This Past Week

I started this new job in Berkeley, a city I love and want to live in. I just can't afford it yet. I love my job and I love the people I work with. I enjoy getting to work an hour early just so I can walk around and experience the essence of Berkeley: the people. I look at each store and person and examine them. I just wonder what can I learn. I feel everyone has a story from the bum and his dog to the executive in a rush. There's a reason these people are here in Berkeley. I feel like home when I'm there. It makes me so happy. From my very first time there until now I still get excited to be around such culture and activism.
Sometimes I wonder if I made a mistake not going to Cal. Then I remember that everything happens for a reason. There were people I was supposed to meet and I wouldn't be where I am today without those experiences. We all have things that we wish we could change, but life is uncontrollable to an extent.
Everyday is a step closer to learning who you are and where you want to go. When I was younger I wanted to be a doctor, lawyer, a coroner, an artist, a singer, a business leader , and so much more. Now I wonder sometimes what it is I want to do exactly. One thing I know for sure is that I want the freedom to call the shots. I realize now more than ever I have the power to be whatever and whoever I want to be if I just believe in myself. This is something I need to work on. It's a habit from my childhood, I was told this is who I am and I believed it. Now I know I'm more than that. It's just hard to get out of a 24 year bad habit.
Everyday is a learning experience and I love it. We all have our up and our down days, but it's what we learn from each experience that helps us. I'm happy that I am getting closer to my heart's desires. My advice to anyone else who comes by my blog is to do what you want and if you can't, do something that will get you closer to getting to do what you want. The only person that can limit you is you.
Parents do have a say in a child's life but don't let your dream go. Parents tend to put their dreams and beliefs on to their children without much thought. That carries over into adulthood. I'm proof. Everyone is strong enough to fulfill their dreams and be happy. Do what the authoritative figure in your life says, but also do what you love. There's time for both until you are strong enough to stand up for yourself.
Have a lovely day or night and I hope this random thought somehow helps you move forward with your life. It's never to late to be who you want to be. Age is just a number and life is just a phase. Live everyday like it's your last stage. You're the star of your own show.

Banks....

Let's be real. Banks are not on any one's side but their own. Your money nor my money is safe in a bank, but we need to have a bank account to function in American society. It sucks, but that's life.

Fact: banks make more money off extra fees than anything else. 
Fact: banks take to long to give people their money back. 
Fact: banks are counting on your overdraft fees and the fact that most people don't actually read their agreements with the bank. 

I fell victim to this with Wells Fargo. I was in college and needed a bank account. I went with Wells Fargo because that's what my roommate had at that time. I went to sign up for a college account and the lady helped me do that. A few months later I noticed some fees on my account. I went in and talked to a teller about it. He told me that I did not have a college account, but a regular one and that cost $10 per a month. I was shocked. That woman smiled in face and lied to me just to meet her monthly quota. After that I kept my membership with Wells Fargo.

A year later I was a victim of  a scam. I figured it out went into the bank and showed them all the paper work and they said everything should be fine. They knew I got scammed. The next day they told me that I could no longer be a member of their bank and I should go elsewhere as soon as possible. I did, but after that I told my story to everyone I knew. I am now at Bank of America and haven't had any issues yet. I understand what I need to do to keep my account in good standing. If there is anything you should learn about banks, it's that you should really do your homework. Figure out what the purpose of a bank is and check out customer and employee reviews.  Know what kind of account you really need. If you aren't saving, then you don't need a savings account. Always have a plan A, B, and C. This economy is not the greatest right now and everyone wants money, especially banks.

Hopefully, this has been helpful to someone. I wish I knew this stuff before. I'm glad I know now.

Religion and Other Opinions

Since college, I noticed that many people around me don't read their holy scripture. They just follow what religious leaders say is right. I was one of those people as a child. As I got older, I started to question what others said about Islam. The more I questioned, the less I believed in Islam.

It didn't make since how a religion could say that man and women are equal but also say it's okay to beat your wife. That's when I knew I couldn't see myself marrying a Muslim man. Also, I didn't believe in going to war if someone talks bad about or denounces the Islamic religion. To me that is giving Muslims the right to go to war with anyone of another religion. I'm sure there is truth in there somewhere but I think men have altered the Qur'an for their own benefit. Many Muslim try to defend the religion, but they can not defend the words that are in the Qur'an.

Also in Christianity there are similar situations that occur. Because of this I believe that religions are man's way of controlling the masses. I do believe there is a god, but I do not believe that I should choose a certain religion. The reason I believe in god is because there are things in my life that have happened beyond the control of humans. There had to be a greater power that had these things happen.

Also, I believe in astrology because I have had things in my life that have happened in my life that a psychic knew. These are things that nobody knew but me. I also have seen things come true about others that people thought the psychic was lying about. It made them a believer. I also believe in science and destiny. These are all things that mainstream religions denounce. In the Qur'an it does talk about the Zodiac and how it is guarded from evil. I believe that but there are people out there who take advantage of people's belief in astrology and just take it to another level.

My friend Bayo says that I'm confused. Maybe I am, but I am sure that I can't be a part of a religion without fully understanding it. It's hard for me to say that's I'm not Muslim because that religion was instilled in me at a young age. It feels wrong to say it because it's different. I'm a pretty open person but religion is really complicated. So for now, I just treat others how I would want to be treated. You can't go wrong with the golden rule.

2011 to 2012

My Chinese zodiac is a Rabbit. So, it's great the 2011 was the year of the Rabbit. I am happy to say that I started off the year with a Marketing Management position. It's great, but it's also stressful when marketing strategies don't go your way. SlugBooks.com has a great web site where students at certain schools can save up to 70% or more on web sites. I don't see why they wouldn't take this offer.

We'll that was short lived. Slug Books was great but I took a better opportunity. This opportunity seemed great at the time but I didn't realize how much work I had to really put in. Stress and family go to me. I stopped working towards my goals and started being depressed and isolated.

2011 turned out to be a learning experience. The year of the Rabbit is gone and now enters the year of the Dragon. The year of the Dragon has been a lot more promising. I've made some new and drastic changes for the better. It's nice to be in an environment where I can hear myself think and just move forward. I've stopped contact with negative people, and focused on positivity.  I wake up everyday happy to go to work and do what I want to do. I have plenty of time to write and dance. The year of the Dragon for me is the year of Action. I'm doing what I need to do and what I have to do. I hope the same has been happening for others.

The Left Side or The Right Side?

Life is hard, but it's fun. Do I get disappointed when I can't get something I want? Sure I do. I also know that in the future I will not have to worry about choosing between what I need and what I want. I think some of my friends don't understand why I'm not looking for another job. I don't want a job. I want a business, a successful empire that I could leave for future generations. I have come to realize that I am not employable. I can't work a lot and get a little. My self worth is more than what any normal job can give me. I have joined Primerica because I believe in what they do. They provide services that everyone needs at some point in their life. If my family understood finances long before they had financial problems, I feel they would've been better off than they are now. I don't want my future family to worry like I did. I want my family to grow happy, healthy, and intelligent. If this means I have to suffer a little bit, then fine. I believe in the bigger picture. In this book called Rich Dad's Cashflow Quadrant by Robert Kiyosaki, he talks about the four ways to make money. An individual can be an employee, self-employed, a business owner, and an investor(30). On the left side of the quadrant are employee and self-employed. On the right side are business owner and investor. I have been employed and I have been self-employed. I want to be a business owner and an investor. I understand this takes time, but I'm willing to make that sacrifice. I want to break the cycle of settling for less. I want the whole world and I will have it. The right side is the right side.

Receive, Give, Receive: The Cycle of Human Kindness

One thing that I have noticed within this past year about myself, is that I have patience for certain things. As a journalist, I can't wait to get my next gig. As a sister, I can't stand it when my family is not considerate of my feelings. So, what do I do? What I have been doing is ignoring what they say and treating them like crap. Since it's the month of Ramadan, I have come to realize that I need to treat my family and friends better. It's not all about me. It's about giving and receiving. Think about it. During Christmas people always say that "it's better to give, than to receive". Well, you can't receive something unless someone else is giving. These actions are codependent and interchangeable. Think about it. Most people want to be rich or wealthy in life because they want to go on fancy vacations and take care of family in friends. Basically, they want to receive in order to give and then receive again. It's a continuous circle of human kindness. It's not because of a certain religion. It's not because of a certain culture or race. People want to give and receive because it feels good(right) to do so. So don't be ashamed if you're on the receiving end most of the time. Just make sure you give when you can. I know I do. Also, sometimes you can give love instead of objects (money, cars, clothes, etc.).

The Help and Other Opinions

I went to see The Help last Thursday and was very amazed at how great the story line was. Yes the movie was centered around racism, but there was also an inspirational message. The message I got out of it was to always go with what you believe in. The main characters in this book came from two completely different worlds , but they both had the same issue. They were trying to undo wrongs and change the lives of others. They both helped each other create a voice and changed the way some people thought about the help. As for me, being black in America is still a challenge. I feel some people still don't understand why Blacks are not all they can be. In the movie a lot of the black folks had to choose between work and their educational future. Even though times have changed the black psyche has not. We still view ourselves as less than others. Yes we are confident on the surface but beneath we are still struggling to be comfortable in our own skin. We let our education and accomplishments define us in order to feel accepted in American society but we still wonder what others think of us. I know some people will read this and think that what I am saying has no grounds at all. It is easier for blacks to believe the norm about themselves, rather than the truth. I find it really ironic that in the movie it showed young black girls taking care of house, home, and children of white families. Here we are now and we still carry the negative stereotype that we are loud, promiscuous, uneducated, and bad parents. Whites back then never had to choose between education and family. They had it all if they chose so. The majority of blacks full-fill these stereo type because that's all we were allowed to be for generations. If we were any different they would get rid of us. The Help brought light to the plight of black people, and showed part of the reason why blacks are still angry. Other people benefited from our service and we have yet to get rewarded for it. Imagine what blacks would be like today if we were equal to whites in America back then? I'm sure we would have a lot more pride in ourselves. My best friend always tells me that I'm taking things too personal when I notice racist acts in advertising, media, and education. I do take it personal because it applies to me. Racism is still here people and it's not going away unless we challenge the people in power. We may laugh at racist jokes, but we know it's not right. By our laughter at these racist remarks we tell others that it's OK to be racist. I don't hate white people but I do dislike the fact that their hatred from previous generations towards black people has mislead ideas about black people to other races for generations.