OT:Dreams & Goals

Everyone has dreams and goals, but how many people have actually had a chance to live them out or accomplish them? Not very many because setting a goal is easy, but doing it may bring about many tribulations. As for dreams, they're easy to think up, but living them out is rather hard.

Have you stopped and thought about your goals lately? How you written them down and carry them with you? If you don't, you should research the benefits of writing them down. How about revisiting what you would like to happen in your wildest dreams? I have and I tend not to forget them thanks to a mentor I met freshman year of college. She told me, "Find a poem or quote that motivates you, makes you think, but above all, makes you feel good after you have finished reading it." This was great advice because I now have a poem I read once every month which helps me to accomplish many goals.

Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore--
And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

I believe everyone should have a quote or poem that motivates them to succeed. If not one of the two, there needs to be something. So, if you don't have one at the moment, use the poem that motivates me until you can find something else. If you already have something that motivates you, I hope whatever it is has helped you, like mine has helped me.

Florida Has a State Song

Did you know Florida has a state song? I did not and I am a native of Florida. It was not something I learned while in school. I learned Florida had a state song after I read an article discussing the racial lyrics. The title of the song is Old Folks at Home and the lyrics to the song are:

Way down upon de Swanee Ribber,
Far, far away,
Dere's wha my heart is turning ebber,
Dere's wha de old folks stay.
All up and down de whole creation,
Sadly I roam,
Still longing for de old plantation,
And for de old folks at home.

Chorus:
All de world am sad and dreary,
Ebry where I roam,
Oh! darkeys, how my heart grows weary,
Far from de old folks at home.
All round de little farm I wandered
When I was young,
Den many happy days I squandered,
Many de songs I sung.
When I was playing wid my brudder
Happy was I
Oh! take me to my kind old mudder,
Dere let me live and die.
One little hut among de bushes,
One dat I love,
Still sadly to my mem'ry rushes,
No matter where I rove
When will I see de bees a humming
All round de comb
When will I hear de banjo tumming
Down in my good old home?

The lyrics in question are part of the chorus referring to "darkeys" longing for "de old plantation." I had to read the song again because I did not catch it the first time. When I did catch it, I could not understand why anyone would consider keeping those lyrics in a state song. Some Florida lawmakers feel the same as I do. They would like the lyrics to be changed to "dear ones" longing for "my childhood's station.”

Once Florida amends the adopted foster song, it will be the second state to remove offensive lyrics from a state song. I believe changing the lyrics of Florida’s state song will not take away from the song. It can only add to it and avoid controversy which may arise later.

The Weatherman Can Be Funny

It is nearing the end of the school semester for me and I am finding a little more time to surf the Internet and watch interesting videos. The latest video I watched was of a Florida weatherman screaming like a female after seeing a cockroach. Take a look and have a laugh.

Now Its Legal To Have A Gun at Work

A few nights ago I had a dream, a dream about me being shot by a person carrying a gun just because they could due to their rights. I woke up frighten because everyday I turn on the television and there is news of someone being murdered by a gun.

Recently a bill passed through the Florida House and Senate to allow employees to carry guns to work. They’re unable to take the gun inside the workplace and the only place they should remain is in their car. The bill is now waiting for the Florida Governor to pass it.

I find it hard to believe that Florida would consider making guns more accessible to any person. Why would a person need to bring a gun to work for protection? To shoot an employee if their being nagged at or maybe someone is looking at them the wrong way. I do not understand if having a gun in a car that you’re not sitting in is protection because the person is far away from the car it an incident was to happen.

After thinking about this bill for a while, I thought about alternative motives people could have for having a gun in their car at work. One motive includes shooting someone who has made that person’s life miserable at work. Question: What if a person snapped because they could not take the stress anymore and took that gun from their car and killed several people and then turned the gun their self? Would it still be okay for employee’s to bring guns to work? I do not think so.

It is hard to understand the reasoning behind allowing guns inside employees’ cars at work, no matter if they’re legal and I don’t understand why they will not allow businesses to set their own rules on their property about guns. I agree with businesses that do not want guns in their employees’ cars. I believe they’re considering the potential problem that may arise in the future.

A Slip and Fall

Surfing the internet, I came across a video of a woman slipping and falling in a Florida Store. I do not know if I should be laughing because of her fall or should I be serious. Watch the video and help me decide.

An Added Step for Abortion

Abortion: the removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the uterus, resulting in or caused by its death.

It is also a word which can yield numerous arguments among people around the world. I myself agree with abortion. Why should a person have a child if they can not care for it? Or why should a person go through with the pregnancy and give the baby up? That is 9 months out of their life for something they did not want. Plus the world has enough poverty and if a person chooses this path then they should not be judged.

For people who do not support abortion, the Senate may pass a bill requiring all people considering an abortion to take an ultrasound. It does not mean they have to look at it, but they’re required to sign a waiver. If the bill passes, the Senate hopes it will intimate candidates of abortion into not going through with it or intimate them into considering alternative options.

Although I agree with abortion, I do feel this bill is needed to stop people from just taking the easy way out. If people who have had more than one abortion and does not take responsible for their actions, maybe numerous steps will make them consider what their doing. For those who are on the fence about terminating a pregnancy, maybe the ultrasound is the deciding factor which will change their life forever. Either way, another step in getting an abortion is needed in order to make sure each person terminating a pregnancy has made the right decision and not a regretful one.

Teen Driving + Cellphones = Dangerous

If you saw a teen on a cellphone flying pass you in a car, what would you think? Would you pay no attention or would you considering not driving close to them? I, myself don’t like anyone on a cellphone unless it is hands free because people have almost hit me while gabbing on the phone.

Last year one Senator attempted to get a bill passed banning all persons from using a cellphone while driving, but the bill was denied. Now there is a bill banning teens from using any cellphones while driving because they’re the most vulnerable to car accidents.

This is a relief considering many teens I see in Florida driving like to multi-task on the road. I mean, they’re on the cellphone, have the music blasting and they have a friend in the car who is talking to them. That is just way too much going on for a person who has been driving less than a year.

The bill has been passed and it is a great idea, but the problem is that officers can not just pull a teen over. Violations could be enforced only as a secondary offense when drivers are pulled over for other infractions. I have a problem with this part of the bill because if a cop is driving next to a teen and they’re on the phone, the cop ca not do anything but watch. What if farther down the road, the same teen caused an accident which could have been prevented?

Florida passes many bills which help to make the roads safer. With this bill, I feel they meant to make the roads safer and did not consider why they were passing the bill. To stop teens from using the cellphone while driving, should not they be pulled over when seen using the cellphone? Would not that make more sense in preventing accidents? I guess not because Senate does not see it that way.