Reflection: 2012

In theory, mankind is indeed experiencing a Revelation - literally and figuratively. From bitter political agendas, 'end of the world' prophecies, to the tragedies of Sandy Hook Elementary and Chenpeng Village Primary School in China -- 2012 (likewise the recent years before) has been tumultuous throughout.  As many expected, namely Christians, the world as we know it did not end. In regard to the Bible, I'm personally reminded of the seven seals. Seems the pale horse is riding, as hatred, greed, selfishness, and all manner of reckless abandon continues to metastasis throughout humanity -- trying to make its way into the heart of man.

I recall a quote I read recently in light of such events: a man by the name of Fred Rogers (1928-2003) once said, "When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." Her words are profound in its simplicity. These are dark times. Yet, remember for every shadow formed there is light. Just as Jesus himself wept -- crying out in misery on the mount -- many mourn and ask God why. Even so, at the dusk of ages God has not forsaken us.

Last but not least, as 2012 comes to a close I'm humbly reminded of how precious life is. Each day I attempt to guide my own soul through Christ who strengthens me, resist negative influences, and not allow the blinding bitterness of evil to dumb me down, kill my spirit, and cast it's shadow in my wake. I pray for discernment and the courage it takes to seek higher ground. As cliche as it is, it really does begin with the man in the mirror. For those of us still here, our purpose is not complete. If we want to better our family, neighborhood, schools...let's strive to be the positive change we'd like to see in the world, next year, and years to come.

Casual Bloggers Anonymous

Ahem *clears throat* um, my name is Cheryl and in case anyone hadn't noticed (cry for attention) I haven't written in months. OK. All jokes aside, this 30-something chick is back into the throws of college pursuing a new career. So with all that entails...long story short, blogging has taken a backseat to the books...err, as in third row in the mini van to be exact. At times I've felt guilt (direct your attention to exhibit A) about being a card carrying member of Casual Bloggers Anonymous...and then there's that novel I've written a whopping 3 pages into...but I digress. Overall, my main goal is to finish school so that's where 90% of my focus lies these days.  And who knows? I may even start a 'casual' blog about it! *wink wink* Meanwhile, I received an impeccably timed invitation to guest blog (I was hype) from one of my favorite bloggers! Tampa's own Clark Brooks is not only a darling but writes a witty blog guaranteed to start your day off with a laugh or two.  Be sure to check him out, along with a few words from yours truly. Ridiculously inconsistent trickle of consciousness: Today's guest author: Cheryl Williams 

It was the summer of 1986.  My family was the first black family to live on this street, in this "neck of the woods", since God knows when. One of the white families who neighbored us, came by and introduced themselves. They seemed friendly and I quickly made friends with their daughters. I even remember the fresh baked cookies they brought which my mother refused to let me eat. She did not trust strangers bearing gifts. Then one fine day someone left a particularly exciting gift... lit papers left flaming in the summer breeze alongside the ditch in front our house. 

Fast forward twenty-some odd years; this area (including the county as a whole) is more diverse. You'd think they'd be used to use by now. Yet in still, every now and again someone with ill intent, drives pass and deliberately throws their fast food wrappers/trash into my parent's lawn. A solemn reminder that "you're kind ain't welcome 'round here." Last month, during the night someone bashed in their new mailbox. That hadn't happened in years... but it too was nothing new. Racism is nothing new. In fact, it's and issue all Americans inevitably experience in their lifetime. It's better than it used to be but still lurks like a cancer, seeking anywhere it can infect society -- a constant reminder that some cannot stand to see others prospering. In their eyes you are less than human and hence do not deserve "certain inalienable rights".  

However, nothing could be further from the truth.  As far as my parents are concerned, they are good, hardworking people who have EARNED everything they own, don't judge a man by his roots but his deeds, and sought a wholesome community to prosper, raise, and educate their children within. To add insult to injury, my father is a disabled American veteran who fought for this country, survived the 60's, and paid his dues ten times over. Yet, small minded, narcissistic, sociopaths disrespect him simply because he was born black. He is a man with pride and stands tall. Each time he's repairs another vandalized mailbox he's says, "they'll never change."  

I understand his resolve, and it's times like these I reflect and wonder where society is headed. Is he right? Maybe I'm naive, but I wholeheartedly believe race relations will continue to get better in this country and abroad in spite a few neanderthals. Prejudices of any sort will never be eradicated but milestones have been made as mankind evolves.  Meanwhile, its the former that breaks and tests the heart as I seek reasons not to despise those who hate. God help. Some day race will not nearly matter as much as the content of one's character.  I once wrote a sentiment that I now return to, "many desire a life free of pain and persecution; yet if we are to truly live, it is to do so in spite of it."  In spite of these isolated incidences, they have no regrets as life here has been pleasant overall.  

Rants: Cosmos & Current Events

Venus transition - Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Unbeknownst to me Venus merrily skipped past our Sun...  

Unfortunately, I missed seeing this epic event (live). Worldwide this was highly anticipated and significant -- especially to astronomers -- as it was the last time Venus will make a cameo appearance in our lifetime. Likewise, astrologers and spiritualists found it just as significant. This is where it gets interesting. Outside of the realm of science, planet Venus is commonly viewed as the astronomical embodiment of all things feminine. Going further, it symbolizes the divine feminine or "goddess" of love, fertility, and communication. Whereas the Sun represents the divine masculine.

"Venus passed between the Earth and our Sun on June 8^th, 2004, and initiated an eight-year cycle known as the “Venus Transits”.  The Venus Transits cycle is a rare celestial event that occurs every 113 – 130 years, when Venus eclipses the Sun two times – at the beginning and at the end of an eight-year period (Govinda)." 

Notably, the ancient Mayans perceived the second Venus transit as a milestone of sorts; indicating the coming of a new era, set to emerge... wait for it... wait for it... yep, you guessed it, 12-21-12. I'm sure you've already made the obvious connection between the Venus transit and The Age of Aquarius -- aka and often referred to as the "The Age of Enlightenment".  In the spirit realm, the first and second Venus transit(s) are profoundly significant as they signify "the return of the divine feminine", and in theory, "she" [feminine energy] has just awakened. What does all of this mean for us? Well, ultimately Venus transitions are meant to restore spiritual balance in the world.

According to this philosophy, the energy of the society has been out of sync (for lack of a better term) for quite some time -- for centuries the focus of mankind's affairs has been rooted in patriarchal societies, politics and dogma that show little respect for feminine wisdom (e.g. compassion, healing, nurture, transformation). In other words, too much masculine energy has tipped the scale; catalyzing naked aggression, fear, wars and injustices throughout history. Venus transit(s) are thought to rekindle the hearts' of man and put the our planetary family back in a right relationship. All in all, once the masculine and feminine energies are equally yoked, balance will be restored in the world. Admittedly, it all sounds like an elaborate fairy-tale but honestly, what doesn't?

Time will surely tell.

Resolve

This is no "Dear John" letter to the blogosphere. 

I've been experimenting with blogging and freelance writing nearly four years. Openly exploring topics, engaging interesting people, sharing and expounding upon ideas and concepts is rewarding.  It all began with a thirst. Now, I find myself hungry...

Over the past year, I managed to churn out posts and a newspaper or online article or two to keep things current. Yet, I confess the desire to write had eluded me beyond a simple case of writer's block. This bothered me. Yet, the not understanding why part bothered me more. Meanwhile, creating without motivation felt cursory and unimaginative.  

Refuse to do anything that means anything, half-heartedly.

These days, I've been quite preoccupied, quite frankly, with getting my shit together! I funnel all energy into my job and studies. In these quiet moments, I tend to daydream. I dream of visiting Italy and similar places, but first things first.  Back to reality.  

Eager for a fresh start, long before the hooray of New Year's 2012 I was thinking of ways to get unstuck. As far as blogging goes, I figured taking it in a new direction would jog the mojo! The focus on esoterica, and the more often than not, grim state of current events was becoming laborious on my psyche. I needed to balance things out with something lighthearted. So, I created my second blog, Tooth Faerie Cherie.  It's now May, and I've written six posts and yet to put out another freelance article. Refuse to do anything that means anything, half-heartedly. If not, God help! Herein lies the inner struggle. I dared to ask myself, "Was I falling back into the very self-sabotaging mindset I've worked so hard to break?"  Nevertheless, my disinterest with writing and matters outside my current situation lingered, and with guilt. How could I let my enthusiasm for writing wane? How could I neglect my projects? Then one day spirit said, "Just be." I was being too hard on myself. Recognize this is also self-sabotaging behavior. It occurred to me...we have every right to manage our lives and everything within it how we see fit, as long as we're productive and at peace. 

Overall, I dedicated 2012-2013 towards my immediate goals. Still, I felt  a sense of guilt for putting my freelance projects on the back burner to simmer. Remember, there's no need to stress what is already a given. Specifically, GOD given. Through the Creator, I know I will never cease to create as long as there's breath in me. Whatever is in our purpose, we are compelled to do no matter what space or time we're in. Besides, we cannot control anything but our behavior. Knowing when to let go is key to emotional balance. In my case, I needed to trust in the spirit and allocate my time and energy as it guided me to.

Speaking of entering the 30+ club... I found myself in a new and exciting phase in my life where I'd much rather "be about it" more so than talk about it! I spent a great deal of my life fearing failure, judgement and the unknown because I lacked a sense of self. I tell ya, feeling lost in this world is a frightening and difficult experience. It took pain, time, effort and GOD'S grace to build the self-confidence I have today. And at times I still struggle with doubts and fears but leaning on the Lord makes dealing with negativity easier.  In that regard, at this point in my life I have exhausted words -- they no longer fill in the blank. As a grown woman whose learned a thing or two about life and herself, I love who I am and want to tap my feet versus my hands! It's no wonder the paintbrush is more appealing than the pen these days. A camera, a pottery chair, a recipe, a dance floor, a road trip... you name it. I'm ready to live and love again. 

Knowledge lends itself to us as long as we're open and have faith in ourselves, GOD and embrace the journey (life) before us. At the risk of sounding cliche, we all have different paths that aid us in our wisdom and understanding. For myself, it is being in a mode of continual curiosity, creativity, learning, and human service that keeps me centered and most importantly, evolving. To wrap up, I'd like to end by sharing a video I came across (not to be confused with baseless, end times propaganda) on the web. The narrator, who calls himself "Jonathan", made intelligible arguments as he spoke candidly about the basis of human knowledge. What is it? And how it can elude or empower us. I enjoyed it very much.  It helped clarify many of the thoughts and feelings I've come to through my own life experiences. How does this all relate? I'll just say, common knowledge is inherently that in which we already know... and what we already know, is that which is inherently within us. 

Latest Techie Topic: Losing Internet in July?

An epic Internet #FAIL Blog (post): 

And a little birdie otherwise known as Twitter, informed me of the latest glitch in the matrix... 

"Hackers infected a network of probably more than 570,000 computers worldwide. They took advantage of vulnerabilities in the Microsoft Windows operating system to install malicious software on the victim computers. This turned off antivirus updates and changed the way the computers reconcile website addresses behind the scenes on the Internet's domain name system. The DNS system is a network of servers that translates a web address - such as www.ap.org - into the numerical addresses that computers use. Victim computers were reprogrammed to use rogue DNS servers owned by the attackers. This allowed the attackers to redirect computers to fraudulent versions of any website. Read more" 

The FBI arrested six hackers from Estonia; all involved in the Internet scam which left 568,000 computers affected by malware. Since their arrests in November 2011, the agency began the work of repairing by "installing and running substitute" servers in order to reroute computers back to authentic DNS/sites.  

However, restoring the overall integrity of the Internet is costly and time consuming. Thus far, the FBI successfully rerouted 208,000 computers - of which 85,000 are in the United States, according to federal authorities. Of course, there's 360,000 computer left to be rerouted behind schedule. March was their original deadline. It is now April.

In New York, a federal judge granted an extension until July 9, 2012. Hence, the looming "Losing Internet Service in July?" catchphrases you've been seeing lately. In order to facilitate this massive DNS overhaul, the FBI has posted a website (www.dcwg.org) via one of its security partners, that end users can use themselves in order to detect whether or not their computer(s) has been affected. And if so, the site has the capability to fix the issue. Therefore, the FBI is encouraging people to take advantage of the site. If you're computer doesn't have it's DNS act together by July... then quite frankly, you're just SOL.

At first, it sounds like something straight out of one of Bill Gate's geeky nightmares.... and I was skeptical of its validity. After researching the topic, it seems legit.  So, for my fellow skeptics and those whom [understandably] wish to avoid government interference as much as possible; Norton Internet Security also detects DNS changes. According to a statement from one of Norton's community forum leaders, there is no need to run a security scan from the FBI's website if you are already using their Anti Virus/Internet Security software: http://community.norton.com/t5/Norton-Internet-Security-Norton/Will-Lose-Internet-in-July/m-p/701503/highlight/true#M201451. 

Happy surfing!

Earth Day 2012: A Look at Dirt

The American documentary film, Dirt! The Movie was shown at my campus today in honor of [Mother] Earth Day 2012. It was enjoyable to watch. And as the title suggests, the film is about the outer layer of the earth’s crust (soil); specifically, the environmental importance of soil and its purpose to our ecosystem and all organisms abiding within it. 

The focus of the film is to educate the audience on the ecological impact mankind has on soil, the sheer importance of taking care of this natural resource, and finally the “green” initiatives taking place in order to protect the environment from further erosion. During the film, I learned how poor farming practices rendered once fertile soil barren and unable to produce vegetation – a historic phenomenon witnessed in the American and Canadian prairie lands during the 1930’s, infamously known as the “Dust Bowl” or “Dirty Thirties”. 

Environmentally, the 20th century was a tough time as big, corporate industrial farmers monopolized the farming industry. Many private farmers were economically bullied out of their land and left heartbroken and penniless. Industrial farming led to a reliance on fertilizers which had long-term effects on soil. Deforestation and global warming has made it difficult to cultivate food. As a result, famine has stricken many countries and forest dwelling animals are forced out of their natural habitats. Overall, the film serves as a sobering reminder to us all. We should take special care with the environment and not take any aspect thereof for granted – no matter how ordinary – by simply doing “the best we can” to preserve it -- as the courageous hummingbird did in Nobel Peace prize winner, Wangri Maathi’s proverb. 

In Memoriam of Trayvon Martin

PETITION FOR JUSTICE  


Video Transcript: Suspicious, written by Cheryl Williams a.k.a Bornscorpion (2012)

I know

I know what’s on your mind

You think that we have too much time

Blast from a watchmen's gun

Closing credits after Sanford’s son

There you are in a room

Watching

Thinking it's doomed

Flowers in bloom next to death's young groom

You think it’s over

Gone too soon

Time it flies

Like dragons in dark skies

Hearken

The fire of goodbye on our tongue

For his life had only just begun

Foul men acting on a whim

Again and again

Between black and white

Lies the gray area where no one wins

Meanwhile, lady liberty in all her glory

Blind eyes & untold stories wherein the purgatory between “just us”

I know

I know what's on your mind

You think that we have too much time

To dream

Take on the plight despite loss

Fight for the sake of human rights at all cost

No justice

No peace

I know

I know you are in a room

Watching

Thinking you’re doomed

The memory of death’s young groom

Haunts you like a thousand grim reapers

You think it’s over  

It’s only just begun...

Black History: Sojourner Truth

 

A Biography of Sojourner Truth 
by Cheryl Williams

It was the dawn of a new day. On the cusp of the 19th century, and a young America rose starry-eyed with religious fervor and abolitionism during the Second Great Awakening – and so forth did an unlikely heroine rise to the occasion as well. Isabella Baumfree reinvented herself, Sojourner Truth – the willful, passionate, charismatic, Bible toting ex-slave with a self-proclaimed calling. An ordained mission that came with every good intention to “make the nation rock like a cradle” if mired against her life’s pursuit; pioneering subjugated blacks and women alike out of the antebellum dark ages of slavery and women’s suffrage, into spiritual enlightenment and sovereignty. 

Black History Month: A Closer Look

In America, November is Native American Heritage Month. Likewise, February is Black History Month... African-Americans enjoy a whole 29 days of fame and seemingly obligatory adoration. Admittedly, when it comes to "history months" I am on the fence. In my opinion, they are well intended but fall short of glory. In reality, the very premise behind "history months" is to highlight the significant actions of a particular minority as opposed to the majority in an effort to signify and facilitate cultural equality. This cultural conundrum is explained by one of my favorite entertainment bloggers, Lincoln Blades of This Is Your Conscience. In a recent post, If You are Celebrating Black History Month You Really DON'T Care About Black History At All he holds no punches stating "...I would rather see our contribution to history be fully IGNORED than recognized as ONLY being worthy of one month of trivial recognition." A notion typified by your memory a la "Everybody Hates Chris" English teacher beginning a black history lesson with, "Kids, did you know a BLACK man invented peanut-butter!" Now, I do not agree the celebration of Black History Month in and of itself to be disingenuous (unless of course that's the ONLY time one gives a hoot about black history); but do agree with Blades overall take on the matter:

DISCUSSION:  If ANYONE quote/unquote "deserves" their due diligence in the form of equal representation within the United States it is the actual Native American/American Indian. Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not? 

Hypothetically, let's say educational bias has been eradicated and diversity is equally represented and discussed in American History. Therefore, since everything is square... would it then be fair for Caucasians to have a dedicated "history month" in honor of their respective contributions to society? Or should all "history months" be essentially done away with since the premise for their existence is inherently resolved? 

Personally, I am proud of the fact our nation dedicated time to reflect, educate, and honor the plight and contributions of minorities. Yet, on the contrary disappointed that these very achievements are generally concentrated within their respective history months. Typically, an individual is cherished and recognized by their family members and friends year round but honored (per say) on their birthday, right? Well , in this same sense "history months" are like birthdays sort-of-speak. Likewise, [in Lincoln's words] it would be disingenuous if peeps neglected to show you any love or recognition until your birthday rolled around! Oddly enough, that's often a general complaint among people [lol]... but I digress. 

The public school system is the single most important catalyst for leveling the playing field among peoples of any society. An unbiased education helps diverse citizens better understand one another, facilitates racial tolerance and awareness. The United States isn't dubbed the "Melting Pot" because we have the secret to Bush's Baked Beans. As the nickname suggests, African American, Native American, Asian, Hispanic, Indian and Arab (yeah, I said it) Americans' plight and achievements are all an integral part to the fabric of our nation. These historical accounts are equally as important as those whose ancestors fled Europe (and should be honored as such). Yet, as it were such information was once a blip on the radar against a whitewash of European history & British colonialism ad nauseum. 

Unfortunately, this bias led to a polarized viewpoint of American history [as a whole] and in some cases, blatant unethical writing practices in our nation's history books. Recently, textbooks littered with inaccuracies were discovered in use within the classroom. "Our Virginia: Past and Present", is a fourth grade social studies book published by Five Ponds Press. In October 2011 the book was found to contain as many as 12 historical errors, including the description of non-existent battalions of Black confederate soldiers. Shockingly, after these findings the book was allowed back into the classroom. Instructors were encouraged "to used the [book's] errors to demonstrate to students that they should be skeptical of what they read (Grace Chen, History Gone Awry: Mistakes in Virginia's Public School Textbooks)." 

"For many education researchers, cultural bias in teaching is evidenced within various academic texts and modules across multiple academic domains (Baker, 2005, Loewen, 2007). Particularly in the United States, several researchers agree that most contributions to academic subject matter (i.e., history and social and natural sciences) are made by members of the majority race or culture (American Psychological Association, 2003; Gay, 2000; Rogoff, 2003) and much of the text throughout this subject matter is used to reinforce the superiority of this group (Loewen, 2007). Loewen (2007), for example, offers that most elementary and secondary U.S. history textbooks offer a romanticized view of the Europeans' experience in the United States whereas most of the experiences of Native Americans and/or Africans in these same lands are either misrepresented or underrepresented (Education.com)." 

Bottom line. Everyone has the right to a balanced and unequivocal education. Bias involves bureaucracy and sheer negligence but boils down to prejudice and the reinforcement of "white privilege" within our society; an issue "history months" (though well-intentioned) alone do not resolve. In light of Black History month, I urge African Americans/Blacks to be pro-active and resist complacence by minding the integrity of our history; ensuring it is neither misinterpreted or conveniently omitted. As a general rule, this goes for both minorities and whites. To the best of our ability, the history of mankind should be unadulterated as this knowledge is critical to human consciousness and evolution. Only then will "history months" live up to the expectation... because at the end of the day there's no honor without integrity. Throughout recent years the U.S. Department of Education has made initiatives to monitor the integrity of public schools, colleges, and universities -- including anti-bias curriculum (A.B.C), researching and correcting inaccuracies in curriculum, culturally responsive classroom instruction, and fair representation of minorities in textbooks.

Imagine A World Without Free Knowledge Wikipedia Warns...

The writing is on the wall...in zeros and ones.

Arguably, the 2011 occupy movement and the like signal the cusp of a revolution for some and a something else for others. Whispers of Armageddon or an epiphany of epic proportions dawning over the masses only add to speculation about the year ahead. An "epiphany" that may have very well been sparked by a gem we like to call the World Wide Web. Which is epic in and of itself.  I'd expressed in a prior post, how the 21st century is The Fifth Great Awakening in American history.  The past few years alone have been fancied "The Age of Enlightenment".  Tomato. To-mah-toe. It's all relative. Nonetheless, the face of the free world has and is continually changing... and change is rarely a smooth transition as chaos is the mother of order. 

So, what could be worse than a world without Twinkies? A world without a useful Internet. In the mid 90's the dot-com boom was born. Fast forward a decade later and the Internet is already on skid row facing dot-com crash.  According to a recent Wikipedia blackout on the English version of their website -- typed across a bleak, black and grey homepage reads, ''...U.S. Congress is considering legislation that could fatally damage the free and open Internet." As of January 18, 2012 traditional use of the site is blocked for 24 hours.  Wikipedia is one of many sites including giants Google and Yahoo.com to be affected by new legislation and are actively protesting.  

What legislation? Well, the keyword here is censorship. The legislation is Protect IP Act (PIPA) and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). The catalyst to this legislation -- and what social media companies are touting as a "China-scale censorship" of the United States Internet -- is piracy. Piracy is the illegal practice of online file-sharing. In relation to copyright infringement and sales; understandably, the entertainment industry is spearheading the anti-piracy initiative on Capitol Hill. Specifically, with PIPA. 

"However, in the name of intellectual-property rights, media companies have enlisted a bipartisan chunk of Congress to pass anti-piracy legislation weighted irrationally in their favor. Copyright holders want to give themselves and the U.S. Department of Justice the power to block websites accused of infringement. They want to force Internet service providers to create a wall between their customers and these websites. They want to force banks and payment services like PayPal to cut off these websites’ money. They want the websites removed from search results and to ban people from linking to them. And all of that, without any kind of formal hearing. The measures won’t stop copyright infringement. The Internet, and the flow of information, will find a way around any dam the entertainment industry tries to put up. But as ineffective as the measure may be, to continue with the metaphor, the dams themselves will do serious damage to the ecology of the web." --San Diego CityBeat, Staff (click here for full article)

Wikipedia stands firm and warns all end users of what they believe is at stake; asking visitors to "Imagine a world without free knowledge". A nightmare if you're an information junkie like myself. An the Internet is our main supplier. Yes. Poor analogy, but do you see what I'm getting at? Though the Internet can never replace good old-fashioned books or a telephone call for that matter; it is an invaluable asset and defined an important stride in modern technology and facilitating all manner of speech (and the First Amendment Right that comes along with it). Bottom line. I take the stance that piracy is wrong and should be dealt with accordingly. Yet, blind censorship of Internet would do much more harm than good.




LEARN MORE - Take action: 

http://americancensorship.org/

Revelation

Happy New Year folks! We made it! Cheers & Salutations~

SO, uh, in case anyone noticed my last written post was months ago.  Welp, didn't think anyone would start bitching b/c let's face it, I'm no Necole Bitchie lol; but I played hooky and slipped "Out of the Office" sort of speak. Towards the latter part of last year I realized a need for a mental hiatus from blogging for a time to recharge, reflect, and re access certain priorities, purposes, and plans. Suppose sensing the transition in my own life contrasted the urge to "do" moreso than "jot". I'm back in school and in the land of the working.  

I'm excited and anxious all in the same. Nevertheless, I decided to the put the sword down for awhile -- along with any guilt for simply allowing myself breaks in writing.  I was being hard on myself as usual but quite frankly, I wanted to muzzle my muse for the moment.  I've been on my soap box typing away since 2008 (with the creation of my main blog CKMag); using blogging and freelance writing as a catalyst I commenced to heal a battered self esteem, position some healthy challenges and feed an insatiable inquisition (which I pray will never go away). I soon realized my digging for truth against world corruption was a cry for help! LOL. I wasn't necessarily angry with the world -- well, perhaps I was b/c I'd felt abused and mistreated. However, I was disappointed with myself. I had let myself down and desperately wanted more for myself.

Fast forward. It's 2012... a new year with its own set of lessons, challenges, and blessings. Bottom line. Spiritually, mentally, emotionally, I  am a grown woman and can finally say with a doubt I KNOW MYSELF. I am centered with a plan and confident about my future b/c I KNOW I am able and in control through CHRIST who strengthens and guides me. And boy does it feel empowering to gain confidence and clarity. Again, I owe it all to GOD working on and within me.   This is my testimony and I have yet a way to go...he's with me every step of the way though, so should not fear or doubt. Two feelings that have held me back for waaaay too long!

As far as blogging and freelance writing... I know as I transition so will my creative focus and desires. As long as the LORD keeps my mind and body able I will write. There's no rush.  Again, Happy New Year, everyone. May this year bring forth good times, fortune, a sense of renewal and empowerment. We certainly have our work cut out for us as the winds of change are blowing ever, ever more. Remember, we have the power to harness that energy. GOD speed.

Information Overload

Are we suffering from information overload?

Nonsensical News
by Bornscorpion

More often than not the news can be a total drag. We are fed a concentrated form of all the world's ills in 30 minutes or less.  It can leave anyone [even if for a moment] remotely nauseated by the reports of incessant crime, injustice, crooked politicians, and the age-old battle between global powers and principalities.  Even so, the news is a necessary evil.  A daily dose of "reality check" keeps us all grounded if not painfully self-aware.  Yet, a counter-culture of gadget-geek, information junkies has emerged. The 21st-century world is an open book by way of Facebook, Google, Bing, and Yahoo!  The .com boom has evolved media and affected social consciousness.  So, is there really such a thing as "too much information?