"Be the change that you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

Today I cracked.

I'm fed up. I'm upset. I'm so angry that this is the world we live in.

While my feeds on social media and the headlines on the news are overrun with debates over coffee cups and Christmas sweaters and ridiculous things and people that don't deserve our attention, there are SO MANY other important issues we should be feeling more passionately about. It seems the world is divided on EVERYTHING and it's causing some serious negative energy that I have overwhelmingly felt recently. It's a real downer.

I've been saying it all day and I'll say it again: if we cared as strongly about REAL issues as we do about coffee cups and Kardashians, the world's problems could be fixed.

Recently I've been thinking a lot more about this. I always talk about a want and need to get involved in some cause to better one of the world's evils, and that of human trafficking is one I am particularly interested in combatting. Well, today I'm done talking and I'm taking action. I'm trying harder to be the change that I wish to see in the world.

Today I became an abolitionist.

A real, live, 21st century abolitionist, committed to the freedom of human slaves and their subsequent rehabilitation.

There's an organization called Operation Underground Railroad. It is founded by Tim Ballard, a former CIA then Homeland Security agent who worked for years rescuing children from child sex tourism. He retired from that position in 2013, and since beginning O.U.R. in 2014 has rescued nearly 300 victims and assisted in the arrest of about 50 traffickers in various missions. Not only are they committed to these rescues, they have merged with the Elizabeth Smart Foundation to help in the rehabilitation of all those that are rescued. They have become a powerful force for good and need help and support to keep up the amazing work they are doing.

I'm tired of whining about the stupidity of the world and what they find issue with, yet not spending my time fighting for a cause I think to be noble or worthy of attention; so, I enlisted in O.U.R.'s corp of abolitionists today. While it's just a small step, I'm doing something. Finally. I am serious about this cause and want to do more. No human being should be kept from the freedoms that I enjoy. I am an abolitionist because innocence must be protected. The basic human rights of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" are deserved by all. Freedom for all.

Freedom can be taken away, and it is taken away from 10s of millions in our world right now. We look back on our history as an American people and feel ashamed for the years that slavery was allowed to persist in our nation, but what are we doing now to combat the atrocity that is more prevalent in the world today than it has been in its history?

"Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves." - Abraham Lincoln

If you want to get involved in Operation Underground Railroad, check out their site.

I've picked a REAL issue to fight for. What will yours be?

Here's a link from the US Department of State on "20 Ways You Can Help Fight Human Trafficking."

Here's a link for World Vision, where for $39 a month you can sponsor a child and provide them with access to clean, safe water, improved nutrition and basic healthcare and quality education that can help break the cycle of poverty.

Here's a link to Footsteps for Africa, a non-profit started by a friend of mine to surpass the corruption that sometimes overtakes humanitarian aid, to provide support for the well-being of children and their education.

There are so many ways we can change the world, even if we don't have a lot of money to spare, there are things we can do. Pick a cause. Fight for it as passionately as we let ourselves get over the trivial nonsense. Let's just get rid of the negativity that seems to be overtaking us and fight the good fight. What goes around comes around. Whatever energy we put out into the universe, it comes back to us. Let's keep things positive, everybody.

Let's unite on at least that.

Adulting

Hello blog-world. Blogosphere. Whatever the kids are calling it these days.

So, there has been an outcry from friends and family (especially the westerners) to know what is going on in my life. While I have been horrible at regular updates, this post is an attempt to catch you up on at least one aspect and give you all the deets.

So I got a job.

An adult job. With a salary. Full time. Monday-Friday. Job.

I'm pretty excited about it. This job came about after a couple months of continual rejection. Apparently in order to get an entry level job in the art market world in NYC you need to have a few good years of experience in the market (preferably in the NYC scene). Most people do a whole bunch of internships (mostly unpaid or just barely paid). I did 2. But let's be real, aintnobodygotmoney/timefodat. Or at least I don't. So I was beginning to get frustrated thinking I would have to leave NYC or shift focus to expand my horizons outside the art world. Luckily, that isn't the case anymore.

Lawrence Steigrad Fine Arts. A gallery started by Lawrence Steigrad and his wife, Peggy Stone, in the 1980s specializing in old master paintings (primarily dutch) and British portraiture from the 16th-19th century. It's in the Upper East Side so it's one of those older classy joints with wood panels and floors and a fireplace. It's a gorgeous space. I was invited in for an interview on Wednesday, received a call for an offer on Friday, and I start working tomorrow. Whirlwind week! It's crazy how fast things can change.

I will be the gallery assistant. It will just be us three at the gallery, so eventually, with some time and training, I will be assisting in every aspect of running a secondary market gallery. It's kind of the best entry level position a girl could ask for. GUYS. I will actually get to handle the art. Because I'm a nerd, that's one of the things I'm most excited about. Also, Larry and Peggy are so incredibly kind and wonderful and I can't wait to learn from them and work at their side. I know they will teach me a lot. When Larry called me to offer me the spot, his first words were "Are you ready to make a career move?!" I, of course, exuberantly replied "YES." Then when discussing the details of the offer it came down to this: "You take care of us and we will take care of you." I knew then that this was going to be an amazing opportunity and experience with them and I couldn't ask to be taken under the wing of better people. And I can't wait to take care of them!

So I start tomorrow! I'm nervous. I guess that's normal, right? First day of my first grown-up job... I'm adulting. It feels real nice. And, I GET TO STAY IN NYC INDEFINITELY!!!

Memorable moment: Tonight I got invited to one of the ward dinner groups that I forgot to sign up for (cuzofcourseidid) by my roommate and her friend Brian, who was hosting. Brian lives in this great apartment a few blocks from me and has a rooftop terrace(! those are a big deal). We were just sitting at the table on this rooftop terrace, there were string lights around the edge, the city lights were all just coming on and the moon was right above us, and Frank Sinatra "New York, New York" was lightly playing in the background while we were all talking/laughing/eating, and I just had this magical moment where I felt like I was completely in the right place at the right time. New York is my home, and I love it. I love the amazing people I have met here and love hearing their stories of life in this crazy place. I wish I could fully describe how perfect of a moment it was, but alas, I am left without words. It just felt real nice. Fin.

Someday I'll tell you about the giant thesis I am working on that I turn in next month, but right now the level of anxiety that surrounds it is almost unbearable, so I'm not going to ruin this great weekend with talk of that right now. To be continued...

Life is good. GOD is good.

Back at it again

Hello, world of the interwebs. It's me again. Just over a year again I wrote this long post about how I was recommitting to the blog thing. Well, as you can see, that didn't really stick. It may appear I have commitment issues (which I think we knew...). I'm trying again. Emphasis on the trying. Let me explain why.

Last night I went to FHE with my ward (Family Home Evening was designated by my church as a time to set a part exclusively for family every week on Monday night, and since I don't yet have my own family, my small congregation of single peeps get together every week to have some fun and create uplifting experiences). Last night was the first night I went to FHE in a really long time. Perhaps since I've moved to the city (Oh yeah - I have moved to New York City since my last blog post). It was at our bishop's house with his delightful wife and kids. The topic of discussion? Recording memories. The bishop and his family shared some personal experiences they've had with journaling and how it enriches their lives. Their two kids shared entries from their journals that were incredibly detailed and quite hilarious. The thing that I loved about these entries were the incredible details these kids included. I'm sure at the moment they probably seemed mundane or unnecessary to include, but believe you me it allowed for some good laughs and some keen recollection for this family. Bishop asked us to think of an experience we have had recently, whether it be sad, happy, funny, whatever, and asked us if we had written these things down. Immediately several experiences came to mind. I've had a fantastic year, have met some incredible people, been extremely lucky in my travels and schooling... and I haven't written anything down. As I was trying to think of something I could share, I had a hard time recalling some of the little details similar to those that were so prevalent in the writings of an adolescent boy, that I knew he would read with fond memory in future years. It's kind of upsetting, to realize you're forgetting your life.

So, in an attempt to right this wrong, I want to do better. This blog is mostly for me to record my thoughts and musings and complaints about life, but I love to share those things with friends and people I love. So, read on, if you choose, because my life is sometimes a joke. It should make for great entertainment. But also life happens, things get hard, and I really enjoy when others share those hard experiences because it allows me to find strength and rely on the experiences of others for help and reassurance. I'm hoping this here blog can do the same for others, if not just for my future self.

Looking back at my post from a year ago, it really explains the theme and title of this blog. If you're interested, I refer you to my last post from March 2014.