Century of Action

    Last night was truly one of the most amazing nights I have experienced. This term I took a class about Oregon Woman Suffrage History. Next year, 2012, will be the centennial of women Oregonians getting the right to vote. In my class we were each assigned a topic and a handful of articles from 1912 to transcribe and then write an essay about. My topic was the Portland Woman's Club and the 1912 Campaign.  At first I was intimidated by the thought of writing this big contextual essay, it seemed so hard! But as I progressed I became more and more interested in my topic, and slowly realized that I could do it!

  Last night was the official kick-off event to celebrate the website.  It was held at the capitol and many very important people were there. Along with Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown, former Governor Barbara Roberts, and various legislators, were many authors who have written about the very topics we were researching.  Both the Secretary of State and the former Governor spoke. Those of you who know me know that I am still trying to figure out exactly what I want to do with the Political Science degree I am currently working for, but after the speeches I heard last night I think I may have an idea. No, I won't share it with you yet, but just know that I was inspired, and that I have a lot of hope for my future.

In addition to hearing a few inspirational speeches I got to meet some awesome people.  Never before have I met an author whose work I cited in a paper, and when Jean Ward (one of the authors I cited) approached me, I was simply overwhelmed. It was such an awesome experience to talk with her, and share my knowledge with her.  What was even cooler was the fact that I had some information from the old newspaper articles that she had not come across before, and the fact that I was able to help her out was very fulfilling.

All in all, it will not be a night that I will soon forget, and I am looking forward to many more just like it.
If you are interested in reading my article (come on, who wouldn't be right?) here is the link. Enjoy!

http://centuryofaction.org/index.php/main_site/document_project/the_portland_womans_club_and_the_1912_campaign
  

Love,
  Tayleranne

A friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out. ~Grace Pulpit

A certain someone has been bugging me to write a new post for a few days now. The problem is, I could not figure out what in the world to write about! So, I sat here for a while starting various posts and then erasing them. Finally and idea came to my mind. There is a website that I am a fan of, called http://lettersillneversend.com/. I love reading all the things people would say if they could, if they had the nerve to actually send that letter. I have written to the site, but there are two people in particular that I want to know how I feel about them. They will know who they are, I don't need to include any names. And, if its not you, please don't be hurt, I am sure that one day I will end up writing about you too :)

 

Person Number 1

 The summer before our Freshman year was the first time I had ever heard your name. I was scared, we both were, how were we supposed to live with a complete and total stranger?! Looking back, I am beyond grateful that God did what he did. I cannot imagine life without you. We clicked so fast, I was afraid it wouldn't last at first. But as time has marched on I have realized that we were meant to meet, we were meant to become best friends. It makes me laugh sometimes just how different we really are. Usually big differences tear people apart, but for us it somehow created a bond that cannot, and will not be broken.  You helped me through a very difficult time in my life, and through it all you were on my side %100. I am so so thankful for that, and I don't think that I have ever thanked you. So, thank you.

This past weekend when we were at my house, and we sat in the hot tub for 2 hours just talking away. As we were sitting there I was thinking about the future, imaging what it would be like, and I could not imagine it without you and that other girl who was in the hot tub in it. I want to be middle aged, married with kids, working at a job I love, and hanging out with you in a hot tub whenever we find a free weekend.  I am looking forward to years of friendship, I am looking forward to getting to know you even better than I already do. I love you, you mean so much to me.

Person Number 2

I have known you for about a year and a half. We met last fall as awkward Freshman. We were both trying to figure out who we were now that the comfort that was high school was no longer surrounding us.  We were not instant best friends, but that quickly changed.  Now that we are best friends I know that I am so incredibly lucky to have met you, and that God brought you into my life (and kept you there through some difficult times) for a reason.  We can read each others expressions, we often predict what the other is thinking, I know that you love chocolate, you knows that I love being on time.  We are so different, and yet so similar. 

There was a time when I thought I had lost you, and it broke me heart. Since then though, we have become even better friends, and I could not ask for a better friend.  You deal with my strange obsession with timeliness, and I know that it can be so annoying, yet you just smile and remind me to slow down, which is something I need to be told often.  

Recently we went into business together, taking on the names Deborah and Pam.  Why did we do this others may ask? Well, because when we are best friends we simply cannot work on a project together without getting distracted.  This simple fact shows me how perfect our friendship is. We have so much fun together, even when we work on homework. 

I will say the same thing to you as I did to Person Number 1. I can't see my future without you in it. I love you so so much.

 They say that you make your life long friends in college, and though this is only my second year I have made two best friends that I expect to last a life time. 

Some people come into our lives and quickly go.  Some stay for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same.  ~Flavia Weedn

Love,

   Tayleranne