Beautiful Bella. We know your name.

Baby Doe captured the nation. We all were asking "How could no one know this child is missing?" Yesterday we found out that beautiful little girls name is Bella. Beautiful Bella.

When I found out her name, suddenly I felt like I was introduced to her. Not yet three years old and taken away. She barely got to live her life and at that, who knows what kind of life that was.

I was so moved by this case. So many questions. Now maybe they will be answered.

Bella's Mother has been arrested along with her Mother's boyfriend. The Mother is being charged with accessory after the fact and the boyfriend is being charged with the murder. I'm glad someone is being held accountable, this is a good thing, but I don't think accessory after the fact is enough of a charge for the Mother. It was her child... her baby. Bella was her responsibility. Why not speak up right away instead of helping dump your child in a trash bag along the water and walk away?? I simply cannot fathom it.  She needs to be charged with murder as well.

This woman has already had two children removed from her care and adopted out due to neglect! How on earth did anyone in Child Services think "third times the charm!"?? Now don't get me wrong... I won't blame child services. It's a harrowing job and sadly they are all overworked. We need more people in this field, so instead of blaming... I think we should be encouraging people to get involved.

But where was Bella's Father? Her Family? I saw an interview today with her Father and Grandmother from that side. He said he has been in Florida and had no idea that Bella was even missing. Really? Are you proud of the fact that you haven't attempted to speak to your baby daughter in months? No... how could you know if you didn't bother to stay in contact with her or her mother. Poor kid didn't have much of a chance at life.

Even the neighbors. They noticed the child wasn't around... but just assumed that her daughter was taken away from her like her other kids were.  One neighbor said they didn't want to get involved. I don't blame the neighbors either to be honest. Even if they suspected... It's a very hard decision to make especially when you already think the person you're going to report is unstable. But don't take that the wrong way... I understand... but I still think they should have called anonymously or something. SOMETHING!

In the end... I want to thank law enforcement for doing an outstanding job to try and give Baby Doe her name. Doing everything in their power to see that this baby gets justice for having her life taken so short and so brutally. I appreciate the work they did.

Moreso tho, I want to thank the tipster who gave police the tip that essentially gave her back her identity and put the people in prison who took her life.

I pray for peace for Baby Bella....

Donald Trump..... Huh???

Hey Folks,

So.... I wanted to write this post now before the election really heats up in 2016. I was shocked when I heard Donald Trump was truly throwing his hat in the ring to be a candidate. Let's be honest, he's claimed he was going to run the past 2 or 3 elections but never followed through. It used to make me laugh to be honest when he would say it. The man loves his publicity!!

Ok... When it became official that he was running, I cringed and said things like "I don't want to live in a country that Trump is the leader of!"...  and I meant it.

I never liked the guy and I thought he was one of the biggest idiots on the planet. His squabble with Rosie O'Donnell years ago and the things he said. It seemed like nearly everything he said in the press made me roll my eyes or cringe. I watch the "Celebrity Apprentice" cuz I tend to be a bit of a celebophile... but I never, ever, ever liked the board room part of the show, cuz again, Trump was an idiot. He loved to put people in awkward spots and try to get people angry... great for ratings, but some people just don't dig people being mean. I'm one of those people. So... I generally fast forwarded through that part of the show.

So again, once it was official, he was suddenly EVERYWHERE! CNN seems to have a Trump fetish. But the man is making news. His name is mentioned nearly every night on every talk show monologue. He is everywhere.... EVERYWHERE! When you stop and listen and pay attention.... well, it kind of makes you go... Hmmmm!

I'm saying hmmm a lot about him lately. Some of what he stands for makes sense. He speaks like a person and not a politician. He's not very politically correct and man does he say some off things, but when he talks about what he stands for, he is speaking my language. It feels to me like he's not saying what he thinks the voters want to hear... but more what he genuinely feels.

I'm not committing to voting for him... I'm not saying that, I am saying that he has me paying attention like never before. I'm listening. I do think it's time to have a successful businessman in office instead of a politician.

I'm very intrigued! I had to remove his TV persona out of the picture. I'm sure he is a dick to some extent right? Cuz to be that successful in business you kind of have to be. The other half I think is for ratings and just general publicity. It works...

So... I'm not a decided voter, but I am very interested in this election like never before and that alone... because I am not alone... is a good thing!

I'll keep you posted!!  My mind could easily change over the next year.

Jaided

Black Lives Matter....... Too

I've debated long and hard about writing this post.

I didn't like the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter.  It bothered me. I felt like it was exclusionary... because I am not black, does this mean my life doesn't? Shouldn't it be all lives matter? They do..... they should anyway.  So that was my stand, #AllLivesMatter!

Recently, I saw a photo someone posted of the City Hall from the city I grew up in and there above the entry was a large banner that said #BlackLivesMatter and that's when I really started to pay attention. I didn't think that a City Hall should take such a stand. City Hall is a symbol of the entire city and unless the entire city agrees, it doesn't belong emblazoned on that spot. Again, I just feel the hashtag is saying if you are not black, you don't matter. That is the reason why it bothered me that it hung there.

I'm not against making a stand to remind people that black people are people too. That their lives should matter as much as anyone else's does. I'm all for that. Why not #BlackLivesMatterToo? Isn't that a stronger statement? Reminding people? Letting us know that it seems we are forgetting that fact? Why not add the too?

Someone told me that it's a "movement" and that it's much deeper than just a slogan... or even a hashtag. I still didn't understand.

Racism exists. I've never been black and I have no idea what it's like to live as a black person so how could I possibly understand it to the fullest? I can't. I won't even pretend I understand.

I've been so frustrated by this hashtag. I felt like it was causing a larger divide between the races and doing more damage to race relations than good. The question then became "What if "WhiteLivesMatter" was trending? Wouldn't that be jumped on as being racist? Of course it would! If that would be offensive then why isn't #BlackLivesMatter offensive?

So in my frustration, I decided to educate myself on this whole hashtag that seems to be causing a lot of debates among all sorts of people of all different races. I needed to know why it was considered a movement. That's the kind of person I am. I don't like to comment on anything until I am educated on it... both sides. I understand my frustration and I needed to understand what it was all about.

So I found this article written by the woman who started the hashtag in the first place. Her name is Alicia Garza and she wrote an article explaining the history of it as well as the whys and hows of it all. You can read the article by clicking below.

A Herstory of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement by Alicia Garza

I found it very informative. It helped me to understand the whole thing better. According to the article, it started with Treyvon Martin's killing. It picked up steam with the Michael Brown shooting.

With a better understanding of why it is a movement and what it is intended for and it's meaning, I don't feel as offended. I think it's great for people to try and bring attention to an important situation. I said I don't feel as offended and I'm not, but I still firmly believe it should be #BlackLivesMatterToo.

Not everyone is going to take the time to educate themselves... black, white, hispanic, asian etc.... what people see is just those three words and they can be interpreted in many ways. Adding the too takes some of the sting away, but leaves enough of a sting to make the point.

Below is a video that went viral.
It went viral because it spoke to what a lot of people were thinking and feeling. Five million hits in one day on this video below (adult language)

I believe Black Lives Matter.  I believe that there needs to be change. I believe that all humans should be treated the same. I truly do.... I hope the movement doesn't do more harm than good.

Jaided

Baby Doe found on Deer Island.

Composite image of Baby Doe.	Reference Link : NamUs – National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. “Baby Doe” Estimated to be between the ages of 3 – 5 years old. Brown hair, brown eyes, pierced ears. She was wearing white leggings with black polka dots and wrapped in a zebra blanket when found in Winthrop Massachusetts on Deer Island in a trash bag. Like many of us, this case cuts deep. Several weeks later and this child still doesn't have her name back. No one has reported her missing. Why?? Her little face has been shared around the internet and social media millions of times and still no one knows who she is!
Someone knows her! A Parent, Grandparent, Aunt, Uncle, Neighbor, Friend... someone! Come forward! It’s bad enough that her little life was cut short but to be discarded in the way that she was is sickening! Left in a trash bag on Deer Island like she was nothing is disgraceful. I think we are all asking ourselves how no one is missing this little girl. Why no missing persons reports that match her? What could a four year old child do that is so horrible that it warrants this kind of end? Nothing!  Justice for Baby Doe…  Speak Up!
I pray that this child gets justice. I pray for her to have her name back and that the people responsible for her death and her being tossed away pay for what they have done. In Peace, Jaided

My Spin on "Too Fat to be Photographed"

Reference Link : "So you’re feeling too fat to be photographed . . ." by Teresa S. Porter. 

A couple of years ago, a friend of mine shared a link to a blog post called "So you're feeling too fat to be photographed" and the title piqued my interest enough to go and read it.  I was fascinated by the simple yet profound logic that she wrote about, and it changed my answer to whether or not I was too fat to be photographed from a Yes to a resounding No!!

So let me back track to the days before that blog post knocked me in the head. I was very active on Facebook (like many of us) and I would update my profile pictures, but they would just be my face and taken from slightly above to hide the extra chins I have. When you're fat, or in many cases when you think you're fat, you learn little tricks for being in a picture. Of course the most popular choice is to not be in the picture at all, but if you can't talk your way out of it, then usually you opt to be behind everyone hiding as much of your body as possible. Maybe you're the type who likes to be on the end, and angle yourself sideways a little. No matter... the point is... you know the tricks and you've tried them all.

I forbid everyone.... EVERYONE from posting any pictures of me on Facebook, and God forbid if they tagged me. One time, one of my cousins posted a picture of me and tagged me. The second I saw the picture, I deleted the tag, and for some reason it stayed on my page. I was in a panic! I'm not kidding. I deleted my cousin as a friend in hopes it would make it go away and then I deleted some more friends who I hoped never saw it. I was THAT insane about my picture being public. I did re-friend everyone after I fixed the situation. I hope this gives you some idea of how desperately I did not want to be seen in pictures on social media.

All of my picture albums on Facebook were of my friends and family, my dog, places I've been, events I attended but none of me with those people or at those places. I did have those pictures, but not for public viewing.  The blog post made me realize how incredibly stupid I was being!!!

Everything changed because of that blog post. I realized that my friends and family don't care what I look like... they don't look at my pictures and say things like "Oh my God how could you share that you look so fat!" why would they? I mean, if they did.... are they my friend anyway?  The only opinions in life that matter to me are those of the people I am emotionally invested in.

It's so very freeing to let go of that fear of being seen as you are. Now I post lots of pictures of me and my friends and family together. Cuz these are the people I love. These are the best times of my life and by not being in the pictures I take that away from myself. 

Don't get me wrong... I'll still try and get photographed at the right angles and I'll try and get behind people to hide my body still, but I am in the pictures. I'm there... 

Now because of my newfound freedom, I get so frustrated with my friends who need to see any pictures I post, or asking me to crop this and that before I do. I wish everyone could embrace the idea that the people who love you and know you... aren't judging you. 

So post! Let your friends and family see your smiling face.

Jaided

Meme This...... What??

So I was scrolling my Facebook page and came across this Meme.  I removed the name of the person who seemed to have written it. I'm not a fan of exposing people or opening them up to criticism. Well.... Non public figures anyway.

So I responded to the person who shared it (but did not write it). I understood the point that was being made. The men and women of our military deserve far more than what they get. I support that 100%. I think most of us do. What our Military have done and will continue to do is above and beyond. Their families sacrifice as well. They certainly deserve more pay, recognition and benefits.

What I have a problem with is how this point was made.


So degrading fast food employees for wanting more pay helps make a point? Not at all! "You are working in a job designed for a kid in high school" were these jobs really "designed" for kids in high school or is that the stigma that became of those kinds of jobs?

What about the 45 year old man who stands at the register and takes and fills that order is bad? Is it possible this is his second job to help support his family? What if it's his only job?? Should he be ashamed or belittled for it? Shouldn't the idea that he is working at all give him some credit? 

How many times have you ever heard of someone desperately looking for a job pass on the idea of working at a fast food place or coffee joint all because of the ridicule and image of it? So being unemployed is the better option. Does that make sense? 

No one chooses this type of job as a life long profession. But let's remember not everyone can afford a college education. Shall we go there? How many people with a bachelor degree with student loans have their dream job or for that matter any job in their chosen profession? 

Seems so easy doesn't it?  So before we go adding to the negative image and assuming John Doe is a loser for what he does, let's look at it as HE IS WORKING! He is doing a job.... And they're not as easy as you'd think.

All I'm saying.... Is it's ok to make your point, but as my Father used to say "you catch more flies with honey than you do vinegar"

Peace!

Prayers for Charleston South Carolina

Image from Google.

I tend to be a night owl. I was up pretty late the night this tragedy took place. My heart sank.... Nine people killed in cold blood while having a prayer meeting in a church. How can anyone stoop so low?We can all ask why... and most people are. What could drive a 21 year old kid to kill people simply because they are black? He knew nothing about these people aside from the color of their skin. How does someone become that filled with hate for people they do not know?  I just don't get it and truth is I don't want to. I don't want to know how someone can do such a thing.

I won't use the suspects name... he doesn't deserve any publicity at all.

I don't know his parents.... so none of us should judge them unless we know them personally. Are they to blame? Should they be held accountable for raising this hateful human being. For all we know, they could be the nicest people on earth. Too often parents are verbally abused for their role... but unless you know their role you shouldn't speak to it.

I pray to God to comfort ALL the victims of this violent crime. I ask God to bless them with healing, peace, mental and emotional healing, Strength and hope.

When I say all victims... I mean anyone who was effected by this crime. Family, friends, co-workers... anyone who is having a hard time with it. We all need peace!

This was a HATE crime. There are no other words to describe this.

I want to Thank the Police and FBI in South Carolina for arresting the suspect in a timely manner. For putting every resource they had in place to find him and get him behind bars where he can no longer spread his hatred.

*Shaking my head*

Jaided