so if you think you're fooling me, you aren't." She's nice and polite but you'd definitely not want to mess with her. Also, her "That's what I thought." look, which is priceless. Morticia is the Queen of Everything and she knows it. THIS PERFECT MEME. CHEERS. Let's move on to Wednesday and her perfect Resting B Face, which is CLASSIC. This is me every morning. Girl knows how to mean mug and you can't even hate her for it. Because it's like looking into your soul. Exhibit A: And this perfect meme that fully summarizes at least 12 situations throughout my every day life. ;) #2: They know the *power* of wearing black. TRUTH RULE #1 MY VERY THOUGHTS EXACTLY. I love black. I remember sitting in a room full of girls dressed in bright colors and being head to toe black, including my nails, hair, and dark smokey eye. We were doing a "get to know you" thing and the person asked me what my favorite color was and I said "black", and she said "I didn't know that that really counted as a color." Of course inside my face was Wednesday but outside it was Morticia. I just smiled her smile and didn't respond her to. BLACK IS A COLOR. Black is the best color! So infuriating. #3: Morticia knows: pastels are disgusting. Sorry to say, but I hate pastels. With the exception of maybe 2 nail polishes that I have that are borderline pastel...because everything else looks like an Easter egg. *vomits* Jewel tones and black or nothing! #4: Wednesday has zero time for babies and sissies. Christina Ricci is the *PERFECT* Wednesday. Creepy as hell! TV Show Wednesday, adorable, not a menacing as Movie Wednesday. Just like Wednesday, I have no patience, sympathy, or time for this. Put up or shut up. And stop crying about it. #5: Rain is THE BEST!!! I hate summer. This is DEFINITELY not new news. I hate the sun for the most part. If you saw me, you'd get it. I'm pale by choice because I HATE THE SUN. It's hot and bright and annoying. Give me rain, clouds, fog, storms ANY DAY OF THE WEEK! PURE HAPPINESS PREACH. FACT: The sun kills. Stay inside kids and only go out when it's dark and overcast! #6: Eye Roll Perfection. Seriously. She has the BEST eye roll. Wednesday takes no crap from anyone and she is not afraid to bluntly express her irritation/disgust. #7: Wednesday and Morticia are constantly setting the societal Patriarchy on fire like the #bosswitches they are. Exhibit A: Morticia teaching Wednesday that if you're going to go after the Patriarchy, you're going to need a bigger weapon. ;) What a good mom! #8: And she's doesn't stand for white privilege. Re-writing history like a BOSS. I love this scene when she decides to veer from the script of the first Thanksgiving and tear that s--t to pieces. Burn it down. #9: Wednesday knows that Co-Dependency in an unattractive and unhealthy form of relationships. Don't you know that co-dependency is a dysfunctional relationship where one person supports/enables another person's addiction/ immaturity/ irresponsibility/ under-achievement. DOES THAT SOUND LIKE REAL LOVE TO YOU?! I didn't think so. #9: Morticia and Gomez have the VERY BEST relationship. #RELATIONSHIPGOALS ALL THE BATS!! #10: Wednesday is strong and everyone knows she is not to be messed with. I wouldn't get on her bad side if I were you. Wednesday is tough and I love her fighting spirit. #11: THEY ARE TOUGH AS NAILS. Is it any wonder Wednesday turned out as tough as she did? Morticia is a serious Bad A who's fiercely loyal and loves her family more than anything. Oh, and the Addams Family motto: Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc. We gladly feast on those who would subdue us. #12: Wednesday is the Queen of Sarcasm A girl after my own heart, she is witty and as sarcastic as they come and I LOVE her for it! We sarcastic people have to stick together! #13: The Power of the perfectly *executed* one-liner. [eh eh, get it?! Dark humor... ;) ] Wednesday is the BEST. I'm sorry but I can't help it, I feel like quoting Wayne's World right now... we're not worthy. we're not worthy. #14: Morticia gives the best advice. IT'S NOT. IT'S REALLY NOT. BEAUTIFUL AND TRUE. LOVE THIS! SHE'S NOT ABOUT SOCIETY'S HORRIBLE TRADITIONAL BEAUTY STANDARDS. SHE'S BETTER THAN THAT. ALWAYS REMINDING US THAT WE CAN'T FORGET THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE STRUGGLES TOO. #16: Wednesday is a truth teller. So wise beyond her years. #17: Morticia knows her priorities, but it doesn't mean she doesn't have dreams. And she sets a good example for her kids. DON'T WE ALL?? ;) Exhibit B: #COLLEGEFIRST #18: Because no one does a better plotting face than Morticia. This is a VERY important life skill. #19: And because she is a SURVIVOR. (Even before Destiny's Child.) #20: Wednesday knows this is the ONLY way to sleep. Complete with creepy twin doll. #21: Morticia knows that tragedy is also beautiful. As F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote, "I'm a romantic; a sentimental person thinks things will last, a romantic person hopes against hope that they won't." Happy endings are wonderful but sometimes a beautiful tragedy is the only good ending. #22: And that brunettes (black hair included) definitely have more fun! #24: WEDNESDAY IS NOT PERKY AND I LOVE THAT ABOUT HER. Again, the struggle is real. I am NOT a morning person, though most of my life starts bright and early, which means I'm this Wednesday exactly, until about...noon. #25: AND AGAIN, BECAUSE NO ONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WITH SCREW WITH THEM AND THAT MAKES THEM FREAKING AWESOME.

Why Donald Trump's "Locker Room Talk" is Harmful, Unacceptable, & Disconcerting. Unless you've been hibernating the past couple days, you've heard the leaked audio recording of Donald Trump and Billy Bush's conversation that's been blasted over all social, radio, and television media outlets. With good reason. I've seen many different opinions on the matter, but what's worrisome to me are those people that brush off his comments or say that sure, he's a scumbag, but it doesn't have any affect on his Presidential "abilities". This raises about a dozen million red flags in my head. How could people not be worried about this? How do people not see the DAMAGE this does to women and society. How could we possibly be making things BETTER in our society, if sexual assault, violence against women, and rape culture aren't stopped dead in their tracks? This is a man running for President of the United States of America, and we're going to let him say these things without consequence? When are we going to take violence against women seriously? "Locker Room talk" has been acceptable in our society for too long. Here's why it needs to stop: 1. "Locker Room Talk" Promotes Rape Culture. Rape Culture is the idea, coined in 1970 by Feminists, as the normalization of sexualized violence by society. Author Emily Buchwald defines it in her book, Transforming a Rape Culture, as "a complex set of beliefs that encourage male sexual aggression and supports violence against women...In a rape culture, women perceive a continuum of threatened violence that ranges from sexual remarks to sexual touching to rape itself. A rape culture condones physical and emotional terrorism against women as the norm...and both men and women assume that sexual violence is a fact of life, inevitable". By allowing there to be no consequences for Donald Trump's actions, and furthermore, allowing him to still run for President of the United States, we are doing just that. We are condoning his behavior, we are furthering the ideology that it is acceptable for men to show sexual aggression, harassment, and violence against women. 2. Trump's "Locker Room Talk" isn't just disgusting, it's illegal. Not only is this unacceptable, it's illegal. What Donald Trump is describing is sexual assault. Talking about grabbing women by their genitalia IS sexual assault. What's disturbing is that he brushes his actions off as "locker room talk", leading us to ask if he even understands the definition of sexual assault, because if he did, he wouldn't be so openly admitting to it. 3. "When you're a star, you can do anything". His response that "when you're a star, you can do anything" demonstrates his manipulation of power and dominance. If he says this before becoming President, what will he do with the added power of being the President of the United States? And what does he think he can get away with doing to women, being the President? His words should frighten and alarm everyone. 4. The Excuse of "Locker Room Banter" is Harmful to Men Too. The men I know, don't talk this way about women. It shows a utter disrespect to women, as a whole. Trump's comments are disgraceful to all the men who respect women because it normalizes this specific "locker room talk" as being something that is so common and acceptable, that it doesn't merit any consequences. Michelle Obama replied to this comment by saying that "to dismiss it as locker room talk is an insult to decent men everywhere". It also leads to "Toxic Masculinity", the concept of what it means "to be a man" in our culture has for so long, depicted womanizers and sexually violent men as the epitome of masculinity, enough to where many boys fear going to college "still a virgin". Donald Trump is THE epitome of Toxic Masculinity. [Read it here] [watch it here] 5. It Demonstrates the Over-Sexualization, Objectification, and Disrespect of Women. In Donald Trump's comments, he blatantly objectifies women, making it seem as if their bodies are the only thing of value. His words are so hyper-sexualized, demeaning women down to their genitalia. And his words were said in such a violent way, that many women felt threatened by them. In an article released by the New York Times, Trump's words were so obscene, they brought back memories of sexual assault and abuse for many women, who expressed their feelings of disgust and fear over social media. It boils down to the disrespect of women. These words are harmful to not just women, but society.The normalization of such "banter" makes it seem as if it's okay, in America, to hyper-sexualize, objectify, and disrespect women. [Read it here] His words are a big deal. We need a leader who is championing for the rights of half it's citizens, not brushing off sexual assault as if it's normal or "okay". He CANNOT be our President. He actions MUST BE MET WITH CONSEQUENCES. Step down, Donald. We don't want or need you as the figurehead of our Great Nation. It's about time you lived with the consequences of your actions and faced some disciplinary action for the damage you've done to others, for once in your life.

I know that "best friend" is a title that we hold VERY near and dear to our hearts. We all have a best friend, but most of us have more than one. I know what some people are thinking right now, "How can you have MORE THAN ONE best friend, isn't that the point of having a 'best friend', because they're the BEST of your friends?" I hear you, I do. But I whole heatedly disagree. You may have an ultimate "best friend" but you also may have 3 or 5. The point is, there are different types of "best friends", and they are ALL important to us!! I totally believe that your heart has room for more than one BF, and it's okay! You love them as individuals for a reason, and you shouldn't feel bad about that love! Just realize that no one is REPLACING ANYONE, your friends are different and you're different from your friends' other BF's. Emotionally, we get certain things from certain friends. If you're having trouble sharing one of your BF's with another BF, remember that they love YOU, and your relationship is separate and different from their other relationships. Don't feel threatened, just realize that you both give and take certain things in your friendship, and make the time to find out what that is. When you know that, it doesn't feel as threatening, ya know? I've just gone through this recently and at first I was CRUSHED. You know, I was really affected by it. And then I realized that me and the other person provide this specific BF different things, and that's okay! As you get older and your lives become more complicated, this becomes more and more pertinent to know. Types of different Best Friends: 1. Your "Best Friend Forever"; Your life long BFF; i.e. Your Soul Mate This is your best friend that you've had since you were in diapers. You seriously CAN NOT remember a time before they were your best friend. You have pictures with each other at every stage of life. You may have gone to different schools or lived in different states, but you've been together since the beginning and that will never change. EVER. Because you're soul mates and nothing could ever come between you. You may have some rough patches, but what relationship doesn't? This person is YOUR PERSON. You've shared everything together your entire lives. Heck, you've probably been planning your "grown up lives" together since you were five! 2. Your Childhood BF(s) from School/Your College BF You went to the same middle school or high school or college together and you've experienced the same things together with those friends/enemies. These bonds are very strong because you faced puberty or mean girls or crushes on the most popular guy in school with them. You sat next to each other in so many classes, you can't even count them all. And every class was spent passing notes and writing to each other in your "notebook". (Yup, even in college!) They know everything about you and you still laugh (hard!) about the same inside jokes since you were 12. They never get old! And either does your friendship. 3. Your Sister/Relative/Mom BF Yup, this (these) gem(s) were lucky enough to be related to you by blood, which means you share more than just love and friendship, you share a genetic bond that is unlike any other. They're the ONLY people that can really understand the quirks of your family or things you've gone through growing up. They're the ones that while they HAVE to love you, CHOOSE to have that friendship also. They're the ones that have seen you at your worst, you've seen them at their worst, and it doesn't even matter. They know your "family secrets", and even better, share in the burdens of the rough times together. They are your support system. 4. Your Work BF You spend at least 40 hours a week with them and you still love them. That's a major thing right there! You might only see them at work and that's okay! Or you might after seeing them 8am-5pm, choose to go out after and basically see them for almost the entire time you've been awake. These BF's are important because they understand this part of your life. And they might be the only one! You share co-workers and clients and bosses and they're the most understanding and sympathetic listeners when it comes to work-drama, because they're in it too. They ease the everyday work stresses and make every day more fun/bearable/interesting. They're the ones that randomly bring you a Red Bull first thing in the morning or bail you out of that 2:30 slump with some chocolaty treats! 5. Your Guy BF This is a very unique type of friendship. The dynamic is just slightly different than that of your girl BF's, because of course it is. And not in a bad way, in a really really good way! You talk about most everything and give each other advice about relationships and offer support when things aren't going their way. You watch sports/scary movies/action flicks together that your girlfriends don't want to see. Best of all, when you're scared that there might be a serial killer outside your house or you know, you get a flat tire, there's someone you can call on to help you. You go to them with your guy problems because they always help you figure it out, but they're also ready and willing to beat someone up for you, should the circumstance arise. They just make you feel safe and you can always count on them for a laugh.

Parks and Rec is one of my favorite comedy TV shows. EVER. Everything about this show was perfect. Amy Poehler, Adam Scott, Rob Lowe, Rashida Jones, Nick Offerman, Chris Pratt, Aubrey Plaza...EVERYONE was stellar in their roles. It had some of the most unique and fiercely lovable characters in TV history and every episode was genuinely laugh-out-loud funny. Oh P&R, how I miss you dearly. One of the greatest parts of the show (did I mention the writing is GENIUS?!) were the relationships. Leslie (Amy) and Ann (Rashida) are #friendshipgoals if there ever was any. Ben (Adam) and Chris (Rob) are one of the best #bromance 's out there. And don't even get me started on the hilariousness of Donna/Tom, Leslie/April, or the entire group as serious #squadgoals. And while I looooved April/Andy and Chris/Ann, the BEST couple on the show is Leslie & Ben. Leslie and Ben have one of the best relationships on television. Seriously, they give me hope for real love still existing. While other couples on TV are cheating, betraying, fighting, abandoning, ignoring, or hurting each other, Leslie and Ben stand strong as fiercely loyal, sweet, endearing and supportive of each other. Basically, although their relationship is not perfect, they work through it, and continue to be loving, understanding, and supportive of each other, no matter what. They are always putting each other first and striving to make the other person happy. Seriously, there isn't a better example of love out there. What Ben & Leslie Taught me About Love LOVE this scene when they're in Paris 1. They Do Romance Ben and Leslie are always being cute and romantic. However big or small, it keeps their relationship strong. 2. They remind each other what they love about the other. 3. Even though it's sometimes hard, they tell each other how they feel. Ben and Leslie are open and honest about their feelings, because they've created a trusting relationship in which they feel safe to do so. This is SUPER important in ALL relationships. Even if they don't necessarily like what the other person has to say or disagree with them, they still talk it out, even if it takes Leslie a couple minutes to calm down. ;) Bottling emotions is bad news and that pressure is bound to explode sometime, and usually in a very messy way. 4. They do whatever it takes to make the other smile 5. They devote time to each other and their relationship Even though they both have great jobs and lots of responsibilities they always make the effort and time to be together. 6. They tell each other most everything Whether it's Leslie's attraction to Joe Bidden or Ben's secret obsession to make calzones a legitimate thing, they tell each other everything! Honesty is always the best policy. 7. They are constantly supporting and lightening the other's load They know that they can't be great without the support of each other. 8. They are each other's biggest cheerleaders Seriously, it's all amounts of adorable to watch how devoted and happily they cheer each other on. 9. They goof off and look stupid together. They laugh together and they goof off together and they never make each other feel stupid. I just love it. 10. They are amazing FRIENDS which make them even better partners. 11. They are straight with each other when needs be. Sometimes you just really need someone to tell it to you how it is. That's love. 12. They do everything they can to make the other's dreams come true. They will do whatever it takes to make each other's dreams come true and I love it. Even if it seems impossible, they find a way to make it happen, however crazy it might be. BEST REACTION EVER. This might be one of my favorite moments of theirs!! 13. They dance with each other 14. They know how to execute a perfect *couples* costume. Princess Bride, could they really get anymore *perfect*?!?! The answer is no. 15. Their wedding was really about them as a couple, not the show of a wedding. I Looooove their wedding. Of course everything goes wrong and something happens to Leslie's dress, so they fashion one out of the newspapers from all of her major projects. In the end, they just get married in from of all their friends in the Parks Dept. because of course they did. 16. They protect each other They are always protecting each other. When Ben and Ann (Leslie's best friend) fear that Leslie's got too much on her plate, they band together and make sure that her function goes smoothly. I love this scene, where they're talking about their "secret signal" and such. Sooo funny! 17. They compliment each other. 18. They are genuinely PROUD of each other. And show it. Seriously, they are always so PROUD of each other and it makes me smile. How are they so cute?! 19. They accept each others apologies. Always. They are never purposefully mean or cruel to each other, but if they hurt each others feelings, they always apologize and they always forgive. 20. They share meals together Couples that eat together stay together. 21. They make each other thoughtful gifts They are always so thoughtful with each other, for everything. But I love how thoughtful their gifts are to each other. They always take the time to really think about each other, it's that action that makes their gifts so amazing, not the actual "gifts" part. Some of the best moments of the show are watching them trying to "out gift" each other, even though everyone should just accept that Leslie Knope is THE BEST. EVER. 22. Everything about this. 23. They always say 'I love you'. I love this about them. They never speak ill of or to each other. They are always kind and they always say "I love you', which are they three most important words in the history of words. Despite the fact that they already know that they love each other, they still take the time to say it. Because they are the best. AND OF COURSE THE PROPOSAL SCENE: If you didn't cry during the proposal scene, YOU ARE NOT HUMAN. Maybe one of the sweetest proposals in the history of proposals. Thanks Ben and Leslie for showing us that true love still exists. It was looking a little dicey for a while in TV land... (Olivia and Fitz, I'm looking at you.)