Cheri’s great Peace Post. Puff, Puff Passssss

Cheri Speak

Puff, puff, pass…

Native Americanspass the peace pipe in ceremonies, but I say every day should be a ceremony of the peace we wish to pass to our fellow man.

Did you know…

In the 19th century American‘s held the belief that they had a divine mandate to expand it’s territories and spread democracy. They called it “Manifest Destiny” and the phrase first saw the light of print in the July – August issue of the United States Magazine and Democratic Review in 1845. As defined in the dictionary it means “a future event accepted as inevitable.”

Peace can be inevitable…

We know — and you can ask any Native American, American’s have rarely been peaceful in their empirical expansions and I’m quite sure they are not God‘s “chosen ones”.

The oft used term “Manifest Destiny” has been mistakenly used by many over the decades with little…

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Pony Shit

This is another reflection piece for a school assignment for a Intercultural communication I took ( I think 2010).  The assignment was to pick up a local newspaper and write about your community. A reflection piece, nothing specific.

Sighing, I tossed my local newspaper, the Queens Chronicle, to the side. It was no better than the Daily News or New York Times.  It contained nothing I couldn’t find elsewhere-except maybe the excessive advertisements. Well, those were quite fun.  I’m not completely pessimistic though. I respected this newspaper for the sole reason it’s a stepping stone for aspiring journalists. I saw great potential with the actual authors. This newspaper was an easy and engaging read. Just, I simply wished for more substance in its contexts.

A typical day in Woodhaven is nothing like the community support you read in the Queens Chronicle. Rather, it’s a secluded, lonely day.  Although you see the same people every day, the look of disgust and distrust never fails to appear on the faces of people in the street. No friendly smiles or welcoming fuzzy comforting feeling will be found here. In fact, you’re lucky if you get an apology when a passing person bumps your shoulder. But, October 19^th, is a day the Queens Chronicle’s tales of community support holds truth and all the animosity is forgotten.
Police barricades are put up sealing Jamaica Avenue for 15 blocks. Vendors and gift shops set up on the street, rides and games are mounted here and there and finally people come together as community spending the day in the streets having fun as one.

I anticipated this day for weeks. The day of this street fair, the thought of funnel cake awoke me way before my usual sleeping schedule. I could almost smell the funnel cake even though the fair was four blocks away.

I left my house in haste, anxious, to go down to the fair. As I emerged myself in the already crowded streets, I was surrounded by people whose face mimicked mine- peaceful and excited.  As I went stand to stand conversations sparked up and guards were let down. No skepticism today. Just people enjoying kebob on one block, Italian sausages on another and candy apples on another.
Diversity is welcomed and encouraged on this day. A band is playing jazz on one block, rock on the next and country on the one after that. People stopping to listen to each and every band. Children of all backgrounds bounce around in the big blow up play pin and ride ponies together. Everyone is welcomed in the streets…no questions asked.

But as the night sky falls, the stands pack up shop and the rides are dismantled and barricades removed. People return to their homes and ponies led away. Before you know you it, you’re alone standing on a curb scraping pony shit off your sneakers and cars start filling up the once inhabited streets.

As I left for school the next day, almost all signs of yesterday’s community unity are gone. Not even trash in the streets as a reminder of yesterdays gathering.  The mask of disgust and distrust are strongly back in place on the very same faces you saw the day before.
There is a smell though.

Not a smell of food or charcoal from the vendors that puts a smile on your face. But a smell that makes you scrunch up your nose and walk away. It’s the smell of pony shit that lurks in the air. For the next 2 days at least people wear a mask of disgust for the smell and not for unjustifiable mistrust.

*I edited this to add two pictures after i posted it 🙂 Images plucked from google

Clara Lemlich, A Unknown Revolutionary

This is a copy and pasted paper I did for  class, Urban Sociology . Since I did write this for a college course I ask this not be copied and pasted ,reused or edited at all. Please do not re-purpose this for any of your college school work. I do not condone plagiarism. If you are reading this, i did not edit the typos and misspellings( i wasn’t a believer in proofreading as a student it seems LOL). But, this was one of my favorite reflection pieces for this course. Hope you enjoy!

“If I turn traitor to the cause I now pledge, may this hand wither from the arm I now raise”
– Yiddish Oath

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                 Di shvue

Brider un shvester fun arbet un neyt
Ale vus zaynen tsezeyt un tseshpreyt,
Tsuzamen, tsuzamen, di fon iz greyt,
Zi flatert fun tsorn, fun blut iz zi reyt!
A shvue, a shvue, af lebn un teyt.

Himl un erd veln undz oyshern
Eydes veln zayn di likhtike shtern
A shvue fun blut un a shvue fun trern,
Mir shvern, mir shvern, mir shvern!

Mir shvern a trayhayt on grenetsn tsum bund.
Nor er ken di shklafn bafrayen atsind.
Di fon di reyte iz heykh un breyt.
Zi flatert fun tsorn, fun blut iz zi reyt!
A shvue, a shvue, af lebn un teyt.

The Oath

Brothers and sisters in toil and struggle
All who are dispersed far and wide
Come together, the flag is ready
It waves in anger, it is red with blood!
Swear an oath of life and death!

Heaven and earth will hear us,
The light stars will bear witness.
An oath of blood, an oath of tears,
We swear, we swear, we swear!

We swear an endless loyalty to the Bund.
Only it can free the slaves now.
The red flag is high and wide.
It waves in anger, it is red with blood!
Swear an oath of life and death!

“Third time is a charm” says the cliché and it certainly is with my third time visiting the Tenement Museum on Orchard Street. This visit opened my eyes and gave me a profound understanding of social issues and public attitude in the 19^th century. It also put into perspective the radical changes that have occurred since and also exemplifies the remnants of generations before us.  What particularly drew my attention was a fascination women name Clara Lemliech.

 
Tenement buildings typical held 3 families that were unrelated whom all shared one common interest- garment working. The Civil War in 1863 jump started the garment business.  Those living in tenement buildings typically have a dual purpose for the apartment- living and working.  As you can imagine, the tenement buildings were severely crowded to the point where people will sleep in shifts. The specific tenement apartment we visited housed 14 people whom all slept in shifts. The doors were always left unlocked and mostly ajar because there was always a free flow of people moving about.

 
As a result in working in such cramped small conditions one could develop the “black lung” which causes a lot of spitting. The spittoon was invented around this to prevent spitting on the garments and the spread of diseases.  Upon looking and listening to the daily routine of the garment workers, our tour guide asked us if we thought this was a sweat shop.  Some people promptly responded yes, however, I responded no because I felt sweat shops were in more strenuous and horrendous condition especially in the late 19 century.  Not that I believe working in a garment industry out of a tenement building is a walk in the park, but considering the time period and conditions it would seem that working in a tenement building would equate to what we know today as a mom and pop store or neighborhood store. Businesses that are privately owned not mass production or corporately owned.  However, in 1890 there were no labor laws.
It wasn’t until 1901 the Tenement House Act declared for health reasons there needed to be a separation of work and home. If one wanted to keep working in their apartment one must have a permit.  Also, a fire door and a window must be installed in each apartment.

 
During this time frame we learned there weren’t adequate health conditions in the work field and the home field.  New immigrants suffered greatly in overcrowding. Also, they relished the public sphere because it was a place to get away from the crowdedness of work and home life.  From my visit to the tenement museum I learned of fundamental social reform such and unionization and health inspections and other safety regulations like fire escape. This generation revolutionized conditions that we benefit from today. People like Clara Lemlich contributed to our existence today.
Clara Lemlich was a revolutionary of her time. In 1940 Clara led the “uprising of 20,000”.  In attending a community hearing she approached the microphone and stated “I want to say a few words.  I have listened to all of the speakers. I have no further patience for talk, as I am one of those who feel and suffer from the things pictured. I move that we go on a general strike.”  After about five minutes of the crowded erupting enthusiastically,  they all raised the right hands and pledged the old traditional Yiddish Oath  “If I turn traitor to the cause I now pledge, may this hand wither from the arm I now raise” and voted for a general strike.  While protesting, Clara was jumped and beaten badly suffering from several broken ribs. However, she persevered and marched on. It is reckoned that the “Uprising of 20,000” lasted 14 weeks and was the longest protest in history.  Being an activist and former women studies major I questioned the tour guide how come I’ve never heard about this before. He said because Clara Lemlich was later blacklisted from the garment industry union for having ties to communism. Upon research, that theory is true. However, her revolutionary work did not stop. Clara dabbled in all kinds of movements even part taking in the Women’s Suffrage Movement.  Even until her dying day Clara fought to organize. In her residency at a nursing home she prompted the management to join in boycotting grapes and lettuces with the United Farm Workers and prodded the workers there to organize and unionize.

 
I feel immigrants in the late 19 century had terrible living and social conditions. However, they worked long and hard for improvements. New immigrants today, although they do not have it easy, have a significant advancement in conditions in which they live and work. I know many undocumented workers who do live in cramped conditions and work long hours and are underpaid.  However, I know a specific person who graduated from college with a degree and cannot find a job with their degree because they are undocumented.  I feel that is the only advantage immigrants had in the late 19 century- everyone was undocumented to a certain extended and can come to this country and start a business. However, now with immigration and illegalization not everyone can come to this country and make something for themselves. True conditions are way better however the opportunity is less available.

Related articles

• Hope Rises from the Ashes (truthscold.wordpress.com)
• Can An Oath Of Office Be Treason? (sgtreport.com)
• Teaching Resources for Albert Marrin’s Flesh and Blood So Cheap (beyondthepalebooks.net)

Oh the Horror!

So, i was browsing through one of my folders that hosted school work. Testament to how artsy I used to be, I found my old poems and reviews overflowing the actual school work…lol. Here is a movie(s) review of 13 horror films I wrote oh maybe 3 or 4 years ago?  Copy and Pasted. No edits.

13 deadly bashes.

In no particular order, I will talk a bout 13 movies in the so called Horror genre. Blood, guts , gore- I’m a sucker for it all.  I used my time to engulf in zombie madness and even take a haunted walk down memory lane revisiting movies that shook me to my core when i was but a little duckling.  Don’t get it twisted. I’m  not easy to please nor easy to scare.

Let’s start with the oldies but goodies.

1) Pet Cemetary- released when i was only one year old in 1989. I watched this movie when I was 8 or so and had nightmares for a week. I avoided this movie for over 10 years. Finally I built up the nerve to watch it…and regret doing so. I should have left this movie in the vault categorized as scary.Unfortunately, I now have to move it to comedy/ boring.  Granted any movie with undead children sends chills down anyone’s spine. But, not everyone has a niece like i do. Kick the little fucker- the end. Ridiculous.  Humans never learn their lesson and this movie is testament to that. I rate this movie a 4 out of a 10.

2) Candy man. Number two on my list is the second scariest movie of my childhood. My fear of bees only added to my fear of this movie. When I was young , i didn’t realize it  then in 1992 when this movie was released. But, now i have a deeper appreciation for the writer of this film, Clive Barker. One of my favorite scary movie writer/producers.  I sat down to watch this movie…hopeful.

I have to admit, it wasn’t scary. But, a captive flawless plot. Okay maybe it had its flaws. But it holds what movies lack today….sense. It’s climatic, engaging and overall a good story built up. I rate this a 7 out of 10.

3 The Exorcist- Williams Friedkin’s 1973 version, just cause I love to see a girl crawl down a flight of stairs backwards and i have a thing for projectile vomit. I don’t have much bad to say about this movie. Not scary. But kind of cool in a way. Gotta love a movie challenging religion. I didn’t have much expectations for this movie and I was pleasantly pleased with it. Sometimes originals should never be remade. They did nothing wrong the first time. I would only have like a little more scare factor but they had everything else from creepy to gorey. I rate this a 8 and half out fo 10.

4) The Strangers. Fairly recent  by Rougue Pictures directed by Bryan Bertino released May 2008. A couple attended an event and then crashed late at night at a cottage  in hopes of staying there the weekend for romantic weekend to rekindle their relationship. But then, there is trouble in paradise.  What better target then a estranged couple secluded in a cottage?  Typical story plot, but done very well. Sneaky villian that sends chills down your spin added to disturbing eery music( part of the plot, not soundtrack). Very creepy disappearances and even I was on the edge of the bed….until a little after the halfway point . Look up disappointment in the dictionary and you shall see this movie. What started off as different and engaging suddenly turned unbearable to watch ( for me). If i didn’t watch the end, i would of rated this a 10 out of a 10. But i did. So i’m rating this a 6 out of 10, most of the points for the first half of the movie. Maybe you’ll have better luck with the ending than I did.

5) The Haunting of Molly Hartley. Liddell Entertainment production directed by Mickey Liddell. I don’t know how writers John Traves and Rebecca Sommershine got a job after this movie. I deleted this movie from the harddrive directly after watching this. This movie is proof of the of the skills of great  editors because the trailer looked amazing and the movie is just terrible on all levels- stupid plot, bad actors, wicked terrible ending.  Iw as left saying “really?” “seriously?”. I thought this movie was a joke. I rate it a 2 out of a 10- only because the idea of the movie was great ( parents selling the soul of their child to save the child’s life) Maybe someone else can come along and do this idea justice.

6) Prom Night- Nelson McCormick’s production April 2008.  Another one of those movies that starts of intriguing but then takes a turn for disaster leaving you saying “oh common”. People dying left and right- many “goofs” like people gettin stabbed yet the dress is intact plus horrible acting. Without giving away much, a chick was sleeping in bed with her boyfriend, her boyfriend was killed in the bed while she was laying next to him. I mean really?  I rate this movie a 3 out of a 10.

7)House- Ted Dekler’s novel’s adapted to the big screen Novemeber 2007 by Roffey Henson. A movie where the villain is called Tin Man- standing outside a house trying to get in. Whats the big deal i thought?   Suddenly it turns out there is more than one villain and it’s really is a fight againt dark magic. Reliving your greatest fears and sins. Not your typical good vs evil or religion vs atheist movie. But still, kinda corny and kinda a let down. I was completely into this movie until the unmasking of the dark magic and villain. I rate this a 6 and half out of a 10.

8) Mirrors- Written and directed by Alexandre Aiza ( might of gotten the name wrong my hand written is wicked sloppy). One of my fav actors Kiefer Sutherland would have been enough for a rave review from me, but this movie far exceeds that. A little religion and a touch of politics with a side of possession turned a mundane object- a mirror- into a deadly tool.  Very engaging, always keeping you on your toes and even some scare thrown in. Awesome plot, with an appropriate ending. This is one of the few movies that rate a 10 out of a 10 in my  book.

We have reached the point of ZOMBIE madness.

9) Gangs of the dead : Last rites. Directed by Duane Stimetl May 2007. You know how we always watch movies of dumb blond acting girls who run upstairs when the killer is in the house and never know how to pick up a pot and whoop some ass? And you know how we all say throw a biatch from the hood into this movie and watch them throw down? Well this movie is that. And i have to say, better in idea than actual play. Gangs of the Dead is about rival gangs and police held up in a warehouse , zombies trying to get in. More fighting with each other than the zombies. Absolutely dreadful movie. I rate this a 3 out of a 10.. the 3 more for the zombies than the humans.

10) Diary of the Dead. Written and directed by George A. Romero May 2007. A group of film students are making a horror movie and surprise surprise their movie comes to life. The whole movie is filmed as if behind  a camera, documentary style aka annoying. Some scenes they actually put the camera down to “charge” and you see nothing but feet. A few noteworthy scenes like “gold fish” zombies. But over all the most disappointing zombie movie of George’s series. I rate this movie a 5 out of a 10.

11) Day of the Dead: The Need to Feed: Directed by Steve Miner April 2008. Day of the Dead was written by infamous George A. Romero and the screenplay by Jeffrey Reddrick.  Arguably  this  movie is a video game to  movie conversion. Many believe this is an adaption of the video game Left For Dead but as of today no confirmation has been made.  Personally, the only similarities I see is the zombie super  skills. However both movie and video game came out around the same time so it seems like another chicken or the egg debate to me. This movie is by far the best zombie flick I’ve ever seen. Typical underground bio warfare goes haywire and the military is in charge of containing the Colorado town that got caught in the zombie cross fire. What really got me was zombie retain some human characteristics which further zombie super skills of plotting, sneaking, fighting, jumping, crawling up walls and just about anything you can think of. Oddly enough, love plot included which will melt your heart. Also, this movie will redefine the term vegetarian.  I rate this movie a 10 out of 10 .

12)Black Sheep: New Zealand Film Commission released this masterpiece in March 2007 directed and written by Jonathan King.  I read the description of the movie when it appeared on cable and i said ” LMAO You’ve got to me kidding me!” the premise of this movie …. genetically mutated sheep.. aka zombie killing sheep!!!  I couldnt pay for the opportunity to watch this and I sure as hell couldn’t make this up.  This movie was no where near a horror flick instead a hilarious comedy. SOme of the badassest villians/monsters I’ve ever seen, especially  turned humans. Seeing a flash of fluff dash across the screen tackling a human is priceless. Love the story.. which is.. friendly.. maybe a little too friendly. Overall a great laugh and a great time. I rate this movie a 10 out of a 10.

Last but not least

13)The Midnight Meat Train. Clive barker’s short story , screen play adapted by Jeff Buhler directed by Ryuhei Kitamura. Green Street Films released this movie in August 2009. Clive Barker is a genius. This movie is a whole another level of what the fuck. Not for the weak stomach, very gore friendly and very unnerving. A photographer stumbles on a mass murderer risking his life for a deadly shot. Mysterious and engaging making an overall rock solid horror flick. I rate this a 10 out of a 10.

Related articles

• What is it with Zombies? (anthonybradley67.wordpress.com)
• Why I Can’t Watch Horror Movies (lookingforthemissingme.wordpress.com)
• Warm Bodies (jeffstrand.wordpress.com)
• 6 Health Benefits of Watching Horror Movies (jarviscity.com)

Please take a moment to help my friend enter a photography contest. This is the link
http://www.talenthouse.com/creativeinvites/preview/ad8a733ca7c23f1857f65afd43d02707/880

Be Kind ( B4 Peace Post)

This is my contribution to the Bloggers For Peace Challenge initiated by Kozo for the Month of January.

Bloggers for Peace is campaign to spread awareness and ultimately peace. Let’s make Peace Viral. You can click any of the two links above to read more about this viral campaign and join the movement. My quick synopsis for you, once a month post a blog entry solely dedicated to Peace. It can be anything, songs, stories, art, political issues…anything you wish. Tag your post B4Peace and add active pingbacks to that monthly challenge post. Also, to help spread awareness include someone’s else peace post inside your own. As the movement grows, we hope to eventually see a peace post everyday. Wouldn’t that be a wonderful thing?

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I’ve been antsy about this Peace Post. I struggled with what to write about. I was indecisive. I wanted to write this profound and sophisticated analytical post full with resources and information.

This isn’t that post.

I decided to start simple, start at the core.

Start with myself.

Yourself.

I truly believe Peace starts from within ourselves. Once we find peace without ourselves, only than can we go out into the world and share peace with others. Yes, I believe it can be that simple. If we each focus on ourselves, strive to be better individuals we can then go out into the world and affect our friends and loved ones…and even complete strangers.

But, we cannot endorse positivity when we are full of negativity. We need to find our peace first. Once you do, we can than inspire others. Be kind to yourself. Then be kind to others.

Paying it forward should be second nature. However, in today’s world, sadly it is not. We should strive to treat others kindly. It is not our place to horde judgement onto other people. Just because someone may look, and even act, a certain way doesn’t mean they do not need nor deserve our kindness. Give kindness a chance even in the unlikely of places. Being kind isn’t always easy. Sometimes, it takes great courage to be kind. We need to be strong. Everyone deserves to feel the effects of being treated with peace and acceptance. No one deserves to be outcast-ed and neglected. For this month, I urge you all to be kind to yourself and then pay it forward and be kind to others, even its not easy.

I know it may not be easy to extend a hand to strangers. I’m not telling you to go up to random people and offer extreme grand gestures. No. It can be a simple smile. Offer your subway seat to someone who has alot of bags. Hold the door open for the person behind you. Say good morning.

I would like to preset to you an organization that I have longed admired..The Free Hugs Campaign.

Free hugs

It’s a beautiful campaign. Sometimes all it takes is a hug to better a person’s day. With this campaign, the walls are brought down and complete strangers come together to offer the best thing we have to offer another person, human compassion.

Yes, a little ol’ hug. A hug can go a very long way and you never know how much comfort and reassurance is engrossed within that embrace.

I believe human compassion is a step in the right direction, in peace. We often want change in the world, a answer or stop to all the pain and suffering in the world. We may not have the power and ability to reach and halt the world’s pain. But we most definitely have the power to help individuals we know and encounter. A hug can go a long way.

So that’s my two cents folks. Be kind. Extend a helping hand. Embrace and console a friend. Be there for someone, even if it’s not easy. If we can share human compassion with others, then maybe, just maybe, that person will pay it forward as well, feel inspired to be there for someone as you were there for them. Like dominoes falling over, we can spread peace and love and compassion until it takes off like wild fire.

We’ll that’s my dream anyway.

I would like to end this post with shinning a spot light on a fellow Blogger for Peace. Please click here to see’s EJ’s Peace Post. Thank you!

Spam Comments

I don’t know about any of you, but i get more spam comments than i do real comments.

At times, I was often stumped from the spam comments.

The words don’t see “robot-y” and sounded like a person actually took the time to write it. However, when hovering over the website linked it’s completely advertising . I rarely click the links but when i do it’s usually a one article website.  Selling products, product reviews or some tech mumble jumble.  So, I’m torn if someone that is just telemarketing cyberaly is actually reading my blog and commenting or just a hoax to get click( money) on their advertisement.

In the begining I would let these types of spam through and ask if they are real or say thank you or ask a question. Never get a response. So  I would go back and trash the comment.  I have anti-virus protection so I wasn’t concerned about contracting a bug.

But, i’m getting tons and tons of spam comments and I’m just trashing them or letting them eventually fade themselves out in my spam box.

But, I wanted to share two of the best( worst ) spam comments I have received.

1) This comment I was reading from my dashboard and at first I wasn’t looking at the name of the sender or the post it was in response too. I said to myself  “wow, someone actually got help out of my meager blog?” Then i finally looked at what post it was in response too and my face instantly changed to this :

-__-

It was on my diet blog, a meme I saw on facebook. It was a joke about weight loss that said “My fitness goal is to get down to the weight I lied about on my driver’s license”
That sealed the deal…SPAM.  Here is the comment:

“I wish to show my thanks to this writer just for rescuing me from this type of condition. Because of checking through the world wide web and getting methods that were not pleasant, I thought my entire life was gone. Being alive devoid of the approaches to the problems you have solved as a result of your main post is a crucial case, as well as those which might have badly damaged my entire career if I had not discovered your web blog. That understanding and kindness in controlling every aspect was very helpful. I am not sure what I would have done if I had not come upon such a step like this. I am able to at this time look ahead to my future. Thank you so much for this professional and sensible help. I won’t be reluctant to propose your web blog to any individual who desires guide on this matter.”

 

2) The next one , i just have no words for. I was reading it and scratching my head the whole time. When i finished i literally said “What the  hell did I just read?”

”  “Hey, Doc,” he shouted to the van holding the medical staff that travels with him wherever he goes. “You got my mouth guard?” The doc had his mouth guard. Obama relaxed back in his seat and said casually that he didn’t want to get his teeth knocked out this time, “since we’re only 100 days away.” From the election, he meant, then he smiled and showed me which teeth, in some previous basketball game, had been knocked out. “Exactly what kind of game is this?” I asked, and he laughed and told me not to worry. He doesn’t. “What happens is, as I get older, the chances I’m going to play well go down. When I was 30 there was, like, a one-in-two chance. By the time I was 40 it was more like one in three or one in four.” He used to focus on personal achievement, but as he can no longer achieve so much personally, he’s switched to trying to figure out how to make his team win. In his decline he’s maintaining his relevance and sense of purpose.”

 

Anyone else get interesting spam comments?

Now, THAT was amazing

Something incredible happened to me today. I’m unsure if I would call it spiritual, but it was very divine to me.

I’m still left mind boggled by it.

It was the afternoon and I was rushing to the store. I wanted to buy some items and then get back home and I would have 45 mins before I had to leave again to head to work. So, I was just walking the five blocks to the store and just lost in the hustle of walking swiftly, not really thinking just moving speedily along.

As I’m walking I saw a five dollar bill on the floor. Now, since my mind was on auto pilot I didn’t actually process it was money until a walked past it a couple of steps. I slowed my steps, but didn’t stop.

I always, always have a dilemma  when I see money on the floor. I feel so terrible picking it up. I feel like it’s instant bad karma. I feel it’s a manifestation of greed and I think if i pick it up, even if I have no money to my name, it will just cause MORE money problems. Loose my actual money. A bill will arrive in the mail. I’m not saying I never pick up the money if I see it on the floor. I have. But, it’s always this big epic moral battle in my head.
So, today, the same conflictions arose in me. I kept walking. I said to myself if on my way back and it is still there then I would pick it up.

It wasn’t there on my way back.

Later I was at work , sitting around before my shift reading my book and some co-workers came over to me.

One of our co-workers has been sick, in the hospital for the past two weeks. Also, her mother has a chronic disease and is in the hospital as well. They asked me If i would like to donate money…the minimum five dollars.

I was a stunned at that significant number

I told them I would definitely donate tomorrow  ( after i cash my paycheck) .

To me, that five dollar was a sign from something bigger than myself. Maybe God. Maybe a Guardian Angel. Whatever form you believe in. It was just something…divine.

I’m still shell shocked about it and really in awe at how amazing it is.

Author’s note. Swift Expression posed a question to share your spiritual encounter, so I’m re- purposing this entry as a  joint post, for that question and for my experience for today. You can find her post here.

Blogging Questions

I’ve been wanting to organize my blog a bit.

But, I have a few questions.

I wanted to erase all my “Categories” …way back when i first started blogging I thought Categories were tags and I would just label it something creative. Majority of my posts though are just “Uncatogerized” .

SO, If i do that do i have too manually go to each post and edit it with the desire category? Also, I wanted to create more pages. But would that be redundant if i go through with the categories.

I was kind of thinking of making a my diary page, then cancer-related page, then Swift Expression having its own page since I part take in the challenges. Then a book page for book reviews and artys stuff.

Just throwing some ideas out there. I’m kind of attached to my dark gloomy notebook looking layout so Im not sure about changing appearances yet.

Also, I have a free wordpress account so from my understanding that limits tweaking too?

Let me know what you think of my ideas, any suggestions and of course any HOW-TO’s.

Escape to Wonderland

I finally did it.  I made a good reads account!

And now I’m wondering WTH did i get myself into! LOL! Another social site to keep up to date with. I held out for so long because I’ve read SO much and I didn’t want to just look up names and check them off as read. But, i didn’t want to sit there and write half fast comments about the books too.  I always felt weird just starting off with present day readings, i felt my “shelf” was only half of me. I take my books seriously. BUt, i figured it was time to just take the plunge and join.  I know not everyone writes “reviews” but i figured If I’m “checking in” reading the book on a website,  I might as well write my praise or displeasure as well when it is done too. I often use people’s reviews in deciding what books to buy. Part of paying it forward right?

Here is the link to my first review.
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/501074221

I also  added a widget on my blog.

With the new year i decided to get back into my passions. Reading being one of them. So i started slow, with this re-read, reading only a chapter too while at work on break but then the other night i stood up late having been engulfed into the story. Finally finished the book yesterday during commercial breaks while watching Pretty Little Liars.
I usually read a whole book in a day or day and a half at the most. It took me a better part of the week to finish this book.  I”m trying not feel sour about that.

So, with this Good Reads account  I hope it will help me read more and then therefore write more with reviews of each book.

But, be warned i read 90% ..ok 95% …alright alright 97% ….YA books. Paranormal and supernatural. Angels, witches, vampires, werewolves, faeries, Gods and Goddesses… you get the drift. I like to read fiction and magical fiction at that. I do read adult books and literature from time to time but i read to escape. Why not escape into a wonderland?

 

*images plucked from google images.