Joining forces with WE at WORC!

I spent half of my college career as the media advocate for PAVE, a student organization dedicated to ending sexual assault and dating violence on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus through education and activism. My time spent with the group remains one of the most rewarding opportunities of my college years, if not my life as a whole. Doing work that not only leveraged my skills but also benefited the community around me was simultaneously challenging and exhilarating, and I have missed the passion it stirred within me from the moment I graduated.

WE at WORCWell, I’m excited to announce I have found an equally gratifying, significant endeavor: I will be joining forces with Women’s Empowerment at WORC as the assistant director of communications and media.

WE at WORC is a branch of the Worldwide Orphanage Relief Coalition (WORC). WE takes WORC’s mission—to empower children by providing resources and opportunity and reestablishing human rights where those rights have been violated—and applies it more specifically to the lives of women and girls. WE focuses on giving young girls and women the opportunity to express their needs, desires, concerns and hopes for themselves and their communities, while aiding in the formulation of a more fulfilling, stable and self-sustaining future.

The group’s standard of work is established foremost upon the identification of various existing barriers that prevent underprivileged women all over the world from achieving their truest potential and from living a life they deem fulfilling. By standing in the gap, offering her support, resources and a pathway to education and selfdefined success, Women’s Empowerment at WORC aims to create positive change, establishing opportunity through community one voice at a time.

I ask and invite you to “like” WE at WORC on Facebook and follow us on Twitter as I navigate this venture and collaborate with my new team members to further the mission of empowering marginalized women and girls all over the world.

That makes you larger than life: always screaming on social media

I have a number of friends whose lives I’m only kept abreast of via their social media profiles. Facebook and Twitter: What they say there is what I know about them.

Rewind a few years, and I know these friends in other, more substantial capacities. We had relationships that extended beyond the screen into apartments, workplaces, bars… you get the point. But as happens with high school and college graduations, we dispersed and now freckle the country, our only regular coming together happening on a Twitter or Facebook feed.

It’s one thing to know a person on- and offline. It’s another thing to exclusively know a person online. I’m a big proponent of the power of social media, coming to its defensive every time someone calls it shallow, alienating or a waste of time. I believe it makes us a more connected, informed people, ideally moving us all to care and act for the betterment of society and the world at large. Still, even my social media-loving self cannot deny the following downfall:

Among the friends I only interact with online is a person I’ll call Donna (I’ve been watching a lot of “The West Wing” lately). Donna and I are friends from college: We worked together, went out together. The friendship never reached the “I know I can go to you for whatever I need” level, but I still considered us close.

For the standard reasons—new jobs, new cities, blah blah blah—we lost touch after graduation. In the past year, we’ve seen each other once. The reality is nothing to be broken up over, though it does mean our relationship has been distilled down to what we convey online (whether or not you even deem that a relationship is your call).

The other day Donna tweeted about a band, announcing her dislike for their “unoriginal” sound. For no good reason, I found the comment obnoxious, even getting a little worked up over it (It’s worth noting the band in question is not one I listen to). It took some time for me to realize that most of Donna’s posts to Twitter and Facebook are negative (or enough are negative for me to recall the majority as such), and what had felt like an over-the-top reaction to her musical commentary was actually the consequence of her constant complaints.

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Getting older after college and why it doesn’t stink (today)

I turned 23 years old today. It’s a fairly inconsequential brithday, and I didn’t do anything particularly exciting to celebrate it, but it was still a great day. Here’s why:

I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison last May, and shortly thereafter read a piece on things we should learn and appreciate in college. Among the many insightful items listed was the following: “All your best friends will never be within such close proximity.”

So while turning 23 lacks the excitement of 16th, 18th or 21st birthdays, today was still a great day, because in the span of 24 hours, via one medium or another, I heard from just about everyone I love and care about.

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Music to cook dinner to

I’m about to sign the lease for my first “big girl” apartment. Hip hip hooray!

Although I’ve yet to move a single piece of furniture into my new place, I can already picture myself coming home from work, turning on some tunes and making a delicious meal. Maybe this. Or this. (OK, probably this.) Fine. It’ll be a Lean Cuisene. Regardless, the music will reflect the cozy nature of the food I long to cook.

Naturally, I’ve already made the playlist, because why pack up all of your belongings when you can browse Spotify for three hours? Priorities, people.

Anyway, I’ve included the playlist here and below. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do (and cook better meals while listening to it than I do).

  1. “My Little Corner of the World” – Yo La Tengo
  2. “Sex Tourists” – French Kicks
  3. “There Goes The Fear” – Doves
  4. “My Life” – Best Coast
  5. “She’s Bound to Get Hurt” – Summer Fiction
  6. “Right Moves” – Josh Ritter
  7. “Butchie’s Tune” – The Lovin’ Spoonful
  8. “Magic” – Girls
  9. “King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1″ – Neutral Milk Hotel
  10. “Wind and Walls” – The Tallest Man on Earth
  11. “Cowboy Boots” – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
  12. “Dreams” – Fleetwood Mac
  13. “Back to Front” – Eliza Doolittle
  14. “Hold On” – Alabama Shakes
  15. “Between the Cheats” – Amy Winehouse
  16. “Let’s Do It” – Billie Holiday
  17. “I Thought I Saw Your Face Today” – She & Him
  18. “Night Windows” – The Weakerthans
  19. “World News” – Local Natives
  20. “Worry Dance” – Diet Folk

Halloween 2012: “Fifty Shades of Grey”

In case you’re still in need of a costume for the post-Halloween weekend (uh oh), are already thinking ahead to next year (impressive) or generally find your inbox flooded with costume party invitations (lucky), I thought I’d share my costume from this year’s festivities: “Fifty Shades of Grey,” a literal interpretation.

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I have to admit, I’ve never read the book, but its title was easy enough to interpret. The paint chips were generously donated by Ace Hardware (which is to say I awkwardly walked in, nabbed a bunch and left) then hot glued onto a cheap grey skirt from Target. Add a grey top, plastic handcuffs and the world’s longest fake eyelashes, and you’ve got yourself a “Fifty Shades of Grey” costume. Madisonians seemed to get a kick out of it. Hopefully you do, too .

Special thanks to my main gal, Sarah, for the idea.

What to get for the girl who loves cats

I want to clarify right off the bat that said “girl” is not me. It’s not that I don’t like cats, but their tendency of giving me hives is something I’ve developed a foul taste for.

My hiveless sister, however, loves cats. Quite a bit. Enough so that I can’t think of anything not cat related to get her for her birthday/the holidays. As such, I’ve assembled a substantial enough collection of cat paraphernalia to share the items here. May you only pass mild judgment on the cat lover in your life when you gift upon him/her these same unique goods.

Spicy Tomato Dill Soup

It is Oct. 24. I am in Chicago. And it is 75° outside.

Unacceptable. Give me fall back.

Throughout the summer (my least favorite of seasons — gasp!), I willed it to be autumn with the purchasing of oversized sweaters. I’ve gone for a more cost-effective, calorie-ineffective method this time around: Spicy Tomato Dill Soup.

This is my favorite dish on the planet (I know I’m a hyperbolic person, but I promise I’m not exaggerating). The recipe comes from Summer Kitchen, an adorable restaurant in Door County, Wis., my family spends most summers frequenting. That I developed my love for this piping hot soup during summer months is a testament to its deliciousness. Still, it is best enjoyed during colder months — the weather is more fitting but the clothes are not.

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