About Me:

“i’ve always loved intelligent girls, no matter how they look, to be able to hold a conversation with someone is so important. the moment someone acts dumb, i lose interest. i think about the subtext and layers of a person when i design. i design for someone who has interest in the space around her, who is aware of her relationship with the world, someone a little evolved, a little concerned. i think putting more women in power will help solve a lot of problems in the world.

it troubles me that the media celebrate women acting like bimbos on tv — it’s not cute, it’s ridiculous.”

[Flash 10 is required to watch video]

annye:

keepcalmandlovesamcedes:

Parenthood - Jasmine & Crosby’s Wedding

the most perfect thing. ever.

I don’t know what’s in Rush Limbaugh’s heart so I’m not going to comment on the sincerity of his apology. What I can comment on is the fact that all decent folks can agree that the remarks that were made don’t have any place in the public discourse. And, you know, the reason I called Ms. Fluke is because I thought about Malia and Sasha. And one of the things I want them to do as they get older is to engage in issues they care about - even ones I may not agree with them on. I want them to be able to speak their mind in a civil and thoughtful way. And I don’t want them attacked or called horrible names because they’re being good citizens. And I wanted Sandra to know that I thought her parents should be proud of her.
President Obama, commenting on the Rush Limbaugh controversy in today’s press conference.  (via sally-sparr0w)
4-8 year olds explaining love

This is from a post I found. A group of 4 to 8 year-olds were asked the question, “What does love mean?”

Below are their answers. So pure and true. If you have your definition of love to add, please comment!

“When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.” Rebecca- age 8

“When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.” Billy – age 4

“Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.” Karl – age 5

“Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.” Chrissy – age 6

“Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.” Terri – age 4

“Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.” Danny – age 7

“Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss” Emily – age 8

“Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.” Bobby – age 7 (Wow!)

“If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,” Nikka – age 6

(we need a few million more Nikka’s on this planet)

“Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.” Noelle – age 7

“Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.” Tommy – age 6

“During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn’t scared anymore.” Cindy – age 8

“My mommy loves me more than anybody . You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.” Clare – age 6

“Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.” Elaine-age 5

“Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.” Chris – age 7

“Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.” Mary Ann – age 4

“I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.” Lauren – age 4

“When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.” (what an image) Karen – age 7

“Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn’t think it’s gross.” Mark – age 6

“You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.” Jessica – age 8

And the final one — Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, “Nothing, I just helped him cry”

Refining

2012 thus far has been half awesome and half awful for me. 

I shouldn’t say that 50% of this year has been awful, because the good things certainly outweigh the bad. But the bad parts have been there. There’s been a lot of tears and more stress than I like to admit. Living alone is the pits and it freaks me out. Trying to sell my house is a pain and figuring out where I’m going to live in a few months is a headache. (If you’re a lady wanting to live in the Bentonville area but needing a roommate tweet at me twitter.com/hannahriddle). Finances have been the biggest issue, but more than anything I think I just work myself up about them- mostly because I’m always worried I’m not going to be able to make it, but something always comes through in the end.

Isn’t that just like the Lord? I know it’s cheesy to say that. But it’s true. God keeps providing for me and though I’ve had to make some major adjustments this year, I haven’t been left wanting for anything. 

So I guess saying it’s been half awesome and half awful was inaccurate. I’d say it’s been more of a 70/30 thing.

Big parts of this year have been awesome in that I have great friends, both near and far, who are constantly there for me. They don’t mind me coming over and just reading, calling them late at night in tears, or letting them talk for hours just so I don’t have to think about things. They send me funny animal and Harry Potter related pictures. They pray for me, let me know they’re thinking about me, and buy me dinner a lot. I really can’t tell you how much I appreciate it all. I really do have some of the best friends.

My job is the best too. I seriously love it. I love working with the kids, finding mentors in the community, and getting to see the difference it makes in their lives. I love that everyday I have the opportunity to work for something I’m passionate about. I don’t know many people who get to do that.

I love my church and I’m so blessed to be a part of a body of people who are focused on things that matter; a group of people living for something bigger than themselves. It’s so awesome to see lives being changed by truth and to be part of what God is doing in Bentonville.

 I know this time next year I’m going to look back on 2012 and realize that it was all just part of a bigger plan; a refining process to help me become who I’m supposed to be. I’m learning that important things in life aren’t things, and that all the stuff I used to think I needed to be happy don’t matter. 

Part of this refining process involves refining my passions. I love working with people. I love understanding why they think the way they think, why they do the things they do, and why they’re passionate about the things they’re passionate about. I’m also passionate about missions. That’s a bit of an understatement, but I can’t accurately describe how strongly I feel about it. My life has been forever changed by the power of the Gospel. I feel cheesy when I say things like that too, but I can’t deny it. More than anything I want other people to know and experience what I’ve experienced in relation to Jesus. 

I’ve been given the opportunity to travel to the Philippines in April. Again, I can’t accurately describe how I feel about this. There’s a lot of excitement, but more than excitement I feel a burden. I know that God is going to move in a huge way while we’re there, and I’m so thankful I’ll get to be part of that. I’ve faced a lot of opposition in trying to get things worked out for the trip. There was a big fiasco with my birth certificate and ordering my passport, and I’m still trying to raise all the funds necessary to get there. But along with the opposition there has also been a lot of opportunity for me to trust. Incidentally I have trust issues. If this year is proving to be a refining process, then God is working on those trust issues. 

If you’re reading this and want to help sponsor me on the trip you can send me a message on Facebook or tweet at me on twitter. My next deposit is due 3/2 and I’m still $400 short on it. My final deposit is due 3/30 and that’s $1500.

Thanks for reading this, thanks for the prayers, and thanks for caring about my life.

I feel like most of my statements these days should end in “Wah Wah”

A lot has happened in the last few months. A lot that will make me cry if you ask me about it in person. A lot that is about to make me cry right now simply because I’m thinking of it.

My Nana passed away at the end of 2011. Cancer. We found out too late and things deteriorated quickly; about a month’s time.

(Melani Shock is a wonderful lady that I admire greatly. She is dear to my heart and she wrote out my Nana’s story here: http://questmiles.blogspot.com/2011/12/day-23-home-for-christmas.html)

My Nana and Papa raised me and they’re both gone now. 

The hardest part in all of this is trusting that I’m going to be okay. I know I will be. I know it. When I look at the big picture I know everything will work out. But right now, in the day to day, it’s hard to see past the obstacles in front of me.

I keep repeating this over and over, I feel it’s almost cliche. But here it is:

Jeremiah 29:11 in the message-

“I know what I’m doing, I have it all planned out. Plans to take care of you, not abandon you. Plans to give you the future that you hope for.”

“Look Up Hanna”

“Look up Hanna”

Final Speech of “The Great Dictator” by Charlie Chaplin - Compiled by Reza Ganjavi

Written and delivered by Sir Charles Chaplin 

General Schulz: Speak - it is our only hope.

The Jewish Barber (Charlie Chaplin):

I’m sorry but I don’t want to be an emperor. That’s not my business. I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone if possible; Jew, Gentile, black men, white. We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each others’ happiness, not by each other’s misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another. In this world there is room for everyone. And the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way. 

Greed has poisoned men’s souls; has barricaded the world with hate; has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge as made us cynical; our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost. The aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in man; cries out for universal brotherhood; for the unity of us all. 

Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world, millions of despairing men, women, and little children, victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people. To those who can hear me, I say “Do not despair.” The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed, the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish. 

Soldiers! Don’t give yourselves to brutes, men who despise you and enslave you; who regiment your lives, tell you what to do, what to think and what to feel! Who drill you, diet you, treat you like cattle, use you as cannon fodder! Don’t give yourselves to these unnatural men—-machine men with machine minds and machine hearts! You are not machines! You are not cattle! You are men! You have a love of humanity in your hearts! You don’t hate! Only the unloved hate; the unloved and the unnatural. 

Soldiers! Don’t fight for slavery! Fight for liberty! In the seventeenth chapter of St. Luke, it’s written “the kingdom of God is within man”, not one man nor a group of men, but in all men! In you! You, the people, have the power, the power to create machines, the power to create happiness! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure. Then in the name of democracy, let us use that power. 

Let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world, a decent world that will give men a chance to work, that will give youth a future and old age a security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power. But they lie! They do not fulfill their promise. They never will! Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people! Now let us fight to fulfill that promise! Let us fight to free the world! To do away with national barriers! To do away with greed, with hate and intolerance! Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men’s happiness. 

Soldiers, in the name of democracy, let us all unite! 

[Huge hurray from the huge crowd – scene changes to Hanna (Paulette Goddard) a refugee on the floor with eyes still in tears from having been beaten down by the Dictator’s soldiers. Romantic string music in the background. Hanna’s face and eyes are in awe as to how her Jewish barber friend who was imprisoned by the Dictator’s troops is now speaking as the Great Dictator!]

Hanna, can you hear me? Wherever you are, look up Hanna! The clouds are lifting! The sun is breaking through! We are coming out of the darkness into the light! We are coming into a new world; a kind new world, where men will rise above their hate, their greed, and brutality. Look up, Hanna! The soul of man has been given wings and at last he is beginning to fly. He is flying into the rainbow. Into the light of hope! Into the future! The glorious future! That belongs to you, to me, and to all of us. Look up, Hanna! Look up!

Pages- Leeland

When I stand before God’s throne
Nothing hidden, nothing unknown
Dead to my body, my old life He took
God will hold in His hands my days in a book

When I kneel down that day
Looking upon His holy face
I will remember with trembling
Every single moment, every memory

Who was I and where was I going
What kind of fruit were my actions growing
Staring at the pages
He’ll be staring at the pages of my life
Was my passion just to know Him
Did I really let it out and show Him
Staring at the pages
He’ll be staring at the pages of my life

This house I’m building every day
Silver and gold, straw and the hay
Tried by fire
Will it stand when the flame gets higher
Or will it burn away

In Your presence I belong
And without You, I am lost
Come and change me from the inside
In my weakness, You are strong
By the power of the cross
Come and change me from the inside

Who am I and where am I going
What kind of fruit are my actions growing
Staring at the pages
You are staring at the pages of my life
Is my passion just to know You
Am I living this life to show You
Staring at the pages
You are staring at the pages of my life

 - Bon Iver - Beth/Rest (Solo Piano at World Cafe)
[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]
35,343 plays

annye:

copycats:

“Beth/Rest (Solo Piano Version)” by Bon Iver

Justin Vernon Solo/Live In-Studio @ World Cafe NPR (2011)

* Not a cover per se, but a reinterpretation of the most divisive song on Bon Iver’s second album. This time performed solo on piano by frontman, Justin Vernon. 

listen to this.

I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out- plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.
Jeremiah 29:11 (the message)