Imbecile of the Week

This week the award will go to the media. I mean for real real. There's nothing else going on in this country-- where the education system fails those in the inner cities, where there's a serious gap (and always will be) between the upper and lower classes, where children are killing each other, where there's so much drama with health-care reform, where there homelessness and the people owning multiple properties are parallel--besides the first lady and her shorts? You've got to be kidding me. Leave it to the media to take the focus off of what's really going on and place it on something that in reality no one should care about. Imbeciles of the week. Take your award with honor because you truly deserve it.

Guilty Pleasures

Last night I got together with a couple of good friends to partake in the drama and foolishness that is "the Real Housewives of Atlanta." It is obvious that Bravo has not gathered this group of women for their views on politics, the economy, or environmental issues. I mean, really, none of the shows in the Housewives franchise are filled with women discussing these more global issues. The last time I checked the ladies in Orange County, Jersey, and New York are full of themselves and drama that the average woman I know does not encounter.

However, it is only the women of the Atl show that receive so much more attention for their foolish antics. (I have my reason as to why this is so, but it's just speculation :) Anywho, it is as I watch this particular group that I feel somewhat ashamed of myself for viewing. It as if I, a black woman, should not participate in the stereotypes that this network is perpetuating about a demographic that includes me. On the other hand, I find the antics of these women to be quite entertaining which is why I turn on television (95% of the time )in the first place.

There is something in me--the same thing that compels me to support the ridiculous mouth of Chef Gordon Ramsay, the spending habits and outlandish egos of the other housewives, the crazed demands of brides-to-be, and the antics of the spoiled brats on NYC Prep and Super Sweet 16-- drawn to the drama. This same lure made me sit and regularly watch Jerry Springer during my freshman year of college. This same lure draws me to watch a variety of judicial shows during my summer break.

What is it that draws me to watch the foolishness of NeNe, Sheree, Lisa, Kim, and Kandi even though I don't agree with their behavior? Is it the fact that their actions are so far fetched that I find them hard to believe? Is it the fact that I find them entertaining-as most drama is (hence, the reason why soap operas stand the test of time)?

What is it about the drama and idiocy of reality television that draws us (yes, us because I know that I'm not the only one out there indulging in "reality" t.v.) in week after week? Plain and simple it's our love for all things dramatic from Shakespeare to Big Brother to the Real Housewives...

~Selah

the Pursuit of Happiness

Bill Cosby once said, "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."

As we get older and develop our own ideas about our life should be, we may find ourselves pursuing a life that was not a part of the vision someone else (parents, grandparents, aunts & uncles, etc) had for us. Making a decision to follow our dreams or those of others, can be a difficult decision to make. We often want to please parents and the like so that they will be proud of us. However in trying to please them, we make ourselves miserable. Yes, we want those closest to us to support our endeavors, but those closest to us are not responsible for our happiness. They are not responsible for us waking up in the morning and feeling at peace with life. That peace with life feeling will only come when we are happy, and that happy feeling will not ever come from doing what everyone thinks we should/should not to.

Know that sometimes the road to happiness and success will come with more naysyers than cheerleaders, but that's okay. Just remember the words of Frankie Bevely "I've got myself to remind me of love..." and encourage yourself to do what will bring you that ultimate & consistent happy feeling!

-Carpe Diem

Growing Pains

As we get older, the decisions we have to make often become more difficult. Long gone are the decisions of our youth: "do I want a cheeseburger or a chicken McNugget Happy Meal? Should I ride my bike or jump rope?" Now the things we have to choose between could affect or families, our health, our bank accounts, and most improtantly our peace of mind.

Recently, I had to decide whether or not I would take a slight pay cut to get out of a charter school in no man's land to take a position in a public school less ten minutes from my house-no freeway/highway travel required. After going back and forth with myself, I took the position because in the long run, it is the best decision for me.

As my fiance and I plan our wedding and life together, we are making decisions that will not only affect us but our future children. In selecting wedding vendors, do we chose the most fabulous person or the person who can get the job done without us going into debt? Do we plan a platinum wedding and have a financially unstable first year of marriage? When we decide to buy a home, we have to ask ourselves if the neighborhood is somewhere we want to raise a child not just make a purchase because we love the house. We have to decide if this home would be a great investment and yield a return when we sell in 10-15 years? Decisions, decisions, decisions...

In addition, the decisions we are faced with take us out of our comfort zones. Being in a new place causes us to learn more about ourselves and our character. When I left the school I'd been at for six years to go to a school on a completely different side of town with a very different demographic, I could feel the pains of my intellectual, emotional, and spiritual growth. I felt like a brand new teacher because I was in a completely new environment with a totally different style of administration. And regardless of the fact that I'm not returning to that school on the fall, the experience did what it was supposed to. It taught me a lesson about people, corporate America, and myself. In addition, I was able to meet some fabulous people :)

When making life altering decisions, there's a four letter word that will always creep up and stop us from experiencing what could possibly be the best thing we could've ever done. That word is fear! Fear=false evidence appearing real. Fear that is nurtured will override the peace we feel about taking road X and make us select road Y. We can't let fear and its offspring, doubt, keep us from experiencing the long term joys of growth because of the temporary pains it brings.


~Selah & Carpe Diem

Imbecile of the Week

As we approach the end of the school year, many of my colleagues are finishing up their own classes. Well, as one of my colleagues is trying to wrap up one of her spring courses, she has been forced to deal with bafoonery. Now, I know as an educator the big thing is cooperative work and that's fine for the kids. However, as an adult I hate cooperative work. I don't want to depend on anyone else when my grade is on the line. Here's a prime example of why cooperative learning is stupid when it comes to graduate school and things of the sort.

My colleague and her cooperative group (there are about 4-5 members in this group) are smart enough to divide the workload amongst the members of the group. They have a final exam to complete. There's more than enough work for each member of the group. Sunday they e-mailed each other just to make sure everyone was on task. Group member one replied~on task! Group member two: on task! Group member three: on task! Group member four: finished! Group member five...

Oh, I'm sorry I won't be able to get to it today because I have a lot on my plate today...

PAUSE for a commercial break from our sponsors

Here you think that this young educator has a valid excuse for not being able to finish her portion of the assignment. Valid excuses: death in the family, broken limb, electrical shortage, house fire, etc. Are you ready for the reason this dingbat provided for not being able to complete her portion of the FINAL EXAM that was due today? Hang on to your hats...

...is my birthday...

Her birthday...what in tarnations do you mean that you can't finish your work because it's your birthday? You are not five years old? This is pure bafoonery!

Happy Birthday dingbat, and I hope you accept your gift from me: the Imbecile of the Week Award.

Triflin' Makes a Comeback

Picture this..
The beautiful island of Mackinac in Northern Michigan. The crisp spring air awakens the senses and brushes against the calm of Lake Huron. An array of tulips in full bloom devour every flower bed on the island. Free from motor vehicles, the island pulls you back into the days of yesteryear before cell phones and the Internet made us less neighborly. Perfect right? It was until a few triflin' seventh graders forgot to take advantage of the most wonderful gift God has ever blessed us with...common sense.

Let's start with student J. Student J is a young man about the age of 13. When we arrived at the school student J was wearing a basketball jersey with no shirt underneath it. Let me remind you that we were traveling to an island in Northern Michigan not the Caribbean. Student J did not bring a jacket with him for this excursion. TRIFLIN' FLAG #1. After settling into the hotel room, Student J realized that he had failed to bring a change of underwear for this trip. TRIFLIN' FLAG #2. Thankfully, one of our dad's informed him that he should wash out his one pair of underwear for days two and three of our trip. Unfortunately, we chaperones do not believe he took this father's advice. TRIFLIN' FLAG #3. Day two of our end of the year trip, Student J came to breakfast and sat with a few of his peers and a few of the chaperones. A few chaperones noticed that Student J had a smudge of dirt on his arm a clear indication that he had failed to shower prior to breakfast. TRIFLIN' FLAG #4. Another male parent took it upon himself to address the importance of hygiene to Student J. Aware of the grime clinging to his skin, Student J preceded to lick his fingers and use his saliva to cleanse his skin...just as a cat would do. TRIFLIN' FLAG #5. Student J went swimming along with his peers for a bootleg pool party and informed one of his chaperones that he did not need to bathe because he had been in the pool and the hot tub. TRIFLIN' FLAG #6. Here's what took the cake: One of our neurotic female students likes Student J, and informed one of his clean friends of this. When Student J learned of her crush, he told her that he only likes classy girls.

TRIFLIN' is overconfident and on the rise...take cover.

More to Come

I know it's been a while since I've blogged. However, I will have lots of interesting things to share with you within the next couple of days. I just got back from our seventh grade trip, and please understand there is so much to be discussed. I suggest you pull out your M.C. Hammer tapes and put "Pray" on repeat...