Hero

I feel like i'm on Heroes (a show that comes on TV that is so good. I watched like 4 DVD's of Season 1 in one night! lol ...but seriously, I thought of heroes one day last week as I was reading in 2 Corinthians about how we as Christians are Christs' (God's) ambassadors pleading on his behalf for people to reconcile themselves to God. I was thinkin about the tv series how there were only a few heroes in the world sprinkled thoughout the earth in difference places, but someonehow all of them shared a common bond, and their lives collided in different ways. But the main bond they shared was the intrical part they played in saving the world. No one's powers were over the other. They eached depended on each other inasmuch as the world depended on them (little did the world know that their lives depended on these "heroes").

Just food for thought...

Resolutions and revelations

Late again. I woke up late this morning--rather yesterday morning, now it's after 12. It's technically new years eve.



I'm glad i'm finally aproaching opportunities to share Christ with people I know at work. All i did was pray about it. Don't know why I waited so long to get real, get serious, you know? Funny thing is, one of my goals in 2007 was to lead someone to Christ. Didn't happen. And the sad part is not that i didn't meet my goal; i'm more sad that there are people out there possibly missing out on Christ because of my unwillingness and disobedience.

Moving on...(i'm really not in the mood today to make excuses for myself or condone it.)

I now take this very seriously, and I even have to question how much i really love God. It's like, do I love him as much as I say I do?



rAnDoMs

I spilt milk on my labtop yesterday. Now my keys type much smoother and don't clank as much. I'm surprised it even works. Gods grace? lol



Ok, so I know ur probably thinkin i'm real spiritual right now, right? No. I'm working on that. Though i seem to write a lot about my faith because I can't shut up about it or stop thinking about it when I'm alone, I only wish and hope that I could talk about it with others as much as I do with myself.



I do have one thing to say about the new year though. I realize that a large portion of this year, though I seem to care about accomplishing what I feel I must do now to fulfill God's plan for my life, I've actually been very selfish. I realized this today as paster Jesse Prince was speaking on the podium today in place of Pastor Gerald. His message wasn't real deep or philisophical. Just simple...but it spoke volumes to me, loud and clear. He talked about Esther.


Basically how all the "success" Esther had (making it as queen of the land, being beautiful and all), still seemed insignificant as she laid her life on the line for an entire nation. Yeah, she could've sat tight in the palace while her people were being slaughtered. She could've been just another little helpless powerless queen, but no. She new she was put in the kingdom for such as time as that. It even says in Esther when she recieved a memo (message) saying basically that either way God's going to save his people whether she did anything or not, and she would just parish to be forgotten if she did not seize the opportunity that lied ahead of her (when it was talking about 'don't think you will escape the decree' and stuff like that with her being a jew and all). In short, she was willing to lay her life on the line, even in the midst of her success. And here's the most awesome part of it all:
This was about her people. Her significance is about God using her to save an entire nation, not the fact that she was a queen. I'm sure there were a lot of queen's before her and after her, but i'm not reading about them so...yeah.

Anyways, he talked about our life being about others and helping them succeed, and even helping them in the midst of your success--using your influence. I want to use whatever influence I have to do this, that is, if I have or will ever have any at all...

Thinkin about this at church, I nearly cried during the alter call thinking about one person in particular: Ms. Pearl.

When Jesse made this statement, or rather a quote, it stopped my racing mind in its tracks. He said "you know you are successfull when you are succeeding because others want you to succeed", or something like it.
Now I don't want to be selfish in this, but I really do want to help others with my life. Why else am I here? because I've already come to a saving knowledge of Christ, and I believe that by faith I am saved, but I want others to come to this place as well.

What can i do? What must i do...?

Resolution #1 (for the new year): Sacrifice myself for others' sake, for their sake.

by the way, about Ms. Pearl. She is the person I thought of after Jesse's quote that I would absolutely love to see her succeed. Of course I wish success for everyone I known and love, but for some reason, this woman that I barely even know, really don't even known personally, except through a brief conversation in Chicago and a short interview over the phone in March, had a profound impact on me. I still remember (though it was months ago during spring break--March).
The thing that stikes me the most about her his her humility and drive to help young mothers succeed who may feel like their in a hopeless situation like she felt she was, but look at God's grace. Now I want to do anything I can to help her recieve the money for the new facility to hold more children and classes and things. Some pleace safe, homey, custom...
I want to see her succeed because she wants others to suceeed so much. A wise woman indeed.

Christmas Day

Yea tho it's been a while....
naw, i'm just playin. But yeah, it's been a hot min since i've written anything. Later on this week i'm going to write my new year's conclusion and also my goals for the new year and life in general.
Things have been wonderful so far today. I got a new digital camera!!! I'm very excited about that. Now i'm going to be uploading pics and posting videos like crazy...
I also got some jewlry from my brother and dad, and some new clothes from my mom--much needed. And they liked their gifts too, so it was all worth it! Later at 7:20 we're going to see The Great Debaters mvie wit Denzel and Forrest Whitaker...It was sold out when we got to the theater. My mom and I were just shocked at how many white folks came out to see it, but then again wer thought about Oprah, and then iy all made sense (She endorsed this movie).. We were supposed to see the 4:55 show, but
there were only 3 seats left, and 4 of us. Other people were turning away angry; whole families leaving...yeah, so we're leaving at like 6:30 to get good seats.
But anyways, i'm looking forward to the new year. Things have been some what of a strugglw lately with me workin and stuff. I came out with the 3.5 i wanted by the end of this semester, thanks be to God cuz Lord knows I couldn't have done that on my own with all lifes cRaZiNeSs.
Speakin of cRaZy, I have no idea how next semester, or next summer's going to turn out for me. I have, well had plans, but it seems others' plans are overriding mine. So basically the things I want to do, i may not be able to. Like Plan #1: This summer I'm going to work at KAA the first half as a counselor, then got to Salamanca, Spain the second.
Not only do I not have my application for KAA in yet, I have yet to complete it along with finding people to recomend me, and as for Spain...well, my roommate may be getting married exactly 1 week before I would be back, and when I talked to one of the study abroad corrdinators, she said I wasn't able to leave early or make arrangements. Not to mention others who have been newly engaged who will probably be getting married over the summer...
Plan #2: I'm going to Phili on a missions trip during spring break.
Now today my Dad said to leave Spring break open so that we could go to New Orleans to visit my grandpa. I really want to go to N.O. so bad to see him because not only have i not been in almost 2 years now, but I really want to see grandpa because I'm not sure how many years i'll have left with him. ...but then again I've been talkin bout Phili with Ebony since this past summer when it was first brought up, and I love inner city missions and I want to help the kids. I'M TORN
spain?? or my best friend's wedding?
Phili missions?? or N.O. with my grandpa?
and what about KAA? What if something comes up and i can't hold to my committment if they except me as a counselor?
(sigh.)

DREAMS

This afternoon as I was listening to the Michael Basden show in the car on my way back from an interview (it was with Cultural Awareness International for an intern position), I was thinking--"Wow, people out there are really doin it big." They were talking about persuing your dreams. Some people on the show called in saying they hated ther job, and would cry everyday because they hated it so much. But then there were others who called in who owned their own businesses and loved their jobs. Just one day they had had enough, and they got out there and did it. One lady and her husband opened a jazz club. One day they were just like, "hmm, there's no clubs in this area we like." They found a location, and next thing you know they were opening a club in Brooklyn. He stayed on the phone with the woman who owned the jazz club as other called in for advice. Mike said somethin along the lines... "Whatever you do, no matter what you're current job, you work at it with your dream in mind, and let that be your focus. Let that be your goal. Don't have a job just to have one." So basically it's like you may have all kinds of jobs, but look at them as a stepping stone and never stop persuing your ultimate dream in the meantime. Let the ultimate dream be on the forefront of your mind.
The woman also had simple advice, "Don't stop." Just like that. This really got me thinking. You know, though I may be doing all kinds of things right now, it should always be with this ultimate goal in mind: giving God glory. My live lives to spread the gospel and Christ alone. I also like helping others. Everything I do should march toward this goal...and the magazine, this dream so little known by many. But i'm gonna keep it on my mind.


Also, today thinkin about some of the guys in the Crossmovement (Da Truth, Flame?, I think) and the 116 Clique, it's all good what they're doin. But it's all dudes!!!
Where are the females? Well, today I thought to myself, "Maybe instead of looking for these bold Godly women, I should be one", you know? I'm just a liitle unsure of myself right now, but somebody's gotta do it. I'm constantly looking for this romodel. But the more I search, and the more i'm unable to find her, the more I want to be her so that other girls can have one at least. I don't know... However, don't get me wrong. There are plenty of excellent romodels and godly women for young women to model after. I go to church with some, but I want to see us out there more. I want to put us 'out there'. Maybe not rapping like the 116, but you know, doin our thing, but God's way.

The Music Never Stops. Period.

This is a personal essay I wrote for my feature writing class about the perils of competition in band during high school. I kinda like it, so i thought I'd post it. I definately learned from this experience, and in light of today...i thought it'd be appropriate. = )

My entire music career comes up this point. This will prove weather or not I am truly talented: the Solo and Ensemble competition. This gives band nerds their bragging rights. I’ve seen people’s sweat and tears over this competition. Slaving away over notes, locked in practice rooms four to five months out of the year, it all would pay off. All in mere ten minutes, and during one solo.
My sweaty fingers glide up and down the metal keys of my clarinet.
I’m next.
My mind searches for data…a note. A key. A change in the song. The tips of my fingers puff over the open holes giving the hollow wood a voice in the stagnate air. One last prayer outside the classroom door: "Ok, God,…" I only have one chance.
This will be the year for me. This will be the year that I can make it to state and prove to everyone that I have true musical talent. I’ve been third to last chair all semester. The other clarinets in my section made it to state last year--all but me and the few others on the bottom of the totem pole, the bottom of our section. Now I am a senior. I must go.
I memorized a four-page piece by Braums--a beautiful silhouette. I played part in front of the class one day.
"Wow. It’s so pretty," says my friend Jasmine.
The first section: long, sad and hollow. I felt with Braums. Lonely in my room playing for hours and hours, I became one with this piece. Leaping and sailing with the notes off the page. My fingers twiddling up the register, warm air shooting through the hollow wooden instrument soothing the ears who heard the melodies.
"Beautiful sound," said Ms. Villareal, my band teacher from last year.
I played for my friends and family.
"You’re gonna do great!" said dad encouraging me one day after I played for him, "I’m so proud of you."
This year I had finally moved up to Wind Symphony, the top band at Frisco High School carrying some of best high school musicians the state of Texas. Certain sections from Frisco fill all or most seats at the 4A All-State Band Competition, some first chairs.
I had stiff competition. They had private lessons.
From working two jobs outside of school my senior year, I could finally afford them now, even though I am also saving up for a leadership conference in Europe this summer. Though I failed to make it to Regionals in the fall, fresh new flowers are blooming in the spring-filled air. I still had a one chance to redeem myself at Solo and Ensemble.
It’s my turn.
"Ok, we’re ready," the girl outside says to me.
I’m ready.
I stride into the room toward my moment of truth. I got this.
"Do you want to sit or stand?" asks the girl escorting me inside the room.
"I’ll stand."
My confidence--only half the battle. My piano accompanist: she started a war.
I play the first half of the piece without a single error but just one bar. Warm and lovely sounds on my reed. Thank God--the half pack of cinnamon Altoids I popped in my mouth this morning to clear my sinuses--they where really working! No cold was going to stop me from state.
Nothing. No one.
Rolling my fingers up and down the keys as smooth as silk, I'm now on the second half of the piece. Skilfully mastering the ugly runs*Brian, my private lessons teacher helped me flesh out, I'm on my way. Brian, a student from the University of North Texas college of music was part of their world renowned program, and an excellent teacher.
Coming to the last five lines of the festive second movement, my piano accompanist struggles to hit the correct black and white keys. Notes clash like train whistles. She’s slowing the speed of my upbeat tempo.
No.
The sounds become unbearable, and I spiral down into a deficit. No more patience! I have nothing left. Angry at the fumbling fingers to my right--
I stop.
She stops.
I let out an exasperated sigh of defeat into the silent air while closing my eyes. Shaking my head. It’s over.
"You want to continue?" asks the judge.
"Could I start in the middle of page four?"
I finish the last four lines of the song with a strong last note despite her mistakes.
"I’m so sorry," said the nervous woman once we were outside. She had ten or so other soloists to play for that day. My solo just happened to have a difficult ending. She felt responsible and only charged me half price. Why the hell did she tell me she could play when she really couldn’t? That bitch. I thought to myself.
We’ll see what happens once they post my score. I just need a I**. The score says it all: Top, Superior. I.
Looking up at the black ink embedded into the white piece of paper posted up in the cafeteria, my eyes filled with tears.
II.
I fled the building immediately. In shame and embarrassment rushed to my car. But I’m a senior!
I soaked the steering wheel with tears on my way to work that day.
I had failed, but I wasn’t because my faulty pianist. It wasn’t because of wrong notes I played.
Later reading the judges comments, I learned that I committed the number one sin at the competition: I stopped playing.
Up to that silent moment of defeat in the classroom, I had never stopped. The time it mattered most, I let the situation get the best of me. Losing didn’t prove whether or not I was truly talented, it exposed me.
If I had not stopped, I would be on my way to state. The man had complimented me on everything else, but my poor choice.
My entire music career came to up this point: a period, not a comma.
This taught me to never stop again, but I only had one chance…



*rolling your fingers up and down the keys quickly
**One.

My First A-head

This story came out of sweat and tears! It still as a little bit of blips, but it's my final version of the story. A-head are a lot harder to write than they seem...i plan to master them one day.



Secret Solution Slims Down Celebrities and Wanabees

Wrapped like a mummy in ACE bandages, a 30-something year old woman pumps her arms and legs back and forth on a gazelle. She’s wearing a plastic poncho, baggies over her feet and hands to trap toxins and fluids. The plastic bags fight against the creaking sound of the gazelle--she has only an hour to go.
This isn’t modern day torture. It’s another weight-loss tactic that guarantees instant inch loss.
This beauty product--The Body Wrap---is soaked in solution designed to release toxins and impurities from the body. People can take off anywhere from 10-30 inches in one session, a quick fix to become "suddenly slimmer."
Victoria Morton invented "Suddenly Slender: The Body Wrap" in 1969. Survived through polio, rickets and pneumonia, she now owns a franchise. As founder and president of Suddenly Slender Franchising USA, she’s invented more than 100 products for weight loss and age reversal.
"Everybody my age has cellulite and I do not," Morton says.
The 70-year-old ruby haired woman appeared on NBC’s Daytime flaunting her legs, slender and cellulite-free.
More than 10 million wraps have been given world wide by her licensed practitioners in the United States, Canada, the Carribean and Europe.
Ellen DeGeneres used it before the Oscars last year. Heiress Carolina Bacardi, disco diva Gloria Gainer, and even Dr. Phil McGraw’s wife, Robin McGraw, claim to use the product.
Wraps are now featured on Good Morning Texas, E!, Montel, and The View, among many other shows.
Tyra Banks visited Suddenly Slender Salon in Los Angeles with Maria on her show.
"I really hope this works," Maria says while getting wrapped in ACE tape, "I really want to get into that dress."
Measured before the procedure, Maria and Tyra wrapped themselves from head to toe in the mineral bandages. After exercising on an elliptical and jumping on tramps for an hour, the two were stripped down to see their instant inch loss.
Tyra lost 9.5 inches overall, including the 1.5 inches off her booty she wanted.
Maria, not able to zip up before, later appeared on the Tyra show in her new black dress.
"It feels great! I love it," Maria says gleaming, "I had no problems getting into it."
Now people everywhere are wrapping themselves in ACE bandages. Imagine thousands of mummy-wrapped people wearing plastic ponchos swinging their arms on an elliptical and jumping on tramps to loose weight. Elastic bandages, normally used to position wounded ankles, is now used to wrap the fat and shed inches off the body while tightening the skin tone--no more cellulite.
The Plano Body Wrap Shop is one of nine salons in the Dallas Metroplex featuring this product.
Laura Jean*, 48, started coming to the salon in October after hearing about it from two of her friends at work.
"Makes your skin tighter so you don’t just droop," Jean says, also claiming she’s lost 65-70 inches total since she first wrap. "I’ve actually lost more inches than I have weight."
Jean is also on a supervised diet and says she’s lost about 50 lbs total from wrapping alongside diet and exercise.
"You have water that runs off you," Jean says describing the Wrap, "You sweat out a bunch of stuff."
The toxic water rolling off the skin seeps into the plastic baggies wrapped around her feet.
Jean says the color of her "water" has changed since her first wrap.
"It was murky, but now it’s a lot clearer."
Judy Rafie, co-owner of the business says "toxins are everywhere." In your food. In your soda. In the air. "You go outside, you breath toxins," she says.
Rafie trained at Morton’s world headquarters in Clearwater, FL. In her Plano business she’s had clients ranging anywhere from age 13 to 90-something years old, she says. She also says about 60-70 percent of men and women who get wraps come before weddings, vacations, and parties. The other 40 percent come intending to loose weight. However, Rafie says the inch loss and suddenly slimmer appearance only lasts as long as the person does not gain more weight.
Rafie is not entirely sure of what composes Morton’s solution.
"It’s an if I’d tell you, I’d have to kill you type thing," Rafie says. A well-kept secret indeed.
However, Rafie did mention magnesium as one of the minerals used besides the formula. She says the magnesium, allows many people relax after using the wraps, and many of her claim to sleep well afterward.
Her shop like many of the others features some of Morton’s other products.
Face tape: a non-surgical procedure for face lifts. The also uses the bandages and solution along with tape to tighten the skin tone. The shops even claim this to rids people of double chins or puffy cheeks.
The Power wrap: instant breast reduction, no operating table involved.
Prices for these products can range anywhere from $40-$160, depending on the product.
Kelly Smith*, 38 , heard about the Body Wrap listening to the radio one day. She went online and found a location in Carrolton.
Her first visit she lost about 20 inches, more than promised, she said.
"It doesn’t burn or sting," says Smith,
Wrapped all up, swinging her arms on the gazelle and having secret solution poured on her for about an hour, Smith said it was all worth it.
"It feels funny because it’s tight and wet the whole time."
She like many other clients don’t like other people watching their meltdown, and wanted her identity concealed.
Jamice Rosales, worker of the Carrolton shop, says many of her clients "freak" even if a new technician wraps them.
Back at the Plano shop, a woman pumps away while watching television.
Every 20 minutes, Julie Burkhart, newly trained practitioner, bastes her brown-bandaged skin with warm solution--much like one would a gizzard.
Burkhart snaps on a pair of rubber gloves.
"The toxins are comin’ out, and I don’t want ‘em on me," she says walking into the next room toward the bagged and bandaged woman.
Finally.
"Jennifer, it’s time!"



*Last names changed to conceal identites.

Sites:
www.tyrashow.com
www.slimwrap.com --LA Suddenly Slender Salon
www.suddenlyslender.com
Suddenly Slender World Headquarters:
727-298-0808 or 1-800-221-6793

I also have the sources with telephone numbers, but this is the Internet so yeah, it's to protect their identities and well-being (sorry stalkers, LOL).

Tar and Ash: The Perils of Smoking

This is my iMovie I made in my design class. It's not much, but I tried. I had a post earlier, but i'm not sure what happened to it?? I guess the video messed up, so I'm re-posting. Like I said before, write now i'm a little on the broke side and lagging a little in technology. But now I know what I want as far as being able to "share" more of my life, and becoming a more professional journalist. I'm looking at getting an iBook, or just some kinda Mac, but the ibooks are just so cute! and also the Adobe suite along with it. If I can't get it, at least hopefully I will have access to one. Guess as long as i'm student i still would... I'm so excited though! I also mentioned before about a new digital camera. A better one. The other one I have now takes pictures, but it's a little old (got it Jr. year in HS for christmas. that was what like '04? ) I want one that takes better quality shots. That can take pictures of people even when their in motion and not look smeared. That can caputre video (sound would be a bonus) and I could put it on youTube, and embed more videos online.

I'm soo excited! I got some things to catch up on. My last written final exam is tomorrow. After that i'll be back to write more. I hope to continue this and grow out of it. I plan to blog a little more next semester and throughout the holiday. I know nobody really reads these but me, but at least I could look back one day and see the progressions i've made from were I first began. Adios! y Glory a Dios! lol