One more week, and then I'm free! School is almost over and then I will be back to my normal blogging schedule. In the meantine, read an article I wrote on Cinco de Mayo! Let's be enlightened!
Just copy and paste, or click away!
Enjoy!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Creative Writing
I know it has been a while since my last blog and I do apologize to my loyal readers. School has kept me pretty busy especially since I’ve been taking a graduate course in creative writing. Even though I’m not in the master’s program yet, the professor has given me permission to take the class. I highly recommend it for those students who plan on entering the master’s program. Anywhoo, this class, along with Cultural Studies, has become one of my favorite classes. More frequently do I get to delve into my curious mind of storytelling, poetry writing, fantasy literature, and exploring new ideas I never knew I had. So, even though I have a list of topics saved up in my favorite’s folder to blog about, I’m going to put those aside and try something here first. A student in my class decided to tell a story using her play list on her ipod. It got me to thinking about how I can come up with such a thing and decided to give it a go. So, below is a story created following my play list on my ipod that I use when I go walking to Tamarack Beach. I hope you enjoy…
I looked at her and felt the “mercy” of her soul. She sits in the corner dramatizing a situation that occurs on a regular basis. Oh wait, here comes the “‘I never loved a man” like him before” speech she always throws at me when recovering her feelings. Sometimes I want to grab her head with each hand full of her hair and just shake it! How can I force her to just “think?” Why doesn’t she get it? I look at her and just nod my head in understanding while she tells me the rest of “the story” I’ve heard a thousand times. “I was supposed to carry his ‘last name.’” she cries to me. “He was my man, my knight, my ‘soldier,’ and my true love.” Little did she know that he was a bunch of other girl’s true love. And maybe even some guys? Anyway, she hasn’t been the same since “Calabria.” He should have picked somewhere else to dump her. And now, I have to get her drunk enough to keep her mind off of him. Drunk enough to go out and party just a little. Drunk enough for her to forget her sorrows. And, drunk enough to hear her horrible rendition of “killing me softly.”
After I parked my car down the ally, we begin walking towards the bar. Yes, that unforgettable bar. That bar that seems to take us "somewhere over the rainbow" everytime we go in. That bar that is always there like a true friend to offer us some beers while I sit there with boredom and listen to her whine and cry. We find a spot to sit at and right next to us is a group of Mexican catty women arguing about whose fault it was for leaving their friend behind. I hear one of them yell “Tu eres ‘mala gente’ y quiero que te vallas de aqui.” Actually, their story is much more interesting. I wish she’d hurry up and stop crying. “I did so much for him!” she continues to cry to me. “I bent over backwards to please him! And you know what, ‘I kissed a girl’ for him too! Yup! Just cause he was curious!” In the midst of her continuous cry, I am distracted by the catty Mexican women next to us. I’m trying to hold my laughter and keep a serious face for my hurt friend, but it’s just too funny! “Y ‘ahora quien’ pendeja!” she yells at her friend. I tell you, this bar has been more entertaining in the past twenty minutes than the past couple of years we’ve been coming here. Oh what I wouldn’t give to have him standing in front of me. Superficial son of a bitch rockstar wannabe! “I’m so grateful to have you.” she says to me. “I know. I’ll always be ‘by your side’ sweetie.” I reply.
After she drank a few beers and was a little point passed buzz, but not drunk, we head home. I made the mistake of turning on the radio in the car on our way home. Before I could change the station she yells “Oh my God it’s our ‘love song’!” I think I just dug her into a deeper whole! Oh well! It’s never too late for me to get her back out. I’ve know this routine far so long. But then again, she never cried in front of me like this before. I just hope she’s all better by summertime!!!
Ok, below is the list of songs used in the story in the same order. Hope you enjoyed!
“Mercy” by Duffy
“I Never Loved a Man” by Aretha Franklin
“Think” by Aretha Franklin
“The Story” by Brandi Carlile
“Last Name” by Carrie Underwood
“Soldier” by Destiny’s Child
“Calabria” by Enur
“Killing Me Softly” by The Fugees
“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by Judy Garland
“Mala Gente” by Juanes
“I Kissed a Girl” by Katy Perry
“Ahora Quien” by Mar Anthony
“Rockstar” by Nickelback
“By Your Side” by Sade
“Love Song” by Sara Bareilles
“Never Too Late” by Three Days Grace
“She Never Cried In Front of Me” by Toby Keith
“Summertime” by Billy Stewart
I looked at her and felt the “mercy” of her soul. She sits in the corner dramatizing a situation that occurs on a regular basis. Oh wait, here comes the “‘I never loved a man” like him before” speech she always throws at me when recovering her feelings. Sometimes I want to grab her head with each hand full of her hair and just shake it! How can I force her to just “think?” Why doesn’t she get it? I look at her and just nod my head in understanding while she tells me the rest of “the story” I’ve heard a thousand times. “I was supposed to carry his ‘last name.’” she cries to me. “He was my man, my knight, my ‘soldier,’ and my true love.” Little did she know that he was a bunch of other girl’s true love. And maybe even some guys? Anyway, she hasn’t been the same since “Calabria.” He should have picked somewhere else to dump her. And now, I have to get her drunk enough to keep her mind off of him. Drunk enough to go out and party just a little. Drunk enough for her to forget her sorrows. And, drunk enough to hear her horrible rendition of “killing me softly.”
After I parked my car down the ally, we begin walking towards the bar. Yes, that unforgettable bar. That bar that seems to take us "somewhere over the rainbow" everytime we go in. That bar that is always there like a true friend to offer us some beers while I sit there with boredom and listen to her whine and cry. We find a spot to sit at and right next to us is a group of Mexican catty women arguing about whose fault it was for leaving their friend behind. I hear one of them yell “Tu eres ‘mala gente’ y quiero que te vallas de aqui.” Actually, their story is much more interesting. I wish she’d hurry up and stop crying. “I did so much for him!” she continues to cry to me. “I bent over backwards to please him! And you know what, ‘I kissed a girl’ for him too! Yup! Just cause he was curious!” In the midst of her continuous cry, I am distracted by the catty Mexican women next to us. I’m trying to hold my laughter and keep a serious face for my hurt friend, but it’s just too funny! “Y ‘ahora quien’ pendeja!” she yells at her friend. I tell you, this bar has been more entertaining in the past twenty minutes than the past couple of years we’ve been coming here. Oh what I wouldn’t give to have him standing in front of me. Superficial son of a bitch rockstar wannabe! “I’m so grateful to have you.” she says to me. “I know. I’ll always be ‘by your side’ sweetie.” I reply.
After she drank a few beers and was a little point passed buzz, but not drunk, we head home. I made the mistake of turning on the radio in the car on our way home. Before I could change the station she yells “Oh my God it’s our ‘love song’!” I think I just dug her into a deeper whole! Oh well! It’s never too late for me to get her back out. I’ve know this routine far so long. But then again, she never cried in front of me like this before. I just hope she’s all better by summertime!!!
Ok, below is the list of songs used in the story in the same order. Hope you enjoyed!
“Mercy” by Duffy
“I Never Loved a Man” by Aretha Franklin
“Think” by Aretha Franklin
“The Story” by Brandi Carlile
“Last Name” by Carrie Underwood
“Soldier” by Destiny’s Child
“Calabria” by Enur
“Killing Me Softly” by The Fugees
“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by Judy Garland
“Mala Gente” by Juanes
“I Kissed a Girl” by Katy Perry
“Ahora Quien” by Mar Anthony
“Rockstar” by Nickelback
“By Your Side” by Sade
“Love Song” by Sara Bareilles
“Never Too Late” by Three Days Grace
“She Never Cried In Front of Me” by Toby Keith
“Summertime” by Billy Stewart
Women's History Poetry
Women’s History Poetry
Hello all again! In light of Women’s History Month, there was a lot that I wanted to write about. But since March is coming to an end and I don’t see myself having the time to write because of my school and work schedule, I decided to include two poems that can be reflective of this month. I wrote these two poems a while ago. Maybe almost a year ago I think. The first one titled “Champoo” is about my cute mother who mistakenly took a shaving cream bottle as shampoo and used it to wash her hair for several days. My mom has done so many little things like this that just make you love her sincerity and her innocence. She is a wonderful and powerful woman even though she can be a little funny sometimes. This was probably by far the funniest thing she’s done so I thought it would be cute to form it into a poem. I hope you like it!
The second poem titled “W*O*M*A*N” came from an inspiration that I can’t quite explain. I’m not a hardcore feminist but I do believe in women’s rights and the power of women. I don’t mean to de-humanize men in any sort of way even though that is how it may sound like. Please don’t be offended, but if you are, I deeply apologize. So, read it with attitude, read it with care, and read it with the message that it brings. Enjoy!!!
Champoo?
By: Jessenia Lua
My mom’s a real funny lady
She’s always been her entire life
She speaks with a Spanish accent
And is a devoted wife
She doesn’t understand a lot of things
And isn’t up to this modern world
She doesn’t know how to use a computer
Or things without a cord
One day I was playing with her hair
And it felt really rough
I asked her what she had been using
She thinks its pert plus
Then my sister came in screaming mad
She doesn’t like to share
She wants to know who used her skintimate shaving cream
Cause she’s got legs full of hair
The bottle is more than half empty
It’s likely she’ll need one new
Then my mom looked up at me and said:
“CHU MEAN DIS NAT CHAMPOO?!!!”
Hello all again! In light of Women’s History Month, there was a lot that I wanted to write about. But since March is coming to an end and I don’t see myself having the time to write because of my school and work schedule, I decided to include two poems that can be reflective of this month. I wrote these two poems a while ago. Maybe almost a year ago I think. The first one titled “Champoo” is about my cute mother who mistakenly took a shaving cream bottle as shampoo and used it to wash her hair for several days. My mom has done so many little things like this that just make you love her sincerity and her innocence. She is a wonderful and powerful woman even though she can be a little funny sometimes. This was probably by far the funniest thing she’s done so I thought it would be cute to form it into a poem. I hope you like it!
The second poem titled “W*O*M*A*N” came from an inspiration that I can’t quite explain. I’m not a hardcore feminist but I do believe in women’s rights and the power of women. I don’t mean to de-humanize men in any sort of way even though that is how it may sound like. Please don’t be offended, but if you are, I deeply apologize. So, read it with attitude, read it with care, and read it with the message that it brings. Enjoy!!!
Champoo?
By: Jessenia Lua
My mom’s a real funny lady
She’s always been her entire life
She speaks with a Spanish accent
And is a devoted wife
She doesn’t understand a lot of things
And isn’t up to this modern world
She doesn’t know how to use a computer
Or things without a cord
One day I was playing with her hair
And it felt really rough
I asked her what she had been using
She thinks its pert plus
Then my sister came in screaming mad
She doesn’t like to share
She wants to know who used her skintimate shaving cream
Cause she’s got legs full of hair
The bottle is more than half empty
It’s likely she’ll need one new
Then my mom looked up at me and said:
“CHU MEAN DIS NAT CHAMPOO?!!!”
W*O*M*A*N
By:
Jessenia Lua
I am a WUH - HU……MUH - HAN!
That’s right!
I am a woman!
And I’ve got it all
I have the curves and the nerves
The steels and the heals
I know what I want
And I know who I am
I have the power to give life
And the heart to heal strife
I’m voluptuous and kind
No need to press rewind
On my life because I don’t regret
None of my events, you bet!
I can do ten things at a time
Listen to you cry
Put my emotions aside
And wait til you’re all cured inside
I can run and walk through rain
I aint’ shallow nor vain
Can take any kind of pain
Cause baby, I am a woman of this DAY!
Don’t tell me I can’t commit
Just because I don’t have your little “bits”
I don’t need three little parts
I’ve got my big ass fuckin’ heart!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Woohoo! I'm published!
Hi Everyone,
So I've been with the University newspaper since the beginning of the semester and had not been able to publish anything. That is until......YESTERDAY! I know that it's a university newspaper and nothing like the San Diego Union Tribune but I bet those writers got their start at their universities as well. Anyway, here's a pic of the article. It's not exactly my favorite topic to write about, but this was my first assignment to cover. I couldn't fit the whole thing in it so just
click on the link below and you'll be able to read the whole article. And, let's hope that this is the first of many!
http://media.www.thecsusmpride.com/media/storage/paper1149/news/2009/02/17/FacesPlaces/How-To.Build.And.Keep.A.High.Credit.Score-3633654.shtml
So I've been with the University newspaper since the beginning of the semester and had not been able to publish anything. That is until......YESTERDAY! I know that it's a university newspaper and nothing like the San Diego Union Tribune but I bet those writers got their start at their universities as well. Anyway, here's a pic of the article. It's not exactly my favorite topic to write about, but this was my first assignment to cover. I couldn't fit the whole thing in it so just
click on the link below and you'll be able to read the whole article. And, let's hope that this is the first of many!http://media.www.thecsusmpride.com/media/storage/paper1149/news/2009/02/17/FacesPlaces/How-To.Build.And.Keep.A.High.Credit.Score-3633654.shtml
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Time to get personal.......
Don’t worry! Not that personal!
Today marks two very special anniversaries for my family and me. Today is my late father (apa′ to my siblings and I) Rafael Lua’s birthday. He would have been 83 years old. Following the first few years after my father’s death, my mom would always tell me that he no longer had a birthday because he’s in heaven now. But, I always acknowledge it because he is the oldest memory I have as a child. If I look back and think about the fun times between my seven siblings, my father, my mother and I, my father sticks out like a bright candle. As a kid, you don’t pay attention to much except for the people who take care of you. Since I am the seventh child out of eight, I had a lot of people (my parents and brothers and sisters) take care of me. But my dad always had this fun and endearing side to him. He was a nurturer by nature and his memory is so precious to me.
I remember so vividly one of the sweetest things he did. He would kiss my eyes. He would hold my head between his hands, look at me and ask, “aver, cual es mi hojo?” Let’s see, which one’s my eye? And when I’d close them, he’d kiss either my left eye or right eye. It’s strange but it was a comfort to feel his warm lips on my eye lids. It was the same comfort I felt when my mom would hold me whenever I just wanted to hold her. I’d rest the side of my head o
n her chest while she put her arms around my shoulders and she would talk to me or sing. The vibrations of her voice going through my ear that was resting on her chest and the sound of her heartbeat were such a comfort to my soul that no fear or worries crossed my mind.
Even though my dad has been in heaven for the past fourteen and a half years, his memory still carries on in my spirit and existence every single day of my life. Every now and then I’ll slip back into the moment when we found out he was going to die and I lose emotional control. Sometimes I wonder why after all this time, I can still feel this way. About a year ago, I had a dream of a “could be” life. It was a dream where my brother, my youngest sister, and I were still living at home. I was in my junior year in high school and I was fighting with my brother Edgar (who’s a year older than me) to hurry up with the bathroom because we were going to be late for school. I kept pounding on the door and my mom yells from the kitchen, where she was making breakfast, to use her bathroom. So, I go to her bathroom and guess who was in there? My dad taking his sweet time. I ask him to hurry up but out of the frustration I tell him nevermind and yell through the door that I’ll see him after school. He yells back through the door telling me to not take my car because he has to fix it and then says to take his cacahuate (peanut)! Cacahuate was the name he had for this old brown four door car he had. I don’t even remember what model, year, and make it was. I just knew it was old, brown, rusty, and dusty! The dream pictured what I thought could have been a life with my dad. When I woke up, all I could do is cry. I cried in the shower, cried telling my mom about it, cried on my way to work, cried at work, and cried telling Mari about it. It only reminded me of the person I didn’t have in my life. The heartache in my body hurt so much. But, luckily I have wonderful sisters, brother, nieces, nephews, and mother to get me through it. Now, I could jump in and talk about how my late brother Chava stepped in and took over my father, but that’s a whole ‘nuther blog. You’ll have to read about him later.
For people who know me really well, I often talk a lot about my family. Which is why I’m hoping to write a book one day. Getting over my father’s and brother’s death were two of the biggest obstacles our family has ever been through. I’m so proud of how we handle ourselves and how we still can rely on each other in the utmost difficult times. Even when there’s tension or petty fights, we get over them quickly. So, for today’s topic I just want to wish my father up in heaven a BIG WONDERFUL HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I love you, miss you, and please send a big hello to Chava for us!
Now, for the second anniversary! Today, Savina Rebecca Gallegos is one year
old! Happy Birthday Savina! In a wonderful coincidence, my sister Lupe and her husband Tony had their third wonderful child Savina on her grandpa’s birthday! Exactly one year ago, as Lupe held Savina in her arms (after being born for like 8 minutes!) the room got quiet with sniffles and tears. Everyone was just staring at this brand new baby girl. And I do mean everyone! Sisters, sister’s husbands, nieces, nephews, boyfriends, etc. were all there to witness the birth of Savina. We literally filled the hospital room to its capacity. Crowded or not, it was such a sincere moment where innocence is all that we knew and this little girl was the center of our world. It had been a while since there ha
d been a baby in the family and from Tony’s own words “your mom just woke up in life.” I agreed with what he said. Watching my mom go through my brother’s passing was extremely hard on her. When Savina was born, a light in my mom just shined all over her spirit. She is truly a blessing as well as my family is. I am humbled by the sweet blessings God has given me and live each day with the thought of all of you in mind. Thank you!
Today marks two very special anniversaries for my family and me. Today is my late father (apa′ to my siblings and I) Rafael Lua’s birthday. He would have been 83 years old. Following the first few years after my father’s death, my mom would always tell me that he no longer had a birthday because he’s in heaven now. But, I always acknowledge it because he is the oldest memory I have as a child. If I look back and think about the fun times between my seven siblings, my father, my mother and I, my father sticks out like a bright candle. As a kid, you don’t pay attention to much except for the people who take care of you. Since I am the seventh child out of eight, I had a lot of people (my parents and brothers and sisters) take care of me. But my dad always had this fun and endearing side to him. He was a nurturer by nature and his memory is so precious to me.
I remember so vividly one of the sweetest things he did. He would kiss my eyes. He would hold my head between his hands, look at me and ask, “aver, cual es mi hojo?” Let’s see, which one’s my eye? And when I’d close them, he’d kiss either my left eye or right eye. It’s strange but it was a comfort to feel his warm lips on my eye lids. It was the same comfort I felt when my mom would hold me whenever I just wanted to hold her. I’d rest the side of my head o
n her chest while she put her arms around my shoulders and she would talk to me or sing. The vibrations of her voice going through my ear that was resting on her chest and the sound of her heartbeat were such a comfort to my soul that no fear or worries crossed my mind.Even though my dad has been in heaven for the past fourteen and a half years, his memory still carries on in my spirit and existence every single day of my life. Every now and then I’ll slip back into the moment when we found out he was going to die and I lose emotional control. Sometimes I wonder why after all this time, I can still feel this way. About a year ago, I had a dream of a “could be” life. It was a dream where my brother, my youngest sister, and I were still living at home. I was in my junior year in high school and I was fighting with my brother Edgar (who’s a year older than me) to hurry up with the bathroom because we were going to be late for school. I kept pounding on the door and my mom yells from the kitchen, where she was making breakfast, to use her bathroom. So, I go to her bathroom and guess who was in there? My dad taking his sweet time. I ask him to hurry up but out of the frustration I tell him nevermind and yell through the door that I’ll see him after school. He yells back through the door telling me to not take my car because he has to fix it and then says to take his cacahuate (peanut)! Cacahuate was the name he had for this old brown four door car he had. I don’t even remember what model, year, and make it was. I just knew it was old, brown, rusty, and dusty! The dream pictured what I thought could have been a life with my dad. When I woke up, all I could do is cry. I cried in the shower, cried telling my mom about it, cried on my way to work, cried at work, and cried telling Mari about it. It only reminded me of the person I didn’t have in my life. The heartache in my body hurt so much. But, luckily I have wonderful sisters, brother, nieces, nephews, and mother to get me through it. Now, I could jump in and talk about how my late brother Chava stepped in and took over my father, but that’s a whole ‘nuther blog. You’ll have to read about him later.
For people who know me really well, I often talk a lot about my family. Which is why I’m hoping to write a book one day. Getting over my father’s and brother’s death were two of the biggest obstacles our family has ever been through. I’m so proud of how we handle ourselves and how we still can rely on each other in the utmost difficult times. Even when there’s tension or petty fights, we get over them quickly. So, for today’s topic I just want to wish my father up in heaven a BIG WONDERFUL HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I love you, miss you, and please send a big hello to Chava for us!
Now, for the second anniversary! Today, Savina Rebecca Gallegos is one year
old! Happy Birthday Savina! In a wonderful coincidence, my sister Lupe and her husband Tony had their third wonderful child Savina on her grandpa’s birthday! Exactly one year ago, as Lupe held Savina in her arms (after being born for like 8 minutes!) the room got quiet with sniffles and tears. Everyone was just staring at this brand new baby girl. And I do mean everyone! Sisters, sister’s husbands, nieces, nephews, boyfriends, etc. were all there to witness the birth of Savina. We literally filled the hospital room to its capacity. Crowded or not, it was such a sincere moment where innocence is all that we knew and this little girl was the center of our world. It had been a while since there ha
d been a baby in the family and from Tony’s own words “your mom just woke up in life.” I agreed with what he said. Watching my mom go through my brother’s passing was extremely hard on her. When Savina was born, a light in my mom just shined all over her spirit. She is truly a blessing as well as my family is. I am humbled by the sweet blessings God has given me and live each day with the thought of all of you in mind. Thank you! P.S. I will post some other pictures tomorrow. Sorry, I didn't bring them with me today when I posted this blog! Stay tune....
P.S.S. If you're wondering why the address to my blog is "chenas blog," well, that's because my dad gave nicknames to all his kids and mine just happen to stick. I rarely hear my family members or close friends call me by my real name :)
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Why is it always about race? Aren’t the facts enough?
On a daily basis I like to jump into many news websites to read……… well.……..the news! I often go to msnbc.com, cnn.com, but most importantly, I go to northcountytimes.com. I find northcountytimes.com to be the most important news source I read because it is the area in which I live in. I live in Oceanside, CA, work in Carlsbad, CA, go to school in San Marcos, CA and I like to keep up with what goes on in this county. Lately, I’ve been noticing something disturbing from comments that people leave after reading any article. No matter the facts, no matter the situation, someone’s race always has to be an issue.
On northcountytimes.com, readers are allowed to post comments on any stories/articles they read. I’m an avid reader on this website and often am surprised to the amount of ignorance exposed by the comments of these readers. I never post any comments myself; however, the one time I did post, I was literally attacked. I had read an article of a man who was arrested for par
king in front of elementary schools for hours at a time and had been suspected as being a pedophile. I scrolled down the article and read comments from some of the readers. The article did not mention the race of the man and was just focusing on the grounds of his arrest. Immediately following the article were comments asking about his race. Several readers were guessing that the man is Hispanic and many other were complaining about how the Hispanic race commits all these crimes. I posted a brief paragraph asking the readers why the suspect’s race would matter. I stated that in the current situation the action, not the race, is what matters. The fact that these innocent children were being exposed to this repulsive pervert is what mattered. Not his race. Following my post, many readers felt that I should also care about the race of the suspect. After all, those are the people we are trying to avoid right? It’s nice to know that even with an African America president, and a widely diverse country, people let one criminal’s race define the rest of that population (notice my sarcasm here). It is just absolutely ridiculous! Who would want one person’s behavior to represent their entire race? No one! So why are these readers so quick to judge? Should we not trust Caucasian men from Texas because of the way George Bush ran his presidency? Dakota Fanning could have done a better job! I could have done a better job! And, if you have watched Fahrenheit 9/11, you would definitely side with me on this. If not, please go see it. Every single person living in America should go see it. You will be surprised and shocked by the truth behind this unnecessary war.
Ok I’ve seemed to have jumped off subject. Ok, back on now! Race alone does not defy the actions of any person. Let me give you a for instance: In this article: http://www.northcountytimes.com/articles/2009/01/05/news/coastal/vista/z4b865b40f9718b2d88257535005b578a.txt the news about a man stealing a dead woman’s purse after she was in a fatal car accident came out in order to catch the heartless thief. There this poor dead woman lies on the ground dead from her injuries and here comes a man to steal her purse. It’s a sad story already; however, the readers turn it into an argument about race. Was the dead woman legal? Was the thief white? Why are nice cities like this being invaded with people from the south? Etc, etc, etc! There’s even a picture of a Klansman representing the reader’s comments. It just goes on and on and on! So I ask myself: Why isn’t the news enough? What are you trying to dignify with such stupid
questions? Why not just post a prayer or send your condolences to the victim’s family? It is a bigot world unfortunately.
This blog may seem more of a rant than anything else and I do apologize if you happen to be offended. I have much more to say on this issue and hope to one day write a book based on my experience on racism. Trust me, I have the experience! I just hope and wish that people, like those readers on that website, would look beyond a stereotype and look beyond color. We all have the same functions and organs inside but are painted differently. The red crayon is no different than the blue crayon on the inside. They may be different colors, but they come from the same wax.
On northcountytimes.com, readers are allowed to post comments on any stories/articles they read. I’m an avid reader on this website and often am surprised to the amount of ignorance exposed by the comments of these readers. I never post any comments myself; however, the one time I did post, I was literally attacked. I had read an article of a man who was arrested for par
king in front of elementary schools for hours at a time and had been suspected as being a pedophile. I scrolled down the article and read comments from some of the readers. The article did not mention the race of the man and was just focusing on the grounds of his arrest. Immediately following the article were comments asking about his race. Several readers were guessing that the man is Hispanic and many other were complaining about how the Hispanic race commits all these crimes. I posted a brief paragraph asking the readers why the suspect’s race would matter. I stated that in the current situation the action, not the race, is what matters. The fact that these innocent children were being exposed to this repulsive pervert is what mattered. Not his race. Following my post, many readers felt that I should also care about the race of the suspect. After all, those are the people we are trying to avoid right? It’s nice to know that even with an African America president, and a widely diverse country, people let one criminal’s race define the rest of that population (notice my sarcasm here). It is just absolutely ridiculous! Who would want one person’s behavior to represent their entire race? No one! So why are these readers so quick to judge? Should we not trust Caucasian men from Texas because of the way George Bush ran his presidency? Dakota Fanning could have done a better job! I could have done a better job! And, if you have watched Fahrenheit 9/11, you would definitely side with me on this. If not, please go see it. Every single person living in America should go see it. You will be surprised and shocked by the truth behind this unnecessary war.Ok I’ve seemed to have jumped off subject. Ok, back on now! Race alone does not defy the actions of any person. Let me give you a for instance: In this article: http://www.northcountytimes.com/articles/2009/01/05/news/coastal/vista/z4b865b40f9718b2d88257535005b578a.txt the news about a man stealing a dead woman’s purse after she was in a fatal car accident came out in order to catch the heartless thief. There this poor dead woman lies on the ground dead from her injuries and here comes a man to steal her purse. It’s a sad story already; however, the readers turn it into an argument about race. Was the dead woman legal? Was the thief white? Why are nice cities like this being invaded with people from the south? Etc, etc, etc! There’s even a picture of a Klansman representing the reader’s comments. It just goes on and on and on! So I ask myself: Why isn’t the news enough? What are you trying to dignify with such stupid
questions? Why not just post a prayer or send your condolences to the victim’s family? It is a bigot world unfortunately.This blog may seem more of a rant than anything else and I do apologize if you happen to be offended. I have much more to say on this issue and hope to one day write a book based on my experience on racism. Trust me, I have the experience! I just hope and wish that people, like those readers on that website, would look beyond a stereotype and look beyond color. We all have the same functions and organs inside but are painted differently. The red crayon is no different than the blue crayon on the inside. They may be different colors, but they come from the same wax.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
In these hard times........
We all know that the economy is bad and that many people are losing their jobs and blah, blah, blah! Well, I set out to understand what exactly does it mean when people say that “the economy is bad.” I’ve come to find out that when people talk about the economy on
ly 1 out of 10 people know what they are talking about. The other 9 just shake their heads and agree on how bad it is. I know because I used to be one of them. No, this is not a scientific study I conducted. This is just my rough estimate.
So, take for instance, a bank loans you a dollar. You have a certain pay back plan to pay back that dollar even though you can’t really afford it. The bank, however, got that dollar from somewhere else who has many more dollars and investors who support that bank. So now, you go along your merry way and think about the great things you can do with the dollar and you try not to overspend because you must save it for emergencies and what not. But, the bank did let you borrow the dollar in the first place because they trust your financial decisions. The bank will always be there, so you say, what the heck! I’ll spend all of it and just enjoy it. But suddenly, you made poor financial decisions and can no longer pay back the bank. What will you do? Well……..You won’t pay back the bank! So now, the bank is left with your debt to pay back to their investors. And, if the bank can’t pay back their investors, they find another bank to help them out. It’s an endless chain all connected to that one dollar bill with increasing fees of all kinds getting into even more debt. If all businesses can’t be financially supported with the help of these banks, then they go bankrupt leaving people without a job. There are other factors that contribute to the economy being bad. I don’t understand them all. But what I just explained is a big one. Just ask Washington Mutual.
The other day I read an article about a man robbing a convenient store. The man busted into the early hours of the store, pointed a gun at the cashier, his hand shaking as he demanded cash, and thanked the cashier before he left. When the cop interviewed the cashier, the cashier said that he wasn’t afraid of the robber. He said that when the robber was holding up the gun, the robber’s hand was shaky and he started to cry. The robber then apologized to the cashier and asked him to forgive him for what he was doing. The cashier knew the robber was not going to hurt him. In fact, he knew that if he didn’t give the robber the money, the robber probably still wouldn't hurt him. But the cashier felt sorry for him and gave all of the money he had. The cop categorized the robber as a non-career criminal. He figured that he must be someone who was greatly effected by the economy and saw this as an only option to get money.
In another related article, a man lost his job as well and was looking for another as fast as possible. When he wasn’t having any luck, he decided to look for a job in an unconventional way. In his downtown district, he wore a sandwich sign asking for a job with his resume posted on the back. In some time, he was spotted by a coveted executive and offered him a six figure salary job.
There are different ways that one can manage the stress and heart ache of this recession. Even though I would have felt sorry for the robber and gave him the money just like the cashier did, it doesn’t mean it was right. I did feel sorry for him, but he still committed a crime. Is this how far our economic status have pushed us? I’ve been there! I’ve had those “oh my god, I don’t have any money! What am I g
oing to do?” moments. But nowhere near threatening someone’s life over it. Luckily, I’ve always had family and friends to bail me out of any situation. Which is why I’m so grateful for them. This holiday season, there is no one else I would rather be with than with them. So, if you happen to be hit hard with this recession, hang in there. If you’re still breathing, you’re going to be ok. Surround yourself with loved ones and get back on your feet. Have a very Marry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year!!!
ly 1 out of 10 people know what they are talking about. The other 9 just shake their heads and agree on how bad it is. I know because I used to be one of them. No, this is not a scientific study I conducted. This is just my rough estimate.So, take for instance, a bank loans you a dollar. You have a certain pay back plan to pay back that dollar even though you can’t really afford it. The bank, however, got that dollar from somewhere else who has many more dollars and investors who support that bank. So now, you go along your merry way and think about the great things you can do with the dollar and you try not to overspend because you must save it for emergencies and what not. But, the bank did let you borrow the dollar in the first place because they trust your financial decisions. The bank will always be there, so you say, what the heck! I’ll spend all of it and just enjoy it. But suddenly, you made poor financial decisions and can no longer pay back the bank. What will you do? Well……..You won’t pay back the bank! So now, the bank is left with your debt to pay back to their investors. And, if the bank can’t pay back their investors, they find another bank to help them out. It’s an endless chain all connected to that one dollar bill with increasing fees of all kinds getting into even more debt. If all businesses can’t be financially supported with the help of these banks, then they go bankrupt leaving people without a job. There are other factors that contribute to the economy being bad. I don’t understand them all. But what I just explained is a big one. Just ask Washington Mutual.
The other day I read an article about a man robbing a convenient store. The man busted into the early hours of the store, pointed a gun at the cashier, his hand shaking as he demanded cash, and thanked the cashier before he left. When the cop interviewed the cashier, the cashier said that he wasn’t afraid of the robber. He said that when the robber was holding up the gun, the robber’s hand was shaky and he started to cry. The robber then apologized to the cashier and asked him to forgive him for what he was doing. The cashier knew the robber was not going to hurt him. In fact, he knew that if he didn’t give the robber the money, the robber probably still wouldn't hurt him. But the cashier felt sorry for him and gave all of the money he had. The cop categorized the robber as a non-career criminal. He figured that he must be someone who was greatly effected by the economy and saw this as an only option to get money.
In another related article, a man lost his job as well and was looking for another as fast as possible. When he wasn’t having any luck, he decided to look for a job in an unconventional way. In his downtown district, he wore a sandwich sign asking for a job with his resume posted on the back. In some time, he was spotted by a coveted executive and offered him a six figure salary job.
There are different ways that one can manage the stress and heart ache of this recession. Even though I would have felt sorry for the robber and gave him the money just like the cashier did, it doesn’t mean it was right. I did feel sorry for him, but he still committed a crime. Is this how far our economic status have pushed us? I’ve been there! I’ve had those “oh my god, I don’t have any money! What am I g
oing to do?” moments. But nowhere near threatening someone’s life over it. Luckily, I’ve always had family and friends to bail me out of any situation. Which is why I’m so grateful for them. This holiday season, there is no one else I would rather be with than with them. So, if you happen to be hit hard with this recession, hang in there. If you’re still breathing, you’re going to be ok. Surround yourself with loved ones and get back on your feet. Have a very Marry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year!!!
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