What is Racism???

Last night I was working with a group of teenagers that I mentor and we were discussing stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination. This brought up interesting conversation and thoughts that everybody had. It was good to get thoughts out even if they were wrong because this is how they felt or things they thought. How can we change problems if we do not know the exist???

During the conversation there was an older mentor who really irked my nerves (she usually does, but last night was worse) because of statements she made. She has a problem of going on and on and on and on...Get my point??? Okay. She first made me upset because she called my Alma Mater racist...they got me real heated. Then she made the statement that you can only be a racist if you have power. I was like serious??? I have heard this argument before, but it is so flawed. I then had to look up the definition of the word to make sure I was not crazy. Merriam Webster's dictionary defines racism as follows:

1. a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and
capacities and that racial differences produce and inherent superiority of a
particular race.
2. racial prejudice or discrimination

With this being stated...what does power have to do with it? I am pretty sure some of the people who did not vote for our President because he is African-American are racist and they have no power. Then you might argue that everyone has some type of power so therefore everyone can be racist.

So what is your definition of racism? Do you think it has to do with power?

Just Doesn't Add Up!!!

This morning I was up reading my daily blogs and watching the news and the my local news station was reported on the same story that follows:



I pray for the children's safe return and that they are okay. My problem is something is not being addressed. The clip above gives more details than my news station gave, but...it seems like people are not even worried about the fact that this is a 12 year old PREGNANT teenager!!! Am I crazy for thinking like this??? The fact that she has not named the father also concerns me. How does a 12 year old get pregnant and they do not know who the father is??? Then they say the adoptive father has them and the mother is estranged.

The pieces to this story just don't add up to me....that is all I am saying.

You Like???

I was procrastinating at work today and decided to change my blog lay out...Don't know if I like...What are your thoughts? I have not figured out how to put my twitter feed back on, but still try. Love the design, but not sure if I like the ease of use...

What are your thoughts?

Please think for yourself.

I usually don't post on the weekend much, but this irritated me so bad today. Today on twitter Rev Run posted this:

"Men are like a deck of cards, u'll find an occasional KING, but most are Jacks!"

I paid no attention to it at first...then I went over to facebook and a few of my friends put this as their status...Then I began to think...There are just as many kings in a deck of cards as there is jacks....so his statement is flawed. Please correct me if I am wrong, even if I am it does not negate the point of this post.

I wrote all this to say. Just because a person says something does not mean it is true. Just because they sound good or sound smart does not mean it is right. When I was growing up my Saturday morning cartoons had an interlude that said "Great minds think alike...no great minds think for themselves."

People lets think!!!!

I am done...back to your regularly scheduled program.

Hypocrisy!!!!

Last night I was really irritated by a conversation...and I said nothing. Does that make me a hypocrite? I think last night I had gotten tired of being the lone voice and what I was saying was not being listened to by anyone at the time. I love these people, but they honestly don't see reason or both sides of the situation.

I think about the idea of is my remaining silent condoning the behavior? We all have our own opinions and we all have the right to have them, but can people learn to agree to disagree civilly???

I will be the first to admit that I have been and can be judgmental and working on that daily, but why do people feel that other people's issues are worse than theirs? Do people not see that we are all works in progress and just because I fall short in on area does not make me better or worse than you? Life is a learning process...which I am learning from everyday.

All I Can Do is...Pray

One of my recent posts talked about how my grandmother is getting sicker...Today my mother is putting her in a nursing home. I talked to mother this morning and she is okay, but...I don't know what to do in this situation. I want to go home to help my mother, but she says no. I want to call, but I don't want to disrupt the moving process. All I can do right now is pray.

I am a person of faith and believe in God. I believe that everything happens for a reason. I try to find the positive in everything. Every experience is a lesson. I know God knows what is best. It is hard for me to focus on work right now because all I can think of what is going on with my mother and my grandmother...and what is sad my mother has a sister who is not on board with moving my grandmother to a nursing home which brings in family drama...but that is not the point.

I am having this internal debate to call or not to call, go visit or stay in Nashville. I know if I were to go home my mother would be mad. I think I will wait until I get a call from her and then decide. All I can do at this point is pray. I think logically about so many things, but I do have a heart. I am hurting, but okay. I am at peace, but still have feelings.

Today is a rough day...but I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Back to my regularly scheduled program...work!!!

Why Do I Blog???

I thought about this today while I was going through the many blogs that I read during the day to break the monotony of going through numerous excel spreadsheets and access databases (don't get me wrong, I love my job...but some tasks can be tedious). As I read and looked at some of my favorite blogs they all have a theme or a general method for the postings...Then I looked at my blog. What was I, or what am I trying to accomplish with the blog.

Honestly....I don't know. I have so many random thoughts in my head and I just wanted a place to get them out. I use to blog on myspace...but rarely sign on to myspace. My facebook account has intersected business and personal so I dare not post on there (too much work to restrict various parts of page).

I know sometimes people might read my post and be totally confused...sometimes I am too. But in my posting I process things out in my mind. I get things out that I am not always able to articulate to other people. I get things out without being judged for my thoughts or looked at crazy by those closest to me that truly do not understand.

So why do I blog??? I still don't have a complete answer for that. Sometimes I would like more people to read or respond to my posts...most don't. Sometimes I wish that I would tell more people that are close to me about my blog...but then I might not be as open. Sometimes I feel like I blog to vent about things that irritate me. I guess I have various reasons...guess it is a work in progress?

So...Why do you blog???

What is Love???

I have been going through a lot lately and have been processing a lot that has been going on in my life and in the world. I think I while ago I might have written a similar blog about true love...but I guess this time I am posing the question what is love? I can quote scripture, what people tell me, or cute sayings that I have seen in various media, but truly what does love mean to you? What does love mean to me?

Should love hurt? Is love a physical act or an emotional state of being? Why do people equate sex with love? Can you love someone enough to let them go? When you think of love why do we always think of a romantic type of love? Can a woman love a man without wanting to be with that man? Can a person every truly fall out of love with someone?

These are just a few questions that have been running through my head. Can a person love someone else if they don't love themselves? Can you have love without passion? Do people really know what love is?

These thoughts keep going through my head. I have thoughts on the subject, but not ready to express...yet. I am in love, in love with life, all the good and the bad. I love and I love hard, but what scares me is the person who I love the most does not see it and if they do they do no reciprocate that feeling. This may or not be a romantic love, but I know it is love. Can I see myself with this person...yes and no. Do I want to be with this person...yes and no. This might not make sense to most, but I am trying to process the feelings I have through my mind and soul.

So what is love to you???

The Legacy You Leave

This weekend was rough for me. My grandmother is getting sicker each day. She was such an independent person and now she is dependent on the help of others and it frustrates her. She can't communicate what she is feeling and it hurts her. She is 88 years old and has lived a long life and has left a legacy on so many people. She has done so much in her life and has done more than people half her age and has had an influence on so many people.

Do I want her to die...No, do I want her to suffer...No, but I don't want her to continue to be in pain. I think about the legacy she has left and I begin to think about the legacy that I will leave. Who will I influence, who will I remembered by. What things will I do in life and what things I have done in my life. I realize this life is not about us living for ourselves, but what stamp will we leave in this world. Everyone is not meant to be Mother Theresa, Michael Jordan, Barack Obama, or Ghandi, but everyone leaves an imprint in this world. Will your legacy be good or bad? Will your legacy be remembered by only you or others?

My question is what legacy will you leave???

Two Sides to Every Situation

With the recent interviewing of Whitney Houston on Oprah I have began to think about this topic more and more. People always like to believe one person's version of a situation versus another's depending on the circumstances. People like to take sides without hearing both sides. Even in our attempts to be honest...sometimes we are not. We can be jaded by situations and conveniently omit or forget parts that do not favor our stance.

I am learning to remember this in different situations I encounter...Not always good at it, but it is my goal. In interactions with other we have to see how or why the other person is responding to the situation the way they are. Their response might be based on past experience that might be bad or good. Not to justify their response, but it helps you approach the situation differently. An extreme example...You might encounter a person and you just reach out to tap them on the shoulder. Maybe they have been abused before the tap brings back memories...not good idea.

I think a lot of problems could be solved, a lot of confrontations can be handled more civilly, and relationships can become healthier if people take the time to see the other person's side. Not to say you will agree, or that you completely understand, but you have heard the other person out and you are able to hopefully reach a mutually acceptable conclusion with the situation or a better understanding of what has happened.

Simple Question....

Friend started this question on facebook and twitter and just made me think...

Can you turn a....

Into a....

????? Inquiring minds want to know....

Not What I Use to Be!!!!

Okay this might not be the best picture of me, but it is the most recent. Wanted to show where I am now. I was thinking of a topic to write about and could not decide because several were going through my head. The one that you are reading now won out.

As I was looking at my friends' posted links on facebook a childhood friend posted a video of her performing a song. It was very good. She is a recording artist with Jive records and I think she will blow up soon. The words of her song and things I have been dealing with lately. Sorry...digressed (I do that a lot)

I continually say that I am a work in progress, something I thing everyone should be. There use to be a gospel song that says (don't quote me) I am not where I need to be, but thank God I am not where I use to be. I think life is a continuous process where we learn and grow daily.

With this being said I have a lot of faults that I am working on and trying to improve daily. I find myself a lot lately do things I know I should not be doing or saying things I should not be saying, and feeling bad after the fact...but I continue to do these things. I think Romans 7 says it best...I keep doing what I don't want to do. To stop....if it were only that simple. I think each day is a test, some days we pass....some days we fail, but I think the key is we keep trying. We are human, we are not perfect. We all have issues that we deal with daily.

I am very thankful that even though I fall I am not what I use to be. We all have a past and I pray that people don't judge me for mine, like I try not to judge people for theirs. We have to give people chances to have a restart in life. If we always bring up a person's past they will never get over their past.

This is the beginning of a new season in my life. I am excited and putting my faith to work. Life is too short to not enjoy it and make the best of it. I love me and God loves me and that matters most. I am thinking outside the box and making some drastic changes. I would love the support of those closest to me...but they are not ready. We willl see what happens...