Based on a true story.

Today in my Islam and the West class we watched the movie, The Stoning of Soraya M., it is literally the saddest movie I've ever seen! I was bawling in class for probably the last thirty minutes of the movie, I was just appalled and so distraught by the cruelty of people in the world.
Movie spoiler: Soraya M. gets stoned to death...ok so maybe a bit obvious from the title, but there are parts of the movie when the audience has hope for her salvation. A fast preview of the movie: it takes place in a small, rural village in Iran where a woman, Soraya M., is accused by her husband to be an adulteress for the sole reason that he wants to take a new wife and Soraya won't get a divorce. The law in this village states that a women convicted of adultery is to be stoned to death. So the husband gets another man to give false testimony against Soraya and she is sentenced to death by stoning. Then you watch the stoning happen. You watch her father, her husband, even her own sons, as well as the entire town, throw stones at her face and body until she bleeds to death in the dirt.
I started crying just at the thought of her own family throwing stones at her and then her husband throws the first stone that hits her and blood starts pouring from her forehead. The town mullah (Islamic priest) throws the next one and then her two young sons, not more than 10 and 12 years old, throw stones at their own mother. Needless to say, I was convulsing in my sobbing at this point.
It's kind of embarrassing to be crying my eyes out in a class at school, but I don't think I could have reacted any less forcefully. It was just so terrible to see these people brutally murder a woman who did nothing wrong. The movie in general made me angry from the beginning, just by how the women were treated by the men, as if they were property and the men had 100% control over them. I'm not one to be a feminist, but injustice and corruption really bother me, no matter what the case is! The whole thing happened because of a selfish desire from one man and he got his way because he knew how to black mail people.
I got out of class and I was still in tears. I sat down and I just thanked God over and over again for the privileged life that I have. I am so lucky to be able to get an education, live in a beautiful place, be surrounded by caring people, be protected by my government and to have rights. Today I was happy for the most trivial and cliche things, but it's those things that we take advantage of and don't realize how much they matter in our lives, that we would hate the most to lose. Life is beautiful and if you live in a place where you feel safe and loved, you are lucky. Not everyone has that luxury.

So, make the next movie you watch The Stoning of Soraya M., be prepared to cry and feel a little drained afterward, but it's worth it and I think it's something everyone should know about.

P.S.- It's based on a true story.

Califas-Longmont-Durango

Even though I should be finishing my reading for class later today, I feel that a blog is past due and plus it's far more interesting. The past week has been eventful and fun, my two best friends came to visit in the same week! Talk about hectic, but more than worth it.
So Angela came to Durango for her first time last Wednesday through Saturday. The weather wasn't the best while she was here, kinda cold and very windy, so we didn't really do many outdoor activities. We had a fun night at Megan's house for a craft night and made pictures for a school presentation, played pool with some bros, relaxed, did some homework and played cards...just to name a short list. I know it was a great time for me to have her here to meet all of my friends and see the place I live in the majority of the year. It's so great that I was able to visit her in Califas and then she was able to come and visit me so soon afterward!
Then Hannah was here from Sunday night until yesterday afternoon, a very short trip, but I know it was worth it for me to have her here! Since she's visited here before (you can find out about the trip at her blog here: http://talesfromatimeout.blogspot.com/2010/03/adventures-of-hannah-world-traveler.html) we went to restaurants she remembered and just had chill girly time, always a necessity.
These weeks have been pretty hectic with school and all, but it's so worth putting homework on the back burner for a few days to enjoy the company of people you love. I mean if they are gonna make the effort and take the time to come and visit me all the way down here in the mountains, I certainly want them to have a good time and feel the trip was meaningful.
So thanks girls for making my week so great! I love you and I miss you both already! Nos veremos en el verano.

Bipolar Colorado

As disappointed to see that it was snowing like the sky was falling when I got out of the gym today, I was also so amazed by the beauty of a spring snow storm. Humongous, sloppy snow flakes circled around me as I walked to my car and I'm pretty sure I looked like a snowman by the time I got there. Colorado really is splendid in the spring time, one day it's practically summer out and people wear shorts and flip-flops then the next day we have a blizzard and you need a winter coat again. When I heard it was gonna snow I thought I would be swearing and having a hissy fit, but it has turned into a good reason to be productive and get homework done.
I would just like to take a moment to make a note to the citizens of Durango and especially the driver of a large gray van: just because it's snowing doesn't necessitate you riding your brakes because in fact, when it's 40 degrees and snowing, the roads are just wet, not icy. Thank you for your cooperation.

The most prevalent thing in my life lately has been stress. What's new. But I actually had a really great week as far as school goes, I was not a procrastinator for once. Unfortunately, I spent all my time on schoolwork and not on things that I love, like my new hobby of cooking. Living on my own has really improved my culinary skills and my imagination for that matter. I'm subscribed to some cooking blogs and the options for food really are endless, I love it! When I say cooking, I mean real cooking like things for meals, not baking cookies and such...which I do a little of, tonight I am actually making some Ferrero Rocher cupcakes for a friend's birthday...but I find great satisfaction in preparing new and wonderful dishes for dinner. I think that's why I like cooking so much, it's satisfying to know that you have made something beautiful and delicious (when they turn out that way, that is) for others and yourself to enjoy. Plus, it's fun to try out new things and see what goes well together.

Homework calls. More to come later.

Dresses

1.) Why does a girl wearing a dress immediately elicit stares from every guy she passes?
Maybe a funny question, but really? Today, I didn't have time for makeup or to do anything with my hair, so I looked like a total mess, except that I was wearing a dress and nice shoes and let me tell ya, I got SO many smiles and checked out by SO many guys around campus today. What's the deal? Man, if all it takes is a dress, then I'm gonna forget the rest of it and just live in dresses from now on!
2.) So on the topic of wearing a dress today, an acquaintance of mine told me today that I've been dressing really nicely lately and was wondering if there was a reason for the change... Thanks, I know that I have had some not so fashionable days, but you didn't really need to point that out... But there actually is some validity behind the question. This semester has been really hard for me academically and it's very easy for me to stress about school matters and think ahead of myself and get freaked out that I have too much to do and too little time. So in my moments of stress, I like to dress nicely and give a more "tidy" than normal appearance because if I'm stressed and freaking out and worried about everything going on, I want the last thing that I worry about to be if I'm looking attractive or not. It's super easy for me to be anxious and forget about looking good and then I just feel even worse cause in my haste and lack of sleep I've failed to make myself look like a presentable member of society. I find it really helps my confidence in school (and in general!) and helps me to alleviate some preoccupations if I look good and know that I took the extra 10 mins to make sure that I do. And really that's all it takes, 10 minutes! Changing from sweats to a dress is so easy to do and it's an amazing confidence booster, reason number 4 to wear dresses.

20 five

I wrote this last year as a facebook thing that a lot of people did, but I found it very lovely and fitting when I read it again today. It's amazing how a year can change so many things and at the same time everything about a person can stay the same.

1) I'm an animal lover, not to an extreme, but they steal my heart more than anything else.
2) Coffee has become an addiction. Not for the caffeine, but for the wonderful taste.
3) I am fascinated by random things such as firetrucks and decorative postage stamps.
4) Winter is my favorite time of year. I love snow.
5) Snail mail makes my day better, getting a handwritten letter from someone always puts a smile on my face.
6) I don't know where I would be without my girlfriends, they make all the difference.
7) I'm excited to have my own family when I'm older, being a mom is my dream job.
8) I want to go into outer-space.
9) I'm coldblooded. Literally, I'm always freezing.
10) I have a love for languages and cultures.
11) I will travel the entire world in my life.
12) I'm a cuddler.
13) The Lord is my Shepard.
14) Writing is the most therapeutic thing for me, any time something is bothering me I write about it.
15) I like being barefoot.
16) The mountains are my home, I belong in a place with mountains.
17) I love adventurous, outdoorsy things. They make me feel rugged.
18) I'm addicted to working out, otherwise I can't sleep.
19) I'm glad to be friends with my family and family to my friends.
20) I have an organized mind, everything has its own folder in a department inside of a topic, but my life is unorganized and messy.
21) I know what I want in my life, but I don't know how I will get there and that's beautiful to me.
22) I love the sound of silence.
23) I'm kinda an anime nerd...but you're not suppose to know that.
24) I want to go on a quest, just because it sounds so badass.
25) North Side Middle Gate, that's where I'll be.

The only correction to be made is #4. Winter is no longer my favorite. haha I still love snow and I do enjoy winter, but I've been missing the sun and warm weather a lot this year.
Well now you know a bit more about me.