War with Iran

Recently, President Bush made a statement to the effect that if Iran pursued nuclear weapons build-up, it would lead to World War III. No, I don't want Iran to have nuclear weapons. But I have to wonder, how on earth did we go from the end of the Cold War to America fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, and gearing to go to war with Iran as well. Recent comments by President Bush and Dick Cheney speak to the need to make sure that Iran doesn't get nuclear power, adn to ensure that, we may have to go in and do something about that.

This scares me. The other morning, I sat with my roommate Emily and we talked about potential war with Iran and the likelihood of World War III, and it suddenly became incredibly real to me. The current administration went into Afghanistan to get al Queda. Instead of finishing the work there and helping to establish peace, resources were taken to fight an illegal war in Iraq-- and yes, I firmly believe it to be illegal, and I am angry that the administration lied and continues to lie about the Iraq war. For the record, when the US went into Iraq, I was actually supportive because I thought that we went in to help end the human rights abuses. Not to send the world into a spiral of terror and hate and cause complete chaos in Iraq and the death of thousands of US soldiers and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians and to line the pockets of certain politicians. I thought that there was a plan. The fact that where we are now is the outcome and that the President can't admit that mistakes were made really upsets me, and it should upset all of us. Especially when we now are hearing rhetoric of going into Iran, for our security. Excuse me? This administration has plunged us into a new nuclear age. It has shunned diplomacy, and has shrouded its actions in lies and secrecy. It has thumbed its nose at all international cooperation, pulled out of treaties (such as the Koyoto Protocol and the nuclear arms proliferation treaty), created havens for actual terrorists, and caused a huge schism in the political life of the U.S. It has drained U.S. resources from things that would make the world a better place like education and public radio and civil service work to buy more tanks, to pay private defense firms like Blackwater, to run secret torture centers in other countries. And now they want to go get us into more debt, create more animosity towards the U.S., and potentially cause World War III with devasting effects for the next generation or two.

No. I am not going to allow this to happen. I don't know how yet, but so many people that I talk to agree with this sentiment, and we all seem at a loss of what to do. But we HAVE to do SOMETHING. It is our responsibility. I was reading an article today about the protest at the Pentagon forty years ago, protesting the Vietnam war and the effect that had on Robert McNamara, and I wish that we could do that. But I look at the anti-war protests and I see how they've lost their voice, even to those who agree with their message. I don't know what I can do personally, except talk about it, speak out at every opportunity, and get my citizenship so that I can at least make my voice heard by voting for someone who would be a better world leader.

How can we bring peace? Seriously friends, any ideas? We can't just sit back and watch another war start.

policy. Yes, policy. At least I think so.

So, here at Wagner, I have to decide on a specialization for my MPA. I have four great options-- Policy, Financial, Management and International. I came to school thinking I would do management. And then I thought Policy. And then I decided no, I should do management. And then I went to some international lecture and realized that is where my heart lies. And then I decided that was too broad, so I thought I should do International Finance. And then maybe just plain finance-- all organizations need someone good with money and I do like that class. And then I decided I shouldn;t do international, but i should do managment. and then I went to my management class and it was so boring it made me want to cry. and then I thought that I'll just stick with International, but that was swayed when i started thinking that I've already done a lot with international and i should really do policy. Policy is useful all around. And then I went to another lecture on peace building and thought I should do international. And then I sat myself down at the computer and told myself that I have to decide on a specialization TODAY or I may be in school for 10 more years.

So I picked Policy. And you know what? I am really excited for it. I think I will be learning a lot of things that I don't know and learning how to apply those to things I do know. I like the idea of analyzing things and coming up with policies that work. And I have a have more electives than I would with International. So there you have it. masters of Public Administration with a specialization in Policy. Now I just have to pass these midterms....

one final note. I am having a moment of missing friends. I love my life here but I jsut got really lonely for all of you folks out there that I don't see very often at all. loves to you.

Stephen Colbert on race: “While skin and race are often synonymous, skin cleansing is good, race cleansing is bad.”

study break!

I spend most of my time studying. Yes, here i live in a fabulous city, and my nose is usually in the books. It is amazing how much time can be spent reading things, and doing homework, and in study groups and lectures and more study groups and more
homework and sleeping and buying furniture and more study groups and happy hours at the local bar to make some new friends to form study groups with. These next two weeks are going to be spent even more inundated with numbers and words because I have exams coming up. Yikes!




But that is all beside the point of this post, because what I want to write about is my study break this last weekend! Hurrah! I had a friend in town and so I studied really really hard last week so I could play this weekend. What a treat to finally explore my neighborhood and simply relax and soak up Brooklyn and the warm weather and the delightful company of my friend.

My neighborhood has a lot of Chassidic Jews, and for the Sukkoh holiday they were all over the place asking people if they were Jewish. I really wanted to say yes so i would get invited over for dinner in the little palm hut they eat in for the week, but alas, I had to settle for a good long conversation with this guy instead.


I have a fountain close to my house. It is a statue of humans versus mer-people and I think that the merpeople are winning.

I went to the MoMA and got to soak in some of the most famous works out there. You may share with me in looking at the pictures.




I'm not all that impressed with starry night, but maybe that is just because too many people have it as a poster and I want to feel too cool for it. If i'm totally honest, then I'll confess that there is something about it. I just expected it to be a lot bigger.



Damian hanging out outside of the MoMA, which he finally got to go to after many mishaps.


Here is my roommate and friend Emily. We went to this totally adorable little French cafe for dinner the other night. It was so cute! And it is just down the street from me. I love this neighborhood!


okay, now back to the books.

Fight for Kisses

just watch it. Babies are hilarious.

Gone missing

I've lost my pants. Seriously, in all of the moving about, somewhere along the line I've misplaced like 5 pairs of pants, my favorite ones, along with my favorite belt, some sweet silver heels, and various other miscellaneous items. While it feels great to unpack finally and have a permanent place (stay tuned for an introduction to my neighborhood), I am also realizing how many things have gone missing and how many new things like furniture I need to buy. I have a lot of settling in to do.

These things that have gone missing serve as an analogy for my spiritual life. As I watched the General Relief Society broadcast last night (alone, on my computer because I was waiting for my bed to be delivered), many times I was moved to tears. i found myself incredibly overwhelmed by the spirit, and overwhelmed with how much I have missed church. I think that it especially struck me when President Monson mentioned Sister Faust and the rest of president Fausts family, and I had to go read through the news section of lds.org to discover that President Faust died in August. This absolutely devastated me. I really love President Faust. His talks never fail yo touch me.. He had this really incredibly way of talking about trials, and finding peace through them. He had such a peaceful demeanour and manner about him. In fact, the last fireside i went to in Utah was at the Tabernacle and President Faust spoke there. I remember the spirit testifying yet again that yes, this was one of his prophets, and that the words he spoke would bring peace. I miss President Faust, and while I am sad that he is gone, I am even more sad that I didn't know that he had died.

I missed a lot of Sundays in church while traveling. Just as I survived living out of a back pack, I've survived spiritually by reading my scriptures and praying and attending as a visitor in other wards. But, just like with the missing pants, I miss being settled spiritually. I've missed having a ward to attend, and visiting and home teachers. I've missed going to the temple. I've missed taking the sacrament every week and knowing people at church, and having my Sabbath days be devoted to growing the spiritual things. While I am not in bad shape spiritually, I crave to be settled and find that balance in my life again. Now, more than ever, i also feel that it is so important to stay strong and active in the church because there are so many opportunities to not do so.

I attended MY ward, the Park Slope ward for the first time today. It felt like home. And it certainly helped that some old friends of mine from college, Chris and Brooke Romney are in that ward! I'm taking it as a sign that this is where I need to be. Ah, the church is true.

The golden wedding.

This is my friend Meghan. She got married on September 22nd. The wedding was a total fairy tale wedding and so much fun!


And I had an amazing time dressing in a beautiful gown, have my hair and make-up done, and ride in a limo. I look kinda hot, if I do say so myself.



At the age of 16, meghan and i would have never thought that life would turn out this way. It is funny and amazing and mind boggling to see friends grow up. We always thought that I would be the first one married, being the good mormon kid and all. We scoffed at traditions and pictured ourselves eloping or walking down the aisle to Radiohead, and never, ever living in suburbia. And now, I am one of the last of my high school friends to settle down, and Meghan is talking about buying a house with her husband (husband!) Rob. it is funny and amazing and mind boggling. But mostly amazing to see her find the love of her life, the person who makes her be the most and best Meghan, and her to complete him in ways (such as sending him to a video game convention) that no one thought possible. I'll toast my virgin shirley temple to them.