I know it has been a long while since I have written anything but this morning is one of those mornings where I just got very contemplative about everything. Perhaps it's due to my girlfriend, my family, friends and even the recent layoff but all of these aspects of my life, in a twist of events, have brought me back to remembering where it all comes down to -- Jesus Christ.
Given that I come from a strong Pentecostal background, there's a lot I grew up with for better or worse. I grew up with all that junk talk about external possessions being worn that shouldn't be worn otherwise you were associating with Satan, avoiding all sense of social environment that wasn't Christian altogether and a few others that anyone knows Pentecostals for would know. It doesn't end there, though.
In the process, I understood the value of enriching your spiritual relationship with God through the Holy Spirit, of whom the Bible calls the Helper and Spirit of Truth whom dwells in you (John 14.16-17), guides unto all righteousness (John 16.13), helps us in our weakness (Romans 8.26), gives wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge and fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11.2).
It's wonderful to think of the gift and help we have through the Spirit, whom came upon all believers of Christ after his ascension (with exception to his disciples, see John 20.22).
Now let us look back to Jesus Christ though. Up until He came to the scene, Jews were calling upon the Father, whose name was known as YHWH, YHVH, JHVH or Jehovah. What I always found fascinating was that with exception to their leaders, judges, some of their kings and their prophets, is that people were mostly afar from Him.
Then came Jesus. The Son of the Living God. They asked to show them God and His answer was, "Um, hi! See how I roll and you've seen how my Daddy rolls!" (John 14.10). He is also the new (and very permanent) High Priest on our behalf, as He owns the claim of being not only the way, truth and life but also that no one may get to the Fathert except through Him (John 14.6). I'm sure that may answer the question as to why when Christians start a prayer, right after they say "Dear Heavenly Father", "Our Father in Heaven", "Dear Jehovah Father God" or something similar, they always add, "we come before you in the name of Jesus". It gets bigger from there. His name is then glorified to be above every other name (Philippians 2.9-11).
As years went on, I began to really understand how these three work together. It is just amazing how in Christ's obedience to the Father , He was given an elevation beyond belief. He is humanity's lifestream of salvation, our gateway to the Father, our bread of life and by His name there is authority given that makes things go down. He is our inheritance and on top of that, His words were a gift to our human race, speaking straight up love of which can tear walls down. Then as a big bonus, His Spirit is put upon His believers as a seal and as our guidance.
You know that adage of, "He may not be here with us physically but still remains with us in Spirit"? Well, I don't think you can exemplify it any better than that.
I'm not sure if I'll get back to this later on but as I thought deeply in the middle of a bar called the Gotham City Lounge, sipping on water among comic book geeks, I thought about all of this.
Even at 27 and with all sorts of info out there (Illuminati, Luciferians, Church of Satan, The Zeitgeist), none of it has shaken my belief. When something has shown how real it is to your life personally, all else goes out the window. Heck, I once knew someone who ate the Zeitgeist like it was an ultimate revelation -- and became a Christian barely a year or two later.
Blogs by Ron Gunz
12.10.2012
10.28.2012
Who They (and You) Are and Aren't
"Tests are so effective in life since they reveal the “who are” as well as the “who are not”! Make sure to let go of the “who are not” for the reason that they will hinder the ones “who are” to be in your life. Remove yourself from those that have a negative mentality. Encircle yourself with people who strive to move forward with a positive vision!" - Pastor Angel Muniz
Upon reading this post of my friend, something lit up inside of me. You can say it lit up a spark inside of me. Most of this is due to the fact that not only did it hit home when it came to my social circle but also hit me on a personal level. It hit very hard for a few reasons.
Let me first throw in the personal aspect of it. Tests tend to unveil who you are and the contrast from who you aren't. It begins to start bringing you to a situation where you are to decide and resolve but faced with choices that are and/or aren't characteristic of you. Whether it be the death of a loved one, financial issues, heartbreak, betrayal from friends and family or even the sense of being used -- each situation puts you, in better words, in mini-crossroads. There are times where you are faced with choices and sometimes they are simple but sometimes a royal pain. There is, though, another aspect to see. Sometimes, the situation will call out the possibility of who you can be that you never thought you could. It may not always be what you think is best at the very moment but it will push you stretch beyond yourself and for better term, evolve.
People who are runaways eventually either will keep running until they are done or until they learn to face the demons they run from and conquer them. People who dance in the rain will eventually grow weary and the rain will wear them down like hails made of stone -- they eventually will have to learn to be like the earth, take in the rain and grow like a plant rooted in soil. Once the storm and rain are done, the sun will come out and help balance all else for that plant to bloom and appear.
If you are constantly being broken and torn apart, learn something from physical fitness -- when you lift weights, muscle fibers are being torn to bits and broken down, hence the soreness at times. When we are broken down, the process is a means to come back stronger. Sometimes it is frustrating because the brokenness is so constant that you become numb and feel you won't get a chance to breathe. Sometimes it requires a time of reflection to breathe, take it all in and replenish. There's a reason why boys drink milk and men eat meat -- the 8g of protein won't stack up to the 25-35g you'll get from a chicken breast for your muscles to recover! In moments of brokenness, feed from it and you will return stronger. Don't sit, mope, whine and cry -- feed from it!
I feel now I should bring out how I agree with Muniz's statement from a social perspective. When things hit the fan in your life, you find yourself seeing people's true colors. You discover who are intentional users and abusers, leeches of your energy, total ingrates and those guilty of fraud. In the process, you also discover who your true friends are. You discover who will stick around at all times and not just when they need something or if they stick around because they know they will get something out of it. It is sad that many are always awaiting for something in return from the person they help instead of having the thank you and the personal sense of gratitude being enough but hey, nobody ever said that tests and trials won't unmask people. The tests will also separate the men from the boys, girls from the women, the spiritually ardent from the religious and the sheep from the wolves.
I will conclude with a personal, little experience. At one point, I was in a slightly rough patch where I was called "dead weight". For months, I had leaned into feeling that way, as the person's frustration resulted into channeling it out on someone who was actually helping them level their turmoils. Another person had reduced me from best friend to a "loser", nullifying and negating everything I had ever been to them or done for them. That can be a dung load for anyone in my shoes. My choice? Abandon them. When people do not appreciate you, that unmasks the liars, manipulators and hypocrites that they are and you are left with two options -- 1. You stick by them in false hope of them apologizing and making it right, knowing they will abuse your kindness repeatedly or 2. You cut them off and make them acknowledge that in all honestly they were the dead weight because instead of displaying gratitude, honesty and sincerity, all they saw in you was an asset, an object and a means to their personal agendas, not ever considering for five seconds about your personal needs and feelings in the process.
In the words of CM Punk, "PIPE BOMB!"
Upon reading this post of my friend, something lit up inside of me. You can say it lit up a spark inside of me. Most of this is due to the fact that not only did it hit home when it came to my social circle but also hit me on a personal level. It hit very hard for a few reasons.
Let me first throw in the personal aspect of it. Tests tend to unveil who you are and the contrast from who you aren't. It begins to start bringing you to a situation where you are to decide and resolve but faced with choices that are and/or aren't characteristic of you. Whether it be the death of a loved one, financial issues, heartbreak, betrayal from friends and family or even the sense of being used -- each situation puts you, in better words, in mini-crossroads. There are times where you are faced with choices and sometimes they are simple but sometimes a royal pain. There is, though, another aspect to see. Sometimes, the situation will call out the possibility of who you can be that you never thought you could. It may not always be what you think is best at the very moment but it will push you stretch beyond yourself and for better term, evolve.
People who are runaways eventually either will keep running until they are done or until they learn to face the demons they run from and conquer them. People who dance in the rain will eventually grow weary and the rain will wear them down like hails made of stone -- they eventually will have to learn to be like the earth, take in the rain and grow like a plant rooted in soil. Once the storm and rain are done, the sun will come out and help balance all else for that plant to bloom and appear.
If you are constantly being broken and torn apart, learn something from physical fitness -- when you lift weights, muscle fibers are being torn to bits and broken down, hence the soreness at times. When we are broken down, the process is a means to come back stronger. Sometimes it is frustrating because the brokenness is so constant that you become numb and feel you won't get a chance to breathe. Sometimes it requires a time of reflection to breathe, take it all in and replenish. There's a reason why boys drink milk and men eat meat -- the 8g of protein won't stack up to the 25-35g you'll get from a chicken breast for your muscles to recover! In moments of brokenness, feed from it and you will return stronger. Don't sit, mope, whine and cry -- feed from it!
I feel now I should bring out how I agree with Muniz's statement from a social perspective. When things hit the fan in your life, you find yourself seeing people's true colors. You discover who are intentional users and abusers, leeches of your energy, total ingrates and those guilty of fraud. In the process, you also discover who your true friends are. You discover who will stick around at all times and not just when they need something or if they stick around because they know they will get something out of it. It is sad that many are always awaiting for something in return from the person they help instead of having the thank you and the personal sense of gratitude being enough but hey, nobody ever said that tests and trials won't unmask people. The tests will also separate the men from the boys, girls from the women, the spiritually ardent from the religious and the sheep from the wolves.
I will conclude with a personal, little experience. At one point, I was in a slightly rough patch where I was called "dead weight". For months, I had leaned into feeling that way, as the person's frustration resulted into channeling it out on someone who was actually helping them level their turmoils. Another person had reduced me from best friend to a "loser", nullifying and negating everything I had ever been to them or done for them. That can be a dung load for anyone in my shoes. My choice? Abandon them. When people do not appreciate you, that unmasks the liars, manipulators and hypocrites that they are and you are left with two options -- 1. You stick by them in false hope of them apologizing and making it right, knowing they will abuse your kindness repeatedly or 2. You cut them off and make them acknowledge that in all honestly they were the dead weight because instead of displaying gratitude, honesty and sincerity, all they saw in you was an asset, an object and a means to their personal agendas, not ever considering for five seconds about your personal needs and feelings in the process.
In the words of CM Punk, "PIPE BOMB!"
10.11.2012
The Journey Within and my desire of the Church
As I sat down this afternoon, sipping my orange black tea, nursing myself back to health from this annoying cold, I decided to reflect a little on how I've been about everything -- my life, my family, my job, my artistry in music as well as in writing, my character on and off my instruments, as well as my relationships with others. It is liberating as well as challenging what I find. Some things I will continue to view as I always viewed them while other things I am seeing them now for what I thought they were but in reality what they really are.
I will always love my family. Damn it, we can be a crazy bunch -- whether it's my dad's mid-life crisis, my mom's near-workaholic tendencies, my brother being all up and about due to work, school and a girlfriend, my sister with her schoolwork to me taking on my role as a brother, a workhorse, an artist, a lover of both the divine as well as of those close to me. These are things that I could not or ever put in a simpler way of managing until recently.
I used to always see the Church as the reflection of God's heart. Heck, if you were to look in the New Testament, through the pages of Paul's writings, you find that it is exactly what Christ wants out of the Church. The Bible shows that the Church is the Light of the World, Salt of the Earth. The Bible also says that for His name's sake they would be hated, delivered up to affliction and so forth, even unto death. Rest assured, if you were to take a look at what's going on in some (although not all) third world countries, to even have a church meeting, God forbid a building, was asking for trouble. Even the slightest attempt to speaking about the love of Jesus Christ would put you through hell -- torture, incarceration, even death. In the third world, to a degree, that hasn't changed by much.
However, here in America? Go ahead and ask people in the Village about what they think about Jesus Christ. Go anywhere in this country and ask them about their thoughts about Jesus. Much more often than not, they don't really have a single damn negative thing to say. Heck, you may get the same reaction as Gandhi, "I like your Christ". Try this afterwards -- ask them about the Church. Don't be surprised if you hear all sorts of things, some a tad far fetched and some not too far from the truth. I dare say that churches in America are too comfortable, too introverted and dare I say it, conformed to their patterns.
I'll say this -- Go Eat Popcorn. That was a phrase used by the manager of the Science Department back in FDR High School back in 2003-2004. In the middle of the Christian Fellowship meetings we had, he said this in reference to Galatians, Ephesians and Philippians. It paints the ideal and the beauty of what the Church should be like -- the ideals it is to live by and stand for. I dare even state that it reflects a family environment. Unfortunately, that is not what the Church looks like in the United States by and large, especially by majority here in New York. They are run like organizations and businesses. Let me tear it down a bit and ask this, how often do you see people decide to break bread with each other personally and develop friendships with each other without the supervision of church officials or the creating of official meetings? Almost every time, it consists of people usually walking in, going through the motions of the program, chatting a tiny bit and once the church building doors are closed, it's over. No calls, no personal messages from your fellow church "friends". It is as though you only know each other on the surface and only within the walls of a place to meet.
If the Church is to be the Heartbeat of Christ, echoing this planet, we need to break personal walls, people. How can we reflect Him when we don't even know about each other's likes, peeves, desires, dreams and ambitions? For all we know, in being so cold and distant from each other as though we're just doing business, we are missing out on something beautiful. That's why, as crazy as it sounds, I wouldn't rage over churches, synagogues, mosques, kingdom halls and so-called "sacred places" being burned or torn down. Why? Because when you take away those comfortable little confines, that is the moment you begin to discover and see who they really are. It is then you see who are the figs and thistles, the wolves in sheep clothing from the legit sheep. You begin to find out who are truly those willing to reflect light in this world and who are the two-faced slime that seek to corrupt, control and deviate.
This blog is pretty big and while I appreciate those who love my writing in regards to entertainment, politics and music but this is something that I have always been truly passionate about and it has a lot to do with who I am and my journey in this lifetime.
I am someone who was raised in a very strong Pentecostal environment and let me tell you, I personally do not agree with how things are run in many Pentecostal churches. I have yet to see a church that isn't run like a business in the place of a family environment. They put on this mask of family but everything is run as a business, with their "CEO" and their version of "Board of Directors", deciding how things are run based on how it suits them politically and only treat those within their circle as family. Relationships within the congregation? Give me a break! It is business as usual and the only non-business deal that does go on is if someone is running against the grain, striving to break from the mold and be different and dare I say, even better than what the establishment thinks. They use tongue talking as manipulative means to maintain control and throw their weight around like dictators, even if what they are doing in secret is dirtier than the person they point the finger at. You can't talk about sanctity of life to my face meanwhile assisting in paying off a need-less abortion behind closed doors. Let's also include the leaders that see a young person among them who is doing very well, dare I say even better than the CEO and the Board of Directors combined, then out of fear they try to make his/her effort in facilitating the group with a family environment go to a halt by attaching financial scandals.
I know this is a bit much but I'm going to go deeper about my experiences here. Let me talk about how you have leaders, speakers and teachers concerning themselves so much more with the physical, temporary and secondary, absolutely forsaking the importance of the all that is primary. I'm not concerned about hearing about the evils of soap operas. You shouldn't have to talk about that every other week on a sermon. I believe that it should be obvious and common sense to a Christian that putting a soap opera in higher priority over quality communication with your Creator is a problem.
The problem, however, is not in the soap opera, it is within the person. The person has something that distracts them from their reality and spiritual connection but that issue can range from anything. It may not be a soap opera, it can be the unhealthy desire to intake alcohol. I say unhealthy because while it may be fun to drink away, alcohol is a depressant and if you look into what depressants do, well there you go. Sometimes the fix can be jumping onto the weed, which while it treats glaucoma and even give your brain a quick funny trip to temporary expansion of the mind, too much can be bad. Sex can also bea bad thing in the following way -- when it is a means to solve problems. Trust me, the euphoric feeling may be great now but let's see how that feeling changes the balance of your bank account, your mortgage, bills and food in the fridge. If you're making a living off of it, power to you although my feeling on that is that in essence you are exploiting something that should be personal and intimate with a person you care about. It can also be putting either a loved one, celebrity or political figure up on a pedestal. As much as I love my dad but he's no Superman. Eventually, we all grow old, crumble and physically die. Michael Jordan, in all his basketball legacy and glory, may inspire you to be the best at what you do but he is not paying your bills or fixing your situation. Barack Obama, our President, the issue is simple -- He is the President of the United States. What's the issue? Well it's simple, he deals with federal affairs, not state affairs. He's not going to change the situation in New York. He will not adjust your city and state tax lest Congress and the President decide to give that power to the Federal government. Until then, guess who you, as a New Yorker, have to chalk up to? Michael Bloomberg and Andrew Cuomo! Guess what? They can't even guarantee anything. You still, as a human being, have to do things for yourself. These politicians and celebrities cannot and will not shape and get involved with your very intimate aspects of your life, especially the spiritual -- unless you have a personal relationship with them of which how they personally live, once known, influences you. Even family, while immediate in disposition, cannot do for you what must be done in the development of your spiritual well-being.
Your harmony with God is between you and Him. His business with every individual is unique and different. The point of fellowship with each other in the Church is to help build each other and in the process of helping and loving one another, we can all accomplish each of our callings in this lifetime -- whether it be as musicians, painters, writers, artists of all stripes, nurses, lawyers, doctors, athletes, carpenters, counselors, wrestlers, actors and so forth.
There are things that, as followers of a living God, we cannot see or really understand unless we put ourselves in the shoes of others or at least get to know them. You cannot understand or fathom how to help someone or what that person needs unless you know their story and not just tidbits -- the whole story! It is when we take that time to invest that we find ourselves understanding and in the process find wisdom and means to be Light in this World. Also in the process, we will begin to let down that iron-cast shield that this world is forcing us to have upon all of us. If we get down to it, social media, instead of bonding people together, is now keeping us all together separate. The more means to communicate, the more far apart we have become. I have almost 400 friends on Facebook and I hang out with, what, perhaps 10-15 of them? I find this to be an issue because while we are individuals, in essence, we are social beings with a purpose to bond as one to reflect something beautiful but instead we are fragmented and scattered like shattered shards of glass.
Aside from my take on the serious situation that I feel the Church in NY is going through (at least what I'm observing), I found myself thinking about other matters in regards to myself. Anyone that has an unrepentant negative influence upon my life, I am more prone to distance myself. It doesn't mean that I don't care, it just means that I do need to protect a certain degree of my identity. I have also learned to forgive people I have held grudges against and believe me, after dropping the big bomb that would be the past few paragraphs , I can safely say that I've forgiven many more because there are many that have belittled me, discouraged me, disrespected and even betrayed me. I have also discovered my lack of ability in putting up with human manipulation and the dictation of will and opinion towards me. Do not force me to see things your way simply because it is how you see it. Just let me in, help me understand and help me see your vision because you will only make an enemy out of me by forcing something down my throat proverbially. I also find myself unable to deal with leaders that have no sense of self-confidence and make everything sound like drama. Some things are in fact bad but some things simply aren't. There are also some things that aren't a deal to begin with. There are things in life of which you simply enjoy and make the most out of it. I understand that not everyone has a will of iron but that isn't be an excuse to not be stronger where you are weak. I am also finding that my spirit has become more lively as of late. Who knows, maybe it's my new girlfriend, who certainly knows how to put me in my place and vice versa.
I think I have let out as much as I can about these matters, feel free to comment, make observations and open up the discussion because I believe there is much that can be done, discussed and accomplished if we all were to engage the crucial matters that encircle us.
I will always love my family. Damn it, we can be a crazy bunch -- whether it's my dad's mid-life crisis, my mom's near-workaholic tendencies, my brother being all up and about due to work, school and a girlfriend, my sister with her schoolwork to me taking on my role as a brother, a workhorse, an artist, a lover of both the divine as well as of those close to me. These are things that I could not or ever put in a simpler way of managing until recently.
I used to always see the Church as the reflection of God's heart. Heck, if you were to look in the New Testament, through the pages of Paul's writings, you find that it is exactly what Christ wants out of the Church. The Bible shows that the Church is the Light of the World, Salt of the Earth. The Bible also says that for His name's sake they would be hated, delivered up to affliction and so forth, even unto death. Rest assured, if you were to take a look at what's going on in some (although not all) third world countries, to even have a church meeting, God forbid a building, was asking for trouble. Even the slightest attempt to speaking about the love of Jesus Christ would put you through hell -- torture, incarceration, even death. In the third world, to a degree, that hasn't changed by much.
However, here in America? Go ahead and ask people in the Village about what they think about Jesus Christ. Go anywhere in this country and ask them about their thoughts about Jesus. Much more often than not, they don't really have a single damn negative thing to say. Heck, you may get the same reaction as Gandhi, "I like your Christ". Try this afterwards -- ask them about the Church. Don't be surprised if you hear all sorts of things, some a tad far fetched and some not too far from the truth. I dare say that churches in America are too comfortable, too introverted and dare I say it, conformed to their patterns.
I'll say this -- Go Eat Popcorn. That was a phrase used by the manager of the Science Department back in FDR High School back in 2003-2004. In the middle of the Christian Fellowship meetings we had, he said this in reference to Galatians, Ephesians and Philippians. It paints the ideal and the beauty of what the Church should be like -- the ideals it is to live by and stand for. I dare even state that it reflects a family environment. Unfortunately, that is not what the Church looks like in the United States by and large, especially by majority here in New York. They are run like organizations and businesses. Let me tear it down a bit and ask this, how often do you see people decide to break bread with each other personally and develop friendships with each other without the supervision of church officials or the creating of official meetings? Almost every time, it consists of people usually walking in, going through the motions of the program, chatting a tiny bit and once the church building doors are closed, it's over. No calls, no personal messages from your fellow church "friends". It is as though you only know each other on the surface and only within the walls of a place to meet.
If the Church is to be the Heartbeat of Christ, echoing this planet, we need to break personal walls, people. How can we reflect Him when we don't even know about each other's likes, peeves, desires, dreams and ambitions? For all we know, in being so cold and distant from each other as though we're just doing business, we are missing out on something beautiful. That's why, as crazy as it sounds, I wouldn't rage over churches, synagogues, mosques, kingdom halls and so-called "sacred places" being burned or torn down. Why? Because when you take away those comfortable little confines, that is the moment you begin to discover and see who they really are. It is then you see who are the figs and thistles, the wolves in sheep clothing from the legit sheep. You begin to find out who are truly those willing to reflect light in this world and who are the two-faced slime that seek to corrupt, control and deviate.
This blog is pretty big and while I appreciate those who love my writing in regards to entertainment, politics and music but this is something that I have always been truly passionate about and it has a lot to do with who I am and my journey in this lifetime.
I am someone who was raised in a very strong Pentecostal environment and let me tell you, I personally do not agree with how things are run in many Pentecostal churches. I have yet to see a church that isn't run like a business in the place of a family environment. They put on this mask of family but everything is run as a business, with their "CEO" and their version of "Board of Directors", deciding how things are run based on how it suits them politically and only treat those within their circle as family. Relationships within the congregation? Give me a break! It is business as usual and the only non-business deal that does go on is if someone is running against the grain, striving to break from the mold and be different and dare I say, even better than what the establishment thinks. They use tongue talking as manipulative means to maintain control and throw their weight around like dictators, even if what they are doing in secret is dirtier than the person they point the finger at. You can't talk about sanctity of life to my face meanwhile assisting in paying off a need-less abortion behind closed doors. Let's also include the leaders that see a young person among them who is doing very well, dare I say even better than the CEO and the Board of Directors combined, then out of fear they try to make his/her effort in facilitating the group with a family environment go to a halt by attaching financial scandals.
I know this is a bit much but I'm going to go deeper about my experiences here. Let me talk about how you have leaders, speakers and teachers concerning themselves so much more with the physical, temporary and secondary, absolutely forsaking the importance of the all that is primary. I'm not concerned about hearing about the evils of soap operas. You shouldn't have to talk about that every other week on a sermon. I believe that it should be obvious and common sense to a Christian that putting a soap opera in higher priority over quality communication with your Creator is a problem.
The problem, however, is not in the soap opera, it is within the person. The person has something that distracts them from their reality and spiritual connection but that issue can range from anything. It may not be a soap opera, it can be the unhealthy desire to intake alcohol. I say unhealthy because while it may be fun to drink away, alcohol is a depressant and if you look into what depressants do, well there you go. Sometimes the fix can be jumping onto the weed, which while it treats glaucoma and even give your brain a quick funny trip to temporary expansion of the mind, too much can be bad. Sex can also bea bad thing in the following way -- when it is a means to solve problems. Trust me, the euphoric feeling may be great now but let's see how that feeling changes the balance of your bank account, your mortgage, bills and food in the fridge. If you're making a living off of it, power to you although my feeling on that is that in essence you are exploiting something that should be personal and intimate with a person you care about. It can also be putting either a loved one, celebrity or political figure up on a pedestal. As much as I love my dad but he's no Superman. Eventually, we all grow old, crumble and physically die. Michael Jordan, in all his basketball legacy and glory, may inspire you to be the best at what you do but he is not paying your bills or fixing your situation. Barack Obama, our President, the issue is simple -- He is the President of the United States. What's the issue? Well it's simple, he deals with federal affairs, not state affairs. He's not going to change the situation in New York. He will not adjust your city and state tax lest Congress and the President decide to give that power to the Federal government. Until then, guess who you, as a New Yorker, have to chalk up to? Michael Bloomberg and Andrew Cuomo! Guess what? They can't even guarantee anything. You still, as a human being, have to do things for yourself. These politicians and celebrities cannot and will not shape and get involved with your very intimate aspects of your life, especially the spiritual -- unless you have a personal relationship with them of which how they personally live, once known, influences you. Even family, while immediate in disposition, cannot do for you what must be done in the development of your spiritual well-being.
Your harmony with God is between you and Him. His business with every individual is unique and different. The point of fellowship with each other in the Church is to help build each other and in the process of helping and loving one another, we can all accomplish each of our callings in this lifetime -- whether it be as musicians, painters, writers, artists of all stripes, nurses, lawyers, doctors, athletes, carpenters, counselors, wrestlers, actors and so forth.
There are things that, as followers of a living God, we cannot see or really understand unless we put ourselves in the shoes of others or at least get to know them. You cannot understand or fathom how to help someone or what that person needs unless you know their story and not just tidbits -- the whole story! It is when we take that time to invest that we find ourselves understanding and in the process find wisdom and means to be Light in this World. Also in the process, we will begin to let down that iron-cast shield that this world is forcing us to have upon all of us. If we get down to it, social media, instead of bonding people together, is now keeping us all together separate. The more means to communicate, the more far apart we have become. I have almost 400 friends on Facebook and I hang out with, what, perhaps 10-15 of them? I find this to be an issue because while we are individuals, in essence, we are social beings with a purpose to bond as one to reflect something beautiful but instead we are fragmented and scattered like shattered shards of glass.
Aside from my take on the serious situation that I feel the Church in NY is going through (at least what I'm observing), I found myself thinking about other matters in regards to myself. Anyone that has an unrepentant negative influence upon my life, I am more prone to distance myself. It doesn't mean that I don't care, it just means that I do need to protect a certain degree of my identity. I have also learned to forgive people I have held grudges against and believe me, after dropping the big bomb that would be the past few paragraphs , I can safely say that I've forgiven many more because there are many that have belittled me, discouraged me, disrespected and even betrayed me. I have also discovered my lack of ability in putting up with human manipulation and the dictation of will and opinion towards me. Do not force me to see things your way simply because it is how you see it. Just let me in, help me understand and help me see your vision because you will only make an enemy out of me by forcing something down my throat proverbially. I also find myself unable to deal with leaders that have no sense of self-confidence and make everything sound like drama. Some things are in fact bad but some things simply aren't. There are also some things that aren't a deal to begin with. There are things in life of which you simply enjoy and make the most out of it. I understand that not everyone has a will of iron but that isn't be an excuse to not be stronger where you are weak. I am also finding that my spirit has become more lively as of late. Who knows, maybe it's my new girlfriend, who certainly knows how to put me in my place and vice versa.
I think I have let out as much as I can about these matters, feel free to comment, make observations and open up the discussion because I believe there is much that can be done, discussed and accomplished if we all were to engage the crucial matters that encircle us.
8.24.2012
Observing deep meditation and prayer
Many times when we think of meditation and prayer, we think of either the stereotypical martial artist or shaolin monk seeking one-ness with the universe or a person on their knees asking the Faceless Man for things and solution. While either scenario tends to happen at times or what have you, I have decided to take both to somewhat different purposes and scenarios.
Lately, between regular intervals of workout routines, I take a few minutes to meditate. In this process, I close my eyes and let my mind take me within to reflect on what's going on and everything within. I recall one time some asian guy, after I got up from post-workout meditation, telling me that my chi (life force in Chinese) is very black like a big black rock. Interesting how when I took time to meditate today, I saw what he saw. I saw a big black rock, towering over me like a giant -- except this time, the rock had cracks and through the cracks emanated blinding light, struggling to break through.
Oftentimes, when we pray, we do a hell of a lot of asking, begging, pleas and demanding. I do none of those in prayer. Sometimes, all we need to do is simply take that time to unbottle a bit, dwell and express our worries, without the asking, pleas and what have you. Just let it out gracefully. Truly, I do believe in a God that responds when we ask but many times, we do so much asking. I wonder sometimes if God is waiting for a day where we stop asking him for stuff and that we genuinely just talk to Him.
In the process of taking on prayer and meditation in this way, I find myself a bit quieter afterwards, let alone more relaxed. I definitely recommend this to anyone.
As far as my workout routine, I decided to take a time out from my Bane goal and mix it up a little. Aside form crunches and pushups, I'm also doing reverse pushups, sprawls, jump squats, shadow boxing and a touch of tae bo just to mix it up.
Lately, between regular intervals of workout routines, I take a few minutes to meditate. In this process, I close my eyes and let my mind take me within to reflect on what's going on and everything within. I recall one time some asian guy, after I got up from post-workout meditation, telling me that my chi (life force in Chinese) is very black like a big black rock. Interesting how when I took time to meditate today, I saw what he saw. I saw a big black rock, towering over me like a giant -- except this time, the rock had cracks and through the cracks emanated blinding light, struggling to break through.
Oftentimes, when we pray, we do a hell of a lot of asking, begging, pleas and demanding. I do none of those in prayer. Sometimes, all we need to do is simply take that time to unbottle a bit, dwell and express our worries, without the asking, pleas and what have you. Just let it out gracefully. Truly, I do believe in a God that responds when we ask but many times, we do so much asking. I wonder sometimes if God is waiting for a day where we stop asking him for stuff and that we genuinely just talk to Him.
In the process of taking on prayer and meditation in this way, I find myself a bit quieter afterwards, let alone more relaxed. I definitely recommend this to anyone.
As far as my workout routine, I decided to take a time out from my Bane goal and mix it up a little. Aside form crunches and pushups, I'm also doing reverse pushups, sprawls, jump squats, shadow boxing and a touch of tae bo just to mix it up.
8.07.2012
A call for solid journalism and a word of encouragement for my brothers/sisters of faith
Instead of leaving one gigantic FaceBook status like many are accustomed to, I've decided to do my writing here on the subject. I will begin with a very simple story form my senior year in high school.
I had three very influential teachers at the time by far in regards to English and History -- Banks, Poska and Talon.
Banks was the teacher that always pushed me in being a strong writer in regards to bringing out solid points and examples to strengthen my arguments about something based on whatever material is presented to me while also being creative in my delivery instead of being generic and typical of what would be read in a thesis or essay.
Poska pushed me on another part of the spectrum. Yes, it is fine and dandy to get really passionate about a subject and bring up as many suppositions, conjectures, statements, theories, rhetorics and beliefs -- but if you did not have the concrete and solid facts to prove it, your argument is pretty much invalid. He was a general in the sense that whenever we had a given statement to prove or disprove, he required that whatever argument we presented, we also cite proof by way of books, chapter, page, verse and so on. If from an interview, the magazine, channel, date and year. If from the internet, there better be dates, times, names and other sub-sources involved.
Talon was that wacky yet amazing middle of the road. He believed in standing up for what you believed in or were passionate about -- assuming you had solid evidence and information to be the backbone of something you believed to be truth. This came from a guy who was able to balance a chair on his chin. I saw it back in 2004 in the beginning of class that spring afternoon.
With all this said, it brings me to a particular thing I want to bring to light -- where did all the sound journalism go? You would think that in this era of information, social media and technology, the field of journalism would be sound solid and powerful -- where a solid conspiracy theory can be undisputed if well-researched and not just parroting whatever is whispered in their ear. Sadly, it seems that in an era where emotion dominates logic, even in politics, something is amiss.
I will look through video after video on Youtube, all in relation to statements of theories that are supposedly backed up on "facts" and sadly, many (but not all) by the measure given by my teachers Poska and Talon, fall short and their arguments are reduced, when looking closely, to mere conjectures, theories and polemic. Whether it be proving Satan's evil nature, the truthful existence of the grand scheme of the Illuminati, Evolution whether it is fact or forever trapped as a theory or even some wacky conspiracy that the Aurora Massacre shooter is supposedly a patsy, it is necessary that whatever case you present, you bring solid, concrete and undisputable facts. Opinions come and go and sure as hell, everyone has them but facts and solid evidence stand far more convincingly as a juggernaut than any simple or complex emotion one may feel about it.
There was an article insinuating that the Jamie Holmes presented as a high-in-regard student and the Jamie Holmes we saw in court and is guilty for all that he did in that theater were, perhaps, two completely different people. To the untrained eye, let alone anyone who doesn't have time to truly study up the facts, this may be true. However, to someone who actually takes the time to study what is presented, especially the physically aesthetic, they will see that such a theory is false and a result of poor study of the human anatomy and physiological behavior. My sister proved before my very own eyes that despite the theory, it is the very same guy. The pictures were taken on completely different times and also the angle and zoom of the photo changed the perspective of simple things such as the nose, eyes and ears. Not only that, the angle, tilt, mood and expression of the individual can alter the appearance but when carefully analyzed, they are one and the same.
As far as conspiracy theories regarding the Illuminati, Secret Societies and Freemasonry, it must all be challenged and all that is spoken must be presented with solid evidence. Freemasonry definitely is very prevalent. They are no secret anymore. There are lodges in Bushwick, Jamaica, Staten Island and other places. The NY Freemason society even have a website now (http://www.nymasons.org/). As for the Illuminati, mind control, MK Ultra and Programming, there are truthful sources about them scattered, both official and unofficial. Whatever you do, if the person talking about it has no strict solid sense of citation, don't go by it.
This also reminded me of a time where someone was told that X company does raises at X time and that they offer full time scheduling and promotion. Sadly, that person was in for a rude surprise because that X company (which I will not name), doesn't promise or deliver much on that. Ladies and gents, when you're digging for info in regards to a job, don't ask a noob about how things run in the company, talk to those who have been there for at least well over a good year and a half or two.You'll far more likely get the real nitty gritty from them.
Finally folks, to drive it all home in all sincerity, it is okay to challenge what you know, the authorities you are submitted to and everything presented to you. This last part I specifically write for my dear Christian folk.
For years, as a young man struggling with my faith over the years, I have challenged many things. Some things never cease to amaze in being real to me and other things I have found to be either rubbish and completely unimportant towards the end means of a life in pursuit of spiritual harmony, love and sanctity. It's been over 12 years since I decided to walk the path of Christian faith and quite honestly, I have challenged the status quo most Pentecostals make towards things that are overemphasized (such as physical and cosmetic appearance) and the excessive reliance of a human authority all the while neglecting the fact that at the pearly gates it isn't a man we answer to but a Divine Human Being (should you welcome this belief). I have even challenged and put myself in opposition about how many Conservatives treat people that may not connect, agree or believe in our faith. Last I checked, if any Christian wants to be able to have reasonable open communication about the Christ they supposedly worship, it is imperative that they follow Rule #1. Love one another (John 13.34-35, look up any version, it tells you the same message). Where there is demonstration of genuine, compassionate love the way the Jesus that is worshipped is demonstrated, the walls will go down, even if by a little and then the expression and explanations begin. Even if others may not agree, it is no reason to treat them as though they are beneath us. The Era of Repent or Die came and went with Christ's resurrection. Do Christians traditionally believe in a return, judgement and renewal of this world into a new one? Yes -- however, if your motive for following Christ is out of fear of some doom or punishment, perhaps you need to check your motive.
Here's a nice comparison I was once given. The cat tends to be very wary of its surroundings, nearly to thep oint of suspicion and even fear. The dog, when seeing its master, who takes care of him/her, they come running and as foolish it may be, they run towards the master with very little to no regard towards their surroundings or obstacles. Think about those scenarios and then think about the nature of your relationship with the God you supposedly believe in.
7.22.2012
Rise -- a special wallpaper
I made this early this morning. A few things came to mind when I made this -- 1. The white letters are the words of a curious man from the East. The red letters of someone in between the East and West. 2. The line, "If we meet at love, we can work it out" - from the song Ghetto by P.O.D., 3. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace" - Jimi Hendrix and 4. The "Rise" posters for The Dark Knight Rises movie that came out July 20th Midnight.
Regardless on my stance in regards to self-defense and what could've or couldn't have been, the message here is simple -- If Love were to rise from all of our hearts, we'd see less of the tragedies we've seen happen in our lifetime.
Regardless on my stance in regards to self-defense and what could've or couldn't have been, the message here is simple -- If Love were to rise from all of our hearts, we'd see less of the tragedies we've seen happen in our lifetime.
7.20.2012
Recluse and the trilogy review
Hey guys, I'm back. I have to say, it's been a hectic week but after tonight/today, I'd think things have gotten rather exciting and interesting. I would love to start off with a review of the entire Batman trilogy done by Christopher Nolan. Truly, anyone planning to see the final movie must 1. see it and 2. be in the theater early.
For those who have forgotten, Batman Begins borrows heavily from Batman: Year One. You see a young boy become a broken youth due to his parents' death go off to the Far East in search for a means to train and find a means to be able to avenge his parents. In turn, things changed as he learned to confront his inner fears and turn them against criminals responsible for things very much in the nature of what was done to him. In the process, Ra's Al Ghul, The League of Shadows and Scarecrow are all in cahoots to destroy Gotham City alongside Carmine "The Roman" Falcone. Nolan, in his ways of creativity, used Year One as his template for the origin story but took a few liberties in terms of his antagonists. Without question, you would not see the last of either Scarecrow or the League of Shadows, even with the giveaway for the setup for Joker.
Upon seeing the former movie and The Dark Knight, I noticed a tad bit of a discrepancy in terms of handling the mob of Gotham City. Our loyal comic geeks know that Falcone is the head honcho of the mob family -- a family that extends to Metropolis. To see Moroni as the head honcho and successor is a bit of a problem and makes Falcone's elimination from the equation questionable although Nolan sets Moroni up well as a backup for the Falcone family and just a backup/fall guy. As far as content, Joker's style borrows from Arkham Asylum: A Serious Hell on Serious Earth and The Killing Joke. As for the elements of corruption of organized crime and the developing relationship between Batman, Dent/Two-Face and Gordon, you see shades of The Long Halloween. Remember when one of the Falcones said Moroni was the fall guy and that he was the brains? He was right. Any geek knows that as prominent as Moroni portrays himself, he is but a Falcone puppet for a grander scheme. Two-Face's appearance is yet another nod towards TLH. Scarecrow makes a re-appearance, as small as it was but humorous at best. As for Rachel, upon seeing BB and TDK, you'll never look at her with much respect.
Finally, The Dark Knight Rises. Let me start with this -- the movie had major hype until The Avengers delivered in its surprising awesomeness. From there, there was concern over quality due to how mysterious everyone was for it. Trailers scarcely gave away clues and gave away too little to be excited and gave away more to worry. Ladies and gentlemen, Nolan delivered! Without question, there are two things to be said. First off, elements from Dark Victory and Knightfall are implemented. The looming suspicion of eliminating Gordon as Chief emerges. Gordon's grief over Harvey is eating him alive, especially with hiding the many dirty secrets. Wayne is in grief to the point that he had disappeared for eight years. Alas, a great calm before the mighty storm. The League of Shadows would come full circle. Enter Bane -- the Man who Broke the Bat. The promos did Bane little justice compared to how he looks in the movie. Posters made Hardy look hardly 200 pds but in this movie, with the well-shot angles, he looks a good 220-240 pounds. His movements and character are powerful. His fights with Batman are nothing short of awesome. Batman is matched mentally and at one point dominated physically. Bane is made out as an ex-League of Shadows member due to Ra's dislike of him despite protecting his daughter, Talia. You also have Detective John Blake, who was an orphan that witnessed Batman when he first emerged (the little kid in Batman Begins? That's him!), is taken under Gordon's wing. Scarecrow re-emerges as a tad of a flunkie for Bane in this film. I refuse to spoil further or give anything away. I will say a few last things in regards to this -- this movie practically had the entire cast of Inception save DiCaprio. As far as Catwoman as I'm concerned? Hathaway does very well to play the part but it's sad that she didn't play as crucial a role as did Alfred, Gordon and Bane. As for it being over? Indeed there is conclusion however the door is left too obviously open for Nolan and only Nolan to ever touch the Batman legacy. Christopher Nolan has set the bar in terms of making quality Batman films. Furthermore, should Batman's story continue, it can only continue with Nolan. When you see the movie, you will understand why.
The reason I brought up the word recluse as the key word in this blog is because it's where I'm at in my life right now. It is also a big theme about Batman's dynamic in TDKR. With work, working out, my age and all, it feels as though I want to avoid people. I love people. I love interacting with them but as of late, I've been needing to avoid social life as a means of personal repose and regathering of myself. I just hope I don't stay too cooped up in being alone because I would fear I'd end up with no life to live or enjoy. My passion is fitness, music and writing. Those three things have begun to take center stage in respect to what I'm all about. I also find myself unable to be around negative-minded people and also like to avoid the self-righteous as well.
For those who have forgotten, Batman Begins borrows heavily from Batman: Year One. You see a young boy become a broken youth due to his parents' death go off to the Far East in search for a means to train and find a means to be able to avenge his parents. In turn, things changed as he learned to confront his inner fears and turn them against criminals responsible for things very much in the nature of what was done to him. In the process, Ra's Al Ghul, The League of Shadows and Scarecrow are all in cahoots to destroy Gotham City alongside Carmine "The Roman" Falcone. Nolan, in his ways of creativity, used Year One as his template for the origin story but took a few liberties in terms of his antagonists. Without question, you would not see the last of either Scarecrow or the League of Shadows, even with the giveaway for the setup for Joker.
Upon seeing the former movie and The Dark Knight, I noticed a tad bit of a discrepancy in terms of handling the mob of Gotham City. Our loyal comic geeks know that Falcone is the head honcho of the mob family -- a family that extends to Metropolis. To see Moroni as the head honcho and successor is a bit of a problem and makes Falcone's elimination from the equation questionable although Nolan sets Moroni up well as a backup for the Falcone family and just a backup/fall guy. As far as content, Joker's style borrows from Arkham Asylum: A Serious Hell on Serious Earth and The Killing Joke. As for the elements of corruption of organized crime and the developing relationship between Batman, Dent/Two-Face and Gordon, you see shades of The Long Halloween. Remember when one of the Falcones said Moroni was the fall guy and that he was the brains? He was right. Any geek knows that as prominent as Moroni portrays himself, he is but a Falcone puppet for a grander scheme. Two-Face's appearance is yet another nod towards TLH. Scarecrow makes a re-appearance, as small as it was but humorous at best. As for Rachel, upon seeing BB and TDK, you'll never look at her with much respect.
Finally, The Dark Knight Rises. Let me start with this -- the movie had major hype until The Avengers delivered in its surprising awesomeness. From there, there was concern over quality due to how mysterious everyone was for it. Trailers scarcely gave away clues and gave away too little to be excited and gave away more to worry. Ladies and gentlemen, Nolan delivered! Without question, there are two things to be said. First off, elements from Dark Victory and Knightfall are implemented. The looming suspicion of eliminating Gordon as Chief emerges. Gordon's grief over Harvey is eating him alive, especially with hiding the many dirty secrets. Wayne is in grief to the point that he had disappeared for eight years. Alas, a great calm before the mighty storm. The League of Shadows would come full circle. Enter Bane -- the Man who Broke the Bat. The promos did Bane little justice compared to how he looks in the movie. Posters made Hardy look hardly 200 pds but in this movie, with the well-shot angles, he looks a good 220-240 pounds. His movements and character are powerful. His fights with Batman are nothing short of awesome. Batman is matched mentally and at one point dominated physically. Bane is made out as an ex-League of Shadows member due to Ra's dislike of him despite protecting his daughter, Talia. You also have Detective John Blake, who was an orphan that witnessed Batman when he first emerged (the little kid in Batman Begins? That's him!), is taken under Gordon's wing. Scarecrow re-emerges as a tad of a flunkie for Bane in this film. I refuse to spoil further or give anything away. I will say a few last things in regards to this -- this movie practically had the entire cast of Inception save DiCaprio. As far as Catwoman as I'm concerned? Hathaway does very well to play the part but it's sad that she didn't play as crucial a role as did Alfred, Gordon and Bane. As for it being over? Indeed there is conclusion however the door is left too obviously open for Nolan and only Nolan to ever touch the Batman legacy. Christopher Nolan has set the bar in terms of making quality Batman films. Furthermore, should Batman's story continue, it can only continue with Nolan. When you see the movie, you will understand why.
The reason I brought up the word recluse as the key word in this blog is because it's where I'm at in my life right now. It is also a big theme about Batman's dynamic in TDKR. With work, working out, my age and all, it feels as though I want to avoid people. I love people. I love interacting with them but as of late, I've been needing to avoid social life as a means of personal repose and regathering of myself. I just hope I don't stay too cooped up in being alone because I would fear I'd end up with no life to live or enjoy. My passion is fitness, music and writing. Those three things have begun to take center stage in respect to what I'm all about. I also find myself unable to be around negative-minded people and also like to avoid the self-righteous as well.
7.16.2012
Feeling like a foodie! Movies, reading and food!
Hey there my dear friends!
I'm sure you've been wondering what have I been up to as of late. Let's just say while I've been busy with work, I've also picked up on some reading, movies and food. Let's start with the movies shall we?
First off is Ted. This movie moved me on a pathetic emotional level. For that reason alone, it deserves an Oscar. By far funnier than the latest of Family Guy, this movie stirred up the nostalgic desire I always had as a kid of my teddy bear coming to life and being my best friend. As much as I laughed at all the crazy antics, I got all glazed in the eyes when things centered on the touchy relationship of the man and his thunder buddy of a teddy bear. Heck, I even forgot that the guy had a girlfriend! You will laugh and you may cry, enough said!
Then there is Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Indeed, our former President shows that he can step up and slay vampires the way Selene from Underworld can slay werewolves. The notion of the South being bloodthirsty vampires trying to corrupt our country adds a whole new dynamic and funny fictitious conspiracy theory in respect to the corruption of our government. It wasn't about black people being slaves, it was about stopping vampires from taking over our turf! Silly? Perhaps but makes a good yet simple story. The action is take your attention and the acting is pretty solid.
As of late, I got my hands on the best of Sherlock Holmes stories, as well as Edgar Allan Poe's collection. All the reading I need to sharpen up extra ideas to my writing.
As far as food goes, while I love Epic Meal Time, I've been toying with a few new condiments and creating my own little concoctions on my own. I've gotten my hands on Guy Fieri's Carolina No. 6 Sauce and Marinada and let me tell you, the savory and tangy taste of sweet and sour, bbq and cayenne pepper is quite the adventure. I used it on some chicken breasts and it was so good, the little burnt residue on the frying pan was delicious. I even gave a round to some Jack Daniels flavored bbq sauces -- irresistible! Tabasco has also helped enhance the fury my mouth craves with chicken. Next time, I'll try melting some chocolate on my chicken and see what funny flavor unravels!
I'm sure you've been wondering what have I been up to as of late. Let's just say while I've been busy with work, I've also picked up on some reading, movies and food. Let's start with the movies shall we?
First off is Ted. This movie moved me on a pathetic emotional level. For that reason alone, it deserves an Oscar. By far funnier than the latest of Family Guy, this movie stirred up the nostalgic desire I always had as a kid of my teddy bear coming to life and being my best friend. As much as I laughed at all the crazy antics, I got all glazed in the eyes when things centered on the touchy relationship of the man and his thunder buddy of a teddy bear. Heck, I even forgot that the guy had a girlfriend! You will laugh and you may cry, enough said!
Then there is Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Indeed, our former President shows that he can step up and slay vampires the way Selene from Underworld can slay werewolves. The notion of the South being bloodthirsty vampires trying to corrupt our country adds a whole new dynamic and funny fictitious conspiracy theory in respect to the corruption of our government. It wasn't about black people being slaves, it was about stopping vampires from taking over our turf! Silly? Perhaps but makes a good yet simple story. The action is take your attention and the acting is pretty solid.
As of late, I got my hands on the best of Sherlock Holmes stories, as well as Edgar Allan Poe's collection. All the reading I need to sharpen up extra ideas to my writing.
As far as food goes, while I love Epic Meal Time, I've been toying with a few new condiments and creating my own little concoctions on my own. I've gotten my hands on Guy Fieri's Carolina No. 6 Sauce and Marinada and let me tell you, the savory and tangy taste of sweet and sour, bbq and cayenne pepper is quite the adventure. I used it on some chicken breasts and it was so good, the little burnt residue on the frying pan was delicious. I even gave a round to some Jack Daniels flavored bbq sauces -- irresistible! Tabasco has also helped enhance the fury my mouth craves with chicken. Next time, I'll try melting some chocolate on my chicken and see what funny flavor unravels!
5.24.2012
People Problem! MySpace was NEVER the issue!
I felt this strange impulse this morning to write this blog, seeing that perhaps not many have been able to address it or wanting to address it. It has been said many times that Facebook is slowly turning into how MySpace was at its peak. Why? The drama, the issues, the madness with social interaction.
Well, I hate to burst your bubble but that actually isn't the case. I, being ex-MySpace user, always called it before it happened that Facebook was and now is worse than MySpace. If you put them next to each other, the only thing you would notice when you logged on Myspace were New Messages, New Friend Requests or New Comments. Furthermore, they were solely in relation to your page, your pictures and your profile. You weren't having other people's page updates pop up or comments made on their pages, only yours. In essence, by that standard, MySpace dominated in privacy. For there to be drama among your friends, family and lovers, you had to be a little thing called nosy!
Facebook? Where do I even begin? You log in, no different than on day one, you see everyone else's statuses, what they're doing and even got notifications on comments of their statuses simply because you commented on that same status. Its simplicity made nosy-ness exponentially easier. Your personal comment now has to be set on a privacy setting where only you can see it and not everyone else because now there's no way to hide it since now every time someone logs in, they are showed everyone's latest stories, comments and updates.
Fast forward to 2012 as now it has been said that Facebook is becoming the new MySpace. I think it is fair to say that whoever assumes that is massively wrong as people drama is sharply worse. Drama on MySpace was a result of your psychotic nosy-ness whereas on Facebook, it caters to your already existential nosy nature. I'll even go on to say that Facebook has become very personal to a lot of people, where whatever happens or is said on Facebook is taken personally on a whole new level where Facebook has become their life. Indirect attacks to their ex-partners, of which no one is gullible enough to not know who you're calling out because you lack the personal fortitude to confront them about your feelings face to face.
The solution is not another new social network. I don't think MySpace, Facebook, Google +, Twitter, Tumblr or even people quite get what's the problem here. The problem isn't social network, we are! Whatever we once kept to ourselves is now out in the open simply because posting it on a status is so much easier. No one seems to write journals, diaries or even personal memoirs anymore as a means to write it out. Simply put, social media is now the bait to de-program maturity in many emotionally weak, fragile or sensitive beings. I admit I have fallen victim to this many times and not until today have I been able to really get it all narrowed down.
Switchfoot made it clear with their song Lonely Nation, as did Alter Bridge with Isolation, that society has made so many ways to expand communication yet we had become more alone, miserable, isolated and less social. Let's be real, I have about 300+ friends on Facebook and I live with 4 of them and only have hung out with maybe, what, 10-12 of them? My reasons for many friends, however, are different, being that I have my blog to put out there and even poetry and literature to push and promote. Were it not for those other reasons, my list would be ridiculously small.
If this isn't a wake up call to anyone, I certainly don't know what will be, given all the whining, complaining and misery going on. Heck, it was said on the news, whether it be FOX or NBC or even CNN that constant obsessing over Facebook causes depression. Hello! The machine is already making emotional slaves out of us. Don't you get it? It's to smell the coffee, bacon, pancakes, flowers or whatever you love smelling and start living.
Well, I hate to burst your bubble but that actually isn't the case. I, being ex-MySpace user, always called it before it happened that Facebook was and now is worse than MySpace. If you put them next to each other, the only thing you would notice when you logged on Myspace were New Messages, New Friend Requests or New Comments. Furthermore, they were solely in relation to your page, your pictures and your profile. You weren't having other people's page updates pop up or comments made on their pages, only yours. In essence, by that standard, MySpace dominated in privacy. For there to be drama among your friends, family and lovers, you had to be a little thing called nosy!
Facebook? Where do I even begin? You log in, no different than on day one, you see everyone else's statuses, what they're doing and even got notifications on comments of their statuses simply because you commented on that same status. Its simplicity made nosy-ness exponentially easier. Your personal comment now has to be set on a privacy setting where only you can see it and not everyone else because now there's no way to hide it since now every time someone logs in, they are showed everyone's latest stories, comments and updates.
Fast forward to 2012 as now it has been said that Facebook is becoming the new MySpace. I think it is fair to say that whoever assumes that is massively wrong as people drama is sharply worse. Drama on MySpace was a result of your psychotic nosy-ness whereas on Facebook, it caters to your already existential nosy nature. I'll even go on to say that Facebook has become very personal to a lot of people, where whatever happens or is said on Facebook is taken personally on a whole new level where Facebook has become their life. Indirect attacks to their ex-partners, of which no one is gullible enough to not know who you're calling out because you lack the personal fortitude to confront them about your feelings face to face.
The solution is not another new social network. I don't think MySpace, Facebook, Google +, Twitter, Tumblr or even people quite get what's the problem here. The problem isn't social network, we are! Whatever we once kept to ourselves is now out in the open simply because posting it on a status is so much easier. No one seems to write journals, diaries or even personal memoirs anymore as a means to write it out. Simply put, social media is now the bait to de-program maturity in many emotionally weak, fragile or sensitive beings. I admit I have fallen victim to this many times and not until today have I been able to really get it all narrowed down.
Switchfoot made it clear with their song Lonely Nation, as did Alter Bridge with Isolation, that society has made so many ways to expand communication yet we had become more alone, miserable, isolated and less social. Let's be real, I have about 300+ friends on Facebook and I live with 4 of them and only have hung out with maybe, what, 10-12 of them? My reasons for many friends, however, are different, being that I have my blog to put out there and even poetry and literature to push and promote. Were it not for those other reasons, my list would be ridiculously small.
If this isn't a wake up call to anyone, I certainly don't know what will be, given all the whining, complaining and misery going on. Heck, it was said on the news, whether it be FOX or NBC or even CNN that constant obsessing over Facebook causes depression. Hello! The machine is already making emotional slaves out of us. Don't you get it? It's to smell the coffee, bacon, pancakes, flowers or whatever you love smelling and start living.
5.19.2012
The whole Poor vs. Rich: The Modern Day Us versus Them battle!
I've been contemplating for the past several weeks about how often we talk about the unfortunate, the poor, the financially downtrodden, the "99%" so to speak. I've also thought about how often we point the finger at the 1%, the rich, wealthy, the elite and leaders of this world. This is considering that I, myself, am of the lower-middle class.
While the rich are blamed, along with corporations, conglomerates, executives, bankers, stock brokers, insurance companies and even the Federal Reserve, have we ever sat down and thought about what's jogging in the minds of the very men and women we abhor?
Ever since I've begun my journey in the world of insurance, being certified in Accidental, Health and Life, I began to see things from the other side. Some of the people, in this same journey, are people like you and me, striving to make ends me, pursuing a more comfortable life to live -- be it to finally have some independence in living and finances. Some have come from the bottom of the barrel despite great mental capacity and others have busted their chops honing their skills in this field. I can't help but wonder if the very people we despise are no different than you and me.
I'll head an area of personal taste -- music. Take a look at some of the big names we knew growing up -- Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix, Black Sabbath, The Beatles, Rush, U2, Queen, Iron Maiden, Johnny Cash, to name a few. These are all groups that focused on their craft, honed it to their own personal mastery, dedicating themselves to their profession which would encapsulate their very identities.
Hendrix had his share of connections, like James Brown to name an example. He wasn't just some guitar players that simply messed around with a bunch of pedals, tripping on acid and smoking weed all day. This man pushed himself into becoming the influential legend we know him to be. Every ounce of his fame is due to him busting his chops and stepping it up to be what he desired, knocked on and kicked through every door he can get his feet through to make it where he did.
Sabbath? These cats weren't exactly a bunch of rich elites fiddling around with sound. These guys all, at some point, found a mutual passion in music, allied themselves as a unit to do what they all loved, doing everything they can and paying every due out there.
Queen? Mercury was sharp with being a musician and got a degree in Art and Graphic Design. Brian May has a doctorate in Astronomy. The axe/singer duo that defined a unique brand in music were educated men, in and out of their field and made good use of it in their music -- whether it be Brian May's special use of tape delay, Mercury's way of how he wanted his stage props, costume design and even artwork in album covers.
The Beatles, while at a glance may have been viewed as the ones to ignite the concept of the classic rock band lineup, let alone the concept of a boy band in their respective ways, these guys weren't exactly a bunch of talentless hacks messing around with drugs, women and claiming to be bigger than Jesus. These four iconic men were dedicated musicians. Heck, one time I sat down with my friend Larry's dad Manny (known to many in Nicaragua as Santana Jr.) taught me And I Love Her by The Beatles. It wasn't exactly your run of the mill "C/G/Am/F" chord progression. Sure, they had their formulaic moments but these men studied music and put themselves out there.
U2? These Irishmen weren't exactly well-endowed stockholders, much less Bono at the time. They found their way into being where they are and put their hearts into it. Love or hate Bono, the man is successful and everything he has is because he busted his chops and put that brain of his into good use.
Let's not forget the legendary Michael Jackson. The man loved to dance. He loved music. Purposely dieted to have the dancing body he possessed. He was even an avid fan of classical music. Forget that he was the star of the Jackson 5. He was beyond that. He is to Pop as Hulk Hogan is to wrestling as Michael Jordan is to basketball as John Madden is to sports commentary for the NFL. He set the bar in music entertainment to a level that many imitate but cannot duplicate.
Let me go somewhere different. Bill Gates -- a college dropout yet is one of the world's wealthiest men alive. He had an idea, rolled with it, surrounded himself with the right people, knocked on every door that furthered his idea into what we know today as Microsoft and Windows. An educated man who had no fear in doing whatever it took to succeed.
Steve Jobs even -- Apple is all there is to say -- the juggernaut that gave us the Pandora's Box of mobile and telephonic technology.
Vince McMahon. Graduate of military school. Entrepreneur. Visionary on an epic level. WWF.
My point in all of this is the following -- instead of us all wallowing and whining about being lower middle class and how disadvantaged we are, let's step our personal game up. Every dream and every passion we have? Execute it and accept no less. My success? I'm halfway through my Bachelor's in English at Brooklyn College, have Insurance certifications and the author of two poetry books -- all of which are things I never imagined to be able to do or even dared to do but once I set my eyes on it, I accomplished every last thing. Forget the upper middle class. Forget the fight with the rich and fight your personal sense of mediocrity instead. The only person you'd lose against here isn't this "Man" we've created or the "rich powers that be". The only one you will lose to...is yourself.
While the rich are blamed, along with corporations, conglomerates, executives, bankers, stock brokers, insurance companies and even the Federal Reserve, have we ever sat down and thought about what's jogging in the minds of the very men and women we abhor?
Ever since I've begun my journey in the world of insurance, being certified in Accidental, Health and Life, I began to see things from the other side. Some of the people, in this same journey, are people like you and me, striving to make ends me, pursuing a more comfortable life to live -- be it to finally have some independence in living and finances. Some have come from the bottom of the barrel despite great mental capacity and others have busted their chops honing their skills in this field. I can't help but wonder if the very people we despise are no different than you and me.
I'll head an area of personal taste -- music. Take a look at some of the big names we knew growing up -- Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix, Black Sabbath, The Beatles, Rush, U2, Queen, Iron Maiden, Johnny Cash, to name a few. These are all groups that focused on their craft, honed it to their own personal mastery, dedicating themselves to their profession which would encapsulate their very identities.
Hendrix had his share of connections, like James Brown to name an example. He wasn't just some guitar players that simply messed around with a bunch of pedals, tripping on acid and smoking weed all day. This man pushed himself into becoming the influential legend we know him to be. Every ounce of his fame is due to him busting his chops and stepping it up to be what he desired, knocked on and kicked through every door he can get his feet through to make it where he did.
Sabbath? These cats weren't exactly a bunch of rich elites fiddling around with sound. These guys all, at some point, found a mutual passion in music, allied themselves as a unit to do what they all loved, doing everything they can and paying every due out there.
Queen? Mercury was sharp with being a musician and got a degree in Art and Graphic Design. Brian May has a doctorate in Astronomy. The axe/singer duo that defined a unique brand in music were educated men, in and out of their field and made good use of it in their music -- whether it be Brian May's special use of tape delay, Mercury's way of how he wanted his stage props, costume design and even artwork in album covers.
The Beatles, while at a glance may have been viewed as the ones to ignite the concept of the classic rock band lineup, let alone the concept of a boy band in their respective ways, these guys weren't exactly a bunch of talentless hacks messing around with drugs, women and claiming to be bigger than Jesus. These four iconic men were dedicated musicians. Heck, one time I sat down with my friend Larry's dad Manny (known to many in Nicaragua as Santana Jr.) taught me And I Love Her by The Beatles. It wasn't exactly your run of the mill "C/G/Am/F" chord progression. Sure, they had their formulaic moments but these men studied music and put themselves out there.
U2? These Irishmen weren't exactly well-endowed stockholders, much less Bono at the time. They found their way into being where they are and put their hearts into it. Love or hate Bono, the man is successful and everything he has is because he busted his chops and put that brain of his into good use.
Let's not forget the legendary Michael Jackson. The man loved to dance. He loved music. Purposely dieted to have the dancing body he possessed. He was even an avid fan of classical music. Forget that he was the star of the Jackson 5. He was beyond that. He is to Pop as Hulk Hogan is to wrestling as Michael Jordan is to basketball as John Madden is to sports commentary for the NFL. He set the bar in music entertainment to a level that many imitate but cannot duplicate.
Let me go somewhere different. Bill Gates -- a college dropout yet is one of the world's wealthiest men alive. He had an idea, rolled with it, surrounded himself with the right people, knocked on every door that furthered his idea into what we know today as Microsoft and Windows. An educated man who had no fear in doing whatever it took to succeed.
Steve Jobs even -- Apple is all there is to say -- the juggernaut that gave us the Pandora's Box of mobile and telephonic technology.
Vince McMahon. Graduate of military school. Entrepreneur. Visionary on an epic level. WWF.
My point in all of this is the following -- instead of us all wallowing and whining about being lower middle class and how disadvantaged we are, let's step our personal game up. Every dream and every passion we have? Execute it and accept no less. My success? I'm halfway through my Bachelor's in English at Brooklyn College, have Insurance certifications and the author of two poetry books -- all of which are things I never imagined to be able to do or even dared to do but once I set my eyes on it, I accomplished every last thing. Forget the upper middle class. Forget the fight with the rich and fight your personal sense of mediocrity instead. The only person you'd lose against here isn't this "Man" we've created or the "rich powers that be". The only one you will lose to...is yourself.
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