Misunderstood Soul

I am 31 years old and still have no idea what I am doing with my life. I wonder if it is like that for everyone and if not, where does the drive and ambition come from. I feel as if I live every day just to get by. I have a child to raise, but I don't know how to do it. I don't know how to deal with someone constantly wanting something from me. I don't know how to receive love and feel undeserving of it. How can you give love if you can't even accept it yourself? Life just continues to pass by and occasionally, I wake up and wonder what happened to the last 5 or 10 years. Trying to deal with chronic depression on my own is one of the most difficult tasks that I've had to face over the years. I don't want to be medicated any more than I already am. I'm already constantly stuck in a hazy stupor. I just wish things were easier and I could think more clearly.

Mishka

Awwww I can't believe my wittle kitty witty isn't a baby anymore....In fact he is a FAT ASS lol. He has become a member of our family when once we both despised animals in the house. What ever were we thinking??? Mishka sleeps in our bed and does almost everything with us. He cuddles with me at night and even likes to go under the blankets. We had to get rid of Dexter though. We found him a good home on a farm. He was WAY to wild and destroyed my apartment. I even came home one day and caught him pissing right in front of our bedroom door!!!! The first two pictures are when we first got him and the remaining are some pics that we have recently taken of him.

World History Is Made In The United States.

I still can't believe it. It means so much in so many ways. He gives me a feeling of peace and loyalty. I can only pray for the President and hope that he will make all of the right decisions. I believe that there should be a special day that marks this historical event but many others do not think so. Why wouldn't it be? There is a Martin Luther King day so why can we not have an Obama day?? Its the first time a black man has ever become President of the United States. From beaten and tattered slaves to President of the United States. I never thought that I would see it in my lifetime. Obama should not have to prove anything to anyone to have an Obama day. The day should be commemorated for HISTORY!!!!

Winter Is Here!!

Winter time has arrived upon us in such a jiffy I must say. The weather has just been really wierd over the progressing years. I know that I haven't posted for a while but I still have alot inside that I need to get out. The problem is, I haven't quite figured out the best way to express it. I am pretty creative so I'm sure that I will figure it out eventually. Well my schedule has changed because of the season. I am now off on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I really don't know what to do with myself. I thought about looking for another part time job to supplement my income but I lack the motivation as of yet.

For the past few days I have felt a bit of a sniffle coming along. I knew that I would be catching a cold or getting bronchitis. I immediately broke the emergency glass on my secret stash of green tea with lemon. Seems that I may have caught it early enough. I have been trying to catch up on all my tv shows that I've been missing online.






I have become quite addicted to the game on myspace called MOBSTERS
Even as we speak I am playing the game. So far I have 105 people in my mob, I am Level 62, 14674 Experience points, and $45,158,352 in the bank. I am trying to save up tons of money right now while I am still at a lower level that way I can keep adding peeps and then I will purchase mass weapons and kick some ass!!!!

Me and peaches playing with the beautiful rainbow. You can't really see it well in the video but at one point in time there were 3 rainbows at the same time one above the other.

Me and my baby somewhere i don't remember.

Camel Crush

A representative from RJ Reynolds gave me a pack of these Camel Crush smokes to try out before it hits the market nationally on August 25th. I must say that people can be pretty creative. Overall taste initially: 4/10 it kinda made my throat feel scratchy at first. After crushing and activating menthol: 7/10 i give it higher ratings as I am a menthol smoker. The cigarette is a bit too light for my taste as a regular smoke and as a menthol.

The Forgotten Portion of We The People

Recent news stories chronicle efforts by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to implement a nationwide emergency alert system that notifies users of an emergency via text messages to cell phones and other electronic devices. The FCC and others are to be applauded for putting forward such a system. It certainly complements the work of the post-Katrina Report that came out in June 2006, but part of me feels that the train has already left the station on this issue.

Regardless of where you live in this country, you can sign up for breaking news, weather or emergency alerts from local and national media outlets, websites and even local and regional emergency management authorities. Most of the time, the news media puts out these type of alerts far in advance of anything that is issued by any governmental authority. It’s more than appropriate that the FCC is pushing such a nationwide emergency notification system but where services and capabilities are already being provided (predominantly by the private sector), shouldn’t we be focusing on the critical gaps that remain in emergency notification?

Imagine being in a hurricane prone State with a Category 3 or 4 storm coming inland and its projected course changes dramatically and its now spawning tornadoes in the area near you. While others in the community receive bulletins warning of the incoming threat, you never receive any type of understandable warning to evacuate from the danger facing you and your family.

This is the harsh reality facing many deaf and hard of hearing individuals living in the US today.

According to US Census figures, just over 10% of the US population is either deaf or hard of hearing. Despite the tremendous amounts of technology and resources we have today focusing on emergency management, a significant portion of the country fails to receive emergency alerts.

Every day we (in the hearing world) are bombarded by media and gadgets that deliver non-stop information ranging from the important (breaking news, weather, etc.) to the ridiculous (constant Britney updates). To a degree, we are able to regulate what information we get and how we receive it.

Yet for the majority of people who are deaf or hard of hearing who rely on American Sign Language (ASL) as their principal means of communications, this capability does not exist.

Text messaging and closed captioning are options that can be used to relay important information to people who are hard of hearing and whose primary language is English. However, large segments of deaf only use ASL — which has no roots in English. Consequently the scrolling text used in such alerts are often undecipherable. As such, when authorities or the media issue an urgent warning about an unfolding emergency (weather, emergency alert) via a text message/closed captioning, one of our most vulnerable communities is not getting the message because they are unable to comprehend these potentially life-saving messages.

Our ignorance as a nation to this situation is shameful. I am not deaf, nor are any members of my family. I cannot begin to appreciate the challenges associated with living in a world where silence reigns and my communications abilities are limited to those who can ‘sign’ to me to share information.

Americans were rightfully outraged to learn how people, particularly the most vulnerable (poor, elderly, disabled), were ‘left behind’ when Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast. Regardless of excuse, the anger and global humiliation of that event caused us all to ask difficult questions about our readiness and emergency preparedness.

The answers to a number of those questions were not comforting, but they did spur dramatic improvements within FEMA, the FCC and others governmental organizations and prompted the investment of additional and overdue resources in our nation’s emergency management structures.

Despite these improvements, there remains a tremendous lack of engagement when it comes to reaching out to citizens who are truly vulnerable.

Some states and communities have shown tremendous leadership by reaching out to the hearing impaired during emergencies, but only Texas provides any type of comprehensive statewide emergency warning system to reach the deaf by broadcasting warning messages in ASL.

As part of Florida’s regular emergency briefings by the Governor and other personnel during televised news conferences (especially during hurricane season), an ASL interpreter is provided to ‘sign’ the warnings that are being issued. Other states, cities and communities provide similar interpreters, but more need to take steps to change the status quo.

FEMA and others have shown some initiative with its Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) Program, yet tremendous gaps still exist despite the national rhetoric promising not to leave anyone behind ‘next time.’ We’ve made big strides since the Hurricanes of 2005 but as we enter Hurricane Season 2008, we’ve adopted a Vegas attitude betting that everything will turn out OK when it comes to emergency alerts. That’s a gamble I wouldn’t take.

There are more than enough parties to blame for the current circumstance (FEMA, FCC, state and local governments, broadcasters/media, etc). All are equally culpable and should be held accountable but these are also the same entities that can correct the problem – a process that needs to start now.

There are existing technologies and programs that can provide solutions to this problem. Unfortunately we in the hearing world are doing a dreadful job in making sure everyone has access to the emergency messages when they need it most. Focused attention, a sense of urgency, dedicated and sufficient resources and firm commitments to make the communications connections happen for this vulnerable constituency and others is what seems to be in shortest supply.

As Americans, we believe that every person, regardless of their class or condition has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. When a person lacks the ability to defend themselves or prepare for an emergency, ‘We the people’ have an American and most certainly ‘human’ responsibility to step forward and assist.

Somewhere along the way, we have forgotten that nearly 10% of the population that is part of ‘We the people’ has the same right to know what is happening so as to protect and preserve what they hold dear. None of us in the hearing world would accept lack of emergency awareness or information when it came to protecting and preserving our families and property. Why should someone who is deaf or hard of hearing be any different?

Story by: Rich Cooper
Source: securitydebrief.adfero.com

My Cat Locked Me Out.

Okay, so I get home from work today and I immediately changed into some shorts as it was hot as hell all day today. Not only was it hot as hell but the humidity was unbearable. After changing my clothes, I decided to go outside and have a cigarette. Sipping on my bloody mary and smoking my stoggie, I was still a little hot but finally relaxed. I finished my cigarette and tried to go back into the house from the balcony. WHAT????? The sliding glass door is now locked! I know that it may be hard to believe but my cat really did lock me outside. The sliding glass door has a safety mechanism that will automatically unlock the latch if the door is being closed while the latch is locked. Mishka loves to lay on top of the covered litter box which allows him the extra height that would allow him to trigger the latch with his paw. Needless to say, I had to bang on the bedroom window and wake Dmitri up so that he could unlock the door for me.

Benefits of Pot

Are you sick of hearing your girlfriend nagging you about letting go of your pot pasttime? Have you been hearing a lot of negative things about the use of marijuana lately? Would you like to know what the real deal is behind the use of this infamous drug? Then read on because you're in for a surprise.

One of the saddest things in North America is the lack of clinical trials on marijuana use. Many other countries in the world have already performed such tests in order to destroy myths about this drug, which has been in use for thousands of years... mainly for medicinal purposes.

The data from previous studies, published in numerous books and scholarly journals, covered such matters as marijuana's effects on the brain, lungs, immune and reproductive systems; its impact on personality, developmental and motivational states; and its addictive potential.

Although these studies did not answer all remaining questions about marijuana toxicity, they generally supported the idea that marijuana was a relatively safe drug -- not totally free from potential harm, but unlikely to create serious harm for most individual users or society.

The following list will hopefully demystify several myths about marijuana use and help answer a lot of serious questions:
health risk myths & realities

Marijuana Overdose
There is no existing evidence of anyone dying of a marijuana overdose. Tests performed on mice have shown that the ratio of cannabinoids (the chemicals in marijuana that make you high) necessary for overdose to the amount necessary for intoxication is 40,000:1.

For comparison's sake, that ratio for alcohol is generally between 4:1 and 10:1. Alcohol overdoses claim approximately 5,000 casualties yearly, but marijuana overdoses kill no one as far as any official reports.

Brain Damage
Marijuana is psychoactive because it stimulates certain brain receptors, but it does not produce toxins that kill them (like alcohol), and it does not wear them out as other drugs may. There is no evidence that marijuana use causes brain damage. Studies performed on actual human populations will confirm these results, even for chronic marijuana users (up to 18 joints per day) after many years of use.

In fact, following the publication of two 1977 JAMA studies, the American Medical Association (AMA) officially announced its support for the decriminalization of marijuana.

In reality, marijuana has the effect of slightly increasing alpha-wave activity in your brain. Alpha waves are generally associated with meditative and relaxed states, which are, in turn, often associated with human creativity.

Memory
Marijuana does impair short-term memory, but only during intoxication. Although the authoritative studies on marijuana use seem to agree that there is no residual impairment following intoxication, persistent impairment of short-term memory has been noted in chronic marijuana smokers, up to 6 and 12 weeks following abstinence.


By Joshua Levine
Health Correspondent


Source:Askmen.com