Forget-Me-Not

Everybody wants to shine...stand out from the pack in their own way. The world remains one big competition and the huddles of support end up getting smaller. I was speaking to someone about what my favorite compliments are. Yeah, looks are nice but after a while we get desensitized to those. A boy trying to swoon you, whispers a few nice words in your ear and after the rejection, you can spot him doing the same thing, twenty seconds later, in the ear of some chick with a face that looks like she should've never been born. Harsh? Ehh you get the point, we've all seen it happen. Our conversation led to the discovery that besides a few others, my favorite compliments aren't of me but rather my work, my creativity.

In thinking about that, I've gathered that we are in the age of the "Forget-Me-Not's." So many of us have talent that we are dying to broadcast, just waiting for a chance to be remembered for something great... looking for RECOGNITION. Yet, it seems the hardest to get. Especially from those around you. In times where we are bombarded with social networks, you would think it would be easy to build recognition or gain feedback with 1000 friends, pending friend requests and up to the minute status updates. But who's really listening?

When you make it, people claim they always knew you'd hit the top. Yet when you're building up to get there, no one gives you any props. Women, in particular, suffer when it comes to building each other up. Black people fall into this category as well. Instead of helping to spread interest for each other, they rather do their own thing or wait 'til they see a large crowd of people promoting something to decide that it's worth attaching their name to it. Even in relationships, friends, or families you can see the struggle to support movements and lack of inspiration or motivation. We rather network with strangers, than with each other. It's a wild realization, but I have it all the time. We all fall victim, I believe, because it's so hard to rise individually that we have harder times seeing those around us get to higher places. Truth is, sometimes you can only help yourself further by helping others.

Flirtin' With A Virgin

Yes, there are still some left. Heads high, waving V-Cards proudly in the air. For moral reasons or personal reasons, they know how to say "No." But are they happy? It's a question all virgins have to ask themselves in an age like this where sex sells and relationships are holding that as a high determinant of whether they will succeed or not.

At first, they might want to scream "Yes!" on the defense. But it's a serious question that involves a lot of self-reflection. When we are younger, it's so much easier to maintain relationships but as we meddle in our twenties, men are asking for more than just conversation. They are looking for a promised intimacy, because what one woman isn't willing to give another will. But even when given everything they need, men still are known to wander off.

Do virgins have a hard time trusting males more than other females? Should they have to settle with open relationships or linger in the dating phase?

Virgins should seek older guys because they are more likely out of the mindframe where they need multiple women and will hold sex over getting to know someone. Don't get me wrong, there isn't a better type of man depending on his age but older men tend to have higher levels of maturity. Virgins can also date other virgins, so that the pressure is not there and they are allowed to make the decision together.

All a person really needs to be is understanding, both on the virgin's side and the side of their partner. If you believe a person is worth it, you're willing to make certain sacrifices, depending on where you are in your life. Virgins show great character, discipline and values. This is by no means a post telling virgins that converting is the only way to obtain a successful relationship, it's simply interesting chit chat.

Four-One-One on Dating Older Men

It's a known fact that women mature faster than men, whether males are ready to admit it or not. So it's no surprise that many women are into men above their age bracket. Some of us shun away the you're-old-enough-to-be-my-father candidates calling them "creeps" yet embrace the thoughts of holding hands with a Morris Chestnut or LL Cool J. Yea, I'm not afraid to say I'm in that category. Have you seen Morris? Idris Elba?...enough said.

Dating older men bring a certain status if you're younger. Think of going to school and wanting to date the older boy. As women, we get captivated by their experience, their dominance and their knowledge. But on the flip side, it can also be looked down on if the person is too old. Girls are known to even make age brackets or boundaries that they're not willing to pass due to age. One of the first questions you want to know when you meet someone is "How old are you..." Is too much emphasis placed on age? The media seems to favor men who like older women but makes it seem sometimes as if women are more of the gold-digger type or have ulterior motives if they are reaching out for the older guy. Think Hugh Heff's bunnies.

If you're into the older guy, here's the 4-1-1.

1. Better Communicators
Simply put, they have the tendency to express thoughts, concerns, and feelings better. They handle situations more maturely, and are great for conversing. It can seem intimidating for some women when it comes to conversation with an older man but can brighten perspective.

2. "Trust Me..."
Older men are known to hold age as a reason to trust what they're saying over your word. Some think their level of experience overshadows your thoughts, even if they're a year older.

3. Age Aint Nuthin But A Number
Just because men are older, doesn't mean they don't have child-like tendencies. You can definitely run into older men that act worse than males your age.

4. Upgrade You
Older men can help you learn things at a much faster rate, put you onto new places, ideas, or share things with you that you wouldn't have otherwise known. They can definitely help you in areas you might require help whether it be at work, personal advice or introduce to some of the finer things in life.

5. Stages of Life
Make sure that what you want out of life at the current moment aligns with the person you're with. For example, an older man might be seeking to start a family or depending on his age, be finished with having children. The stage of a person's life determines what they'll seek out of a relationship.

Successful relationships bank on effort, communication and passion. It's not as important to focus on your year to year difference as it is to focus on how you see eye to eye. Men are still men, no matter the birth date.

Fronter's Syndrome

Fronting occurs when one is appearing one way but acting in another. They are showing a misrepresentation of themselves. It's so rampid that I called it Fronter's Syndrome. I'm sure you know many who suffer from the disease. Here are five symptoms:

1. Loss of Memory
People who are fronters, seem to have loss of memory because they don't want to be reveal whatever it is that they're fronting about so they magically catch dementia to cover it up. Even when you give them instances that counteract their fronting, they'll have absolutely no recollection. Males, especially pretty boys or those who are overly confident, will meet a girl they're interested in for the first time, after weeks of checking her out and act as if they've never seen her.

2. Retaliation
I know you've witnessed it. The men or women who get rejected from the person they're crushing on and all of a sudden lash back at them, directly or indirectly. It stems from nothing but bitterness. Now they "never liked them anyway" or were only with them for a certain reason, blah blah, yadda yadda. We hear you talking boo, but we just don't believe you.

3. Heartburn
As a result of their fronting ways, they try to mask when someone makes them really happy to a particular audience. They can't stay true to their heart in the public and always make it seem as if that person or thing brings them such agony. Usually it's because they are afraid that it will portray them in a certain light. Either way, the jigs up. The only eyes you're pulling the wool over are your own.

4. Excessive Lying
Victims of Fronter's Syndrome don't only react in regards to relationships or interests, you can catch them fibbing about things they have such as material possessions, or stories about experiences that they have had.

5. Sedated
Jay-Z said it best, "Everytime ya name was brought up I would act all nonchalant in front of an au-di-ence. Like you was just another shorty I put the naughty on, but uh truth be told you threw me for a loop it's Hov." Fronters tend to act like they're under sedation when they hear your name and pretend to block it out. All of a sudden, they're extra relaxed about something or someone and make their value seem less.

The key factor that all Fronters share is denial. They're all denying something whether it be little or big. A lot of us are guilty of being a Fronter, but a cure has been identified. It's called the Truth and it will set you free. Tuning into how you really feel only helps shape your reality.

Funnies: Call Me Mr. Facebook, I Could Make Ya Grades Drop

Frat Juice

I had some frat juice over the weekend that inspired several thoughts. At first I stared down into the purple concoction that was given to me in a yellow cup. All I could really tell about it was what was I could see at face value. Eh, wasn't too sure I was gonna like it. After all, I hate grape flavored things. Once I tasted it though, it was great. Three cups great. I demanded to know what was in it but it was a secret. Something like Krabby Patty ingredients, and that only made me like it more. It's funny how the mystery of things lead us to appreciate them. If I found out exactly what was in it, I would feel empowered but would I like it as much?

My friend has a new guy who's interested in her but he constantly texts her every second. He leaves no mystery and therefore she has him all figured out at such an early stage. He's basically set himself up for failure. Leaving people wanting more is always a good quality to have. That's how the media grabs consumer attention and how we can grab the attention of others. Even in relationships, it's not good to spill every single thing that you share as a couple with other people. Having something to share with one another that no one else knows about, always puts that extra spice in your connection.

With life, we never know the full layout. Some people are so willing to throw themselves into opportunities that they aren't sure the outcome of, because they're so filled with mystery. Those people are called Risk-takers and they are often the ones getting the most out of life. Embracing the unknown instead of questioning it.

The purple stuff made me examine my relationships, how I affect people and how I embrace life. Frat Juice...It's like the It Girl or Boy, but no one knows exactly what "it" is. It's your personal characteristics that make you, you. It's what makes you interesting. It's the secrets that hold a friendship together. It's what separates friends from associates. It's what makes your life interesting and others so/so. Frat Juice.

FOTO OP: Just Art Exhibition

An invitation I created for an event.

Forever Gay or Freshly Gay?

It seems like being gay is the latest trend. It's like the new black. And this is in no way meant to be a gay bashing post. It's simply a reflection of thought. Girls are holding other girls' hands and men are eyeing other males more often than usual. Everywhere I turn this person or that person is revealing that they're gay. And if they're not gay, someone else is spilling the beans that they're dipping in the same gender pool. The question is... forever gay or freshly gay?

I used to think and still believe that if you were gay, it was something that was just in you from birth but recently I've begun to wonder if this is just the Age of Curiosity for some. Mostly girls. For guys, I just feel like there's no turning back. If they liked boys, then they always did (though that may not be true). Girls tend to have that flicker of wildness within them though. I question if for some girls it's all pyschological and because of their bad experiences with males that they decide to become gay, try it and end up just sticking with it.

People even become skeptical more easily, nowadays. I've had instances where I'm with a friend who is gay, and just because we hang out others have wondered about me. Gay people can have straight friends. Yes, that's allowed. Or I've had friends tell me that others have randomly thought they were gay and they weren't.

Times are changing though. It's become easier to be expressive about your sexuality. Is it that people were suppressing their homosexuality before and now feel more comfortable expressing themselves? What about those still in hiding? Just something that rattled the brain.

Fone Diaries

Men Lie. Women Lie. Phones don't.

It might be one of the most disputed arguments between couples but the fact remains: A person's phone is like their diary. It's where you hold some of your most intimate, private, and personal conversations. That's why people have passwords for their phones. Hmm... so is delving into someone's phone, cracking their password an invasion of privacy? What if you get permission? Are you now allowed to get mad if you see something you don't like? All questions that surface as a result of phone arguments.

Privacy Shmivacy. I think a female needs to check her boyfriend's phone every now and then. I see too many girls out there that have no clue what there significant others are doing because they have never seen their phone and it goes both ways, male or female. I'm not promoting going behind someone's back, because that definitely can hurt your relationship. The phone issue in itself can cause disruption because it brings up the issue of trust. The more you desire to check your partner's phone is truly a sign of trust issues. It's better to build trust and honesty, rather than lose a relationship over it. Hate it or love it, phones have the ability to reveal what people are afraid to say or show actions that people are people are afraid to fess up to. To cross the border into the unknown or not to?... that is the question.

Familiar with Jack Shit?

I got this funny BBM and I decided to share it.

For some time many of us have wondered who is Jack Shit? We find ourselves at a loss when someone says, "You don't know Jack Shit?" Well, thanks to my efforts you can now respond in an intellectual way. Jack Shit is the only son of Awe Shit who married O Shit. In turn Jack Shit married Noe Shit. The couple had six children: Holie Shit, Giva Shit, Fulla Shit, Bull Shit, and the twins Deep Shit and Dip Shit. Deep Shit married Dumb Shit, a high school dropout. After 15 years, Jack and Noe Shit got divorced and she married Ted Sherlock and became Noe Shit Sherlock. Meanwhile, Dip Shit married Lota Shit and had a rather nervous disposition named Chicken Shit. Fulla Shit and Giva Shit married the Happens brothers in a double wedding. The newspaper invited everyone to the Shit-Happens wedding. Bull Shit traveled the world and returned home with an Italian bride, Pisa Shit. So from now on, no one can tell you that you don't know Jack Shit.

Falalalala...

Falalalala...
Heard it in a song, growing up.
"Falalalalalalalala means I love you..."
Yeah 'cause it's so hard to explain why I'm still attached,
Yet it's so easy to list the reasons why I wish I could forget you.
Falalalala...
I think they say that in daydreams or something.
You know, the ones where you skip and stuff.
I checked out on daydreams a long time ago.
Life is a 24/7 reality check.
Plus I'm not much of a skipper,
Fell too much as a child.
Falalalala...
It's what you say when you clog your ears and try to block outside noise.
You close your eyes and for a sec...
For a sec, you're in control.
You're halting the chaos,
You're filtering out the foolishness.
You can't hear the "I love you"'s,
The memories are replaced with blackness.
And then you're back to where you were
Wishing life was just a song.
"Falalalalalalalala means I love you."
At least with songs, you know exactly how they end.
Instead, it's all a big mystery.
A bunch of jumbled letters, left for you to draw your own meaning out of them.
Falalalala...

FOTO OP: Hope Of The Martyrs

An ad I created for an event that's being hosted at my school.

For The Love Of... Sleeves!

The best part of a shirt to me has got to be the sleeves. Weird, I know, but they send my fashion-loving heart into a frenzy. Puffy sleeves, tight sleeves, ruffled sleeves, see-through sleeves, embroidered sleeves, sleeves with dangly things hanging from them, off the shoulder sleeves, military straps on sleeves, sleeve mania.

When you rush into a store, there's already so many clothing choices to choose from. Women are willing to spend more time than men to look through scattered clothing. The moshpit is really a tactic that stores create to capture women, because by sifting through the clothes, we're likely to find and purchase other items we didn't intend to buy. I've never been a fan of the moshpit, so my eyes just dart across the bundles, looking for a sleeve that catches my eye.

To me, shirts, dresses, or sweaters are distinguished by their sleeves. Striped sleeves on a plain cardigan, Rihanna spiked sleeves in the "So Hard" video, Gaga sleeves...which one? It doesn't matter. She either has no sleeves or statement-making ones. Yeah, this could be another one of my crazy obsessions but no matter the season, sleeves are sure to take your outfit to the next level.

Filth Exposed

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Famous Professions

Life events are always good for inspiring blog entries. Sparked from my own search for an internship as well as social interactions, I'm giving you five professions that come natural for people worldwide.

Optometrists: This world is full of eye doctors. Everyday, someone shows you a little piece of them that helps you see clearer.

Authors: Everyone has a story to tell. I remember reading a quote that describes us all being the authors of own dictionaries. No one can define you better than you.

Teachers: Each person you encounter teaches you a different lesson, whether it be about yourself or life in general.

Shipwrights: We build relationships with every individual we meet. It's our responsibility whether they stay afloat or sink.

Sanitary Workers: In life, you run into a lot of sanitation workers. These are the people responsible for either treating you like trash or clearing your life of any garbage that other people left behind.