Another attempt at being a professional photographer.....

Well... I'm at it again.. I just can't seem to keep away from my camera. Not a bad thing I suppose. Another attempt at being a professional photographer! Adriana's grad photos:

 This one down below is my FAVORITE:

Review: This Common Secret: My Journey as an Abortion Doctor by Susan Wicklund

This book was fantastic. Not only did she talk about those she gave abortions to, but those whom she helped decide the right decision for them was actually not to have an abortion. I anticipated this book to really preach to the pro choice crowd and was pleasantly surprised when instead it simply told the trials and tribulations that Susan Wicklund went through on her journey to be an abortion doctor. We learn about why Susan decided to go down this path, we learn of her personal life while she was going to school to be a doctor, we learn about her daughter and her husband and her parents. We learn about the fight for women rights. She tells stories of the women she encounters coming into the clinic and their story and reasoning behind being there. We learn of the patients trials and tribulations on getting to the clinic and the emotions they go through in order to make this decision.  Susan's big thing was making sure the women who inquired about getting an abortion had enough counseling to make sure that doing that, was actually 100% what they wanted. She wanted to make sure that no third party was involved in the decision making (forcing them to) unless warranted by the patient. She was very concerned with making sure that the woman realized she has a CHOICE in the matter and that having an abortion was the right CHOICE for them.

I was truly appalled at some of the situations Susan found herself in due to the crowd who choice pro life as their path in life. While I have my own beliefs and believe that others are allowed to have theirs, it still amazes me at the length a person will go to impose their beliefs on others. Especially when it comes to a LEGAL action.... abortion is LEGAL. I am also appalled at the "justifiable homicide" mentality talked about in the book  It's okay to kill a Doctor, because they feel the Doctor is killing the babies. What?!?! Maybe it's just me.

I feel like no description I give of this book with do it justice. In all reality I think that everyone, pro choice and pro life, should read this and see the background to what Susan went through as a person trying to support women's rights. As a person trying to raise a daughter, be a daughter, be a wife, a friend, and a good Doctor.

More info:
To Support Reproductive Rights Organizations
NARAL Pro-Choice America
www.prochoiceamerica.org

To Find Facts from Reliable Sources
The Guttmacher Institute
www.guttmacher.org

The Help Somone Who Doesn't Have the Resources to Pay for an Abortion
Pro-Choice Resources
www.prchoiceresources.org

The National Network of Abortion Funds
www.nnaf.org

To Find Information on Legal Considerations in the US and Around the World
The Center for Reproductive Rights
www.reproductiverights.org

For General Info about Abortion and Reproductive Health
Citizens Development Corps
www.cdc.org

Planned Parenthood Federation of America
www.plannedparenthood.org

The Feminist Majority Foundation
www.feminist.org

Upcoming Reads

Just a handful of books I have 

waiting to be read... they aren't in any particular order:

Impossible motherhood by Irene Vilar
Beauty Queen by Linda Glovach
The Long Walk by Slavomir Rawicz (book club book)
The Witches Kitchen by Cecelia Holland
A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon
Suicide Blonde by Darcey Steinke
Driving with Dead People by Monica Holloway
The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society by M.A. Shaffer
Blue Diary by Alicia Hoffman
Geisha, A Life by Mineko Iwasaki
Cheap Cabernet by Cathie Beck
Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard
Gloriana (or the Unfulfill'd Queen) by Michael Moorcock
Girl Stolen by April Henry
Three Weeks with My Brother by Nicholas & Micah Sparks
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
What was she Thinking? (Notes on a scandal) by Zoe Heller
Sun and Shadow by Ake Edwardson
The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

Kitty Dreams

A Day on the Road -- Grand Marais May 29, 2011

Craig and I drove to Grand Marais today for the craft/farmers market. It was only their second weekend so it was real small. Obviously more craft than farmers due to the time of year. We ate lunch at Sven and Ole's Pizza. They have excellent pizza. MMM. Anyways, we took a handful of awesome pictures:

Review: The Quotable Rogue~ The Ideals of Sarah Palin in her own Words edited by Matt Lewis

The Quotable Rogue The Ideals of Sarah Palin in her own Words edited by Matt Lewis

This book is basically a collection of quotes by Sarah Palin on different aspects of life and politics. The introduction says, "With the mainstream press focusing largely on more shallow or tabloid-friendly fare (her accent, her looks, her parenting, her churchgoing habits), the vast majority of Palin's opinions and statements remain unfamiliar. That's where The Quotable Rogue comes in. From abortion to the Alaskan pipeline, from Wasilla to Washington, this compendium sets out to capture Palin's exact words on a range of important subjects."

The book is split up into chapters based on topics, for example the first chapter is labeled On Abortion. Each chapter includes a handful of quotes from Sarah Palin and the dates and places of the quote. They range from TV interviews to magazine interviews to speeches she has made. I am not much of a political buff so I didn't pay much attention to Sarah Palin when she was running for vice president with John McCain. After reading this book I feel that I am more up to date about her and her beliefs in life and in the policital light.

There isn't much commentary other than the editor Matt Lewis points out why he put the collection together. This book is a great read if you are looking to catch up on Palin's ideals about a handful of topics.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book through the Booksneeze Blogger Review program. I was not expected to give a favorable review, only a fair one.