So You Think It's Easy

Reality

2013-06-10T12:22:00.001-07:00

What has been the effect of reality TV on our society? Is it creating value? Does it make us feel safe and secure in our private lives? Let's think about this. Today, The Grio (June 10,2013), posted the article: "Reality TV and the new Black Leading Lady", http://www.thegrio.com. After reading the article, I felt something was missing. Of course, we have many positive images of Black women doing well, such as The First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, Mrs. Obama's mother, Marian Robinson who has shown us that it is possible to have a successful family environment, by raising two successful children , Michelle and her Brother, Craig Robinson with the help of their now deceased Father, Fraser Robinson. The way I see it, that is the best reality show we as Black Americans can see. The Obama's are showing us that we do not have to accept less, no matter what. It is always our choice.

On the other hand, Reality TV is showing us a different reality that is most commonly thought of as the new role models for Black Americans. The truth is, every kind of person exist. The superficiality of Reality TV is effectively wrecking the perception of what we should expect from our women and men today. I have heard people talk about these shows as if they are to be emulated. I am specifically referring to the shows like The Real Housewives, Married to Medicine, Basketball Wives, and Keeping up with the Kardashian's which in my opinion offer devastatingly sad examples of what it is to be a woman today. First of all, most of them are not wives. They make it seem that all we need a man for is to get money so that we can shop til' we drop and drink gallons of wine, all the while disrespecting the women and men that we know as our friends, family and associates. I do not have daughters, but I do have a son and I believe that these kind of images are not good for either our daughters or our sons.

As far as the other TV show, "Scandal" is concerned, this is not a reality show as we know them. Scandal is a scripted story that was derived from a true story of a professional fixer, named Judy Smith, another successful Black Woman. By choosing Judy's story and choosing the dynamite young actress, Kerry Washington to play the role of Olivia Pope, Shonda Rimes, Executive Producer and Screenwriter for Scandal, has once again complimented the talent and genius of successful Black women like herself. Kerry and Shonda have made all of us want to see this show week after week, because they are doing a great job. In other words, they are doing the job they decided to do and doing it well. For that, we should be proud. In my opinion, we should be looking at the reality of the world we live in and doing our best to do our best, no matter what and remember that we always have choice. We can be like The Real Housewives, Michelle Obama, Kerry Washington or Shonda Rimes. It all depends on what we want for our lives and that of our children.

Fairness

2013-06-08T16:10:00.000-07:00

Moving from country to country in South America, reporting from across the drugs frontline and interviewing top-level international politicians this film exposes the human cost of one of the most popular drugs on the London streets. Combining reportage from the drugs front line and interviews with those top-level international politicians who are campaigning to get us in the West to take real responsibility for our drugs problem, Cocaine Unwrapped presents prohibition in a wholly new light. Written by Anonymous http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2023438/

Last night as I was watching the documentary, called "Cocaine Unwrapped" on Current TV, I was amazed to finally see the real human disasters that occur because of this long-standing scourge on our society called the Illegal Drug Trade. American families face the incessant problem of seeing our young people being arrested, imprisoned, or killed for illegal possession or sale of cocaine and many other illegal drugs. But that is only part of the tragedy of the drug trade. As I watched the Cocoa farmers fighting to save their cocoa crop so that they could maintain their centuries old tradition of producing the cocoa plant for their livelihood, I began to perceive the ugly truth of the length and depth human beings will go to attain the almighty dollar.

You see, my concern is the people who are paid next to nothing to produce and sell this crop that they feel an allegiance to, yet they face poverty produced by the greed of the drug lords who make millions distributing this sinister drug yet do not feel the need to compensate the cocoa farmers with a wage this is equitable and fair. Then there is the constant fight with the government of Bolivia, Columbia, and the United States who seek to destroy the crop because of the problems that may be attributed to the illegal drug trade throughout our communities around the world, and yet the cocoa plant has so many other important uses that do contribute to the health of our society. " Cocoa leaves are said to be rich in many essential nutrients. They have been used to ease respiratory and digestive distress and are a natural stimulant and painkiller. Indigenous tradition and scientific studies have both confirmed that in their natural form, the leaves are completely safe and non-addictive-it takes intensive processing and toxic chemical ingredients to produce cocaine"http://www.naturalnews.com/032658_Coca-Cola_cocaine.html, (Adams, M. Natural News, 2011).

So my question to you is: Is it fair that the cocoa farmers should suffer from poverty, fear, and deprivation, while the illegal drug trade brokers and companies like Coca Cola make millions on their backs? What is fair about that? Here is one more opportunity for us to be concerned about how the greed and selfishness of a few can hurt so many. I sincerely hope that we can find our compassion and humanity so that there is the real possibility for a society that is creating value.

Trust & Personal Privacy

2013-06-07T14:14:00.000-07:00

Who do you trust? Should we trust that the Federal Government is working to protect us on a daily basis? Are the policies and regulations that they put in place geared to take care of the needs of the many or the few? There is a lot of talk about the National Security Agency gathering information about our phone calls in an effort to protect us from the hazards of terrorism. It seems that the people are up in arms about this situation. Do you think it is important for us to know the details about every move that is made by the NSA?

Of course, we do not want to feel like our personal privacy is being diminished, however we do need to let our government officials do their job for the good of the entire country don't we? Personally, I do not think we want to hamstring the officials keeping them from doing their jobs in the name of personal privacy. I think the only thing we can do is insist that there is no abuse of power while the NSA is doing their job to protect us.

I think that there are too many people trying to do everybody else's job. We need to focus on what we do and do that well and let the people with the enormous job of keeping America safe do their jobs.

So You Think It's Easy: Diary of a Mad Black Woman (Perry, Tyler, 2005)

2013-06-06T12:00:00.001-07:00

So You Think It's Easy: Diary of a Mad Black Woman (Perry, Tyler, 2005): First Lady Michelle Obama was interrupted by a protester for LGBT rights at a private fundraiser Tuesday night, and according to the Hu...

Diary of a Mad Black Woman (Perry, Tyler, 2005)

2013-06-06T11:58:00.000-07:00

First Lady Michelle Obama was interrupted by a protester for LGBT rights at a private fundraiser Tuesday night, and according to the Huffington Post, she stopped her speech and told the heckler to stop or she would leave. (Blogher,2013)

A lot has been written about Michelle Obama, the First Lady of the United States. How dare they? Now, after all of her positive contributions to the United States and its people, the pundits have dared to call her an "Angry Black Woman." The truth is she is the most powerful woman in America today, and she has every right to express her disapproval when she is being accosted by an "Angry White Woman"! This experience is further proof that Americans are still not ready for prime time.

This goes beyond an Angry Black or White Woman. Congress was a little irritated when Hilary Clinton, Secretary of State dared to call them on their pettiness about the Benghazi issues. Now they are irritated about the fact that President Obama has appointed Susan Rice as the new National Security Adviser for the United States, replacing her with Samantha Power as the new Ambassador to the United Nations.

It is obvious that there is a need for some to think that we must turn back the clock so that they can regain their feeling of being relevant. The sad reality is, those people need to wake up and realize that the world is leaving them behind. While they continue to spew hatred toward the President and The First Lady as well as other successful women, force ugly restrictions on those of our society who are most in need of help, the world continues to move forward. I am appalled at the daily onslaught of hatred and foolishness that comes out of the mouths of those who feel like they are loosing their power. They have totally lost their grip on reality. They lie awake at night wondering, with all of their money, fancy clothes, luscious homes, children in private schools, good healthy food to eat, nice cars to drive or be chauffeured in, decadent vacations, and all of the accouterments of the "American Dream," why are they not happy? Remember, that old saying, "misery likes company", well they are apparently miserable and would like the rest of the world to be miserable too. If they could just realize that helping others to reach their dreams is what makes you happy, then use their power and money to contribute to the success of others, they would not have to live with the fear of losing their relevance.
They would finally get a good night's sleep and wake up with a genuine smile on their faces, because they have made themselves happy by helping others.....

Let's Talk

2013-06-05T10:23:00.001-07:00

I am so concerned these days about the state of our union. What leaves me so concerned, is the fact that I believe that we are continuing to miss the point. The calamities that we face on a daily basis, tornadoes, building collapses, lack of gun control, lack of care for the health and welfare of our neighbors, the feeling that only a certain part of our society deserves to be happy, out of control diseases, out of control debt, poverty, poor educational systems, mental health problems, cultural diversity, global trade and a propensity toward superficiality. The challenges in daily life compel us to open our eyes and reach deep within ourselves to see what we must do to create value, to make a difference! Instead of thinking that it is someone else's problem, we must take the initiative to think more responsibly, understanding that everything that happens to someone else is also happening to you. Every time someone is killed, it is happening to you too. Think about the person that did the killing, or abused the child, or lied on you to your boss or spouse; these people are a reflection of the unhappiness that exist in our world. It not only affects your neighbor or someone in Indonesia, or India or China, it affects you too, wherever you live, work, or play. We are truly connected. Look around you. Nothing happens in isolation. We are all affected. So, what can we do to make it better? It only takes one person to start the boomerang to moving. We must start from a place of caring. Learn to care about yourself first, then you will naturally start to look up and see others that you can care about as well.

2013-06-04T08:35:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone:

I am back! I have not been blogging for an entire year. The last time I made an entry I was concerned about love and its effect on a relationship. Remember- What's love got to do with it? Well, I do not have an answer for that question. So let's move on...

What is happening to our world? What is going to be the result of this never-ending battle with Congress, the White House, and the President. Why is it so easy for us to accept the destruction of our democratic system? Do we not care enough to do something about the obstruction of Congress? Can we as American citizens intervene to make this change a reality or am I just naive? It seems to me that everything is at a standstill and we are sitting by idly letting it happen. We need to get beyond this gridlock so that we can move on and let the natural cleansing and positive changes that are supposed to happen manifest. As long as we take no action, we will continue to see rising unemployment, and poverty of the masses. Do we want to live in a world where only a few can live a decent life? Please give me your thoughts, I would like to see some really active responses that will help us move this conversation forward and make a difference.

What's Love Got to do with It?

2012-05-18T07:14:00.000-07:00

Love.....

So you think you are in love. That is such a wonderful feeling, especially when it is reciprocated. One-sided relationships are just awful! No matter how many excuses you make to justify why the other person does not love you, it never adds up. So the best thing to do is get out of the relationship as quickly as you can. Do not allow yourself to suffer. Why should you? I have come to the conclusion that it is worse to delude yourself into thinking the person will change. You cannot force someone, or will someone to love you back. I often wonder if it is possible for a relationship to be fully equal on both sides. Sometimes people stay in relationships that are one-sided because they lack the esteem required to leave. Somehow they think they will never have a better relationship. I believe that we get whatever we accept. If that is truly the case, then why not accept what feels good.....

Why is everyone so mean?

2012-05-16T06:31:00.000-07:00

Happiness...

It seems we are getting meaner by the day. What is up with that? What has happened to a society that no longer cares for their neighbor? What has happened to a society where everyone is out for themselves regardless of the consequence to others in their environment? Happiness has lost the great meaning that it used to have. It is somehow defined by how much pain one can inflict on another. Do you really want to define your happiness based on someone else's unhappiness? Children are being bullied daily by a child that is obviously unhappy. They think making someone else's life as miserable as theirs is going to make them feel better. This is definitely a psychosis that has taken over our thinking; not just in children, but in adults as well. These same adults were at some other time, an unhappy child. So they continue to bully, but now they have a much larger platform to work with. Social Media has given us all a platform to use to either hurt or help. In some instances, we have chosen to use it to hurt. I have even heard of teachers who use their classroom to bully the children. Bosses who use their power to bully their subordinates. Co-workers who use their power to bully other co-workers. What a terrible waste of energy this is! We can use this negative energy for something positive if we choose to do so. I promise you will feel much better if you focus on positive activities instead of negative ones. The law of cause and effect cuts both ways. You can either get a positive effect or a negative one....you choose.

2012-05-11T14:12:00.002-07:00

Happy Mother's Day!

I sincerely wish all of the many Mothers out there a Happy Mother's Day! My mother died on Mother's Day Week in 1993. However, everytime I look in the mirror I see her. Aside from the fact that I am looking more and more like her everyday, I can really see her spirit in me whenever I take the time to pay attention. Motherhood is such a journey. I hope that my son feels that I have been a good mother to him. All I can say is I have done my best! We don't get rules when we have children. Our instinctive nature is all we have and I really think that is enough! We just have to learn to listen to our hearts and we can avoid so many mistakes. Raising my son has sometimes made me feel so stupid....like I just don't know what I am doing. The only thing that keeps me going when I feel that way is, I know that there is nothing for me to do but continue. The task still has to be done, regardless to how I am feeling in the moment...so I continue.

2012-05-10T10:52:00.001-07:00

Dialogue......

Let's talk; these simple little words will sometimes put fear in the heart of the strongest person. You are sitting at your desk, your boss walks up to you or sends an email that says, let's talk. Your Mom calls you on the phone and says, let's talk. Your teacher invites you to her office for a conference, and says, let's talk. Your Dad sits on your bed, and says let's talk. No matter how the words come, they are sometimes too much to hear. Why are we so afraid to talk to each other about our feelings on a particular topic? Talking will keep you from having the stress that turns your life upside down. If you cannot talk to the person you are upset with, why not find someone else to talk about it? The worse thing you can do is keep it balled up inside of you. If you can find the courage to talk about it, you might find that it was not such an insurmountable situation. You might find that it wasn't her at all.... Is that what you are afraid of? You might find that the person that says let's talk is doing you a big favor... She or He may be saving your life.

2012-05-09T09:41:00.000-07:00

Judgement.......Who knows who?

What gives you the right to judge? We are all living our lives with the expectation that each new day is going to be better. Everybody has stuff. If you can look in the mirror and deal with your own stuff, you are doing great! So why take the time to get in to other peoples stuff? Let's see, I bet you are so scared, and disappointed about your stuff, til it is easier to look at someone's elses right? Well, guess what when you finish judging the other person, your stuff is still waiting...But remember not to be too hard on yourself....you're only human.

2012-05-08T09:02:00.001-07:00

Freedom.....

Freedom to do and say what you want when you want to. Is that real freedom? Are you feeling particularly free when you say things just because you can? Maybe you are just lashing out because you are not happy about the latest drama in your life. Does lashing out help? Maybe for that moment, you feel a little better. Real freedom is the opportunity to be and do you without fear of reprisal. Freedom is the opportunity to live your life free of the distractions that may come as a result of someone else's disagreement. So what if they disagree? We must learn to live our lives with faith in ourselves; faith in our ability to make the right decision for ourselves; remembering that other people's stuff is not your stuff! Don't let their agenda interfere with yours. Do you remember what your agenda was before you let someone else insinuate themselves and their agenda into your space?

2012-05-04T13:34:00.000-07:00

Jamming........Everybody should jam some of the time. It is so hard to live a life where there is no fun. I am afraid people have so many issues they forget to laugh and have fun. So I am making it a must do ! We must Jam this weekend! Even if it is just singing in the shower to your favorite cd! Maybe it means making mad passionate love to the person closest to you... Have a glass of wine and a light dinner, watch a great movie, listen to good music and Jam! Remember if it does not make you feel good you are not jamming!

Fear

2012-04-18T13:54:00.000-07:00

Why is everyone so mean today? Why do we feel compelled to hurt each other? It has been said that "misery likes company". Is that what is going on? Ok; let's look at it. President Obama has been abused by the Republican party members in Congress since the day he became President. They have spent the entire time that he has been in office deliberately making his job hard by refusing to work with him on any initiative he has proposed to move the country forward. They have attacked him from every vantage point. Celebrity bashing has become a favorite past time for the American public. Racism has reared it's ugly head with a vengeance. No matter what the circumstance, we seem to find pleasure in hurting each other. It makes me wonder what everyone is afraid of? Hurting others has never been a cure for anything that ills you. There is a lot to be concerned about today. People are hurting in many ways; financially the entire world seems to be suffering in one way or the other. Either we don't have enough money or we have so much, we do not appreciate it. It has been said that "money is the root of all evil". I am finally beginning to understand what that means. Just look around you, the troubles that the world is suffering with today have to do with either the lack of money and/or greed. The Wall Street debaucle was caused by greed. Because of a few greedy people the whole economy is in shambles, and the people responsible for it refuse to accept that responsibility. It is easier to blame President Obama so they do not have to look at the truth of their depravity. Women and children are being abused and de-humanized. Where is it all going to end? When are we going to stop and look at the way we are treating each other and connect the dots? I believe that every ill that our society is experiencing today is in one way or the other connected. As long as we refuse to accept that we all bear some responsibility for the success of our society we will continue to disintegrate. It seems the smarter we get, the dumber we get! It is not the government's fault! As long we continue to look for the answer outside of ourselves, we cannot move forward. We are the government!

Happy Birthday!

2011-10-19T21:01:00.001-07:00

I have just entered a new decade in my life. The great thing is that I finally know who I am. I do not have to wonder. Now I need to act in a way that will make me happy with the person I have become. I can no longer discount the truth about what I really want to do with the rest of my life. I will spend this decade becoming the person I was born to be. Goodbye old me! This is a new decade that requires a new outlook and new behavior. I am excited to accept the challenges ahead!

Trust

2011-10-18T18:45:00.000-07:00

Trust, ethics, integrity. These words are such an important part of life. Why is it so hard for us to honor one another?
> Relationships are so difficult because we have forgotten what it means to love, and honor each other. My life has been a succession of lies and dishonor. I have lied and have been lied to. I am now realizing that it is never a good idea to lie. Every lie has within it another lie that you will have to face sooner or later. So, if you don't want to be lied to, do not tell a lie. If you want to be trusted, you have to trust. You have to trust that your truth is enough. You have to believe that you are enough. No matter what!

Tears

2011-08-17T09:50:00.001-07:00

Why do we try so hard to hide our tears? Is it because we are embarrased to have feelings about whatever makes us want to cry? Is it because we do not think others care? Well, I have found that crying makes me feel better. It seems to wash away all the feelings that I have been keeping inside that do not do anything but hold me back. They hold me back because I find myself unable to act. It is like what I imagine being in a straight jacket is like. It is unhealthy to hide from our feelings. I sometimes think that a lot of the illnesses that we encounter are a result of feelings we are afraid to confront. Pretending is just another name for hiding. I believe it is more detrimental to pretend than to just be truthful with yourself and others. It does not really matter what others think about your truth. It is more important that you face your truth and live it no matter what. Remember the old adage "The truth will set you free"? Embrace your truth and be free!

Well It Is Not Easy

2010-11-18T11:53:00.001-08:00

Life is not easy. However, I like to think of each new obstacle that comes up as a challenge for me to improve my life and my point of view. My son asks me "what is the point of living if we are always having to deal with obstacles?" I was stunned to hear such a cynical thing come out of his mouth. My first inclination was to try to change him; Change his way of thinking to something I felt was more acceptable. Then I thought, well I need to listen to his point of view and try to understand it. It is so hard to explain to a young person with no real life experience why we get up each morning to deal with obstacles. I guess the best answer I can see is that our lives do have purpose. It is up to us to find out through living our lives what our purpose is. The obstacles we face on a daily basis contribute to our positive growth and development. The hardest thing is to recognize an obstacle for exactly what it is: an opportunity to become better! This is your life changing experience. It can be good or bad dependening on how you handle it. Your attitude is the most important ingredient. So, please do not begrudge your obstacles. Realize that they are truly your best friend. draft 11:36:00 AM by Juccue Delete
Edit Well It's Not So Easy draft 11/17/10 by Juccue Delete

Educate Me!

2010-11-11T10:56:00.000-08:00

The midterm elections were not just about electing a new governor, or new legislature. It was also about voting on new initiatives that will effect the communities that we live in. I heard a politician complain that the people that are affected the most by these legislative initiatives are the ones that do not vote. My question to the politicians is, how much time do you actually spend educating the public about the additional things they will see on the ballot when they go to the polls? Do you really want the public to know what is going on, or are you just hoping we do not read the ballots and vote blindly?

2010-11-06T16:28:00.001-07:00

American Politics

2010-11-06T16:26:00.000-07:00

Wow! Politics is a dirty business. It seems the people we elect to represent us do not understand that they are there for the people. They have this constant fight going on that is all about their

celebrity. The Whitehouse has become the place to be if you want to be dumped on. President Obama did not take this job to be dumped on, but the powers that be seem to think that they cannot get recognized unless they dump on the President. Why is this the only country where the people are so willing to stab their own leaders in the back? The Republicans have proved that if it is not there way, it cannot be anyway. The sad thing is that the majority of Americans are so deluded that they cannot see the truth of what is really going on. They are so afraid of change, that they will do anything to maintain the status quo. I find that to be a sad state of affairs.

Standing in Line

2010-11-06T09:16:00.000-07:00

Standing in Line

So You Think It's Easy: Just Do IT!

2010-11-06T00:13:00.000-07:00

So You Think It's Easy: Just Do IT!: "Why do we procastinate about the things we have to do? We can make all kinds of excuses for not doing what we have to do. What good does t..."

Just Do IT!

2010-11-05T16:57:00.000-07:00

Why do we procastinate about the things we have to do? We can make all kinds of excuses for not doing what we have to do. What good does that do? When it's all said and done we still have to do it. So, stop it already! "JUST DO IT!"