I am convinced that my parents are angels living among us. I don't deserve them, but I am not letting go and will selfishly tie a thick rope (figuratively and literally if needed) around the three of us so I don't lose two of the greatest gifts bestowed upon me. After a bit of a rough night, I crashed for a few hours this afternoon. My mom was aware of my frustrations so she snuck downstairs and put this beautiful table centerpiece together while I was sleeping. She, of course, made the beautiful table runner for me and I love putting it out for the Christmas season. Tears came to my eyes when I woke up and found this masterpiece put together with her magical touch. Any lingering frustrations were gone because of my wonderful mom's love and kind act of service. She knew I needed a boost and found a way to buoy me up without uttering a single word. I love you, mom. Your patience and love does not go unnoticed.

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This boy. I love and adore everything about him. He is witty, funny, genuine, and probably has a higher IQ than the average human being. He plays soccer like a game of chess; he sees the entire field and knows the moves other players will make. I love when he tells me about something he learned in school. A few months ago we had a lengthy conversation about the use of comparative and superlative adjectives. He soaks up knowledge like a sponge and then stores it in the gigantic filing cabinet in his brain. Watching him learn and grow is simply delightful. On Thanksgiving Day, @brigg_bailey had the funniest one-liner I've ever heard. My dad said a very lengthy prayer before we ate. In this prayer, he included everyone by name and relation. Part of his prayer included gratitude for his three daughters- Trisha, Allison, and Lindsay. If you are familiar with our family, you are aware that I am his only daughter; however, Allison and Lindsay married into the family and could 'technically' be counted as his daughters. As he thanked his three daughters in this very long prayer, many giggles quietly erupted around the table. When he finished Brigg said, "As soon as grandpa said he had three daughters, I thought this can't end well." I laughed and laughed and am still laughing over his comment . . . . this can't end well. I love my Big Rig and his endless supply of humor and wit. #mwbgjog

from Instagram

This boy. I love and adore everything about him. He is witty, funny, genuine, and probably has a higher IQ than the average human being. He plays soccer like a game of chess; he sees the entire field and knows the moves other players will make. I love when he tells me about something he learned in school. A few months ago we had a lengthy conversation about the use of comparative and superlative adjectives. He soaks up knowledge like a sponge and then stores it in the gigantic filing cabinet in his brain. Watching him learn and grow is simply delightful. On Thanksgiving Day, @brigg_bailey had the funniest one-liner I've ever heard. My dad said a very lengthy prayer before we ate. In this prayer, he included everyone by name and relation. Part of his prayer included gratitude for his three daughters- Trisha, Allison, and Lindsay. If you are familiar with our family, you are aware that I am his only daughter; however, Allison and Lindsay married into the family and could 'technically' be counted as his daughters. As he thanked his three daughters in this very long prayer, many giggles quietly erupted around the table. When he finished Brigg said, "As soon as grandpa said he had three daughters, I thought this cannot end well." I laughed and laughed and am still laughing over his comment . . . . this cannot end well. I love my Big Rig and his endless supply of humor and wit. #mwbgjog

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It's happening, people. Also, if @realsaltlake and the @nwsl need any ideas about which players should follow in the steps of such a monumental undertaking, I am offering my services free of charge. In fact, I'll suggest three names just to get the ball rolling - (Did you see what I did there?) 1. Carli Lloyd 2. Alex Morgan 3. Ali Krieger BAM!💥

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10 minutes ago, I would have said I hate the ads on IG 100% of the time; however, when I saw this shirt as I was scrolling through my feed, my ad loathing dropped to 99.99%. I have a borderline obsession with The Golden Girls: I've seen every episode more than once and love watching reruns; I've created numerous photoshopped images over the years (this one being my favorite) and even attempted a needlework of the girls; I lasted about thirty minutes which shows significant adoration from my point of view. Did you catch the pun? Point. Needlework. Sigh! Tough crowd. Anyway, I don't expect I'll find a lot of love for any other ads soon so I'll give a big shout out to Dorothy, Blanche, Rose, and Sophia- Thank you for being my friends! #mymomsfriendlookslikeBlanche

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Happy Thanksgiving! #beckermanmojibailey

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Mia - Happy 10th Birthday baby girl!I miss you dearly but am learning to find gratitude for the time you were here. I love deeper because of you. I notice beauty in the sun on my face and the shade beneath a tree because of you. I smile at the birds on the fence and enjoy the quiet peace found sitting on the porch because of you. Because of you, I know I am loved. I hope you are running through tall grass, chasing flocks of birds, and running after an endless supply of squeaky green tennis balls. And today . . . I hope the angels bake you a big cake and then release a bouquet of balloons for you to pop. If you get a chance amid the festivities to look down from those heavenly skies, you'll find me sitting on the porch thinking of you. #princessmiasarahbailey

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WE ARE GETTING A PROFESSIONAL WOMEN'S TEAM! @nwsl Arriving April 2018 #Repost @realsaltlake with @insta.save.repost • • •

from Instagram

My parents and I LOVE the food at Tio's Mexican Restaurant in Soda Row, so last night we decided to call in our order and then pick it up. My dad took the slow, scenic route so Beckerman could tag along for the ride. He made sure to announce his presence to every jogger, bike rider, skateboarder, stroller pusher, and lake walker. Dogs, birds, and wind-blown leaves received louder and longer notifications. I don't speak bark, but I'm pretty sure he told everyone and everything that he was the shizzle because he was in a car with his head out the window. He probably emphasized having his head out of a car window to his furry friends. As we pulled up to Tios, we found a good place to park. Beckerman and I stayed in the car while my dad went to grab the food. As you can see from the photo, Becks made sure he kept a lookout. Less than five minutes later, my dad came back and received close to 50 licks and 50 tail wags. I adore their bond

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Using Aristotle's Appeals

Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

West pulled every possible appeal from Aristotle's list from me.
1. Logos- I not logical at all when it comes to reading. Okay, so logic in general is the appeal I struggle with as a writer and a reader. There is a part of me that doesn't understand how logic and art can exist as one; however, I know that many see literature, the humanities and other artistic genres through logical lenses. I didn't use these lenses while reading this text but I could identify her use of effective, persuasive reasoning and understood its importance.
2. Ethos- As an educator, and one who loves to read and write, I make the effort to see all sides of the content I research. When grading persuasive papers, I often find myself stretching my own personal ethos in order to see what the writer is trying to convey. I don't always agree with my students, but I don't grade based on common interests; if they have the sources to back up their claims, my opinion doesn't matter.
There were a few areas in West's book that pushed my own private boundaries, but it doesn't mean she doesn't have a moral compass. In fact, her drive and determination to share her message speaks volumes; she knows who she is and what she believes. I admire her courage for tackling issues that have become way too easy to sweep under the rug. We live in a country where we can read what we want and say what we think. Stashing frustrations and concerns into the closet when company visits may seem safe and/or tactful. I, myself, have stood back, sat quietly, or refrained from sharing my opinion for fear that I may offend the company I keep. Ethos doesn't expect one to shout from the rooftops. That very act would be a page taken from the book of pathos. A well thought out comment filled with consideration would make Aristotle proud.
3. Pathos. My Achilles heel. I love and hate. I am full of sadness and then overwhelmed with joy. I am a mountain climber who isn't afraid to cannonball into a deep, dark chasm. I live in the mob mentality and tend to let my feelings borrow the keys to my heart without taking the big picture into consideration. I've learned over the years that controlling my sensitivity sensor is a necessity. When I sit down to write, I emotionally vomit into the computer; I have to purge my inner passions before I allow ethos and logos to enter the building. 'Shrill' is full of pathos, which is probably the main reason I shouted "Amen!" and "Hallelujah!" as well as expressing a series of four-letter words when I felt an uprise or protest was a possibility. Raw, authentic awareness is a great way to persuade and/or appeal to the reader's emotions. West reeled me in with wit and candor. I could include a plethora of quotes to show how I was beguiled but I believe one quote will suffice: “For me, the process of embodying confidence was less about convincing myself of my own worth and more about rejecting and unlearning what society had hammered into me.” The honest, genuine, terrifying truth in that statement speaks volumes.
West is brilliant. This text is magnificent. There were a few areas where her language or blatant honesty took me by surprise, but I won't condemn it. When recommending her book, I do include a brief statement regarding the language and subject matter. I don't include that clause to discourage future readers, I enclose it because the logos and ethos inside of me feel it is important; Aristotle would expect nothing less.