The key word for this subject is "sincerity." What is the sincerity quotient for anything you do for The Lord? When you pray in front of other people, sing loudly in church, pay your tithes, donate to charity, give people your testimony ... is it to show off what you are doing for God? There is a difference between living by example and showing off. Don't show off; just do it.
When you live by example, you do not "make a big deal" out of your actions. You just do it. People will see how you act. If you're being sincere, people will notice it and may even get curious enough to ask you about your faith. If you're "putting on a show," people will notice it and try to avoid you every way they can. How do you expect people to listen to your testimony if they perceive you as a phony?
Matthew 6, verses 1-6:
1. "Be careful not to do your `acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2. "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
3. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4. so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
5. "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
6. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Actions speak louder than words. It was true then, and it's still true now. Whatever you do for God in your heart and your soul, just do it.
Friday, December 21, 2001
Wednesday, December 19, 2001
Stop Being Pushy!
I must confess up front that this is more of a pet peeve of mine that I'm venting than it is an altruistic thought to ponder. I feel strongly about this topic because I was "pushed" away from the Christian faith several years ago. I would like for you to read this with an open mind and PLEASE take what is written into consideration. We're losing too many people because of our pushiness. One of the biggest problems we have as Christians testifying for Jesus is that we don't know when to back off from the verbal "witnessing." We are supposed to plant the seed of truth, but any farmer will tell you that you don't keep stomping the ground after the seed is planted. It must be watered. It must be fed. It must be given sunshine. Our sincere actions combined with our testimony will determine whether or not the seed flourishes or dies.
Another thing that we are bad about doing is saying, "Christians don't do this;" and "Christians don't do that ..." or "I'm a Christian! I don't talk like that!" Yes, we have moral standards that we should live by, but we make our faith sound so oppressive and restrictive by repeating those and other similar remarks. Being a Christian is supposed to be a good thing, and we need to show more of that to people if we are going to get them to listen to us and maybe even come to know Christ. If you are in the presence of people who are saying or doing things that are unChristianlike, you should either suggest another topic of conversation, suggest another activity, or remove yourself from the group.
Remember the line, "What would Jesus do?" He didn't push himself on people. He lived his life as he taught. People started going to Him ... and listened. Once you've made it known to them that you're a Christian, don't push your testimony unless you know for a fact that they want to listen. Let people know that you will be there for them if they have questions. Be a friend. Show love, compassion, and mercy to them. Be real, not phony. People will be more likely to listen to you.
Another thing that we are bad about doing is saying, "Christians don't do this;" and "Christians don't do that ..." or "I'm a Christian! I don't talk like that!" Yes, we have moral standards that we should live by, but we make our faith sound so oppressive and restrictive by repeating those and other similar remarks. Being a Christian is supposed to be a good thing, and we need to show more of that to people if we are going to get them to listen to us and maybe even come to know Christ. If you are in the presence of people who are saying or doing things that are unChristianlike, you should either suggest another topic of conversation, suggest another activity, or remove yourself from the group.
Remember the line, "What would Jesus do?" He didn't push himself on people. He lived his life as he taught. People started going to Him ... and listened. Once you've made it known to them that you're a Christian, don't push your testimony unless you know for a fact that they want to listen. Let people know that you will be there for them if they have questions. Be a friend. Show love, compassion, and mercy to them. Be real, not phony. People will be more likely to listen to you.
Saturday, December 08, 2001
New Computer, Defective CD Burner
Spent a lot of time on Ebay and chatting with friends on Yahoo! Messenger and ICQ.
Had to take my brand new Hewlett Packard xt928 in to a repair shop for a defective CD-burner and ended up getting a new CPU. That wouldn't have been so bad, except that I had to reload all of my programs and tweak the personalization settings again. Windows XP is a bear to learn and get used to!
Had to take my brand new Hewlett Packard xt928 in to a repair shop for a defective CD-burner and ended up getting a new CPU. That wouldn't have been so bad, except that I had to reload all of my programs and tweak the personalization settings again. Windows XP is a bear to learn and get used to!
Monday, November 26, 2001
Holiday Hiatus
I may not be working on this site much for about a month. A friend of mine just got his business website built, and I am trying to add more items for sale on it. When you have a chance, check out http://www.elitegiftsbydan.com
Added old family photos that I had recently restored. They will also be on display at the Pioneer Island exhibit at the Okefenokee Swamp Park in Waycross, Georgia (the main cabin on display is dedicated to my late maternal grandfather).
I couldn't decide between the weather banners by weather.com or weatherunderground.com, so I put both on my index page. Okay, so I'm into weather gauges and stuff.
Added old family photos that I had recently restored. They will also be on display at the Pioneer Island exhibit at the Okefenokee Swamp Park in Waycross, Georgia (the main cabin on display is dedicated to my late maternal grandfather).
I couldn't decide between the weather banners by weather.com or weatherunderground.com, so I put both on my index page. Okay, so I'm into weather gauges and stuff.
Friday, October 19, 2001
Removal of Code/Removal of Poem
Removed the Geo-phrase greeting from the index page. Half the time the code prompted error messages or would not display the greeting at all. Was at a friend's house in Moultrie, Georgia one weekend and it greeted me on their computer as if I lived in Bogota, Lima (or something like that). Nope ... not worth the hassle.
I have removed the poem "My Beloved Jimmy" from public display. The person I wrote it for hasn't spoken to me since October 1999. It doesn't seem right to continue to display a poem honoring someone who has made no attempt to contact me nor reconcile the disagreement we had. I have done a lot of soul-searching before making this decision. Two years is long enough.
I have removed the poem "My Beloved Jimmy" from public display. The person I wrote it for hasn't spoken to me since October 1999. It doesn't seem right to continue to display a poem honoring someone who has made no attempt to contact me nor reconcile the disagreement we had. I have done a lot of soul-searching before making this decision. Two years is long enough.
Friday, September 21, 2001
Mundling Zone Updates
Wrote a poem about the September 11 terrorist attacks and named it "The Day The World Stood Still." It is posted on this website.
Finally added a page talking about the reason for this website.
Added the MIDI "Mysterious" by Yuko Ohigashi to the index.html page.
Finally added a page talking about the reason for this website.
Added the MIDI "Mysterious" by Yuko Ohigashi to the index.html page.
Thursday, August 23, 2001
Yahoo's Webring Codes
I've had it with Yahoo! and their @#%& webring codes! There was this one code that kept showing up as corrupted on my index page, and I got suspended twice for it. I'm sorry, but I'm not getting enough traffic from these webrings to warrant having them on my website if I have to keep going through this. Oops, can't get on my soapbox about this ... yet!
Wednesday, July 18, 2001
Count Your Blessings!
If I were asked what was the most powerful message from God that I have received, it would be "Count your blessings," and I immediately think of this story. I swear to all who read this that this really happened, and I don't doubt for one second that God spoke directly to me.
From May 1991 until September 1997, I lived away from home in a town called Conyers, Georgia. I had several acquaintences, but no one close by that I could really call "friend." The economy at the time forced a lot of people to take on second jobs just to make ends meet. I was one of them. I worked my day job from 8:00 - 4:30 Monday to Friday. Then I went home to nap for about three hours until I went to my second job working from 10 PM to 6 AM night shift in a convenience store Friday and Saturday night every weekend.
I was able to deal with my schedule the first year, but eventually, things started to take its toll on me: I had no social life, most of my free time was spent sleeping, all the money from that second job went to pay bills, and I still wasn't getting ahead but struggling just to keep up. Physically and psychologically, I was becoming more and more depressed. I kept asking: why do I have to work two jobs? Why must I work so hard just to make ends meet when people I know seem to be able to afford luxuries I'm having to do without? I became resentful of my situation.
Well, God heard me, and he answered my questions early one Sunday morning while I was on duty at the store. A pregnant woman with two children (a boy and a girl, both looking about ages 3 and 4) came to my store in a battered station wagon. She and the children looked dirty like they hadn't changed clothes in days. The pregnant woman came in and asked where the nearest Western Union was while her children headed for the restrooms. I told her the direction to go to get to the Kroger store in which had a Western Union station.
She suddenly burst into tears. I asked her if she was okay, worried that she might need medical help (she was pregnant, after all). She proceeded to tell me that she left her abusive husband and took the kids with nothing but the clothes on their backs. The alternator in her car later went out and needed replacing. She had to give the repairman her wedding ring to pay for it. She was able to contact her mother, and her mother agreed to wire some money to her, but the Western Union would not be open for a few more hours. Moved by her story, I asked her when was the last time she or her kids ate. She told me that they had some crackers and water earlier that day. I then asked her how much gas she had in the car. She told me that she might have a couple of gallons, but not much.
I paused for a moment to think about the situation. I had seen my share of people coming into the store pretending that they were needy and asking for handouts. My heart told me that this woman and her children were truly in need of help and some kindness. I told her to go back to her car and pull it up to one of the gas pumps and I would give her five dollars worth of gasoline. She quickly responded, "I promise I'll repay you ... " but I stopped her and told her that she was not to worry about that right now. I asked her to wait a moment, and I went into my purse and scrounged up all the cash money I had on me ... about five dollars and a little change. I handed the woman the money and told her to go to the Waffle House at the corner and make sure she and the kids ate something. I also added that if the money was not enough to have the waitress call me and I would vouch for the bill. She looked at me funny as her children came out of the restrooms. She then instructed them to go to the car. Then she looked back at me and said with a mixture of disbelief and gratitude, "Thank you." She went to her car and put the amount of gasoline I preset the pump for (at the end of my shift, I wrote a check to pay for the gasoline). Then she left, driving toward the Waffle House I directed her to earlier.
As her car disappeared into the darkness, I fell to my knees and wept. I started praying, thanking God for sending that woman to me. Not only was I able to help someone who was in need, it was a reminder about how lucky I actually was and that I should be grateful for what I do have instead of bemoaning what I didn't have.
I never saw the woman again. No one from the Waffle House called me about the bill. I just hope that she was able to make it to wherever she was trying to get to. If you are her and you're reading this, thank you for coming by my store and I hope your life has changed for the better. I will never forget you.
Thank you, God, for humbling me and showing me how blessed I am.
From May 1991 until September 1997, I lived away from home in a town called Conyers, Georgia. I had several acquaintences, but no one close by that I could really call "friend." The economy at the time forced a lot of people to take on second jobs just to make ends meet. I was one of them. I worked my day job from 8:00 - 4:30 Monday to Friday. Then I went home to nap for about three hours until I went to my second job working from 10 PM to 6 AM night shift in a convenience store Friday and Saturday night every weekend.
I was able to deal with my schedule the first year, but eventually, things started to take its toll on me: I had no social life, most of my free time was spent sleeping, all the money from that second job went to pay bills, and I still wasn't getting ahead but struggling just to keep up. Physically and psychologically, I was becoming more and more depressed. I kept asking: why do I have to work two jobs? Why must I work so hard just to make ends meet when people I know seem to be able to afford luxuries I'm having to do without? I became resentful of my situation.
Well, God heard me, and he answered my questions early one Sunday morning while I was on duty at the store. A pregnant woman with two children (a boy and a girl, both looking about ages 3 and 4) came to my store in a battered station wagon. She and the children looked dirty like they hadn't changed clothes in days. The pregnant woman came in and asked where the nearest Western Union was while her children headed for the restrooms. I told her the direction to go to get to the Kroger store in which had a Western Union station.
She suddenly burst into tears. I asked her if she was okay, worried that she might need medical help (she was pregnant, after all). She proceeded to tell me that she left her abusive husband and took the kids with nothing but the clothes on their backs. The alternator in her car later went out and needed replacing. She had to give the repairman her wedding ring to pay for it. She was able to contact her mother, and her mother agreed to wire some money to her, but the Western Union would not be open for a few more hours. Moved by her story, I asked her when was the last time she or her kids ate. She told me that they had some crackers and water earlier that day. I then asked her how much gas she had in the car. She told me that she might have a couple of gallons, but not much.
I paused for a moment to think about the situation. I had seen my share of people coming into the store pretending that they were needy and asking for handouts. My heart told me that this woman and her children were truly in need of help and some kindness. I told her to go back to her car and pull it up to one of the gas pumps and I would give her five dollars worth of gasoline. She quickly responded, "I promise I'll repay you ... " but I stopped her and told her that she was not to worry about that right now. I asked her to wait a moment, and I went into my purse and scrounged up all the cash money I had on me ... about five dollars and a little change. I handed the woman the money and told her to go to the Waffle House at the corner and make sure she and the kids ate something. I also added that if the money was not enough to have the waitress call me and I would vouch for the bill. She looked at me funny as her children came out of the restrooms. She then instructed them to go to the car. Then she looked back at me and said with a mixture of disbelief and gratitude, "Thank you." She went to her car and put the amount of gasoline I preset the pump for (at the end of my shift, I wrote a check to pay for the gasoline). Then she left, driving toward the Waffle House I directed her to earlier.
As her car disappeared into the darkness, I fell to my knees and wept. I started praying, thanking God for sending that woman to me. Not only was I able to help someone who was in need, it was a reminder about how lucky I actually was and that I should be grateful for what I do have instead of bemoaning what I didn't have.
I never saw the woman again. No one from the Waffle House called me about the bill. I just hope that she was able to make it to wherever she was trying to get to. If you are her and you're reading this, thank you for coming by my store and I hope your life has changed for the better. I will never forget you.
Thank you, God, for humbling me and showing me how blessed I am.
Wednesday, May 23, 2001
Change of E-mail Address
My e-mail address has been changed because a spammer sent out porno spam with a faked e-mail address ... MY E-MAIL ADDRESS!! I have reported it to the proper authorities, and I have been cleared of any wrongdoing. If you are responding to the e-mail, I'm am not running an "Adult Friend Finder Erotic Personals" website. I'm not that kind of girl, so please look elsewhere.
Saturday, April 28, 2001
What's New April 2001
Yes, I've changed the design again. I get bored so easily with them! I liked the jeweled theme look, but the pages took too long to download for those who don't have at least DSL or Broadband internet (love that Broadband baby!).
I'm learning new Javascript codes. Eventually, most of my pages will have to be accessed from the index page. I'm tired of people linking directly to certain pages of my site without starting at the menu page first.
To make the viewing of the pictures of the unicorn and mask collections easier, I have added Java(tm) applets to the display pages.
I never thought I'd see the day that I would be doing this, but I have decided to remove the poem "Sexual Mind Game" from this website. Now, I am a firm believer in the First Amendment and the integrity of my artistic expression as an amateur poet. However, I feel that the poem is inappropriate for The Mundling Zone.
I'm learning new Javascript codes. Eventually, most of my pages will have to be accessed from the index page. I'm tired of people linking directly to certain pages of my site without starting at the menu page first.
To make the viewing of the pictures of the unicorn and mask collections easier, I have added Java(tm) applets to the display pages.
I never thought I'd see the day that I would be doing this, but I have decided to remove the poem "Sexual Mind Game" from this website. Now, I am a firm believer in the First Amendment and the integrity of my artistic expression as an amateur poet. However, I feel that the poem is inappropriate for The Mundling Zone.
Wednesday, March 21, 2001
God Does Not Like an Angry Man
In the Bible, whenever there is a mention of God's anger, there is almost always physical destruction and desolation. Sometimes punishment of people such as enslavement and sickness has been a result of His anger.
We as humans can create damage and destruction from our anger, too. When we act out of anger, we can physically injure and/or kill someone. When we speak out of anger, the damage is harder to repair; we can hurt feelings, ruin friendships, ruin relationships, end business partnerships, and damage or destroy the hardest thing to repair/create: trust. We hurt others, but we also hurt ourselves.
Examples of some passages out of the NIV Bible:
Proverbs 29
11. A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.
22. An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins.
Ecclesiastes 7
9. Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.
Ecclesiastes 10
4. If a ruler's anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great errors to rest.
Jeremiah 10
24. Correct me, LORD, but only with justice -- not in your anger, lest you reduce me to nothing.
Ezekiel 35
11. therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will treat you in accordance with the anger and jealousy you showed in your hatred of them and I will make myself known among them when I judge you.
Matthew 5
22. But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, `Raca, ' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, `You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.
2 Corinthians
20. For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.
Ephesians 4
26. "In your anger do not sin" : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,
27. and do not give the devil a foothold.
31. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
32. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Colossians 3
8. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
James 1
19. My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
20. for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
What kind of example are YOU setting when you claim you're a Christian yet are quick to anger and act on it? The damage you do to yourself involves damage to your credibility, your integrity, and your relationship with God.
When you vent your anger (physical or verbal) on anyone, you are giving Jesus and his ministry a black eye.
We as humans can create damage and destruction from our anger, too. When we act out of anger, we can physically injure and/or kill someone. When we speak out of anger, the damage is harder to repair; we can hurt feelings, ruin friendships, ruin relationships, end business partnerships, and damage or destroy the hardest thing to repair/create: trust. We hurt others, but we also hurt ourselves.
Examples of some passages out of the NIV Bible:
Proverbs 29
11. A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.
22. An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins.
Ecclesiastes 7
9. Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.
Ecclesiastes 10
4. If a ruler's anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great errors to rest.
Jeremiah 10
24. Correct me, LORD, but only with justice -- not in your anger, lest you reduce me to nothing.
Ezekiel 35
11. therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will treat you in accordance with the anger and jealousy you showed in your hatred of them and I will make myself known among them when I judge you.
Matthew 5
22. But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, `Raca, ' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, `You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.
2 Corinthians
20. For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.
Ephesians 4
26. "In your anger do not sin" : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,
27. and do not give the devil a foothold.
31. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
32. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Colossians 3
8. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
James 1
19. My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
20. for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
What kind of example are YOU setting when you claim you're a Christian yet are quick to anger and act on it? The damage you do to yourself involves damage to your credibility, your integrity, and your relationship with God.
When you vent your anger (physical or verbal) on anyone, you are giving Jesus and his ministry a black eye.
Thursday, February 15, 2001
My Struggle with Sleep Apnea
In January 2001, I was diagnosed with having Sleep Apnea. For those of you who do not know what that is, it means that when I am asleep (or unconscious anyway), my breathing shallows to the point that my body does not get enough oxygen. At times during the night, I stop breathing for brief periods of time. Sometimes I remember waking up and gasping for air, at other times I start breathing deeper before I become fully conscious. In either case, I fail to go into the deep sleep my body and brain need to be fully rested the for next day. My mind and body became sleep-deprived and started demanding compensation.
Symptoms of possible sleep apnea include but are not limited to daytime sleepiness or drowsiness, falling asleep with little or no warning or control, difficulty in staying awake or alert during the day, etc. This can be especially dangerous while driving a vehicle or operating any kind of equipment (large or small). If your job requires you to be alert at all times, you could jeopardize your job by falling asleep at the wrong time, and that falling asleep can sneak up on you without warning. I was really bad about falling asleep at my computer while surfing the internet or on the loveseat at home. I was fighting severe drowsiness at work, at home, and in my truck. The final straw was when I blacked out while sitting up, and a friend who saw me had difficulty waking me and bluntly told me so. I didn't even remember being "sleepy." It scared the hell out of me!
I saw my doctor and gave him a list of all the symptoms I was having. He immediately set me up to have a sleep study done at the local hospital. The results of the sleep study detemined that I had Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome. What were my results? During the first three hours of the study, I had over 200 awakenings and stopped breathing 80 times. Needless to say, I was shocked and unnerved to hear of the severity of my condition, but it also explained why I was blacking out at the most inopportune times.
I qualified to be prescribed a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. This machine, with a nasal mask strapped onto my face every night, delivers pressurized air gently into my lungs so that my body receives enough oxygen so that I can go into deep sleep mode. I'm here to tell you right now, that machine has made a world of difference. I am so much more rested and alert now. That machine and the mask has become my best friends at night. Yes, it took some getting used to, and not everyone can stand sleeping with a mask on no matter how comfortable it is made to be (I have a gel mask, and it's sooooo cushy cushy comfy). I am fortunate that this option worked for me. As an added bonus, I don't snore when I'm wearing the mask.
There are different treatments and options out there; I'm just simply letting you know which option worked for me. If you are experiencing any of the above-listed symptoms, PLEASE talk to your doctor about getting a sleep study to determine if you may have Sleep Apnea or narcolepsy. I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that ignoring the symptoms could cost you your life, and possibly the lives of others.
Even if you don't have sleep apnea, don't neglect getting sleep. Your mind and body WILL force sleep out of you if continually neglect getting enough rest.
I recommend these links to other resources about Sleep Apnea.
http://www.sleepapnea.org/
http://www.apneanet.org/
http://sleepdisorderchannel.com/osa/
http://user.aol.com/blackcover/faq.html
http://www.findarticles.com/m0984/5_116/57892925/p1/article.jhtml
http://www.findarticles.com/m1041/n7_v75/19523038/p1/article.jhtml
Symptoms of possible sleep apnea include but are not limited to daytime sleepiness or drowsiness, falling asleep with little or no warning or control, difficulty in staying awake or alert during the day, etc. This can be especially dangerous while driving a vehicle or operating any kind of equipment (large or small). If your job requires you to be alert at all times, you could jeopardize your job by falling asleep at the wrong time, and that falling asleep can sneak up on you without warning. I was really bad about falling asleep at my computer while surfing the internet or on the loveseat at home. I was fighting severe drowsiness at work, at home, and in my truck. The final straw was when I blacked out while sitting up, and a friend who saw me had difficulty waking me and bluntly told me so. I didn't even remember being "sleepy." It scared the hell out of me!
I saw my doctor and gave him a list of all the symptoms I was having. He immediately set me up to have a sleep study done at the local hospital. The results of the sleep study detemined that I had Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome. What were my results? During the first three hours of the study, I had over 200 awakenings and stopped breathing 80 times. Needless to say, I was shocked and unnerved to hear of the severity of my condition, but it also explained why I was blacking out at the most inopportune times.
I qualified to be prescribed a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. This machine, with a nasal mask strapped onto my face every night, delivers pressurized air gently into my lungs so that my body receives enough oxygen so that I can go into deep sleep mode. I'm here to tell you right now, that machine has made a world of difference. I am so much more rested and alert now. That machine and the mask has become my best friends at night. Yes, it took some getting used to, and not everyone can stand sleeping with a mask on no matter how comfortable it is made to be (I have a gel mask, and it's sooooo cushy cushy comfy). I am fortunate that this option worked for me. As an added bonus, I don't snore when I'm wearing the mask.
There are different treatments and options out there; I'm just simply letting you know which option worked for me. If you are experiencing any of the above-listed symptoms, PLEASE talk to your doctor about getting a sleep study to determine if you may have Sleep Apnea or narcolepsy. I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that ignoring the symptoms could cost you your life, and possibly the lives of others.
Even if you don't have sleep apnea, don't neglect getting sleep. Your mind and body WILL force sleep out of you if continually neglect getting enough rest.
I recommend these links to other resources about Sleep Apnea.
http://www.sleepapnea.org/
http://www.apneanet.org/
http://sleepdisorderchannel.com/osa/
http://user.aol.com/blackcover/faq.html
http://www.findarticles.com/m0984/5_116/57892925/p1/article.jhtml
http://www.findarticles.com/m1041/n7_v75/19523038/p1/article.jhtml
Friday, January 05, 2001
The Worth of Web Awards
To get an award was to say that the recipient had something outstanding. Awards are to be earned, and only a few people would get nominated for an award.
Not in the case of website awards. Just because you have 50 or more web awards doesn't mean you have an award-winning website. Seems like everyone is either giving or receiving them. I've seen too many websites that have pages of assorted "awards" given to that particular website. I've seen websites that give awards to just about anyone that applies for one. Either one of those examples would make any award worthless.
At the urging of a friend, I tried getting into the website award thing, but I just didn't feel right judging other people's personal websites, plus I really didn't have the time to look at all the websites who applied. Besides, judging from the websites I had looked at, it seemed like all the webmasters were interested in was just adding to their collection. One of them had the nerve to scrunch my award out of shape to make it fit with the other awards on that particular page. I wrote a letter to the webmaster and told him to restore it to its original shape and size or remove it from his collection (would you shrink the Oscar just because it didn't fit on your shelf?). We eventually compromised, and I sent him a smaller award, but by then my discontent with web awards was peaking quickly.
The bottom line is: an award's worth is based on how hard you had to work to get it. The easier they are to attain, the less they are worth. In the case of website awards, quantity does not equal quality.
Not in the case of website awards. Just because you have 50 or more web awards doesn't mean you have an award-winning website. Seems like everyone is either giving or receiving them. I've seen too many websites that have pages of assorted "awards" given to that particular website. I've seen websites that give awards to just about anyone that applies for one. Either one of those examples would make any award worthless.
At the urging of a friend, I tried getting into the website award thing, but I just didn't feel right judging other people's personal websites, plus I really didn't have the time to look at all the websites who applied. Besides, judging from the websites I had looked at, it seemed like all the webmasters were interested in was just adding to their collection. One of them had the nerve to scrunch my award out of shape to make it fit with the other awards on that particular page. I wrote a letter to the webmaster and told him to restore it to its original shape and size or remove it from his collection (would you shrink the Oscar just because it didn't fit on your shelf?). We eventually compromised, and I sent him a smaller award, but by then my discontent with web awards was peaking quickly.
The bottom line is: an award's worth is based on how hard you had to work to get it. The easier they are to attain, the less they are worth. In the case of website awards, quantity does not equal quality.
Thursday, January 04, 2001
School Violence
Stop blaming the guns! Stop blaming the video games! Stop blaming television and the movie industry! The parents, the school officials, and the media are all missing the point!
You want to know WHY there is school violence? Let me ask you this: what is the most common denominator in these situations? In a large majority of these cases, one or the other was mercilessly picked on or scapegoated by some of the other students (bullies). I'm not talking about light-hearted kidding around that we all get at one time or another; I'm talking about non-stop mean-spirited hurtful picking on or tormenting the victim. What is a bully? If you threaten, injure, coerce, humiliate, and/or harass another person with the intention of hurting that person, you're a bully.
There have always been bullies. People who pick on other people ... the reasons are numerous: insecurity, neurotic need for control, peer pressure, or just for the sheer meanness of it! I believe that we as a society need to come down harder on the bullies. Bullies have a tendency to provoke negative actions out of others. A lot of people feel that if you ignore the bully, he'll eventually get bored and leave you alone. I have news for those people: most bullies will keep at you and get worse until they get a reaction out of you, and then they still continue their verbal and/or physical torture. This is from personal experience. Until you take action to stop the bully's actions, he'll continue to pick on you and other people. The school principal and the bully's parents need to be made aware of the situation and take action. Then they need to monitor and correct that bully's behavior. If that doesn't work, it's time to contact law enforcement and the courts. TOLERANCE EQUALS ACCEPTANCE. NEVER TOLERATE BEING BULLIED.
A student bringing a gun or knife to school is definitely a sign that a situation needs to be looked into PRONTO! Either that student is desperate to defend himself or he has a vendetta against someone (is being bullied or is bullying someone else). For whatever reason the student uses to justify bringing a gun or other weapon to school, the underlying provocation needs to be addressed.
Teachers used to be able to discipline unruly or mischevious students. Parents used to make their children behave. Not in today's society. Yes, there are teachers and parents who care and are involved in the children's lives to inspire them to be better people. However, a greater number of teachers and parents are quick to duck their heads in the sand at the first sign of trouble and don't act until things really get out of hand, then claim that they had no idea that anything was wrong. That's a copout, folks! There are signs, and with some observation, they can be easily spotted. Until the students are made to behave, they will continue to be progressively disrespectful and disruptive.
The parents that care about their children are alarmed at how their children are being treated by some of the disruptive students. These parents fear for the safety of their kids in school today. Many of these parents have resorted to taking their children out of the offending school and placing them in either private school or utilized home schooling. They've read the news stories of students being stabbed or shot, and they're acting on this information.
The zero tolerance rules for weapons and drugs was a good idea, but it needs to be modified so that common sense can be used to determine the severity of any action taken if a violation of the rules occurs. For example, I don't believe a student should be suspended or treated as a criminal for giving another student over-the-counter pain medication for a headache, especially if that recipient has taken that medication before. However, with the zero tolerance policy for drugs, those very students have been treated as if they brought crack cocaine to school. Common sense needs to be applied here.
.
The bottom line is ... until parents and teachers hold the students more accountable for their actions and are allowed to take stronger disciplinary measures, the problem of school violence will continue to get worse.
You want to know WHY there is school violence? Let me ask you this: what is the most common denominator in these situations? In a large majority of these cases, one or the other was mercilessly picked on or scapegoated by some of the other students (bullies). I'm not talking about light-hearted kidding around that we all get at one time or another; I'm talking about non-stop mean-spirited hurtful picking on or tormenting the victim. What is a bully? If you threaten, injure, coerce, humiliate, and/or harass another person with the intention of hurting that person, you're a bully.
There have always been bullies. People who pick on other people ... the reasons are numerous: insecurity, neurotic need for control, peer pressure, or just for the sheer meanness of it! I believe that we as a society need to come down harder on the bullies. Bullies have a tendency to provoke negative actions out of others. A lot of people feel that if you ignore the bully, he'll eventually get bored and leave you alone. I have news for those people: most bullies will keep at you and get worse until they get a reaction out of you, and then they still continue their verbal and/or physical torture. This is from personal experience. Until you take action to stop the bully's actions, he'll continue to pick on you and other people. The school principal and the bully's parents need to be made aware of the situation and take action. Then they need to monitor and correct that bully's behavior. If that doesn't work, it's time to contact law enforcement and the courts. TOLERANCE EQUALS ACCEPTANCE. NEVER TOLERATE BEING BULLIED.
A student bringing a gun or knife to school is definitely a sign that a situation needs to be looked into PRONTO! Either that student is desperate to defend himself or he has a vendetta against someone (is being bullied or is bullying someone else). For whatever reason the student uses to justify bringing a gun or other weapon to school, the underlying provocation needs to be addressed.
Teachers used to be able to discipline unruly or mischevious students. Parents used to make their children behave. Not in today's society. Yes, there are teachers and parents who care and are involved in the children's lives to inspire them to be better people. However, a greater number of teachers and parents are quick to duck their heads in the sand at the first sign of trouble and don't act until things really get out of hand, then claim that they had no idea that anything was wrong. That's a copout, folks! There are signs, and with some observation, they can be easily spotted. Until the students are made to behave, they will continue to be progressively disrespectful and disruptive.
The parents that care about their children are alarmed at how their children are being treated by some of the disruptive students. These parents fear for the safety of their kids in school today. Many of these parents have resorted to taking their children out of the offending school and placing them in either private school or utilized home schooling. They've read the news stories of students being stabbed or shot, and they're acting on this information.
The zero tolerance rules for weapons and drugs was a good idea, but it needs to be modified so that common sense can be used to determine the severity of any action taken if a violation of the rules occurs. For example, I don't believe a student should be suspended or treated as a criminal for giving another student over-the-counter pain medication for a headache, especially if that recipient has taken that medication before. However, with the zero tolerance policy for drugs, those very students have been treated as if they brought crack cocaine to school. Common sense needs to be applied here.
.
The bottom line is ... until parents and teachers hold the students more accountable for their actions and are allowed to take stronger disciplinary measures, the problem of school violence will continue to get worse.
Wednesday, January 03, 2001
Religion
This is a very tender subject to me. First of all, my religious beliefs are very personal to me, just like they are to everyone else who believes in a higher power. The key word is respect.
There are so many different interpretations of the Old and New Testaments of the Holy Bible, not to mention the additional books written by men who believe they were inspired/ordained/chosen/authorized by God. We were presumably given a book of instructions to live by, and it seems nobody can agree on the exact wording, description, or definition of any part of it. If we did, there would not be so many different religions..
Within the last year, I had decided to redirect my faith through the teachings of Christ. However, I am not one who will be going out to "preach the Word." I believe that living by example will send a stronger message than anything I could say verbally. Besides, I still have a lot to learn, so who am I to be telling anyone what or how to believe?
I have a bumper sticker that displays, "There is no freedom of religion without freedom from religion." I feel very strongly about that statement. Some people do not realize just how pushy they can be with their religious views. It has been proven time and time again that when you try to push your views (religious or other) onto other people, those people tend to resist those views even more; and I am certainly no exception to that tendency. It angers me when some well-meaning person with an agenda to "save my soul" will not take "no" for an answer, just because I don't think or act the way he/she does. I call these people religious bullies, and I refuse to deal with them.
This also goes for the e-mails that I receive with stories and poems of a religious nature. The stories and poems in and of themselves speak volumes and are worthy reading, but the message is almost overshadowed by the e-mailer's added message of, "If you believe in God, you will forward this to ten people..." or "if you're not ashamed to show your love for God, because Jesus died ..." or other guilt-provoking statements. Why not let the story or poem speak for itself? No, because someone had to tack on that "If you believe in God ...." or a similar statement and not leave well enough alone. The tacked-on comment implies that you do not love God if you do not forward the message on to people on your e-mail list. Gee, sounds like another chain letter to me. Oh dear, I guess I lost the message I was supposed to be getting from that e-mail. Seriously, if the story or poem is worthy of reading, just send it! If the recipient thinks it's good enough, it will get forwarded on its own merits.
The bottom line is: educate yourself, follow your own faith, and stop pushing your religious agenda on people who are not interested in your viewpoint. You are responsible for yourself, not other people.
One more thing: the word, "God," when referring to the Almighty, is supposed to be capitalized, folks. Give Him that aspect of respect, please.
There are so many different interpretations of the Old and New Testaments of the Holy Bible, not to mention the additional books written by men who believe they were inspired/ordained/chosen/authorized by God. We were presumably given a book of instructions to live by, and it seems nobody can agree on the exact wording, description, or definition of any part of it. If we did, there would not be so many different religions..
Within the last year, I had decided to redirect my faith through the teachings of Christ. However, I am not one who will be going out to "preach the Word." I believe that living by example will send a stronger message than anything I could say verbally. Besides, I still have a lot to learn, so who am I to be telling anyone what or how to believe?
I have a bumper sticker that displays, "There is no freedom of religion without freedom from religion." I feel very strongly about that statement. Some people do not realize just how pushy they can be with their religious views. It has been proven time and time again that when you try to push your views (religious or other) onto other people, those people tend to resist those views even more; and I am certainly no exception to that tendency. It angers me when some well-meaning person with an agenda to "save my soul" will not take "no" for an answer, just because I don't think or act the way he/she does. I call these people religious bullies, and I refuse to deal with them.
This also goes for the e-mails that I receive with stories and poems of a religious nature. The stories and poems in and of themselves speak volumes and are worthy reading, but the message is almost overshadowed by the e-mailer's added message of, "If you believe in God, you will forward this to ten people..." or "if you're not ashamed to show your love for God, because Jesus died ..." or other guilt-provoking statements. Why not let the story or poem speak for itself? No, because someone had to tack on that "If you believe in God ...." or a similar statement and not leave well enough alone. The tacked-on comment implies that you do not love God if you do not forward the message on to people on your e-mail list. Gee, sounds like another chain letter to me. Oh dear, I guess I lost the message I was supposed to be getting from that e-mail. Seriously, if the story or poem is worthy of reading, just send it! If the recipient thinks it's good enough, it will get forwarded on its own merits.
The bottom line is: educate yourself, follow your own faith, and stop pushing your religious agenda on people who are not interested in your viewpoint. You are responsible for yourself, not other people.
One more thing: the word, "God," when referring to the Almighty, is supposed to be capitalized, folks. Give Him that aspect of respect, please.
Tuesday, January 02, 2001
Racism
I hate it.
The color of your skin does not determine your character, your personality, or your worth as a human being.
I'm glad to see that there is a greater acceptance of interracial relationships; not just romantically, but platonically as well. There are so many diverse cultures to learn and grow from ... why must people still isolate themselves from those who are of a different race? If I go to the movies with a group of girls, and I'm the only white person, does that mean there is something wrong with me? No! It means I'm going to the movies with a group of friends. If I happen to be dating or hanging with someone who is Hispanic or African American, there is nothing wrong with it, and it's my business.
It is a shame that there are bigots (of any race) who see a group of people who are of a different race and feel the compulsion to pick on those people by annoying/harassing/injuring/torturing/killing them. Sometimes these same bigots will target someone of their own race who associates with people of different races. If we live in fear of these people, then we're letting them win. What's really scary is that most of these people think they're doing God's work!! I have news for these people: there is nothing written in the Bible that people of different races should not love and associate with each other. These people do not have a covenant with the God of the Holy Bible.
I've discovered that people of minority races are just as capable of racism as the proverbial middle aged white male. That doesn't make sense. Why practice the same behavior of those who oppress you while trying to overcome being oppressed? Every one of us as human beings, no matter what race we are, deserve to be treated fairly. And no one, I mean NO ONE is superior over another.
In light of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, I would like to stress that we are not to assume that someone who looks "middle eastern" is automatically a terrorist. Judge the person by his/her actions, not by the physical appearance. Many innocent people are being attacked and/or killed because they look "middle eastern" and are assumed to be on the side of the terrorists. Two wrongs don't make a right.
We've come a long way, but we still have a long way to go.
The color of your skin does not determine your character, your personality, or your worth as a human being.
I'm glad to see that there is a greater acceptance of interracial relationships; not just romantically, but platonically as well. There are so many diverse cultures to learn and grow from ... why must people still isolate themselves from those who are of a different race? If I go to the movies with a group of girls, and I'm the only white person, does that mean there is something wrong with me? No! It means I'm going to the movies with a group of friends. If I happen to be dating or hanging with someone who is Hispanic or African American, there is nothing wrong with it, and it's my business.
It is a shame that there are bigots (of any race) who see a group of people who are of a different race and feel the compulsion to pick on those people by annoying/harassing/injuring/torturing/killing them. Sometimes these same bigots will target someone of their own race who associates with people of different races. If we live in fear of these people, then we're letting them win. What's really scary is that most of these people think they're doing God's work!! I have news for these people: there is nothing written in the Bible that people of different races should not love and associate with each other. These people do not have a covenant with the God of the Holy Bible.
I've discovered that people of minority races are just as capable of racism as the proverbial middle aged white male. That doesn't make sense. Why practice the same behavior of those who oppress you while trying to overcome being oppressed? Every one of us as human beings, no matter what race we are, deserve to be treated fairly. And no one, I mean NO ONE is superior over another.
In light of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, I would like to stress that we are not to assume that someone who looks "middle eastern" is automatically a terrorist. Judge the person by his/her actions, not by the physical appearance. Many innocent people are being attacked and/or killed because they look "middle eastern" and are assumed to be on the side of the terrorists. Two wrongs don't make a right.
We've come a long way, but we still have a long way to go.
Monday, January 01, 2001
Fatbashing
Maybe it's been around a long time, but it's making its presence known more strongly today. Being judged by how you look instead of your character seems to be more the norm these days. If you're considered too fat, too thin, too tall, too short, too ethnic, too old ... whatever, you can be denied opportunities that you would normally have a right to. Bosses have been known to hire and/or promote employees with better looks over more qualified but homelier looking people. Clubs and organizations have been known to invite members based solely on their looks and not on their potential for contribution to the club. Even public nightspots have been known to turn potential patrons away simply because they weren't pretty or handsome enough for the nightspot's "image."
People who base their relationships on looks more than personality or character may find themselves alone, betrayed, and/or disappointed when life throws them a curveball. This is not to say that all good-looking people are shallow ... far from it. But there are people who know that they are good-looking and use their looks to their advantage, even to the point of taking advantage of and/or hurting other people in order to get what they want. This is why it is so important to have relationships based on mutual interests and respect for each other and not solely on looks.
I have personally witnessed another disturbing perception that people are believe in ... that fat people are offensive. Why are they considered offensive? How are they considered offensive? If someone sees a scantilly clad fat person, it is considered offensive. If a fat person is eating in a restaurant or is out in public, it is considered offensive. If a fat person experiences sexual feelings, it is considered offensive. The only thing that I find offensive is the shallowness of people who actually believe that.
Yes, there are health considerations in being fat. There are also heath considerations in smoking tobacco products, drinking alcoholic beverages, working in a dangerous work environment, etc. However, most of the social discrimination in comparison to everything else in the name of "health factors" is against the fat person.
And for the record ... I am a fat person, although I prefer to call myself a BBW (big beautiful woman). I may not be slim and trim, but I'm certainly not ugly, and I'm not a freak show either. I love myself and who I am ... I am a sensitive, caring, responsible person. I have wants and desires, just like every other woman in her 30's. I have friends who love me, and I love them just as much. I consider myself blessed for having the friends I do.
Because I've been fat all of my life, I have also been targeted for ridicule, cruel humiliating pranks, vicious gossip, and outright hatred, all because of what I look like. I resent the reputation that fat people don't bathe themselves well, are sloppy, are pigs when they eat, are lazy, are lonely losers starved for affection ... None of that applies to me nor to several other fat people I know!! To quote a character out of the movie Witchhunt with Dennis Hopper and Penelope Ann Miller, "Put any ten people into a room. They may not pick a leader, but I guarantee you they'll pick someone to hate." In my case, "Let's pick on the fat chick!" And just when it seems that there might be an effort to try to gain acceptance for fat people, there is an equal if not more overt effort to trash, bash, and demean us. Well, I am a firm believer that what goes around comes around ... how you treat me (and others) will eventually reverberate back to you. I refuse to allow these kind of people make me feel ashamed of myself. They are the ones who need to be ashamed, not me.
People who base their relationships on looks more than personality or character may find themselves alone, betrayed, and/or disappointed when life throws them a curveball. This is not to say that all good-looking people are shallow ... far from it. But there are people who know that they are good-looking and use their looks to their advantage, even to the point of taking advantage of and/or hurting other people in order to get what they want. This is why it is so important to have relationships based on mutual interests and respect for each other and not solely on looks.
I have personally witnessed another disturbing perception that people are believe in ... that fat people are offensive. Why are they considered offensive? How are they considered offensive? If someone sees a scantilly clad fat person, it is considered offensive. If a fat person is eating in a restaurant or is out in public, it is considered offensive. If a fat person experiences sexual feelings, it is considered offensive. The only thing that I find offensive is the shallowness of people who actually believe that.
Yes, there are health considerations in being fat. There are also heath considerations in smoking tobacco products, drinking alcoholic beverages, working in a dangerous work environment, etc. However, most of the social discrimination in comparison to everything else in the name of "health factors" is against the fat person.
And for the record ... I am a fat person, although I prefer to call myself a BBW (big beautiful woman). I may not be slim and trim, but I'm certainly not ugly, and I'm not a freak show either. I love myself and who I am ... I am a sensitive, caring, responsible person. I have wants and desires, just like every other woman in her 30's. I have friends who love me, and I love them just as much. I consider myself blessed for having the friends I do.
Because I've been fat all of my life, I have also been targeted for ridicule, cruel humiliating pranks, vicious gossip, and outright hatred, all because of what I look like. I resent the reputation that fat people don't bathe themselves well, are sloppy, are pigs when they eat, are lazy, are lonely losers starved for affection ... None of that applies to me nor to several other fat people I know!! To quote a character out of the movie Witchhunt with Dennis Hopper and Penelope Ann Miller, "Put any ten people into a room. They may not pick a leader, but I guarantee you they'll pick someone to hate." In my case, "Let's pick on the fat chick!" And just when it seems that there might be an effort to try to gain acceptance for fat people, there is an equal if not more overt effort to trash, bash, and demean us. Well, I am a firm believer that what goes around comes around ... how you treat me (and others) will eventually reverberate back to you. I refuse to allow these kind of people make me feel ashamed of myself. They are the ones who need to be ashamed, not me.
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