#1000Speak: On Tolerance, Diversity, and the Influences on One’s Worldviews

July 20, 2015July 20, 2015 / saraletourneau / 13 Comments

I don’t consider myself a strong debater, so I tend to avoid politically charged discussions. Even my horror about the church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina and my admiration for the United States Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of same sex marriage wasn’t enough to help me summon enough bravery to share my views about tolerance. That was before a recent conversation angered me, and compelled me to commit.

It was the day after the SCOTUS decision on same sex marriage. My parents had invited me over for dinner, and somehow the topic came up. One of my family members said this in response: Continue reading →

My Top 10 Albums of 2011

January 1, 2012 / saraletourneau / 1 Comment

Happy New Year!

Hope all of you enjoyed your holidays and are looking forward to 2012. I know I am. But before I think too into the future, I’d like to take a look back on the music of 2011. For me, 2011 got off to a slow start but picked up in excitement by summer’s end – and then a slew of great albums came out in early autumn to intrigue me further! So, which 10 albums did I enjoy the most? Most importantly, which one took my top spot?

Note: If you’re friends with me on Facebook, chances are you’ve already seen this list. This version is a little more interactive, however, and also reveals my favorite songs from each album.

Let’s get started with… Continue reading →