Wednesday, March 23, 2005

A walk?...anyone...?

Part one

I live in the city. A city like any others. People are busy. People have things to do, people to see...I like walking....Lol, does that make any sense? I'm not sure it was meant to. Just that I feel, in the city, people are sooo busy!!! Too busy to enjoy life. And if they walk, it's from point A to B. Everyone has a goal. Do I have one when I walk? Sure, I know where I'm going, but is it really my goal?

Nope, my goal is to enjoy the ride, observe, find some peace of mind. I like walking, I like thinking. I like to break free from my life that I consider busy. Is it really busy? How? What am I to do that can't wait, that's sooo important? My life, my well-being...

Besides that, I don't see anything else. So I'm not saying my life can wait but I don't wanna spend it in that constant urgent state too many people live in. I wanna be able to stop, take a deep breath and just live freely. Walk just 'cause I want to, my well-being tells me I need to slow down every once in a while. And when I need to slow down, I take a walk...

Now part two...

Like I stated before, I like walking. Do you know what reminds me anytime I live in a city and people are busy? Well their lack of respect for pedestrian would be a good example. Hell, how many times have I almost got hit by a car? Hard to keep track. Stop signs ignored, red lights ignored, excess speeding people just not paying ANY attention to what is surrounding them! HEY, I know you're in a hurry but do you mind not brushing my pants with your car!!!

Yeah, I'm a lil' pissed off. I have every right to be. People commit so many effractions...Man, I wish every pedestrian had the right to hand in tickets. All this just makes me want to stay home and take the bus. But I don't give up. And when I ride my bicycle...OMG, it's even more dangerous, all those doors, once again, drivers turning without warning and sooo much more...

Well they didn't get to me yet. And I know us, pedestrian, don't always respect the signalisation. One thing remains, when we don't, chances are we'll hurt ourselves, for the automobilists, when you don't, chances are, you'll hurt someone like me! So please be careful while driving!

And anyone who thinks they're too busy to take it slow and just enjoy a ride; take a vacation far away from the city. Once you get there, take a deep breath and start walking. ;)

Sunday, March 13, 2005

GOOD MOOD

This text was not written by me. I received it in a class I attended. I like the message very much and I can honestly say that that's a great way to live and we can and shoud all learn from Jerry! ;)

The text is originally in french, so if anything was lost in translation, let me know! ;)


Good Mood

Jerry is a manager in the restoration in Philadelphia. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When he is asked how it goes, he always answers: "If I were better than that,we would be two: my twin and me!"

When he moves, several waiters and waitresses are ready to quit their job to follow him to another restaurant for the only reason that they admire his attitude. He is a natural motivator. When an employee spins a bad cotton, Jerry is always there to show to him the good side of the things.

Curious, I went to see Jerry one day to ask him: "I do not understand. It is not possible to be always positive like that, everywhere, all the time. How do you do it?" And Jerry to answer:"Every morning when when I wake, I think that, today, I can either chose to be in a good mood or chose to be in a bad mood. I always decide to be in a good mood.

When deplorable incident occurs I can chose to be a victim or I can choose to learn a lesson from it. When somebody comes to complain with me, I can choose to hear his complaint, or, I can try to show to him the good side of the thing."

"But it is not always so easy", I told him. And Jerry to reply: "Life, it is a question of choice. One chooses his way of reacting to the situations. One chooses how the others can influence him or not. One chooses to be in a good mood or bad mood. One chooses to live his life in the manner which is suitable to them."

Several years later, I heard that Jerry incidentally did what one should never do in restoration: he left unlocked the restaurant̢۪s back door a morning and was surprised by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, trembling of nervousness, he did not manage to make the numerical combination. One of the intruder panicked and shot him. Fortunately for Jerry, he was quickly transported to the hospital.

After eighteen hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released of the hospital with remains of bullets which had not successfully been withdrawed of his body.

I say Jerry again, six months after the incident and I asked him how he reacted to it all. "If I were better than that, he said, we would be two: my twin and me. You want to see the scars?"

I did not want to see the wound, but I asked him what had gone through his mind at the time of the robbery. And Jerry said: "The first thing that crossed my mind was that I should have closed the back door of the restaurant with a key. And then, lying on the floor after being shot, I remembered that I could still make a choice either to live or to die. And I chose to live."

"Weren't you afraid?" I asked.

And he answered : "The ambulance men were quite correct. They did not cease saying to me that all was well. But while entering the operating room at the hospital, I saw the expression of the doctors and nurses and, then, I was afraid. I saw in their eyes that I was a dead man and I knew I had to act quickly."

"And then, what did you do?" "Well, my friend, there was a large nurse who bombarded me questions; she wanted to know if I were allergic to something. I said yes, and the doctors and the nurses stopped to hear what I was going to say. I took a deep breath and I said to them that I was allergic to gun̢۪s bullets! When they stopped laughing, I said to them that I had made the choice to live and that they would make better operate me as if I were a living man rather than a dead one!"

Jerry survived thanks to the expertise of the doctors but also thanks to his astonishing attitude! I learned from him that, everyday, we must make choices: to benefit fully from the life or to be bored from it as long as we like. The only thing which belongs to us and which nobody can control, nor take away, are our attitudes. Then, when one can cultivate positive attitudes, all that remains is the small stuff.

Now, it is up to us to choose!

What is or once was...Letting go...

Our past is what our future is shaped of. one can not pretend to just let go of the past and start a new life. The events, the choices made, the people who affected you one way or another, were all part of a masterplan that made you who you are today.

That's what I believe. Sometimes, I tell myself I'd go back and stop some things from happening. But then, I'd be spending so much time looking back and fixing what went wrong, I wouldn't live much...No, I'd rather live my life with no regrets like I always say. Why? Think about the energy you're wasting?! Obviously you can't go back so I say, let it go.

What do I mean by letting go....This tendency we have to hold on to people or things that are part of our past. What I like to do is evaluate. So, that teddy bear I've had since I was little, is it stopping me from evolving? Live the life I want? Nope, so I guess if I desperatly want to hold on to it it's ok. My ex I badly wanted to be friends with but who kept playing mind games, who always seemed to show up when I'd be moving on...obstacle so goodbye. pretty simple. And, no regrets! Looking on the bright side: If I was better off without that jerk as a boyfriend, I'm probably better off without him as a friend as well.

It's never easy to let go, break the ties but sometimes it has to be done. sometime life takes care of it for us...in a way, 'cause does it? Really? If you move out of your present location, let's say very far, like a different country and lose contact with your friends, you could say life took care of that. But there was a reason you moved out...you made a choice.

On choices, we ALWAYS have a choice. I mean ALWAYS, I'd never believe anything else. Saying we did not have a choice is an excuse. Say a homeless woman steals some bread to feed her son. She gets caught...she can't say she didn't have a choice. I'm not talking about shelters or anything like that let's pretend they don't exist. Her basic and pretty much only choice would've been to let her son die from hunger OR steal food. She chose the latter which pretty much anyone would say was the right CHOICE!!! Because she HAD a choice. A decision to make. And every decision, every action (even choosing not to do anything is an action) has a consequence, a reaction.

Anyhow, make your choices in life, live it fully and don't let anything stop you. What is, sometimes, isn't as important as what once was, but they should both be considered through out your life. And when you have to...don't be afraid to let go!

;)

Monday, March 07, 2005

Enough...

I like men with power...Is it why it didn't work out with my ex? He was far from the kinda guy I usually go for and yet I'd do everything for him? I don't know. Do people still call female the weaker sex? I sure hope not. Maybe I'm a little weak...well I am but to what extend?

One of my favorite movies (yep, you'll get that a lot) is Enough starring Jennifer Lopez. A woman is being violated by her husband and eventually she fights back. You would've never guessed...He was so nice and loving in the beginning. But what I like is how she stands up for herself and decides early that SHE WILL NOT TAKE IT!!! WOW, I like men with power...her husband (before he turns into a monster) is the kind of guy I'm drawn to. Successful, powerful, gets what he wants, he's not afraid to make decisions.

Only he decides that he wants her and therefor, she is his and will be until he doesn't want her anymore. He tells her right after hitting her: "Today is the price you pay for having such a wonderful life..." Freak!!! I think a lot of women who watched that movie saw the kinda man they would want before this happened. So what was it? What is it? If you want a man with power, you're bond to get stepped on? Betten up? Don't think so. But I do want to change something...How much power the guy has over me...see this is the sensible part. Power is one thing...but over what? Over who?

Hmmm...if I get involved with a guy with power(I've done it before) I just do whatever he says. I like it in a way. The other me is independant so doesn't like to be told what to do. Pretty complicated, lol, I know I'm the one who's twisted it so much. But I'm wondering, thinking...And you know what? It tells me only a woman equally strong can handle a man of power. Only a woman that knows when it's time to put her foot down. Knows what she wants and doesn't want and isn't scared to go for it. And when it's not the way it should be, she's not scared to say ENOUGH!!! And walk away if it's the only way.

So my message basically is something I've read before: "It is better to have no relationship at all than being in a bad one!"

That's who I wanna be. That strong woman who stands up for herself. And maybe someday, someday, she'll stand for others as well.

Sunday, February 27, 2005

An apple a day keeps the doctor away...

Ok, so I'm pretty happy, my friend, Kat, stopped smoking on her birthday and she seems to be doing great!!! Even better, she replaced cigarettes with...apples???! I hope this is gonna help for the lungs damage :S, I don't like it when people smoke. It's dangerous for the health. Not only theirs!

So there's a lot of publicity in Canada, one is from the governement of Ontario promoting the web site: http://www.stupid.ca

I LOVE the publicities. Like the one of the guy in in bath tub preparing toast and stating that if you think what he's doing is stupid, you should know that he has 1 chance out of 36 000 in a lifetime to die preparing toast while taking a bath. BUT, when you smoke, you have 1 chance out of 2 in a lifetime to die from it. It's to prevent teens from starting to smoke. But I hope it will also help smokers to quit. Check out the website! ;)

Like they say, smokers aren't stupid! We know it's an addictive product, it's hard to quit. There are sooo many reason why smokers should quit and some can really go cold turkey, which is good but others can't. So give up the crap some smokers use to feel they're in control which is: "I can quit anytime."

Then please, do so. It's bad for your health, bad for other people's health and bad for the environment. Oh, and it smells! Lol, also, Kat, knows what she's doing, apparently an apple a day really does keep the doctor away--and the cancer--according to new researches. :)

So since your chances of getting a lung cancer are high as hell once you've been a smoker, quit now and replace each cigarette you'd like to smoke with and apple.

'Cause an apple a day keeps the doctor away...

Who would've thought it was true? ;)

Saturday, February 26, 2005

"Remember one man..."

Before Black History Month ends, I gotta write a little something...That line: "Remember one man...", is from an ad I saw on BET yesterday. One man...and that man would be Martin Luther King Jr. I AM black and proud to be, but honestly I'm not sure what exactly he did so I started my reasearch.

And you know what?! Why ONE man? That's what I was interested in before I started writing, but it all changed...

Sad to say but trying to do some research online I came across a website trying to diminish everything he has done but revealing the so-called "truth" about him. Not being a total ignorant I read parts of whatever they were saying but I was kind shocked... I'm not saying they were relating the truth I didn't read it all but one way or another some facts don't change.

December 1st, 1955, Rosa Parks, an african-american woman, refused to stand to let a white person take her sit after the driver asked. She was arrested. A major boycott of buses was then organised which lasted for more than a year. They wanted black people to take the bus and sit wherever they damn well please. They won, and black people cause advanced greatly since that day. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. fought for African-american rights and while I am Canadian, I am black and I know his name. But reading that White Pride World Wide forum, man it was even more shocking. But of course some people get it:


Posted by mechatron :
"All this goes beyond my imagination. I did know there were stupid people on earth, but this is too much. How can a being provided with intellectual faculties think and write such things? Martin Luther King is one of the most important persons of the 20th century. I did look at the sources of the content of martinlutherking.org, but who cares? I just look at the facts: no martin luther king = no freedom for black people. I suppose that for you xenophobic people freedom for african-americans is a problem, but for the rest of the world it's a great archievement. I think I'll stop here because i really can't see things from your point of view, it's impossible to me. Xenophoby and racism are so absurd. Im ashamed of being a man living in a world where racism still exists.
A convinced anti-racist from Switzerland"


HE gets it...Why can't those other idiots?

Ok, I'm not going to get into it, he goes overboard maybe? I wouldn't say it's racism but one thing's for sure, he was definitly right when he wrote: "Martin Luther King is one of the most important persons of the 20th century [...] I just look at the facts: no martin luther king = no freedom for black people."

So stop the madness, send a message of peace and love and...

Remember one man...

A man who once delivered a great speech called:

"I Have A Dream"

Did his dream come true? I think it did, please don't diminish his accomplishments.

Thursday, February 24, 2005

Everything You Want...

That's the title of a song I like very much. It's by Vertical Horizon. I relate to it...see, I have a problem, I doubt I'm the only one. I don't go for the right guy...Here's the chorus of the song.

"He's everything you want
He's everything you need
He's everything inside of you
That you wish you could be
He says all the right things
At exactly the right time
But he means nothing to you
And you don't know why"


In the video you can read in the end: "Everything you want isn't everything you need" Or something in that line of idea...

Yep, there's always that someone you wish you'd love but you don't...Or maybe you've been the perfect person for someone who couldn't see?...

So what happens next when this is where you're at? You take a chance? Hope it'll work out? It gets me wondering if I truly know what I want, what I need...I will state it clearly and I think everyone should do this and not settle down for anything less!!! ;)


So here's everything I want:

Someone who can love me unconditionally
Someone who'll respect me and the choices I make
Someone who'll love me for who I am, not who I could be
Someone who knows what they want and where they're going
Someone who'll believe in me and encourage me to be all I can be
Someone who'll give without expecting to receive anything in return
Someone who'll give it all they have, put in all the efforts necessary
Someone who understands that to make a relationship work or fail, it takes two

Isn't this the minimum requirement to make a relationship work? One of my favorites songs is Alicia Keys' "When you really love someone"

"I'm a woman, lord knows it's hard
I need a real man to give me what I need
Sweet attention, love and tenderness
When it's real it's unconditional,
I'm telling y'all

Chorus:
Cause a man, just ain't a man,
if he ain't man enough
to love you when you're right,
love you when you're wrong
love you when you're weak,
love you when you're strong
take you higher
when the world got you feelin low.
He's given you his last, cuz he's thinking of you first
Given comfort when you're thinking that you're hurt
That's what's done when you really love someone"


You meet someone who should be perfect for you, but nothing...why? Because love is a crazy thing. Just for starters, it's a universal feeling...We may spend our entire life searching for something that's right there...? Maybe not, maybe yes...hmmm...I say: "trust your guts"...Love is out there! And if it's right there; you'll see it sooner or later. I like to say: "it's too bad, not too late!" ;)

I don't like thinking it's too late and if you have to, it's not the person for you. I believe in fate and destiny so if someone was meant for you, when you'll find each other, your hearts will be free! :)

TO MY FUTURE LOVE...

Hoping this time I may be right
Hoping this time it will be strong
Hoping this time it's unconditional

I've searched for you
I've never lost hope
I've been waiting for you

Now you are
Here with me
A dream becomes reality
May it, be forever and always

Caroline C.D.


Hopefully I will find everything I want soon enough (I'm not in a rush) and to all those other people wishing to find their true love...

Good luck! ;)

Tuesday, February 22, 2005

"R-E-S-P-E-C-T find out what it means to me"

Ok, what is respect?

According to the dictionary

respect
1. A feeling of appreciative, often deferential regard; esteem.
2. The state of being regarded with honor or esteem.
3. Willingness to show consideration or appreciation.

To me it is the right of EVERY individual
You CAN lack respect to someone who doesn't understand this simple fact and therefore, lacks you respect.

True that I believe if you don't respect yourself, chances are people won't respect you. There are bloodsuckers out there who take advantage of people, play with others minds...You have to respect yourself, whoever you are. And it's a simple start: LOVE YOURSELF, THE WAY YOU ARE!!! BECAUSE YOU ARE GREAT AND UNIQUE!!!


Women are being objectified EVERYDAY, take a stand! And by that I do not mean to not dress sexy or anything, I mean, if you do, respect yourself. Don't give to just anyone the honor to dance with you in a club, talk to you on the streets, touch you. Guys have to learn to respect you and how will they if you don't respect yourself? Don't try to be sexy, provocative or anything you're not only to get attention. 'Cause you will get attention but no respect. What's that worth?

If you're naturally sexy, provocative or whatever, that's great, be yourself BUT don't let anyone lack you respect. And if you're not sure what that is go back to the definition. A guy who a walk up to you with only one idea in mind has got to know it won't be easy! From Deliver Us from Eva, a quote: "If you want to go out with me, realise it means being a gentleman. Understand that it means respecting my mind, my body and spirit." And this is from a random guy's profile online: "I respect the chicks who treat themselves like they are worth something, and don't just go throwing everything away."

Yeah, Christina Aguilera's with Lil' Kim song was pretty cool ("Can't Hold Us Down") But let's get back into the real world shall we??!! SOCIETY IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE!!! NOT THAT WAY!!! It's ridiculous really, you listen to that song and think it's empowering to women...I did! And you know what???!!! It's not!!! It's diminishing! "Genie In a Bottle" had a WAY more empowering message!! Lol, sad to say...

Let me show you what I mean, the song is partly positive but MAN, the video AND those parts of the song:

"If you look back in history
It's a common double standard of society
The guy gets all the glory the more he can score
While the girl can do the same and yet you call her a whore"

"This is for my girls all around the world
Who've come across a man who don't respect your worth" (Now THAT'S positive but after what she said right b4 it's plain funny! Men whores exist as well!)

And there's Lil' Kim now:

"Check it - Here's something I just can't understand
If the guy have three girls then he's the man
He can either give us some head, sex her off
If the girl do the same, then she's a whore
But the table's about to turn
I'll bet my fame on it
Cats take my ideas and put their name on it
It's aiight though, you can't hold me down
I got to keep on movin'
To all my girls with a man who be tryin to mack
Do it right back to him and let that be that
You need to let him know that his game is whack
And Lil' Kim and Christina Aguilera got your back"

THREE GIRLS so what?? Girls should do the same and have three guys???!!! Oh, and I've played that song, not proud to say it but I felt she was so right. But she's wrong!!! So don't fall into the trap!


MEN

Ok, I won't say all men are pigs, I know better. But if you do meet a woman with no self-respect, maybe it would be nice to offer a helping hand instead of judging or taking advantage of the situation. And all the players, pimps etc... Let's grow from that stupid trend of gangstas pimps and hoes!!! Come on, what's with everyone? You like seeing yourself like this? Like a big idiot who thinks women are disposable toys? How would you feel being treated like that?

Anyone who acts like this is an obstacle to evolution. Is that what you wanna be? This blog was mostly for women 'cause I believe the first step has to be made by us. But if all men would look at what I said before about helping a girl that doesn't respect herself (and in a classy manner please.) I know not all guys like those girls but some tell them to have some respect for themselves in a rude way and not showing respect at all!

I know there are some good men out there and not all women would give it up for just anything so GET OVER IT!!! Help instead of being part of the problem. If we're going to change something it takes one person to offer a helping hand to another. We can do this. And let's turn around the words pimp and bitch! Anyways did that word ever have a true meaning? A girl is too easy she's a bitch, she blows you off, she's a bitch! My girl and I are rewriting a song to send a more positive message and I agree with this part of Christina's song:

"Call me a bitch cos I speak what's on my mind
Guess it's easier for you to swallow if I sat and smiled"

THIS is what we need so until Fashionably Late makes it (my group) well, let's keep seeing bitch for this! ;)

I also wanna add that a great song(and singer!) ;) Would be "A Woman's Worth" by Alicia Keys...

Cuz a real man knows a real woman when he sees her
And a real woman knows a real man ain't afraid to please her
And a real woman knows a real man always comes first
And a real man just can't deny a woman's worth

So please know and recognize your worth ladies, then the world won't deny it! ;)

RESPECT YOURSELVES AND THE WORLD WILL RESPECT YOU!!!

Saturday, February 19, 2005

New and improved...

Ok, I needed another blog, this won't be a journal, mostly thoughts...Why new and improved? 'Cause anyone who thinks can realise that crap doesn't make much sense! You've probably heard it before, if it's new how can it be improved and how can it be new if it's been improved?

Lol, ok, I wanna start with friendship thoughts since it's Kat's birthday, I think it's a good cue...

A friend is more than a lover...
A friend, is someone you treasure, respect and love
You'll never say, one lost, 10 found when it comes to a good friend


To all my friends...

You've brought me so much over the years and I'm happy to have found each and every one of you. I'm getting older but I can still think about every friend present or past and remember what they brought me. The good and bad memories...I love you guys! And I wouldn't call just anyone a friend, no worries here, I know how the difference between a friend and an acquaintance and would never insult any of you by calling someone unworthy a friend 'cause that would partly take away your greatness.

To all my friends...

You've been with me through thick and thin, earned your title even if I sometimes forgot about some of you or left you in the dark. Thanks for being there and I wish I could brind you only half of what you bring me. You guys are amazing and anyone who knows you is probably aware of that and if they're not, it's their lost. Keep on standing tall and be yourselves, GREAT!!! ;)

Hoping there's many more laughts, fun, dance, even tears. Lean on my shoulder whenever you need.

THANKS A BUNCH!!! :)