I Can Change The World.

"You can't change the world, Megan."

They're right, I can't. Not by myself. But there is one small thing that I can do.. and that's raise awareness. For any cause I like, I can raise awareness, if nothing else.

The critics will charge at you. They will try to push you down. They will say, "You can't do it. You're small and insignificant, what can you do? Who will listen to you?" You mustn't listen. Besides, you can just as easily defend yourself by asking, "Well, what are you doing? Sitting on your butt, waiting for someone else to solve all of the problems in the world?" Someone has to start it. And others have to continue the progress.

Look at all of the influential people in the world; people who have changed the world, changed people lives. They started out alone, just a person with a dream. Over time, they raised awareness about their case. Be it through speeches, music, art, or crazy and unusual acts; they did it. And how, some may wonder? Well, it was through all of those compassionate people who stood by them step by step. The people who believed in them and helped raise awareness about their predicament. Those are the people who made it happen, they continued on with what was once started.

You may not be the person with the dream. You may not be the one who started the campaign. But that does not mean you don't matter. It doesn't mean you are small and insignificant. Don't let anyone ever tell you that, because you can make a difference. You are the people who continue on with what was started, you keep it alive. You make sure that everyone is aware. You are the ones who truly make a change. And you do this through whatever way you like, be it speeches, music, art, or crazy and unusual acts.

I have been pursuing a somewhat unusual act for the past 2 years in order to raise awareness about a cause I believe in. I do it so that people will ask questions. They will inquire, and I will share my story. If they believe that what I am doing is a right and just cause, they might join in. On June 15th, it will be my second year being a vegetarian. I came across a few disturbing tales, pictures, and videos about the horrors and cruelties that happen everyday to millions of animals across the globe. This was not something I wanted to continue supporting. So the next day, I was Vegan. I kept it up for two months, and then decided it was unhealthy for me. I took it down a step to Vegetarianism. I still don't drink milk, however. After I found out some disturbing things about dairy farms, I just couldn't do it. The taste no longer flattered me.

I am often questioned and criticized about my beliefs concerning animal cruelty. I have come to realize that animal rights don't matter to many people. When asked, "Why are you a vegetarian?" my response usually does not satisfy them. They deny all cruelties that go on 'behind stage'. What they do not understand is their ignorance. They are told one thing, and they beleive it. And I know, they think the same towards me. However, this is untrue. I have been told that cruelties do happen, and I have been told that they don't. I simply put two and two together, and realized that this is both true. I understand that every single slaughterhouse across the globe does not engage in animal cruelty. But, the sad fact is, that many of them do. Especially in developing countries. When I go to the store, I have absolutley no idea where my meat comes from, do you? This is one of the main reasons why I chose to keep up with my vegetarianism. I do not know where the cow I am eating came from. Was it from a slaughterhouse that tortured it, or one that nurtured it? The sad thing is that so much is hidden from us. We are only told what the media wants to tell us, and nothing else. We are left to make decisions on our own. I know that my choice for vegetarianism isn't going to change the world. The only thing I hope for is that many people will ask me why I chose it. Once I give my reason and case, they will be left to chose for themselves whether or not they agree and would like to join in.

Which brings me to another story. Only a few hours ago, I was introduced to a new case. Invisible Children. Heard of it? No? Well, that's about to change. http://www.invisiblechildren.com/home.php . Children in northern Uganda sleep in fear that they might be abducted by Joseph Kony's rebel army. They fear that they will be taken hostage, and forced to become a killing machine. The evil doings that are currently taking place are absolutely shocking. People have come so close to bringing Kony to justice, only to fail and leave the hopeful devastated. Three young men on an innocent trip in Africa came to learn of this tragic war. They had a dream. They decided they were going to do whatever they could to save these 'invisible children'. They started the campaign, and millions followed. But it would have been nothing without those millions, that is what many people fail to realize. The millions are what make it count. We put all of these propositions into effect. We generate more millions, and more, all through spreading awareness in our own way.

You can change the world in your own way. Don't be discouraged by the lazy critics. They don't understand. They are not compassionate, they are skeptic. Their aspirations are pitiful, and they envy yours. Be the best you can be. Make your life worth something; get out there and change the world.

Watch out for the White Snow Moles!

They’ll getcha!


Thursday I took the day off of school to go skiing with my uncle Ron. We had planned to go up to Snowbasin around 8:00AM. However, the weather looked quite miserable.. with temperatures below 20 and wind speeds above 20.. We decided to wait a little bit, and to check around the other resorts.

We went to breakfast at Ihop, and by the time we got back, the weather seemed to be clearing up a little. However, we did chose to go to Brighton instead, due to mainly proximity and cost. We were totally stoked when we got up there, the weather seemed fairly nice, not to mention TONS OF POWDER.

But what I hadn’t known was that my dearest uncle Ron didn’t know how to ski powder! He was used to the iced-over groomed runs of Philly! He didn’t have a clue what he was missing out on!

Our first run proved to be quite a challenge. Of course, I took the most powdered-up run there was. I lost uncle Ron in a heartbeat. As I waited, I began to catch sight of this dark shape, seemingly tumbling down the mountain! He’d get up out of the powder, attempt to ski, and then fall down again! I had no idea that he couldn’t ski the pow.. :P . At the end of the run, he informed me that he’d rather stay on the groomed runs. I took the advice, but I wasn’t going to let him quit that easily!

We took a few more runs, and then I decided to take him up Great Western. I taught him a few techniques for powder skiing, and then showed him how it was done. I skied down the hill, and waited at the bottom to check on his progress. He was doing pretty okay, until about half way down. Out of nowhere, he flies into the air, spiraling downwards in a nose dive/face plant fashion. He crashes into the powder, face first! I was cracking up! I really couldn’t stop laughing. When he finally got to the bottom, I told him that he need to fix his nose-dive form, because it was a little sloppy. He laughed, and stated that the white snow moles pulled on his skis and forced him upward. I laughed, and we continued down the mountain.

When we finally got back to my dad’s house, uncle Ron shared his experience with the family. He got really seriously when talking about the snow moles, and Sheridan and my dad actually believed it at first! Sheridan’s reaction was priceless, she was totally fooled. But I couldn’t help from cracking up, so they eventually found out.

The day was a really good experience. Aside from pouncing around in the fresh powder, I also got to know my uncle a lot better. We exchanged funny family stories and talked about many other random subjects. I’m glad this opportunity was presented to me :).

"Chicken hearts anyone?"

It was a hard night for the vegetarian.

However, against all odds, she survived. There were plenty of times where she was about to throw down and give into temptation, but she resisted.

Wednesday night, the family went out to eat at Rodizios, a Brazilian steakhouse. It was on special occasion, for uncle Ron was in town and Sheridan had just recently recovered from a life-threatening illness. Grandma, Grandpa, uncle Steve, uncle Ron, Sheridan(step-mom), Justice(step-sister), and Dad were all present. Dad had warned me that we were going to a meat grill, but I didn’t mind, for I knew that a night with the Dolle’s was worth it.

And indeed, it was.

Whenever we’re together, you’re guaranteed a very fun and comical night. The dinner started out with Mmmm’s and Ooh this is good’s to be heard about every 20 seconds. My dad saw the longing look on my face, and had some sympathy. My “gourmet” foods that night consisted of deep-fried bananas, edamame, and some passion fruit ice cream! But I didn’t complain. The stories started flowing. I learned of my father’s adventures along with his brothers, consisting of fake ID’s and many other crazy things.

While trying to listen to all of the stories and conversations, I couldn’t help to notice that every time my uncle Steve would try to talk to my uncle Ron, about every 30 seconds or so he would get interrupted. My uncle Ron was like a shiny new toy! Everyone was fighting over him. And when they weren’t, Steve was getting interrupted by the waiters coming around and asking if anyone wanted a certain type of meat. It was pretty pathetic! But my uncle Steve had “his turn” a few days later when my dad went on his trip.

Another highlight of the night was the Bill Gates look-a-like sitting at the table next to us. The whole family was split between opinions based on ‘look-a-like’ or ‘small resemblance’. My dad pulled up a picture of Bill Gates on his phone and demanded that everyone looked from the phone to the gentleman, and then state their opinion. My family is so crazy sometimes :P! My dad never skips up a chance to show off his cell phone’s abilities, he thinks it’s the coolest thing!

My uncle Steve is so funny about my vegetarianism, he is always making fun of me! We all decided that I was going to make a “Garden Rodizio” that served gourmet fruits and vegetables from around the world. Not a bad idea, I thought.

Somehow, we got into a conversation about gourmet foods. Then the food “pâté” came up. I had no idea what it was, and when it was explained to me, I was far from impressed. We were all wondering why in the world it was considered a gourmet food. Did it make you classy if you were able to spread your meat on your bread? Sounds like caveman food to me!

Yet another highlight of the night was the group of 10+ bikers that came in and sat at the table next to us. While walking back from the bathroom, I noticed that one of the men had the tattoo “Justice” on his head. I told Justice and we started laughing about it, and then we told her mom. She got so excited. Sheridan is an extremely funny character. She loves telling stories and is very open to everyone about everything. She’s loving, caring, and has many cute quirks. Sheridan wanted to ask the man to get a picture of it, which sounds completely ridiculous, but like I said, she is open and outgoing towards all. The funny thing was that no one saw what the tattoo on the other side of his head said. When it was discovered, everyone was a bit taken aback and decided to.. well.. keep a nice distance away from the man. The tattoo said “Revenge”. Ron pleaded to Sheridan stating that he would like to “make it back to philly alive.” It was actually a pretty comical scene :P.

The night came to an end, and we began to pack up and leave the steakhouse. Of course, when we get in the car, I realize that I left my retainer in a napkin on our table. It surprises me how irresponsible I can be sometimes. I hurried back, to discover my retainer had vanished. I consulted the hostess, and she went back into the kitchen for quite some time. I felt horrible, I hate making other people pay for my stupid decisions. Finally she came back out, with my retainer in hand. As she handed it over, she stated casually, “I would wash it before you put it in your mouth..”. I was extremely grateful. It made me think about how kind it was of her to go through all of that work, just to pay for my mistake.

But, all-in-all, the night was a good one. I look forward to the next big dinner, hopefully with more family!

Drip-Drop..

I was letting the dogs out into the kennel.. and saw a little puddle formed by the drops from the rain gutter.. So I decided to get out the ol' camera :P.






Whoops! A few drops got on lens when I was trying to get close up.. You can kind of tell on this one!

Sky. Dog. Flag. Hand. Stuck in a Locker?!

Oh, why not... :P







Bet you never knew I had another one, huh? :P This is Cole.

My Camera!

Today I finally got my camera back after a long weekend without it.

After the 6-hour run on Friday, a few friends and I went "joy riding" around with Jessie.
When the fun night came to an end, I completely forgot about my belongings in Jessie's trunk..
I figured it was no big deal, and that I'd get them back on Monday.
Well, you see, I'm an extremely forgetful person.
I forgot that two pretty important things were left in her trunk, my backpack and my camera.
I noticed my camera was gone only a few hours later, showing how much I really can't live without it.
As for my backpack, I just barely realized it was gone 20 minutes before school started!
Thank goodness Jessie is pretty much amazing, and drove it down to my school for me!
I can't remember how many times I thanked her!

In second period, when I got out my notebook to start the starters for the week in AP Human Geography, I noticed how COLD my notebook was..
Then it got me thinking..
My poor camera!
How cold it must be..
and lonely..
in that trunk..
all weekend!
It's yearning to take pictures.. I could feel it!

I was so scared that it was going to freeze and stop working!
So, I started to work out the Pros and Cons..
An advantage to a broken camera would mean that I would get a new one, possibly the Nikon d-90 that I've been begging for..
The disadvantage would be that my broken camera would prove my irresponsibility, hurting my chances at the new Nikon..

Well, I didn't have to worry about the Pros or Cons in the end, because my camera was fine!
After track, Jessie gave me a ride home, and I was reunited with my camera, once again.

Eeeek, I might get a bit camera-happy! So probably expect some new pictures... ;)

Let's see some guts.

After you put your sweat and dedication into this sport, why give it ANYTHING except your absolute best? Why, after all of this time, not work yourself to the ground when it counts? Do not give yourself reasons to regret your efforts. Go out there, and give it your all. Learn to ignore the pain, for it only makes you stronger.

The funny feeling in your stomach, and the excruciating pain in your lungs, they’re screaming weakness. Do not listen. You can’t give in to the temptation of giving up. When you give up, you’re not only giving up on yourself, but you’re giving up on your team, and all those who have ever believed in you. Take the negative criticism and use it to your benefit. Prove them wrong, make yourself proud.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” Do not be afraid of your abilities; don’t be scared to surprise yourself. Get out there, run your heart out, and bathe in the success.

Remember, it is not about comparing yourself to others; it is about comparing yourself to you. Just because you can’t keep up with the fastest of the fast doesn’t mean you are a failure. You can always keep up with yourself, and you can always keep challenging yourself. All that matters is your own personal progress, but don’t let your fear get in the way. Keep pushing yourself, and you will only see progress.

Live Simply.. Why is it so hard?

I’m sorry if I’ve ever hurt you. Chances are, I have at some point. Be it big or small, I’ve caused you some harm. It is unintentional. I don’t mean to hurt people, because no one deserves it. It does not matter if you have done harm to others in the past, it does not justify any “pay back”. I try to be as nice and friendly as possible.

But, we all have our bad days and weaknesses. Sometimes they get to us, and cause us to forget about the ones we love. We forget about our peers and their emotions and interests. We become selfish. We don’t consider others, or if they are having a 'good day' or not. No one deserves that sort of neglect. We must become more aware of our surroundings. A simple “hello” or “how are you” could bright up someone’s day, or maybe even just a friendly hug.

The environment we live in could be so much more comfortable if people forgot about their narcissism and began to focus on others. “Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.” If only everyone could live by this motto. Could you imagine? It is sad to say that it is almost impossible to be selfless. Everyone becomes a self-centered monster at some point, be it for a short or long period of time. It happens, randomly. And it destroys the people in their path.

It hurts me to think that a goal like this is so hard to reach, when it should come so easily. Is it the generation and atmosphere we live in? Or is that just how human kind works? Why is it that we can be so evil, yet so loving? This bipolar setting is so confusing. I wish to be friendly at all times, and to not let my personal emotions damage anyone’s feelings. I wish to live simply, with no worries.

Sick, and Home Alone.. What do you do?

Psh, pull out the camera, of course!
Oh, and we can't forget the dog..
Hmm.. maybe a few costumes?
Give me a break, I was desperate... :P





















And on these ones, I decided to use some tips.
I played around with the aperture and manual settings a bit more, and I was pretty pleased with the results.


I was pleased with the shutter speed on this one. Usually when I had used it before, the picture was too dark to see anything. I think the natural light helped a bit.





She loves her nails. :P





Added to the list of favorites.. I like all of the shadows on the ground.



Oh I am in love with the expression on her face in this one..

My only willing model..

Play Dead.

Off guard.

Pleasant surprise.

The Truth Lies in the Eyes.

A friendly stranger.

"It is easy to pick up a camera and take a good picture. The difficulties come when that photographer attempts to capture the emotion of the object they are shooting" -Anonymous

Trixie

My baby, best friend, best listener, most photogenic, cutest little pooch (:

Inspiration..

I have very recently been inspired.. to love life no matter what it throws at you. Because the people who love you will always be there. Be creative, have fun, don't worry. Have integrity and pursue your dreams, because when you are living your life the way you want to, nothing can go wrong :).