Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?

I've been in Seattle for the past week and its been lovely to be at my old stomping grounds.  I've been applying for jobs like a mad woman but there is just not a lot of work out there.  It can be a very frustrating process if you let it; so far, I've managed to maintain a pretty positive outlook.  It's easier to stay positive when most of the jobs I'm applying for I don't really want anyway.  Sure, some income would be nice, but I'm having a bit of an identity crisis and rethinking my career in social services.  I find the work satisfying and motivating but as anyone in social services knows the work can be draining, stressful and emotionally exhausting.  I'm just not sure I want that anymore.  And yet, I'm not sure what I want to pursue and have been thinking deeply about what my true passions are and how I could relate them to employment  I'm not there yet, but I think this is just one of life's never ending struggles.
My sister sent me an article today written by a nurse who had been at many deathbeds and the top 5 regrets she witnessed.

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me

2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

Sometimes I find myself getting caught up in what I should be doing versus what I want to do.  It's hard to not get wrapped up in the mainstream ideals of happiness even though they are not usually in line with what I want.
The one that really speaks to me right now is number 5.  It really is a choice to be happy and I don't want to look back on these years with regret that I was stressed rather than enjoying my freedom.  Even though I'm unemployed I'm not broke (yet).  Even though I don't have an apartment I'm so lucky to have a support system and connections.  Even though I don't have work I have the much desired freedom that I've always dreamt of.  And so, I will choose happiness and not let this horrendous economy and job outlook effect my mood and happiness.  All my life I day dreamed about being free from school and work and now I am living it, doesn't it make sense to embrace it?

Down By The River

Thanksgiving is an interesting holiday.  Oddly enough, it's one of my favorites.  There's something so low stress about it with no gifts or cards to give; however, as a vegetarian and part Native American the holiday also seems slightly odd.  I love the idea of having a day to get together with loved ones and breaking bread together, but there is a fine line between binge eating and enjoying the bounty of the meal.  Moreover, I wish that the complex relationship between the Pilgrims and Native Americans wasn't so easily dismissed with the glorified meal they shared together.  I hope that one day the mistreatment of the Native People will be common knowledge and we can look at Thanksgiving in a new way.
All politics aside, I had a very pleasant day.  I have spent the last three Thanksgiving's in New York with Wojc, my sister, her husband and a handful of friends. I missed that whole group this year but was also happy to spend this year back in Port Orford.
In honor of my annual tradition, my brother and I embarked on a chilly run down to the beach in preparation for the indulgence to come.  We spent early afternoon with my dad at a community dinner which was high spirited and celebratory.

We went on a hike down by elk river afterwards and reminisced about the days of attending a little hippie school in that very location.

In the evening, we headed back to my mom's to begin cooking our delicious vegetarian feast.  We stuck to the basic staples and were not disappointed.  Every year we prepare a casserole dish that has meaning to our family as we fondly remember the kind woman who became a part of our lives and provided so much to our family.

Happy Cows

When a human dies, there is a bridge they must cross to enter into heaven. At the head of this bridge awaits every animal the human encountered during their lifetime.  The animals, based upon what they know of this person, decide which humans may cross the bridge and which are turned away.  -unknown

With my day filled with baking, hiking, organizing my high school belongings in my mom's attic and saying good bye to Wojc before he heads to Seattle (and China!) I haven't had time to think about blogging, but with my goal of blogging everyday for a month near complete I am motivated to post no matter how late.  A couple years back I had an anonymous blog that I occasionally updated and often linked over to Tabitha's blog for her Sunday quote posts. Some quotes touch me personally and this is a nice time to share them with others.
Several things have been pointing me in the vegan direction lately.  As a life long vegetarian I have always had vegan tendencies but too often feel the call of cheese and milk.  I am vegetarian for a wide range of reasons, animal rights being the primary one.
A few days ago as Wojc and I drove up highway 99 past Bakersfield, CA the smell of animal stench became unbearable.  We passed slaughter house after slaughter house with dairy farms in between.  You can glimpse a cow ever so often and the state of their misery all too apparent.
Today I went to the library and picked up Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Vegan With a Vengeance and was newly inspired to focus on more vegan friendly foods.  Cooking vegan forces me to be more creative, eat healthier and ease my conscience.  I have always felt compassion towards animals and this unknown author has a beautiful way of emphasizing the importance of animal kindness.

'I REMEMBER, SO I'M VOTING, AND NOT REPUBLICAN.'

Well, friends, I have decided to take the easy way out and do NaBloPoMo and attempt to post every single day of November on this blog of mine.  I hope to spare you absolute drivel, but I make no promises.  This month will allow me to find my niche in this blog world and hopefully gain some insight into my writing abilities.

I was going to write a Halloween recap post, but that is put on hold to address more pertinent matters.  

Tomorrow is election day.  Please go and vote.  I know I'm probably preaching to the choir, but your vote does matter.  I have no patience for the belief that every politician is the same, republican or democrat.  This is not true; while I have yet to see a perfect politician, there is a difference.  The argument that Obama is doing a terrible job is upsetting to me, how is this administration supposed to fix the horrendous mistakes made by previous Presidents (I'm lookin' at you George W.).

This is an election that finds Democrats fighting to survive.  How the Tea Party gained such popularity is beyond me, but they (and the Republicans) are growing in the polls.  Let's unite together and mimic the turnout showed two years ago to vote Obama in!

Please, lose the apathy for a day and vote.  It only takes a few minutes and it's better than doing nothing, right?

Need some inspiration?  

I believe that voting is the first act of building a community as well as building a country. -Ensign

Universal suffrage should rest upon universal education. To this end, liberal and permanent provision should be made for the support of free schools by the State governments, and, if need be, supplemented by legitimate aid from national authority. -Hayes

Let's remember that not everyone used to have a vote.  People rallied, marched and died for many of us to have a voice and have a vote.  Let's honor that history and work for a brighter future by casting a vote.