I feel like we live in a time where I can't turn on the news or scroll on social media without hearing about another pro athlete being arrested, pulled over for driving drunk or high, or is somehow in legal trouble. It's so bad, in fact, that USA Today has found it helpful to have an NFL Arrest Database to keep track of the legal adventures of many young peoples role models, and adults favorite weekend entertainers.
After hearing about yet another arrest today, as well as current-former (for those of you who do not watch football, he is currently not allowed to partake in any NFL activities as a result of sanctions handed down by the league) NFL player Adrian Peterson pleading 'No Contest' to child abuse allegations, I began to rack my brain about why so many professional athletes find themselves in legal trouble. We do not find actors or musicians or even politicians in as much trouble as we seem to find athletes, despite being in just as much of a spotlight. There have been 28 NFL players arrested, cited, or detained in the last 6 months (updated as of 10/24/14). That does not include players in other leagues, players not on rosters, players on practice rosters, or who simply were not caught. But why are so many living lives that are putting them in this position?
I believe we give them a sense of invicibility from a young age through their participation in athletics.
One month ago, 7 high school football players were arrested and subsequently charged for sexually assaulted and hazing of fellow teammates. The remainder of the season for this high school team was ultimately canceled, sparking rage in the community. One student tweeted about truly hating the freshmen now. A mother stated "They were talking about a butt being grabbed. That's about it. No one was hurt. No one died."
I'd like to take this time to note that the victims spoke of multiple occasions where they would were slammed to the floor, kicked, and occasionally sodomized with the fingers of the convicted players. But "No one was hurt. No one died," so it's not a big deal, right? A mother and a community is trying to protect rapists and abusers, who would potentially go on to do more harm in their futures, instead of taking a stand for what is moral and what is right.
I'm sure we all remember the Stubenville rape case, where two football players raped and filmed a young girl while she was unconscious, and then passed around the video their friends and fellow teammates. In response to the video and the rape allegations, people from Stubenville (including adults unrelated to the rapists) claimed that the young woman put herself in a position to be raped by being "too drunk," and even the defense attorney argued that since the victim did not verbally reject the boys advances that she did not deny consent.
In the Stubenville case, people took sides, saying it would be unfortunate for these two young men to lose their "bright futures" over such an incident where they seemingly did nothing wrong. You know, nothing but rape a girl.
And of course, my personal favorite, we have the coddled Jameis Winston. The NCAA and Florida State University alike will do anything to make Winston believe that he can do no wrong, down to disciplining him with a one game suspension for actions that many players (and normal students) could be suspended indefinitely and potentially expelled for. Winston has legal troubles that include: shoplifting, shouting sexual explicit vulgarities in a public places (while standing on a table, might I add), rape allegations, firing a BB gun at squirrels on FSU property, and allegedly selling autographs (a huge NCAA no-no).
Despite all of this, Winston has a Heisman Trophy, a National Championship, and has only ever been sanctioned to miss one game, which was originally a mere half-game suspension, during his time as a player at FSU. Additionally, I find it necessary to add that during his suspended game, Winston showed up suited up on the sidelines, as if the team would be ready to throw him into the game if injury were to require such circumstance.
Effectively, the NCAA and FSU are setting precedent for all NCAA athletes, and not a good one. They are saying that as long as you can perform on the field, your off the field conduct does not matter. They are saying that your potential as an athlete is more important that your moral and legal practices. They are saying that athletes, as long as they are good ones, are invincible. The NCAA and FSU are creating the NFL players that we find on USA Today's arrest database.
Occasionally we even find ourselves cheering for the athlete. In the wake of the Oscar Pistorius trial I found myself heartbroken that this man I looked up to as a fellow disabled athlete could have possibly killed anyone, even accidentally. And after his sentencing I was once again heartbroken that he would have to serve 5 years in prison for it. "But he's an athlete, what about his potential? He won't be able to run in prison," I caught myself saying. It didn't matter to me that he had shot his girlfriend, accidental or not. It mattered to me that he was a role model to me. It's that attitude that creates these invincible athletes. "But I'm an athlete, I can't be arrested," or "But I'm an athlete, you wouldn't ruin my career and future for this."
It's not athletes who are creating the idea that athletes are invincible. It's the public and the organizations that are. We are contributing to this, whether we realize it or not.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Monday, May 5, 2014
Things Are Changing
So first off, I want to start with sharing the fact that apparently I'm just a really awful blogger. I'm really good at having a Tumblr, and a Twitter, and a Facebook. But a "real" blog is apparently not for me. I have no idea how people keep up with these things weekly, let alone daily, or how people could possibly make money off of them. I, on the other hand, apparently like to post once every 3-6 months with the hopes and aspirations that I'll post more often, only to be let down by my innate inability to find anything important or interesting to post about. I could probably post tons of pictures of kittens every day, but that's not what this blog is here for.
Moving on. Obviously a lot has changed in my life in the last 9 months. I moved to Maryland, was forced to stop riding horse in the meantime, learned a lot about myself, and that's just the beginning.
A little over a month ago I got notice that my Uncle had been placed in the hospital with signs that he had suffered another heart attack. This was not a new experience for me. I have often gotten news that he was sick again, even hospitalized, and often gotten word of it after he had come home. You see, my Uncle's body was very sick. He suffered his first heart attack on September 11, 2001, mostly thought to be brought on by the stress, shock and horror of the terror attacks on the United States. Since then, he had had several minor heart attacks, open heart surgeries (including a quadruple bypass), and all in all was in desperate need of a heart transplant. He also dealt with other illnesses, such as diabetes, that added to his lack of wellness over the years. So learning that he was in the hospital was not a shock. But this time it felt different.
If you did not know that my Uncle lived with these ailments, you would not have guessed. He did his best to be there for us as nieces whenever he could, especially as he never married and did not have any children of his own. We were his children. Once in the middle of July he went with my cousins and me to the Houston Museum of Natural History and ogled at the dinosaurs, allowing me to break the rules and touch the exhibits (all for a photo opportunity of course), despite the obvious "do not touch" signs. He simply looked the other way. We would watch football, horse racing and baseball together, and he was the only person in the world that could keep me interested in the Tour de France for longer than about 10 seconds.
But when I got that call, I knew something was different. This time he was intubated, something that had happened very rarely, if ever before. His kidneys were failing and his body was shutting down. I wanted to jump in my car or on a plane and be there with him, because I had an underlying feeling that he would not be with us for long.
I was right.
One Tuesday night I was up late doing homework, and I jokingly asked a friend to buy me a plane ticket to Houston. He declined, obviously. The next morning, I woke up feeling very ill, like something was wrong. I decided to not go to class that day and fell back asleep. I woke up a few hours later with a text message from my dad (and if you know my dad, you know he never texts) that read "Call me when you are out of class." I knew then.
I called him anyways and he told me the news, and I immediately started crying. I was glad I had stayed home. Oddly, my pets had been extra cuddly that morning as well, as if they knew before I did. I called my mom and we started discussing travel plans and coping, etc. Most of all we talked about how we were glad that we had taken the time to drive to Houston for Thanksgiving.
One big discussion that we had was how I felt the need to be there for the funeral, but coming that Saturday was my very last chance to compete for a local title to go to Miss Maryland, and as this is my last year, it would have been my last chance ever. As I was laying in bed trying to figure out how to be an adult again (aka, I was watching The Land Before Time and eating ice cream), I got a text message from a director that I had had previously in the year (actually the very first pageant I did in Maryland).
Teresa asked me if I was busy and could talk on the phone, I said no, and she gave me a call. The conversation that followed informed me that I was the new Miss White Oak 2014 and would be going to Miss Maryland. I would not have to compete on Saturday, a mere days after my Uncle passing away and hours before having to fly to his funeral. I cried while on the phone with Teresa, both out of grief and excitement.
For a while I didn't know how to feel. I didn't know if it was okay to be happy about my title because of the circumstances I was also in. I didn't know if I could celebrate one thing and mourn another. After a few days I was able to separate the two emotions and could be excited for my opportunity to compete for Miss Maryland while still mourning the loss of a loved one. I took my new crown to the funeral to show my Uncle, who never got to see me compete.
Most importantly from all of this, is the fates work in mysterious ways. My uncle would not have been healthy enough to come see me at Miss Maryland or even Miss America. Had I had to compete that Saturday I most likely would not have won, as I would have been too emotionally compromised.
My Uncle is the most inspirational person I've ever known. He never finished college, but is easily the smartest man I have and will ever know. He traveled the world in his lifetime, and I now have a piece of the Berlin wall that he picked up straight off the ground after the fall of the wall. He was asked to be a body guard at the Seoul Olympics, but turned down the offer as he did not want to carry around an AK-47. He was a hardcore conservative, but understood that war takes live and is detrimental to our economy, our society, and the lives of people around the world. He pursued everything he loved in life. And most of all, he taught me that life is too short to spend it doing something you hate because it's what you think society would want you to do.
For a man who was 54, he was wise beyond his years. My only hope in life is that one day I can influence as many people as he did. I hope that one day, people look up to me as they looked up to him. And I hope my pancakes can be half as good as his were.
I love you, Uncle. Rest in Peace.
Moving on. Obviously a lot has changed in my life in the last 9 months. I moved to Maryland, was forced to stop riding horse in the meantime, learned a lot about myself, and that's just the beginning.
A little over a month ago I got notice that my Uncle had been placed in the hospital with signs that he had suffered another heart attack. This was not a new experience for me. I have often gotten news that he was sick again, even hospitalized, and often gotten word of it after he had come home. You see, my Uncle's body was very sick. He suffered his first heart attack on September 11, 2001, mostly thought to be brought on by the stress, shock and horror of the terror attacks on the United States. Since then, he had had several minor heart attacks, open heart surgeries (including a quadruple bypass), and all in all was in desperate need of a heart transplant. He also dealt with other illnesses, such as diabetes, that added to his lack of wellness over the years. So learning that he was in the hospital was not a shock. But this time it felt different.
If you did not know that my Uncle lived with these ailments, you would not have guessed. He did his best to be there for us as nieces whenever he could, especially as he never married and did not have any children of his own. We were his children. Once in the middle of July he went with my cousins and me to the Houston Museum of Natural History and ogled at the dinosaurs, allowing me to break the rules and touch the exhibits (all for a photo opportunity of course), despite the obvious "do not touch" signs. He simply looked the other way. We would watch football, horse racing and baseball together, and he was the only person in the world that could keep me interested in the Tour de France for longer than about 10 seconds.
But when I got that call, I knew something was different. This time he was intubated, something that had happened very rarely, if ever before. His kidneys were failing and his body was shutting down. I wanted to jump in my car or on a plane and be there with him, because I had an underlying feeling that he would not be with us for long.
I was right.
One Tuesday night I was up late doing homework, and I jokingly asked a friend to buy me a plane ticket to Houston. He declined, obviously. The next morning, I woke up feeling very ill, like something was wrong. I decided to not go to class that day and fell back asleep. I woke up a few hours later with a text message from my dad (and if you know my dad, you know he never texts) that read "Call me when you are out of class." I knew then.
I called him anyways and he told me the news, and I immediately started crying. I was glad I had stayed home. Oddly, my pets had been extra cuddly that morning as well, as if they knew before I did. I called my mom and we started discussing travel plans and coping, etc. Most of all we talked about how we were glad that we had taken the time to drive to Houston for Thanksgiving.
One big discussion that we had was how I felt the need to be there for the funeral, but coming that Saturday was my very last chance to compete for a local title to go to Miss Maryland, and as this is my last year, it would have been my last chance ever. As I was laying in bed trying to figure out how to be an adult again (aka, I was watching The Land Before Time and eating ice cream), I got a text message from a director that I had had previously in the year (actually the very first pageant I did in Maryland).
Teresa asked me if I was busy and could talk on the phone, I said no, and she gave me a call. The conversation that followed informed me that I was the new Miss White Oak 2014 and would be going to Miss Maryland. I would not have to compete on Saturday, a mere days after my Uncle passing away and hours before having to fly to his funeral. I cried while on the phone with Teresa, both out of grief and excitement.
For a while I didn't know how to feel. I didn't know if it was okay to be happy about my title because of the circumstances I was also in. I didn't know if I could celebrate one thing and mourn another. After a few days I was able to separate the two emotions and could be excited for my opportunity to compete for Miss Maryland while still mourning the loss of a loved one. I took my new crown to the funeral to show my Uncle, who never got to see me compete.
Most importantly from all of this, is the fates work in mysterious ways. My uncle would not have been healthy enough to come see me at Miss Maryland or even Miss America. Had I had to compete that Saturday I most likely would not have won, as I would have been too emotionally compromised.
My Uncle is the most inspirational person I've ever known. He never finished college, but is easily the smartest man I have and will ever know. He traveled the world in his lifetime, and I now have a piece of the Berlin wall that he picked up straight off the ground after the fall of the wall. He was asked to be a body guard at the Seoul Olympics, but turned down the offer as he did not want to carry around an AK-47. He was a hardcore conservative, but understood that war takes live and is detrimental to our economy, our society, and the lives of people around the world. He pursued everything he loved in life. And most of all, he taught me that life is too short to spend it doing something you hate because it's what you think society would want you to do.
For a man who was 54, he was wise beyond his years. My only hope in life is that one day I can influence as many people as he did. I hope that one day, people look up to me as they looked up to him. And I hope my pancakes can be half as good as his were.
I love you, Uncle. Rest in Peace.
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Strawberry Banana Protein Smoothie
Protein smoothies are a staple in my diet. They're quick, easy, and liquid, which is great for someone who commonly has a upset tummy and can't tolerate much breakfast food. I used to buy the pre-packaged Jamba Juice smoothie mixes at the store, but they are SO incredibly expensive that once my grad-school budget happened I simply couldn't afford them anymore. And why bother? Making your own is a little daunting at first but it's a really simple formula.
I like finding a lot of recipes on Pinterest and editing them however necessary (take out dairy when I'm dairy free, slightly more or less fruit, different fruit, whatever). Frankly, smoothie making is more of an artform than anything. No two smoothies are going to turn out alike, so know you always have the freedom to add more or less liquid, fruit, greens, whatever you so choose.
However, I do have a couple rules that I always always always follow:
I loosely based this particular recipe off of the popular "Lauren Conrad's 7 Days to Skinny Jeans" pin that is everywhere on Pinterest. The recipe follows.
1/2 Cup Frozen Strawberries
1 Frozen Banana
1/2 Cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats*
1 Scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
1 TBSP "Very Green" Dietary Supplement
1 1/2 Cups Light Vanilla Soy Milk
*I make sure I use certified Gluten Free oats, but I'm picky. These are dry, uncooked oats. Don't use Instant Oatmeal.
It turns out looking like this:
Of course you're free to switch out berries, flavor of protein powder, liquid, whatever. This is just what I personally use. And don't worry, I see your brain gears turning.
What is Very Green?
Good Question! Very Green is a dietary supplement you can pick up at your local organic market or health food store. It may be called something different, but when you buy it at Trader Joe's it looks something like what you see on the right. Basically, it's a full serving of veggies in powder form. I add it to all my smoothies in lieu of adding things like raw spinach or kale because it blends right in and doesn't add volume. It also does not alter taste. It changes the color a little, as the powder is green, but you're getting a full serving greens for basically no room in your blender, allowing you to add more fruit, liquid, or whatever you may like. You also don't have to worry about cleaning the greens before you blend them, or de-stemming things, or winding up with stems in your smoothie if your blender isn't the best.
I haven't tried, but I'm guessing it can also be added to other foods like soups and sauces. It can also be taken straight with water or juice. Here's the dietary panel:
Okay so now that that little side track is over. Put all that in the blender, and, well, blend. I often find myself having to pulse the blender a bit, and then stop and shimmy it a little to get everything back around the blades, but within about 45-60 seconds of blending you should have a nice consistancy. Don't be afraid to add more liquid if you like yours thinner. The one in the picture below was on the thicker side, but I also neglected to use the full 1.5 Cups of liquid. So your final result should look something like this:
Drink up!
I like finding a lot of recipes on Pinterest and editing them however necessary (take out dairy when I'm dairy free, slightly more or less fruit, different fruit, whatever). Frankly, smoothie making is more of an artform than anything. No two smoothies are going to turn out alike, so know you always have the freedom to add more or less liquid, fruit, greens, whatever you so choose.
However, I do have a couple rules that I always always always follow:
- ALWAYS use frozen fruit. It negates the need for ice and thus you become full faster and stay full longer. If you freeze bananas, peel them first. Trust me. I learned the hard way.
- Don't use water as your liquid. You want something with nutrients in it. Cow's milk, soy milk, coconut water, juice, whatever. Just. Not. Water. If you opt for juice make sure you're using something that is 100% juice with no sugar added.
- Don't use sweeteners. A lot of "recipes" call for Honey or other sweeteners. Frankly, you don't need them. All it does is boost the sugar content without altering the taste much.
I loosely based this particular recipe off of the popular "Lauren Conrad's 7 Days to Skinny Jeans" pin that is everywhere on Pinterest. The recipe follows.
1/2 Cup Frozen Strawberries
1 Frozen Banana
1/2 Cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats*
1 Scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
1 TBSP "Very Green" Dietary Supplement
1 1/2 Cups Light Vanilla Soy Milk
*I make sure I use certified Gluten Free oats, but I'm picky. These are dry, uncooked oats. Don't use Instant Oatmeal.
It turns out looking like this:
Of course you're free to switch out berries, flavor of protein powder, liquid, whatever. This is just what I personally use. And don't worry, I see your brain gears turning.
What is Very Green?
Good Question! Very Green is a dietary supplement you can pick up at your local organic market or health food store. It may be called something different, but when you buy it at Trader Joe's it looks something like what you see on the right. Basically, it's a full serving of veggies in powder form. I add it to all my smoothies in lieu of adding things like raw spinach or kale because it blends right in and doesn't add volume. It also does not alter taste. It changes the color a little, as the powder is green, but you're getting a full serving greens for basically no room in your blender, allowing you to add more fruit, liquid, or whatever you may like. You also don't have to worry about cleaning the greens before you blend them, or de-stemming things, or winding up with stems in your smoothie if your blender isn't the best.
I haven't tried, but I'm guessing it can also be added to other foods like soups and sauces. It can also be taken straight with water or juice. Here's the dietary panel:
Okay so now that that little side track is over. Put all that in the blender, and, well, blend. I often find myself having to pulse the blender a bit, and then stop and shimmy it a little to get everything back around the blades, but within about 45-60 seconds of blending you should have a nice consistancy. Don't be afraid to add more liquid if you like yours thinner. The one in the picture below was on the thicker side, but I also neglected to use the full 1.5 Cups of liquid. So your final result should look something like this:
Drink up!
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