Honey, I'm Hoommeee!

It has been over a month since I have blogged! I was facing serious withdrawals in the beginning, next came denial and finally I reached acceptance. I must say though that it feels good to blog again. I have actually had the chance to read a few of my favorite blogs, and am happy to see that others are still blogging. It has been an interesting month. Some things have changed, and yet much is still the same. I am still struggling along, but choosing to remain hopeful for my future even when it seems that I will not have a bright one. This is the time of the year when work is the busiest, and the customers are at their worse. Yesterday was the infamous "Black Friday" and at Wally World it was definitely an adventure. We had to play policemen to our pallets of freight that was going to be included in the big doorbusters for 5am. We had a line that was wrapped around the store for the flat screen TVs that were on sale. Not to mention all of the lines that were stationed at the pallets for some of the hottest toys for the season that were included in the sale. Once 5am hit and we were to cut away the shrink wrap from around the pallet, the best and safest thing to do was to move! I saw one of my coworkers almost trampled under the crowd who dived on the Transformer action figures. People were literally wrestling and elbowing their way to what they wanted. Later I found out there was at least 2 fist fights over some items on the other side of the store. As I made my way to other parts of the store I would see one of my co-workers and say, "You're still alive!"In addition to our normal security guards, we had 3 additional Police officers at the doors to make sure nothing was stolen in the frenzy, because believe me there are those people who use that day as the perfect time to load up on "free items." Once 7am arrived I was free to leave the asylum, and I went to breakfast with a co-worker of mine, which was a necessary wind-down and time for some reflection of the previous activities of our shift. Sometimes I just can't believe the lengths people will go to for "stuff." Sure there are things I wouldn't mind having, but I think sometimes we really need to be a little less materialistic in this society. I really believe that when you are gone from this world, it will not matter how much "stuff" you leave behind, but the good deeds and positive impact you had on the world that will remain legendary.

Final Thoughts for the day...

I have had the chance to go and read a few of my fav blogs and leave comments, but not all, I hope to soon have normal access to the Internet, and not be on a C.I.VAC. When I once again have access to blog regularly, it will be business as usual. In the meantime, I am working and making progress with my bags slowly but surely. Well...it is now about time for me to go back to Wally World (read previous post for related matter) Until next time.....

Fluff

On a lighter note..............................................With the exception of today's post, I plan to continue my I.VAC. and will be focusing on other things, so I may not post here for about a week, except maybe to respond to any feedback. Also, I am hoping to have a Contest Give-a-way (GOD-willing) coming up soon....details later.

Controversial Topic

Well I really had not planned on interrupting my I.VAC. but I was inspired to write this after something I heard at work last night. Many employees were wearing purple and black ribbons. Another associate who was passing them out asked me if I wanted one, well I am not the type to just blindly support something I don't know about, so I wanted to know what the ribbon was for. Another co-worker asked me if I had heard about the 6 black teenagers in Louisiana who were on trial for beating a white student, and was looking to face sentences of 20 to more years in jail. These students are dubbed as the Jena 6 . I don't watch the news as much as I used to (too much negativity and biased sources) so I told her oddly enough I had not. I had only just recently found out about another case in West Virginia, where a young black woman was held captive for a week, tortured, sexually assaulted, and maliciously wounded, through another blogger. So I was somewhat familiar with that story, but had not heard of the Jena 6 . Many protesters, majority of whom are black have gone to Louisiana to demonstrate against what many are calling a disparity in the law. I don't want to go into too much detail as you can read the basic background info by clicking on the keywords in this post. But the gist of it is this: black students sat under a tree that was coined as the "white tree" where mainly white students sat, and the next day 3 nooses were hung on the tree. When the principal recommended that the students responsible be expelled, the school board overturned it calling it a "harmless prank" and the local prosecutor said they were too young to be charged with a hate crime. This led to a series of riffs between the white and black students, and in the end of all this, a white student was beat up by several black students and sent to the hospital. He was treated and sent home that day, and later attended his highschool's Ring Dance. The black students were later charged with assault, and then it was increased to attempted second degree murder a charge of which incited many people to object to the severity of the possible punishment. On the first day of the trial for one of the boys (Mychal Bell) the prosecutor reduced the charges to aggravated second degree battery-a charge of which requires the use of a deadly weapon; the shoes were argued to be the deadly weapon-this charge can still carry a sentence of 22 years. He was found guilty, by an all white jury, one of which was the friend of the victims father. This sparked even further outcry from the public and Mychal Bell was given new attorneys and a chance to make an appeal. A protest led by Al Sharpton, is taking place in Louisiana....................................................... Now in the case of the West Virgina woman, Megan Williams , in which she was subjected to far greater atrocities, and was more than likely eventually going to be killed by her tormentors, police and FBI are "investigating" if this was a hate crime; even though the victim gave a statement that, one of the accused said "this is what we do to niggers around here."

• My issues

1. What is there to investigate? Clearly the West Virginia case is not only a sick crime, but a racial one as well. There is no question about it. It seems to appear that when ever there is a crime concerning a white defendant, the justice system goes to great lengths to make sure that the accused are not being tried for anything extra and are being fairly treated, but in the case of non-whites, it seems everything that could possibly be thrown at them, is. These people who did this to Megan Williams; whom all have prior criminal records-Frankie Brewster was charged with 1st degree murder in 1994, and after pleading guilty to manslaughter, served only 5 years in prison, deserve to be denied freedom for many, many years to come. Are these people going to be given their just desserts? Even though this case is still new, I do not believe they will really get what they deserve. In the end they will probably be freed earlier than they should be, as was the case with Frankie Brewster.
2. In the case of the kids in Louisiana, it is because of the prejudices and favoritism that was given by the school board that helped escalate the whole situation. If the school board had supported the Principal's original ruling, or at the very least gave the boys who hung the nooses more than 3 days in-school suspension, then it would have helped a little to cool the tensions between the students. Several Black students even went to the school board to try and discuss the matter, but were refused the chance, because the school board felt that it had handled the matter adequately. Also, since when does hanging nooses from a tree, after black students "crossed the line" and sat under the tree, constitute as a prank? I wonder if say for example, this school had a significant amount of middle eastern kids in its student body, and a few of them decided to wear t-shirts with the twin towers, showing the planes crashing into them and a big smiley face on the shirt, saying we support amateur pilots, or something bizarre like that, would this be considered just a silly prank? Of course not! These students would be reprimanded with much more than 3 days of in-school suspension.
3. While I agree the black teenagers should be punished for beating up the white teenager, I think it is clearly a case of racism. In highschool kids get into scuffles all the time, and hardly ever is it treated with such severity. I have even witnessed, in middle school no less, where students have beat up other students, with the same type of force kicking etc. this involved a multitude of races, and not necessarily a race thing, per se and these students may have suffered expulsion, and detention time, but never to be charged as adults for attempted murder. That is absolutely absurd. I do not, and I am quite sure many people would agree, believe that this is a case of attempted murder. They beat him up (just as some of the black students had been beat up by some whites); were they wrong? yes. Did they attempt to murder him? I seriously do not believe so.

Overall does racism still exist in America? I think so, heck it still exists around the world. What I hope is that the number of non-racists can outweigh the number of racist people in the world, so we can have a little more harmony...

• Note: please take the survey and watch this video at Youtube which shows how Fox News once again establishes themselves as a discreditable news source.

Online Learning; the good, the bad and the severely disturbing

I think if I were to retake the blogging test now I would not score as low as before :S I really will try to take a few days off. On another I.VAC. I have much work to catch up on with the production process of the bags. But before I go....

• Things I learned today are: 1. I Really Love Widgetbox.com! Not only can you get some really cool widgets, and make widgets, but you actually find alot of cool websites through them as well. The site is so User-Friendly as well. I have listed them in my flash box (flash box to the right side of page) of my favorite things because I really, really, like their site.

• 2. I usually don't see all the Internet-hype videos until the last minute because....usually I'm just not that interested, I don't watch alot on TV and I really do not like watching the majority of the trash that people post at Youtube. One of my contacts suggested that I see this particular video on Youtube and I relented today. The video I saw today was the Brittney Spear's Plea video. (I had seen the buzz about it online, but really was not interested in watching it) I must say it is completely annoying and yet funny. I agree that we are a society in which we are too engrossed in "celebrity" life and that many magazines viciously attack and invade the personal lives of individuals in the limelight. At the same time a "celebrity" should also expect that that type of thing comes with the territory. Personally I could care less what most celebrities do, I have my own life to deal with. But that is not why the guy made the video, he made it for his own personal agenda. What makes the video so annoying is the fact that the guy is clearly either crazy and obsessed, or an attention seeking overreactive person himself. Which after watching it once more, I came to the conclusion that it was both. This guy is clearly out for attention, and he is getting it, because many people are viewing his video and making parody videos in response thereby giving him increased ratings on Ytube. Which is giving him the attention he so strongly craves. Proof of this is the follow-up interview he did with Jimmy Kimmel--- pretty disturbing . I think after seeing the video, I may have nightmares now :(

• Finally the last thing I learned today (relating to online that is) was that there are alot of blogs out there that are pretty interesting, but I think I have enough in my link list, I don't want too many more as I will not have time to keep up with reading all of them all the time. So I will try to only add a few if I come across any more good ones. I may post a link to another blogger's site from time to time, but I can't add too many more to my link list, as it will take up more space. So when appropriate I will still give linkage, just not a permanent place in my links list.

Time For Another I.VAC.

Well I made it through my blogging marathon and now I think I will take some well deserved rest...hopefully..........................

Saying goodbye to my dear Samsung, while going on I. VAC.

I am going to go on a I.VAC. for the next few days. but before I go....

Today I became sad at the thought of my cell phone/mobile phone. Why you ask? because I no longer have service on my mobile phone :( I can't afford to keep it right now. I know this is a little superficial, however I had the same mobile number for years, and I had finally settled with a company I like; you know the one that features that Welsh actress as their spokesperson. (Ok clearly I am talking about T-Mobile in case you didn't catch that)

[Conversation with cell phone provider: me-"But if you leave how will I cope? What will I do?" cell phone provider-"Frankly W. we don't give a d*#!mn"]

I really didn't abuse my phone usage either I would use it mainly for emergencies, and I would talk long distance with some friends, but I wasn't the type of person you see on the cell phone talking about nothing. I hate to hear this conversation: "Hello?" "Nothing, I'm in the store (on the bus, at the library, in class, at the movies, having dinner with a friend, at work)" This is followed by a five min. conversation about nothing, and then the recipient hangs up, only to repeat this conversation again 2 mins later with a new caller. Or my favorite conversation: "Hello?" "Nothing I'm in line at the store" *1minute of silence* "say something!" *3 sec. pause* "No, you say something"

Oh and my personal favorite is the type of people I encountered when I was working my other retail job. The type who wanted to run a conversation on their phone, and complete a transaction with you at the same time. Then five minutes later they want to come back to your line and refute something on their receipt that you told them was not on sale while they were having their conversation on the phone. But of course even though they nodded their head that they understood, in reality they were too preoccupied with the phone conversation.

Well that was not me. I was a responsible user :) Nevertheless I won't be any more, at least for a while until I can get on track. *sniff* I'm going to miss you my dear little Samsung *sniff Ok as I said this is a bit superficial, but I am not really a superficial kind of person, so please grant me at least this one moment...

On other note... I am trying to make a video interview with some ordinary folks that I will eventually put on Yahoo Videos GOD-willing, the topic of which I will mention later if I ever finish the video and editing it. Don't expect great things out of this though, because I am not some bigshot movie-maker or anything, or even a wannabe one either. The problem is some of the folks that I have interviewed so far are not giving me detailed honest answers. why do I say this? because I have talked with some of them off camera and they have made the complaints and things to me, so I thought I could capture some of that. I haven't so far but I am hopeful someone will give me the gritty truth.

I will refocuse my attention to my bags this week and I have a couple of other obligations regarding sewing promises I made to other people. So i will bid adieu....