Every year as the holiday season approaches I find my sense of nostalgia disappearing. As a child I recall this sensational twinge that would come about me as soon as October 1st came around. I could feel the magic of the holiday season coursing through my veins. Now, it all just sort of feels like another day. Which leaves me longing for the days of watching festive movies on my Granny's couch as the leaves fell from the trees outside and her house filling with the aromas of her worthwhile holiday treats. I have to wonder if it is the lackluster events of our everyday lives as adults that makes the magic fade from the holiday season. The stress of bills and deadlines distract from the merriment of the end of the year celebrations. Nevertheless, somehow despite all of this we have to continue to instill the season sense of wonder in the younger generations. From Halloween to New Years we have to be determined to keep the holiday magic alive. So we decorate, play music, and dress up to cling to any feelings of our childhood happiness that we can salvage. Yay for growing up and holding on to the nostalgic reminisce of holidays past. So buy those fancy horror movie makeup kits, put your head in a turkey F.R.I.E.N.D.S style, and rent that Santa costume. Go all out for the holidays because the magic of the holiday season is still within you. All you have to do is give it a chance to come out and make 2018 the best holiday season of your life. XOXO, Hunter
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Ever get into the mood where you Google Search inspirational quotes? Because, same. Then, you decide to post it to social media and realize that apparently everyone else had the same idea that day. Nevertheless, we all have a need for those sappy, quite possibly over simplified quotes to get us through the times when life is just a little rougher than we than it was the day before.
Just incase you needed to hear any of these today, I'm giving you them now. Not everyone is the same, or has a life that is always rainbows and butterflies. Normal, is being different. To be the same as everyone else is to know that everyone else has at some point felt the same feelings as you. I hope that by sharing these kinds of things I'm helping others to understand that. XOXO, Hunter I feel like no matter how old we get there will always be uncomfortable situations we find ourselves in the make us question our own thought, feels, and/or opinions. Situations that define us by making us reevaluate what it means to be the people we are. They are uncomfortable and trying but it is these situations that make us who we are. Think back to the days of learning to ride a bike. For some it came easily and for others it was a tedious process filled with determination, perseverance, as well as cuts and bruises. This is were certain character traits where developed and some young children discovered what it truly meant to accomplish a goal. Throughout the course of ones own life many similar situations appear. Getting your first A, standing up for the kid on the playground, giving a controversial speech to your class, choosing a college major you are passionate about but the job market isn't. If we really stop and think about all of the little accidental moments that had to come together to make us who we are, well we might get a head ache. No matter the difference in opinions, backgrounds, age, race, gender or religion we all walk through life collecting moments. Moments that define us. We learn to be afraid of certain kinds of people based on one specific event, we learn that a certain gender is more nurturing than another, we learn stereotypical definitions of what it means to feel safe, loved, and wanted in society. My goal is to be apart of a moment that someone collects that is profound to their existence. I want to be the person that fights for the underdog, breaks the silence, and defends against religions, racial,or gender based persecution. Think about what would happen if we all set out after that same goal. XOXO, Hunter "Days go slow, and years go fast."
-Luke Bryan I can remember being younger and adults telling me to "enjoy it while it lasts" or "it goes by quicker than you think". Of course 12 year old me shrugged it off, but now I can see exactly what they meant. As I go through life it feels just like waking up in the car and looking out of the window, seeing everything racing by, and having no idea how you got to where you are. Don't get me wrong, the ride (life) is definitely worth the price of admission. The older you get the more you realize that you really need to grab on to every moment you get. Savior all of the Christmas mornings, movie nights, are random road trip jam sessions you can get. Don't stress so much about the day to day or the big picture stuff. Sure, we all need to have a goal as to where we are going, but not if it ruins the journey. If ever you feel the the weight of life so heavily on your shoulders that you feel lost in the hands of time, take a step back. Go outside, look up at the sky, and take a deep breathe. This Journey that we are all on is simply to beautiful to miss out on. XOXO, Hunter In recent months the debate on gun control has reached an apex. Following the shooting in Parkland, FL rallies, marches, and protests alike have been at the forefront of media coverage. Supporters are speaking out for gun control and demanding a direct legislative response. Among them are victims of gun violence, survivors, family members, friends, celebrities, and legislators just to name a few. What moniker do these brave and enduring souls get to bear for their strength and perseverance? Snowflakes.
Now it’s time for a little science lesson. The creation of a snowflake is extremely similar to the conception of a human being. Much like the way a sperm and egg combine to make you and me the combination of two things also creates a snowflake. When water vapor high in the earths atmosphere come into contact with an extremely small dust or pollen particle a snowflakes development begins. Snowflakes grow from tiny ice crystals way up in the earths atmosphere to the uniquely individual specimens that they are as they fall to earth. Like people it is their journey that shapes them into what they become. In America the older generations and the younger generations have had distinctly different journeys. The older generations were brought up on the post World War II American strength ideals. They were raised by people who had fought and won. They lived through a time when American prosperity was a given as long as you put in the effort. Fast forward to the America the younger generation has grown up in. In the early, most impressionable years of their young lives they already had a different identity as Americans. Most of the young people labeled Snowflakes were born into post 9/11 America. This was a country on the brink of war. It was made extremely clear to them that nothing was as black and white as it once was. Terrorists were no longer visible threats with bombs strapped to their chests. They were people highjacking airplanes, hackers infiltrating firewalls, and people you pass on the street. When our county was facing the unknown parents were raising children in fear. Teaching them to question everything, to be hyper aware and trust absolutely no one. Gone were the days of inviting strangers into your home. The so called Snowflakes didn’t just form by happenstance they were created. Created by growing up in a recession when jobs weren’t guaranteed by hard work. By living in the extreme unrest of a county. Parents wanting better for their children meaning making life easier for them. This lead to some of the most amazing technological advancements. The younger generation grew up with laptops, calculators, cellphones, tablets and more. All inventions created for us so that we might be spared the harsh lives of our parents and grandparents. All things that are now being thrown in the faces of young people because they make them ungrateful, or unable to work for anything. If using the technological advancements afforded to me to better myself makes me have a less desirable work ethic then call me a Snowflake. If being of the mind that people should be kind to one another makes me sensitive then call me a Snowflake. If thinking that there are things about our country that need to change makes me stupid then call me a snowflake. Putting down each other with frivolous terms helps no one. We are not Deplorables. We are not Snowflakes. We are Americans. Patriots, survivors, entrepreneurs we are members of the land of the free and the home of the brave. Wanting something better and fighting for it used to be a good thing here. It gave us our American identity. Now it is something that we use to break each other down. It’s being said that Snowflakes melt because they can’t stand the harshness of the world we live in. What people don’t see is that they aren’t melting in fear. When snowflakes melt they come together in the form of water. Water which is a necessity for all living things. Something that can not always be seen as it takes on many forms. It can be a vapor, a cloud, or even fall from the sky. But eventually one day it will become a snowflake again. If being apart of something more then we can see or believing that change is an essential part of our world means that I will melt into a sea of like minded people, then call me a Snowflake. XOXO, Hunter I wouldn't be someone that most people would think of to ask for advice in this area. I am one of the most anxious and fearful people I know. In the middle of my sophomore year in high school I was blindsided by my anxiety. Not only did it make me feel scared and physically ill, it made me shut down. I could move, think, or breathe with out this overwhelming sense of impending doom. All my days consisted of for months were taking my own pulse because I though I was having a heart attack, taking deep breathes to attempt to calm myself down, and crying uncontrollably as I felt my own body and mind betraying me. In the United States there is a giant stigma surrounding mental health issues. We think of mental health problems as things only padded rooms and electric shock can cure. Well I have news for you, its the complete opposite. No matter your feelings about the matters of the brain it all poses an intrinsically difficult struggle for the effected parties. Feeling like you are trapped in your own body is one of the most things I can imagine. Eventually however your body, mind and spirit will all sync once again. Take your time. I know coping can be a miserable process and can feel never ending, but it will. From my experience going to the doctor, talking it out with someone (friend or therapist) can all be extremely beneficial. Below I will list some mental health resources so anyone looking for help can begin their journey to inner peace.
With Love, Hunter I've got the basic white girl thing down. I mean, I love fall, the smell of pumpkin spice, and like many of my fellow Americans I have a special place in my heart for the Royal Family. I got up at 5 a.m. to watch Prince Harry and Meghan Markle get married, I followed the news on each of the births of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridges babies, and now a NEW Royal Baby.
I feel like just yesterday the Duchess of Sussex was walking down the isle in her breath taking modern gown. Now, pregnant with her first child, she and Prince Harry are more active than ever as they travel promoting many important causes. Such as, Free the Children, Help for Heroes, and the National AIDS Trust. I can't even express how much I wish U.S. politicians would take a page from the royal play book. While I sit here contemplating the advantages of the Royal life of luxury I will also be continuing to follow the Royals on social media since they tend to have much happier news across the pond. XOXO, Hunter Most of the time when you hear the word unprecedented, your mind immediately prepares to witness a negative situation. However, unprecedented simply means something that hasn't been done before. The word itself is neither good nor bad. Keep this in mind as we begin to discuss the unprecedented lawsuit of Juliana v. US. Climate change is a main point of controversy in American Politics. We have a group of politicians fighting to increase funding and access to information on climate change. While another group wants any mention of climate change to disappear. However, a group of 21 plaintiffs have a view on climate change that isn't often express. In the case of Juliana v. US the plaintiffs claim that, through the government's affirmative actions that cause climate change, it has violated the youngest generation's constitutional rights to life, liberty, and property, as well as failed to protect essential public trust resources. (YouthvGov) Basically, this group of individuals is posing a new and very interesting question towards law makers in our country. Do we as U.S. citizens have a constitutional right to our planet based on the way the Constitution is written? This case has made it all the way to the Supreme Court without anyone really knowing the answer. Ultimately, it will be up to the Supreme Court to decide, as it should be. Climate change isn't just an issue of survival it is an issue of political deviance. On one hand you have those in power being rebellious towards the political establishment in the name of the state. The prime example of this being the government officials that make a profit from the fossil fuel industry when voting in favor of the industry on climate related issues. On the other hand you have those who exemplify civil disobedience as they struggle to effect social change. That is what the Plaintiffs ages 10-21 years are trying to do. Effect social change. This is something we in the U.S. have seen a lot lately. From the MeToo Movement to the Anti- Kavanaugh protestors and the fake news allocations. All of these things have one thing in common, they play on peoples emotions. The Preamble of the U.S. Constitution states: We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of American. When you look at the sections I have enlarged above it is clear as to why the case has made it to the Supreme Court. Are increasing emissions best for "promot[ing] the general welfare" of the American people? Are drastically fluctuating temperatures, melting icecaps, and natural disaster that can all be linked to climate change "insur[ing] domestic tranquility"? That is for the Supreme Court to decide. With thoughtfulness, Hunter Hello Everyone,
I'm sorry for my disappearance last week. Things at school got really crazy. I'm talking 4 quizzes, 2 tests, and a presentation. As a result, my blog slipped through the cracks. On the bright side, this week we will be back to our regularly scheduled daily uploads. I hope everyone is ready to indulge my wordy musings once more. XOXO, Hunter |
Hunter FergusonHolding her Associates of Arts in Political Science, Implementing Beneficial Community Project, and having Led a Student Collaboration team at her college of attendance- Hunter chooses to blog about the world around her as well as her personal experiences in hopes of creating a Powerful group of like-minded people. Archives
July 2019
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