A serious issue

I spoke about this on my facebook earlier. It's so nice to finally being able to talk about it, because people are talking about it now. Mostly due to the publicity involving cases such as those in India, completely brutal things. No, it's not pleasant but it is a huge reality. At least 1/4 of women are raped or are able to fight off an attempted rape in their lifetime. Now, that's not pleasant. That means that a lot of the women you know have gone through this, even if they show not a single sign to you that it happened. And that's all I have to say about that.

"Oh, she'd better never drink, always cover herself up, carry pepper spray, lock the doors, not go out at night, never be alone with a man, stay by her family, never show any cleavage or legs, never smile at a man cause he might think she's flirting with him, never speak because it may be seen as an invitation, better not even walk normally or sexily or have big boobs, better not be pretty either because she's just asking for it." 

You know, I'm tired of victim blaming. Why are women expected to prevent something, when it's the opposing party who is doing the action? Why is it "her fault" for being raped? Did she rape herself? No. A man raped her. It is the man's fault. Maybe she could have stopped it just maybe, if she weren't passed out, but then how many rapes happen while sober? Tons. A ton of tons. And even if passed out, if a man rapes her, he made that decision. She never made that decision so it cannot be her fault- simple rules of logic. 

I'm telling you, no matter how much of that you do, it still happens. A break-in, a family friend, a guy friend, a stranger, a coworker, an older adult to a child, a priest, and more. You're asleep, you're jogging, you're at work, you're reading a book, you're camping, you're drinking, you're dancing, you're walking back from groceries, you're just cooking in your kitchen. You're wearing sweats, a mini-skirt, nothing, pajamas, a dress, jeans, a t-shirt, sneakers, high heels. You're 12, 35, 68. If you don't change your life for others, it doesn't make it your fault, you shouldn't have to follow all these "rules" and ruin your own life in the process, attempting to never ever have a reason for someone to blame you if a man decides to rape (or vice versa). How is it your fault for what someone else decides to do to you? If you're on a sidewalk and someone runs their car over you, is it your fault? Or if someone murders you, is it your fault? "Oh, they were just asking to be murdered. I thought they were so stupid, and they were so smug." So because a women was drunk and a man thought she was hot, it's her fault for being raped? So a man isn't supposed to control his feelings, and because he decides to be a rapist, somehow the woman is at fault for a decision she didn't make, an action she didn't take?

Teach the men not to rape, not the women to "not be raped" (as if these rules actually worked or were possible without severe damage to a person's life). 

So I started my zoo orientation today, in the rainforest. I like it in there because for some reason I feel really at home there. The humidity and the temperature must remind me of the womb or something, because I just really like it. Maybe because I like saunas and it makes my skin feel really nice. I started off the day by driving to Tulsa. I'm still at school, so it was like a 1.5 hour drive. The thing is though, I bought  secondhand copy of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on CDS (there are about 10 CDS for 19 hours of audio) and I have never had such a blast driving. I even missed my exit a few weeks ago because I was focused so hard on the book. See, Harry Potter on tape, it's amazing, because it's like having the entire book as a movie, not just a few scenes. I've never experienced Harry Potter like this. =))) He even does different voices for all the characters and I can't hear Uncle Vernon without cracking up.

I wish I could remember half the things he taught us in the rainforest. It's not too late you know, I've always had an interest in animal behavior, maybe after I do nursing I will go on to that. I have the feeling I have no idea where I will end up in life. Let's see, we saw the bats (which are so cute), sloths, lizards, monkeys, birds, plants, trees, poisonous dart frogs, snakes, and many things that could potentially kill you. It was fun.

It's just remarkable to me how intelligent some of these animals are. The owls actually aren't particularly smart, but others are. They remember you. I really, really love the sloths. I like the idea of conserving your energy until you need it. Actually, I read this really cool article about creative people, and it said that's exactly what we do. Conserve it as much as possible so that when we are inspired, we get a crazy burst of energy and keep working at our project much longer than other people could. And I believe that, I get that way sometimes when I am so energetic that I'm just working away and forget about anything, including food.

It's amazing how in this rainforest building, it's all out there with you before you even realize it. There are bats above you in the dark areas of the ceiling, birds running and flying around, frogs mating about just a foot from you, and these tiny little monkeys that have figured out how to work the light switches when they're excited.

In other news, finals start tomorrow. I've gotta study more and make a sandwich for the morning. I graduate on Saturday, believe it or not. My plans are to spend this summer on my own projects: children's book, finishing my YA novel, photography, and figuring out where I'm going in the fall. I'm thinking I'll go to Florida for my nursing degree in summer 2014. I plan to buy a season pass to Universal Studios and go there whenever I need to blow off steam. I'm sure nursing is hard. I think it'll be worth it though. I don't think I'll ever be a typical nurse here in the US. All I can see is traveling with it. And of course, using it for my creative things that require a knowledge of health.

Look how inspired I am to write a lot when I don't want to study. 

Mr. and Mrs. Batty

I'm writing a children's book about two bats (a married couple) and I was thinking: what should I name their children? What exactly does one name a bat child? So I went to write down ideas. I immediately thought of Edward. Hahahahaha.

I actually liked Robert Pattison or w/e a lot as Cedric Diggory. I thought he played the part perfectly. I just can't take Twilight seriously. It's a very bad message to give to girls about their boyfriends. He leaves? Better throw yourself off a cliff. And oh yeah, it's totally normal for a guy who you know to watch you as you sleep from inside your room. It means he really loves you. And you had better change every single part of you, down to the cellular level, to please him. Otherwise he'll find some other girl hundreds of years younger than him to marry.

I had a whole pound of fudge. Maybe more. 

In honor of (pre) finals week

Here are a few of my favorite happy websites to waste time on. Universal awesomeness:

http://www.cheezburger.com/

http://reasonsmysoniscrying.tumblr.com/

https://twitter.com/stuffonmyrabbit

Everyone should read my screenplay!

I finished it last night, while keeping adrenaline-d by reading live updates of the horrible clashes in Boston. You know, I don't understand how people can do that. Brothers, too, and so young. ALL of the people involved were young- 29 year old woman killed at the marathon, as well as the 8-yr old boy and the grad student Chinese lady, and the MIT cop was 26, and it's like this just keeps going. The brothers are practically my age and I don't understand how people go so wrong. I am comforted by the fact that prosthetics are getting better, and for the younger people with missing limbs, someday they may get a really cool robotic leg. Now I know this is small comfort, but it's better than in the days where they didn't have many options. It's really looking on the bright side that makes this easier, but still.

This screenplay is my first one. I wrote it for my senior project. Screenplays are so much more difficult. It was good though, because I really had to focus on dialogue for the first time, and I needed that. It helped me to develop the characters more and so they feel a lot more real to me, so I really felt like I was there. It was cool.

This is essentially what I've been working on the whole semester. I've worked a ton on my book, but I can only write so much per day. I have a limit for some reason. So I had to use that limit on this lately. But now it's summer, no responsibilities for at least a month. I want to finish my book once and for all (so I can start on my new ones ^-^).

I need to find a better way to host these, but for now, here it is:

The Identity of Colin Clocksworth

Take care everyone.

I totally want one of these

I was working on my senior project, a super-long screenplay about this kid, Colin, and his journey on finding his identity. I was doing research about his career (he's going to work in helping the environment) and somehow one Google search led to another, led me to wondering what is in a dr's bag. You know, these things that you always see in movies and cartoons from the 80s and beforehand.



A relic of a bygone era. I used to have a miniature kid's one that I had so much fun with. And see, the glorious thing about being a writer is that someday, this completely random and out-of-date information may come into play.

So things inside, according to research:

• Gloves
• Things like stethoscope, blood pressure monitor, thermometer
• Basic drugs (Epi, pain meds, antibiotics)
• I'm gonna assume lots of bandages
• Spare scrubs
• Penlight, Prescription paper

Don't home visits make sense, though? It is more work for a doctor, but it is better for the patients. They aren't going to be in a room with people who have possibly worse and contagious illnesses, they don't have to risk driving while ill, and if they're vomiting, it will be much easier for a doctor to come to their homes than them to the doctor's office. I know when I am sick, I pretty much stay curled up in bed, cuddled up by my phone and whining like a baby to everyone I can reach by text.

Actually, they're saying the home visit stopped in the US because of insurance practices. If you're not seen in a hospital or office, then they won't cover it generally. Hmm. It is better to have a central location where all the equipment is but then I cringe when I go in for a routine checkup and there's someone beside me who sounds like they may literally cough a lung up.

And I just found out there are museums of doctors' bags. The world is good.