Perception

"Men are disturbed not by things, but by the view which they take of them."
- Epictetus

Everyone has their own perception of things. It is that perception that allows them to view things. What happens when that perception is believed to be the only way to think and the right way? It no longer becomes only a perception, but an opinion, their opinion. Have you ever had a conversation with someone who you gave 110% of your attention to listen and absorb what they were saying? At the end of the speech you give your perception of the same topic, not only they made you feel that your thoughts didn't matter to them, but that they were wrong and then made you feel belittled for not thinking the same way as them? Hmmmm. What do you think next? Well I know what I think next. The next time they want to talk to me about something they will get the blank stare, the uh huhs, yeah, I see's and quietly I think to myself WHY DON'T YOU SHUT TF UP AND TELL SOMEBODY WHO CARES? I don't......

Time for change

Barack Obama getting into office means so many things to me including the fact that he made history. Obama is and should be an example to every black man and person in America. I say black men because that is one of our problems and black men have always had a struggle being seen in any type of positive light. Every individual person in America should be touched, inspired, and influenced by having a black president. If this doesn't make everyone step their game up and feel a strong sense of hope that they can achieve ANYTHING, then you never wanted more for yourself anyway. How can you not think to yourself that you CAN get a promotion at your job, that you CAN stop selling those drugs, that you CAN work and go to school and raise your kids, that you CAN be a great role model and parent to your kid(s), that you are worth it, that you CAN be the underdog and still rise above and excel in all areas of your life? American believed that he CAN be and will be a great president. Obama carried himself with so much poise, integrity, and respect during the elections letting America know that he can win without the dirt and lessening of self-respect, did that speak to you and how you should carry yourself? Did it make you think more about what's more important in life? It made me think about what is the best way for me to win in my own life. What do I want my children to know and believe in? How do I want to portray myself in their eyesight? I want to be a role model so I must live as one. It can't be only in their presence because you never know who's watching you when they're not around. I must accord myself as if they're around me all of the time. If Barack Obama, a black man, the president of United States of America can't raise the value of your family to you and make you want to step up to the plate and succeed in your life and make you feel that you can, I say to you, WHO CAN?

Inner Thinking

What is the definition of inner thinking to you? Why is it necessary to inner think? When you look in the mirror whose reflection do you see? You are the only person that can answer that question. You are the only person looking back at you in the mirror. Smoke & mirrors? Clean mirrors? If you don't pay attenntion to it. It will never exsist to you, but it will always hinder who you are annd where you think you're going.

people say Obama's words are just words...
but...
when was the last time "words" weren't important...???...

when was the last time a great leader didn't use words to lead...??...
when was the last time a person didn't use words to describe how they felt...?...
when was the last time "words" weren't empowering...?...

and we can all recall the last time "words" were used to divide us and install fear...

Bush used words to fear us into voting for him the second time around...
terror this..
terror that...
nuclear here...
weapons of mass destruction there...

and those words effected a lot of people's choices...

"enough is enough"...
let's rebuild...

let's change ourselves...
let's allow positivity to guide us...

let's take action....
let's activate our passion...
we are Americans....

and this is the first time in forever that someone running for president represents "US"...

some say this is all excitement...
I call it "proud to be an American"...

some say this whole Obama movement is "cult like"...
well...
if it comes across cult like...
then...
the cult is called America...

the Obama movement is connecting America.
and it has made "US" realize our importance...
the youth is excited and activated...
adults are passionate and motivated...
the elderly are proud to know the country they built is in safe hands...

we are one...

for too long politics has been corrupt...
separate from the American people...
with agendas that go against what the American people "need"...
education...
health...
safety...
jobs
etc...

politicians have spoken a different language...
making it so the youth and poor people feel as if voting was only for the wealthy and old people...
making "US" feel as if "we" had no voice..
making "US" feel powerless...
making it feel like if "we" did vote it wouldn't change anything...

but wait...
that did happen...
some of us voted, and it didn't change anything...

we were in the dark...
we had no voice...
we were powerless...

because America was not a united America...
and "they" spoke a different language...
and they had an agenda different from our well being...

correct me if I'm wrong... or speak up if I'm missing something...

we want education, health, safety, and good jobs...right???...
oh yeah...
and "a healthy planet to live on"...

but here we are...

in a war... poor education... poor health programs... the dollar is down... the planet, polluted..
the rich, richer... and the poor, struggling...
with sky high gas prices to top it all off...

and now even the rich aren't really rich internationally because our dollar is has fallen so far down...

in our slumber... a very small few got really rich...

because when you're sleeping...

"it's hard to change agendas"...

we know what happened in 2000 and 2004...
but in 2008...
it's different...

we are awake...
and there is a movement...

and "it's hard to change a movement"...

last time "we" didn't have a movement...
America wasn't united...

and now "United and "Standing"...for something...
we know the power of "US"...
and we have a person who represents the "U.S."...

"US"…

"we are the ones we've been waiting for"...

I'm proud to be an American...

will.i.am

Disregard

PLEASE DISREGARD MY LAST POST IT WAS AN ACCIDENT....

FW: Fwd: rectum stretcher

---

From: boice24@aol.com
Sent: Saturday, September 13, 2008 1:15 PM
To: csanford@ec.rr.com; jynx1968@yahoo.com; grandpa36@hotmail.com; mgwduke@yahoo.com; LILEWIS@STNY.RR.COM; naila.white@gmail.com; sealife@bellsouth.net; mjlcjf@aol.com; wayjon41@yahoo.com
Subject: Fwd: rectum stretcher

 RECTUM STRETCHER
 
While she was flying down the road yesterday, a woman passed
 over a bridge only to find a cop with a radar gun on the other side lying in
 wait. The cop pulled her over, walked up to the car, with that classic
 patronizing smirk we all know and love, asked, 'What's your hurry?'
 
To which she replied, 'I'm late for work.'
 'Oh yeah,' said the cop, 'what do you do?'
 I'm a rectum stretcher,' she responded
 The cop stammered, 'A what?............
 A rectum stretcher?
 
And just what does a rectum stretcher do?'
 'Well,' she said, 'I start by inserting one finger, then work
 my way up to two fingers, then three, then four, then with my whole hand in.
 I work from side to side until I can get both hands in, and then I slowly
 but surely stretch it, until it's about 6 feet wide.'
 
'And just what the hell do you do with a 6 foot asshole?' he
 asked
 
'You give him a radar gun and park him behind a bridge...'
 
Traffic Ticket $95.00
 Court Costs $45.00
 Look on the Cop's Face....... PRICELESS
 For everything else, there's MasterCard

 

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Life

Where do the days go
How fast does the time past
Will I ever know
Standing still in a time zone
Of my own
Warped in the center
Middle of this cyclone
Called life
Embracing the unknown
While standing still in a time zone
Of my own
One life
One time
One moment
One shine
This thing called life
Unplanned
Unwritten
Unspoken
So I will stay here and stand still in this time zone
Of my own
Called life

Untitled

Never make someone a priority when they only make you an option.

Hater by Maya Angelou

A hater is someone who is jealous and envious and spends their time
trying to make you look small so they can look tall.

They are very negative people to say the least. Nothing is ever Good
enough!

When you make your mark, you will always attract some haters...

That's why you have to be careful with whom you share your blessings and
your dreams, because some folk can't handle seeing you blessed...

It's dangerous to be like somebody else...

If God wanted you to be like somebody else, He would have given you

What He gave them!

Right?

You never know what people have gone through to get what they have...

The problem I have with haters is that they see my glory, but they don't
know my story...

If the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, you can rest assured that the water bill is higher there too!

We've all got some haters among us!

People envy you because you can:

Have a relationship with God

Light up a room when you walk in

Start your own business

Tell a man / woman to hit the curb (if he / she isn't about the Right thing). Raise your children without both parents being in the home.

Haters can't stand to see you happy; Haters will never want to see you
succeed;
Haters never want you to get the victory; most of our haters are
people who are supposed to be on our side.

How do you handle your undercover haters?

You can handle these haters by:
1. Knowing who you are & who your true friends are *(VERY
IMPORTANT!!)

2. Having a purpose to your life? Purpose does not mean having a job.
You can have a job and still be unfulfilled. A purpose is having a
clear sense of what God has called you to be. Your purpose is not defined by
what others think about you.

3. By remembering what you have is by divine prerogative and not Human
manipulation.

Fulfill your dreams! You only have one life to live...when its your
time to leave this earth, you 'want' to be able to say, 'I've lived my life
and fulfilled 'my' dreams,... Now I'm ready to go HOME! When God gives
you favor, you can tell your haters, 'Don't look at me...Look at Who is
in charge of me...'

Pass this to all of your family & friends who you know are not hating on
you including the person who sent it to you. If you don't get it back, maybe you called somebody out! Don't worry about it, it's not your problem, it's theirs! Just pray for them, that their life can be as fulfilled as yours!

Watch out for Haters....................BUT most of all don't become a HATER!

Maya Angelou

"Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else." ~Judy Garland~

It Must Be Nice

It must be nice
To come and go as you please
Not worrying about shit
Living life at ease
Please
Put on my shoes for a day
You could never sacrifice and live the way I do
Why you say
You live in a world that's all your alone
One mouth to feed
One body to clothe
One life to worry about
At all times
Oh I get it
Now you want to file a complaint
Well I'm not the one
To hear the crying
Whining
Complaining
Sad ass song
Guess what
The show must go on
Time freezes for no one
And nothing
Not even me
Oh now I get it
You got it like that
Got it going on
Doing as you wish
Living comfortably
But shit ain't that sweet when it comes to me

The Nerve

How dare you question me
Is it because of reality
Your eyes are open and you finally see
Haven't been on your job now your mad at me
For what?
You had your chance now your time has expired
Don't try and make be out to be a liar
You can say what you want I've always tried
To make sure they get my life I'm giving it like it's on fire
Go to plan B because this one isn't workin
You have no one else to hold accountable
For its you that's doing the jerkin
Not me
For their precious life I'm liable
At the end of the day it falls on you
Stop thinking of yourself look at the bigger picture
Walking around stupid you don't even have a clue
Of the little heart your words can puncture
And you have the nerve to be mad at the world
And me
If only you looked through my eyes for one day you could see
What I see and what I live
Every single day
A free moment of your time you don't even have to give?
At the end of the day what more is there to say

RAGE

Rage engulfed in adulthood fighting to come out
Fighting to exploit those that have angered
Angered for what
A waste of energy
Not worth any of my time
Refusing to indulge in those games that you wish to play
Wrapped up tighter than saran
Wrap my emotions around heart
Squeezing
Gripping
Squeezing
No more movement
Its over now
My heart smiles
With the thought of it
The thought of your lifelessness
of your stillness
of your breathlessness
of your end
Shall peace resume inside of this storm
Will I feel better
Can I move on peacefully, positively, happily
No
Rage engulfed into adulthood fighting to come out
Suppressing these emotions, feelings, thoughts
I refuse to succumb to your ignorance
Foolishness
Idiocracies
Adulthood has taken over
I must move on

HIV/AIDS Among Women....

As some of you know the numbers are increasing and alarming in the black community, but they're growing. So I decided to post some of a lengthy report from the CDC on this topic putting it into black and white for you.

Early in the epidemic, HIV infection and AIDS were diagnosed for relatively few women and female adolescents (although we know now that many women were infected with HIV through injection drug use but that their infections were not diagnosed) [1]. Today, women account for more than one quarter of all new HIV/AIDS diagnoses. Women of color are especially affected by HIV infection and AIDS. In 2004 (the most recent year for which data are available), HIV infection was

• the leading cause of death for black women (including African American women) aged 25–34 years.
• the 3rd leading cause of death for black women aged 35–44 years.
• the 4th leading cause of death for black women aged 45–54 years.
• the 4th leading cause of death for Hispanic women aged 35–44 years.

In the same year, HIV infection was the 5th leading cause of death among all women aged 35–44 years and the 6th leading cause of death among all women aged 25–34 years. The only diseases causing more deaths of women were cancer and heart disease FOR MORE INFO PLEASE GO TO: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/women/resources/factsheets/women.htm

Ignorance

There is one thing that I can honestly say annoys me, but is annoying the hell out of me as I get older. Ignorant people. Sometimes I feel like I'm the weirdo or my way of thinking is insane just because of the madness that I sometimes encounter. Then I think to myself. Does this person know what they're doing? Does this person think before they open their trap? 9 times out of 10 yes. They know, they just don't care. Next question: Why should I???

Darkness, Silence, Alone

Darkness
Silence
Alone

Thinking
Breathing
Writing

Darkness
Silence
Alone

Thinking
Breathing
Relaxing

Darkness
Silence
Alone

Was in desperate need of these things
to write
to function
to keep sanity

Darkness
Silence
Alone

Keepin it real....

Its funny how life throws things at you and how you learn to cope with whatever it is. Well my latest lesson is learning how to let go. I am letting go of the battles of other. They're not mine to fight. When I am asked for my advice or opinion I give it from a neutral perspective. I speak without bias. I keep it real. In listening to people I also know that these people that are asking me what they should do know what they do, they don't want to do it. People know what their situation is, they know what they are dealing with, but they don't want to hear it. People want it sugarcoated for them so it will make them happy in their fantasy world. I don't live in that world. I don't live by those fantasy rules so I have to ask myself, why am I stepping into their fantasy world? People are who they are. Deal with it. Accept it. Get over it. I refuse to give anyone the power to define me nor make me feel any other way then the way that I want to feel. I refuse. I will not any longer fall into the clasps of the weak. I will not any longer fall into the feelings of the weak. I will not any longer be drained of my energy that I fight everyday to keep positive for myself and my family. I refuse. After long consideration andanalyzing of my cipher I have decided that as small as it is. It needs to be smaller. I will not be that fake person for anyone. The biting of this tongue is over. You thought I was outspoken before. You have no idea of what has unfolded. I concern myself with those that concern themselves about me. Period. Keep it real with yourself. You can not and never will be real with anyone else if you can't be real with yourself. You will continue to attract the same fake, negative, dramatic, lifeless bullshit ass people in your life if that's what you are. You are the company that you keep. Until you decide to step outside of yourself and see what you're doing wrong you will continue to blame the world for your life and your unhappiness. Happiness begins with you. No one can change that.Rechanneling energy into important things that matter in your life is one of the best thing that you can do for yourself. Some people have too much time on their hands. Too much time + The wrong people= drama. Focus!!! Get on your A game. Take it from someone that has been through it and was recently stuck in the same slump. Life is too short and precious. Take advantage of that free time in positive ways. When its gone you're gonna wish it was there. Keeping it real is one of the best things that you can do for yourself to enhance your life.

Listening

I was having a conversation last night and the topic was listening. Listening is one of the keys to life. You gain so much knowledge by listening to others. You can hear what someone is crying out for, what they need, what they're missing, what they want. Depending on your role in their life you may be able to help them out by showing them your perspective. Looking through others eyes sometimes is all of the advice or help that you need. When you went to school you were told to listen. When you're in a training class or a required class for your job you are expected. When and if you have kids you are expected to listen. When you are in a relationship be that an intimate one or a friendship you are expected to listen. People listen but they don't always hear you. An effective listener is on that listens without thought. Be quiet and listen. You'll hear so much more then what they're saying.......

How much can one take?

Life to me has become one big lesson. The things that I have learned and continue to learn about life no one could ever teach me. There comes a point where you have to learn how to let go. Let go of theunhappines , small things that mean nothing, conditional people, fake people, and those that don't need to be included in your cipher. You are who you socialize with. Why do you think its been any type of relationship from the beginning? We allow people to use us whether its financially, emotionally, or physically we allow it. Some of it we see and acknowledge and some we don't until the situation is done and over with. Grasping that moment of truth when its no longer B.S. and is 100% the truth and a smack in your face is one of the hardest pieces to swallow. Letting go. Leaving it behind and never looking back again. That's the hard part. The easy part that required no work at all was accepting what you were given to deal with that made you unhappy to begin with. The easy part was complaining, but yet still living it. The easy part was beating yourself up about thinking it was something that you said or did to deserve it. The hard part is getting rid of those that you mean less than the best to. Living for yourself (and of course ur kids if it applies) and your happiness takes work. It takes work to be positive. Knowing is not even half of the battle, knowing raises awareness to the detail that requires your attention. I am learning that I must know my self-value and that I must love myself enough to know when enough is enough. Never lose site of that dream. Never lose site of that happiness that doesn't require one dime. Never lose site of that goal that you've been told is unobtainable. Never take so much negative that who you are becomes hidden behind wounds that only you can heal. Never look to rely on others when the answer is you. Never be anything but who you are and be able to say that this is enough and now its time to do me. Those that get eliminated or hurt during the process shouldn't have been there anyway. Blocking my blessings by having the wrong ones in my cipher aren't worth it. Its okay to let it go, to let them go, to be who you are for yourself. At the very end of the day when the only reflection you see in the mirror is you. Know that its okay.

Untitled

As I go through life and look around I ask the question whats really going on

What did I do to deserve this stress, where did I go wrong

The spirited other react and act how they choose

Some may win and some may lose

My logic isnt your logic it can be

For the things you say and do couldnt be, wouldn't be, shouldnt be

I respect myself as well as others

No matter what you say or it do it doesn't bother

to me for I know ignorance owns the key

to so many doors with locks but not me

You cant change who I am or who I'm going to be

My decision are final because I live for me

My happiness is the foundation for all to come

I've got two little ones relying on me for many more years to come

So your thought process can never affect me

Hmmmm

'To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.' When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better.

My first thoughts

I decided to become a blogger because writing keeps me sane. I like to express my thoughts on topics and hear the feedback on it because the perspective of others always opens new doors in my world that I didn't know existed. I am looking forward to engaging in conversation, debates, and the blogs of others. I look forward to your thoughts as well I look forward to expressing mine. Peace and Blessings to all.