I'm a socially liberal, educated pro-life person. Ask me anything.

Yes, I am pro-life. I am pro-woman, pro-equality, pro-feminism, and pro-choice in all matters except abortion (lol).

Yes, I know the number of women that died in back-ally abortions before it was legal.

Yes, I know that overturning Roe v. Wade will not decrease the number of abortions.

Yes, I agree the number one way to reduce abortions is through sex education and increasing the availability of birth control (which I am in favor of).

However, there is one place where pro-choice arguments stop convincing me: at the "life" question. If science cannot prove the moment when a person becomes a person, then let's ask ourselves more basic questions. Is a zygote living? Well, it is made up of living cells, so you could say it is living. However, that does not make it a person...I'll give you that.

So...if there is no conclusive way of proving when an unborn being becomes a person, we must look at this the way physicists look at tough questions. Shrodinger's Cat is a good way to interpret this. If you look at pregnancy like Shrodinger's cat, you must assume the being is simultaneously alive, and not alive: a paradox. So let me ask you this: if someone told you to stick a sword in a box--but there's a 50% chance there is a person in there, would you do it? I wouldn't. If there is even a 3% chance there is a person in there, I am not going to risk it.

So I do not have all the answers. I am not saying a zygote is a person. But I cannot conclusively say that it isn't a person either. And if I can't say it conclusively, then NO, I am not going to risk killing someone. Those odds are not in my favor!

I do not think use of emotional arguments, pictures of dead babies, or religious arguments are going to help the matter, though. The pro-life movement needs a different approach...an effective one.

Let's work to improve sex education in schools and the availability of birth control. But I am not afraid to say I think Roe v. Wade should be overturned ultimately. Yes, I know women will still get abortions...but the difference will be that they can be legally punished for it. The playground "everybody's doing it" argument is not going to work here. There is just too high of a chance that maybe, just maybe, you are ending the life of a human.

Please, feel free to disagree and/or debate. I welcome it.

Marilyn Monroe was NOT a size 16!

In my unpopular opinion, Marilyn Monroe was NOT a size 16....at least not by today's standards.

I have always been skeptical of the myth "Marilyn Monroe was a size 12."  I've heard anywhere from 12-16.  I mean...look at her.  You can tell she isn't overweight.  She's obviously curvy and beautiful. 

I will add a disclaimer here: in my opinion, size isn't a determiner of beauty.  In fact, I'm very wary to call anyone "unattractive."  The only time I would call someone "unattractive" is if they simply did not take care of themselves at all.  Beauty is very subjective, and ultimately comes down to a matter of personal preference.  Therefore, I am not referring to any kind of judgment of what is beautiful or attractive in this entry. 

According to one of her dress makers, Marilyn Monroe was 5'5''.  Her measurements were 35, 22, 35.  I don't know anybody today that can boast a 22'' waist!  Her weight fluctuated between 115-120.

However, Marilyn probably did wear a larger numbered size back then because sizing was different.  Today's sizes for women's clothing have changed. 

In the 1960's, women were on average 5’4'' and 120 lbs.  Their waists were on average 24-25 inches and their BMI's were on average 20.59. The average size for a woman was 8.  Today, that is more like a size 4.

The average woman today is 5’4'' and 166 lbs.  Their waists are on average 37.5 inches and their BMI's are on average 28.49.  Today, the size of the average woman is 10-14 depending on the brand.

I do know plenty of beautiful women that are the average size.  I'm not going to tell them they should lose weight.  I'm not even going to tell them to "be healthier."  I'm not a doctor or a nutritionist.  I don't know the diets of any of these women, so who am I to judge whether or not they are healthy, simply based on their dress size?

The one thing I can say is that Marilyn Monroe was MUCH thinner than the average American woman today.  If she were walking the earth in 2013, she would be wearing approximately a size 4. 

I'll come out:  I am 4 feet, 11.75 inches and 126 pounds.  My BMI is 24.8 (which is on the high side of normal).   I wear a size 6 (although I can wear anything from a 4-8).

Marilyn and her 22 inch waist

(For more on Marilyn, read "Today I Found Out")
(For more on average sizes, read "Paging Jane Doe")

You Sound Like A Tool

In my unpopular opinion, you sound like a tool when you say that.

What I am referring to is a popular answer to the question, "What kind of music do you like?"  Whenever people ask that question, they are trying to gauge what kind of person you are.  What kind of music you like says a lot about who you are. 

So whenever you answer:  "My taste in music is very eclectic," you sound like a tool.

Even if you don't use the word, "eclectic," you still aren't really answering the question by saying the phrase "all kinds."  Okay, everyone likes "all kinds" of music.  Probably anyone can say their tastes are "eclectic."  That. Is. Not. The. Question.

I know people are asking me that to get an actual idea of the type of music I like.  Even if you give a general answer such as "I like 90's alternative music," which I do, that is more specific than "all kinds."  Sometimes a good way to answer this question is to tell the person your top 3 favorite bands/artists (Mine are Coldplay, Nickel Creek, Beach Boys).  Sometimes you can answer by telling the person what radio station you listen to. 

Lately, my answer to this question would be "guilty pleasures."  (Lol)  I realize that isn't too specific.  Everyone has different guilty pleasures.  So I will be more specific. 


My current playlist to hula-hoop to:  (Yes, I am a hula-hoop enthusiast)

Creep - TLC
No Diggity - Blackstreet
Hungry Like the Wolf - Duran Duran
Feel Good Inc. - Gorillaz
Take Me Home Tonight - Eddie Money
She Wolf - Shakira
Blankest Year - Nada Surf
Can't Stop - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Auf Achse - Franz Ferdinand
Golf Digger - Kanye West
Start the Commotion - Wise Guys
Tearin' Up My Heart - N'Sync

Of course, I need upbeat music to hula-hoop to.  None of these songs are my "driving music."  They're just fun!  You don't need to be so serious.  Just listen to what you want and don't apologize for it.

Atheism Takes as Much Faith As Religion

This is my first post in this blog in almost a full year. 

I am completely revamping this blog.  I changed the URL and Title. 

It isn't going to be too much different from what it was before.  This time, I am getting a little bit more raw with the subject matter and a bit more open about my actual opinions.  The reason I am doing this is because I am the type of person that tries to relate to everyone despite their opinion.  When I am talking to someone about something uncomfortable, I only talk about the parts of their opinion with which I agree.  I am a total chicken when it comes to debate and confrontation. 

Therefore, I am going to face my fears head-on by posting my true and actual opinions on controversial subject matter on the internet.  If you disagree with me, good...I want to hear from you.  I am posting my opinions, I am not saying I'm 100% right.  We can probably learn from one another through debate.  Please feel free to disagree, I do want to hear from you if you do.  I want to hear from you if you have something else to offer to the conversation.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My First Blog Entry in "My Unpopular Opinion"

In my unpopular opinion, atheism takes as much faith as religion does. 

This is aimed at atheists that say "There is no god."  They are stating it as a concrete fact.  It would be more accurate for them to say, "I believe there is no god."  By saying the word "believe," they are being more intellectually honest because no one can scientifically prove there is no Creator or Deity.

I can understand science-oriented intellectuals becoming agnostics, because that is acknowledging that, just like the theory of evolution, you cannot prove Intelligent Design.  What you need in order to prove a theory is to repeat the experiment the same way successfully.  You cannot recreate the universe.  Therefore, neither Intelligent Design, nor the Big Bang/Evolution can be proven into Scientific Law.

Therefore, it is more logical to say, "I cannot possibly know for sure either way" than to say, "I know for sure there is no God" or "I know for sure there is a God."

The same level of faith in what you believe exists in religion and atheism.  If you are trying to be intellectually accurate, agnosticism would be more appropriate.

Me?  I am a Christian.  My beliefs are based on faith, just like an atheist's beliefs are based on faith.  I have faith God exists.  Atheists have faith in their belief there is no god. 

What do you think?

I Think I'll Go to Boston

I recently went to Boston, Massachusettes for a day trip.  Now, there are a lot of wonderful historical sites to see in Boston, so how could I possibly do them all in one day?  The Freedom Trail is how!

The Freedom Trail is free, and it has 16 historical sites on it.  You start off in Boston Commons (which is like Boston's "Central Park").  You can pay to have a tour guide, or you can tour yourself for free.  There is a red line that you follow throughout the city.  The last stop is the Bunker Hill Monument.

To see all the famous sites of the Revolutionary War that I have studied in history books was wonderful.  I saw the site of the Boston Massacre, The Old North Church (where Paul Revere placed the lanterns to warn about the British), Paul Revere's house, places where the meetings took place that lead to the Boston Tea Party.  The oldest remaining pub in America is in Boston, and along the Freedom Trail are many historical pubs.  If I go there another day, I'll do the "Pub Crawl," but this time, I just went to one pub for lunch.  I had the New England Clam Chowder (since I was in New England).

However, my absolute favorite thing that I saw was the Granary Burial Grounds, in which the most recent grave is from 1826, which means it is an incredibly well preserved historical burying ground.  Samuel Adams and John Hancock are buried there as well as Benjamin Franklin's family.  It was amazing to stand over the corpses of great men. 

If you remember in my blog, Get Away! I mentioned that not all trips have to be incredibly expensive.  Look for places that have free attractions, such as the Freedom Trail in Boston.  St. Louis is another fun city to go to that has tons of free attractions.  So, continue to get out and have fun without spending a ton of money!

Massachusettes State House, which is on the freedom trail.  Also famously pictured in the movie The Departed

Granary Burying Ground, where the youngest grave is from 1826.

Nesting

This is the reason I haven't posted a Project of the Day  in a long time:

I have been working on this blanket for my son, Peter (due in November) for months.  It's one of those things that I pick up from time to time, work on it, then forget about it for a while.  However, lately, I've gotten more into working on it, so I hope to finish it soon.  In the middle, there will be another blue stripe, and then at the end, there will be another blue corner. 

If you would like to see a finished version of my baby blanket, go to this entry to view one that I made for a friend's child.  Also click on that link to see how the blanket was made.

If you are pregnant, I would definitely advocate making things for your baby.  It will be a special keep-sake for them in the future.  I intend to make Peter some baby socks as well.  I also feel like knitting Peter his blanket is a bonding time for me and the baby.  I listen to music I want him to hear and knit and talk to him.  Pregnant women go through a period of "nesting" which is a natural, instincful process of getting ready for the baby. Knitting is a wonderful way to release that "nesting" energy. 

My aunt is also talking about us making a quilt for Peter.  If you know me, you know quilting is not my thing, unless it's on a potholder, which is small.  So we'll see if I end up doing that.  :-)

Poor Whites

I really enjoyed my Jacksonian America class this summer.  I did my book review for the class on a book called Poor Whites of the Antebellum South.  I realized how little people know about poor whites in Antebellum times because history books focus on plantation owners and slaves.  So I am posting my entire book review on here (It was only 4 pages), behind the cut.  It is important for history not to ignore entire groups of people.