You Have The Right To Remain Informed

I'm a registered voter.

I value my right as a citizen, and as a woman, to play a part in how this country is run. I teach my children, even though they are still too young to understand, that it's important to be counted—even if they find themselves in the minority.

It's about taking a stand, and making a commitment, to be a part of the governmental process. The outcome may not always end in your favor, but that should never be an excuse for not being a part of the journey. However, after the shootings in Arizona, I am less and less enamored of that journey.

The killings in Tuscon, AZ—including the near-fatal wounding of Gabrielle Giffords—reminded me that the time we live in has become volatile. The hatred, the inability to accept the views of others, and the endless need to place blame on someone, anyone, for the mess that has been created seems to take precedence over finding solutions—and that's sad.

Jared Loughner—albeit disturbed—has become representative of where we're headed as a nation if we don't start to check our values at the gate. So many of us blindly follow the herd that we can no longer distinguish our personal beliefs from that of our favorite political figures.

We blindly follow them and all they say because we no longer remember how to lead for ourselves,  and that's unacceptable. If you don't like the world you live in, do more to exact the change you want to see.

Don't spend your time pointing fingers and placing blame because, the truth is, no one is innocent of this mess we've brought upon ourselves. We have all played a part in this debacle and we all need to play an equal part in digging ourselves out.

Step away from the rhetoric and get back to the business of educating yourself and those around you—if they're willing to listen—about the real issues. Because, in the end, that's all that matters—everything else is just hot air.

Related articles

• Jared Lee Loughner Guns Down Nineteen, Kills Six, at Tuscon AZ Political Event (alligatorfarm.wordpress.com)
• Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords Shot by Jared Loughner (buzzfeed.com)
• Staffer: Palin Rhetoric Not to Blame for Attack (cbsnews.com)
• Gabrielle Giffords Shooting: Latest Updates (politico.com)

Ted Williams: Living Proof That Opportunity Can Meet Preparation

If you asked an everyday person who "Ted Williams" was—two days ago—chances are you might have elicited a blank stare or a guess that he was the late, great, baseball player.

Well, today, Ted Williams'—a homeless man—miraculous story of hope has reached millions , and his "golden voice" has become a media sensation.

His story won't be recounted here, as it can easily be found by now, but the message within his story is what has resonated the most: never give up, never stop putting your best foot forward.

Times will be hard, no doubt, and the choice to give up will seem easier than the one to keep going, but you have to trust what you have. Trust that your talent, your hard work, and your decision to remain true to who you are will pay off at some point.

You may not become a millionaire, or garner worldwide fame, but you will be okay. And, in the end, that's really all most of us want in the first place—to be okay.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Holding Her OWN—Oprah Makes An Impressive Debut

Let me go on the record and say I'm not one of those Oprah fanatics. You know the type—the  ones that would buy a keychain made out of moth balls because she said it was the "best thing ever".

No, I'm more of a casual Oprah fan. I admire all she's accomplished as both talk show host and philanthropist—but I'm not about to start funneling my extra money to the Angel Network.

That said, I did find myself intrigued to see what her new network, OWN, would bring to the media landscape.

I, for one, wasn't interested in seeing an inordinate amount of stories like those you often find on The Oprah Winfrey Show, which has seemingly become the place to go for some of the more troubling and depressing topics of this decade—particularly those centering around abuse and incest.

However, at the same time, I was willing to give her new network venture a chance because I fit her audience profile. I have become disillusioned with television's overall quality over the last five years and long for something better as an alternative. There is entirely too much reality television and not nearly enough substance to be found on the airwaves and it would be nice to have a choice. 

So, when OWN debuted on January 1st, I tuned in to see what Oprah's next chapter looks like, and I was pleasantly rewarded with a refreshing brand of television.

One of the more standout shows was Oprah's Master's Class, on which Jay-Z was first up in offering his reflections on life and what it takes to be a success:

It was captivating to watch and it's a series that definitely seems to have legs with Condoleeza Rice, Maya Angelou, and Simon Cowell all appearing at some point.

Other shows with meat include, Searching For... and Kidnapped By The Kids, both center around the importance of family, and making connections with those most important in our lives.

The documentary covering her final season hosting The Oprah Winfrey Show is also entertaining. It's a bit like being a fly on the wall in her daily life—certainly it's a watered-down snapshot, but it offers enough of a glimpse that you get the idea of how much hard work goes into making her show the success it has become over the year.

OWN definitely has promise and I will be re-visiting the channel often—eager to see what else Ms. Winfrey has to offer.

Related articles

• Oprah Winfrey network earns early raves (hollywoodnews.com)
• Cynics Beware: OWN Works As A Concept and Network (mediaite.com)

You Must Find Your Inner Quiet

Remaining focused can be difficult. The world offers so many distractions and exudes so much noise, that it's tough to give your complete attention to anything or anyone without feeling overwhelmed or stressed out.

The best way to combat against those distractions is to find your inner quiet—the place within you that offers a retreat from the madness.

It's a peaceful place—unobstructed by the pressures of the world. Your job is to find it and make it your solitude, your mental escape hatch, if you will, so that even when you find yourself in situations of massive chaos, you're at perfect peace.

How do you find it? That's your journey to undertake. However, here's a hint of what those feelings might resemble once you do: it's the warmth you experience when you see something beautiful—your child sleeping or the sun setting over a lovely landscape. The confidence you feel after a fresh haircut or a lucrative promotion.

It's the reminiscent feeling of
safety and comfort you get whenever you go home to see your family.

It's the place that gives you the most consistent feeling of serenity—no matter what the situation.

That place is your inner quiet.

You must learn to harness those feelings so you can draw upon them in times of major stress and/or difficulty.

If you can do that, you can quiet the world around you and start to focus on the things that truly matter in your life.