Synthesizing Happiness

This blog post is a reflection on a TED talk called "The Surprising Science of Happiness" that I watched for my Personality Theories class, and my professor later recommended that I turn it into a blog post. Like my previous post, this is a slightly modified version of the original assignment.Hope you enjoy! The reference section has a link to the video discussed here. I highly recommend watching it! 

As soon as I opened this video, I realized I had seen it before. I do not remember when, in which class, or if I saw it on my own time, but this video is extremely familiar. It is discussing happiness. Dan Gilbert opens with a discussion of how our brain structures, such as the prefrontal cortex, allow us to figure out how things might work out in the future. He uses an example of knowing that liver and onions ice cream would be gross before trying it. I was reminded of what happens when I start picking classes for the next semester. I read the course description for a class I am considering, and that allows me to think about how I might perform in that kind of class. When I read about Personality Theories, for example, my first thought was that I could see myself being fascinated by the subject. However, when I had to choose a science course, I could skip over the section on chemistry courses because I could envision how unwise of a decision that would be without having to register for the class and attempt the coursework.  Next, Gilbert began to discuss how happy people are with their circumstances. As it turns out, people who win the lottery, and people who become paraplegic have the same level of happiness a year afterwards. The reason he brought this up was to discuss the hedonic bias, or the idea that people tend to think a positive experience will make them happier than it really will. I was always jealous of my friends who had iPhones in high school because my parents would not let me have one. I was sure I was missing out on something amazing, but when I got one this year, I realized that I do not love it as much as I thought I would. I would have been perfectly happy with a less expensive phone.

Next, Gilbert makes the claim that we can “synthesize happiness.” In other words, we can make ourselves happy, even though we assume that we have to find happiness. Synthetic happiness is what we create when things do not go our way. He discussed examples such as Pete Best, the drummer who was replaced by Ringo Starr before The Beatles got famous. People are always surprised when I tell them how blessed I am and how much I genuinely love my life. They assume that because my life is oftendifficult, it automatically is unpleasant. This is not the case. I have learned to find joy in my family, my faith, my friends, my school, and my interests even when my health is not as good as it could be. I have made it through seven major surgeries, four of which were brain surgeries, three pressure sores that rendered me unable to walk for several weeks at a time, chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and bullying, and I made it through with hope for a better future, a positive attitude (except when I was depressed, of course), and my faith in God largely intact. My ability to do this is probably related to my  ability to synthesize happiness, and find joy wherever I can. Another example of synthesizing happiness was shown in a series of experiments. Interestingly, after performing experiments on amnesiac and non-amnesiac patients where they had to rank certain paintings, and then were given a print of their third choice, both groups later ranked this third choice higher than they had before. His next point is directly related to the example I gave related to my disability. He points out that people synthesize happiness best when they are in a situation they cannot get out of. When I was very little, my physical therapist would tell me that by high school, I would be walking unassisted. In first grade, I could stumble slowly down a hallway without assistance and I loved it. Unfortunately, a couple years later, I had a growth spurt and lost the ability to walk without crutches. I struggled for years to get the ability back, but to no avail. When I finally realized that it was not going to happen and decided to focus on what I can do, I was much happier and more at peace with my disability. Similarly, I used to hate the idea of using a wheelchair instead of crutches, but when I realized it would be the only way I could go to the mall, go to Disney World, go to high school on rainy days, and eventually, go to Spring Hill, suddenly being in a wheelchair did not seem so terrible. I find that I am much less tired and achy at the end of the day. I can get around faster. I can dance...well, sorta...I don't like to dance on my own, but I like dancing with a partner and occasionally in groups.I can play wheelchair basketball, and I can even go to ice-skating rinks! We rationalize our circumstances and see them positively. 

His last point illustrated that indecisiveness, whether it is indecisiveness when choosing a picture to keep after completing a photography course, indecisiveness over choosing a college, etc., are not worth worrying about because we will find a way to be happy with whatever decision we make (TED2004, 2004). I've been in many situations where I drove myself nuts after a difficult decisions, worrying that I did the wrong thing. Now, I try to impose limits on myself, such as, "You can ask x amount of people for advice and then you have to make a decision and stick to it" or "you need to make a decision by such and such time and then you need to stop thinking about it," and that has helped quite a bit. I still worry, because that's just part of my personality, but I'm getting better about it. I got tired of driving myself nuts over decisions, and I'm choosing to be at peace with my decisions. Time I spend worrying is time I could be spending on useful pursuits, like academic work, reading, drawing, or blogging about social justice issues. 

Findings discussed in my Personality Theories textbook corroborate what Gilbert is saying. In the text, happy people are described as self-reporting positive emotions, and being perceived by family and friends as being particularly happy as well. Happy people also tend to focus more on the positive aspects of their life, rather than the negative, much like Pete Best who was kicked out of the Beatles before they got famous but still managed to make a happy, satisfying life for himself. Another finding suggests that some people are going to be happier than others despite having more difficult circumstances or despite differences in age, health, gender, etc. Also, wealth does not make people happier once it hits a certain level of wealth (Diener & Biswas-Diener, 2002) Once people have enough money to live comfortably, adding on extra wealth does not change their level of happiness (Larsen & Buss, 2014.) Readers, my challenge to you is twofold: for the sake of your health and happiness,"Worry less. Smile more Accept criticism. Take responsibility. Listen & Love. Don't hate. Embrace change..." and spread that joy to others! God bless. :) (www.idlehearts.com/worry-less-smile-more/1277)

References

TED2004 (2004).The surprising science of happiness. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert_asks_why_are_we_happy?language=en

Larsen, R. J., & Buss, D. M. (2014). Personality psychology: domains of knowledge about human nature. (5th ed., pp. 535-536). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.

www.idlehearts.com/worry-less-smile-more/1277

Comparative Case Studies on Water Pollution: Maywood, California and Beijing, China

This paper was submitted to my Issues in Social Justice: Globalizing Water class, and was subsequently used as a required reading for a class called Comparative Government. I also submitted it to my school's social justice magazine PAX, per the request of another teacher. I'm quite proud of it, and it discusses an issue I have recently become passionate about, and have never discussed on my blog: access to safe water. Hope you enjoy! After the semester is over, I will be writing an in-depth reflection of what I learned in the class and how it made me a better activist, so stay tuned for that!

Water pollution is a serious problem both nationally and globally. Toxins, heavy metals, and other pollutants can affect the taste, appearance, and most importantly, the safety of a community’s water supply. In the United States, in the city of Maywood, California, there are serious issues with water contamination that local governing bodies are attempting to rectify. There has been a great deal of press coverage about this community and the struggles it has had with cleaning up their water, and the local government has been transparent about legislation related to this issue. On the other hand, in the city of Beijing, the government claims to be making changes and improvements to deal with the water supply, yet very little visible progress has been made. These two case studies, while similar in that both communities are dealing with the consequences of water pollution, vary in the solutions proposed by the people and the governing bodies, how effective their respective solutions have been, and how open to discussing these issues the communities’ governing bodies have been.

In Maywood, California, there are two types of contaminants found in their water supply: manganese and trichloroethene (TCE). TCE is more hazardous, but manganese is more prevalent in the Maywood water supply, so the bulk of the information available about Maywood’s water pollution problem focuses on manganese pollution. TCE was only found in one of the three water systems analyzed in a 2010 study, while manganese was found in high concentrations in wells from all three water systems analyzed in this study (GeoTrans, Inc. 2010). TCE has a variety of uses, but unfortunately for the people of Maywood, none of those uses include being a safe additive to water. TCE is used to dissolve greasy, oily substances, particularly substances built up on machinery. It is also found in cleaners for upholstery, paint removers, glues, and correction fluid. If it is not disposed of properly, it can easily get into water supplies. In studies performed on rodents, TCE was shown to have more severe effects if ingested rather than inhaled, which is why its presence in a water supply is such a serious problem. Symptoms of TCE exposure include a euphoric high much like what one would experience after taking drugs, numbness in the facial muscles and tissue, lethargy, and weakness. There have also been studies that suggest possible links between TCE and an increased risk of miscarriages, as well as an increased risk of cancer. However, it is important to note that correlation does not imply causation, and therefore it cannot be assumed that TCE is the only reason for these findings. There may be complicating factors aside from TCE that are affecting the rates of cancer and miscarriages (United State Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], 2000). Manganese, on the other hand, mostly leads to unpleasant aesthetic qualities in the water, such as a brown tint that can stain clothes. Manganese is only dangerous in large quantities, but the aesthetic effect it has on water certainly makes the water unpleasant to use and consume. This is certainly not the worst water-related problem to have, but it still is an issue of concern for the people in the community.

According to the City of Maywood Water Quality Assessment, TCE was found in only 1 of 3 water suppliers’ water supplies. However, the amount of TCE was found to be under the allowed level of 5, but it occasionally came very close to being 5. Despite the fact that TCE has come close to being a health hazard and despite the fact that much of the problem with manganese involves the way it affects the way the water looks, much of the focus has been on the overabundance of manganese in the water supply (GeoTrans, Inc. 2010).  It seems that the more pressing issue in this community is related to aesthetics, rather than public health (Becerra, 2013).

There are several stakeholders in this issue, such as politicians, business owners, activists, and community members. Mayor Oscar Magana dealt with having brown water when he was just a teen living in the community. Since he sympathizes with the community that is still facing the challenges he faced as a teen, the issue of water pollution has remained an important area of concern for him. Activists have also taken an interest in the water pollution in Maywood. Activists worked with a member of Del Amo Action Committee, Cynthia Babich, in order to make progress with this issue. As a group, they were able to convince members of a governmental department, called the Department of Toxic Substances Control, to test their water for manganese. This testing led to the discovery of high, but still legal, amounts of TCE in Maywood’s water supply. Roger Kintz and Rick Fears, both of whom work in the Department of Toxic Substances Control, are working to improve the situation. In 2010, several solutions were proposed to rectify the overabundance of manganese in the water supply (Becerra, 2013).  Three different water supply companies proposed solutions to this issue. The first company suggested mixing water with high concentrations of manganese with water that has little or no manganese, which is more of a short-term solution. This company also proposed solutions with longer-lasting effects including processing the water to take out the manganese or building brand-new or modifying older wells so that less manganese gets into the water in the first place. The second company suggested mixing water with high and low manganese levels as well, but chose different locations than the first. The long-term solution, which would cost one million dollars or more, was to run a pipe from a well to their treatment site in order to process the water and remove the manganese. The third and final company’s proposal includes, yet again, blending the water to lower the concentration of contaminants, but they focused on TCE rather than manganese. They also suggest costly additions to the water system such as a facility to remove TCE from the water, replacing the water system entirely with components that do not produce TCE, or blocking TCE-contaminated sections of the water system to prevent TCE from getting into the water. Despite the cost of $250,000-$1.5 million, these solutions seem to be the most sensible, and the most focused on what should be the more pressing issue.(GeoTrans, Inc. 2010) Cost could become a complicating factor, though. It is important for the decision-makers in this community to budget accordingly so that this issue can be resolved without causing financial problems. (Becerra, 2013) Another complicating factor is that other contaminants could get in the water if these structures are not made correctly, but so far, these solutions are being implemented correctly and the situations are showing improvement. (GeoTrans, Inc. 2010; Becerra, 2013)

In contrast to Maywood’s relatively minor issues with discolored water and potentially dangerous chemicals in the water, the people of Beijing, China are dealing with much worse pollutions, and more severe consequences because of this pollution. For example, a canal called the North Canal, was found to have pollution levels that are “nearly 95 times higher than what is deemed safe.” Another water issue is the lack of sewage treatment plants in nearly half of Beijing, which has resulted in severe fecal contamination in many bodies of water. (Shuang, 2013).  Other water pollutants include chemical runoff from farming, heavy metals, and in a particularly disturbing instance, dead pigs (Tan, 2014).

Beijing is not the only city in China facing serious problems as the result of water contamination. Cities known as “cancer villages” are popping up all over China. As the name suggests, these are cities, which, due to water contamination, have seen a major increase in cancer deaths and diagnoses over the last few decades (Shuang, 2013). Another major health concern as a result of Beijing’s water pollution is diseases that lead to severe diarrhea. These types of diseases can lead to rapid dehydration, particularly in children. While it is important that all people have access to clean water, it is particularly important that children have access to clean water in order to facilitate development and to avoid potentially life-threatening diarrheal illnesses (Carlton et al., 2012).

The Chinese government has proposed several potential solutions to the pollution problem. Unfortunately, the primary source documents that outline the specific measures to be taken regarding this issue are not available to the general public, or at least not at Spring Hill. The security settings on our server prevented me from accessing a document that outlines the Chinese government’s specific plans to deal with this issue, but I was able to find a secondary source that summarizes the initiatives taken to tackle this issue. The Chinese government has been dealing with environmental issues such as water pollution for about thirty years. It seems odd that so little progress seems to have been made in all that time. Various initiatives have been taken over the years in order to deal with this issue, each one spanning five years. The most recent one deals with the pollution issues by continually testing the polluted water and keeping track of the health of the citizens. Overseeing what the water companies are doing is a very important step for the Chinese government to take because “28% of municipal plants and 53% of private plants were not complying with water quality monitoring requirements. Over 16% of water samples did not meet drinking water standards, most often on account of microbial parameters” (Carlton et al., 2012).

Various measures are being discussed to deal with the widespread dangerous pollution in Beijing and other parts of China, which the activist group China Water Risk outlined on their website. There are several legislative changes in the works to deter polluters. There will be harsher punishments for people who pollute. There will be stricter water safety standards for industries and businesses that contribute the most to the pollution, such as tanners and ceramic makers. A new bill is also being voted on that provides free water for farmers and outlines specific water safety guidelines for people in agricultural fields. These guidelines will include topics such as how to dispose of animal carcasses. One would hope this would prevent future incidents involving dead pigs in Chinese water supplies.  In terms of steps that affect all citizens, rather than just those in agricultural fields, environmental reports, such as water quality reports, will be available to the public. This is a very important step, because it will allow Chinese citizens to educate themselves about the issues surrounding water safety and will allow them to make informed decisions about how to dispose of human and agricultural waste without contaminating the water. Another important step in providing safe water for all people is allocating more funds to water treatment efforts. There will also be standardized water treatment guidelines so that everyone in Beijing and other areas in China will have equal access to potable water. Despite these proposed changes, it will be a long time before the decisions are made final (Tan, 2014).

The main basis for comparison of these two cases involves the fact that these cases are both modern examples of the dangers of water pollution. The most illuminating aspects of these cases can be found in how they differ. There are socioeconomic and political aspects that affect both the causes of the water pollution and the responses to the pollution. In Maywood, clearly the pollution problem is much less significant than the pollution in Beijing. Maywood’s pollution is predominantly manganese, which is causing mostly aesthetic issues with the water. It seems to be a rather clear statement of their socioeconomic status if their biggest problem is stained clothing and brown water. Their priorities may not be in quite the right order. While TCE is not yet at a life-threatening level in the Maywood water supply, the levels of TCE have been very close to dangerous levels. It seems that reducing the levels of TCE to even lower, safer levels might be a more pressing issue than discoloration that could be filtered out relatively easily. However, Maywood legislation and citizens of Maywood disagree. On the other hand, China is facing significantly worse problems than Maywood. A variety of contaminants have been found in Chinese water, from agricultural runoff, to fecal matter, to the infamous, aforementioned dead pigs. (Tan, 2014). Rather than dealing with discolored clothing, the people of Beijing and other areas in China are dealing with water that has the potential to make them very sick, as made evident by the surge in cancer diagnoses. There is a clear difference in how the governing bodies of Maywood and Beijing are dealing with their water issues. In Maywood, the citizens have a voice in town hall meetings, grassroots movements, government jobs, and in the newspapers. In return, government offices are being transparent about what they are doing to fix the issues they are facing, and progress has been made (Becerra, 2013).  On the other hand, it is very difficult to find specific plans outlined by the Chinese government about how to deal with the water issues, and it is therefore difficult to tell if notable progress has been made and if they are keeping up with their end of the bargain. This points to a difference in governmental practices and their willingness to protect their citizens (Tan, 2014).

Overall, the water pollution in Maywood and the water pollution in Beijing have very different causes and very different solutions. As such, the approaches taken by their respective governing bodies are very different as well. If these solutions are not effective enough, it would be interesting to see if any of the solutions that Fr. Chamberlain discussed in his presentations might be potential solutions to aid in the water pollution issues these areas are experiencing. Specifically, Arborloos might be a useful means of prevent further fecal contamination in China’s water supply. Also, bone and ceramic filters could help with chemical and heavy metal pollution. PUR water packets could be beneficial in both Beijing and Maywood (Chamberlain, 2014). Clean water is a vital, universal human right. In time, maybe it will become a right that is attainable for the people of Beijing, Maywood, and other communities dealing with water pollution.

PS: This was not a part of my paper, but, readers, I challenge you to research about an issue you don't know much about. You may find something new to be passionate about, much like I did! God bless!

Sources

Becerra, H, (2013, June). Maywood gets straight talk about its water quality. Los Angeles Times, 1-3. Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jun/29/local/la-me-maywood-water0629-20130630.

Carlton, E.J., Liang, S., McDowell, J.Z., Li, H., Luo, W., and Remais, J.V. Regional disparities in the burden of disease attributable to unsafe water and poor sanitation in China (2012). Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2012 (90), 578-587. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/90/8/11-098343/en/ doi: 10.2471/BLT.11.098343

Chamberlain, J. (2014) Water for emerging regions: Science, Challenges, Solutions. Spring Hill College, Mobile, AL.

GeoTrans, Inc. (2010). City of Maywood water quality assessment. City of Maywood: Los Angeles County, California. 1-69. Retrieved from http://asmdc.org/speaker/pdf/MaywoodWaterQuality.pdf

Shuang, L. All five of Beijing’s major water systems seriously polluted (2013). The Epoch Times, 1-2. Retrieved from http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/251030-all-five-of-beijings-major-water-systems-seriously-polluted/

Tan, D. The war on water pollution. China Water Risk. Retrieved from http://chinawaterrisk.org/resources/analysis-reviews/the-war-on-water-pollution/

United State Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] (2000). Trichloroethylene, 1-3. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/ttnatw01/hlthef/tri-ethy.html

Helpful Hints for the Tech-Savvy Activist

I'm sitting down to start this blog post at 2 a.m...Either I have completely lost my mind, have officially crossed the line between night owl and insomniac, or maybe this blog post will be so profound and wonderful it just had to be written immediately. My vote is option 2! Anyway, on to the actual focus of this post, which is how social media can either help us or hinder us during the fight for social justice. You can do so much with social media these days; you can blog for an audience of about four as I do (I'm kidding, I'm kidding. I'm sure I have a solid five readers! LOL), you can make Youtube videos, such as the "It Gets Better" campaign, you can make a facebook page about an issue you are passionate about (or you can just inundate people with 50 posts in one day and then not talk about the issue for months at a time and lather, rinse, repeat, but this isn't super effective, as I've discovered),you can tweet about issues in 140 characters or less on Twitter, and goodness knows what else. All of that is fantastic for spreading the word about issues, but it is also a good way to start controversy. This isn't always a bad thing; respectful debates can be very enlightening, lively, and interesting. However, as soon as people start name-calling, yelling, and ending friendships over posts, then Houston we have a problem.  We can't change the world if we're too busy bickering. Here are some strategies to help you through a particularly difficult debate:

1. IF YOU ARE ANGRY,DO NOT SAY OR DO THE FIRST THING THAT POPS IN YOUR HEAD!! I learned this one the hard way when I blurted out "F--- YOU!" when someone I had been arguing with finally got on my last nerve. Sadly, I didn't learn that lesson right away; I had to make the mistake a few more times with other people, just to be sure. Don't be like me! Before you respond to something that makes you angry, take a step back and ask yourself what an appropriate response in this situation is. Sometimes, a simple "that's offensive because (fill in the blank) and here's why you shouldn't say that" or "well, we're going to have to agree to disagree" will be sufficient. Other times, if you feel like you are in some kind of danger or you just find their beliefs so completely against what you stand for, you may need to report them/delete them/block them depending on the specific situation. However, more often than not, the best approach is to ignore minor offenses and move on. If you show people that you will not be drawn in to a screaming match and stay calm, you will earn more respect than if you lose your cool.

2.  In any discussion , "I" or "we" language is significantly more effective than "you" language."I think you should consider," "I believe," "I feel," and "I know" or "we can agree to disagree" and "why don't we talk about this when we are calmer?" will get you a lot further than "you're wrong about this because blah blah blah" or "You should" or "You need to."  "You" language tends to make people feel attacked, while "I" and "we" language tends not to.

3. If someone is clearly not receptive to your message, don't keep pushing them to agree with you. They will dig their heels in further the more you push them. It's guaranteed. Sometimes you just need to let things go. Trust me, I know this isn't easy, especially about issues near and dear to us, but it's better than letting things get out of hand, which can happen very easily during a discussion about controversial topics.

4. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE, ESPECIALLY IF THE DISCUSSION, DEBATE, ETC, IS HAPPENING ONLINE: Please remember that there is a person behind the angry statuses, belligerent messages, and unyielding posts. Social media makes it easy to forget that we are dealing with people, not just machines. People have feelings, and if we forget that, we run the risk of insulting or alienating others, and harming our cause more than we help it. I'm guilty of this one, but I'm learning to be more accepting of others with opposing viewpoints. That old saying "you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" is vital for the social justice activist to remember. People won't respond positively if you yell, call them names,etc. That approach leads to hurt feelings, anger, and will almost definitely cause the other person to dig their heels in further and believe in their viewpoint even more than before. No matter how upset you are, remember that the people you disagree with are still people deserving of kindness and respect. Even if their beliefs seem wrong. Even if they are misinformed. Even if you just generally don't like the person you are arguing with, please, remember that you are talking to a person, a child of God, someone with inherent dignity and worth, who is deserving of respect! Sometimes, all you can do is maintain a respectful tone while you poke holes in an inherently flawed argument. Other times, you may actually be able to concede a point from their argument, which brings me to number 5.

5. Don't be afraid to admit when someone has given you something to think about! This doesn't mean you have to completely overhaul your entire worldview. It just means you have something to think about. That's all. It may alter your belief slightly, it may change it completely, or you may do some research on the point and realize that you still disagree with the other person. The important thing is, conceding someone's point once in a while makes them makes them feel heard while also giving you a chance to research an important issue even further than I'm sure you already have. Which brings us neatly to point six.

6. Get your facts straight! Seriously, if you're going to debate a controversial issue with someone who completely disagrees with you, please please please know the facts behind your argument before you start arguing. Don't guess about the important statistics, look them up. Don't quote someone without being absolutely sure that you know who said it and have a fairly solid idea of the context in which the quote was being used. This takes time and effort, but it is so worth it! Don't destroy the credibility of your argument by misspelling, misquoting, or giving wrong information!

Readers, my challenge for you is probably fairly obvious given the topic of this blog post, but I'll put it out there anyway for tradition's sake.  I challenge you to utilize these strategies the next time you are in a difficult debate. Good luck in your quest to change the world, one respectful dialogue at a time! God bless!

Free to be Me: What I Learned from "Baby Let Your Hair Hang Down"

Well this is new...I just completely threw out a blog post because I absolutely hated the direction it was going in. Anyway, here is my second attempt at writing a blog post about "Baby Let Your Hair Hang Down." "Baby Let Your Hair Hang Down" is a documentary about Georgia Van Cuylenberg, an actress and comedian who has alopecia areata, which is an autoimmune disorder that results in hair loss. I will include links at the end of the post to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation's (NAAF) website, as well as how to go about seeing the documentary about Cuylenberg for anyone who is interested.

      I first heard about "Baby Let Your Hair Hang Down" from the Pro-Life Club at my college. I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I went to their showing of the documentary, but I absolutely loved it! It was an honest look at what it's like to live with alopecia areata. What I loved about this documentary was that it showed both the more positive aspects of dealing with alopecia, such as learning to be okay with being bald & beautiful (I don't know why, but writing out "and" just looked weird with this phrase...I digress.), meeting new people who are dealing with the same thing, giving speeches and inspiring others, etc. but it also shown the negative side, such as self-esteem issues and painful treatments for alopecia. It was funny at times, heartbreaking at others (spoiler alert: the scenes showing her getting acupuncture and dealing with other painful treatments were very difficult to watch, especially since I know what it is like to deal with these kinds of challenges. You may want to have tissues handy) and overall a very inspiring movie. Her positive attitude was so infectious and made me re-evaluate how I feel about my disability and my life in general. It reminded me that bad times can't last forever, so I should learn from them and have hope that things will get better, and on the flip side, happy times also won't last forever, so I should learn to appreciate those. 

      I was struck by how much of the documentary I could relate to, despite the fact that my disability, spina bifida, is totally different from alopecia. I could relate to the self-esteem issues she faced. It took a while for me to figure out how to make crutches and a wheelchair look cute, but I did it! When I was little, I put stickers on my walkers and crutches, and now I use makeup and fashion to express myself and distract from my scooter. I could relate to the way alopecia changes (hair can grow back and later fall out again) because spina bifida changes too. Some days my legs work better than others and some days I'm in more pain than others. It's fairly unpredictable, and can be pretty frustrating, but I have a support system of family and friends that makes it all worth it. I can relate to going through tons of medical treatments trying to find solutions for alopecia, because I have had to do the same thing with spina bifida. In the past I have had to find effective solutions for chronic pain, tethered spinal cord (a painful condition that can usually be treated with pain medication, but can also require surgery. So far, pain pills have done the trick), and most recently, pressure sores. I have a persistent one that hasn't responded to well to mild treatments, so we have moved on to a more aggressive treatment that I really hope will work. What amazed me throughout Cuylenberg's documentary was her ability to stay positive despite her challenges. She is an incredible role model, and she has taught me to stay positive, be strong, and face challenges head-on. I highly recommend "Baby Let Your Hair Hang Down" and would love to hear what y'all thought of it. What I got from it could be summed up by the slogan on the t-shirts and bracelets my friends in the Pro-Life Club sold (benefiting NAAF, I believe) at the event. The Pro-Life Club had t-shirts and bracelets with the slogan "Free to be Me"(Francesca Battistelli has a great song called "Free to Be Me"...Check it out!)  on them, which I think was a great takeaway message for this movie. We all have challenges. We all have insecurities. It's up to us to let go of these things, embrace our individuality, and be ourselves.  My challenge for you this week actually comes from one of her Youtube videos (I'll include a link to her channel with the other links at the end): Readers, I know we all have struggles and problems and things that drive us nuts. My challenge for you is to start writing down things you are grateful for, big or small (I'm grateful for my family and friends, but I also happen to be grateful for chocolate sno-balls and getting a new book from the library).  This documentary made me realize that I have so much to be grateful for, no matter what else is going on.God bless.

Website for NAAF:http://www.naaf.org/site/PageServer

Information about "Baby Let Your Hair Hang Down":http://babyletyourhairhangdown.com/

Georgia Van Cuylenberg's Youtube Channel (which is filled with awesome and inspiring advice) :http://www.youtube.com/user/Georgiavancuylenburg?feature=watch
Music video for Francesca Battistelli's "Free to be Me":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKSQjSdU8VA
All rights for the documentary, Cuylenberg's Youtube channel and Battistelli's music video belong to their respective owners and not me.

How I Became an Ally for the Trans* Community

            Normally when I write a blog post, the inspiration behind it comes about in one of two ways. It is usually either an issue that I have always felt strongly about and just happened to want to write a blog post about (for example, the first blog post I ever wrote, which was about being pro-life and about disability rights), or something will happen to me that inspires me to sit down and write (Like my post about Mr. D, the homeless man who taught me how to dribble a basketball). The post I am going to be writing about today does not fall into either category. In fact, until recently, the issue I will be discussing today was something that rarely ever crossed my mind.

The issue I will be writing about is how I decided to become an ally for members of the Trans* community. It seems that so often when we hear about the LGBTQ community in the news, it is revolving around gay marriage or other issues of gay rights. There is rarely any talk about the Trans* (which signifies transgender male or female, bi-gender, genderqueer or anyone else who does not fit into the gender binary) community, Trans* rights or transphobia. Like I said before, I was not conscious of this until recently. I am a cisgender (I.e., the gender I was assigned at birth matches my gender identity) bisexual female with the vast majority of my family and friends identifying as cisgender as well, so Trans* issues have generally been the furthest thing from my mind. I was never transphobic, but since I also was not doing anything to help the Trans* community, that made me a "victimizer", albeit an unintended one (Deutsch and Steil, 1988). I decided that it was time to change this when a friend of mine from high school came out as Trans*. At my all-girls, Catholic high school, Cabrini, we were taught from day one that all Cabrini students are sisters. We are each expected to look out for our Cabrini sisters, an expectation I have always taken very seriously. If one of my Cabrini sisters needs something, I make sure to be there for them. When one of my friends came out as Trans*, I knew that I had to be there for my Cabrini brother. I immediately started doing research about the Trans* community and learned about Trans* etiquette, which I will discuss in more detail later in this post.

When I began my research, I was absolutely shocked and horrified by the violence and transphobia faced by the Trans* community. In one survey, over 80% of respondents reported being the victim of verbal abuse due to their appearance, and about a third of respondents reported physical abuse (Transgender Issues: A Fact Sheet). Statistics like these break my heart, and it infuriates me that we live in such a transphobic society. I cannot imagine how awful it must be to have to be afraid when you go out in public that you will be harassed for who you are or how you look. Reading these statistics made me realize just how privileged I actually am. I was already conscious of and saddened by the amount of privileges I receive just by virtue of being white and middle class after reading McIntosh’s “Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” (1990). On top of that, I am cisgender, which offers another “invisible knapsack” of its own. I do not have to worry about finding a gender-neutral bathroom, and I will never have to fear that I will be harassed in a gender-specific bathroom. I do not have to endure constant questioning and rude comments about my gender identity. I can wear outfits that match my gender identity without having to worry that it could cost me a job. I never have to experience dysphoria, which is the acute awareness that one’s gender identity does not match one’s physical appearance.

 Once I was aware of the privileges I have as a cisgender woman, I decided it was not enough to just read about the statistics related to the Trans* community and learn things about Trans* etiquette, such as what is acceptable or not acceptable to ask a Trans* person. While these are important things for me to know, I wanted to be more than just informed. I wanted to be helpful to the community and change the pervasive prejudice that the Trans* community faces. I decided that I needed to become an ally. An ally is “a member of a dominant group in our society who works to dismantle any form of oppression from which she or he receives the benefit (Ayvazian, 1980).” I started small, by sharing images on my Facebook page supporting Trans* rights, and sharing information about fundraisers to help offset the costs of my former classmate’s transition surgery. Then, I began taking a class called Social Psychology of Social Justice. In this class, we have to do a twenty minute group presentation on a topic of our choice. I signed up to work with a classmate who is vocal about supporting Trans* rights, as well as many other social justice issues. We decided to do a documentary-style presentation about what it is like to be Trans* in today’s society and how people can become a Trans* ally. We have interviewed a Trans* woman and a Trans* man, and we still have one more interview to complete as of right now. The two interviewees were wildly different in terms of personality and in their experiences with transphobia, but both had valuable lessons to offer. I wanted to include some lessons I have learned from them. Think of it as “Trans* Etiquette 101” or “Ten Ways to be a Trans* Ally (…but this is absolutely NOT an exhaustive list)”

1. One of the interviewees said something that was simple, yet oddly profound. She said that the way to be an ally is to just be a friend. Listen when your friend needs to talk, and be there for them when they need you. All people need a friend.
2. If you do not know which pronouns a Trans* person prefers, ask. It’s as simple as that.
3. Once you know the pronouns a Trans* person prefers, USE THEM.
4.  Do not ask about a Trans* person’s sex life.
5. Do not ask about a Trans* person’s genitalia.
6. Do not ask a Trans* person what their “real” name is. Call them whatever name they give you.
7. Even if you knew a Trans* person before they came out as Trans*, you should not call them by the name they used before coming out.
8. Use the name they tell you, but if you mess up, apologize and move on.
9. Be respectful, not judgmental. One of the interviewees talked about being judged by family members, and that saddened me deeply. Respect is key to being an ally!
10. Stand up for Trans* rights and speak out against transphobia.

Readers, today I challenge you to learn more about becoming an ally, whether it be for Trans* people, or for any other group. My male readers could look into women’s rights. My white readers could research discrimination against minorities. People without disabilities could advocate for better compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. God bless!

Finding Your Passion

My last few blog posts have been about Camp Dream Street, a place that helped me figure out who I want to be and what I want to do with my life. The next topic I want to cover is this journey of figuring out who we are and how we want to spend the rest of our lives. My story is pretty unusual because I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to be by about age 6 and I knew for sure by age 19. I saw art therapy on “Full House,” one of my favorite shows as a child. I distinctly remember pointing to the TV and saying, “Mommy, what’s that? I want to do that when I grow up!” but neither of us knew what that therapeutic method was called. Through the years, I continued to have an interest in art and psychology, but I couldn’t figure out how to meld my two main interests.  I went through several career possibilities but eliminated each one for a variety of reasons. Singing was fun, but impractical, and unlikely to be a successful career. Teaching sounded rewarding, but I generally don’t like speaking in front of large groups if I can avoid it. Psychology or psychiatry was a good choice, but I knew I would miss my art. Graphic design, makeup art, costume design, and advertising all sounded fun and interesting, but were missing the social justice aspect that I was looking for. I prayed and prayed that God would show me who He wants me to be. During art class my sophomore year of high school, my teacher finally helped enlighten me by describing art therapy. That moment was life-changing. I finally found my passion (although being at Dream Street confirmed that art therapy truly is my passion). I did plenty of research to find out what I could expect to make, where jobs could be found, and what colleges offered art therapy as a major. That last bit of research wound up not mattering; I decided to double major in art and psychology so that I could attend Spring Hill College for undergrad, and wait until graduate school for actual art therapy. I’m only finished my freshman year of college, and I already can’t wait for grad school. I’m considering a few different schools, but I think I will probably wind up at FSU. I am so psyched about the art therapy curriculum at FSU! The classes all sound like so much fun! …You’re probably wondering why I’m babbling about my passion when this blog post is supposed to be about finding you’re passion, aren’t you? Well, there is a method to my madness, I promise! Work with me here! :)

My point in describing the process I went through to discover my passion was to show you that you won’t necessarily figure it out overnight. It took me nearly twenty years to realize exactly who God is calling me to be. I figured it out by examining what my favorite pastimes are, by doing research, by prayer, and by volunteer work that related to my career possibility. If you are unsure of what you want to do with your life, start by examining who you really are. A fabulous place to start is career quizzes, which use questions about your personality and favorite activities to match you to a career that fits you. I also used a little questionnaire from the book Writing to Change the World to help me figure out what I want. I will include the questions and my own answers at the end of my blog to show you how it works. I highly recommend this questionnaire; it also helped me figure out what I wanted my blog to be about when I first started it.

If you are struggling to figure out what college to apply to, what major(s) to choose, what job to aspire to, DON’T PANIC. Take a deep breath. Start by thinking about where your strongest interests lie. I’m not talking about things that you dabble in. I will never be a makeup artist because that isn’t where my strongest interest is. I like it, but it’s not my passion. Do you like art? Science? Math? English? Music? Thinking about subjects you like in school is a good place to start. Think about your hobbies. Think about whether you are introverted or extroverted. I love people, but I am most comfortable around small groups of people. That’s why I know teaching probably isn’t for me. If you have done volunteer work, think about the type you prefer. Do you like working with animals? People? If you want to work more with people, would you prefer children? The elderly? Somewhere in between? I prefer working with children and teens, so that’s why I chose a career that will allow me to work with age groups I prefer. Finding your passion may not be easy, but it is worth the search. When it finally clicked for me that I am supposed to be an art therapist, I felt absolute peace and joy. I know I am here for a purpose, and that drives me to work hard and to succeed.

One of my high school teachers once told us that when she got her job back after Katrina, she literally danced a jig. THAT is the kind of enthusiasm you should feel about your career, college, major, etc. If you don’t feel that, maybe you should explore other options. I know I’m in the right school because I actually can’t wait to go back. I know I’m heading in the right career path because I totally can’t wait to get started. If you haven’t found your passion yet, be patient. You’ll find it one day, and trust me, it’s worth the wait!
Here are Mary Pipher's questions from Writing to Change the World, and my responses*:

1.     What makes you laugh, cry, and open your heart?

There are so many things that make me laugh!  My family. My friends. Myself. My pets’ crazy antics or just silly animals in general. Children. Children’s movies and books. The “Hey Burrito” song at camp. Corny jokes. Funny facial expressions. Auto-Correct fails collected on various websites will make me laugh until I can barely breathe. What makes me cry is also a pretty long list. Books with a touching message. a particularly beautiful song, painting, or dance can make me cry with joy no matter how many times I read, hear, or see them. Injustice of any kind makes me cry with sadness. Bullying. Homophobia. Bigotry. Child abuse. Animal abuse. Mentally ill people who can’t or won’t receive treatment, and thus can’t reach their potential. What makes me open my heart is very simple: God, loving family, and supportive friends. I know I can pour out my heart to them without being judged.

2.    What points do you repeatedly make to those you love?

I am constantly reminding my family and friends how much I love them, and that I would do anything for them. I also remind them not to worry about me because I am strong, hard-working, and independent.

3.     What topics keep you up at night or help you fall asleep?

Things that keep me up at night include social justice issues such as gay rights, pro-life, bullying, etc. blog posts (I started writing this one at 3 a.m.) keep me up if they are about a topic I feel strongly about. Knowing that many people don’t have food, shelter, warm clothes, and a loving family keeps me up at night. A good book will also keep me up at night. I can fall asleep knowing that my family loves me, my friends support me, God is always with me and loves me more than I can comprehend, and I have a roof over my head, food in my stomach, and clothes on my back. I can fall asleep knowing that I am here for a purpose and that every day I need to work toward fulfilling that purpose.

4.    What do you know to be true?

I know that God is real, God loves me my family loves me. My friends love me. I was created with a purpose. my disability does not have to hold me back. Art is more than just a pretty picture or sculpture; it allows us to see into the mind and heart of the artist. Art and music can heal. I also know that injustice makes me sick and it is my responsibility to fight for justice.

5.     What do you consider to be evil? (my responses are not in order of most evil to least evil or vice versa. They are just in the order I thought of them.)

   Violence, greed, prejudice and racism, bullying, crime, abortion, homophobia, indifference to the suffering of others, etc. This question depresses me. I think I’ll move on.

6.     What is beautiful to you? (again, no particular order, just stuff that popped in my head) Hope. Love. Joy. Faith. God. Churches. Rosaries. The Eucharist. The Bible.  Sunsets. Sunrises. Butterflies. Flowers. Birds. Cats. Dogs. Dragonflies. My friends. My family. New Orleans. Charleston. Beaches. Mountains. Spring Hill. Cabrini. Paris. Architecture. Vintage cars.  Life. Peace. Justice. Rainbows. Art in any form- painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, architecture, books, plays, poetry, music, dance, etc. Makeup. Gemstones. Crystals. Pretty much anything colorful, sparkly, or polka-dotted. Hearts. Peace Signs. Smiley Faces. Bright colors. Art Deco. Ladybugs. Cats. Kittens.  Dogs. Puppies. Tigers, especially white tigers. Lions. Birds. Horses.

7.     What do you most respect in others?

Honesty, integrity, faith, hope, love, independence, courage, perseverance, positivity and standing up for one’s self and one’s beliefs.

8.     What excites your curiosity?

Social justice issues, science, art, music, enthusiastic teachers, sign language, makeup artistry, nature, photography, architecture, history (particularly the 1920’s, ‘30s, ‘40s and ‘60s), learning about my own religion, as well as the religion and culture of others, and dance (even though I don’t dance, I love watching dancers and learning about different styles of dance).

9.     If you were the ruler of the world, what would you do first?

I would have to do two things: make abortion illegal, and make gay marriage legal.

10.  What do you want to accomplish before you die?

A LOT! Here’s my bucket list:

a.     Travel for fun and for mission trips

b.     Become fluent in American Sign Language, French, and maybe Spanish

c.     Join or start a women’s wheelchair basketball team wherever I wind up living after grad school

d.     Get a master’s degree in art therapy and a Ph. D in psychology

e.     Get married

f.     Have and/or adopt kids

g.     Try wheelchair dancing

h.     Go to a Paul McCartney concert

i.      Raise awareness about spina bifida, and disability rights and access enough to make changes in my neighborhood, and hopefully more far-reaching changes.

j.      Learn to cook

k.    Try karaoke

l.      Learn how to play guitar (third time’s the charm.. I keep trying it and losing interest a few months later because it hurts my hands)

m.   Attempt to learn to play the violin

n.     Learn to hit the high note in “Defying Gravity” consistently. At the moment, it’s a total crap shoot. Sometimes I hit it perfectly, other times it’s AWFUL.

*Pipher, Mary. Writing to Change the World. S.l.: Riverhead , 2006., n.d. Print.

Camp Dream Street, the Happiest Place on Earth Part 2: Upper Staff

Being on upper staff was always one of those things that I thought vaguely about doing in the future if I became an art therapist, but it somehow never crossed my mind as something I should try to do while I was still in college. Enter Sarah, the same friend who encouraged me to apply for GE. She texted me one day out of the blue and informed me that she was applying for upper staff, that the applications were due in about a week, and that I should definitely apply too. I was torn; I knew I loved Dream Street dearly, but I had some reservations about applying, mainly that I was worried about being rejected. Finally, after much hemming and hawing, I thought, “Why not? What do I have to lose?” and got to work on the application. As it turned out, I did the application twice, because I accidentally deleted my entire first attempt. Three hours later, I FINALLY finished the application for the second time. I wasn’t really expecting to get in because it was my first time applying, but I thought I might get constructive criticism for next year or something. So, once I sent in the application, I put it out of my mind.

Around the time I was expecting to hear whether or not I got accepted, I started having computer issues as well as mountains of homework, so, upper staff was once again the furthest thing from my mind. However, on February 16^th, I decided to check my email when I was in the library, because I knew that the internet was down in my room. I scrolled through and didn’t really see anything interesting at first, until I noticed a subject line that said “Congratulations!” Then, I noticed the email address said @dreamstreetms.org. At first, I just stared open-mouthed at it, not fully believing what I was seeing. Finally, it clicked… I realized that I had, in fact been chosen to be on upper staff. Normally, receiving news like that would result in me exclaiming, or jumping up and down, or something else equally goofy, but because I was in the library, I had to limit myself to a whispered “OhmyGod, ohmyGod, OHMYGOD!” I got quite a few funny looks, but I didn’t care! I WAS GOING BACK TO DREAM STREET! I made so many phone calls that day to tell my family and friends. I was absolutely on top of the world!!! I remember thinking that I didn’t care what went wrong that day; none of it mattered because I chosen to go back to camp.

In the weeks that followed, I had activities to prepare and a costume to make, as well as papers, tests, minor health issues, doctor visits, and finally, finals. It got a little hectic (okay…very hectic…), but totally worth it!  Knowing I was finally going back to Dream Street made it all worthwhile. After a great deal of preparation and collaboration with my mom and my aunt (who made my costume and helped me prepare my face-painting activity) it was finally time to go back to camp. The night before camp, I got about four hours of sleep because I was so nervous and excited. I couldn’t wait to see everyone again and do arts and crafts with the campers, but at the same time I was terrified. I wanted so badly to make a good impression as well as hold my own with much more experienced upper staff, so that I could be invited back next year. SPOILER ALERT: It turns out I had absolutely nothing to worry about. Being on upper staff was one of the most wonderful and rewarding experiences I’ve ever had. It was stressful and exhausting at times, but I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything in the world.

The first two days were devoted to orientation, and I found them both educational and wildly intimidating (THIS WAS NOT, I REPEAT NOT, the fault of the other staff. I just tend to be a pretty nervous person/perfectionist in general). It was at orientation that I became fully aware of what was expected of me (well…duh. That’s the point of orientation). Not only do the upper staff have specific activities we are responsible for, we are also who the counselors come to with questions and concerns of any kind. Being a newcomer, and a generally nervous person, I began to worry that I wasn’t cut out for this responsibility. I was afraid that I was going to make some egregious error and be told to go home and/or never get invited back. Apparently, I have quite the wild imagination, because this is NOT how things went. I’m not going to pretend that I didn’t make mistakes, but I will say that things ran quite smoothly, and that the art room seemed to be a pretty popular place during the week .There were a few challenges to overcome, like homesickness on the first day of official camp, exhaustion from lack of sleep and unusually strong side effects from my medication (severe drowsiness and moderate dehydration), art room cleanup until 2 a.m., occasional, unexpected bouts of shyness when it was time to explain activities, scooter problems, and stomachaches, but these were NOTHING compared to the good times at camp. I had a fantastic time, learned so much, and made soooooo many friends.

I learned so much from the upper and professional staff! Miracle, having been on upper staff before, was so patient with me even though I probably asked her a billion questions about how to be a good member of the upper staff. Natalie, like Miracle, was patient with me even though I pestered her with questions every single day. No matter how busy she was, she took the time to make sure any of my questions and/or concerns were taken care of. Steve kept me laughing the whole week, even when I was stressed out. Jocelyn was always there for me because we were in the same cabin. She gave me advice, helped me with things I struggle with, like putting my sheets on my bed, as well as navigating around the camp.  I am particularly grateful that she (and various others) helped me navigate around the camp. I seem to have a mental block against the layout of the camp; I couldn’t find the art room without assistance until the second to last day!  Jonathon inspired me with his positive attitude. His positivity seemed to make him particularly popular with the campers.  The professional staff showed me how to be friendly, helpful, and entertaining no matter how busy and stressed I may be. Last, but definitely not least, Kim and Mike did an incredible job as director and assistant director! They gave me tons of advice, support, and encouragement that helped me get through the week. They were very understanding when exhaustion set in midway through camp and let me leave some of our late-night staff meetings early. They were kind, flexible, and always made me feel comfortable asking for help. They taught me that, while independence is great, there will be times that I need to ask for help and that’s really okay. I absolutely despise asking for help, but their kindness made it much easier for me to ask. I am so grateful that they chose me to be a part of the Dream Street upper staff. It was such a blessing!

I had two activities that I and whoever else happened to be working with me on a given day would teach the campers. One was a Buzz Lightyear inspired telescope, and the other was a Hamm the Pig mask. The kids really seemed to enjoy the activities, but I think I had almost, if not as much, fun as  they did. After giving instructions, I got to circulate around the room, chat with campers and counselors, and offer to help if needed. These campers are some of the sweetest, funniest, and most inspiring people I’ve ever met. Each child taught me so much. I won’t mention them by name in here, but there were a few kids who I will forever be grateful for the lessons they taught me. I may have taught them how to do a few art activities, but they taught me so much more. There was a little girl who never said much, but giggled and smiled constantly. She also explored every inch of the art room, preferring to roam or look around rather than make telescopes. She reminded me to have a positive attitude no matter how stressed I may be, and to never stop exploring and learning. There are always new things to see and learn and experience. I met several future comedians who always kept me entertained. I met a young woman with fantastic artistic ability and conversational skills. I’ve seen this particular camper at Dream Street before, but never sat down and got to know her. Spending time with her in the art room made me wish I had gotten to know her sooner. She was very intelligent and confident, and seemed older than her age. One boy did something very unexpected and cool; he changed my Hamm the Pig mask into a T-rex mask. I thought it was great that he did something so different and creative. He took my project and made it into something better.  Working with these kids was such a blessing! I loved every minute of it. Being with these kids, teaching them, and learning from them has convinced me that art therapy is my true calling!

I’ve known since I was little that I was interested in art therapy, but there were always those nagging doubts that maybe I should pick a safer career, something more well-known and with a higher salary. Working at camp finally destroyed my doubts! I now know without a doubt, God is calling me to be an art therapist. Art therapy is truly my passion, and it’s because of Dream Street that I was able to fully realize this. I’ve always loved kids, always loved art, known I want to work with children who have disabilities and I known I wanted to make a difference with the career I choose.  My favorite aspects of working at Dream Street were seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces,  talking and interacting with them on an individual basis whenever possible, and seeing what kind of creative and unique spins they would put on the projects I taught them. Doing things like this on a daily basis would be the best job ever! I don’t think it would even feel like work. Thank you to everyone at Dream Street for making this the most rewarding and wonderful week I’ve ever experienced. God bless!