Month: November 2014
Do Blog “Likes” Reflect Writing Quality?
I write because it’s what I do and have always done. As a child, and without thinking, I used to carry a pen and a note pad everywhere I went. The words always just flowed forth. Even as an adult, for the longest time I had notebooks and notebooks of written material I saved that dated back to elementary school. The notebooks were so old the pages bled and eventually the words were unreadable. At that point I finally had to realize that they were too old and I needed to part ways with literally a large box. When I was in the second grade, I recall my mother’s voice and how she used to insist that all of her children ought to be a doctor or a lawyer. Writing wasn’t the path to success or big money, she reasoned. Read the rest of this entry »
Happy Thanksgiving
The Bottom Line
Let’s try to be thankful for all that we do have and not just because of this one day a year where we fill up on enough turkey to put us to sleep. You don’t have to look too far to find something to complain about or something you don’t have. It’s easy to see what we lack and harder to count our blessings. And the blessings worth treasuring are not monetary, but the loved ones that are in our life whether they are family or close friends. There’s a lot to be grateful for and it usually begins at home.
Law and Injustice in Ferguson: Wilson Walks
I would think that if Darren Wilson were to be indicted then he would have been arrested by now. In paraphrasing, that’s basically what CNN news anchor Don Lemon explained based upon a couple of interviews conducted just minutes before the grand jury announcement, and it definitely made sense. This racially charged tragedy has definitely stirred a deep feeling of injustice and not only for those in Ferguson, Missouri. When it comes to race, things can often become complicated, especially for those of us who are mixed ethnicities. Some of us American mutts face more peculiar looks and questions than others who look more like one obvious ethnicity.
Justice is supposed to surpass race. It’s not just an ethical issue but also one that questions our moral integrity as a society. I believe the grand jury’s decision is unfair and I am not remotely comfortable with it. At the very least, as one who is unable to check just one racial box, it’s undeniably frustrating. I am often asked to pick between the options of “two or more races – not Hispanic,” “Hispanic” or Asian — but where’s the choice for Asian and Hispanic? How can it be in the U.S. melting pot that there isn’t a box for “two or more race including Hispanic?” And why does Hispanic even need to be specified? Some job applications allow for a “two or more races” box to be checked and leave out the “not Hispanic” part. For the most part, most job applications expect individuals to choose one ethnicity. If you are more than one race, you must choose one over another.
I am not sure how my ethnicity qualifies or disqualifies me from having the necessary skill set, education, and experience required to do a job. But, this is just one minor personal annoyance when having to deal with this touchy topic. People just hate talking about race.
The Bottom Line:
Officer Darren Wilson killed unarmed Michael Brown, shooting him six times. If Michael Brown was intimidating as Darren Wilson claims and was acting out or not cooperating with instructions. Why wasn’t a stun gun or other non-deadly methods used instead? Especially for someone who was unarmed? Prosecutor Robert McCulloch (who has been rumored to be extremely pro-law enforcement) made the bizarre, long and drawn out announcement. Where he proceeded to sound as if he was trying to justify how the verdict was decided. If this were a case involving two random individuals, someone would have been arrested by now. But, since it involves someone with a badge, it looks like the “evidence” shows that Officer Darren Wilson will get to go back to his job and his everyday life. Meanwhile, a grieving family and a community suffers through the loss of an innocent life gunned down.
What made the grand jury decide to believe some witnesses and discount others? Perhaps it’s true that those in law enforcement really do serve and protect their own. No, I do not agree with the riots, looting, and violence taking place that’s burning down the Ferguson community. However, I personally have family in law enforcement in New York and regardless I still honestly believe that justice was not served.
It’s Not About You!
Having a peace that surpasses human understanding is a challenge in almost any situation. There are natural human emotions that course through our bodies in response to professional or personal experiences. But, if you are unable to find peace, then you must examine the feelings inside you and decide for yourself what lesson you will learn.
On a personal level, we all hope that we are able to elevate ourselves above negativity. Instead, we strive to bring into our lives everything that’s good, that we know that we are abundant in every department, which makes up our universe and we lack no resources. While some of us exist with that deep knowledge within us, the reality might be to the contrary. In our professional lives we might have all the skills necessary to prove our competency, but one cannot force respect from others. Respect is “earned,” as some might say, yet even if it’s earned we still live in a world full of stubborn people who sometimes aren’t willing to respect you. It stops becoming about whether or not you “earned” respect and it starts becoming about someone else’s ignorance.
Especially in professional circles, I have found that some people will refuse to show any sort of respect for education, skills and competency regardless of what you do or how much you prove. The greatest lesson I have learned in how and why people treat you the way they do is that their behavior very rarely has anything to do with you. A person’s arrogance, entitlement and egoism — and let’s not forget the natural chip on one’s shoulder — is a reflection of whatever unresolved baggage they still lug around. Read the rest of this entry »
An Artist’s Perspective: A Calling
Video Posted on Updated on
There are sure paths that some take, ones that are not riddled with uncertainty. Plenty of people choose a stable career. There isn’t any ambiguity. You go to medical school, you get out and do your residency, and then you’re a doctor.
It’s not so cut and dry for those that have chosen the arts, however. For some it’s not a decision that they woke up one day and thought they’d like to do. It’s more of a calling.
The Bottom Line:
There are some risks in life that are worth taking. Regardless if your path might not be the conventional or safe one, the world needs all kinds of people. What would the world be like without art, without music, without films, without books, without dance, without opera? We would all be shells devoid of creativity, the life force of spirit.
Writing With Hope 