low self esteem is a killer

i have a friend who knows a woman that was murdered this past saturday. she was 36 years old and the mother of 5. wondering who killed her??? well, it was none other than her boyfriend, her so-called beloved. see...he was locked up for a year and a half for wrapping her up in duct-tape. and even though he did this extremely disrespectful act, she still found it necessary to visit him in prison and give him money. he eventually got out. all the while, they never stopped being a couple. so the other day, she was under the impression that he was on his way over to deliver a belated mother's day gift. little did she know that the evening was going to end with her being stabbed to death. she was found monday because the smell that was coming from her apartment was so outrageous that the neighbors couldn't take it any longer. the landlord found her on the floor, naked, with a sheet over her face. on the wall, in blood, was written,"i am sick. i need help." a couple of days later, her car was sold to a neighborhood kid for $100. she was the mother of 5 children and not one child belonged to her murdering boyfriend.

i personally didn't know this woman, but this story is not the first of its kind. so i ask you, what's up with the whole topic of people murdering their loved one? was the love that was felt ever that intense? or was it always completely twisted? i mean, u meet someone. you're feeling that person completely. he or she gives you goosebumps, so you want them around all the time. you eventually become intimate and you got a new habit. ok...i follow that. but how does the transition kick off, though? to where you're stabbing them to death. can an argument kick it off? hmmm, that's just not a good enough reason, because its just a difference in opinion and you can work through that; just like a ripple in a pond. and if it gets to be too much and you're really not seeing eye to eye, then there's always this one fact...TOO MANY PEOPLE LIVE ON THE PLANET to get caught up in just one. so can an ego or jealousy problem kick it off? perhaps, b/c there are a lot of cocky people out there. and if that's the case then this holds true...u should just leave that person alone!! because at the risk of sounding extremely redundant...there are TOO MANY PEOPLE LIVING ON THE PLANET to get caught up in just one!!!

low self-esteem is a serious issue that plagues the minds of many. why would one settle for such disrespect? do they not feel worthy? do they honestly think they deserve the beatings, lashes of violence, endless nights of crying and shame, etc? every human deserves love and respect. hugs and kisses. if you are not getting that, then LEAVE whoever you're with alone. life is too short. you don't have to accept anything less than kindness from your lover.

if you know someone struggling with self esteem issues, please reassure them that they can be strong and stand up for their right to be happy. besides...their life IS at risk. the point of no return has to start somewhere. if a man is putting is hands on a woman, because he is SO angry, then what's to stop him from eventually taking her life one day. he obviously can't control himself.

peace, love and respect!

waterbugs -

why are they so gigantic??? and why have i managed to let their size and armor-coated disposition intimidate me?

i wonder what they think about while they cruise through bug-land in their hummers.

the ultimate hustler award goes to...

starting in july, the state of illinois will be installing speed cameras on highways that have work zones with a 45 mph speed limit. the fine for your first offense will be $375. if u get caught a second time, you will receive a $1000 ticket AND your license will be suspended for 90 days. WTF!!!

please imagine this. it's 2 am. you're driving home at 55 mph on an empty highway. you enter a work zone area, the orange signs inform u that the speed limit is now 45 mph. there are NO workers at work and there aren't many cars out on the road with you. u just want to get home, so you keep going at your pace. you make it home with relief. a few days later, you receive a $375 ticket in the mail. included is a photo of your face in your car speeding.

now, i understand that they want to protect the workers b/c many have been killed by speed demons. but, in real life, workers aren't working all the time. and what's the grace mileage? a human cop's logic can be like, "oh they're only going 3 miles, or 6 miles over the limit. so, i'm not going to give them a ticket for that. plus there are no workers working." but do these damn cameras have any reasoning capabilities. if i'm going 1 mile over, will i still receive a $375 ticket?


and they're seriously talking about issuing a $1000 fine for the second offense AND suspending your license for 90 days. that is straight gangsta. what kind of havoc is this going to create?

and have they factored in that it's absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to do the speed limit. my friends that know me, know i cruise when i drive. i like to take my time, b/c i don't like flashing lights and a cop's voice telling me to pull over. this being the case, i can testify, that the majority of ppl driving don't want u to do the limit. if you do, you're really pissing ppl off. they're speeding up behind you, riding your bumper, passing you while giving you the finger or a look that could kill you. basically, it's hazardous to drive the speed limit. what ever happened to driving with the flow of traffic? i can only imagine how much money the state is going to make per hour with their robotic traffic cops.

i've come to the conclusion that the state of illinois is THIRSTY. these blood suckers won't sleep unless they're hustling drivers for their hard earned dollars. and where will all this new found money be going? they're already pimping us with the numerous parking fines being handed out daily, the pay-to-park boxes and the violations you receive if you neglect to pay, the yellow boots they put on special those wheels (whenever they're in the mood to sweep your neighborhood for 7 consecutive days, always looking for more ways to make that money), the unlimited towing calls they put in, the doubling of tickets, and the list goes on and on and it don't stop.

it's just not enough anymore for the police to hunt alone for driver's dollars. now, the state wants to install these camera sidekicks that have non-stop scoping ability. yeah, it'll start with work zones, then it's going to spread across the board. 'cause just like any vampire, once the taste of blood hits its tongue, there will be no stopping its desire to obtain more.

the ultimate hustler has been targeted.

be careful driving in illinois.

peace love and balance!

happy mother's day!!!

happy mother's day!

now that i've said that, let me say this. personally, i think mother's day is every day. even though the US decided that today should be dedicated to the mothers, which works well for the economy, hallmark, florists, and all the other stores profiting from this holiday, i can't lose sight of the fact that my mother is a mother every day.

so why aren't people taking time to appreciate the mothers who should be appreciated EVERY day? they only gave life to us. can u imagine a man harvesting a unborn child in his womb for 9 months only to go through the joyous event of "labor and delivery"? if u haven't experienced this, then let me tell you...HONEY, giving birth is some serious business. i had no idea that your body could feel such pain. it hardly seems fair for any human to ever to go through that. which is why i'm always amazed at the earth's population. after the enduring session of untimely contractions, pelvic bones shifting and relocating, ligaments being stretched and pulled every which way, the pressure, the pressure, the pressure (yep, i said it 3 times) and eventually the baby pushing (or the c-section), you get to change a million+ diapers and dedicate your once supple breasts to, what seems like, non-stop breast-feeding. let alone all the nurturing, cultivating, supporting, teaching, money-spending, preaching, feeding and leading that comes with having a child for the next 18+ years of your life.

in a nutshell, every day is mother's day! we can't forget where we come from. literally.

"people make the world go round."

so...hug your mom for me (if she's no longer breathing air, then she's wrapped around you all the time anyway, so tell her i say peace). and if you're a mom, i'm hugging you long distance.

love peace and respect!

i'm alive

peace family,

how's life treating ya? how do you feel, right now? take a snapshot of your mood in this very moment.

if you're curious about me and my current state, then let me tell you, i'm absolutely phenomenal!! i'm swinging on the vines of life, blushing. what's got me so excited?? well, beautiful people, let me share this with you. i woke up this morning AND i can see, hear, taste, smell, think clearly, speak intelligently, walk with my legs, touch with each one of my fingertips, breathe on my own, and that's just the foundation of my excitement.

i'm also super-charged about...

1. laughing and smiling A LOT. even when it seems there is no reason behind it (well, not one that u can see with your naked eye, anyway).

2. dancing and singing to the music that lives in my head - anytime and anywhere the mood strikes me - in the street, a store, an elevator, the train, my car, irregardless of the strangers that may take witness. i just smile and continue to soak up my freedom. (no mp3 player or i-pod required)

3. telling and showing my family and friends how much i love them. how else will they ever know? everyone needs love. love is the answer to most of the problems facing this world today. if i could only put my love in a pill and make people take them (for free).

4. embracing nature's beauty. i like taking time out to appreciate life that often goes by unnoticed, like touching the bark of a living tree and being one with its energy. trees are so wonderful. even though humans chop them down, they still want to give us oxygen, just so we can breathe. showing us unconditional love. when was the last time you touched one and gave your respect?

5. allowing my mind to wander as i pay attention to the nightly face-change of the moon and surrounding clouds (if any exist). the night sky is amazing. i like to be reminded that we live on an extremely small ball that spins in a gigantic universe. so how big can our "issues" really be?

6. zoning out while viewing waves tip-toe or crash in on the lakefront. isn't it something how the moon aids the motion of the tides? i absolutely love water and this universe!!!

in a nutshell, life is great. i'm alive. i can't complain. i'd rather be thankful for the greatness i experience while living my life on this planet. sometimes we focus on what we don't have and completely lose sight of the gifts we possess. the reality is...none of our moments should be taken for granted, because not one second is promised.

so again i ask, how are you? how's life treating ya?


hug often. love everyday. respect the earth. respect yourself.

peace, love and balance!