Anniversary Blog: 7 Years

So I'm writing this year's anniversary blog early quite frankly because I'm scared I'm going to forget. Plus today I spent the day at one of my friends house. She was one of only ones that were I could say was really there for me during all that time in the hospital. Oh, on my youtube channel I really have never told yall about why I always celebrate April 15th. Well when I was 24 after coming home from grocery shopping with my mom, some guys (3) wanted to take my purse and in one second my life was affected by a decision I made. I fought back. One of the guys shot me. Yeah, I know what your thinking, WHAT? yep, that's what I thought...But trust me, I have the scars to prove it. I was really sick for a while but through the grace of God I'm here. In the seven years that have passed I always take that day to recap what I have learned since then. I learned that you should try to make that most of what you have. To keep going even if your sad. There are evil people in the world. You should trust your gut. Many many things. That I can help people and that I matter. That God does things for a reason and that I'm special. If I weren't then I would not be here. I know that if not for the shot at close range I survived or maybe for that "cancer" doctors told me I had two years later. I know there are a lot of things you guys don't know about me. But what you will find out about me is that I'm a fighter. I always have been and always will be. God taught me that. Sometimes I look back at all the stuff and I think there's something I have to do but I don't know what it is. But all I know is that I'm not going to give up. Today I remember how much I love my mom. You know what, I remember most? For that month that I was in the hospital , she never cried. I cried, I guess waking up not being able to talk and with tubes all over would make any one cry. Looking back, I remember how dark that time of my life was. Do you know that for a whole year I didn't go out. I didn't go not even to any get together with my friends or anything. I had a colostomy (for #2) bag for a year. It was awful. But I guess that one of the things that has changed this year was that I was able to tell a room full of people at church (strangers) about what happened. I talked openly about what happened to strangers... I was taking this class at church and we were sharing stuff about forgiveness. They were talking about how we needed to forgive to be forgiven. Of course this was not the first time that I have know that I'm challenged in that area...lol. But you know what popped in my head that day? Why was I able to forgive these three guys for what they did to me but yet was not able to forgive one someone from my past? My excuse is that emotional wounds are harder to heal. Sometime I feel like I'm the one who cares more if he's forgive. Because he clearly doesn't care. My pastor says that when you forgive you let a prisoner go, yourself. I always say that forgiveness is what I need to work on and that's still the case...who knows when I'll be conquer that... God only knows!

How do people do it for 40-50 years?

When I wake up every morning I think " Oh, God give me strength". Lately I have been in this rut where I don't hardly want to do anything. And I just do what I have to do that day and not much else. I've been "reading" this book lately, it's called "The Four Hour Work Week". I forget who it's by, but anyways the guy, I have to say makes a damn good argument. He tales about him self and what made him be the person he is and have the thoughts that he has about life, basically. His theory is that the "American Dream" is a crappy idea. Most of us know that to be we work for 40-50 years and then when we retire we get to do what we want. Well, he says that whole idea is flawed from the begging. Why? you ask... well if and when we retire, who's to say you are healthy enough to be go and travel or do what you want to do by the time you are 70 years old? and who is to say that by the time you are 70 you will have enough money to do all the things you want to do. If inflation is eating up your 401k money along with all the other market crashes there are now a days. So his philosophy on life is to take sabbaticals from it. Like take vacations when and where you want, when and where you want. Take a month off to do whatever. You know, that kind of thing. He started an internet business that could be run remotely from his computer from anywhere on earth. Another great point I read in his book which I did know but I didn't really put it together as well as he, he states that here in America very few American's live well on 40k per year. But if you were to  have those same 40k a year in another place in the world you could defiantly live about average there. Which is so true if you think about all the people you know what do they talk about? As for me, the people I know always are talking about buying a new car or a new house or some expensive thing...but if we are buying all this stuff what are we giving up for the stuff? Time. How long does it take to pay off a house or a car? wouldn't you much rather be sitting on the a tropical beach somewhere instead of at working to pay something off? I LOVE this book. Now all I have to do is find a business I can run remotely from pc...that way I can quite my job and become the world traveler I have always wanted to be. Well till then, I'll be open to new business ideas...lol.

Book Review: Straigh Talk No Chaser :How to Find, Keep, and Understand a Man

I recently " read " this book because I had heard from my sister that his first book " Act like a lady , think like a man" was good. I had just read bits and pieces of the book while at a borders by my house a couple of times and from what I read then, it seemed to be interesting. In any case this is my honest review of it. I loved this book. It's simple to the point and concise message. It can teach you to identify in what stage a man is in and look at the bigger picture. A lot of girls my self included have made many mistakes and it talks about those mistakes. I liked it also because he doesn't try to tell you that he didn't make any if fact there are a lot of times in the book when he states he has made many mistakes also. But he learned from them which is what we all should do. He talks about how his first marriage didn't work because he was too young to get married. His theory is that men have to have the three p's before they can even think of getting in something serious like marriage. He says the three p's are provide, protect and profess. He says that providing is just making sure he can get provide for the family that might be having in the future. Protect is that he can keep you safe when you need him. Profess is when he wants and does tell the whole world that he loves you. Steve says that at the beginning you as a woman should know their own power. And that you should take some time to get to know any guys before anything really happens with him. You should ask him questions about him self. Ask about his past relationships and kids if he has any. The more you ask the more clearer the picture should get about what really happened and if he has learned from his mistakes. Basically he goes on to explain and debunk myths we as women here all the time as excuses for why we are single. Since I don't' want to spoil the whole book  I'll just go on to say that I wish this book had come out earlier and I had read this book in my early twenties instead of my early thirties. Its actually teaches you if you listen carefully to identify when you should walk away from people you have no need to be around. Which is what it's supposed to do. Awesome book, Steve Harvey!!