Hello Everyone,
Good versus Evil. Yin versus Yang. Cowboys versus Indians. Life is defined by conflict. Some would suggest life IS conflict. We have so many clashes of ideals it’s hard to choose a concrete philosophy to live by. We constantly have to pick sides. One of the major conflicts we have to settle is whether we want to be happy or do we want our life to have meaning/purpose. Some think that you don’t have to choose between the two. But like trying to be single and married at the same time, you can’t have both.
Contrary to popular opinion being happy isn’t hard. In fact it’s rather easy. The secret to being happy is to focus on the present. “Sotori” is a Zen term loosely defined as “attention to the moment”. In a world full of distraction it can be difficult to zero in on what’s important. As humans, we tend to worry about things we cannot change. No matter how much I pray and put anointing oil on my legs, I’ll never be taller than 5’11’’. Spending too much time daydreaming about being taller is a waste. It would be much easier to accept my height and move on. Society has taught us that we should fit into a certain mold. We ALL need to go to college. We ALL need to go to church. We ALL need to be heterosexual. Unfortunately, not all of us fit into these pre-made molds. Some of us get persecuted because we accept ourselves “as is”. The majority will get mad at the minority because they’re having more fun. It’s entertaining to see what lengths people will go to in order to be accepted by the mainstream. We send overweight kids to “fat camps” to try and rewire their brains to make them endeavor to be skinny. Others send their kids to sexual reorientation camps in a blind attempt to make our gay brothers and sisters straight. I’m no psychologist but I think it’s impossible to make someone something they are not. Only Jesus could turn water into wine. Life has taught me that you can’t make a person happy, especially if they choose to be depressed. To be happy, all you need to do is focus on what is going on right now. Focus on how good it is to be alive (as opposed to the alternative). Be thankful you have roof over your head. Remember that you have a child that loves you unconditionally. Sure, he/she may never make the honor roll. But your child is like your hometown sports team. You don’t love them because they’re good; you love them because they’re yours.
Many people wander through life struggling to find purpose. This is an admirable ideal. But wanting to find purpose can be a never-ending story. I say it’s “never ending” because when looking for meaning you have to focus on your past which cannot be changed and your future which hasn’t happened yet. You constantly have to examine and reexamine your life combing through mistakes while rationalizing their consequences. Despite what you’ve heard, it is possible to reap what you DID NOT sow. Don’t believe me? How about kids who get molested by adults? These children get violated with no provocation and to say otherwise is Panglossian*. It is possible to experieince an effect with no probably cause. With that being said, only YOU can give life meaning. Sure, we go to prophets, psychics, or whoever else will charge you for dreaming but they can’t give you real purpose. They can’t give you real answers. They can only speculate on a future based on whatever façade they can paint to keep your money flowing. To me, if a person can truly read the future you should only have to go to them once. You usually know the answers to the questions that plague your heart anyway. Most of us know the answer before we even ask the question. “Should I stay with him/her?” “Should I start my own business?” “Should I quit or persevere?” Be honest, you already know and your mind is already made up as far as what you’re going to do.
These paths that I’ve presented to you are merely two of a more complex decision-making map. Some would say that the road less traveled is the way to go. I wouldn’t be so sure. A lot of times the road less traveled is a hint that maybe that particular path is a dead end. The hard way isn’t the only way to learn. Sometimes it’s good to learn from others. The Bible reads “there is nothing new under the sun”. I take this to mean that no matter how unique we think we are there is someone somewhere who has tried what we think is an unprecedented idea. Some have failed while others have succeeded. It may have been easy for some while difficult for others. The race is not always won by the fastest person. But in order to win you at least have to finish. The road less traveled, though difficult, may be shorter. However, taking the path of least resistance is probably more enjoyable. It’s up to you to decide what’s best.
“Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable or strong. The amount of work is the same.” – Francesca Reigler
The All-American
www.rallostyles.com
http://thecatalystexperience.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/rallostyles <--Follow Me
*Word you’ve never heard…
Panglossian /pan-GLAH-see-un/ adjective - marked by the view that all is for the best in this best of possible worlds: excessively optimistic
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Friday, January 8, 2010
The Catalyst
Happy New Year’s,
Yes, I realize that it’s a little late but the thought is what counts. I know I’ve been missing in action lately. I decided to take a little time to recharge. Don’t we all get a little lazy during the holiday season? Anyway, congratulations to everyone who made it through 2009. From a general consensus it seems like the last year took its toll on people. Luckily, this is a new year with new possibilities. Out with the old thoughts and behaviors and in with the new. Here’s to hoping you stick to your resolutions.
We all want our new year to go smoothly. To aid with that endeavor I have two bags that I know you carry with you everywhere in which I want you to stop. Inside one of those bags is fear. Love is what should drive you. If you walk in love your days will be a lot easier to live with. If you walk in love you’ll find that you won’t have many enemies. If you walk in love you’ll enjoy your job, family, and life more. Unfortunately for a lot of us fear is the ultimate motivation. Most of us don’t work our job because we love it. We work the job because we’re scared of not getting a paycheck. This is an understandable apprehension. However, you don’t have to work a job you don’t like. Find one you do like. If you can’t find one, start your own business. Make yourself rich instead of someone else. Similarly, a lot of us stay in or return to relationships we know are unsatisfying not because we love the person but because we are afraid of being alone. Some of us are so afraid of solitude that we will put up with (fill in your own blank) from our girlfriend/boyfriend/spouse because although they may be a problem at least they are “my” problem. You need to empty your fear bag. Any gambler will tell you that scared money is no money. A turtle can’t move unless he sticks his neck out. I have a million clichés but my point is you need to take chances. In order to achieve your dreams you have to be willing to put it all on the line. Like Abraham debating on whether to sacrifice Isaac, you have to be ready to give up everything to get what God has for you. Anything you love is well worth the risk. (Note: When I say “God” I don’t mean the god that makes sure rappers and actors get awards nor am I talking about the god that blesses preachers with tailor-made suits and mansions. I’m talking about the real God--the creative energy that makes life possible.)
The second bag that you need to empty out in the new year is filled with your guilt. Guilt is one of the heaviest burdens. Many of us carry years and years of guilt on our backs and wonder why we’re chapfallen*. I find it funny how many of my single church friends feel guilty every time they have sex. I know what its like to have all that passion bottled up. Your hormones are raging and it’s hard to keep your cool when your “cup runneth over”. Personally, I think sex is nature’s call more so than a sin. Humans are the only species that require commitment before sex. We’re also the only species that experiences guilt. Even me, the radical thinking, inspirational soap-box blogger has done, is currently doing, and will, in the future, do things that I’m not proud of. I’ve accepted my imperfections therefore I experience a peace that many won’t understand. I no longer lead a life based of the morality of others. I walk to the beat of my own drum. After 30+ years of existence I’ve decided to live by my own commandments. (<--Arguably the best decision I’ve made.)
The good thing about being human is that we can think. The problem lies in the things we choose to think about. There are many positive and enlightening ideas that we can fill our minds with. Unfortunately, 90% of the ideas that fill our mind is the same recycled trash that has polluted our thoughts for years. With a junky, scattered, and toxic mindset it will be hard to come up with useful ideas for 2010. I touched briefly on fear and guilt but there are a host of negative thoughts that do the electric slide in your head all day long. It’s up to you to change. Recognizing you have a flawed paradigm is not enough. You have to take action and purge or at least drastically reduce your negative thoughts. It is impossible to add new ideas to a mind that is already full. Good Luck in the upcoming year. I have big plans for myself and I want you to have big plans for yourself. Who knows? Maybe our “selves” will meet on the other side of success one day.
“Fear is the tax that conscience pays to guilt.” – George Sewell
Dream Big. Live Bigger.
The All-American
www.rallostyles.com
www.http://thecatalystexperience.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/rallostyles <--Follow Me
Word you’ve never heard…
chapfallen /CHAP-faw-lun/ adj. - cast down in spirit: depressed
Yes, I realize that it’s a little late but the thought is what counts. I know I’ve been missing in action lately. I decided to take a little time to recharge. Don’t we all get a little lazy during the holiday season? Anyway, congratulations to everyone who made it through 2009. From a general consensus it seems like the last year took its toll on people. Luckily, this is a new year with new possibilities. Out with the old thoughts and behaviors and in with the new. Here’s to hoping you stick to your resolutions.
We all want our new year to go smoothly. To aid with that endeavor I have two bags that I know you carry with you everywhere in which I want you to stop. Inside one of those bags is fear. Love is what should drive you. If you walk in love your days will be a lot easier to live with. If you walk in love you’ll find that you won’t have many enemies. If you walk in love you’ll enjoy your job, family, and life more. Unfortunately for a lot of us fear is the ultimate motivation. Most of us don’t work our job because we love it. We work the job because we’re scared of not getting a paycheck. This is an understandable apprehension. However, you don’t have to work a job you don’t like. Find one you do like. If you can’t find one, start your own business. Make yourself rich instead of someone else. Similarly, a lot of us stay in or return to relationships we know are unsatisfying not because we love the person but because we are afraid of being alone. Some of us are so afraid of solitude that we will put up with (fill in your own blank) from our girlfriend/boyfriend/spouse because although they may be a problem at least they are “my” problem. You need to empty your fear bag. Any gambler will tell you that scared money is no money. A turtle can’t move unless he sticks his neck out. I have a million clichés but my point is you need to take chances. In order to achieve your dreams you have to be willing to put it all on the line. Like Abraham debating on whether to sacrifice Isaac, you have to be ready to give up everything to get what God has for you. Anything you love is well worth the risk. (Note: When I say “God” I don’t mean the god that makes sure rappers and actors get awards nor am I talking about the god that blesses preachers with tailor-made suits and mansions. I’m talking about the real God--the creative energy that makes life possible.)
The second bag that you need to empty out in the new year is filled with your guilt. Guilt is one of the heaviest burdens. Many of us carry years and years of guilt on our backs and wonder why we’re chapfallen*. I find it funny how many of my single church friends feel guilty every time they have sex. I know what its like to have all that passion bottled up. Your hormones are raging and it’s hard to keep your cool when your “cup runneth over”. Personally, I think sex is nature’s call more so than a sin. Humans are the only species that require commitment before sex. We’re also the only species that experiences guilt. Even me, the radical thinking, inspirational soap-box blogger has done, is currently doing, and will, in the future, do things that I’m not proud of. I’ve accepted my imperfections therefore I experience a peace that many won’t understand. I no longer lead a life based of the morality of others. I walk to the beat of my own drum. After 30+ years of existence I’ve decided to live by my own commandments. (<--Arguably the best decision I’ve made.)
The good thing about being human is that we can think. The problem lies in the things we choose to think about. There are many positive and enlightening ideas that we can fill our minds with. Unfortunately, 90% of the ideas that fill our mind is the same recycled trash that has polluted our thoughts for years. With a junky, scattered, and toxic mindset it will be hard to come up with useful ideas for 2010. I touched briefly on fear and guilt but there are a host of negative thoughts that do the electric slide in your head all day long. It’s up to you to change. Recognizing you have a flawed paradigm is not enough. You have to take action and purge or at least drastically reduce your negative thoughts. It is impossible to add new ideas to a mind that is already full. Good Luck in the upcoming year. I have big plans for myself and I want you to have big plans for yourself. Who knows? Maybe our “selves” will meet on the other side of success one day.
“Fear is the tax that conscience pays to guilt.” – George Sewell
Dream Big. Live Bigger.
The All-American
www.rallostyles.com
www.http://thecatalystexperience.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/rallostyles <--Follow Me
Word you’ve never heard…
chapfallen /CHAP-faw-lun/ adj. - cast down in spirit: depressed
Friday, November 27, 2009
The Catalyst
Happy Black Friday,
I trust everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving Holiday. Though, like many of you, I had to work I made a decision to enjoy what I could. I hope you all took the time to be thankful for what you have and at least used one day to not fret over the things you don’t have. I wanted to share with you the latest version of the Cata-List. It somewhat matches the theme of being grateful. It’s merely a list of things we should be thankful for but tend to overlook…
Family – These are the people in our life who give us the most love and support while simultaneously being the biggest pains in the (fill in your own blank). Family lets you know that no matter how big you get you’re still going to be the same old you.
Friends – These people are similar to family except you can choose your friends.
Pain – Despite the negative connotation, pain is the reason we feel alive. That’s why doctors smack babies on the bum when they’re born. Pain is why you shouldn’t get down after a failure. The more heartbreak you experience lets you know how much love you actually have to give.
Job – There are a lot of unemployed people out there that would love the job that you so hotly detest. The same job that you complain about and dread going to would be a life saver to those who, due to a lack of employment, can’t make ends meet.
Hope/Faith – Optimism is what gets you out of bed. Everyday is a new day. You never know what the future will bring. Without a positive outlook, you may as well go dig your grave and pay someone to cover you up. You don’t have to be in a casket to be dead.
Love - The thing about love is that it is the only thing in life that absolutely has to be earned. You can’t buy it or rent it. It has to be given willingly. If you are ever so lucky to find someone who loves you…enjoy it while it lasts! (Just kidding but a little serious)
Reason – It kills me how much people don’t use good old fashioned common sense. Reason, which is a cousin of instinct, is our compass in life that points us in the right direction. Unfortunately, a number of us sacrifice reason for a macédoine* of ideologies. Just because something is confusing and/or incoherent doesn’t mean it’s spiritual.
Wisdom – Is the treasure you receive from living a well diverse life. When you explore as many opportunities and possibilities that life has to offer you enter a level of awareness that 95% of the materialistic world will never understand.
Life – The most overlooked asset we have. Our existence is so random that it sometimes seems accidental. There are so many situations and arbitrary acts that went to your birth you can’t fathom them all. Your creation was millions of years in the making. There are certain things in life that you can control. However, most things you can’t although we spend a vast majority of our lives trying. I can tell you from experience that life is about enjoying the ride. Quit fighting the universe. Life should flow like a river. If something gets in the way you should go around it or keep pushing until your problem erodes like a boulder constantly getting pounded by persistence of fierce rapids. Life is meant to be lived. Don’t let indoctrination, conformism, or the mass media tell you have to live and behave. Everyone’s path is different. Some start with more possessions than others while some merely end with more. Some people experience more passion and more love than others. We have to make the most of what we have right now. Whatever makes you happy, DO IT! Over and over again until you get bored. Then try something else that pulls your interested. Never stop learning. Never stop wondering. Never stop asking questions. Never settle for less than what you absolutely want.
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melodie Beattie
Dream Big. Live Bigger
The All-American
www.rallostyles.com
http://thecatalystexperience.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/rallostyles <--Follow Me
*Word you’ve never heard…
macédoine /mass-uh-DWAHN/ noun – a confused mixture: medley
I trust everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving Holiday. Though, like many of you, I had to work I made a decision to enjoy what I could. I hope you all took the time to be thankful for what you have and at least used one day to not fret over the things you don’t have. I wanted to share with you the latest version of the Cata-List. It somewhat matches the theme of being grateful. It’s merely a list of things we should be thankful for but tend to overlook…
Family – These are the people in our life who give us the most love and support while simultaneously being the biggest pains in the (fill in your own blank). Family lets you know that no matter how big you get you’re still going to be the same old you.
Friends – These people are similar to family except you can choose your friends.
Pain – Despite the negative connotation, pain is the reason we feel alive. That’s why doctors smack babies on the bum when they’re born. Pain is why you shouldn’t get down after a failure. The more heartbreak you experience lets you know how much love you actually have to give.
Job – There are a lot of unemployed people out there that would love the job that you so hotly detest. The same job that you complain about and dread going to would be a life saver to those who, due to a lack of employment, can’t make ends meet.
Hope/Faith – Optimism is what gets you out of bed. Everyday is a new day. You never know what the future will bring. Without a positive outlook, you may as well go dig your grave and pay someone to cover you up. You don’t have to be in a casket to be dead.
Love - The thing about love is that it is the only thing in life that absolutely has to be earned. You can’t buy it or rent it. It has to be given willingly. If you are ever so lucky to find someone who loves you…enjoy it while it lasts! (Just kidding but a little serious)
Reason – It kills me how much people don’t use good old fashioned common sense. Reason, which is a cousin of instinct, is our compass in life that points us in the right direction. Unfortunately, a number of us sacrifice reason for a macédoine* of ideologies. Just because something is confusing and/or incoherent doesn’t mean it’s spiritual.
Wisdom – Is the treasure you receive from living a well diverse life. When you explore as many opportunities and possibilities that life has to offer you enter a level of awareness that 95% of the materialistic world will never understand.
Life – The most overlooked asset we have. Our existence is so random that it sometimes seems accidental. There are so many situations and arbitrary acts that went to your birth you can’t fathom them all. Your creation was millions of years in the making. There are certain things in life that you can control. However, most things you can’t although we spend a vast majority of our lives trying. I can tell you from experience that life is about enjoying the ride. Quit fighting the universe. Life should flow like a river. If something gets in the way you should go around it or keep pushing until your problem erodes like a boulder constantly getting pounded by persistence of fierce rapids. Life is meant to be lived. Don’t let indoctrination, conformism, or the mass media tell you have to live and behave. Everyone’s path is different. Some start with more possessions than others while some merely end with more. Some people experience more passion and more love than others. We have to make the most of what we have right now. Whatever makes you happy, DO IT! Over and over again until you get bored. Then try something else that pulls your interested. Never stop learning. Never stop wondering. Never stop asking questions. Never settle for less than what you absolutely want.
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melodie Beattie
Dream Big. Live Bigger
The All-American
www.rallostyles.com
http://thecatalystexperience.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/rallostyles <--Follow Me
*Word you’ve never heard…
macédoine /mass-uh-DWAHN/ noun – a confused mixture: medley
Friday, November 13, 2009
The Catalyst
Hello Everyone,
The Universe is filled with vast mysteries. With a powerful telescope we can see far away stars, planets, and galaxies. One of the more interesting things found in the cosmos (well at least to me) is the black hole. It’s hard to explain what exactly a black hole is, especially in laymen’s terms. However, a black hole is a region is space where gravity is so strong it pulls in everything (mostly stars and space garbage) around it. The gravitational pull is so strong that once caught in it nothing can escape including light. I bring this up because a lot of times our ideologies function in the same matter. Once we accept that an idea is “true” most of what we do from that point on will go to reinforce the idea. This is good if we are constantly evolving while learning new and improved ideas. It’s not so good if we still believe the same things we believe 5, 10, 20 years ago.
I compare our thoughts to black holes because our worldly outlook gets sucked into our thinking. Like black holes, our ideologies take time to develop. They start when we are very young. We learn that hot is hot. We learn that what goes up must come down. After the preliminary knowledge we learn morals. Certain acts are considered “bad” while others are labeled “good”. Any theologian will tell you that good/bad depends on who or what you believe. But going a bit further, your outlook also depends of economic status, race, and gender just to name a few. This is precisely why it’s impossible for people to agree unanimously. We all have different backgrounds and paradigms. No one sees the world “the way it is”. We always see it through our own rose colored sunglasses. You see, this is why I have a problem with people who claim to have THE absolute truth. There is no way to know for sure because everything we experience is biased. When I say everything I mean EVERYTHING!
We put our trust in politicians, religious leaders, and to a certain extent entertainers. But the fact is we need to investigate life on our own. For most of us, our morals were determined when we were kids. We had adults who told us what to believe and how to behave. Then we grew up and a lot of things that were said to be wrong didn’t seem that bad as we matured. Even though we feel good when we engage in certain acts (fornication, drinking/smoking, lying, etc) our mind won’t let us be content because no matter how high we get our beliefs suck us back into the black hole. We’ve been raised to be nice and courteous, maugre* life telling us repeatedly that the people that make it are the ones who push in line, don’t say excuse me, and take what they want. Of course, many of you are already thinking of instances where that is not the case. All I’m saying is that you can only get so far with being nice and proper. Life is difficult and the world can be an unforgiving place. A lot of millionaires, celebrities, and business owners may seem gentle in front of the camera but behind the scenes they’ll crack the whip as hard as the best of them.
Listen, I’m not saying you should live a no holds barred lifestyle. Everyone should have guidelines that they live by. The point I’m trying to get across is that we shouldn’t hold onto false ideas about life that have no worth. A lot of what we believe is the stuff of fairytales. We believe that our prince/princess is out there waiting on us. We believe that a we should only have to work 40 hours a week. We believe there is a spirit in the sky that makes sure “good” people prevail and “bad” people get what’s coming to them. If that’s the case how come Wall Street can get bailouts and ridiculous bonuses while the working class pays for it? I’m not looking for anyone to back me up and tell me I’m right. The truth speaks for itself.
Here’s an interesting fact about black holes: Nobody has ever seen one. Like I said before, it sucks in light. The only way to know a black hole is present is to look at the orbit of stars and gases around an empty space. This is how our ideologies are as well. I have no way of knowing how you truly feel in your heart just by looking at you. But I can look at the clothes you wear, the car you drive, and the people you surround yourself with and be able to get a good enough idea about your character and demeanor. If your beliefs are so great your life should reflect a contentment that knows no bounds. On the flipside, if your life is lacking its probably an idea or two that keeps sucking you back into an unfulfilling existence. Adjust your ideologies, morals, and decisions as you see fit. You’re going to have to live with the consequences of your actions so they might as well be YOUR decisions. There is nothing wrong with changing your mind. You can’t do the same thing repeatedly and expect different results. Additionally, you can’t stay the same and evolve at the same time. Something has to give.
“What I've learned is not to believe in magical leaders any more [and] that character and compassion are more important than ideology; and that even if it's absurd to think you can change things, it's even more absurd to think that it's foolish and unimportant to try.” - Peter C. Newman
Dream Big. Live Bigger.
The All-American
www.rallostyles.com
http://thecatalystexperience.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/rallostyles <--Follow Me
*Word you’ve never heard…
maugre /MAW-gur/ preposition – in spite of (<--this was hard to use in a sentence correctly but I pulled it off just for you)
The Universe is filled with vast mysteries. With a powerful telescope we can see far away stars, planets, and galaxies. One of the more interesting things found in the cosmos (well at least to me) is the black hole. It’s hard to explain what exactly a black hole is, especially in laymen’s terms. However, a black hole is a region is space where gravity is so strong it pulls in everything (mostly stars and space garbage) around it. The gravitational pull is so strong that once caught in it nothing can escape including light. I bring this up because a lot of times our ideologies function in the same matter. Once we accept that an idea is “true” most of what we do from that point on will go to reinforce the idea. This is good if we are constantly evolving while learning new and improved ideas. It’s not so good if we still believe the same things we believe 5, 10, 20 years ago.
I compare our thoughts to black holes because our worldly outlook gets sucked into our thinking. Like black holes, our ideologies take time to develop. They start when we are very young. We learn that hot is hot. We learn that what goes up must come down. After the preliminary knowledge we learn morals. Certain acts are considered “bad” while others are labeled “good”. Any theologian will tell you that good/bad depends on who or what you believe. But going a bit further, your outlook also depends of economic status, race, and gender just to name a few. This is precisely why it’s impossible for people to agree unanimously. We all have different backgrounds and paradigms. No one sees the world “the way it is”. We always see it through our own rose colored sunglasses. You see, this is why I have a problem with people who claim to have THE absolute truth. There is no way to know for sure because everything we experience is biased. When I say everything I mean EVERYTHING!
We put our trust in politicians, religious leaders, and to a certain extent entertainers. But the fact is we need to investigate life on our own. For most of us, our morals were determined when we were kids. We had adults who told us what to believe and how to behave. Then we grew up and a lot of things that were said to be wrong didn’t seem that bad as we matured. Even though we feel good when we engage in certain acts (fornication, drinking/smoking, lying, etc) our mind won’t let us be content because no matter how high we get our beliefs suck us back into the black hole. We’ve been raised to be nice and courteous, maugre* life telling us repeatedly that the people that make it are the ones who push in line, don’t say excuse me, and take what they want. Of course, many of you are already thinking of instances where that is not the case. All I’m saying is that you can only get so far with being nice and proper. Life is difficult and the world can be an unforgiving place. A lot of millionaires, celebrities, and business owners may seem gentle in front of the camera but behind the scenes they’ll crack the whip as hard as the best of them.
Listen, I’m not saying you should live a no holds barred lifestyle. Everyone should have guidelines that they live by. The point I’m trying to get across is that we shouldn’t hold onto false ideas about life that have no worth. A lot of what we believe is the stuff of fairytales. We believe that our prince/princess is out there waiting on us. We believe that a we should only have to work 40 hours a week. We believe there is a spirit in the sky that makes sure “good” people prevail and “bad” people get what’s coming to them. If that’s the case how come Wall Street can get bailouts and ridiculous bonuses while the working class pays for it? I’m not looking for anyone to back me up and tell me I’m right. The truth speaks for itself.
Here’s an interesting fact about black holes: Nobody has ever seen one. Like I said before, it sucks in light. The only way to know a black hole is present is to look at the orbit of stars and gases around an empty space. This is how our ideologies are as well. I have no way of knowing how you truly feel in your heart just by looking at you. But I can look at the clothes you wear, the car you drive, and the people you surround yourself with and be able to get a good enough idea about your character and demeanor. If your beliefs are so great your life should reflect a contentment that knows no bounds. On the flipside, if your life is lacking its probably an idea or two that keeps sucking you back into an unfulfilling existence. Adjust your ideologies, morals, and decisions as you see fit. You’re going to have to live with the consequences of your actions so they might as well be YOUR decisions. There is nothing wrong with changing your mind. You can’t do the same thing repeatedly and expect different results. Additionally, you can’t stay the same and evolve at the same time. Something has to give.
“What I've learned is not to believe in magical leaders any more [and] that character and compassion are more important than ideology; and that even if it's absurd to think you can change things, it's even more absurd to think that it's foolish and unimportant to try.” - Peter C. Newman
Dream Big. Live Bigger.
The All-American
www.rallostyles.com
http://thecatalystexperience.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/rallostyles <--Follow Me
*Word you’ve never heard…
maugre /MAW-gur/ preposition – in spite of (<--this was hard to use in a sentence correctly but I pulled it off just for you)
Friday, October 30, 2009
The Catalyst
Salutations to all,
You may or may not know but recently conservative supremacist Rush Limbaugh was apart of an investment group that tried to purchase the St. Louis Rams, an NFL franchise. A lot of people were against the radio show host owning part of the team. Personally, I could have cared less. One reason being his views probably don’t differ too much from the other owners (not players) in the NFL. Secondly, in a capitalist society as long as a person has enough money he/she should be able to purchase whatever they can afford. However, due to the negative feedback received from all over the country the investment group decided to blench* and drop Rush as an investor. That’s also apart of a capitalistic society. Anyone considered to be a hindrance to the cash flow must go. That’s why image is so important.
If you ask any reasonable person about their feelings concerning Rush Limbaugh or any of the “fair and balanced” talking heads usually words like racist, elitist, and pretentious comes to mind. I’m not certain these guys are racist because I don’t really know them like that. But the image they portray doesn’t seem like their admiration is available for anyone of color and especially for people that are not financially distinguished. I’m not the type of person that believes every bad thing that gets said about an individual. I base my judgments on what a person actually says. With the invention of youtube you can go online and see almost every ignorant thing that anyone says. Some people have more than others. Based on various comments an image develops. Anything that someone says, good or bad, is going to stick in the mind of the public. Some people are going to agree with you while others won’t. Depending on your views, you may be in the majority or the minority. That’s why when Rush’s bid to own part of the team was rejected I wasn’t the least bit surprised. Rush’s persistent inflammatory comments hasn’t endeared him to the Black community. I don’t know if Limbaugh realized it (his head seems to be stuck in his (fill in you own blank)) but the NFL is over 80% black. So really, what did he expect? He has an image. If you’re a white supremacist or a sold out minority then he has an excellent image as far as you’re concerned. You probably say the comment, “Well, the NFL let Mike Vick play and he got convicted of dog fighting.” All I can say is this: Who would you rather have live next door to you? An ex-dog fighter or a blatantly racist blowhard? The answer says a lot about you. I would rather live in a one bedroom studio apartment with Bobby Brown, Gary Busey, and Wendy Williams than live on the same block as a racist. But that’s just me.
Like I mentioned before, I don’t feel sorry for Rush Limbaugh. He has plenty of money and there will be other opportunities for him to make more. He will still have his fans and now they’ll like him even more because they feel he was mistreated by “the man”. His fans just need to keep in mind that he didn’t get dropped because of his views. He got dropped because his image was going to prevent the other investors from making more money. We may live in a black and white nation but green is still king. And if the king isn’t happy heads are gonna roll…
“If people see you the wrong way, chances are, it’s your own fault. You may think that people have the wrong idea about you but they don’t. More than likely your opinion of yourself is grossly exaggerated.” – Rallo
Dream Big. Live Bigger.
The All-American
www.rallostyles.com
http://thecatalystexperience.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/rallostyles <--Follow Me
*Word you’ve never heard…
blench /BLENCH/ verb – to draw back or turn aside from lack of courage
You may or may not know but recently conservative supremacist Rush Limbaugh was apart of an investment group that tried to purchase the St. Louis Rams, an NFL franchise. A lot of people were against the radio show host owning part of the team. Personally, I could have cared less. One reason being his views probably don’t differ too much from the other owners (not players) in the NFL. Secondly, in a capitalist society as long as a person has enough money he/she should be able to purchase whatever they can afford. However, due to the negative feedback received from all over the country the investment group decided to blench* and drop Rush as an investor. That’s also apart of a capitalistic society. Anyone considered to be a hindrance to the cash flow must go. That’s why image is so important.
If you ask any reasonable person about their feelings concerning Rush Limbaugh or any of the “fair and balanced” talking heads usually words like racist, elitist, and pretentious comes to mind. I’m not certain these guys are racist because I don’t really know them like that. But the image they portray doesn’t seem like their admiration is available for anyone of color and especially for people that are not financially distinguished. I’m not the type of person that believes every bad thing that gets said about an individual. I base my judgments on what a person actually says. With the invention of youtube you can go online and see almost every ignorant thing that anyone says. Some people have more than others. Based on various comments an image develops. Anything that someone says, good or bad, is going to stick in the mind of the public. Some people are going to agree with you while others won’t. Depending on your views, you may be in the majority or the minority. That’s why when Rush’s bid to own part of the team was rejected I wasn’t the least bit surprised. Rush’s persistent inflammatory comments hasn’t endeared him to the Black community. I don’t know if Limbaugh realized it (his head seems to be stuck in his (fill in you own blank)) but the NFL is over 80% black. So really, what did he expect? He has an image. If you’re a white supremacist or a sold out minority then he has an excellent image as far as you’re concerned. You probably say the comment, “Well, the NFL let Mike Vick play and he got convicted of dog fighting.” All I can say is this: Who would you rather have live next door to you? An ex-dog fighter or a blatantly racist blowhard? The answer says a lot about you. I would rather live in a one bedroom studio apartment with Bobby Brown, Gary Busey, and Wendy Williams than live on the same block as a racist. But that’s just me.
Like I mentioned before, I don’t feel sorry for Rush Limbaugh. He has plenty of money and there will be other opportunities for him to make more. He will still have his fans and now they’ll like him even more because they feel he was mistreated by “the man”. His fans just need to keep in mind that he didn’t get dropped because of his views. He got dropped because his image was going to prevent the other investors from making more money. We may live in a black and white nation but green is still king. And if the king isn’t happy heads are gonna roll…
“If people see you the wrong way, chances are, it’s your own fault. You may think that people have the wrong idea about you but they don’t. More than likely your opinion of yourself is grossly exaggerated.” – Rallo
Dream Big. Live Bigger.
The All-American
www.rallostyles.com
http://thecatalystexperience.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/rallostyles <--Follow Me
*Word you’ve never heard…
blench /BLENCH/ verb – to draw back or turn aside from lack of courage
Friday, October 16, 2009
The Catalyst
Hello All,
Did you miss me? Don’t worry. I made this Catalyst extra long to make up for my absence. Enjoy!
This past weekend Atlanta hosted the BET Awards. I had to work so I missed the show and all the festivities. It seemed like it would have been fun to participate but the older I get the more out of touch I become. I claim to be a fan of Hip Hop although the only MCs I listen to are the same ones I been listening to for years (Outkast, Nas, Snoop, Jay-Z, Ludacris, etc.) Most of the new school rappers I can barely tolerate. I don’t see myself as one of those people that complain that rap isn’t what it used to be. I mean every now and then a song comes out that I put in constant rotation. But that’s kind of the problem. I like the songs, not the artist.
I was born in 1978 so you can say that I’m as old as Hip Hop. I lived in the south so of course we got all the music late but when we did it was a rap (pun intended). I remember “Rapper’s Delight” but it wasn’t until I heard and saw Run DMC that I was hooked. From there I soaked in as much as I could. My parents, more so my mom, was just getting serious into religion so I really wasn’t supposed to listen to “worldly” music. But as you well know, when a person is in love there isn’t anything you can do to stop them. The thing I like about early rap was the fun that was described in the verses. Everybody was partying, dancing, and having a good time. Not only that, these guys were rhyming and having fun even though nobody really had any money. They did it for the love as a way to express themselves creatively. Although it kept a lot of inner city youths out of trouble (legal or otherwise), Hip Hop music was frowned upon by the mainstream which a lot of kids, including myself, could identify with. I think as children we all know what its like to not fit in. Not to mention having our goals and aspirations laughed at while adults suggested we look into a “real” profession. Hip Hop was the alternative lifestyle urban youth flocked towards.
There was plenty of variety in the beginning stages of rap. You had lyricists like KRS ONE who showed how words could come together to make musical masterpieces. Then you had Public Enemy who taught us kids that although black people have a history of being slaves; before we came here we were kings and queens in Africa. And that Africa is where ALL life began. MC Hammer and Kid N Play represented the dancers and 2 Live Crew was an outlet for all the closet freaks. If you was gangsta (or at least thought you were) you had N.W.A. that represented the ghetto in a way that changed rap forever. No matter what type of person you were there was a rapper or group in which you could relate. And I think that is the most glaring difference between rap/rappers of my generation and the new school.
You’ll find most current rap is quite baroque*. I don’t live in a mansion nor do I drive a Phantom and party with big booty (fill in your own blank) all night. Just like government, church, and state universities rap has become about the almighty dollar. It’s so much money being generated rap couldn’t help but get corrupted. Anytime you do something for the sole purpose of getting paid it won’t give you as much satisfaction as you would think. I remember when being a sellout was the absolute worst thing you could do for your career. Being a sellout was like having leprosy-nobody wanted to be associated with you. Then untalented rappers started going platinum (Take that! Take that!) and selling out became par for the course. Today, you can see rappers promoting everything from deodorant to soft drinks. Unfortunately, that’s not the only way they sell out. I remember when rappers used to boycott the Grammy’s because they didn’t have a Rap category. Then, when one was created they didn’t televise the award presentation. Now, you got rappers throwing tantrums because they didn’t win. Most MCs also seem not to mind perpetuating stereotypes. When racists describe black people what do they say? They say we’re hyper-aggressive, over-sexed, misogynistic, and materialistic. Well, if you listen to 99.9% of hit rap records today you’ll find that most rap artists prove these points. Many rappers use the excuse that their music is strictly entertainment and nothing more. (Funny, Rush Limbaugh uses that same excuse for his racially inflammatory comments.) But the image that gets portrayed goes beyond the border of your neighborhood. People in the suburbs listen to rap. People oversees listen to rap. And I hate that the only image of black people they have is bling wearin’, bottle poppin’, tip drillin’ studio thugs that claim Bankhead when really they grew up in Lawrenceville. (For those who don’t know, Bankhead is the ‘hood part of Atlanta and Lawrenceville is the suburbs northeast of Atlanta)
Don’t get me wrong! I’m not a hater. I just want the new generation of Hip Hop to remember the roots. Hip Hop is a gift and it can be used for all kind of great things. Don’t do it just to get money. Even worse, don’t do it to be on TV. Use it as a way to express yourself. Don’t exchange disses on record or participate in Tweet Beefing to make a name for yourself. Just make music, man. Just make music.
“Are you an outcast? If you understand the basic principles and fundamental truths continued within this music you probably are. If you think it’s all about pimpin’ hoes and slammin’ Cadillac doors you probably a cracker, or a nigga that think he a cracker, or maybe just don’t understand.” - Ruben “Big Rube” Bailey
(Don’t be offended. “Cracker” and “Nigga” are derogatory terms which are often considered race specific but really they are not. They come in all colors.)
Dream Big. Live Bigger.
The All-American
www.rallostyles.com
http://thecatalystexperience.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/rallostyles <--Follow Me
*Word you’ve never heard…
baroque /buh-ROHK/ adj. - characterized by grotesqueness, extravagance, complexity, or flamboyance
Did you miss me? Don’t worry. I made this Catalyst extra long to make up for my absence. Enjoy!
This past weekend Atlanta hosted the BET Awards. I had to work so I missed the show and all the festivities. It seemed like it would have been fun to participate but the older I get the more out of touch I become. I claim to be a fan of Hip Hop although the only MCs I listen to are the same ones I been listening to for years (Outkast, Nas, Snoop, Jay-Z, Ludacris, etc.) Most of the new school rappers I can barely tolerate. I don’t see myself as one of those people that complain that rap isn’t what it used to be. I mean every now and then a song comes out that I put in constant rotation. But that’s kind of the problem. I like the songs, not the artist.
I was born in 1978 so you can say that I’m as old as Hip Hop. I lived in the south so of course we got all the music late but when we did it was a rap (pun intended). I remember “Rapper’s Delight” but it wasn’t until I heard and saw Run DMC that I was hooked. From there I soaked in as much as I could. My parents, more so my mom, was just getting serious into religion so I really wasn’t supposed to listen to “worldly” music. But as you well know, when a person is in love there isn’t anything you can do to stop them. The thing I like about early rap was the fun that was described in the verses. Everybody was partying, dancing, and having a good time. Not only that, these guys were rhyming and having fun even though nobody really had any money. They did it for the love as a way to express themselves creatively. Although it kept a lot of inner city youths out of trouble (legal or otherwise), Hip Hop music was frowned upon by the mainstream which a lot of kids, including myself, could identify with. I think as children we all know what its like to not fit in. Not to mention having our goals and aspirations laughed at while adults suggested we look into a “real” profession. Hip Hop was the alternative lifestyle urban youth flocked towards.
There was plenty of variety in the beginning stages of rap. You had lyricists like KRS ONE who showed how words could come together to make musical masterpieces. Then you had Public Enemy who taught us kids that although black people have a history of being slaves; before we came here we were kings and queens in Africa. And that Africa is where ALL life began. MC Hammer and Kid N Play represented the dancers and 2 Live Crew was an outlet for all the closet freaks. If you was gangsta (or at least thought you were) you had N.W.A. that represented the ghetto in a way that changed rap forever. No matter what type of person you were there was a rapper or group in which you could relate. And I think that is the most glaring difference between rap/rappers of my generation and the new school.
You’ll find most current rap is quite baroque*. I don’t live in a mansion nor do I drive a Phantom and party with big booty (fill in your own blank) all night. Just like government, church, and state universities rap has become about the almighty dollar. It’s so much money being generated rap couldn’t help but get corrupted. Anytime you do something for the sole purpose of getting paid it won’t give you as much satisfaction as you would think. I remember when being a sellout was the absolute worst thing you could do for your career. Being a sellout was like having leprosy-nobody wanted to be associated with you. Then untalented rappers started going platinum (Take that! Take that!) and selling out became par for the course. Today, you can see rappers promoting everything from deodorant to soft drinks. Unfortunately, that’s not the only way they sell out. I remember when rappers used to boycott the Grammy’s because they didn’t have a Rap category. Then, when one was created they didn’t televise the award presentation. Now, you got rappers throwing tantrums because they didn’t win. Most MCs also seem not to mind perpetuating stereotypes. When racists describe black people what do they say? They say we’re hyper-aggressive, over-sexed, misogynistic, and materialistic. Well, if you listen to 99.9% of hit rap records today you’ll find that most rap artists prove these points. Many rappers use the excuse that their music is strictly entertainment and nothing more. (Funny, Rush Limbaugh uses that same excuse for his racially inflammatory comments.) But the image that gets portrayed goes beyond the border of your neighborhood. People in the suburbs listen to rap. People oversees listen to rap. And I hate that the only image of black people they have is bling wearin’, bottle poppin’, tip drillin’ studio thugs that claim Bankhead when really they grew up in Lawrenceville. (For those who don’t know, Bankhead is the ‘hood part of Atlanta and Lawrenceville is the suburbs northeast of Atlanta)
Don’t get me wrong! I’m not a hater. I just want the new generation of Hip Hop to remember the roots. Hip Hop is a gift and it can be used for all kind of great things. Don’t do it just to get money. Even worse, don’t do it to be on TV. Use it as a way to express yourself. Don’t exchange disses on record or participate in Tweet Beefing to make a name for yourself. Just make music, man. Just make music.
“Are you an outcast? If you understand the basic principles and fundamental truths continued within this music you probably are. If you think it’s all about pimpin’ hoes and slammin’ Cadillac doors you probably a cracker, or a nigga that think he a cracker, or maybe just don’t understand.” - Ruben “Big Rube” Bailey
(Don’t be offended. “Cracker” and “Nigga” are derogatory terms which are often considered race specific but really they are not. They come in all colors.)
Dream Big. Live Bigger.
The All-American
www.rallostyles.com
http://thecatalystexperience.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/rallostyles <--Follow Me
*Word you’ve never heard…
baroque /buh-ROHK/ adj. - characterized by grotesqueness, extravagance, complexity, or flamboyance
Friday, September 18, 2009
The Catalyst
Greetings,
Last week the topic of discussion was assumptions and how they shape our lives. There were so many elements I wanted to talk about but these Catalysts can only be so long. I wanted to pick up from where I left off. For those who don’t recall, my last statement was “And the cycle of frustration, hopelessness, low self-esteem, anxiety, and quiet desperation will continue until we realize that what we assume is the solution could quite possibly be the problem. “. This seems like a good a place as any to continue.
I’ve heard it said that you can tell a lot about a person by where they go or what they do when they’re under pressure. Some people go to church and pray when overwhelming situations arise. Others choose to self medicate with drugs and alcohol when stressed. Some habits may be illegal like elicit drugs. Some may be legal such as overeating or meaningless sex/relationships. Our vices are often different but we all have them (whether we admit it or not). I bring up these points because I want you to recognize the importance of the statement in quotations in the previous paragraph. A lot of times we look outside for solutions to our problems when we should be looking inside.
Many of us have no clue what life is all about. We wonder aimlessly through life waiting to die. For many religious automatons, life is just a precursor to a better life in Heaven. The idea of Heaven is wonderful but if you anticipate the afterlife more than the one you’re currently living, chances are you won’t do much in the present.
In times like these everyone is looking for a little relief. I know how it feels to not be able to catch a break. We look high and low for answers to our questions. Why is life so difficult? We think to ourselves, “I’m a good person. I pay my taxes. I don’t break the law. I’m courteous to everyone I meet. Yet, I’m still single, I still don’t have a satisfying job, and happiness is always in front of me but I can never reach it.” Sound familiar? The problem is that we’ve been tricked, led astray, and bamboozled. We’ve been told that once we get the house on the hill, we’ll be happy. Once we get that better paying job, we’ll be happy. Once we meet Mr./Miss Right, we’ll be happy. If we accept the Lord Jesus into our heart we’ll be happy. The only problem is that happiness is a decision. Better yet, happiness is a state of mind. If your mind isn’t right nothing in this world or the next will help you. We assume that we need help to feel joy. But in reality, you can make a decision right now as your reading this to be happy. You don’t have to put off happiness until (fill in your own blank) happens. Why wait? Drinking won’t make you happy. The emotional high from sex won’t last. Not even church will relieve the pain of life if your thinking isn’t right. The responsibility of your own contentment rests in your thoughts. No external stimuli will give you the satisfaction you crave. You have to love yourself first. Once you learn to love yourself, then you’ll start to think for yourself. Once you start thinking for yourself, you’ll learn how to encourage yourself. Once you learn how to encourage yourself, you’ll learn how to make yourself happy. And when you can make yourself happy bliss will never leave your side.
“If we all worked on the assumption that what is accepted as true is really true, there would be little hope of advance.” – Orville Wright
Dream Big. Live Bigger.
The All-American
http://www.thecatalystexperience.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/rallostyles.com <--Follow Me
*Word you’ve never heard…
sternutation /ster-nyuh-TAY-shun/ noun - the act, fact, or noise of sneezing
(I know I didn’t use the word in my causerie* but I just thought it was a cool word. Who knew there was a word for the sound of a sneeze?)
causerie /kohz-REE/ noun - a short informal essay
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