Heather for President 2020

I'm thinking about running for President, and because I am a millennial, I figure I'll use social media and blogging to get the word out.  Oh, and of course I'll need a Gofundme account to raise the fees to even get on the ballot...in all 50 states for the best outcome.  I'll hopefully raise enough additional funds to have t-shirts and buttons made for all of my supporters.  The next thing I'll need to do is figure out which political party I align with, though what I'd really like to do is create my own.  Republicratic?  Demolican?  Everyone is way to ONE sided these days and I don't think I want my platform to be so singular.

First and foremost, do I meet the requirements to run?

1.  Citizen of the USA?            Check, I was born here (as were my parents)- good to go.
2.  Lived here for 14+ years?   Check.  My whole life.
3.  At least 35 years of age?     Check.  I'd be the youngest president ever elected, but I meet the requirement.

Other things in my favor:  I've taken public speaking classes (my BA is in Interpersonal Communication).  I have no criminal record.  I'm not a douche bag.

Ok, now for the good stuff:  my campaign.  Here are my stances on some hot topic issues:

Immigration:  Come here LEGALLY.  Speak, or learn to speak, English.  Get a job and pay taxes, like everyone else.

Same-Sex Marriage:  Why is this still an issue?  No one elses marriage should matter to you, but your own.  Grow up and get over it.  Thanks.

Education:  Please, dear lord, tell me why teachers get paid so little in comparison to many other jobs.  Years and years (and years) of education are required, they are subject to unnecessary, and
unattainable goals, and we treat them like crap.  Furthermore, can we get some funding in ECE??  THOSE teachers are also REQUIRED by some states to be highly educated, but yet they get treated like babysitters.

Gun Control:  Stupid people with guns kill people, not the guns.  Can we have Stupid people control?  In all seriousness, stricter policies on purchases are definitely in order.

Taxes:  Wealthy people should pay higher taxes.  #sorrynotsorry.  I'm a teacher, I can't afford taxes.

Terrorism:  I'm going to pass this issue off to be handled by the "First Gentleman", Eric Pilletere.

Who's going to vote for me???

Tattoos and God

Ok, I know this is a pretty touchy subject for some people.  There are the "devout" who think that I (and my husband, and siblings, and most of my friends) will be taking a trip "downtown" when we die, and then there are the others.  Let me be clear:  I DO believe in God.  100%.  But I dont subscribe to organized religion (despite being  raised in a Roman Catholic family) as I think it is responsible (through its followers) for a lot of hate.  I respect religion and absolutely see that it has a place in society, but I prefer my own spin on God.  I truly believe that being a good person, and educating myself, and being tolerant, and accepting is more important than whether or not someone has tattoos.  Call me crazy.  Alot of what I have found/heard as far as arguments from Christians against tattoos is " Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you..." Leviticus 19:28.  I need to point out that 1. this is from the old testament, and 2. it referred to pagans who, at the time, practiced cutting and "tattooing" their dead to appease their God.  Now, the old testament also had some other "rules" that I doubt many Christians follow or consider a sin, such as "...Neither shall a garment of mixed linen and wool come upon you" Lev. 19:19 or "You shall not eat anything with the blood" Lev. 19:26 (ummmm, helloooo, filet mignon medium rare please).  Its hypocrisy to pick and choose what you want to enforce from your bible.  Times have changed and the people getting tattoos are not pagans worshiping satan.  We are normal people...like everyone else.  Some of us are believers and some are not.  Some of us are good people, and some are not...but it has nothing to do with our ink.  I think what these "Christians" who damn us to hell for tattoos are forgetting are some essentials of being Christian.  "Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God" Rom. 15:7,  "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification" Rom. 14:19.  It is really sad for me, as a mother now, to still see so much hate in the world.  It's very important to me that my daughter grows up to think for herself and judge people on their character and heart rather than their skin.  Its important to me that she have faith in something, but not so blindly that she judges others on ridiculous notions that just don't apply anymore.  I want her to see that her mom is a good woman, mother, wife, who yes, has tattoos, but treats others with respect, has a strong work ethic and good morals.  I don't every want her to be that kid (and yes this really happened with another child and a friend of mine) that walks up to someone and says "you are not going to heaven because God doesn't like tattoos"...  I think there are far more important lessons we could be teaching our children.  If Reilly decides to get a tattoo one day, I will love her just as much as I have since the day I found out I was having her.  Imagine if we all starting being really Christian and accepting others for who they are and not what you see on the outside.  My tattoos don't make me a bad person, they don't make me a bad mother, they dont stop me from being awesome at my job, they don't make me less intelligent.  They aren't harming anyone, so, what is the big deal?

Update on life in general

I know I know...you've been waiting eagerly, yearning even, for a new post from yours truly. Well, Im alive! The Holiday season was a crazy whirlwind...lots of work to prepare for the week off i had, lots of treats from families at our school, lots of lbs gained, and a lot of family fun back east. On a side note, I didnt accomplish the number of Random Acts of Kindness I had planned, but I did get a few fun things done. Funny story, I tried to by coffee for someone at starbucks while inside and the person was confused, and pretty much refused my good deed. Lesson learned ~ tried it at the drive thru on the next go round :) I also baked cookies and left them at random neighbors doors... tried to smile more at people (instead of what I usually do; avoid any eye contact so no one will bother me). Its not much, but its a start.

So, the holidays are over, Im back at work. Reilly is WALKING! She is doing wonderfully, chatting up a storm, repeating everything, and she is just such a happy baby...excuse me, toddler. Her teachers always tell me how smart she is...but I havent decided if they are just sucking up to me b/c I'm their boss! Just Kidding! She is SUPER smart, and I know EVERYONE probably thinks that about their kid, but seriously...so smart.

Eric has been home for a couple of months now, and I finally feel like we have found our groove again...and its awesome having him here and watching him with Reilly. She loves him so much! Life is good people...Life is good.

(Un)Believable Ignorance

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Colored-Only-Sign-Posted-Over-NY-College-Drinking-Fountain-134028098.html ~ stole this from a friends (and former roomate at the college in question) facebook page.

Its nearly 2012 and we have made little to no progress towards tolerance in the world. As an intelligent, free thinking, rational person, I can not fathom the thought processes of some people. What makes a person so hateful? How do people become so racist and only see color, and not the fact that its just another person? A simple answer? Parents. Kids learn this behavior from their parents, and if its not a direct result of a parents racism, its their indifference to others racism that allows it to continue. How, in 2012, at a College campus does this happen. Im sad. It breaks my heart to think about the person that did this, and it breaks my heart that my daughter will grow up in a world where this exists. All I can do as her mom, is teach her. Teach her that racism is not acceptable, teach her to love others and be kind (within reason, obviously), teach her to stick up for those that need her too. I want her to know and understand that this kind of behavior is just not ok. Its childish, its hurtful, and its wrong. I want situations like this to make her as angry as they make me and I want her to never back down from something she believes in. I know that it is very rare that a person's mind can be changed: people born into racist beliefs will likely always feel that way. Thats why we need to start from scratch, teach our children the RIGHT path to take.

Im really angry and frustrated right now, having read this article just minutes before I wrote this. Hopefully it makes sense...

Karma Shmarma

So, what happens after I pronounce my faith in good karma and making others happy? My apartment building has a massive fire! And Reillys room smells like a camp grounds. My poor girl is sleeping in her pack n play in the spare room.

I will say that she has been sleeping like a rock in there! 12 straight hours two nights in a row! A mom could get used to that. So, here is the thing, the title of the post is just for giggles. Karma is definitely real... This fire was unbelievable, and there is a hallway that leads to an "emergency door" in the nursery and all we got was an offensive smell. My complex is repainting Reilly's room, cleaning the carpets AND installing an ozone filter in there. We were lucky indeed. No significant damage to our things, and no one injured. A neighbor in the building, who noticed the fire, ran through knocking on doors and telling people to get out....Good Karma is coming his way for sure.

Worst. Blogger. Ever.

Seriously, I am. Until yesterday, I honestly totally forgot that I had even started a blog. Let me just say that even the most awesome, put together, intelligent, strong woman (me) cant be perfect. This has been a really crazy year for me. I've been raising a truly amazing little girl alone while Eric is away. He is due home in a matter of weeks now, just an FYI. I cant wait for him to really get to know her, and vice versa. I have done my best to post pictures and videos and keep him updated on her life and progress, but it doesnt even come close to being with her. More about Eric and Reilly in another post though. Today I want to help a friend help the world :) I have this pretty awesome friend back in NY who is so thoughtful, soulful, eloquent and kind. Everything she says, writes, thinks, and dreams is so inspiring to me, and its refreshing to be inspired by ANYTHING when so much is wrong with the world today. She is really amazing at finding the good in the world and i'd like to do the same. She has a blog (that she actually writes on) and Im going to steal one of her ideas (that she stole from someone else). Random Acts of Kindness. She is doing 27 before her 28th birthday. Im going to tweak it a bit, and after the holidays I will do 31 acts before my 32nd birthday. For now, Im going to focus on 10 Acts. So that is about 1 per week until Christmas. I figure that is a good start. I hope that this will inspire someone else to be randomly kind, like my friend inspired me.

Happy Friday!!

class of '98

The other day on the radio they were talking about prom songs, so of course I started trying to remember mine. I cant be sure, but i think it was either the pretenders or billy joel. Regardless, that made me start thinking about high school and the awesome friends I had. One of the worst things that can happen in high school happened to me: I had to move and switch schools. I, honest to God, could not have thought than anything more horrible could happen to me when I had to move to a new school at 15. It really did suck for a little while but I got lucky and met some wonderful kids who group up to be equally wonderful adults. I'll admit that I really suck at keeping in touch with people, but I think about these people often. So, I'd like to thank a few of them. I'd like to thank Kate for being just generally awesome, and for liking tank girl and bio dome as much as I did. Erin for being a really great person, and for loving music and jazz choir as much as me and putting up with me yelling at rehearsals. Tyler for being one of the funniest people I have ever met, and making me laugh often. Drew for putting up with me and letting me into the group even though he thought I was a bitch at first, and for the OUTBACK! John for countless things, but mostly putting up with me and Michelle :) and Michelle for being my friend through everything. And thank you to everyone out there who has been a part of my life, even in the smallest aspect, because everything I've done, and been through, and every person I've met has made me who I am today...and I'm cool with that.