3 Doors Down put on one hell of a show!

First of all, Brad Arnold is really cute in person. Second of all, we were RIGHT THERE!

Despite the TPT (trailer park trash), the fact that we were the only non-white people there (except for the few mexicans), the drunk 45 year olds who think they're 22, and the confederate flag stickers on everyone's bumper-this was one of the best concerts I ever went to.

I always wondered if bands get tired and resentful of having to play the same songs and put on the exact same show night after night, but these guys sung and played with so much passion and energy. In terms of performance, it was perfect!

It was all worth it....the overpriced ticket, driving to a different city, the calf cramps I'm going to have because I stood on my feet for 3 hours in 5 inch heels, the cold shivers...I'd do it again!

I have some awesome video clips to share but blogger is giving me a hard time uploading so I'll try again tomorrow...stay tuned!

What's a shopaholic? A serious post...really!

"The term shopaholic used to mean someone who liked to shop, maybe a little too much. Now being a shopaholic may mean that you are a compulsive shopper who spends beyond your limits, buys things you have no use for, and uses shopping as a way to feel better temporarily.

Some believe that the compulsive shopper or shopaholic is actually suffering from an addiction. Addiction is defined as having a compulsion to a commit a behavior, being unable to stop a behavior, and continuing the behavior despite harmful consequences. Research now shows that addictive behavior often provides a momentary lift in mood. A flood of “good feeling” producing hormones rewards a shopaholic. Unfortunately the lift is not permanent, and the shopaholic must go out and shop more in order to find the next boost in hormones.

In a sense, when one is shopping, they are given a few moments of good mood. This is a momentary mental reward. So it encourages one to repeat the pattern in order to feel that “high” produced by shopping and purchasing."....wisegeek.com

Do I have a problem? I can avoid going to the mall and the boutiques...in fact I just don't like the thought of shopping-it's tiresome. However, once I'm actually there....well...I'm there!

It's the need of one item that sends me shopping; this weekend that need was a pair of everyday sandals to replace the ones I broke; however, the mannequins, the discovery of new designers, the sale of the sale, the sparkly displays, Neiman Marcus clearance, the unique accessories, Michael Kors....I just lose control...or rather I don't see the need to exercise any control when the $150 BCBG blouse I admired last season is now $40 and the sandals I wanted come with a buy 1 get 1 half off deal. And sure, I do get a little "high" with every exciting find.

The frustration of having spent approximately one month's rent during a spontaneous trip to the outlet mall had me sifting through bags picking through things to return. However I just couldn't do it. The more expensive items are things I really want that I know are going to be useful in my wardrobe...and I just feel like it's senseless to go return a pair of jeans at Banana Republic that I only paid $20 for or a button-down linen from Gap that I only paid $15 for.

My roomie's jaw dropped as I was taking the bags out of the car. "I thought you were just getting shoes?"..."I know I'm going to have to return some stuff". After seeing either how awesome-looking or cheap each piece I got she agreed that nothing is return worthy; she's not even close to a shopaholic so her opinion is pretty valid here. "Just don't buy any clothes for a while".

That sounds fair enough. Still though....I feel a little sick.

Failure is ok. I repeat: it's OK to fail!

So I had a bad day.

Last Sunday I attended a practice management symposium where the first speaker opened up with the line "failure is ok. I repeat: it's ok to fail". The fact that this successful individual who built a currently million-dollar practice from the ground up felt the need to make that statement the very first point he drove home to us students just starting our careers is making him my saving grace at the moment. My mom, my aunt, my cousin, and friends constantly assure me things are going to be ok when I encounter the big bumps in the road. I take comfort in knowing that I'm cared about and they're there for me, but I don't usually believe them......but if HE said it's ok, it must really be ok!

How did this guy know that that's exactly what I needed to hear at the closing of one chapter and the rough beginning of a new one? Could it be the norm that each of us in the room-all accepted students of a selective and rigorous academic program who had to meet a laundry list of criteria-is experiencing failure and doubting our abilities simultaneously all the while convinced we're the only ones that managed to mess up that badly? Was he in my very shoes at this stage of life? He had to have failed somewhere to know to say that...right?

I've underperformed today. It took a million failed attempts and some dangerous maneuvering to determine a patient's intraocular pressure. Even then I barely got it. It was frustrating! It made me nervous, flustered, and brought me anxiety. It brought down my confidence level a couple of notches.....and I even felt some desperation and sadness. It wasn't just about today, but more of a culmination of bad performing.

I'm going to believe that it's ok! People who don't fail aren't perfect, but more likely they're people that don't try and push themselves...and God knows I've pushed myself to all kinds of limits. So it's logical that I have more failures on my plate. If I can choose to have one skill down successfully it would be the ability to accept things and move on!

I think having a public "it's ok to fail" campaign would be a healthy thing for the masses, so what did you fail today?

Bono says "Not just an American dream"

Special emphasis on "A Palestinian Dream"...I think that's really what he wanted to say

"Hands Down" this is the best song I can ever remember

I'm quoting the song itself (substitute "song" with "day"). I've been listening to this song over and over since I bought the Dashboard Confessional unplugged album a month ago and I still love it. I love how descriptive and so real the song is and the way he sings it with so much soul; it's like I can totally picture the moment listening to this and as soon as it's over I hit the repeat and relive it again. Actually I can say that about most of the album.

So lucky you I'm sharing, this is Hands Down by Dashboard Confessional!

Hands down this is the best day I can ever remember.

Always remember the sound of the stereo.

The dim of the soft lights.

The scent of your hair, that you twirled in your fingers.

And the time on the clock, when we realized "It's so late!"

And this walk that we share together.

The streets were wet, and the gate was locked,

So I jumped it, and let you in.

Conversations on Gaza

I was taken off guard when the other day over dinner my very White very southern very Republican girlfriend asked me to explain to her the situation in Gaza...she stumbled as she said 'gaza' as if she wasn't sure she was pronouncing it right. I did my best to narrate the events in a way that will instill in her the proper concern and anger. She actually understood more than I expected her to!

Last night in a car ride back from the movies with 2 non-arab friends of mine we discussed our jadedness with politicians. One of the girls, NOT ME, used the Obama administration's hesitation on commenting on the situation in Gaza as an example of why they don't actually care about people but it's all about politics.

Although it won't bring peace, it's nice to see the non-usuals giving a damn!

Let's talk about the playoffs

Whose watching? I actually haven't been. My teams either never made it or were out the first round. I started watching TV again last Thursday and my limited scheduled TV time has been the first half of the evening news for the war on Gaza update and some Bravo show reruns (Real Housewives of Atlanta yall)...but let's talk about the playoffs.

So we got the Baltimore Ravens, the Tennessee Titans, the San Diego Chargers, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, and the 2 big ones which playing each other tonday are the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants.

Notice that with the exception of the Giants, previous Super Bowl contenders and winners Chicago Bears, Indiana Colts, and New England Patriots whom set records last year are not in the running. This is what's so great about the NFL and why it's a million times cooler than soccer, you just never know what's going to happen! One of the very worst one year can be one of the very best the next (New Orleans Saints are a great example); there's no Brazil here!

The Giants had it last year, so I'm predicting this year will go to a former home-team of mine: The Eagles! Unfortunately I won't even get to catch most of the Giants Vs. Eagles game which just started, so I'm relying on Maher for the exciting recap.

It should be known to all that Bears fan Maher made a bet with me on this post of KJ's that if the New Orleans Saints even made ONE touchdown against the Chicago Bears on their previous December 10th game he's getting me a gift. Well guess what? That game ended with a tie of 24-24!

The Daily Show's take on Isreal's Gaza assault and the New Year

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Strip Maul

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

CAIR's 10 Steps you can take to help Gaza from the US!

This is a copy and paste of the email CAIR (council on american islamic relations) sent out that's particularly useful for those of us residing in the US who would like to do more to help Gaza. I love how they include all the useful contact information.

1. Take part in the upcoming 'Let Gaza Live' National March on Washington, beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday, January 10, in Lafayette Park outside the White House.

Also take part in local peace rallies. Contact your nearest CAIR chapter to ask about local events.

2. Visit your elected representatives during the upcoming “Day on the Hill” in Washington, D.C., sponsored by a coalition of major Islamic organizations. Contact 202-384-8857 for advice on meeting with legislators.

3. Visit the local offices of your elected representatives to talk with them about the need for a more balanced Mideast policy. Use CAIR’s “Legislative Fact Sheet” on the Gaza crisis.
You can also learn how to arrange to meet elected officials and best practices for meeting with your representatives on CAIR's website.

4. Write or call President Bush and members of Congress. Talking points:
Israeli attacks block efforts to bring peace with justice to the Middle East, harm our nation’s image and interests worldwide and strengthen voices of extremism in the region.
The Palestinian people must be given some hope of freedom from Israeli occupation and domination.
Israel’s immoral and illegal collective punishment of the Palestinian people living in the Gaza Strip must end.
America must support a just and comprehensive resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that takes into account the rights and responsibilities of all parties.
American taxpayer dollars should not be used to for weapons that kill Palestinian civilians.
Ask your elected officials to adopt an even-handed Middle East policy that is in our nation’s - not Israel’s - interest.
Contact President George W. Bush: White House Comment Line: 202-456-1111, Fax: 202-456-2461, E-Mail: comments@whitehouse.gov, vice_president@whitehouse.gov
Contact Your Congressional Representatives: U.S. Senators and House of Representatives

5. Contact President-Elect Obama to ask that he speak out now in favor of a more balanced and pro-American policy in the Middle East that takes the rights of all parties to the conflict into consideration.
Contact the Obama administration transition team here.

6. Sign CAIR’s online petition urging our nation's leaders to speak "in favor of peace and justice for all parties in the current humanitarian crisis unfolding in the Gaza Strip." When completed, the petition will be sent to elected officials nationwide and will be given to members of the current and incoming administrations.

7. Use Friday prayers to educate members of the Muslim community about the plight of the civilian population in Gaza and the need for a balanced Mideast policy, a cease-fire and the resumption of humanitarian relief. Urge community members to take the actions outlined in this alert.

8. Monitor local media coverage of the Gaza crisis. Contact those media outlets to either praise balanced coverage or to criticize biased coverage. Call in to radio talk shows and write letters to the editor to express your views. To find local and national media contact information, click here.
Post comments on media websites and blogs that discuss the crisis. Begin your own blog and link to other sites that support a balanced American policy in the region. Start a free blog at: http://crm.cair.com/site/R?i=LuZnPYMSCWwIt6qA3e5zhQ..
Use social media tools such as Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Twitter, or Flickr to make your views known and to share your views with like-minded individuals and groups.

9. Organize meetings between Muslim and interfaith community leaders and members of your local newspaper’s editorial board.
To meet with a newspaper editorial board:
If possible, gather evidence of any media bias in the newspaper. (Also look for examples of positive, balanced coverage.) Save one-sided news articles or video clips. Record talk shows. Follow a newspaper’s editorial position.
Build a coalition of local leaders.
Plan for the meeting.
Get together for a strategizing session and assign duties.
Present your case. Be clear about goals. Stick to your points.
Conclude with specific a request for more balanced coverage and input from those who support peace with justice in the region.
Follow-up. Send a letter outlining agreements reached.
Contact CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper for more information on coordinating a meeting with an editorial board or contacting media outlets. Call 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, e-mail: ihooper@cair.com

10. Contact the State Department to call for action in defense of Gaza's civilian population. Call 202-647-4000 and ask for the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs or click here.

I Promise....

to be a better friend, daughter, sister, cousin, niece, grandaughter, student, classmate, roommate, neighbor, caring world citizen....

......as soon as this week is over. For right now though, I have to be in my own bubble, just me God and my mom. Uffff and the situation in Gaza really doesn't help :(