I did in fact get hit by a car this afternoon, but I am in fact totally intact and absolutely uninjured. And no, it was not my fault, or the fault of the girl whose car hit me, but some jackass in a minivan who didn't stop when the accident happened. I'll admit, I'm praying for that sweet traumatized girl but not that jackass.
Much love, Scout
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
Saturday, August 12, 2017
Warning: "Anti-American" Content
My 14-year-old sister is sobbing about the violence at UVA.
She loves The Sound of Music, Indiana Jones, The Avengers, and Star Wars. She is used to watching the good guys escape and/or defeat the Nazis. Usually the good guys are Americans. They're heroes. They fight for freedom.
Today she's being confronted with a situation in which the Nazis are Americans. She's having to contemplate the possibility that some Americans, her people...well, they're not on the right side of history. She is seeing that the Americans are the white supremacists. The Americans are the fascists. The Americans are the terrorists.
She has questions: Where were the police? Why didn't they stop the white supremacists? Are these white supremacists the KKK without masks?
It's good that she has questions. It's good that she wants answers. It's good that she is devastated by the white supremacist terrorism that has transpired at UVA. I'm glad.
We should all be questioning our values. We should all be wondering why it took so long for the police to intervene. We should all be wondering why the police were gentler with violent white terrorists than they have been with unarmed black and Native American protesters. We should all be wondering why our president took so long to condemn the domestic terrorism that these fascist white supremacists committed. We should be questioning the whole of our social system.
From the outside, America looks like a nation that is eating its own. From the inside, we should know that America is a nation eating its own. We are not taking care of each other. We are not taking action when we should. We are not speaking up.
Am I anti-American? I don't think so. But I am 100% anti-alt-right America. The values of white supremacists, fascists, and domestic terrorists are not my American values. Their values aren't American at all. Their values are terrorist values.
Scout
Tuesday, July 4, 2017
Long May You Run
I'm posting this here because posting it on Facebook feels too much like sacrilege (and not the fun acceptable kind).
When I was eight I fell in love at first sight with a timid puff of puppy. Yesterday that puppy got to embark on his next adventure and I'm pretty sad I'm stuck on "this unhappy planet / with all the carnivores / and the destructors of it" and without him. Gryffy has been more dedicated to fulfilling the measure of his creation than just about anyone I know and it has been my privilege to spend so much of my adolescence with him. He was always the ideal companion but he became better with every passing year.
I'm sure St. Francis will take care of Gryffy until we inevitably join him. In the meantime I'll dedicate a lil Neil Young to Gryffy since it's what I played on our drives to trailheads (and it got Gryff psyched)...
Long may you run,
Long may you run
Although these changes have come
With your chrome heart shining in the sun,
Long may you run
All life is eternal!
Gryffindor is one life form that I'll be overjoyed to be reunited with.
Saturday, February 25, 2017
I'm a Grown Woman // I Can Do Whatever I Want
-Beyonce, the champion of monogamy and living like you know you should
Big thank you to everyone for your cordial birthday wishes! You, the people, are the greatest, most glorious people. Whether you've proven kind or cruel, you have inspired me to work harder, work smarter, and always put people first.
A special thanks to my family, the people who have loved me loyally and taught me most of what I know: your sacrifices are not entirely wasted on me (thanks for being patient with me). You are such charitable people and I love watching you serve in our communities. I can't wait to see y'all soon!
Thank you, too, to the people I've adopted into my family. You are the best and the brightest and I hAve been ChANged for good... I have had the best roommates two years running and that's just the tip of the ice cream cone.
Without further thankimony, here's my toast to y'all this evening: in this ~unseemly~ time, let's all level up and be kinder to each other. Let's focus on being charitable rather than being right. Let's not spoil apologies with excuses. Let's become the people we needed when we were younger. People are always worth it.
Cheers and kisses,
Scout
Big thank you to everyone for your cordial birthday wishes! You, the people, are the greatest, most glorious people. Whether you've proven kind or cruel, you have inspired me to work harder, work smarter, and always put people first.
A special thanks to my family, the people who have loved me loyally and taught me most of what I know: your sacrifices are not entirely wasted on me (thanks for being patient with me). You are such charitable people and I love watching you serve in our communities. I can't wait to see y'all soon!
Thank you, too, to the people I've adopted into my family. You are the best and the brightest and I hAve been ChANged for good... I have had the best roommates two years running and that's just the tip of the ice cream cone.
Without further thankimony, here's my toast to y'all this evening: in this ~unseemly~ time, let's all level up and be kinder to each other. Let's focus on being charitable rather than being right. Let's not spoil apologies with excuses. Let's become the people we needed when we were younger. People are always worth it.
Cheers and kisses,
Scout
Spring sprung
Sent this one off to Italy (from Hires...when in Slake...)
Tea time April 2016 (Fiona, you are my hero)
Classic Greta
Dogs must be walked...even tyrants like Sydney
Girls Camp champs
MZC GNO 2016
I lived here eighteen years ago
Eravati and I are the worst/wittiest ping pong players
Probably in the top ten best nights of being nineteen
Our famous Christmas card photo
FHE Clue night (round 1)
"Arsenic and Old Lace" at the Tower Theater
Asayvastava brunch at Sundance
Asay greetings from Machu Picchu
Sending our Cinna Stick to Ohio
2-0 and everyone's stoked
I'm off! I am morally obligated to drink the "mystery drink" my kindergarten-age cousin concocted for me for my birthday. Might not survive, but I've been trying to live a good life. :)
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Who's Laughing Now??
I am
Because I genuinely enjoy my life *throws dill and flowers into the air, minimal dirt is involved*
Because I genuinely enjoy my life *throws dill and flowers into the air, minimal dirt is involved*
(This fulfills my obligation to update this blog.)
Friday, June 10, 2016
Not All Men
I'm a self-described feminist, raised in a highly religious household, now attending a private religious school of my own volition, and I have a problem with my religious demographic's weak feminist game, particularly the males. I've spent the last year at BYU and for every marvelous bro I meet there are approximately two others who ask me if I'm a lesbian when they discover I'm a feminist. I don't have to be a woman who is attracted to other women to understand concepts of basic human decency. And neither do you, Joseph/Jacob/John/Jack/Jeremiah (I swear, every BYU boy has a J name).
I have two issues with the lack of Mormon male feminists: 1) you're hurting women, and 2) you're hurting yourselves. Plus (3, yikes) I believe that all Mormons should identify as feminists because Mormonism is fundamentally feminist: doctrinally, Mormonism is feminist in that the concerns of women are the concerns of God. God is keenly aware of the unique trials that being female brings, and God cares about those trials.
Once you decide to take an interest in topics that may not always center on you, do some research, ask some questions, and listen with intent and never respond with "not all men." Listening with intent (eagerness to do your part) is self-explanatory, but the "not all men" thing requires an explanation.
The reason*: Responding with "not all men" derails the woman's argument and insists that instead of making her point she validate you and other men. Buddy, don't do this. You have effectively ignored her real message which was "sexism makes the world uncomfortable and unsafe for me and others." You have become a man we cannot trust with our very real problems because you have exhibited an inability to listen and an unwillingness to help. So, basically you just became one of those men.
Instead, when it comes time for your comment in the dialogue, pull up your boot straps and say something prudent. Remember that "in my experience" can only carry you so far since you are male and have had a male experience, not a female one. You might not be aware of rape culture because it affects you in imperceptible ways, and you might think the wage gap is a myth because you've never experienced it, but these are real problems that haunt real people.
If you are interested in learning about how sexism hurts men, give "The Mask You Live In" a watch. It's a documentary that's part of the Representation Project and it focuses on men's issues like toxic masculinity. They previously did one that focuses on women's issues called "Miss Representation" and I know that one is on Netflix. Both are excellent places to start your feminist awakening, something I'm certain you'll experience sooner or later (so might as well make it sooner).
Honestly, sexism is such a childish thing. I look at the remarkable males in my life (notably my own father and woke peers but also my many paternal figures who are neighbors, professors, home teachers, bishops, etc) and then back at the majority of my male peers and all I can think is "someday you'll regret being so unwilling to listen." Because you will: you'll regret acting disgusted by periods when you realize how incredible (and incredibly agonizing) they are, you'll regret mansplaining when you can never get a second date, and you'll regret cheating on your girlfriends when one day you wipe the tears from your daughter's face because her boyfriend was messing around with someone else.
Quit playin' and level up, homies. Unless you are part of the solution you are part of the problem.
Scout
*important note on "not all men": there are enough men doing these things to make it a social rather than a personal problem, and by derailing discussion you prevent progress against those issues. We know it's not all men! We're not stupid! And it's unlikely that we think you're the, say, date rapist we're discussing. We would confront you if we thought you were, and again, "not all men" would be the incorrect response there.
I have two issues with the lack of Mormon male feminists: 1) you're hurting women, and 2) you're hurting yourselves. Plus (3, yikes) I believe that all Mormons should identify as feminists because Mormonism is fundamentally feminist: doctrinally, Mormonism is feminist in that the concerns of women are the concerns of God. God is keenly aware of the unique trials that being female brings, and God cares about those trials.
Once you decide to take an interest in topics that may not always center on you, do some research, ask some questions, and listen with intent and never respond with "not all men." Listening with intent (eagerness to do your part) is self-explanatory, but the "not all men" thing requires an explanation.
The reason*: Responding with "not all men" derails the woman's argument and insists that instead of making her point she validate you and other men. Buddy, don't do this. You have effectively ignored her real message which was "sexism makes the world uncomfortable and unsafe for me and others." You have become a man we cannot trust with our very real problems because you have exhibited an inability to listen and an unwillingness to help. So, basically you just became one of those men.
Instead, when it comes time for your comment in the dialogue, pull up your boot straps and say something prudent. Remember that "in my experience" can only carry you so far since you are male and have had a male experience, not a female one. You might not be aware of rape culture because it affects you in imperceptible ways, and you might think the wage gap is a myth because you've never experienced it, but these are real problems that haunt real people.
If you are interested in learning about how sexism hurts men, give "The Mask You Live In" a watch. It's a documentary that's part of the Representation Project and it focuses on men's issues like toxic masculinity. They previously did one that focuses on women's issues called "Miss Representation" and I know that one is on Netflix. Both are excellent places to start your feminist awakening, something I'm certain you'll experience sooner or later (so might as well make it sooner).
Honestly, sexism is such a childish thing. I look at the remarkable males in my life (notably my own father and woke peers but also my many paternal figures who are neighbors, professors, home teachers, bishops, etc) and then back at the majority of my male peers and all I can think is "someday you'll regret being so unwilling to listen." Because you will: you'll regret acting disgusted by periods when you realize how incredible (and incredibly agonizing) they are, you'll regret mansplaining when you can never get a second date, and you'll regret cheating on your girlfriends when one day you wipe the tears from your daughter's face because her boyfriend was messing around with someone else.
Quit playin' and level up, homies. Unless you are part of the solution you are part of the problem.
Scout
*important note on "not all men": there are enough men doing these things to make it a social rather than a personal problem, and by derailing discussion you prevent progress against those issues. We know it's not all men! We're not stupid! And it's unlikely that we think you're the, say, date rapist we're discussing. We would confront you if we thought you were, and again, "not all men" would be the incorrect response there.
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Happy Birthday To Me!
A Year in the Life of an Eighteen-Year-Old,
As Told By Eighteen Pictures
As Told By Eighteen Pictures
18th birthday road trip
Cherie, Chay, Kendra, and me
India
Claudie and me outside Carlucci's
Mom and me in Prague
Glenn, Claudie, Wes, Carolyn, Margaret Anne,
Marcelina, and me at West High graduation
Camp Shakespeare
Kate, me, and Margaret Anne outside the Creamery on 9th at BYU
Zoe and me at girls' camp
Millie, Greta, Grandma Asay,
Mom, Lily, and me at Bear Lake
Isaac, Greta, Mom, Lily, Dad, and
me at Cannon Beach (OR)
Mary and I in Washington Square (NYC)
Keiko, Lerin, and me at Settebello (SLC)
The roomies Ashley, Rachel, Christine, Eva,
and me at the new LDS Provo temple
Ashley, Christine, Eva, and me at Mesa Falls (ID)
Me and Tom Cat (Walter) in Blackfoot (ID)
Bretta, Izzy, me, Eravati, Raj, and Gryff
Eva and me feat. some bamboo, Pizza Pillow, backwards
baseball caps, and chocolate chip cookies
And on to nineteen...
In contrast to the enlightening and enriching pain that seventeen brought, eighteen brought some of the greatest joy I have ever known. Factually speaking, I graduated from high school and started college during this time but more significantly the second semester of my senior year and the summer that followed were overflowing with bliss. It was kind of like living in a Disney princess movie where you wake up with the sun and the birds are singing and your hair is perfect. It was a beautiful period of aggregation and I am so grateful I was able to experience it (especially before and after difficult periods of my life).
I am so extremely grateful for the people who I have chosen to be a part of my life and the people who in turn have chosen to be a part of my life. I am grateful for all the people who are in my life by God's design. Thank you for the birthday wishes! I love all of you and God bless you--we're all in this together!
Hasta la vista,
Scout
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