Good morning!

I went on a GNO this past Saturday night with a group of amazing women. And of course the topic of dating came up in a few conversations. With one of my girlfriends, the book - “Act like a Lady, Think  Like a man,” came up  - she brought it up – not me. To make a long story short, she read it, pretty much followed the advice, and is now marrying the man that she wanted to marry, and is very delighted and excited.

With the topic of dating still on my mind, I read this, this morning, and I liked it. Perhaps I should post this on a Friday as a reminder, since that is when many dates occur but it is on my radar this morning so here it is.  There is nothing here that hasn’t been said before, but as I have said before, sometimes common sense isn’t so common. So perhaps a reminder is worth a blog write? These are simple, sensible, common sense tips to a first date. Not much – Just a few – Take ‘em or leave ‘em.

From the Huff Po:

Avoiding First Date Faux Pas (Part 1): What Never To Do On A First Date

If you are reading this article, it means that on some level, you are thinking about venturing back out into the world of dating after a loss, a divorce or a break up. Whether you realize it or not, this is a huge step forward and unfortunately, not enough people (possibly including you) recognize this as one of the “big moments” that it really is. You need to be very proud of yourself.

However, returning to dating (especially if you have been out of the “field” for awhile) carries with it a potential minefield of pitfalls that you will want to make sure to avoid. The following are common faux pas, blunders and missteps that many make and that you will want to steer clear of, particularly when you are in the early stages of dating someone new:

Don’t dress overly provocatively on the first date. I personally love to push fashion envelopes and take every opportunity to do so, but only at the appropriate time — and when I was dating, that “appropriate time” would not be on the very first date. When choosing that super-important outfit for a first date, ask yourself,“What kind of message do I want to send?” Wearing something cute and on-trend that shows you off in a flattering way will get you sincere compliments; wearing something that reveals too much can get you into a sincere wrestling match. In other words, don’t work the sexy too soon.

Guys, I am going to share a secret with you: Women truly appreciate a man who knows how to dress. It shows that you care about what she thinks and that you care about the impression that you want to make. I realize that many of you prefer to be casual, but you do not want to be too casual. Now, you obviously do not have to wear a suit to a coffee date at the beach, but nice jeans and a shirt on a movie date will be appreciated far more than shorts and flip-flops. Consider the venue that you are going to and use your good judgment — we really are paying attention.

Don’t go anywhere too “romantic”: Restaurants lit only by candlelight, servers in tuxedos and strolling violinists are great — for the tenth date. For a first date? That is way too much pressure on both you and your wallets. Keep the first date “light” — a coffee date, a lunch date or a casual dinner are all great ideas.

Don’t talk about yourself too much: There should be a comfortable conversation going on and conversing takes two people. If you feel like you are talking too much, your date likely feels the same way. Segue by saying, “That’s enough about me, let’s talk more about you…” and then follow with a question about them.

Don’t over-imbibe: Aside from obvious drinking-and-driving concerns, too much alcohol lowers inhibitions and pretty much eliminates common sense. You don’t want to say — or do — something that you will regret the following day. Limit yourself to two cocktails and then switch to non-alcoholic drinks.

No matter how attracted you are to someone; no matter how great the date is going or how beautifully you are getting along — do not have sex on the first date. Moreover, if someone is trying to pressure you into a sexual situation after knowing you all of two hours…run out the door (and think twice before ever going out with them again!). The only thing that a wonderful first date should lead to is a second date…not breakfast in bed the following morning.

Be sure to check back next week for “Avoiding First Date Faux Pas Part 2: What Never to Talk About on a First Date”.

*******

Thoughts? Blog me.

Happy Monday. I HOPE this is the beginning of a great week for all of you!

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2012

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning!

This was sent to me by a loyal reader, who asked that I post this. So here it is brought to you by….ta da….the Huff Po. As if you couldn’t have guessed :)

Cheating Signs: 3 Ways To Identify A Cheater

Let’s face it, men cheat. Well, some of them anyway. And according to numerous studies, it’s more than a handful: approximately 30 to 60 percent of men will cheat on their spouses.

Now, it’s not my intention to upset you with these numbers, because I’m one of those glass-half-full kind of guys. You may be depressed by these figures, but if you look a little deeper under the surface, you will soon realize that for every six men who will cheat, there are four men who will be faithful — and that’s not so bad, is it?

If you’re over the age of 20 — and you haven’t been living with your head in the sand — it should come as no surprise that some men cheat. Whether it’s the President of the United Sates, the top golfer in the world or a world class musician, it’s a proven fact that when it comes to cheating on their spouses, some men just can’t keep it in their pants.

Simply put, those are the guys to stay away from! No matter how good looking they are, how great they are in bed or how much you think they will change once they are with you, the sad fact is that they likely won’t. As my grandmother always used to say: “A leopard doesn’t change his spots.”

The good news is that guys who cheat are pretty transparent and predictable. In fact, I believe that there are three major signs that accurately predict if a guy will cheat on you, and here they are:

1. He’s secretive. Guys who cheat often lead double lives, and in order to do so, they have to cover their tracks. A guy who is secretive and doesn’t reveal much about himself or his life is a guy who is a prime candidate to be featured on an upcoming episode of “Cheaters.”

Communication and the willingness to be an open book are two of the most important indicators of a happy and successful relationship. And if a guy is keeping secrets in the beginning, look out because you are headed for trouble.

2. He’s selfish and self-indulgent.Guys who cheat do so because they are only focused on one thing — themselves. The good news is that guys like these are easy to spot. Guys who are selfish and self-indulgent tend to be like that in all aspects of their lives. If you want to get a good gauge of the moral character and integrity of the man you are dating, look at the way he lives his life and the way he treats others. If you start noticing that he is only out for himself, and he obviously doesn’t care about others (including you) aside from what they can do for him, there is only one thing you should do — run!

3. He has a sudden change in behavior. Cheating guys will suddenly change their behavior, and in numerous ways. He might make a sudden change in his appearance or grooming habits, or it could be a sudden change in his work schedule where all of a sudden he’s working late, has to travel and can’t be reached. But the most common sign is when your sex life decreases, and he shows less of an interest in you in the bedroom.

I’ve never been one to sugar-coat things, and I don’t think that you should be either. There are some guys out there who can’t be trusted and some who can. The key is being able to recognize a potential cheater before the relationship begins.

*******

Readers: Wha’at’s up?  I HOPE that maybe this is helpful for some of you out there.  Are you noticing any one of these in your mate? Blog me.

Happy Saturday! Love…give it good. 

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2012

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning!

Zen Lill: Next week would be good. I HOPE all is well with you!

Alycedale:  How are you? I HOPE all is good. Thanks for your un-recomendation on the book. :) I agree with you and the other girls…man is not the be all to emulate. That is one thing I do not agree with Sandberg. Making women more like men is not how this world is going to benefit. We already know that. Why would we want women to be more like men when the world is so messed up from the things men do, and don’t do?

Although my definition of “lean in” for men seems to be different from yours, I like your suggestion of her book to be about advising men NOT to “lean in” too much. In other words, my words not necessarily yours, “Get the fuck out of the way.”  - Ya know…”Make way and make space for women to blossom.” – There, I can say it nicely too. Either way, I doubt most men would listen and heed the advice though.  As Lisa said, “If women want it to change, they will have to change it because men are happy the way it is.”

However, one thing I do agree with is that women need to recognize their value and to learn to negotiate better. Additionally,  women need to recognize the value of our sisters, be better supporters of women all around…as friends, business associates, in political positions, etc. So, I suppose my definition of “lean in” is different from Sandberg too. I want women to “lean in” and support each other so that we can rise and take our positions, because it certainly isn’t going to be given way lightly and without a fight  - that’s the game-changer I’m HOPEing for.

Social Butterfly: How is the new job going? I HOPE you are loving it.

I thought with all the talk about women in the workplace this would be suitable for today’s post:

What the Pay Gap Means for Women & Their Families

Today is Equal Pay Day, which marks the additional days into 2013 that a woman needs to work just to equal what a man made in 2012. The pay gap is real — and really persistent.

The amount that women lose as a result of the pay gap doesn’t just hurt them. Their families also pay the price for this lost income. Here’s what the median pay gap means over the course of just one year: $10,784. The total cost to a woman and her family over the course of her entire working life is staggering: $431,360.

Click through to check out an interactive version of this graphic showing how the pay gap affects women’s lives:

Thoughts? Blog me. 

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2012

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning!

I have been meaning to post about this for over a week now but somehow it didn’t cross my mind to do so when I began to post every morning. This time it did. And just in time. This movie “Girl Rising,” although has been previewed in many places across the country, has finally hit the theaters, as of yesterday. Once an avid movie goer, I haven’t been to a theater in months, (I still have yet to catch up with all of the Oscar winners!), I am so excited to see this.

Big love and kudos goes to all the writers,  Holly Gordon the producer, the filmmakers, the 10X10 Campaign, and of course, last but not least, the 9 girls whose lives inspired this film, that I feel everyone (yes, you too guys!) should see.

They all deserve the title of Wonderful Women and Girls of the World.

From the Huff Po:

“Girl Rising,” a movie produced by the girls education campaign 10×10, tells the stories of nine young girls fighting for access to education and better opportunities. As the trailer above reveals, it’s not a traditional documentary — each girl’s story is written by a well known female writer from her country and narrated by one of a host of A-list actresses (yes, including Meryl), according to information provided on the 10×10 website. We dare you to watch and not be saddened at how little the world has offered these girls and inspired by their resolve to make better lives for themselves.

Girl Rising: Topping Charts by Breaking Molds

It’s a rare documentary that breaks into box office charts. Most linger longer in the moral conscience than graduate out of the festival circuit onto big screens. Even rarer is the cause documentary that achieves popular success as well as critical acclaim.

One notable exception was March of the Penguins. Magnificent cinematography, heart-warming stories of faithful parents, gut-wrenching odds of survival — and the attention it drew to the impact of climate change — rocketed Penguins to the top of the movie charts. Another rare exception is 10×10′s recently released Girl Rising, a feature film that tells the stories of nine resilient girls in nine developing countries who overcome insurmountable economic and cultural odds — simply to get an education.

Changing the World by Educating Girls

At first glance singling out educating girls as the most effective way to tackle global poverty seems a stretch. Yet the briefest look at the numbers quickly confirms the obvious — that educating girls is indeed the most effective way to address many fundamental economic, political and cultural goals across the developing world.

Consider the direct correlation between educating girls and economic growth. In their Council on Foreign Relations paper, “What Works in Girls Education,” Barbara Herz and Gene Sperling highlight the direct economic impact of educating girls in multiple ways. On an individual level, educated girls at both primary and secondary levels generate 10 to 25 percent higher wages, significantly higher than the relative increase among boys. That wage impact translates directly into faster national economic growth. As the authors note, more equal education of girls in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa in particular would have resulted in nearly 1 percent higher per capita growth in GDP over the period 1960 to 1992. Critically, in developing countries, higher education levels among girls leads to more productive farming results.

Then consider the economic multiplier effect of educating girls — given its minimal marginal cost. Not only does doing so dramatically improve health standards, encourage fewer children and discourage child trafficking, but it also drives up savings and small business activity. Not surprisingly, UNICEF reports that educated mothers are twice as likely to educate their own children — girls and boys. Now compound those benefits by just one generation.

But can a narrative documentary attract developed world attention to an issue so patently solvable? Surely noble goals, powerful story lines and chic Hollywood endorsements are a simple recipe for screen success. Not so fast. Many documentaries share similar attributes without making a notable impact. So how did Girl Rising debut at No. 5 on the New York Times Most Popular Movies List, open in 100 theaters, sell 100,000 tickets in its first month and be the signature purchase for CNN Films?

How to Turn Hollywood Upside Down — While Making Friends

Start with content: Girl Rising is an immensely uplifting film spotlighting one of the real success stories in development circles. As Academy Award nominee director Richard E. Robbins notes,

“Educating girls makes such obvious sense. An educated girl will in turn educate her own children — boys and girls — not only in arithmetic and in how to write and read, but also in how to stay healthy, how to work and save. It’s the multiplier effect writ larger by every generation. If you get sick, you might well go back to the hospital. But if you get educated, you never forget that.”

Star power also helps. Each girl’s story in Girl Rising is narrated by A-list Hollywood actresses including Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Alicia Keys and Selena Gomez. Having Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Jordan’s Queen Rania on your advisory board certainly lends credence as well. Strategic partners including Intel, Paul Allen’s Vulcan Productions and CNN Films also add impressive institutional heft.

Then add in 10×10′s groundbreaking distribution model. Turning Hollywood’s traditional distribution model on its head, 10×10 promotes screenings by offering any community — however large or small, urban, rural or campus-based — the opportunity to screen Girl Rising through its partnership with Gathr. Launched in 2011, Gathr is among the innovators in on-demand theatrical distribution, empowering audiences to bring films like Girl Rising to their communities, in effect democratizing theatrical film distribution. “With Girl Rising, we took a risk on a new model of on-demand theatrical distribution, and the leap of faith paid dividends,” said Tom Yellin, executive producer of Girl Rising. “We’ve established a new model for impact filmmaking, to build a movement — and an audience — around a film.”

Deft use of social media to promote Girl Rising also proves Facebook and Twitter are infinitely more cost-effective forms of promoting films than traditional sources. With a dedicated social media team that resembles a campaign war room, 10×10 constantly sends targeted alerts to promote local screenings, encouraging individuals to share and share again notices about upcoming screenings, while also circling back to spotlight successful screenings through an ever-widening web of friends and followers.

Translating Awareness into Impact on the Ground

Uplifting stories, star power, and impressive box-office stats without doubt. But can a documentary seen even in several hundred theaters actually translate into making a difference in traditional, and often patriarchal, societies thousands of miles away?

Emphatically yes, say director Robbins and executive producer Holly Green Gordon. Both quickly admit their value-add is in developing awareness and raising funds for the cause of educating girls through the power of film. To that end Robbins and Green established the 10×10 Fund to act as a conduit of all proceeds from Girl Rising – ticket sales, donations, and corporate gifts — to global nonprofits including Care, the UN Foundation’s Girl Up, and Room to Read, selected on the basis of their ability to make an immediate on-the-ground impact. Beyond that, 10×10 effectively pushed these organizations to place an even greater focus within their budgets on educating girls.

Little surprise then that Girl Rising quickly received star-billing nationwide. Barely a month after debuting to critical and popular acclaim as a documentary promoted at the grassroots level, 10×10 just disclosed a week-long exclusive deal with Regal Cinemas, the nation’s leading network of cinemas, to show Girl Rising in over 150 theaters across the country starting April 19th.

Announcing the deal, Amy Miles, CEO of Regal Entertainment Group stated, “Regal recognizes the intense interest by American moviegoers demanding that this film be seen in their local communities.” As she continued, “This movie is making an emotional impact on many of our patrons, me included.”

Fitting praise for a feature film called “one of the hottest cause documentaries in years” by the New York Times. With their drive and determination, these courageous young girls have proven that by striving to get an education, they themselves have the power to truly change the world.

*Y*O*U*G*O*G*I*R*L*S*

Readers: I can’t say much about this film since I haven’t seen it yet, but it is about time, that the world knows how much young girls endure in their lives, and yet still come out courageous, powerful and rising…and for the betterment of all. It is amazing to me the stats that show when women and girls have the opportunity to rise and prosper, families, communities, and countries flourish more. When will men get that? When will they stop trying to prevent women from achieving success, and instead nurture and cultivate an environment for women and girls to blossom? The time is now.

Peace & Love…give it to the girls.

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2012

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning!

It has been pretty hectic around here with work. After getting home yesterday I glued myself to the news. Got up early but all I have been doing is reading about Boston. So tragic. I can’t stop thinking about it. I’m sure all of you are feeling the same. It seems so many that I have spoken to knew someone that was running in this race. Thankfully none of them were injured. I HOPE that same for you. Again, my heart and healing thoughts go out to the friends and families who were.

I’ve been working on posting something for the last two hours but I keep getting interrupted by work – phone calls mostly, so I apologize that this morning has been challenging.

Now hearing about these letters laced with the poison ricin going out to Obama. And one as sent to Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) too - Okay, as much as I am not exactly delighted with republicans, and their policies, and “party of no” attitude (need I go on?), I certainly don’t wish death upon him.

I am just so sickened by all of the horrific things happening of late. What I thought was a state of Chaos for our country seems to be not as random, but venturing toward, (dare I say) normal. Okay…so I know I am stretching it…and this is far from normal, but boy, the death and destruction lately is just getting to me.

What is going on here with the way people are behaving in our society?

I was visiting with girlfriend of mine over the weekend, whose sister-in-law was visiting from the south with her 3 kids – a girl and two boys. The boys who were both young, under 14 years of age, were playing a video game on the television. Typical right? But what I saw wasn’t typical…or maybe it was.

All I knew, was what I saw was shocking. The two boys were glued to the television as if in a trace state. In the game they were playing, they were portraying armed men shooting and killing other men.

The scene took place in a warehouse space where men in hiding would be exposed to shoot at. I never saw the faces of any of them except for one time. And the one time, I did, it was a black man being obviously portrayed as the “bad guy”. “The “bad guy” came from behind and tried to attack a “white guy” and the white guy responded by swiftly killing him.

I sat there watching for a few minutes, with my mouth open not believing what I was seeing. And then I noticed as I started to take a look around the room…and what I saw was even more shocking.  No one in the room was paying attention but me. Wha’at? Do they know what these kids are playing? Well of course I knew they did. But that was what was so hard to take in – They knew their kids were playing games that portrayed them killing people…portrayed “black people” as the “bad guys.”

I felt like I wanted to cry.

This was just a typical day in the life of a family hanging out and the kids “playing.” It felt so “normal.” Yeah to them. But to me it wasn’t “normal.” – It was so disturbing to me.

I had to pull my girlfriend aside and speak to her. Unfortunately, it was not the first time I had experienced this while hanging out with a family. And no doubt it will not be the last.

I think, “Why are these games even being made? What is the reason? With so much ‘real destruction’ in the world, why more?” And then it dawned on me: Because they make money.  Lots of money. The demand is there. I’ve seen it. And all the parents seem to say is that all boys have these games – they all play them. So what! Does that mean it is OK? What kind of crazy thinking is that? But that is the answer I get.

If killing becomes so common do we say it is OK because everyone is doing it? How do we combat racism when it is blatantly portrayed in games that our young boys play? We are headed down a worse path of destruction if we keep teaching our young men that it is okay to kill at will – and that black people are the bad people.

Yet, here we are. We have adults here who see nothing wrong with their kids playing games that portray them killing people, and black people as the “bad guys.” No wonder we can’t get good gun laws passed to protect. No wonder we can’t get any votes for background checks on guns. No wonder racism is alive and strong.

That is all I can say on this right now. I have to go. Blog me your thoughts.

Peace & Love. It is what I HOPE for.

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

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