so check this out...
MIAMI (April 28) - British music producer Adam Kidron says that when he came up with the idea of a Spanish-language version of the U.S. national anthem, he saw it as an ode to the millions of immigrants seeking a better life.
**Listen to the Song**
''Would the French accept people singing the La Marseillaise in English as a sign of French patriotism? Of course not.'' -- Mark Krikorian, head of the Center for Immigration Studies",
''The meaning of the American dream is in that record: struggle, freedom, opportunity, everything they are trying to shut down on us.'' -- Hip-hop star Pitbull, a.k.a. Armando Perez"
Pro-immigration protests are planned around the country for Monday, and the record label is urging Hispanic radio stations nationwide to play the cut at 7 p.m. EDT Friday in a sign of solidarity. A remix to be released in June will contain several lines in English that condemn U.S. immigration laws. Among them: "These kids have no parents, cause all of these mean laws ... let's not start a war with all these hard workers, they can't help where they were born."
Bryanna Bevens of Hanford, Calif., who writes for the immigration-focused Web magazine Vdare.com, said the remix particularly upset her.
"It's very whiny. If you want to say all those things, by all means, put them on your poster board, but don't put them on the national anthem," she said.
Kidron, a U.S. resident for 16 years, maintains the changes are fitting. After all, he notes, American immigrants borrowed the melody of the "Star Spangled Banner" from an English drinking song.
"There's no attempt to usurp anything. The intent is to communicate," Kidron said. "I wanted to show my thanks to these people who buy my records and listen to the music we release and do the jobs I don't want to do."
Kidron said the song also will be featured on the album "Somos Americanos," which will sell for $10, with $1 going to the National Capital Immigration Coalition, a Washington group.
James Gardner, an associate director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, said Americans have long enjoyed different interpretations of the Star Spangled Banner, including country or gospel arrangements.
"There are a number of renditions that people aren't happy with, but that's part of it - that it means enough for people to try to sing," he said.
Pitbull, whose real name is Armando Perez, said this country was built by immigrants, and "the meaning of the American dream is in that record: struggle, freedom, opportunity, everything they are trying to shut down on us."
Associated Press writer Suzette Laboy in Miami contributed to this report.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
alright, so here i am about to get real deep....maybe.
so you all know that work isn't quite what i'd like it to be. (to say the least.) it's been rough here for the past month and a half or so. i feel like i'm not given the room to do what i was hired to do. i feel like other people in this office who have been here much longer than me are stepping all over what my responsibilities are. and in some ways, that's sort of understandable: they've been here longer, they grew up in YL, they know the ropes. that being said, i've been here 5 months now. this is a SMALL office and i think i know what i'm doing by now. apparently other people here think differently.
anyway, moving on. today i got a call from my boss who proceeded to tell me that he and another co-worker of mine were "talking about me" the other night. the comment was made that if (and i quote) "snelson worked everyday like she has the past few days, our area would double in size. the problem is that we never know what she is going to be like from day to day. one day she's fine, the next day she's not." (end quote.) now, for those of you who know me, you know that i can be like that. however, when i am here at the office, i have made every effort to not be up-and-down. to be somewhat leveled out and calm, productive, non-emotional. yes, it's hard for me. but here's the thing: i don't feel like i can be myself here. and that's the bottom line...at least for right now. i feel like everything - EVERYTHING - i do is scrutinized to the bone and criticized without regard to me as a person. and frankly, i'm not too sure how i feel about that.
this is a christian organization. shouldn't we work with our co-workers as such? it seems like so much, if not all, of our energy is used up in making the kids, parents and donors (and let's not forget the committee!) of our area happy that we lose sight of the people who work in this office. believe me when i tell you that anything will be done to make these people happy. we literally have to bend over backwards and kiss our own butts if they want. and honestly, i understand that. these people are who we serve. these are the ones with the financial gifts that keep us going. so i understand completely how important it is to keep them happy. what bothers me is that as much as this office, collectively, wants to work as a team, we don't. everyone wants to be a "family" and yet we treat each other in a way that does not reflect that. and the "veteran" employees are the ones who get the benefit of the doubt. which means that i, being a newbie, am not given the freedom or opportunity to do what i was hired to do.
so what's the bottom line? it's evident that i don't want to be here. it's evident that this is much harder than it has to be. but question is this: what do i do about it?
last week in band we started working on phil's "i surrender". we sang it last night during practice. and as much as i want to be able to say that with full conviction, it gets harder and harder for me. this mess at work has gotten me so completely down that i don't feel good about myself anymore. about who i am. i'm not even "allowed" to be me at work. i feel it at home. i feel it with my relationship with robert. poor guy - he has become my human punching bag...on a daily basis. and that's not fair. i want so much to be able to sing these words and leave my stuff at the feet of Jesus, but i so often find myself picking it right back up again.
so here, as a reminder yet again:
i surrender my life to your blood
i surrender my name for your glory
i surrender my heart to your will
i surrender my dreams to the plans you have for me
thank you for showing me the emptiness of all i've held onto
i surrender it all
i surrender my everything to you
so you all know that work isn't quite what i'd like it to be. (to say the least.) it's been rough here for the past month and a half or so. i feel like i'm not given the room to do what i was hired to do. i feel like other people in this office who have been here much longer than me are stepping all over what my responsibilities are. and in some ways, that's sort of understandable: they've been here longer, they grew up in YL, they know the ropes. that being said, i've been here 5 months now. this is a SMALL office and i think i know what i'm doing by now. apparently other people here think differently.
anyway, moving on. today i got a call from my boss who proceeded to tell me that he and another co-worker of mine were "talking about me" the other night. the comment was made that if (and i quote) "snelson worked everyday like she has the past few days, our area would double in size. the problem is that we never know what she is going to be like from day to day. one day she's fine, the next day she's not." (end quote.) now, for those of you who know me, you know that i can be like that. however, when i am here at the office, i have made every effort to not be up-and-down. to be somewhat leveled out and calm, productive, non-emotional. yes, it's hard for me. but here's the thing: i don't feel like i can be myself here. and that's the bottom line...at least for right now. i feel like everything - EVERYTHING - i do is scrutinized to the bone and criticized without regard to me as a person. and frankly, i'm not too sure how i feel about that.
this is a christian organization. shouldn't we work with our co-workers as such? it seems like so much, if not all, of our energy is used up in making the kids, parents and donors (and let's not forget the committee!) of our area happy that we lose sight of the people who work in this office. believe me when i tell you that anything will be done to make these people happy. we literally have to bend over backwards and kiss our own butts if they want. and honestly, i understand that. these people are who we serve. these are the ones with the financial gifts that keep us going. so i understand completely how important it is to keep them happy. what bothers me is that as much as this office, collectively, wants to work as a team, we don't. everyone wants to be a "family" and yet we treat each other in a way that does not reflect that. and the "veteran" employees are the ones who get the benefit of the doubt. which means that i, being a newbie, am not given the freedom or opportunity to do what i was hired to do.
so what's the bottom line? it's evident that i don't want to be here. it's evident that this is much harder than it has to be. but question is this: what do i do about it?
last week in band we started working on phil's "i surrender". we sang it last night during practice. and as much as i want to be able to say that with full conviction, it gets harder and harder for me. this mess at work has gotten me so completely down that i don't feel good about myself anymore. about who i am. i'm not even "allowed" to be me at work. i feel it at home. i feel it with my relationship with robert. poor guy - he has become my human punching bag...on a daily basis. and that's not fair. i want so much to be able to sing these words and leave my stuff at the feet of Jesus, but i so often find myself picking it right back up again.
so here, as a reminder yet again:
i surrender my life to your blood
i surrender my name for your glory
i surrender my heart to your will
i surrender my dreams to the plans you have for me
thank you for showing me the emptiness of all i've held onto
i surrender it all
i surrender my everything to you
Sunday, April 23, 2006
so family camp is over...finally! i am so, so, so, so, so glad that erin, luke, and the girls were there. i wouldn't have made it without them. mom came up on saturday. robert was in washington with the national cap band doing his thing. so having erin there was the best thing for me. it was so hard this weekend. my job is getting worse and worse. i am beginning to actually hate it now. something's gotta give soon.
ona brighter note about this weekend: i got to spend some awesome time with erin and the girls. we played all day saturday during free time. they swam and ava sat in the freezing cold creek! my feet were numb being in there --- i don't know how she had her whole body in there! but she didn't want to come out! it was a blessing having them there. they mean so much to me!!!!
i'll post pictures once erin emails them to me.....until then, time to clean my trashed house before my husband gets home.
ona brighter note about this weekend: i got to spend some awesome time with erin and the girls. we played all day saturday during free time. they swam and ava sat in the freezing cold creek! my feet were numb being in there --- i don't know how she had her whole body in there! but she didn't want to come out! it was a blessing having them there. they mean so much to me!!!!
i'll post pictures once erin emails them to me.....until then, time to clean my trashed house before my husband gets home.
Friday, April 21, 2006
just to vent for a second: it's taking every ounce of self control to not get up and walk out of my job right now. prayers for me, please.
but on to bigger and better things.....
here by popular demand are some pictures of the bathroom floor. remember: this is BEFORE grouting and sealing. it still gives a pretty good idea of what it looks like. and please excuse the horrible pictures of me. it was about midnight and it took FOREVER to lay the tile. i'm hot, sweaty, and really not attractive!!!!
but on to bigger and better things.....
here by popular demand are some pictures of the bathroom floor. remember: this is BEFORE grouting and sealing. it still gives a pretty good idea of what it looks like. and please excuse the horrible pictures of me. it was about midnight and it took FOREVER to lay the tile. i'm hot, sweaty, and really not attractive!!!!
Thursday, April 20, 2006
jonah andrew
here's my nephew, Jonah Andrew Snelson. Isn't he gorgeous!?!?!
...he's just hanging with the homies.....
...he's just hanging with the homies.....
Sunday, April 16, 2006
god of heaven living in me
gentle savior, closest friend
strong deliverer, beginning and end
all within me falls at your throne
your majesty, i can but bow
i lay my all before you know
in royal robes i don't deserve
i live to serve your majesty
earth and heav'n worship you
god eternal, faithful and true
who bought the nations, ransomed souls
brought this sinner near to your throne
all within me cries out in praise
Saturday, April 15, 2006
braves night
so we went to a braves game tonight. it was awesome! we won 5-4 against the padres...that's always good. but the highlight of my night: bobby cox got thrown out of the game after arguing with the first base ump! it was awesome! andruw jones should have been safe but the ump called him out...so of course bobby had a fit! i've never been to a game when he got thrown out! it was AWESOME!!!!!
anyway - here are some pictures from our evening!
Thursday, April 13, 2006
...working with boys...
so here i am...in my office...and the guys are in the hallway playing baseball. well, playing with a wuffle ball. but they are playing baseball in our office. i just about got smacked with the ball. here it is, middle of the day, and the boys are playing baseball. our walls are going to be jacked up! and the funny thing is watching them try to do the different pitches: knuckle ball, slider, rising curve...all with a WUFFLE BALL!!!!!!!!!!
...gotta love working with boys....
...gotta love working with boys....
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
i just got home last night from a staff retreat that we had. the more i am around younglife, the more i wonder if i really belong here. i am so different from the people i work with. in the music they listen to, the way they act, the language they use....everything. but more than that, i am not passionate about this organization like they are. younglife is definitly a sub-culture, like the army. i didn't grow up in it - i am an "outsider." but it just seems that the more i am around this place, the more i realize that i don't fit in here -- i don't belong here. and the really bad thing is that i don't know what to do about it. should i quit? should i look for another job? should i stick it out and just wait? i know this is not my calling. we talked a lot about that this weekend: what is our calling? well, mine is most assuradly NOT working here at younglife. that is not to say that yl is a bad organization. it's not. it's just that my calling is to be at home with my kids. i told my co-workers that this weekend and i don't think it went over too well. i'm not real sure how to take their reaction. these people pour their lives into this ministry. i don't. while i see ministry in my job (as it should be for all christians), i don't see this as my calling. so i'm struggling with what to do. robert and i need me to have a job right now...hopefully when i have kids, i will be able to stay at home. that's what i really feel called to do. so i believe that God will provide the means nessecary to do that. but for now i need to stay in a job. should it be this one?
anyway -- there are my thoughts for the day. not real sure what to do with them, but there they are.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
in other news: i saw this quote and cracked up when i read it. thought i'd share.
"Do not interfere in the affairs of dragons for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup."
~Words of Wizdumb
anyway -- there are my thoughts for the day. not real sure what to do with them, but there they are.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
in other news: i saw this quote and cracked up when i read it. thought i'd share.
"Do not interfere in the affairs of dragons for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup."
~Words of Wizdumb
Friday, April 07, 2006
...memories...
Erin's grandmother is not doing well at all. what she is going through reminds me of 2 years ago when i lost my grandfather.
update: prayers for erin's family: her grandmother died yesterday morning. she suffered 10 years from alzheimers...now she is home, comfortable at the feet of jesus.
update: prayers for erin's family: her grandmother died yesterday morning. she suffered 10 years from alzheimers...now she is home, comfortable at the feet of jesus.
My Girls!!!
Here is a picture of me and my girls! Amber (the older one) and Ava (the baby) are my goddaughters! We went and had our pictures taken a few weeks ago --- I am so excited to finally have these pictures!!!! Aren't they gorgeous?!?!?!
Here are the other pictures....
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
fred, our fish
so this is fred, our invincible fish. i thought i should put a picture of him on here...he is, after all, a part of the family! we've had him over a year now. he's moved twice with me. at one point i thought he needed a friend, so i got him one. fred just ate him. it was really bad. so i decided that he's a loner....and he does well with that. anyway, here he is.
just stuff
so i've got a sinus infection and bronchitis. yeah - having allergies sucks. i was tested in november for allergies and it turned out that i am allergic to everything: literally. every pollen, every weed, every tree, every mold but 1 (but who can tell the difference) cats, dogs, and even cockroaches. so because of this, i get sick ALL THE TIME! it's so annoying. this time it was because of our house remodeling...the bathroom was FULL of mold. so now here i am..sick. yay...anyway - here are a few pictures of our bathroom. this is what has made me sick!!!!
...just an update on the bathroom: all the floor is up and the tiles in the shower are gone. half of the wall has been ripped out. [we had to check for mold.] our flooring should be in on friday. we have the tile for the shower, we just need the accented ones. hopefully it will be up soon...i'll post pictures when it's done -- assuming it looks good!!!
so i've got some stuff going on that i can't really get into on here...but am just asking for prayer. i know it is so annoying when people do that "i know something but i can't tell you" stuff, but seriously, i need some prayer. prayer for patience, understanding, and courage to accept whatever God decides to do here.
oh - and by the way - i changed my xanga site....i messed up the other one someone. so now is www.xanga.com/snelson924
more later -- i have a huge mailing going on at work.
...just an update on the bathroom: all the floor is up and the tiles in the shower are gone. half of the wall has been ripped out. [we had to check for mold.] our flooring should be in on friday. we have the tile for the shower, we just need the accented ones. hopefully it will be up soon...i'll post pictures when it's done -- assuming it looks good!!!
so i've got some stuff going on that i can't really get into on here...but am just asking for prayer. i know it is so annoying when people do that "i know something but i can't tell you" stuff, but seriously, i need some prayer. prayer for patience, understanding, and courage to accept whatever God decides to do here.
oh - and by the way - i changed my xanga site....i messed up the other one someone. so now is www.xanga.com/snelson924
more later -- i have a huge mailing going on at work.
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