Athiests go to heaven?!

Good news for Christmas! Many Americans think I get to go to their imaginary heaven!

"In June, the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life published a controversial survey in which 70 percent of Americans said that they believed religions other than theirs could lead to eternal life.

This threw evangelicals into a tizzy. After all, the Bible makes it clear that heaven is a velvet-roped V.I.P. area reserved for Christians. Jesus said so: “I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” But the survey suggested that Americans just weren’t buying that."

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/27/opinion/27blow.html?em

This is a great Op Ed in the New York Times. It goes on to say that nearly half the respondents who thought all major religions could lead to heaven, they also said that atheists could go to heaven as well.

The author talked to some people who argue that because we live in a multicultural environment in America, and meet so many good people, we want to believe that everyone who is good goes to heaven.

This is a relief. In many other studies researchers have found that atheists are often one of the most, if not the most, hated group of Americans. http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=1786422&page=1 This is a really bad rap. The Pacific Northwest has the highest amount of people who chose no religion, and is also a great place to live, and has many thriving charities and low amounts of crime. So how bad can we be? I think part of the reason this survey found that so many people hate atheists is that they felt it was OKAY to say outright they hate atheists, but not okay to say they hate Muslims or black people out loud. sheesh

I also find it frustrating. Many people claim to be religious, or claim to be Christian. Yet they don't really believe in any specific Christian doctrine, they don't believe in the literal Bible, they don't believe that only Christians go to heaven, etc. So why not just give it up? I think most of the people I know don't really believe, and should at least say they are agnostic, if not outright atheist. Just give it up, you are an atheist, so just say so. Maybe people will quit hating us. It also will give those evangelicals less power when they claim they represent huge numbers of Americans, which they clearly don't.

I have Christmas photos and such to put up, I just haven't been on the computer much.

fuckin' snow

I hate the snow. I don't mind being trapped at home by laziness, but I hate being trapped by something real, like the weather.

Otherwise things are good.

again

hey family

i'm posting "buzzed" again

sorry i don't have photos to post, i have misplaced my camera. we did put up the tree, it is fantastic.

tonight tanner's family had dinner with some family friends, and i came. there was great food and wine, (lots of wine over here!). cheri can really cook and jon can help host, it was good.

the holidays are going great so far

the bevans girls are totally excited about going on the cruise.

um.

thats all,

i will find my camera and post some photos, rhea took some with her NEW camera of the trees and decorations. i will try to post those.

love calli

Christmas Break!

I was so tired last night that I didn't really celebrate. Tanner took me to Las Margaritas. Rhea and Scott hung out at home, Rhea was tired too.

Tonight we are putting up the Christmas tree! I will post photos of it later.

Rhea and I are also doing some shopping together today, which is always really nice. Yay sister time.

That's all I got.

Here's a cute christmas photo though.

Creative Giving

Creative giving.

It's important to me that my choices at Christmas time reflect what I value, it sets the tone for the new year. This Christmas I avoided the mall, and purchased all my gifts online. This saved transportation costs, since delivery trucks are delivering many goods, and not just taking my ass to the mall for a round trip. I wanted to buy experiences, but it can be tricky, since I'm working off other people's lists. I am definitely doing the experience thing with Tanner, we are going to take a dance class, or I'm going up with him later in the season to learn to snowboard, something like that. On my list I made sure to ask for organic, slave labor free clothing and other goods. My family isn't very experienced yet in making sure to research before buying products, so they are doing their best.

But I am broke so I don't have money left over to give much to charity. I gave five dollars to Child's Play, my absolute favorite charity, http://www.childsplaycharity.org/ (if not the most influential in the parts of the world I worry most about though) and five dollars to UNICEF.

Tanner had a great idea though: give blood. So early next week I'm going to donate blood at the Puget Sound Blood Center, http://www.psbc.org/home/index.htm. It's a great donation, and an important one also.

So I hope that inspires everyone else to think about what they consume, and how to give back this holiday season.

Also today, I sucked at both my finals. Oh well, I'll do better next quarter.

Washing

Today I am thankful for washing.

My mom had a 24 hour flu type of thing. My sister has it too, but has had fewer symptoms and has been studying despite feeling ill. So far I have been spared. But I want to mention how thankful I am for being able to easily wash my hands. Not getting sick is sure great.

I am also thankful I can wash my clothes in my own home in a machine. It saves so much time and labor.

(Although I am aware that the machine is using fossil reasources to wash my clothes, in addition to the waste of water, oh well)

I have never really had to live without showers, but I am thankful for those too.

Let's see.

Rhea is finishing up one last paper, she has a test tomorrow in Linguistics.

Her work this quarter has been very interesting. Her last paper is for a class in which she is studying new media in relation to print works. This approach is called "intermediation," the study of written works in the larger ecology of literary works. This means throughout the class they have studied new media in relation to print media or "literature." 12 Blue is one of the works in new media that they studied a lot, Rhea really likes it. It is a work in hyper text that explores human connection and interaction, http://www.eastgate.com/TwelveBlue/. Her final paper sums up what intermediation is, and what aspects of print works she is now more or less sensative too after having studied this. Then she applies to this the novel Rainbow's End by Vernon Vinge. http://www.amazon.com/Rainbows-End-Novel-Foot-Future/dp/0312856849

I read the novel and helped with the paper a bit.

The novel is a Hugo Aaward winner, (http://www.thehugoawards.org/) and it is fantastic. It starts slow but the plot really picks up. The characters are fun. The near future world it takes place in is fun to read about, realistic, and thougth provoking.

Tanner is testing today. I have two tests tomorrow. Then we are all done for the quarter!

Yay!

Family Time with the In-Laws + Mom's fam

Hey Family!

Tonight I got to decorate the Christmas tree with the Nakagawara's. Tanner's dad Jon made CRAB for dinner. We also had salad and bread. It was delicious.

I am most excited about the tree. It looks almost like my mom's tree. It is comforting in ways I can't even describe. It feels like home, it feels like love and family. I am so happy and fulfilled by it. It doesn't have as many ornaments as my mom's tree. My mom is aiming to have a tree that is as decorated as my Grandma Bev's tree, and let me tell you, she has the best tree.

Last year I missed a lot of the Christmas feeling. So this year has been especially amazing.


Over the last few days my mom's siblings were in town. My Aunt Shawn was celebrating her birthday. We went to Etta's for dinner, and that was really nice. I had braised octopus in citrus salad, it was so tasty. Everyone liked the food, and shopping downtown before hand. Today, Sunday, everyone had breakfast too. Mom, Kate, Shawn, Tim, Shanae, Mark, Judy, Rhea, Scott, and I don't even know all.

I love my mom's siblings. They are all so varied and wonderful. It was a rough weekend for me emotionally. I miss my Aunt Dena and cousin John, who moved away a few years ago. They have changed so much since they started living in Wyoming. I was sort of emotional to begin with. It's also hard for my Uncle Tim's family right now, my cousin Shanae is kind of off track. Also, I have been thinking about Emerson a lot, and my old friends.

But I am so thankful for my own family, and the weekend we had. And I am so thankful for Tanner's family, who have accepted me so wholly, and with such love.

I will post more often during this holiday season, with a break in school and everything. I love you all, and hope you all have family and love in your holiday season.

Love Callista

Green Idea I Love

This women put a mini lawn inside her home! It's made of moss and some trailing plants. In the summer it helps keep the house cooler and in the winter warmer. It cleans the air in her house as well. Even with the energy costs of having the new space in her home, and the pumps to keep the irrigation system working and keeping the house from rotting, she still saves money on her energy bills, that is so impressive! It was very expensive, she put in when adding an addition to her home. It would be tricky to do in an existing home. But I just thought it was fantastic anyways. I'm not sure I could ever do something this large, since I will probably own a condo or very small home. But at least some living area inside my house was be fantastic.

You can read the whole article in the Seattle Times. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/homegarden/2008474083_livingfloor06.html

Quilt

Quilting in backwards order.

Julia (Tanner's sister) opening the quilt I made for her and her baby boy.




Me with my first finished quilt. I cut and pieced it. I tied it, with Tanner's help. That was the worst part, my fingers hurt afterwards, pulling through that huge needle. Then I bound it. The back is messed up some, I am not sure if I have the patience to go back and fix it.

Photo of the finished quilt.

Me binding the quilt I think.

Me sitting the night before the above photo. I'm pinning the layers together before I tied them.

I did some fantastic piecing, it was all even and most of the corners met up nicely.

I really like quilting.

Thanksgiving

Mom didn't feel right not cooking, so this is second Thanksgiving on Sunday

all of the fixings, delicious

fantastic turkey, honesty Uncle Nick's was better, he made a great turkey

This is the Lacey Holiday Craft Fair, whew crowded!

Us women folk at the craft fair, visiting Tonya's parents who make quilts and woodscroll carvings

Huddle, the most drama occured when Scott dislocated his toe

more huddle, it was pretty funny, at least i thought it was

Yay! We spent Thanksgiving at my Uncle Nick's house. He cooked, and everyone helped. It was very good food, and very family friendly. We had a nice weekend. Scott and Rhea left for home on Friday, to get Scott's foot fixed up. Mom and I went shopping a little, at Shipwreck Beads, which was huge! JoAnne Fabrics and the Craft Fair. Tanner went with Nick and Grandpa to Cabella's. Saturday Tanner and I had a birthday party at his house. It was pretty awesome. I don't have photos though from that day. Then Sunday mom cooked again. I am such a lucky woman.

I am thankful most of all for my family. But also for so many other things.

Being thankful and grateful in everyday life is something that keeps me happy and moving forward. It is part of why I have such a global perspective. I remind myself often that I am lucky to have running water, food, family, education, and safety. Americans could all benefit from being grateful more often. But I won't get on my soapbox tonight.

Love Calli

Tanner's Birthday

ice skating!

Tanner got to search all over Shoreline and the U District for treasure hunt clues also

Birthday party at The Nakagawara's for Tanner and his dad Jon. above is Tanner and his sister Julia and his nephew

backrub!

three generations

tuxedo cake

stay tuned!

This weekend I'm going to catch up on this, I have photos from Tanner's birthday for starters. Stay tuned!

Intellectualism

There was a good op ed by Nicholas Kristof today about the fact that Obama is the first president since Kennedy that is not ashamed of being an intellectual. Anti-intellectualism, supported largely by President Bush is something America is constantly dealing with. I hope that Obama is going to battle this attitude. I also appreciated the fact that Kristof points out smart people don't always make the best leaders or the best choices. But I'm hopeful. Michelle Obama, and both Mr. and Mrs. Biden are also very well educated and have continued to be involved with the universities.

here is the op ed
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/09/opinion/09kristof.html?em

Anti-intellectualism.

When the Iraq war started few Americans knew where it was, okay, but few cared to know. This was affirmed in a 2006 study by National Geographic that found nearly half of all Americans 18-24 did not think it was important to be able to locate on a map nations that feature prominently in the news.

You wonder why I hate college students so often?

Get Involved

I've been motivated most of my life to get involved in social justice work. For a long time I was just very angry at how little the people around me cared. My mom was busy working and raising us, and didn't spend a lot of time volunteering. We did occasionally. We also donated money we didn't have to charities.

I've done a poor job in college getting and staying involved. I need to do better. Rhea constantly reminds me that no one reads my blog. But it makes me feel better sometimes to share, even if no one is listening.

I'm going to focus more on how to get involved, how to reach out and help people.

Today I am loving BoostUp.org. You might have seen posters for this website at the mall.

The organization is trying to draw attention to the (appallingly) high drop out rates in American high schools. 4 out of 10 students won't graduate high school.

Go to BoostUp.org and you can send an email to one of ten students who are featured on the website. They each have a brief bio explaining why it's so hard for them to graduate. I sent a few emails this morning, encouraging them to keep working and to try and enjoy learning.

Right now I am struggling to graduate from the UW. It was really inspiring to read about kids who are much younger then me, who have no support system, but still want to work hard and graduate from high school.

So

go to BoostUp.org and send some love, it's easy and a simple thing to do to get involved.

I'll find some anti-trafficking related resources too, since that is specifically what I want to work to eliminate.

art work and politics

My friend Sophia drew this Etch-a-Sketch photo of me! Fun times.

Have you noticed I haven't posted anything political? Ugh. I haven't had time I guess. I am still a little hesitant to post, since some of my family does not really agree with me. I am super progressive. :0)
BUT. I am watching the debate for Washington State governor. Dino Rossi is patronizing and rude. His ads are dishonest, and are fear mongering. I think many Republicans are motivated to do good in politics, and are respectable, fantastic people. Dino Rossi is a disrespectful. I find him repulsive. His ads about the 1,300 sex offenders who are missing are the worst. They basically tell you to fear the choices of the governor, when in reality all law enforcement and judicial workers in our state have thought she did a great job getting tougher on sex offenders. It's awful. :0(

FALL

The weather has been beautiful. Tanner took this poor photo while I was driving. It started raing today and will for a few days though.

Mom is well, not much has been going on.

Rhea is having a busy quarter. She hangs out with her friends all the time.

I am well. Busy with school. Rhea and I both kind of have to start thinking about what is going to happen after we graduate.

um...

I'll think of something wacky to post soon.

Redding

Yay! Rhea and I visited Redding. I didn't take very many photos. So here are just some of the highlights.


Making "Dilly Beans."



These are the dilly beans two weeks later at our house in Seattle, they tasted great.




It was thrilling, Rhea took photos of us one afternoon.



Going out with Lisa to the bookstores




It was a short visit, but it was very nice. We did lots of family things. Rhea and I went to pottery class with Grandma too, but I haven't got photos of the things we made. I'll do that someday.

Now we are back in school. I've been busy for a month. I went camping with Tanner for a weekend, so that was nice.

Hey. So Rhea and I are back from visiting Redding and our grandparents. I will post soon. My best friend Sophia is back from Europe and Toronto. Rhea, Tanner and I have two more weeks off before school starts again. So lots of good stuff is happening.

Labor Day Weekend!

We are currently watching the scifi fan favorite, Judge Dredd!



What up Ho(e)s!

My family is having an impromptu summer BBQ. We are having some beef mom did in a marinade. Corn, garlic bread, and a yummy salad I made. I am loving this dressing I got. Anyways.

Tanner is in Hawai'i for his Cousin Kyle's second wedding reception. Kyle married Emi last week. Tanner and I went. It was a lovely ceremony. The wedding was in a super fancy, totally beautiful room in a renovated art deco hotel downtown. Emi has family in Hawai'i so they are going to have a second reception. Tanner is also visiting his life long friend Todd, and his wife Meagan and their daughter Emily. Todd is getting redeployed to Iraq in October, so it's a good visit.

Rhea and I are busy. We are leaving to drive to California to visit my grandparents on Monday. So there will be lots of photos coming!
I will try to get the photos of Tanner and I at the wedding we looked really nice.

Rhea and Scott went to an afternoon wedding today, for Rhea's friend/ former boss Breezy. They looked great, but didn't take ANY photos all dressed up before they came home.

LOVE CALLI

Posting Often

I think I really enjoy blogging and will end up posting often.

In case you didn't get my email, I am encouraging everyone to read the NAPAWF Blog, Warrior Prose, an interview I did is posted today. We are actually posting a week long series of interview with Asian Pacific Islander Women Leaders.

http://napawf.org/blog/

I will post soon about my internship, since I just realized that not everyone will know why I got to do this interview.

Boating Adventure

On our way out, beautiful Seattle. Thanks Scott and Rhea for driving.


exciting


The biggest boat Scott has ever been on! We played all day on Summit Lake outside Olympia.


I have no upper body strength and getting into the tube and the boat was hard.



ready!

body in the water


go go!


super intense tubing


Uncle Nick is a super driver



tired

go Scott!








go Tanner!






Such a nice looking bf


so delicate, Aunt Tonya getting ready to tube





We cooked breakfast! Eggs, bacon and peach/banana smoothies!

I didn't get all the good photos. Rhea and I took most of the photos so I just realized there aren't many of either of us. Tanner and Scott really burned their backs, but Rhea and I did good with keeping on our shirts and wearing sunscreen.

We all went swimming for a while, bobbing around in our life vests. The water was 70 something degrees, so it was really great. The weather was beautiful. We had lunch on the lake, hot dogs and corn, the boat has a grill!

Nick made ribs for dinner, very good ones. We were all pretty tired afterwards.

Um. I'm tired now. So that's all you get.