Shock Value

This morning while checking facebook a classmate from high school began a conversation on Erykah Badu's new video. I might be one of the few people who don't like the video. I am not against the message it is trying to portray, but the way the video was filmed. This got me to thinking (which most things do) about the idea of "shock value."

A lot of time people do things for shock value to get a message across, but a lot of times the message is lost. A couple of weeks ago a lady spoke at my church and gave her testimony which was awesome and she even wrote a book about it...problem was people were shocked that she stayed in a marriage where her husband said he was bisexual and contracted AIDS and she stuck with him through thick and thin.  People were fascinated by events in her story, but did people really learn from her faith and what she learned from her experience.

Same thing for the new Erykah Badu video.  If Gabby Sidibe from "Precious" had done the same thing in the video would it have been accepted the same way?  Will people remember the video for her being able to be free and who she is or will it be remembered for the fact that she got naked and has a nice body?  Hearing more commentary on the"Window Seat" video has helped me understand it a little better (was totally lost at first I will admit) what the video was about, but do most people listen or read commentaries on videos?

Just my thoughts. Sometimes I think shock value has no value. People remember the shock, but not the message. That is all.

Memories

 You might be asking what does this video have to do with memories. Well I was browsing the page of an old classmate who just added me on facebook and he had this video posted because I guess people said that Tyrese looks like him.  This video brought back some fun memories. I remember it was one student council trip, think it was my 9th grade year. We had gone to some student council convention either in Knoxville or Nashville forget which one. We had taken the bus on the trip and we were just acting crazy.  It was an older  guy who I had know since middle school that was in high school at the time who we joked with that he looked like Tyrese in the video. Someone dared him to go to the front of the bus and reenact this commercial.  Surprisingly he did. People in the front of the bus were confused and everyone who knew he was about to do it died laughing. This is a great random memory that I have to this day.

This got me to thinking about a lot of old happy memories that I have.  I think as I have grown up I have tried to deal with the bad memories, sometimes even forget them, I have found myself forgetting the great memories that I have. Fun times spent with family, good times spent in school, and the various activities that I have done in the past. 

Memories have made us who we are today....the good and the bad. We have to cherish our memories and make sure that we don't forget the things that make us smile and laugh.

The Majority

A lot has been going on in politics lately. I am not a very political person, but I like to make informed decisions when I make one. I am not a politics junkie, but it does interest me from time to time. I have been irritated a lot lately by what I have read about and seen on television. I think everyone should.

No matter what your thoughts or views are, hate is never acceptable.  What happened to civil discourse? What happened to being able to agree to disagree? Name calling is not cool and do not give me the bull about free speech. I am all for free speech, but hate speech is not good at all.

People keep saying "the majority of Americans" and this statement is getting on my last nerves!! Even if you take the argument that majority rules I honestly do not believe that the majority of Americans feel the way people are saying.  Secondly...the majority is not always right.  Back during the Civil Rights movement the majority of Americans did not want give rights to African Americans....if we used the argument of what the majority of Americans want where would be?

Health care reform is needed and the bill that was passed is not perfect, and I can even admit that I have not read everything in the bill, but most of what I have read and seen I am okay with and I have health care and have had it my whole life.  I have seen clips that interview people who are spewing out hate and they don't have informed arguments of why they are against health care. 

Just letting some thoughts out.  It is Saturday and I can't wait to enjoy the beautiful day one I am done with work.  Just a few more hours!!! Hope everyone is having a great day!!!!

Oh...extra quote that I stole from a friend on facebook...just had to post again :-)

"A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ, that a man should have to seek Him to find her."

Missing You...

This morning I was going through my daily blog reads and I was thinking. Don't you hate it when bloggers just up and vanish? They just end their blog without any warning, nothing!!! There was one blogger that I thought had vanished, but looked back at their post and they are just on vacation because of technical difficulties for awhile...at least he let us know! 

Now I might not comment on every blog I read, trying to do better, but I do enjoy reading all of them and I do miss them when they up and vanish.  Also, I will admit I don't have a steady method to when I post, but I at least try to post at least once a week. I hate when I find great blogs and their posts are weeks and sometimes even months apart!

Okay, done with my vent for the day. Has any one had this experience? Are there any blogs that you wonder what happened?  Just my thoughts!

Living on the Edge!!

I was told by a friend recently that I was too conservative and that I need to live on the edge...this got me to thinking. Do I?  I can admit that I am conservative and do not do things that most people do, but I truly enjoy my life and the things I do.  I do have a wild side which most people don't get to see because honestly....they choose to ignore it.  There are some things that I would like to do that might be considered living on the edge...but I am afraid.  I honestly don't know if I will ever do them, but they are things that cross my mind on a regular basis.  Listed below are a few of those things.

1. I want to get a tattoo on the back of my neck. Something small, but cute. I have had the design picked out for a year. I want it where it can be covered up while I am at work, but seen when I am out at play.  My hair is long again...we will see.
2. I want to go up and talk to a complete stranger. This may sound weird, but for me it is not. I do not talk to strangers...honestly. If you speak to me I will speak to you, but just to talk and live it up with a random person...never done.
3. I want to just get up one day and take a road trip...to where I have no clue. I just want to pack my bags and go. Just see where the open road and my GPS takes me.
4. I want to get another piercing on my body....where is a surprise ;-) I have had my nose pierced twice, my eyebrow, and my tongue pierced.  I love piercings!!  But now that I am an adult (even though I had my nose re-pierced a few years ago) and work in a corporate setting it makes it kind of hard now.
5. This may sound crazy, but I want to get drunk with out being drunk. I guess be loose of any inhibitions. I have never been drunk in my life. I truly hate when people are sloppy drunk, but I just want to do it, but still have control...which does not make sense, but I hope you get my point.
6. One day I want to be free to say WHATEVER is on my mind.  Screw who agrees or disagrees.  I just want to be able to express my thoughts and feelings without worrying how it will be taken by other people.

Okay...I think these are few things that I consider "living on the edge" for me.  What are some things that you think are "living on the edge"? What are some things you would do if you had no fear? Some of things on this list I honestly doubt I will ever do, but they have crossed my mind.  Some things I realistic, and some I have not listed because I am still formulating them in my mind.

Is it really love???

This morning I woke up and I had the same headache I have been having every morning for about a week. I am really thinking about not going to work this morning because I feel just that bad.  I eventually made it to work (guess I now have the energy to finish this blog post).  Yesterday at church the sermon hit me where it hurt and I truly needed that. It was confirmation on a lot of things I have been dealing with and I know what I am supposed to do now.

One thing that is getting to me is this four letter word....LOVE.  This is something we all desire and hopefully something that we all give.  But my concern is do people truly understand love? What do people really think what love is? I really believe that people take love for granted.

I have been dealing with feelings of love for a certain person. I love this person and want the best for this person...but I don't want to be with the person. Which is hard to understand for me.  I have thought about and processed it over and over. I love this person with all my heart. I want the best for them, I want them happy, and I want to see them prosper.  I love spending time with them, I love the way they look...but the desire to be with them. People force us together in their minds, and I have honestly pondered the idea based off what other people have said.  I realize I can not be who others want me to be and I can't be with someone just because others think you would make a "cute couple."

These are the thoughts that have been on my mind lately.  Still trying to figure things out....

I messed up :-(

I messed up. I have made a lot of mistakes lately and I am trying to correct them.  I have not been writing like I use to because of my mistakes.  Today is a day of reckoning...We will see what happens. I am at fault, I have to except the consequences.  I have not hit rock bottom, but I have learned a valuable lesson.  No matter the outcome I am blessed. I think about what other people have to go through in life and what I am dealing with does not compare. 

All I can say at the moment....not sad, but not glad either, at this point.