Once again...

So today I had a bit of an "interesting" experience.

I joined a discussion about the recent event involving the actress who was questioned by the police in response to calls that there was a couple committing "lude acts" in public. According to EVERY eyewitness, the actress and her boyfriend were having sex in their car IN PUBLIC.

Now I don't watch television anymore but on the various talk-adio stations that I listen to, I heard the audio of her conversation with the officer played many times.

Based on what I heard, she was belligerent, uncooperative, and just outright WRONG.

She insisted that all they were doing was "making out", yet I came to my own conclusion and decided that it was MORE than that.

So...

In the discussion I was having, a few of us agreed that the audio, along with the numerous complaints that were made, were enough "proof" that she and her boyfriend had indeed been committing a "lude act".

One of the members of the discussion was appalled by the fact that people like myself would so quickly and easily "hop on the bandwagon" and entertain such gossip and rumor without having any VISIBLE proof of the act.

I didn't need VISIBLE proof. I had ALL THE PROOF I NEEDED, and I was ready to drop the issue. But not before I was again reminded of how awful it is for people like me to make judgements without having ALL OF THE FACTS.

Contrary to what some may believe...I do NOT habitually nor typically by into rumors. I don't watch reality shows because they tend to be laden with gossip and rumor. I don't engage in such in my personal life either. It's just NOT what I'm about. And I don't think the fact that I believe that this actress did in fact commit the act, makes me a rumor-monger. Instead, it simply makes me a person who has a difference of opinion...WHICH I'M ENTITLED TO. We're ALL entitled to disagree.

Somehow though, whenever *I* disagree, things are taken waaay out of context and I end up being completely MISUNDERSTOOD.

What am I supposed to do, just be a "yes girl" and always agree with EVERYTHING even when it goes against what I really think? Nope. Sorry. No can do.

The older I get, the more I am beginning to wish that I was one of those people who ALWAYS speaks their mind. That way, on the rare occasions when I do, I won't be looked at as a witch with a capital B. Instead, folks won't even question what I've said, because they'd be used to it.

Anyhoo...Let the DIALOGUE begin: When was the last time YOU were MISUNDERSTOOD?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

What's In A Name?

Every morning I begin my day with a Bible reading. Throughout the Bible are some of the most beautiful names I've ever heard.

In addition to how beautifully the names roll off the tongue, are the meanings that go with each name. Sometimes the meanings were good...other times...not so good. For example, Jerahmeel means, the mercy, or the beloved, of God yet Jobab means sorrowful, hated. Almost makes you wonder why anyone would give their child a name with negative connotations. But that's the way it was back then.

These days children are named after alcoholic beverages, food products, and all kinds of ridiculousness.

Although my name has meaning...(my initials are J D M S which actually represent something), I often wonder what I would have been like, who I would have been, if my mother had gone with her original name for me: Soledad Rose.

I love the sound of that name. I'm just not sure that I love what it means. Yet sometimes I think I'm living out the meaning of THAT name more-so than my actual one.

Soledad means loneliness, solitude, isolation. I find that to be so very fitting when you consider how lonely I have been on this journey called life.

So if my mom had gone with choice number 1, I would be "Loneliness Rose." Sounds so much nicer before the translation, doesn't it?

How 'bout you...

Let the DIALOGUE begin: What's YOUR name, and does it mean something?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

The Eternality of Our Words

The longer I live the more observant I become. One thing that I've observed a lot lately is how ANGRY people are. I mean almost ALWAYS angry at SOMETHING. And with the advances in technology, by way of social media, folks are now able to pull others into what I call their, "lair of anger." It's really quite sad when you think about it.

Here's what I mean.

I am a daily Facebook user. I love logging in and seeing what's going on in the lives of my friends. I'm usually scrolling along, enjoying the posts and THEN...there it is...someone's angry rant. Honestly, I can typically tell by the first two or three words where the post is going and I scroll right past. I don't stop to read the comments, I don't notice how many "likes" the angry rant got...I just scroll right past. Seriously, why would I want to let that anger occupy a space in my mind. Even if it's not MY anger...once I read it..."it's in there."

I've often thought of "unfollowing" the "regular angry rant offenders", but the problem with that is that I will then miss their other "non-angry" posts too. So...I'll just keep scrolling past the anger as I've been doing.

I guess I have a hard time understanding it because I'm not wired that way. When I'm angry, the LAST place I go is Facebook. Partly because (A) NOBODY CARES, and (B) the world has enough anger in it...why would I want to add to that? I wouldn't!

I've often said, "Negativity will suck you in like a vacuum". With the spread of social media, that comment has become exponentially more true. If you want to see the "mob mentality" in action, just pull up someone's angry post, and watch all the angry comments that follow. I don't want any part of that.

Mind you, I don't expect EVERY post to be flowers and butterflies all the time...that's not natural. Life has its angry moments. I just wish sometimes that people would think of their social media profiles as the LEGACY that they will leave behind when they die.

When folks are scrolling through your profile after you die, what do you want them to see? How do you want them to remember you?

Me...I want to be remembered for my LOVE, HUMOR, POSITIVITY, FAITH...and any other GOOD thing.

Does this mean that I NEVER get angry? NO! I am an imperfect human, so of course I get angry. However, I am also a very private person and don't choose to share EVERY angry emotion with the world.

The road that I have chosen to take is that of ENCOURAGEMENT, UPLIFTING, POSITIVITY...those are things that the world needs more of. Interestingly, those things don't get nearly as many "comments" and "likes" as the anger does, and I'm cool with that.

Oh, and another thing about angry rants is this...that ANGER (whether one chooses to admit it or not) will eat a person up. Truly, it will.

I may not be the healthiest person in the world, but I'll tell you this...because of my FAITH, I can remain CALM in the face of adversity, and LOVE those who don't like me (praying for them and wishing them well...as Jesus has commanded). I don't have, nor have ever had high blood pressure, and I've had many many people compliment me on my ability to bring calm into a room, without doing anything but being myself. You see...I have chosen to be the THERMOSTAT and NOT the THERMOMETER.

The difference, you ask?

A THERMOSTAT determines what the temperature will be.
A THERMOMETER reflects the temperature.

So my question to you is this...Let the DIALOGUE begin: Which are you, a THERMOSTAT or a THERMOMETER?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

Beyond the Eyes

Today's post is gonna be short, sweet and to the point.

I saw this picture and said YES...Exactly!!! And all of a sudden I realized that I am BEAUTIFUL right now...just as I am.

If I lose weight. Fine. If I don't. Fine. Heck, even if I get bigger...I am STILL BEAUTIFUL.

I am so much more, and BETTER than the size of my clothes. And if people can't see that by getting to know me, then it truly is their loss, 'cause I think I'm a pretty okay kinda gal.

So anywhoo...this is for all of the women AND men who think that they are "less than" because their clothing size is a 2 digit number. I want to tell YOU today that YOU TOO ARE BEAUTIFUL...RIGHT NOW...JUST THE WAY YOU ARE.

If you don't feel that way and want to change how you look for YOU, then by all means, please do. If you need to do it for health reasons, I get that too and would encourage you to make that change. But if you're ever doing it so that others will approve of you (this is where the finger comes right through the screen and points DIRECTLY at ME), STOP! That's not the right reason and it'll be that much harder for you to be successful.

So love yourself for who you are, 'cause I bet you're pretty cool. And always remember that "BEAUTY ISN'T A SIZE"

.

Let the DIALOGUE begin: Think of THREE beautiful qualities about yourself that can NOT be SEEN, yet they make up the BEST part of who you are.

Talk to me!

Til next time...

MANicure???

Tonight's post will be short and sweet 'cause I'm sleepy.

So I went to get a pedicure today and when I sat in my spa chair I noticed this big burly man in the chair next to me. Yep, he was gettin' a "pedi" too.

It always catches me a bit off guard when I see men in the nail shop...AS the customer. But hey...men need nice feet too, right? I mean really, have you seen some of the feet in the sandals that men wear. EWWW...just EWWW! Just a mass of ash and crust. Because of that, I can appreciate the fact that some men actually get their feet taken care of. Thank you!

So he sat there getting his "pedi" and chilled. Once that was done I got another surprise. Nancy (one of the workers at the shop) escorted him over to another area where he dipped his hands in soapy water in preparation of his MANicure. THAT really caught me off guard.

Personally, I like a man who's hands look and feel a bit rough. I don't care much for a man who's hands are softer than mine. Well, considering the fact that this guy got a MANicure and I didn't, chances are that his hands were softer...at least today.

Once he was done, he slipped on his sandals, paid the lady, and headed out the door to his big ol' Chevy Silverado. O.o

Yep.

So, Let the DIALOGUE begin: MEN...do you get MANicures & pedicures? If not, why? And if so, why?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

The Beat that I Dance To

Ok. So most who know me will attest to the fact that I'm just "a little different".

I'd like to think that that's a good thing, but in the end I imagine that it's all a matter of opinion.

Yesterday I was reminded of just how "different" I can be sometimes.

I attended a function that I was actually very excited to go to. Had been looking forward to it for weeks. It commenced fairly early for a Saturday, at 7:30 a.m.

So I get up, shower, fix my face, my hair, throw on my jeans, one of my favorite tops, my sandals, and I was off.

When I arrived at the venue it became quite obvious to me that I was waaay under-dressed. The other attendees were all "doodied up" as I call it. Men in suits, women in slacks or dresses...and then there was me..."Casual Cathy". GREAT!

What was I gonna do?

So I park my car and sat. And I sat, and I sat, and I sat. For 20 minutes, I sat in my car and watched the people arrive. Seriously, what was I going to do? I lived too far to go home and change. And I didn't want to just go home altogether and not come back. I'd been looking forward to this event and I planned on attending.

After 20 minutes and a lot of "self-talk", and evaluating the situation, I had to ask myself a few questions:

Q: Why was I there?
A: I was there because this is an organization that I want to become a part of and I'm interested in hearing more about it.

Q: Why do I want to be a part of the organization?
A: Because I have a heart for service and this organization is all about serving our youth who so greatly need help.

Q: What's more important...your heart and the desire inside to serve others, or your outfit?

That was the clincher. I took the keys out of the ignition, got out of the car and walked in.

The bottom line is this: My outward appearance should not be a factor. My heart is the only thing that should be considered as I am reminded of in 1 Samuel 16:7

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

I realized that God was looking at my heart, so what I had on was okay, and if it was okay to Him, then I was goin' in...and I'm so glad that I did. Had I not gone in I would have missed so many blessings that were to be had that day. So so many.

Yeah, people probably talked about me while I was there, or maybe after I left...but you know what...I don't care.

I am who I am and I'm not changing...because I don't want to, nor do I need to.

Mary J. Blige sums it up best in her song Take Me As I Am:

"Now she's older now
Yes, she's wiser now
Can't disguise her now
She don't need
No one tellin her
What to do and say
No one tellin her
Who to be
She's on solid ground
She's been lost and found
Now, she answers to G-O-D
And she's confident
This is not the end
Ask me how I know
Cause she is me."

Let the DIALOGUE begin: Do you dance to the beat of your own drum? If not, why not? What's holding you back?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

The 3 Faces of Facebook

I've been on Facebook for a couple years now and I've come to the realization that Facebook has its good days, and its bad.

For me, the greatest benefit of Facebook has been reconnecting with old friends. For that, I give it two thumbs up.

I've learned that although I can not control what others post, I can control how much of it I read. Therefore, I only log on once a day. Once...that's it, unless I get a notification. Otherwise, once a day is PLENTY for me.

Sure, I can hide people (and I have hidden people before), but I've stopped doing that because every now & then, even THAT hidden person has something interesting to say. So if I hide people, I might miss the "something interesting".

Another way that I limit what goes in is by only reading what fits in the window on my screen. I never scroll down. So something has to either be in my "top news" or "most recent" in order for me to even see it. That's typically 2-3 posts.

In my observation, I've learned that there are pretty much 3 types when it comes to FB. I like to call them, "The 3 Faces of Facebook".

*Type 1, logs on often, comments and posts often.

*Type 2, logs on once a day and only more if notifications are received (this is ME...that's why it's so specific).

*Type 3, logs on every now & then, maybe once a week, maybe less than that.

And so, I am left to wonder...Am I the ONLY one who has had to alter their approach to Facebook?

When it comes to my posts, I've chosen to take the Matthew 5:16 approach:

"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

If my posts are negative, then where is my light? So I try to keep 'em positive.

Let the DIALOGUE begin! Which of the 3 Faces of Facebook are you?

Talk to me!

Til next time...