Monday, November 7, 2011
Black Dating and Marriage Videos
All you need is a cup of hot cocoa, your pajamas, and maybe headphones... Then you can sit back and enjoy all of the drama, madness, humor, and warm fuzzies of my youtube playlist, "Black Marriage and Dating Videos." <--To watch on Youtube click here.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Living Your Life
“What is life about?”
As I think about all of the people suffering globally during this economic recession I am reminded of my own pitfalls and sometimes I find myself feeling as if I just don’t measure up. I feel like a lesser version of the self I had planned to be and the self I am capable of being. There’s a part of me that feels like a failure.
But somehow, I know this isn’t the right mindset. Life is not about how much money you have, how much property you own, or who knows and respects your name. It just is… Despite hard times and struggle, I’m still me.
What remains the same? You might lose valued material possessions and you might even go without things you need, but there is still a part of you that is able to find joy, meaning, and hope, because you are the same, human, with or without material things.
“Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” –John Lennon
Sometimes I think about those people who, at the beginning of the current economic crisis, owned their own home, then abruptly lost it due to foreclosure, and are now homeless. Then I have in my mind the stories about visionaries who had that one wonderful idea then became rich! Then I think about all the people in Mexico who dream of coming to the United States with the hope of making a better life for themselves. Then I say to myself that none of it matters.
Whether I am a day laborer in India, a cashier at your local department store, a teller at a bank, or one of the un-named people in Bible stories who roamed around with Jesus and Moses all day, at the end of the day, none of those things are what life is all about.
Life is about living. Living is enjoying the smile on a baby’s face, the aroma of a pretty flower, the soothing sounds of nature, the kindness of a stranger, or the warmth of a friend. It's about taking a moment to lie down in the grass to feel the warmth of the sun on your skin. It's about taking the time to listen to and enjoy complete silence.
Bask in the charm of the night sky. Look up and take into your being, the beauty of the moon and stars. Try to find the Big Dipper/Little Dipper. If it’s too cloudy but there’s a full moon, observe the way the light cuts in and out of the clouds in the night sky. Over time, these marvels of nature have not changed much and you can feel complete knowing that millions who lived before you looked up and saw the same thing. Just remember to breathe it all in. Forget about the madness in your life, the politics of the world, and lay the drama aside. Take a moment for yourself and be engulfed by the darkness, the oneness, and the stillness of nature.
Then sleep. Then wake-up. Then eat. Then work. Then play. But most importantly, live. Your existence on this earth is only fleeting and temporary. When you’re gone, your friends and loved ones will bury you in the ground and say good-bye, forever. Life as you knew it will truly be over. So today while you are alive, be sure to live. Time will keep ticking no matter how much you plan and no matter how much you worry.
So don’t ever lose sight of what LIFE is all about. It is about waking up in the morning and just being alive. We can’t really be sure of what the next month or year will bring or even certain that we will be here among the living. But at the end of the day, if you have food, clothing, shelter, and your health, you’re living a pretty good life.
And should you get sick and become unable to pay your medical bills, then you will eventually die as did billions of people before you. But until that sad day, what you have left is time. It's time to enjoy the rest of the life you have on this earth.
Meditation: Today I am grateful for every little thing, every peaceful moment, every opportunity.
As I think about all of the people suffering globally during this economic recession I am reminded of my own pitfalls and sometimes I find myself feeling as if I just don’t measure up. I feel like a lesser version of the self I had planned to be and the self I am capable of being. There’s a part of me that feels like a failure.
But somehow, I know this isn’t the right mindset. Life is not about how much money you have, how much property you own, or who knows and respects your name. It just is… Despite hard times and struggle, I’m still me.
What remains the same? You might lose valued material possessions and you might even go without things you need, but there is still a part of you that is able to find joy, meaning, and hope, because you are the same, human, with or without material things.
“Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” –John Lennon
Sometimes I think about those people who, at the beginning of the current economic crisis, owned their own home, then abruptly lost it due to foreclosure, and are now homeless. Then I have in my mind the stories about visionaries who had that one wonderful idea then became rich! Then I think about all the people in Mexico who dream of coming to the United States with the hope of making a better life for themselves. Then I say to myself that none of it matters.
Whether I am a day laborer in India, a cashier at your local department store, a teller at a bank, or one of the un-named people in Bible stories who roamed around with Jesus and Moses all day, at the end of the day, none of those things are what life is all about.
Life is about living. Living is enjoying the smile on a baby’s face, the aroma of a pretty flower, the soothing sounds of nature, the kindness of a stranger, or the warmth of a friend. It's about taking a moment to lie down in the grass to feel the warmth of the sun on your skin. It's about taking the time to listen to and enjoy complete silence.
Bask in the charm of the night sky. Look up and take into your being, the beauty of the moon and stars. Try to find the Big Dipper/Little Dipper. If it’s too cloudy but there’s a full moon, observe the way the light cuts in and out of the clouds in the night sky. Over time, these marvels of nature have not changed much and you can feel complete knowing that millions who lived before you looked up and saw the same thing. Just remember to breathe it all in. Forget about the madness in your life, the politics of the world, and lay the drama aside. Take a moment for yourself and be engulfed by the darkness, the oneness, and the stillness of nature.
Then sleep. Then wake-up. Then eat. Then work. Then play. But most importantly, live. Your existence on this earth is only fleeting and temporary. When you’re gone, your friends and loved ones will bury you in the ground and say good-bye, forever. Life as you knew it will truly be over. So today while you are alive, be sure to live. Time will keep ticking no matter how much you plan and no matter how much you worry.
So don’t ever lose sight of what LIFE is all about. It is about waking up in the morning and just being alive. We can’t really be sure of what the next month or year will bring or even certain that we will be here among the living. But at the end of the day, if you have food, clothing, shelter, and your health, you’re living a pretty good life.
And should you get sick and become unable to pay your medical bills, then you will eventually die as did billions of people before you. But until that sad day, what you have left is time. It's time to enjoy the rest of the life you have on this earth.
Meditation: Today I am grateful for every little thing, every peaceful moment, every opportunity.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Is The Devil Hijacking Black Youth Culture? Part II
This is a follow-up to my previous blog about the negative, downhill moral journey of black youth culture. I have to admit that I got a little flack for the last article. People said I was being judgemental and that I thought I was perfect... So how bout this one? I know and believe that black culture is (or can be) so much more than just a combination of risky sexual behavior, drug-use, illegal drug activity, etc. And it is my personal opinion that this type of lifestyle should not be glorified! Children as well as adults see their heroes engaged in this type of activity and they seek to imitate it. Then it becomes almost normal or expected to continue the pattern.
My focus for this article is pop sensation Rihanna, and her new video, "We Found Love." I can relate to Rihanna and I admire her creativity but I still believe that the image she puts forth as a young black woman is irresponsible.
I do love her and most of her work, tho!
This video was brought to my attention by "The Grio" on Facebook.
The Grio's Chris Witherspoon published this article--> 15 most telling moments in Rihanna's 'We Found Love'
Rihanna's "We Found Love"
Here are my thoughts on the video as well as the article.
Risk-taking behavior at it's highest!
1.) The slot machine symbolizes risk taking. As does her other video, "Russian Roulette." So does behavior like jumping on tables in public places, doing lots of drugs(and also the way that they do them, like smoking 4 joints, or whatever that was, at 1 time) and last but not least, remaining in an abusive relationship.
2.) In the scene where she was passed out, Chris Witherspoon interpreted that the man was trying to "comfort her in a drunken stupor." To me he looked worried. Also, there were ambulance lights flashing in-between that scene.
3.) In the end she was balled up into a corner because she realized that she needed to change her life but it was hard...also she was detoxing. She's detoxing from the relationship, which itself was like a drug--> like she said, "wanting the good without the bad."
4.) I don't think people realize the reality of how much drug use/abuse can contribute to poor decision making! If I was high on drugs all the time, I might fall in love with a tree!
5.) She's sick and she knows it...And she's only 23yrs old. Wow...
In the song "Rehab" off her 2nd album, she says, "I gotta check into rehab cause baby you're my disease." (Yeah, the video with Justin Timberlake as her love interest.)
Well, this is her 6th album, so it seems like she's been dealing with these issues for at least the length of her entire music career!
6.) I applaud her for her creativity! However, I think a lot of kids will watch and think it's just cool to get high and f**k...
Skorpion Show Review
Click here for more info on Rihanna and Chris Brown.
When I Became A Man (Spoken Word)
My focus for this article is pop sensation Rihanna, and her new video, "We Found Love." I can relate to Rihanna and I admire her creativity but I still believe that the image she puts forth as a young black woman is irresponsible.
I do love her and most of her work, tho!
This video was brought to my attention by "The Grio" on Facebook.
The Grio's Chris Witherspoon published this article--> 15 most telling moments in Rihanna's 'We Found Love'
Rihanna's "We Found Love"
Here are my thoughts on the video as well as the article.
Risk-taking behavior at it's highest!
1.) The slot machine symbolizes risk taking. As does her other video, "Russian Roulette." So does behavior like jumping on tables in public places, doing lots of drugs(and also the way that they do them, like smoking 4 joints, or whatever that was, at 1 time) and last but not least, remaining in an abusive relationship.
2.) In the scene where she was passed out, Chris Witherspoon interpreted that the man was trying to "comfort her in a drunken stupor." To me he looked worried. Also, there were ambulance lights flashing in-between that scene.
3.) In the end she was balled up into a corner because she realized that she needed to change her life but it was hard...also she was detoxing. She's detoxing from the relationship, which itself was like a drug--> like she said, "wanting the good without the bad."
4.) I don't think people realize the reality of how much drug use/abuse can contribute to poor decision making! If I was high on drugs all the time, I might fall in love with a tree!
5.) She's sick and she knows it...And she's only 23yrs old. Wow...
In the song "Rehab" off her 2nd album, she says, "I gotta check into rehab cause baby you're my disease." (Yeah, the video with Justin Timberlake as her love interest.)
Well, this is her 6th album, so it seems like she's been dealing with these issues for at least the length of her entire music career!
6.) I applaud her for her creativity! However, I think a lot of kids will watch and think it's just cool to get high and f**k...
Skorpion Show Review
Click here for more info on Rihanna and Chris Brown.
When I Became A Man (Spoken Word)
On another note (and completely off topic I guess), the "We Found Love" video reminds me of Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream." Although, "We Found Love" reaches a little deeper and kind of looks more like a nightmare than a dream! A drug-induced one!
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