The American Dream - Coming Together

This weekend I opened my heart to America. I had no idea this movie existed until Tim said he wanted to go see it. It came out of nowhere. Was he bored? A documentary? Who goes to the movies to watch a documentary? Why didn't they just put it on television like other historical documentaries?

I didn't have the energy to argue. I didn't want to watch anything about America. I had grown tired of America and the back and forth bickering and debating between the left and the right. I didn't want to be affiliated with any political party, but I've been saddened by how polarized we'd become.

Polarization. I had no idea I would discover this to be a deliberate strategy, that America had been and continues to be subliminally strong armed into voting the way of shame. But I wasn't ashamed of anything and neither are many of my friends and colleagues. However, the narrative unfolding in the media demands we listen and pay attention to it. I'll call it the shaming of America. We're racist thieves and we must be reminded at every opportunity.

Photo I took when visiting Washington D.C.

In truth, I wanted to watch Melissa McCarthy in her new movie, Tammy. I needed the comedic relief, but no. Okay, I conceded after Tim reminded me of its scathing review by USMagazine, calling it a career intervention for McCarthy. How wrong is that?

The hell?

The movie we watched instead is based on Dinesh D’Souza's new book, America: Imagine the World Without Her. I won't go into the details, but the movie is very well put together, inviting far left views as well as representing another narrative which shines a different light onto America and who she is.

We are reminded of the untold stories which make us strong and proud to have come from such a great country. We are reminded of the horrors, also untold, which would show the unjust in the way we approach society today. We are all equally at fault for the America we are building for the future if we cannot come together and build a narrative that is just and accurate.

You cannot fix a problem if you're not willing to have that dialogue. Mr. D'Souza seems to have brought some issues to the table. I'm just not so sure America is ready to have that dialogue. We'll see.

If you're like me and have been feeling a little beaten up by the political pow wow in the media, go see this movie. You'll feel much better!

Everyone in the theater applauded. It was the first time I'd ever witnessed such a thing and it made me feel good about America, whereas before entering, I'd felt indifferent and a little depressed.

I love America. What are your thoughts? Has America disappointed you? Are things that bad, or are they promising?

From our recent visit to D.C.

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Halloween in Salem Massachusetts

I wanted to celebrate this Halloween season by sharing a spooky story, but instead, I decided to make a trip to Salem, Massachusetts and visit the Witch Trial Wax Museum. I’ve been asked by many, “What’s in Salem?”

History!

Did you know that the damning evidence used in the Salem Witch trials to convict these innocent men and women who were then condemned to hang at the gallows was this thing called spectral evidence? That means young girls (witnesses) accused certain people of casting evil spells upon them and the way they identified the person is they testified they saw the person in a non-physical state. It was thought that the only way they could present themselves in this form is by making a deal with the devil.

These witnesses would be on display in the courthouse, possessed, screaming out that they were being targeted in the very room where the accused stood trial. Anyone familiar with the Manson trial and the gaggle of young women who claimed Manson spoke to them in their minds from where he sat while they testified? Spooky.

Spectral evidence alone in many cases ensured the so called “witches” hung for their crimes. The fear spread quickly throughout Salem and 20 people were executed for practicing witchcraft before the governor ceased the trials. Why did he put an end to the trials? Because his wife, as well as a few other prominent citizens, were accused. Imagine that.

According to a local museum, to this day, only one judge has made apologies for this unfortunate historical tragedy, and only one of the “witnesses” expressed sorrow for her part in this fiasco. Amazingly enough, we find out this all started from the isolation of three women, Sarah Good, a homeless person, Tituba, a slave, and a woman named Sarah Osborne, who remarried to an indentured servant.

Local magistrates tossed the three accused women in jail and the folks of Salem discovered the power wielded in the accusations of witchcraft. Thus began the wildfire that spread from the underlying family feud between the Putnams and the Porters. Fueled by fear and mass hysteria, things had obviously gotten out of hand, especially when prominent citizens had fingers pointing at them.

How did you spend your Halloween? Trick or treating? Giving out candy? What about haunted houses? We went through this one.

I never screamed so loud in my life. Spooky scary! No lie.

The State of Florida vs. George Zimmerman - Awaiting a Verdict

I have a heavy heart this evening. I don’t usually speak out on matters in the media because to me it’s just fodder for attention whores and that’s not what my blog is about. I blog about making progress, whether with my own writing (mainly it’s about my writing), or about personal growth within my own family, or even about progress at work in my field of technology.

My heart is heavy today because I’m thinking about the progress of the country I love, The United States of America. When growing up, I didn’t notice so much division. Maybe I was too young to understand the “us” versus “them” concept. We all said the pledge of allegiance and it wasn’t a big deal. Maybe they tried harder to shield us from this division or maybe the division wasn't as powerful as it is today. I don’t know.

It just seems there is more division than there ever was and I’m trying to comprehend where it is coming from, because we on the bottom level, the ordinary people, are trying to make sense of ground zero, wanting to survive.

Now my concerns:

As the jury deliberates today in the case of The State of Florida versus George Zimmerman, I am saddened. I'm not saddened for George Zimmerman or the fact that a life is lost; I've become immune to it over the months.

What saddens me is when these six jurors come out of their sequestered world and deliver a verdict, their lives will be forever changed, and our country will be transformed shortly thereafter. Why?

1. Racial inequality and politics

Though I believe our country has moved forward in civil rights issues, I don't believe that the media and government have accepted this fact. If they accept the forward progress, then they would have to find another means to cause civil unrest so that there may be this need for intervention, thus more government and more bureaucracy. I have faith in the people in our country and in all our diversity. It's the media and politics which caused this to play out for the world to see.

2. A mother's love

How wonderful to put all women on this jury! I'm not knocking an all-woman jury. However, think about it. Their hearts go out to Trayvon's mother, for the death of her son. What mother wouldn't relate? Their hearts go out to Zimmerman's mother, for the potential conviction of her son and 30 years in prison. What mother wouldn't relate? These jurors have a tough job, and I will be thinking of them and the pain they will endure attempting to reconcile this huge mess of a case. Whatever their decision, the world is watching, with scrutiny, and it's just not fair for them to bare this burden on their own. I'm behind them with whatever decision they come to, and I feel for them.

3. The second Amendment right to bear arms

This verdict will change how we deal with the Constitutional right to bear arms. Why? Because, bearing arms has restrictions as it is. We must abide by certain laws before we are able to obtain, carry, and utilize firearms. Better yet, we are required to provide fingerprints, photo identification, and certification of training, before permits are granted for "carry conceal" licenses. Any person who acquires and intends to utilize a firearm without abiding by these rules is breaking the law and has a total disregard for the right to do so.

So, how do we protect ourselves and others without putting ourselves in the same class as those who have a total disregard for human life and the law? We do the right thing. That's not good enough though, because there is room for error, which the law does not provide a definitive clause. We act first, and then are judged later.

Now that I've listed the things which sadden me, let me share with you my biggest fear.

If this is a case decided by defining the perception of "death or grievous bodily harm" we are in trouble. Today, with violent crimes reported in our media, more people are becoming legally armed, many with "conceal carry" permits. If I'm a licensed carrier, will I need to change my perception in the future? Do I need to change my perception of imminent death or serious bodily harm before I utilize my legally purchased and licensed firearm for its intended purpose? Is it even humanly possible to do that during a time of high stress and fear?

If a woman is being raped, does she now leave her firearm cradled in its holster because she doesn’t believe that penetration of her vagina and lacerations from the friction are more severe than a fractured nose and lacerations to her head?

This is serious. I hope I never have to be in a position to place a verdict on anyone, but worse than that, I hope I never have to carry out justice while leading from behind because certain people in positions of authority just couldn't stand up and say enough is enough.

My heart goes out to the Trayvon family AND the Zimmerman family. I just hope we can fix things so this tragedy doesn't happen again, because it IS a tragedy, and a misuse of justice. What I'd like to see is both families come together in a fight to prevent these types of tragedies in the future. We can't heal from this if that doesn't happen.

Are You Googling That? My Character of the Day

So, I'm next in line at Walmart, placing my groceries on the conveyor belt while the bagger and cashier are having a conversation. After I place the last item on the moving piece of rubber, I look toward the automatic glass doors and notice the sky churning out a few ominous looking clouds.

This worries me, because we're planning to take the boat out on the river, and showers are not welcome. I pull out my iPhone and check the new weather radar app I downloaded last weekend (it will eventually become a favorite iPhone app).

The bagger stops bagging my things and says, "Are you Googling that?"

"Excuse me?"

"Are you Googling that?"

"Googling what?"

The cashier chimes in, "Are you Googling dark chocolate versus white chocolate?" A look of anticipation flickers across her face, eyes stabbing me with more urgency than when my husband prods me for sex.

"Why would I be Googling that?"

I ask this because I cannot fathom why dark chocolate versus white chocolate would suddenly pop into my head, and I am even more perplexed by the thought that the Walmart staff would know precisely the moment this thought occurred. Like, really?

They both start to talk, but then the cashier finishes, "We were just talking about how dark chocolate is healthier for you than white chocolate." She holds up a chocolate covered pretzel as evidence, and in one swoop, pops it into her mouth.

I'm stunned. Was I involved in this conversation and not aware? Did the bagger and cashier at some point invite me into their conversation and perform some ritual which has now rendered me void of any memory of said conversation?

I pull out my debit card to pay for my items. Then I offer my input, "No, I'm not Googling anything. However, if you eat enough of either of those types of chocolates, you'll get fat, and that comes along with so many health problems like type II Diabetes, gallstones, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and sleep apnea."

They both look at me and there's this long, silent pause. It was like I'd just come out of a trance, with the cashier mid-bite into a pretzel and the bagger with one hand in a plastic Walmart bag.

Something niggles at me and I realize both ladies are obese.

Note: Characters of the Day on this blog are inspired by true happenings. I've withheld names to obscure the identities of the stupid people so that I don't get sued in some stupid manner which our government deems a viable path to redemption for stupid people.

If you believe you're one of the stupid people mentioned in this blog, I pray that you run for government some day and win, so that you may repair your stupidity through the process of empowerment, which will give you a voice we all pretend to admire in hopes we don't "ourselves" become stupid people.

I love you, Blog-o-sphere!!

U is for Underestimating the American Spirit

I saw this photograph on Facebook a week or two ago and I immediately snatched it for this post. I didn't even have to read the story to understand the meaning of the photo; it spoke volumes to me. It says to me, "My life isn't over, I'm in control. Bring it."

However, when I read this story about one victim of the Boston Marathon bombing, I didn't want to leave it as just a "share" on Facebook. I wanted it to be an addition to my post about underestimating the American spirit, because that is exactly what the world has witnessed here.

This isn't the only photograph which has touched me in the past year. There have been a few. I don't know how old these photographs are, but they each reached me at a pivotal point in my writing journey, so I want them all here in my compilation of this article about progress and inspiration.

As most of my friends and family know, I come from a military background. My father was a retired Marine. My husband is a retired Marine. My son is an Army veteran who served in Iraq and who is now medically retired. So, it shouldn't be a surprise that this photo also inspires my post today.

Here I see this super sexy guy, and he's confident, determined, and very much still in the game. This is the American spirit I see and appreciate. It reminds me of what this country stands for. Not what it has become. There are still some who will never give in, who will always remain hopeful for our future, and who, despite their own setbacks, will continue to inspire and give hope to others.


Sometime last year, a regular mammogram revealed an area of concern and my doctor scheduled a punch biopsy. I wasn't sure what to expect, but immediately I began thinking of my options, my husband having gone through a cancer diagnosis 2 years earlier.

That is why when I saw this photograph for the first time, I was filled with hope and I thought, "If I come out of this with a double mastectomy, I'm going to finally give in and get that tattoo I've always wanted of the fire dragon wrapped around a castle." I don't care if you think it's lame, Diane. Getting back to the nature of this post.

We are divided by many things. Politics gets us pitted against one another. So does religion, racial inequalities, gender inequality, and so many other divisive elements for which we refuse to enter into dialogue for whatever reason. Maybe it's a tool for those who benefit from the division. Remember when your kids did it? Divide and conquer.

We parents knew how to deal with it: the united front. Let us not turn our heads to the divisive, but see it for what it is and move along. Let us see the truly beautiful in people who still believe. There is hope. You just have to step toward the side of positive and let's create many instances of this type of media, rather than accepting the feed of those nuggets which divide and conquer, because what are we trying to conquer here anyway? Share and re-tweet positives!

The inclusion of these photos into my post today is my way of sharing what I believe is important in healing as a nation and reflecting as individuals. It's important that you know, regardless of your need to be right, your need to win, or your need to be on top of any situation, there are people who have won while our eyes have been shut.

Take a moment to reflect on what it means to truly win at life. What strengths in people have you witnessed in the past? Have they inspired you to look beyond the bleak and foreboding obstacles which threaten your happiness?

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Writing What You Don't Know

This morning, I discovered an article which prompted a comment from me, but I never finished the comment because it got to be too long for a comment. I decided instead to create this blog entry and link back to the article at the Florida Writers Conference Blog. Chris Hamilton's article reflects on the use of words which are hurtful, yet can be powerful in provoking thought. I think my response went off on a different tangent, and so, rather than detract from his article with my comment, here exists my post for today.

The protagonist in my first attempt at a novel was a lesbian. However, the story wasn't about her being gay, rather her struggle to gain her mother's acceptance was the underlying subplot, all while her best friend's wedding unfolded into a complete disaster.

I shelved it after chapter five simply because I had no clue with how to move forward. It got to a point where I couldn't write anymore because it didn't feel like my story. I think if you're going to write a gay character, especially a protagonist, you need to understand the struggle itself and not make attempts at including the character just to be all inclusive and risk exacerbating stereotypes, which would not have been my intent.

I began to question myself as a fiction writer. Would I be able to write from the perspective of a racist character, or one of royalty? I could make it up, but how convincing would I be and how effective the story? I found myself wanting to explore and write about things I don't know, rather than write about what I know.

When I got to chapter five and started developing the mother/daughter relationship, I discovered the story wasn't about my protagonist needing acceptance; it was about a daughter helplessly struggling for her mother's love and guidance. If you take the fact that the protagonist is gay completely out of the picture, this scenario could apply to anyone. So then I had to ask myself this question. Why did I make my character a lesbian?

Maybe we have these grandiose ideas of telling that deeper story, the profound thing too difficult for ordinary people to express in words. We want to be that artist who exposes the truth and realities of our evil society through the smoke and mirrors of political correctness, and then we, the artist, will provide that redemption to the rest of the world, who will now see through the glorious eyes of their savior. Not really.

You're welcome. That's what we want to say at the end of our stories. When people finally get it, the just and the righteous, when all prejudices have been lifted, when your inner critics have been silenced in your minds, and when you see your fellow humans as yourselves and you cry those tears of joy, know it is our intent to educate.

Why do you want to write the story you've chosen? What drives you? Is there a point you want to make with your story? If there is, let it be genuine, so that it is real and not gratuitous.

You Didn't Write That

Can you imagine if someone told you this about something you wrote, a creation that came from your hard work? But, someone allowed you the time to write, gave you an opportunity to lock yourself away so you could produce that piece of work. Someone helped you along the way, somewhere. That's THEIR book.

You have to understand this concept, don't you?



I'm going to jump on the bandwagon here. This post is inspired by Obama's unpopular speech in Roanoke, Va. My husband was born there and he grew up there so we watched intently. Did Obama really say that? "That business, you didn't build that. Other people did, tax dollars built that."

Okay, let me calm my mother down. She's fixing to turn over in her grave. Wait, she's in an urn on my mantle. Forget that.

Let me explain.

My mother didn't speak a bit of English when she came to this country after marrying my father. She raised us kids and was a stay at home mother. However, when my parents' marriage went on the decline, my mother decided she had to work and make her own income. My father eventually left her for a younger woman and she had to work two other part time jobs in order to take care of three children.

The restaurant where my mother worked allowed employee discounts on food, so we ate a lot of Japanese food and my mother saved up enough money (over a period of 5 years) to purchase the restaurant. She worked at her own restaurant as a cook because this helped her to keep the business running efficiently and cost effectively. She owned her business for 25 years, until she developed cancer and died in September of 2006.

Did she build this business? You're damned straight she did!

Did she drive to work on roads built with tax dollars? Yes. Did she PAY taxes? Yes. So, she paid tax dollars that built roads she used to drive her ass to work, to HER business.

Sorry, mom. I promise I won't vote for this man!

My Guy Mitt

by Diane Carlisle

My fellow blogger, Under Cover Waitress, posted about paying taxes on tips and because I am thoroughly entertained by her posts, I pay particular attention to every word. So, you can imagine my angst when she calls out my guy, Mitt Romney, for only paying 15% in taxes as revealed by the release of his tax return. You know I have to defend my guy. After all, I voted for him! Go Florida! By the way, I'm so happy to have been a part of the republican primaries, and the volunteers had an awesome display of goodies to feed us voters.

Back to my rival blogger. She is correct; Romney only paid 15% of his income. He is not currently employed though, so his only income comes in as capital gains, and 15% is the going rate. He invests his money. Why...that BASTARD!

Listen, if all these rich guys didn't invest their money and instead put it all in a safe in their houses, where do you think we'd be in this economy now? Sure, they wouldn't make any money on it, but they wouldn't be risking the "loss" of it either, especially with the economy as volatile as it is these days.

When rich people invest money, they earn money. Isn't earning money a good thing? Or has America become a country that doesn't believe that people should earn money? Besides, he was already taxed on the money he earned, which he now invests. The more you invest, the more you earn, and therefore, the more you pay taxes. Who's getting screwed here? And the guy still paid millions of dollars to charities and 10% of his income to his church.

Earning money is something we all strive to do. Some of us do it smarter and some of us don't. The person who sits at home collecting unemployment because the pay is more than he'd get busting his ass making minimum wage is smart. Sure, he's pissing me off, because my tax dollar provided the program which allows this to happen. Now, my guy Mitt, he's making money off the money he already earned. Nobody's tax dollar is contributing to his ability to do that.

I'm no Mitt Romney, but I think he understands the consequences if he chooses not to work his assets as best for him and his family as he can. That means no wasted opportunities for growth. Don't you want someone like that looking out for America as a whole? Or would you rather the government take risks and gamble with our tax dollars and leave the mess behind for our kids to cleanup?

We need to stop electing people who want to spend our tax dollars "unwisely" and we need to stop worrying about "fair" distribution. Nothing is ever fair. It's not fair that someone in my family got back more taxes than they paid in. It's not fair that we have people going hungry every day, who have to go to soup kitchens that operate off charitable contributions made by people who earn money and pay taxes.


Middle class
$150,000.00 x 35% = $52,500.00 (thousands in taxes)

Wealthy class
$21,000,000.00 x 15% = $3,150,000.00 (millions in taxes)

How is that fair? But, he paid it, right? At least he didn't "forget to pay" his taxes like some politicians.

Let's discuss. Do you believe that top wage earners should be taxed a higher percentage rate? If so, why?