Tattoos are WHAT?

News Flash: Tattoos are PERMANENT 

When you hear the word "tattoo", you may think of the image on the left... A simple, creative way to express your individuality.
However, you may also think of the images on the right... A stupid mistake that is now inked into your skin forever.

Contrary to popular belief of 20-year-olds, tattoos ARE in fact permanent, and WILL in fact still be there when you're older and going through a mid-life crisis. "No Ragrets" will definitely be a rEgret no matter who you are and what you think is "cool" at the time.

Many people do attempt to have their inked skin "restored" to near its original bare glory, which usually involves laser treatment. For this process, you must be willing to go to the removal center for multiple sessions (often up to 10 times), and spend a sizable amount each time you go ($200-$500 for most sessions), not including possible anesthetics and treatment cream. This means that you could end up spending over $10,000 for the removal of a tattoo you could have prevented 20 years prior by simply thinking before acting. 

So next time you have the impulse to get what you think is the "best tattoo ever", remember. You may feel differently when you're 40, or even next year or next week.

Just think before you go. And remember - ink on your skin will stay with you forever.

What Do Your Fingernails Say About You?

One of the most telling things about a person's disposition and personality are their fingernails. Whether you paint them, bite them, or just look at them every once in a while, they go with you everywhere and experience all that life throws at you. We often try to express our individuality in creative or expressive ways, but we often don't think of our fingernails as a way to do so. Intentional or not, our fingernails say a lot about who we are and what we care about.

Here are 6 general categories that most people fit into when it comes to their fingernails:

The "Biter"



You have developed the habit of biting your nails, and though you may wish they looked like other people's, you can't break the habit. In general, you have found ways to cope with different stresses, even if those ways are not the healthiest. You try to conform to the world around you, but you don't always succeed. There are certain things about you that you are self-conscious about, and though they are not huge problems you try to hide them. You are also stubborn in many ways and do not give up easily, so success often comes your way.

The "Almost-Perfectionist"

You take good care of your nails, which shows you like to take care of yourself and have things in order. However, there is some dirt under a few of them which shows you're not a complete control freak. Sometimes you get too caught up in your perfectionist side, but you are able to reign it in and begin to let things go. Overall, you're a likable person because you know how to present yourself and not be too overbearing in most social situations. 

The "Independent Woman"

You put in effort to keep your nails nice, which shows you care about your appearance and making yourself presentable. However, the nail polish has only one coat, which shows that you are a very busy person, as you don't always have time to do things perfectly. Along with this, you don't really care what other people think about your appearance, which shows independence and good self-esteem. 

The "Stereotypical Male"

Now, I hate stereotypes as much as the next person and I am against generalization. However. If you are what many consider to be an "average guy," these are most likely what your fingernails look like. Just like with your nails, you don't especially care what you look like as long as you don't stand out. You occasionally take the time to trim your nails, which shows you realize some grooming is necessary in life, but you don't spend much time on it as you don't find it enjoyable or rewarding. This carries over into every-day tasks, as you do them because they are necessary but only find pleasure in a few. 

The "Musician"

You keep your nails at the shortest length they can possibly be for one major reason: you can't play your instrument with long fingernails. You  care enough about the length of your nails, so you are dedicated to your passions, and you are more concerned about what your fingers can do rather than what they look like. Though you are almost always presentable in public, you do not find it necessary to completely conform to society in the way you look or act.

The "A+ Earner With No Effort"

Your nails are great. However, you don't realize it until someone points it out to you (like when they're looking at people's nails for their blog post). You really don't care what they look like, and don't even use nail clippers to keep them at a reasonable length (you rip them off), but they somehow manage to be just about perfect. The ragged edges show you really don't care about your appearance or what other people think about you, but the A+ grade of your nails shows you are widely accepted and successful just for being you. "Being you" comes so naturally to you that you can't even imagine being any other way, and never want to try. 

Anna who?

Don't worry... I don't think this is me..

Anna Krause? Yep, that's me.

Now type that into Google... Anna Krause? 

Yes... wait, no. No, that's definitely not me...

This is what happened when I searched my name on Google. Initially, I was relieved that my life wasn't completely out in the open for people to see. But then as I continued to scroll and scan through the pages and pictures, I began to feel discouraged and almost forgotten or nonexistent. I could not find a single thing that was connected to ME Anna Krause.

Now, I do have a few social media profiles, but even those did not appear on the search results - I don't do much on them and I have privacy settings on. Finally, after becoming more and more frustrated and determined to find myself somewhere, anywhere, I stopped and realized what I was doing. I was "finding myself" with help from the Internet.

In this modern generation, it is expected that you have an e-dentity because apparently that's what people my age do with all their time. I don't deny the fact that I spend too much time online, but I really don't do anything that will affect my virtual image. This is mostly because I don't see why everyone else needs to know what I'm eating or doing or thinking.

I do think we should be concerned with how much of our lives are on the Internet for everyone to see,  and our e-dentities do carry some weight in society. However, they should definitely not define us since our personal, true identities are the ones that truly matter.

So instead of spending hours trying to find the perfect 10 words to post on Facebook, or editing an unrealistic selfie, or working on that meme that you think may just bring you a few hours of fame and "trending" status, maybe turning off the computer for those precious hours is a better idea? Maybe, just maybe, you'll learn something about yourself or even about the person sitting next to you (imagine that!) that brings new meaning to your real-life i-dentity.

Lions, Tigers, and... Aliens? Oh my.

When you hear the word "aliens," you probably immediately think of terrifying, deadly creatures that come from outer space and should - at all costs - be eliminated. In most cases, this is because the media portrays aliens either as altogether unwanted, or as potential slaves.

From E.T. to the little guys in Toy Story, aliens have suffered to many different degrees in the media. The natural human reaction is to push them away and treat them as if they are a harm to society, when instead all they need is to be understood.

This is also seen in Doctor Who: the species on the left were bred to be subservient to humans, and the species below were assumed to be monsters who wanted to take over the world when really they were just innocent creatures who wanted to go back to their extraterrestrial home. 

In case you're wondering, yes, I fully intended to write this entire blog post on the oppression of outer-space aliens in the media. Because they are indeed oppressed.

But then I realized that there is another very real problem connected to these portrayals of aliens: in this country, residents who are not citizens are still labeled as "aliens". These labels range from "illegal alien" to "resident alien" to "permanent resident alien," and are all completely official, as they are given by the US government.

If we take the generally accepted definition of an alien that is given in the media and apply it to these "aliens" of the United States, these human beings are apparently supposed to be seen as unwanted misfits that truly don't belong and should return to their home country (or planet).

Now this is completely unacceptable if we are to be the land of opportunity and equality. Instead of warmly welcoming immigrants with national hospitality, we shove them into a dehumanizing category with an extremely negative connotation in today's society.

There are many problems with the immigration system in this country, and I do not claim to have all the answers nor even know what it's like to come into this country for the first time. But perhaps a good start for change would be to remove the stigmatism of the "alien" label for all incoming residents.


(Oh and don't forget about improving the reputation of extra terrestrial aliens in the media!)

Agree to Disagree

I am a feminist because I believe women should be equal to men.

This is the meaning of feminism, but many have interpreted this definition in different and sometimes radical ways. Shulamith Firestone is a perfect example, as she led the radical feminist movement in the 1960s. Though she fought for women's rights, she took the movement to a new level that in many ways I don't agree with. With these disagreements, I could either brush them off and simply make the claim that she was delusional and an overwhelming 'crazy radical,' or I could examine her ideas and compare them with mine. Choosing to do the latter does mean that an argument will happen, but learning often cannot come without dissent.

One topic Firestone argued was that the traditional family structure is restrictive and should be broken down completely. Coming from a loving and supportive family, I cannot imagine life in the society that she proposes. My experiences have instilled family values that are very important to me and in many ways central to who I am today.

A key point that Firestone brings up in this debate is child abuse, and it is important to address. Many families are in fact destructive, and cannot be easily fixed. In these cases, Firestone says, children should be able to leave in order to protect themselves. I agree with her that there needs to be action to protect the members of these abusive families, but I do not agree that the basis of families is wrong.

She makes the claim that the patriarchal structure of a family causes both women and children to forever be held captive in the restraints of a societal creation. In response to this, I do agree that there should be equality between spouses in a family, however, I also believe that there is a sacred and loving bond that exists in families that should not be removed.

Firestone also promoted the idea that childbearing should be gotten rid of all together in order to make sexual distinctions nonexistent. As a woman, I wholeheartedly disagree with the fact that my ability to reproduce causes me to be less equal in comparison to men. I do see her point in that pregnancy is seen to make a woman weak in the eyes of society, but that is the problem we need to fight, not the pregnancy itself.

Also, I believe that equality, not neutrality, is necessary in society. Firestone was aiming for the complete removal of differences between the sexes, which is not the same as being equal. I see the goal of equality to be based more on highlighting the differences between the sexes, while still treating each group the same way - not just making everyone the same.

When discussing Firestone's beliefs and passions, it is also important to look at the situation she lived through. She grew up in an Orthodox home with a controlling and almost abusive father. Her mother was completely submissive to her husband, and Firestone herself was expected to behave in the same way. When looking at her arguments about families, it is easy to see why she believed the traditional structure is flawed and should be gotten rid of. Her family situation also helps contribute to an understanding of her idea of de-sexing society. As there was an enormous difference in duties and power between men and women in her household, I can see why she thought that the sexes themselves should simply be done away with.

I still may not agree with everything Firestone stood for, but I do admit that with a closer analysis on her arguments as well as her life, I can see more clearly the reasons behind her passions and do acknowledge that I might feel the same way if I had lived through the things she lived through.

6 Little Problems in a Big World

Looking young is a prized characteristic in today's society. However, when you look years younger when you are actually still quite young, it becomes an issue. Add this to a height deficiency and you become nothing more than an overaged child in the world's eyes.
Here are 6 problems that everyone who has this unfortunate combination (like me) understands:

1. "Can I see your ID?.....Wait, one more time?"

Every. Single. Time. 

This question comes along with that disbelieving look as they check one more time to make sure they saw the ID correctly and that it's actually mine. I haven't experienced this at a bar (I'm not 21 yet), but it's just as bad just waiting in line for an R-rated movie. 

2. Kids' Menu!

It wasn't until a few years ago that I stopped getting the kid's menu question simply because I looked like I was 12. Sure, I'd love to color at the table now, but all I wanted back then was to be older. But was that even imaginable with people treating me like a child? Nope.

3. "You're HOW old?"

Yes, yes I am.
There's nothing left to say.

4. "You're the older one??" 

I've gotten this one my whole life, as my sister has always been taller than me. This picture is of my first day of senior year and my sister's first day of freshman year. Yes, I am still the same height now, and, yes, my sister has gotten even taller. Now more than ever I get the age confusion from people, and I doubt it'll ever go away. 

5. Respect? Forget about it.

No matter how much you insist you are in fact an adult, you will never be respected in quite the same way as those who look their age or older. It's just not possible with your short view on life and your "cute" personality. Just accept it, there's nothing you can do about it. 

6. "That means you'll look really young when you're 40!"

Ok, sure, maybe, but what about right now? I'm just supposed to wait around until my age finally catches up with me? Maybe I'll appreciate when I'm older but I don't see that happening any time soon. 

Thinking Outside the Box

Raise your hand if you consider yourself a busy person. Yep, so am I. Now raise your hand if you seem to have 99+ problems that just need to go away. Yeah, I thought so. Now (be honest) raise your hand if you stopped being busy for just a few seconds today and thought about helping someone out in some small way. A little less confident about this one? Now think about just one single time today you completely halted your mess of a schedule and took the time to take action to do some sort of helpful deed.

This reality is the point that the Operation Christmas Child box brings to the table; we need to look up and realize the impact we can have in someone's life.

Operation Christmas Child is a project done by Samaritan's Purse, which is a Christian organization focused on reaching out to hurting people around the world. The Christmas boxes are given to churches all around the United States, where the members fill the boxes with items such as school supplies, candy, toys, hygiene necessities, etc. The boxes are then collected and distributed in developing communities around the world.

The foundation of this distribution is, in fact, Christian and mission-centered, but the argument made by the box is not limited to a spiritual viewpoint. The boxes are sometimes the only presents a child will get in their lifetime, and make a difference in their education, health, as well as their safety in some cases.


Some tips found in the instructions:

"A stuffed animal/doll is a deterrent against human traffickers (as they use such toys as lures)."

"a stocking cap serves as a pillow, a washcloth used as a bath towel (for several people), a plastic cup or water bottle may be the only cup of fresh water the child will get to drink in a day as they need a vessel to bring back purified water from the purification station."

"Erasers are highly recommended as they will erase their paper several times over until it is paper thin."

It's mind-blowing to think that a simple beanie baby or water bottle may just save the life of a child on the other side of the world. On a more personal level, when shopping for the objects to go inside this box, I was once again struck by the reality of just how blessed I am and how much I take for granted on a daily basis. This realization is also imbedded in the argument presented by the box, as it makes people in our privileged society take a moment and look at the suffering world around them.

Ok, let's be realistic for a moment. Will this stuffed animal I'm sending to a child truly change their entire life? Maybe not. Will this eraser really change a child's whole education experience? Not necessarily. Even looking at us, will everyone doing this project be struck by their privilege and be thankful? Probably not.

But are there lives that will be changed? Definitely.

The point is that we have the potential to make a difference with something as simple as a box. A box that is so ordinary it is considered trash in most homes in America.

When we take a moment to look outside of the physical box in front of us and see the world, it can change not only our lives, but the lives of people around us.