Michael Jackson : Thriller

What moment in Michael's career from a talent stand point first captivated you? For me it was Motown 25. He lit the night. It was obvious to me that he was a unique talent that night.

Children Living with Homosexual Parents

Someone recently responded to a poll that I conducted as to: What are the top five challenges you face when interacting with youth? The title of this post was noted as a top challenge (children living with homosexual parents). Do you think homosexual parents influence their children to become homosexual?

Quick Survey

Please take a moment to consider the following question: What are the top five challenges you face when interacting with youth?

Night Vision

There are moments in my life that repeatedly attempt to deceive me into believing I am not going to make it... I find these types of moments quite intriguing and educational. Intriguing because the more I retrospectively analyze these moments in my life, I become further impressed with the human will or desire to win. It amazes me that small bits of information have the potential to cast dark clouds on my thought life. Every one has seen some dark times - times of seeming uncertainty and obscurity. Times when nothing seems to go your way. This is an indication that something good is coming your way but if you can't see beyond the darkness of the current situation you will get lost in it.

"Where there is no vision people perish." Ancient Proverb -

Years ago the military developed night vision technology.This technology captures available electromagnetic radiation outside that portion visible to the human eye and has developed equipment to enable soldiers to fight at and "Own The Night." This technology equips soldiers to see, navigate and strike accurately at night and during seasons of reduced visibility. Night vision technology amplifies existing light which in turn provides vision.

In order to endure the darkest moments of our lives we must (1) amplify (magnify, enlarge) the existing light (goodness, joy) in our lives. This action is vision's midwife. It refocuses your soul and puts everything in proper perspective. Refuse to allow a few dark moments (obstacles) to determine the course and outcome of your life. Amplify the light by finding something good in your life that brings you joy and suddenly vision will be born in you bringing with it the necessary power (energy) to accomplish it...To be continued.

PS. "What matters most is how you see you."

How Can I Ease The Pain?

The illegal international drug trade is estimated to be worth more than $400 billion dollars. Most people never take the time to think about why? Is it because of the lure of lucrative financial opportunities? Or is it because so many people are in pain? After all drugs are legally prescribed to patients to help them cope with the pain they feel. Since this is true - is it possible that $400 billion represents how much money people are willing to spend to make the pain go away? The problem with this approach is that the drug or the pain relieving agent inflicts additional damage and creates chemical/psychological dependence. Once the drug/medication wears off the pain is still there which brings me to the conclusion that the pain is untouchable by the drug. To be continued....

Gun In My Face

WHAT WILL YOU DO IF SOMEONE PUT A GUN UP TO YOUR FACE? 5/29/08 1:02 PM WELL IT WAS ON A FRIDAY NIGHT I WAS DJ ING SOMEONES PARTY. EVERYONE WAS HAVING A GOOD TIME AND THERE WERE A LOT
OF PEOPLE STANDING OUTSIDE DANCING. LATER THAT NIGHT THERE
WERE A LOT OF FEMALES FIGHTING OUTSIDE. SO THERE WAS NO ONE IN THE PARTY SO I STARTED TO PLAY PRETTY RICKY SONGS. A GUY WALKED UP TO ME AND HE SAID, “CHANGE THE SONG” AND I DID NOT LISTEN TO HIM SO HE GOT MAD AND HE TURNED IT DOWN. THEN THAT’S WHEN I SAID, “DO NOT TOUCH MY MUSIC”. AFTER THAT I TURNED MY MUSIC BACK UP AND HE TURNED IT DOWN AGAIN WHEN PEOPLE WERE DANCING.

SO THEN I GOT IN HIS FACE AND THAT IS WHEN HE SAID, “I SHOOT[S] YOUNG NIGGAS LIKE [ME] WHO THINK THEY ARE HARD”. THEN HE RAN OUTSIDE TO GET HIS GUN OUT OF HIS CAR. AFTER HE RAN OUTSIDE I WALKED OUTSIDE AND I SAW HIM GETTING HIS SHOTGUN OUT OF HIS CAR. AFTER HE GOT IT HE STARTED TO WALK MY WAY. THE ONLY THING I WAS HEARING WAS PEOPLE YELLING AND PEOPLE RUNNING. BUT THE ONLY REASON WHY I DID NOT GET SHOT WAS BECAUSE OF SOME GIRL THAT RAN TO HIM AND STOPPED HIM FROM SHOOTING ME. SO NOW EVERYONE RAN UP TO ME AND ASKED WHAT HAPPENED. I TOLD THEM THAT HE GOT MAD BECAUSE I DID NOT CHANGE THE MUSIC. MY FRIENDS WERE ASKING ME IF I WANTED HIM KILLED BUT I DID NOT SAY ANYTHING. I JUST WENT HOME AND WHEN I GOT THERE MY MOM WAS CRYING. WE STARTED TO TALK AND THEN I WANTED TO GO GET HIM FOR MAKING HER FEEL BAD AND TO THINK THAT I COULD HAVE BEEN GONE IN A MATTER OF SECONDS.


“DO NOT TAKE YOUR LIFE FOR GRANTED”

ANDREW HAWKINS

"Change" from Andrew's perspective.

This article is written by a young man from watts, California that I am mentoring. He loves to write and would like to establish a learning community where youth and adults can learn to understand each other more. Please read his thoughts and respond accordingly. The first paragraph explains what he did and the second explains what he should have done. Please reply after reading both postings. Thanks. Andrew will reply to your postings accordingly.



WHY DID I GET IN TROUBLE?

We were in class and the teacher was telling us to not write your
Name on the paper he said it about 5 times. Another student kept asking
For instructions and I said “shut up”. Then he said something and I responded
To what he said to me. We started to argue in the classroom and the teacher was
Trying to make us stop. But the other student started to take it to the next level.
Then, he said we could fight at lunch so I said, “ok we can fight”. As soon as he said
That his friend that was seating next to him, started to text people to came up to
The school for me. I think that he was afraid of me but he called me out to fight.
Then he told his friends to come with him outside but they do not come outside
With him but another boy from some other class and then he started to take off his
Jacket, and era rings like he was really going to do something. Then the staff came and got us out of class and then we got in trouble.

Things I could have did to not get in trouble

I could have just stayed quiet. But I was going throw a lot of things
Like my cousin funeral that was the day before. I should have stayed at
Home so I will not get in trouble because of what happen. But people
Keep on messing with me so I snapped on him. I need to learn how to
control my anger and my emotion. But it is vary hard to control my anger.
Another thing was I could have stop and think about what I was doing. I
Could have walked to the office so that I would not get in trouble.