HERO

Mood: Content :0)

Who is your hero? I have several. My grandparents are my heros. I'm cajun/french- so I call my Grandfather (who is from Louisana) "Pompo". He is a retired police- officer and now a Magistrate Court Judge. I go watch him on the bench every so often. I'm very proud of him, and very proud to call him my Grandfather.
My Nana is my other hero. She calls me her doll. She calls me her 'beautiful girl'. I don't speak Spanish, but I can understand the jist of it. My Nana speaks to me in Spanish, and takes her time saying the words- I love it, I giggle in amusement as she keeps on.
My Mother, another hero- She is sick and has to be in a wheel-chair for long distance walking, such as the mall or grocery stores. Yet, she gets up every day, smiles and goes about her business, literally. She works very hard and at her own pace- she makes arts and crafts, and people sell them. It's nice for her, keeps her mind off her pain. She's wonderful.
My Dad- as a detention lieutenant, he appears tough to others, but is a huge teddy-bear. (shhh)
My Daughter- she is a tough 'lil cookie.
My husband, last but certainly not least, my hero. He is there for me all the times that I need him to be. He is my rock- Gives great advice or just listens and not says anything at all.
These are just to name a few. I have many, many heroes that light up my life, and are encouraging.

Sneak Peak for Saturday

I will do an overview of my paper. From psychics, horoscopes- to zodiacs and fortune tellers. Such as, how did all this come about? Are there such things as coincidences? The video above gives some insight to what's going to be presented. :0) I hope you all enjoy it!!

As I was explaining in class, I found a lot of information out about where psychics, gypsies and horoscopes came from- very interesting to 'dig' up this information. I found that this is rhetorical by trying to persuade different individuals into believing that their lives, and days (through horoscopes, through psychic readings) are pre-set for them. I asked people in the class about the clip on the money-the twenty dollar bill, when the twin towers were burning. I then asked them about the pentagon, and asked if this was coincidence. Almost all of the class responded to it being coincidence. I loved getting my class involved, because this brings about a certain pathos- curiosity, and you can't help but admit that this whole subject is intriguing.

Who, in our society today believes in Astrology? Why is it that when an individual calls a psychic hotline, they ask for names, birthdays, ages and locations (after all, they are suppose to be psychic, aren’t they)? The rhetoric of Astrology, horoscopes and readings are that these self-acclaimed psychics are simply trying to persuade individuals that their lives are pre-set for them. I believe that people, intrigued by these small psychic fore-tellings are just merely getting a rise out of the unknown.

Out of curiosity, one must wonder who goes by a play-by-play regarding their days’ events. Imagine, waking up in the mornings, opening up the newspaper and reading the horoscope to see what might happen that day? Who would avoid going outdoors just because the horoscope says to stay in doors? Another question, how about talking to a loved one, because the horoscope says something along the lines that ‘the communication level with a close one needs to be opened up’? I know if I talked to my husband-just conversation out of no-where and said that, “Our communication level is deteriorating…” he just might think I’d need psychiatric help. How did these horoscopes, zodiac signs and psychic readings come about? There are books and magazines that offer horoscopes and pages in the back where you can find a psychics number. As well, there are small buildings on street corners where psychics and fortune-tellers claim they can read your palms. Yes, the readings do tie into astrology because depending on your birthday, elements and stars must align before something spectacular happens in your life. Very few people have their palms read, a lot of individuals do it out of curiosity. Very few people also do not rely on horoscope for their day happenings; there fore I believe that after centuries of horoscopes and psychics that it has a lesser effect on our society. Astrology, in Greek means “Science of the stars”. (www.horoscope.findyourfate.com). As well, according to the website previously given, the history of horoscopes and astrology started in Ancient Greece and dates back to over 3,000 years ago.

Using astrology, a lot of the time people were able to predict what would happen to countries and what would become of wars that were fought over time. Also, they took horoscope and psychic for-telling to a more personal level, individuals made strong points about lives. http://www.net-psychics.com/historic_psychics.htm gives their definition of psychics: “Those who can analyze things according to circumstances and have an intuition about certain events.”

The website goes on to say that psychics are very mis-read themselves. It is said that psychics cannot predict the future. On the other hand as it reads above, they simply have an intuition that is relied on. Also, beside trading, traveling, and making a name for themselves, gypsies as well are known for their fortune telling. (http://www.umd.umich.edu/casl/hum/eng/classes/434/charweb/HISTORYO.htm)According to this site, gypsies were known to read tarot cards, palms and cast spells. They say that it “is the equivalent to the modern-day horoscope.” (http://www.umd.umich.edu/casl/hum/eng/classes/434/charweb/HISTORYO.htm) Gypsies date back all the way to the nineteenth century, in England, and were widely frowned upon.

Many colonies did not accept these wanderers as these people feared the unknown psychic world that was at hand.

Gypsies were banned from a lot of places throughout the countries. Many countries had laws that forbade any travel or establishment of gypsies; and if officials found out an individual was a gypsy, they would stone one to death, hang them, or have mercy on them and run them out of the country. Reports show that officials had even killed children. As reported in Germany, “Gypsy children would have their ears cut off and would be whipped” - http://herso.freeservers.com/gypsies.htmlThe officials would have this done to the gypsy children so they themselves would not carry on the tradition. Another person that was feared, but accepted was Nostradamous.

As the century had changed, more and more countries started accepting psychics as part of society and culture. Nostradamous was born in 1506 he lived until 1566- (http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/nostradamus.htm) As a famous astrologer, he was popular for predicting certain events that he had studied astrologically, and some in fact had come true, as others did not. The things that Nostradamous had predicted were taken out of context; misconstrued. Such at nine eleven- I heard many people say that Nostradamous predicted that “The will be two large towers, (in the future) and a steel bird will fly into them, they will fall and many will suffer…”

I heard something along these lines. Some things he did predict, (though were not available that I could find) As many individuals believed this as coincidence. Also, on an interesting note, if you have a new twenty dollar bill, if you fold it a certain way you recieve the picture shown in the slide. It also gives the message of "Osama"-What’s even more interesting is that nine plus eleven equals twenty. Osama sent men on American Airlines to fly into the twin towers in NewYork, they committed suicide and killed thousands of people.

Is this pure coincidence? This is where pathos comes in: This intrigues a feeling of curiosity for sure! In closing, for centuries astrology, psychics, and horoscopes have been apart of our culture. This wonder is not only in America, but all over the world. These things are more accepted in our society now, because we have freedom of speech. Back in the earlier centuries, people were afraid of other religions interrupting theirs, as it came into the later times, we adopted rights. These rights protected people and their religions from other cultural differences. Individuals will probably run across their horoscopes, hear things that may end up happening, however, we all take it in stride. If something does end up happening that was predicted before-hand, we are left wondering, and we ask the simple question, how?

The Spoiled

Mood: Sick :0(

When is too much, too much? My sister-in-law lets her son get away with 'murder'. He son is so spoiled, he whines and gets his way. However, when he is just with my husband and I, his manners and his demeanor are impeccable. For instance, he pushed my daughter a while back and he didn't apologize to her. She had a bruise on her back from the incident, but all his mother did was put him in the corner for a minute. What good is that going to do? I tried to make him apologize but he just clings to his mommy's leg and whines. It's unfair to my family and I to have this type of behavior around. As a 6 year old, he has gotten a little better... or have I just grown accustomed to his whines? lol -
None the less, he is my nephew and I love him... my daughter calls him her brother. It's cute to an extent. I just don't know how to handle the whines and whimpers and how he treats his mother, after my husband and I repeatedly tell him not to do those things.... any suggestions?

Responsibility

Responsibility, My brother and I

My brother, Mike is turning 24 in June. We are a year and 19 days apart. Mike and I are the exact opposite- like night and day. While I go to school, work in a school, and am raising a family, my brother chose another path. A rough path. As his younger sister, I try to help him, mentor him through times. It's tiring though, and I'm tired of trying to help him when he cannot help himself. He has lost numerous jobs, and within those jobs numerous opportunities to become a better person. It hurts me everytime I hear someone say he's not doing so well- brings heart ache to both my mom and I. We are the ones that care most for him, as my mother has tried to shelter, feed and be there for him. He has drained her as well. There is only so much a mother can take- and my mother is sick, so it's hard on her. To even out and try and help, I've taken on the responsibility of doing everything to help my brother. When I lived up in Las Cruces, I went as far as taking him in, just in the early morning hours to take care of him while the alcohol left his system. 2 years ago I recall going to take care of him, and driving home at 4am from Las Cruces to El Paso, because I had enough...I was trying to hold him up and he let himself drop, (my brother is 6'2" and 165lbs) he made me hit my face on the sink, I had a bruise- This is very unfair! Mike drops off the face of the earth for days at a time- no one hears from him, or knows whether he is alive or dead... I've called hospitals and jails at times wondering what happened to him. My biggest fear, is that he'll travel to California where my other family is, the ones that are like him. I'll lose him, I don't want that. In the mean time, this little sister will keep trying.

Love

When does one know they have found 'love'? Who knows, truly- what is love? How can you define this? I am married, and I only think I know love, as I did marry at a very young age. My husband and I have been together for six years; I'm 23. Go figure. :0) I know there are different types of Love, I mean, you can love your Grandmother, but you don't feel that same way about your significant other. I love my daughter with everything I am- I know what that love is. I hear love described as "oh you can't think about anyone or anything else but them- when they call or come to see you, you get butterflies in your stomach" how do we know this is not a crush? Lotsa questions! I'd like some feedback. :0)

Growing Old

Mood:Cheerful/ hopeful :0)

I was told something that made me think; and and kinda laugh. You're born and have to be cared for, diapers, feedings etc.... you live your life out and work for everything you have- when you get older, you have to be cared for, diapers feedings etc....-It's so true!
LOL I never thought of it this way! It's so true though! Just thought I'd share that with you all... it's crazy. When I was 21, I helped take care of my husband's Grandmother, well I guess you could call her my Grandmother to, though she'd call me his Ex-Girlfriend's name a few times- I would go visit her at the rest home, do her hair, feed her and make sure she was comfortable. It is a very, VERY distiguished smell in that place! However, a lot of the patients, or customers.. or.... well, they would wheel over to me and start telling me their whole story; cute, but long... were they just lonely? Looking for someone to talk to? It's so sad. When I was 14... for a few years my brother and I would go volunteer at the 'old folks home'... we'd take books and read them to the people, I don't know whether or not they liked it, some would just stare with a blank look on their face. They are so fragile- ready to be taken by the hands of God- skin and bones, pale almost see-through skin, and the look in their eyes of sadness- looked as if someone inside was screaming for help, or simply just to take them away. I hope, that I live to be a healthy age and please, GOD let me die peacefully at home, in my sleep. I don't want to put my family through seeing me like I've described above. I don't want them to have to tend to me, feed me, do my hair, dress me etc- I want them to remember me as talkative, cheerful, and full of life. As I am now.

I'm Listening.

As far as being stressed out to the max---this last week has taught me to take one day at a time. My mother use to tell me, "Don't fret my love, take one day at a time." Okay Mom-sure-I was a teen-ager who thought I knew it all... I heard her, but didn't LISTEN. Now, I as a mother I'm looking back and wishing I listened. I am now though Mom. Take one day at a time, work on what you can-if you can't, do not stress out. God has a plan for you, and I'm a firm believer of that. It's funny-as I raise my daughter, I see more of my mother in me. I look back and say, "Oh my gosh, that is what my mom told me." When I thought she was oh-so-wrong.... she was right. She wasn't informing me not to do things to humor me, it was for my own good. Now, I try to instill a sense of my mothers words in my child; and I get the same " I hear you, but I'm not listening." - So I tell my daughter to repeat my words back to me... and tell me what they mean to her. Something that I've learned I need to do so she'll not just hear me, but listen. I know, this is a major part of 'growing up', and yet I wonder how many other individuals have hit this point; or do they need to be married or have child to realize these things...