You know its okay to choke your coach in sports because it seems if you are an exceptional athlete, you can find a team that will pay you. Its okay to kill because you were bullied or you want to be a bully in a gang and "they" told you you had to do it to be a part of their group. Its okay to demonstrate and scream loudly at the burial of the loved one of someone else because we have the freedom of speech. Its okay to overspend then spend some more because someone will bail you out and even if you don't have the money, its okay because we have laws to protect you. Its okay to cheat the government on your taxes, cheat the movie theater on the age of your children, cheat in a game, cheat your employer, cheat on a test because no one will ever know and if no one knows....well.... then its okay. Its okay to write disparaging things on the internet because you don't have to sign your real name and no one will be able to do anything about what you write. Not that anyone cares but even if they did, no one would know you did it so....its okay. Its okay to be rude, to be disrespectful, or to be selfish because humility is no longer laudable, respect is no longer demanded and well....rudeness is acceptable behavior.
Where is our moral compass? Where is our set of values? Where are we going wrong? We make excuses for everything we do wrong. We no longer need to say I am sorry because well.... its okay.
Accountability is lost. If you find it, please tell it to hurry home.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Faith Matters
Faith matters. A belief in God is more important than the place where you worship Him or the way in which you worship Him. You need to worship Him. You need to thank Him for your life. You need to thank Him for the gifts He gives you. You need to hit your knees, or lay in your bed, or stand in your kitchen and thank Him. Prayer doesn't have a specific place in which it happens nor a time a day that God is open for business. You need to thank Him so you don't spend all the time apologizing to Him when you turn to Him during a time you need Him to help you. It will come. You will need Him. Know him before that time. Thank him before that time.
When you become caught up in the specifics, you only open yourself to losing the big picture. If you don't like the church where you worship God, then change the church! Don't allow it to change your ability to worship Him. Don't allow it to change your ability to recognize Him and the blessings He gives your life. Sure you can ignore Him and find a reason to justify it. You can choose not to listen. You can choose to run the other way but I know you. I know your heart. I see you. You live your life by God's rules. Your moral compass is His.
Have faith. Faith matters and I can only ask that you remember, "Excuses only satisfy the people that make them." Don't ever find an excuse that makes you lose faith. I have faith in God and my son...., I have faith in you.
When you become caught up in the specifics, you only open yourself to losing the big picture. If you don't like the church where you worship God, then change the church! Don't allow it to change your ability to worship Him. Don't allow it to change your ability to recognize Him and the blessings He gives your life. Sure you can ignore Him and find a reason to justify it. You can choose not to listen. You can choose to run the other way but I know you. I know your heart. I see you. You live your life by God's rules. Your moral compass is His.
Have faith. Faith matters and I can only ask that you remember, "Excuses only satisfy the people that make them." Don't ever find an excuse that makes you lose faith. I have faith in God and my son...., I have faith in you.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Fire and Brimstone!
I was raised in a Catholic household. We attended church on a regular basis and I eventually obtained my membership card from God in the 9th Grade like most catholic children do. However, it wasn't until after I grew and educated myself that I really began to struggle with the possibility that any God could exist, and that if he did....a religious system would be able to follow his teachings perfectly.
My first issue is the wishy-washy stance of the Catholic Church throughout its reign as the major representation of Christianity. People like Galileo, who thought that perhaps the sun was the center of the universe, were charged with crimes by the Church for blasphemy. The Church held the Ten Commandments as the true word of God, but ordered thousands of soldiers to rush Jerusalem 11 times in order to kill Muslims and regain the holy land. Families like the Medici in Florence, Italy used their influence to rig the votes and elect a pope of their own corrupt family.
We're told to use faith in God to guide us through our troubles. But...when it comes down to it, I'll never put my faith and trust in an organization run by the sins and whims of man lurking under the shroud of "God's word."
Thursday, May 19, 2011
The Pen Is Mightier
You gotta spend some time, love. You gotta spend some time with me, and I'll know that you'll find love. I will possess your heart.
Music is my armor. Music is my sword. Music is my shield.
If I were to ever admit an addiction to anything, I think music might be my drug of choice. It's something that I can't live without. I like words, and I also carry somewhat of a torch for sounds. So...of course, putting the two together would yield astronomical results of my patronage.
Music is, in my opinion, the greatest expression of human emotion. Yin and Yang represent the dualism of all things in life, and I believe music to be the only art form capable of capturing both the raw, intangible feelings of sound while restraining the disorder of sound with the expressive, logical power of words.
Every menial task in life is just better with music added to the fray. It's like the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae. Without it, life lacks the necessary flare to get the mouth watering. I like to listen to music while I shower, walk to class, drive in the car, and even when I sleep. The only thing greater than finding power and identification in oneself is finding it in the words of another, knowing that you aren't alone in your struggle.
If you never stop when you wave goodbye, you just might find...if you give it time you will wave hello again.
See you tomorrow,
JR
Music is my armor. Music is my sword. Music is my shield.
If I were to ever admit an addiction to anything, I think music might be my drug of choice. It's something that I can't live without. I like words, and I also carry somewhat of a torch for sounds. So...of course, putting the two together would yield astronomical results of my patronage.
Music is, in my opinion, the greatest expression of human emotion. Yin and Yang represent the dualism of all things in life, and I believe music to be the only art form capable of capturing both the raw, intangible feelings of sound while restraining the disorder of sound with the expressive, logical power of words.
Every menial task in life is just better with music added to the fray. It's like the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae. Without it, life lacks the necessary flare to get the mouth watering. I like to listen to music while I shower, walk to class, drive in the car, and even when I sleep. The only thing greater than finding power and identification in oneself is finding it in the words of another, knowing that you aren't alone in your struggle.
If you never stop when you wave goodbye, you just might find...if you give it time you will wave hello again.
See you tomorrow,
JR
Music to my Ears, Heart and Soul
Isn't it amazing how quickly a song is able to transport you? You are in a car driving; the first few notes of music on the radio slowly creep into your head and stir up a memory or two that literally are capable of transporting you to another time in your life. I love the gift of music and its ability to wrap itself around you like an old friend.
Jake enjoys that gift and has since he was in utero. I can remember listening to music when I was pregnant with him and he would be kicking along with the beat. It actually was quite entertaining and today, it is still entertaining watching him tap a beat to a song in his head or sing loudly to one on the music he plays (rather loudly) in his car. Music has charmed him and I can only imagine how it too will be a gift that carries him away. I know or at least I want to believe with conviction that there are several songs that upon hearing them, Jake will think of me long after I am gone and those songs will provide him comfort.
Though I like a good upbeat-dance-until-you-drop kind of song, it's the soulful-sung-from-the-heart song that is my friend. I am not a country girl though Kaitie has given me an appreciation for several songs, but if you give me Elton John, Billy Joel, Kenny Loggins, Hootie, Anita Baker, and Carole King, I can wallow all day.
I wish I could publish a song. I know I am capable of writing a poem but I would love to create the music that would accompany it. What a head rush that must be for a songwriter to know that it is their song, their thoughts and their music that will be a gift to someone they have never met. Honestly though, I know that is not in the cards for me. Its no different that I am capable of having a creative idea but I need a friend or family member to take the idea, grow it and ultimately give birth to it. And that idea that I had looks SO much better than I could have ever imagined.
What moves you? What song feels like an old friend? Listen to that friend today, welcome them into your life for just a few minutes.....and enjoy.
Jake enjoys that gift and has since he was in utero. I can remember listening to music when I was pregnant with him and he would be kicking along with the beat. It actually was quite entertaining and today, it is still entertaining watching him tap a beat to a song in his head or sing loudly to one on the music he plays (rather loudly) in his car. Music has charmed him and I can only imagine how it too will be a gift that carries him away. I know or at least I want to believe with conviction that there are several songs that upon hearing them, Jake will think of me long after I am gone and those songs will provide him comfort.
Though I like a good upbeat-dance-until-you-drop kind of song, it's the soulful-sung-from-the-heart song that is my friend. I am not a country girl though Kaitie has given me an appreciation for several songs, but if you give me Elton John, Billy Joel, Kenny Loggins, Hootie, Anita Baker, and Carole King, I can wallow all day.
I wish I could publish a song. I know I am capable of writing a poem but I would love to create the music that would accompany it. What a head rush that must be for a songwriter to know that it is their song, their thoughts and their music that will be a gift to someone they have never met. Honestly though, I know that is not in the cards for me. Its no different that I am capable of having a creative idea but I need a friend or family member to take the idea, grow it and ultimately give birth to it. And that idea that I had looks SO much better than I could have ever imagined.
What moves you? What song feels like an old friend? Listen to that friend today, welcome them into your life for just a few minutes.....and enjoy.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
The Power of Words
The banter in Castle is what makes that show! Though the actors are an integral part of the show, the writers are the most critical component. I love intelligent dialog. Don't get me wrong, I can digress and fall into somewhat of a comedic non-intellectual conversation but I so appreciate witty banter. My sisters are all quick-witted in the verbal arena and often exchange jabs in a comedic banter. Banter does fill time... it satisfies the need to fuss at someone without ever raising your voice or saying something painful and it even allows you to poke fun...Jake is able to banter with friends where sometimes you need a roadmap to keep up but its so much fun when you are able to not only keep the pace, but contribute to the conversation!
Castle, at its inception, reversed the pattern of media and the written word. Usually books are written then someone in electronic media picks them up and they become a movie or the basis for a television show. This show produced a book at the end of the first season so when the main character Richard Castle released his novel it coincided in "real-life" with the release of the same book. With regard to Castle last night, I have to agree that it was yet again the end to another well-written season. The cliff-hanger left me to question whether or not we already know who is the mastermind behind the death of Beckett's mother. Could they do the un-obvious or more importantly would they do the unthinkable? I also read into several looks and cleverly placed comments that make me wonder the unspeakable. The writer's tease of the visual exchange between the jailed-killer and Castle, the inferences that the "master-mind" earned his wealth on the backs of nefarious activities and the fact that Captain Montgomery said he was always able to control Castle's presence. Could Castle know more than we think? The show is a ground-breaker-- would they actually plan a show for a specific amount of time then put it to bed with the unthinkable? Don't get me wrong-- I don't actually think that Castle is the bad guy-- I was just thinking out loud and trying to get into the minds of the writers. I can't wait to see what comes next.
Here's a tidbit of information that Jake and I just learned when updating our blog that fits into this whole word blog. We stumbled across the following quote. I didn't know what it meant so I asked Jake to read the translation to me....and because he is a child of the technological age.... he responded with a copy it then paste it into google because it will tell you what the quote means. So I did....
Castle, at its inception, reversed the pattern of media and the written word. Usually books are written then someone in electronic media picks them up and they become a movie or the basis for a television show. This show produced a book at the end of the first season so when the main character Richard Castle released his novel it coincided in "real-life" with the release of the same book. With regard to Castle last night, I have to agree that it was yet again the end to another well-written season. The cliff-hanger left me to question whether or not we already know who is the mastermind behind the death of Beckett's mother. Could they do the un-obvious or more importantly would they do the unthinkable? I also read into several looks and cleverly placed comments that make me wonder the unspeakable. The writer's tease of the visual exchange between the jailed-killer and Castle, the inferences that the "master-mind" earned his wealth on the backs of nefarious activities and the fact that Captain Montgomery said he was always able to control Castle's presence. Could Castle know more than we think? The show is a ground-breaker-- would they actually plan a show for a specific amount of time then put it to bed with the unthinkable? Don't get me wrong-- I don't actually think that Castle is the bad guy-- I was just thinking out loud and trying to get into the minds of the writers. I can't wait to see what comes next.
Here's a tidbit of information that Jake and I just learned when updating our blog that fits into this whole word blog. We stumbled across the following quote. I didn't know what it meant so I asked Jake to read the translation to me....and because he is a child of the technological age.... he responded with a copy it then paste it into google because it will tell you what the quote means. So I did....
"Lorem ipsum vim ut utroque mandamus intellegebat, ut eam omittam ancillae sadipscing, per et eius soluta veritus."
This is referred to as "GREEKING." In publishing and graphic design, lorem ipsum is the name given to commonly used placeholder text (filler text) to demonstrate the graphic elements of a document or visual presentation, such as font, typography, and layout.
Now you too have learned something new today! Don't you love learning new things?
One small step for man, One giant leap into the world of modern network television.
You know that phrase "It's hard to find good help these days"? That one phrase where everyone gets nostalgic over "the glory days" that they're reliving through a new prescription of rose colored glasses. Well, I've got my own little quip.
It's hard to find good programming these days. I'm not saying it to flaunt around my hipster banner, I'm just tired of television networks rebroadcasting old,repetitive ideas under the guise of new programming. However, there is one show that really entertains me on a wave of conscious and sub-conscious levels.- Thanks Mr. Freud. - My family and I watched a very dramatic and thrilling season three finale of Castle last night. There are a few quirks about Castle that really strike my fancy, and I thought my affection for this show would be a very worthy subject for my first blog post.
First, and easily the most important to me, is the witty, and often comedic, manner in which the show is written. I'm a huge fan of banter and Castle seems to cater to my needs more than most comedies do. The often extraordinary lengths to which Nathan Fillion's character, Richard Castle, will go to prove his most recent conspiracy theory's connection to the case at hand offers a lighter and more playful perspective on what is, at the base of it all, a cold-blooded murder.
Another key element is the hush-hush romance developing between the shows lead stars. It's nothing to write home about, but after three seasons of winks, long glances, and the occasional near-confession, it's at least something substantial to hold itself as a key element to the show's success. Everyone sees how great a pair they would be and thus sits on the edge of their seats when given even the slightest inkling that something will finally give. I might even go so far as to say I'm so invested in the romantic tension between Castle and Beckett that I've developed some form of vicarium complex for the two.
Castle truly is the perfect staple of genre convergence in modern television. Can anyone else think of a Romantaction Dramedy?
JR
It's hard to find good programming these days. I'm not saying it to flaunt around my hipster banner, I'm just tired of television networks rebroadcasting old,repetitive ideas under the guise of new programming. However, there is one show that really entertains me on a wave of conscious and sub-conscious levels.- Thanks Mr. Freud. - My family and I watched a very dramatic and thrilling season three finale of Castle last night. There are a few quirks about Castle that really strike my fancy, and I thought my affection for this show would be a very worthy subject for my first blog post.
First, and easily the most important to me, is the witty, and often comedic, manner in which the show is written. I'm a huge fan of banter and Castle seems to cater to my needs more than most comedies do. The often extraordinary lengths to which Nathan Fillion's character, Richard Castle, will go to prove his most recent conspiracy theory's connection to the case at hand offers a lighter and more playful perspective on what is, at the base of it all, a cold-blooded murder.
Another key element is the hush-hush romance developing between the shows lead stars. It's nothing to write home about, but after three seasons of winks, long glances, and the occasional near-confession, it's at least something substantial to hold itself as a key element to the show's success. Everyone sees how great a pair they would be and thus sits on the edge of their seats when given even the slightest inkling that something will finally give. I might even go so far as to say I'm so invested in the romantic tension between Castle and Beckett that I've developed some form of vicarium complex for the two.
Castle truly is the perfect staple of genre convergence in modern television. Can anyone else think of a Romantaction Dramedy?
JR
eyeBLOGeweBLOG: the beginning
Since Jake is home for the summer, I decided I need to encourage him to write so he and I are going to BLOG together. I am not really sure what path this blog is going to take, but we are going to head down the path together. You see Jake has an incredible ability to write and he truly has A LOT of opinions and maybe if I can get him to comment on at least half of them, we can create something worth sharing with others.
When Jake was younger, bless his heart -- he was a last minute child. He would always save that paper he needed to write until the night before it was due. Fortunately for him, that process always yielded two great things. The first being the paper itself filled with Jake's swirling thoughts that he managed to capture while under pressure to arrive safely at the deadline and the second was he would always leave the "paper" up on the family computer so I was able to read it. Okay sure, there might be a grammatical error or two because he was in desperate need of a proof-reader.... but the papers were good! And I enjoyed reading them!
Then Jake left for college where papers are a project that are written away from the family computer and only shared with Mom when the timing of sending it to the professor was in sync with the in-bound phone call from her. Then Mom would beg for the opportunity to read something....anything.... that he wrote. You know mothers are a rather resourceful group of individuals so this is my solution.
When Jake was younger, bless his heart -- he was a last minute child. He would always save that paper he needed to write until the night before it was due. Fortunately for him, that process always yielded two great things. The first being the paper itself filled with Jake's swirling thoughts that he managed to capture while under pressure to arrive safely at the deadline and the second was he would always leave the "paper" up on the family computer so I was able to read it. Okay sure, there might be a grammatical error or two because he was in desperate need of a proof-reader.... but the papers were good! And I enjoyed reading them!
Then Jake left for college where papers are a project that are written away from the family computer and only shared with Mom when the timing of sending it to the professor was in sync with the in-bound phone call from her. Then Mom would beg for the opportunity to read something....anything.... that he wrote. You know mothers are a rather resourceful group of individuals so this is my solution.
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