justathought

He lived . . . he died . . . but at least I got the $400 flat screen TV I always wanted.  You have to ask yourselves, is this really the sentiment going through the minds of the Wal-Mart shoppers that trampled a man to death just to catch a bargain?  Wow, the value of a human life seems to be decreasing with each passing day.  Not to mention, he was not a Caucasian man, so I am certain the value was even lower.  We do we get to a point that we realize material possessions are not the reason we are placed here on this earth?  Those people who bought those items on Black Friday will likely find themselves trying to unload those very same bargains to put food on the table at some later date should our economy continue to tank. My sympathies and prayers go out to Jdimytai Damour and his family.

He Said you were beautiful.  He said he loved you. He gave you attention when no one else would.  You gave him your body and within months discovered you were giving him a child he wouldn’t want.  Those are the realities faced by a fifteen year old girl in today’s world. A child becomes a mother and must put aside her childish ways.

How is it that that so many of our young people are left seeking an elusive something and find their lives forever changed?  A recent letter to Ask Amy, a local advice column, speaks of two sisters at odds because one seems to support her fifteen year old pregnant niece while the other staunchly refuses to condone her nieces behavior.  Seeking advice on how to handle her sister’s refusal to be supportive, the advice given is to support your niece and let your sister stew in her own disapproval.  It made me ponder which side of the fence I would sit on if in the same situation.  I don’t believe babies having babies is a smart idea, but I don’t imagine I could turn my back on a family member that becomes pregnant at such an early age.  What good does that do? In such a time, love and guidance is needed more than ever.

It’s so nice, I had to listen twice.  will.i.am’s new song New Day is something beautiful.  The music arrangement is high energy.  The singing, surprisingly, is easy on the ear.  The song speaks volumes to the spirit of people black and white that were ready for change.  People who feel so good knowing it is here.  He says “I went  asleep last night tired from the fight, I been fighting for tomorrow all my life.” 

The images from the video splash the Obama family throughout and the images of people famous and everyday are all smiling and singing the “New Day” chant.

 It makes you think and reflect on what you are doing in this new day.  Did the new day come and you remained bogged down in old day worries and discontentment?  I did.  But I am trying everyday to make more of an effort to catch up to the new day before it leaves me behind.  One examples would be my job.  I thank God everyday that I have one because so many people are losing their jobs left and right. 

Listen to the song and think about the thing(s) you need to leave behind so that you can embrace this new day.

Circuit City is closing stores and DHL just announced it will be shutting down all of its domestic business. As jobs are disappearing left and right around us, I pick up my local paper and learn that there is on “bright speck” in this growing sea of despair.  What could it possible be?  Spam of course!  It would seem that the good folks of Austin, Minnesota are being kept busy (practically around the clock) with the production of Spam. 

In tough economic times people look to shave expenses wherever possible.  According to the article I read, the sale of Spam is up and “people are realizing it’s not that bad a product”.  Reading the article took me back to a time in my childhood when even this cheap food product (currently selling for approx. $2.40 a can) was beyond my family’s means.  Instead of Spam, we dined on its distant relative — Treat Meat.  While edible, the meat was no great treat.  Having endured such meals of survival as a child (treat meat, fat back, ketchup sandwiches, etc.) I never imagined facing the same possibilities in my adulthood. 

I think the signs are very clear that we are facing horrible economic times down the road.  The only way to survive will be to help each other. Let’s hope that more people are waking up to that reality as they awake to the reality of Spam sandwiches and other cheap ways to keep the family fed.

I realized today that it has been some time since I have talked about my efforts to lose weight.  I guess that is because over the past several weeks, I have made no such efforts.  It would seem that between my business trip to CA (all work no play), the horrendous cold I caught upon my return (I never get sick, go figure!) and an overall lack of desire to do anything . . . .I have not minded my eating habits or done any physical exercise in about 3 to 4 weeks.

However, last night I watched the biggest loser and I became re-motivated.  I listened to Jillian give her gals a hard time and bring out the “mean” so that she could get them to stick around one more week and lo and behold, she did it. 

This inspired me to actually get off my booty and go walking twice during my breaks at work today.  I ate healthy for breakfast and reasonably healthy for lunch.  I am afraid to step on the scale though for fear I will see that I have tipped back over the 200lb mark.  I’ll wait for a week or two before weighing in to see if my renewed efforts will result in shedding a few pounds.  At times like these, I wish I could carry a little Jillian in my pocket!

My local paper had an article about a police raid on the House of Raeford plant in Greenville, SC.  The raid resulted in the arrest of 33 immigrant workers, six of which were under-aged.  We are facing our scariest financial crisis.  People are losing jobs left and right.  Considering our circumstances, reading this article made me angry.  I am not angry that illegal immigrants were working at the plant.  I am angry that the company was taking advantage of children; making them do jobs that were dangerous and hazardous.

I often hear people make disparaging remarks about “those people stealing our jobs and they can’t even speak the language”.  When I hear such comments, I become upset with the speaker because eight out of ten times the job they refer to is one they would never consider doing.

As I said, the fact that 331 immigrants worked in the House of Raeford plant is not what evoked the angry emotion when reading the article.  The reality that six of those immigrants were children did.  The fact that a company would take such a precious commodity (employment) and exploit children with it, rather than use it to empower adults to provide for their children makes me angry.

House of Raeford hides behind the law with statements that it is required to accept documents that appear to be legitimate.  Many former employees were quoted as affirming that the under-aged employees clearly looked to young to work in the plant.

I found it ironic that the company spokesperson was quoted as saying “Also, as we all know, not everyone tells the truth all the time”.  When the House of Raeford  contends that it did not knowingly hire illegal under-aged workers, I feel certain it is one of the times when truth decided to take a vacation.

Americans born and bred, as well as those who flee to our borders for the elusive American dream are desperately seeking employment.  Surely there are enough of those people that we don’t have to exploit children and put their lives at risk by employing them to perform dangerous and hazardous jobs.

I have not really processed what it all means yet.  In my lifetime, I am a witness to the election of the first black President of our United States.  It creates a feeling of intense joy.  I view the words “Yes, we can” in a whole new light.  I don’t just say it now with the hope of believing it.   I believe it and say it with the conviction to take action based on the belief.  We (and that means all Americans-not just black) can do anything.  We have no limitations.  We must start to see beyond the anger and pain (for those who did not want Obama elected) and beyond the joy and gloating (for those sticking out there tongues and saying na-na-na-boo-boo) to truly realize the vision that this President-elect has for our country.  He can’t do it alone.  He has a majority Senate and a majority House to help him. . . .but even that is not enough.  He needs all of us and more importantly, we need all of us.  President Obama will live in the White House, but you and I will still live on the streets we see right in front of us.  If we don’t like what we see on those streets, now is the time to take action and change this world.  We can do it.  I believe we can.  For once in my life as a black woman, I am motivated to give, be, and do more.  It didn’t suddenly happen because Obama was elected.  The changes within me started long before he came onto the scene, but I believe that the seeds were planted and began to take root because one day the time for action would come.  That time for me is now . . .I can’t stop smiling and that is such a change from the days of my ancestors when I know there were times when they felt they couldn’t stop crying.