By Komitas
I am your love,
I am the heat of your love,
Yet lonely...
I am your woman,
You, you are my soul
That I depend on...
Your voice sounded as sudden
thunder of love
My soul breathed as an elating
lightning of spring...
I breathed your breath deep
down my chest
And by your fire I became the
poet of flames...
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Legalizing Marijuana
The prohibition of marijuana has done little help to the economy. It has not stopped people from using it, and it is very expensive to keep it illegal. Cannabis is currently one of the largest cash crops in the U.S. with annual revenues approaching $14 billion. A 10% tax would yield $1.4 billion in California alone. Legalizing marijuana would provide great financial opportunities for the government, and would be beneficial in many economical and medical ways.
Keeping marijuana prohibited is very expensive; the economy would greatly benefit financially by legalizing and taxing it. A great deal of taxpayer’s money goes into catching those who buy and sell marijuana, prosecuting them in court, and housing them in jail. The money used for these things should be used for much more important things. By legalizing and taxing marijuana not only would the government make money, but they would also save a great deal of money by not having to pay for the cost of prohibition. The prohibition hasn’t stopped many people from buying marijuana so its illegality makes foreign cultivation and smuggling to the United States extremely profitable, sending billions of dollars overseas in an underground economy while diverting funds from productive economic development. This can all be avoided by taxing and selling marijuana legally.
Marijuana also has many medical benefits such as stimulating appetite and preventing nausea and vomiting which are common symptoms found in chemotherapy patients. It can also
limit muscle pain and spasticity caused by multiple sclerosis and prevents epileptic seizures in many patients. Marijuana is not a lethal drug, and it is safer and much less addictive than legal drugs such as alcohol and tobacco.
It is unfair and unjust to treat marijuana users more harshly under the law than the users of alcohol or tobacco. Unlike cigarettes, most marijuana does not contain any harmful and unnatural chemicals such as nicotine and lead 210. In fact, the active compound and marijuana known as THC actually decreases a person’s chance of getting cancer. Each year there are about 82,000 deaths in America caused by alcohol and 434,000 deaths caused by tobacco. There have never been any reported deaths caused specifically by marijuana yet it is still illegal. Clearly, the false accusations and poorly supported statistics that have caused the prohibition of marijuana can be overruled by the real facts and benefits that legalization can provide.
Keeping marijuana prohibited is very expensive; the economy would greatly benefit financially by legalizing and taxing it. A great deal of taxpayer’s money goes into catching those who buy and sell marijuana, prosecuting them in court, and housing them in jail. The money used for these things should be used for much more important things. By legalizing and taxing marijuana not only would the government make money, but they would also save a great deal of money by not having to pay for the cost of prohibition. The prohibition hasn’t stopped many people from buying marijuana so its illegality makes foreign cultivation and smuggling to the United States extremely profitable, sending billions of dollars overseas in an underground economy while diverting funds from productive economic development. This can all be avoided by taxing and selling marijuana legally.
Marijuana also has many medical benefits such as stimulating appetite and preventing nausea and vomiting which are common symptoms found in chemotherapy patients. It can also
limit muscle pain and spasticity caused by multiple sclerosis and prevents epileptic seizures in many patients. Marijuana is not a lethal drug, and it is safer and much less addictive than legal drugs such as alcohol and tobacco.
It is unfair and unjust to treat marijuana users more harshly under the law than the users of alcohol or tobacco. Unlike cigarettes, most marijuana does not contain any harmful and unnatural chemicals such as nicotine and lead 210. In fact, the active compound and marijuana known as THC actually decreases a person’s chance of getting cancer. Each year there are about 82,000 deaths in America caused by alcohol and 434,000 deaths caused by tobacco. There have never been any reported deaths caused specifically by marijuana yet it is still illegal. Clearly, the false accusations and poorly supported statistics that have caused the prohibition of marijuana can be overruled by the real facts and benefits that legalization can provide.
Monday, November 16, 2009
A Loss
I did not know you were coming
But losing you has hurt me.
They announced your presence
The same time they announced our loss.
I never saw your beautiful eyes
I never heard your cute little laugh
I never held your tiny hands
But knowing what could have been,
I'll miss you.
But losing you has hurt me.
They announced your presence
The same time they announced our loss.
I never saw your beautiful eyes
I never heard your cute little laugh
I never held your tiny hands
But knowing what could have been,
I'll miss you.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Invictus
By William Ernest Henley
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade.
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how straight the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate;
I am the captain of my soul.
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade.
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how straight the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate;
I am the captain of my soul.
Monday, November 9, 2009
I Carry Your Heart With Me
By E.E. Cummings
I carry your heart with me (I carry it in
my heart) I am never without it (anywhere
I go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
I fear
no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) I want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you
Here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than the sould can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart)
I carry your heart with me (I carry it in
my heart) I am never without it (anywhere
I go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
I fear
no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) I want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you
Here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than the sould can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart)
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Owen
Out past the county line is a house with a boy’s vivid imagination taking over the yard. There are newspaper boats resting in mud puddles, a top-secret fort built high up in one of the trees, slingshots and guns made from sticks, and ropes hanging from the trees just perfect for swinging. This is where Owen lives. He lives here with his mom Nicole and dad Joseph. They bought this house eight years ago looking for a quiet get-away with a big yard and plenty of trees. This is the perfect place for Owen.
Owen is six years old and has the heart of a true explorer, spending most of his time outside with his chocolate lab Max. He doesn’t really play well with most of the other kids though. During recess he wouldn’t want to play soccer or race with everyone else. He wanted to go on deep sea adventures or defeat pirates on the playground. You can usually see Owen out in the yard whenever you drive by. Sometimes you have to look closely to see him, with his shaggy brown hair and rugged play clothes on, sitting up in the tree fort planning his next feat. Some nights at dinner Owen will continue his journeys at the table, telling stories to entertain his parents while they all eat.
Owen is always looking for a new adventure, and he knows that there is always something new around every corner. He gets excited about simple things like going to the grocery store and walking to school. Owen can find fun and exciting things in just about everything, he’s not afraid to let his imagination run wild. He knows how to have fun and enjoy life.
Owen is six years old and has the heart of a true explorer, spending most of his time outside with his chocolate lab Max. He doesn’t really play well with most of the other kids though. During recess he wouldn’t want to play soccer or race with everyone else. He wanted to go on deep sea adventures or defeat pirates on the playground. You can usually see Owen out in the yard whenever you drive by. Sometimes you have to look closely to see him, with his shaggy brown hair and rugged play clothes on, sitting up in the tree fort planning his next feat. Some nights at dinner Owen will continue his journeys at the table, telling stories to entertain his parents while they all eat.
Owen is always looking for a new adventure, and he knows that there is always something new around every corner. He gets excited about simple things like going to the grocery store and walking to school. Owen can find fun and exciting things in just about everything, he’s not afraid to let his imagination run wild. He knows how to have fun and enjoy life.
Monday, October 12, 2009
The Clubhouse
My dad has five sisters, each one of them has at least two kids. So when we were all together there were fifteen grandkids. I loved playing with my cousins when we were all at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. We would all go to the back room and play for hours and hours until our mothers told us to come eat. We would do things like pretend to be cats. Kara and Levica were always the moms and the rest of us girls were the babies. The boys didn’t participate in cats; they usually took grandpa’s boat oars and used them as guitars. Once for Thanksgiving we took brown paper grocery bags and made vests like Indians and put on a pilgrims and Indians play for our family. We had such imaginations when we were together.
Then one day when I was about 4 years old, dad and grandpa decided to build us a clubhouse. We were all so excited and wanted to help build so bad. Dad took us out to the edge of the woods on the north side of the house and started clearing out a trail. We all helped by carrying 2x4s and some of the tools. We were so excited on the way; we could hardly contain ourselves. Once they found the perfect spot they discussed the plans and strategized. While they were getting set up we all went out to explore. We found a small ditch nearby where a tiny creek was running through which would later be filled with frog eggs and bugs of all sorts. Once we heard the chainsaw start up we all ran back up to the construction site to watch. By now all the older boys were helping cut wood and hammer pieces together. They built the most simple, basic tree house. It was a large plywood floor raised by 10 foot poles. There was a hand built ladder we used to get up and down; unless, of course, you were Brant. He preferred to climb up a tree to get on and he would get down by a young tree that grew next to the clubhouse. He would hang on to it and it would bend down just enough so he could land perfectly on the ground. Everyone else was too chicken to give it a try.
Once the clubhouse was finished it seemed like they could never get us away from it. We played house out in the woods, we had dancing contests up top and races down to the ditch. We took turns telling stories to each other. Brant even taught my little sister Caren how to burp up there which got us started on burping contests. We let our imaginations run wild out at the clubhouse. We could stay out there for hours at a time and not get tired of it.
Then the ice storm came. Ice and broken tree limbs took over our clubhouse. The trail to get out there was blocked by large fallen trees. We tried to get through to the clubhouse, but it was next to impossible. There was just too much debris blocking the way. By the time the ice was melted and it was safe to be out in the woods our parents figured that all the fallen trees had done too much damage.
The trail is grown over now. Every once in a while I’ll walk around the edge of the woods trying to remember the exact spot where the trail started, but it just all looks the same and I can never seem to find it. I can picture our clubhouse now taken over by vines, shrubs, and trees. Even though it’s long gone and can’t be found, I still love that place. I cherish all the memories that took place there with my cousins. We still talk about it from time to time; we’d like to just see it one more time. To visit the place where I learned so much and had so much fun would be wonderful.
Then one day when I was about 4 years old, dad and grandpa decided to build us a clubhouse. We were all so excited and wanted to help build so bad. Dad took us out to the edge of the woods on the north side of the house and started clearing out a trail. We all helped by carrying 2x4s and some of the tools. We were so excited on the way; we could hardly contain ourselves. Once they found the perfect spot they discussed the plans and strategized. While they were getting set up we all went out to explore. We found a small ditch nearby where a tiny creek was running through which would later be filled with frog eggs and bugs of all sorts. Once we heard the chainsaw start up we all ran back up to the construction site to watch. By now all the older boys were helping cut wood and hammer pieces together. They built the most simple, basic tree house. It was a large plywood floor raised by 10 foot poles. There was a hand built ladder we used to get up and down; unless, of course, you were Brant. He preferred to climb up a tree to get on and he would get down by a young tree that grew next to the clubhouse. He would hang on to it and it would bend down just enough so he could land perfectly on the ground. Everyone else was too chicken to give it a try.
Once the clubhouse was finished it seemed like they could never get us away from it. We played house out in the woods, we had dancing contests up top and races down to the ditch. We took turns telling stories to each other. Brant even taught my little sister Caren how to burp up there which got us started on burping contests. We let our imaginations run wild out at the clubhouse. We could stay out there for hours at a time and not get tired of it.
Then the ice storm came. Ice and broken tree limbs took over our clubhouse. The trail to get out there was blocked by large fallen trees. We tried to get through to the clubhouse, but it was next to impossible. There was just too much debris blocking the way. By the time the ice was melted and it was safe to be out in the woods our parents figured that all the fallen trees had done too much damage.
The trail is grown over now. Every once in a while I’ll walk around the edge of the woods trying to remember the exact spot where the trail started, but it just all looks the same and I can never seem to find it. I can picture our clubhouse now taken over by vines, shrubs, and trees. Even though it’s long gone and can’t be found, I still love that place. I cherish all the memories that took place there with my cousins. We still talk about it from time to time; we’d like to just see it one more time. To visit the place where I learned so much and had so much fun would be wonderful.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Cafe' Du Monde
This Is The Final Copy Of My Cafe Du Monde Essay :) Hope You Guys Like It.
As I am walking from Bourbon Street to the lower French Quarter, I can tell we are getting closer by the smell of fried dough and chicory in the cool evening air. I start to get excited about what is to come, a good hot cup of café au lait and freshly made beignets, covered in tons and tons of powdered sugar. As the Café Du Monde comes into view, I can see the building on the corner of Decatur and Jackson Square with its famous green and white awning. The large covered dining area has many small white tables with five or six olive green chairs crowded around. Very few tables are available, but we always manage to find ourselves one. There are people of all races gathered around enjoying a nice evening in New Orleans. It’s always so exciting and enlightening to weave through crowds of people and tables and hear the many accents that can be heard throughout New Orleans. The accents vary from French and European to a very thick Cajun. You can even hear a few from the south with a heavy southern drawl. Everyone is close to each other, so many different people are all gathered around at one place as if we are all friends. No one has a bad time here at the Café Du Monde. Once we manage to find an empty table, our waitress arrives in her white uniform and paper hat to take our order. We knew what we were going to order before we even arrived, a wonderful cup of coffee with chicory and cream known as café au lait and some fresh beignets, square French donuts, deep fried and covered in powdered sugar As we wait for our order, I get to sit back, relax, and soak it all in. It’s like the whole city of New Orleans is all summed up in one place; there are people of all kinds of social classes. You have the business men and women with powdered sugar on their black suits, the young couple on a date trying their hardest to stay clean while eating their beignets, the group of teenagers getting into a powdered sugar fight, the waiters and waitresses carrying trays loaded with water cups, coffee mugs, and plates with mountains of beignets and powdered sugar on them, and the poor Cajun man on the sidewalk entertaining us with an old jazz tune on his trumpet Our waitress returns and presents us with our coffee and beignets. The aroma of the hot beignets with the freshly brewed café au lait instantly brings back wonderful memories of past visits to New Orleans. It’s the smell of hot fried dough and fresh, well-made coffee that can only be found at Café Du Monde. I take my first bite, and it’s just like I remember, so sweet and tasty, that it just melts in my mouth. My moment of pure bliss ends once I realize I’ve got sugar all over the place, my laughter only spreading it. Then I start on my coffee; the warm mug in my hands is a very calming feeling. The smell of the combination of chicory coffee and cream is like nothing else. I take my first sip and my bliss returns. This time the taste is even better that I remembered. To my left I can hear the man on the trumpet playing an excellent version of “When the Saints Go Marching In”. To my right I can hear the distant whistle of the Creole Queen on the Mississippi River. In this moment I am at peace. Drinking great coffee, eating delicious beignets, surrounded by people I love in the most beautiful city. It’s a perfect way to end a wonderful night in the Big Easy. As they say in New Orleans, “Laissez les bon temps Roulez” - Let the good times roll.
Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez
As I am walking from Bourbon Street to the lower French Quarter, I can tell we are getting closer by the smell of fried dough and chicory in the cool evening air. I start to get excited about what is to come, a good hot cup of café au lait and freshly made beignets, covered in tons and tons of powdered sugar. As the Café Du Monde comes into view, I can see the building on the corner of Decatur and Jackson Square with its famous green and white awning. The large covered dining area has many small white tables with five or six olive green chairs crowded around. Very few tables are available, but we always manage to find ourselves one. There are people of all races gathered around enjoying a nice evening in New Orleans. It’s always so exciting and enlightening to weave through crowds of people and tables and hear the many accents that can be heard throughout New Orleans. The accents vary from French and European to a very thick Cajun. You can even hear a few from the south with a heavy southern drawl. Everyone is close to each other, so many different people are all gathered around at one place as if we are all friends. No one has a bad time here at the Café Du Monde. Once we manage to find an empty table, our waitress arrives in her white uniform and paper hat to take our order. We knew what we were going to order before we even arrived, a wonderful cup of coffee with chicory and cream known as café au lait and some fresh beignets, square French donuts, deep fried and covered in powdered sugar As we wait for our order, I get to sit back, relax, and soak it all in. It’s like the whole city of New Orleans is all summed up in one place; there are people of all kinds of social classes. You have the business men and women with powdered sugar on their black suits, the young couple on a date trying their hardest to stay clean while eating their beignets, the group of teenagers getting into a powdered sugar fight, the waiters and waitresses carrying trays loaded with water cups, coffee mugs, and plates with mountains of beignets and powdered sugar on them, and the poor Cajun man on the sidewalk entertaining us with an old jazz tune on his trumpet Our waitress returns and presents us with our coffee and beignets. The aroma of the hot beignets with the freshly brewed café au lait instantly brings back wonderful memories of past visits to New Orleans. It’s the smell of hot fried dough and fresh, well-made coffee that can only be found at Café Du Monde. I take my first bite, and it’s just like I remember, so sweet and tasty, that it just melts in my mouth. My moment of pure bliss ends once I realize I’ve got sugar all over the place, my laughter only spreading it. Then I start on my coffee; the warm mug in my hands is a very calming feeling. The smell of the combination of chicory coffee and cream is like nothing else. I take my first sip and my bliss returns. This time the taste is even better that I remembered. To my left I can hear the man on the trumpet playing an excellent version of “When the Saints Go Marching In”. To my right I can hear the distant whistle of the Creole Queen on the Mississippi River. In this moment I am at peace. Drinking great coffee, eating delicious beignets, surrounded by people I love in the most beautiful city. It’s a perfect way to end a wonderful night in the Big Easy. As they say in New Orleans, “Laissez les bon temps Roulez” - Let the good times roll.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Are You Kidding Me?!
So This Weekend Was The Most Awful Weekend Ever. Besides Getting To See My Family And Nichole, Everything Went Worng! On My Way To See Nichole My Car Broke Down. I Had To Scramble Around To Get Picked Up And Towed And All This Stressful Stuff And It Was Awful. THEN, The Next Day I Find Out My Phone Is Broke. AGAIN. So I'm So Bummed About Life In General At This Point. So While I'm In Ada My Phone Is Dead And I Have To Bum Like A 12 Year Old And Use Nichole's Mom's Phone To Contact My Family. So I Finally Get Home And Don't Know What To Do. It's Sunday And The Bank Is Closed So I Have No Money To Get A New Phone. I Can't Find My Internet Cable AND I left My Mouse At Nichole's Dorm. So I Decide I Have To Miss Classes Monday So I Could Stay In Town, Get Some Money, Then Get A New Phone. (I Woke Up At 5:30 That Morning) So I Cash My Savings Bond And Go Look For A Phone. Of Course I Have NO Luck Getting One. I'm Stressing Out And Eventually I Have To Just Send My Phone Off To Get Fixed AGAIN. So After All Thats Done I'm Feeling Shitty; Like A Total Bum. My Mom Gives Me A Ride Back To Durant And Once I Get Back To The Dorm And Get Settled Back In I Notice That I've Grabbed The Wrong Phone Charger From Home. AND My Internet Cable That Dad Made Me Doesn't Work. FML! It Was An Awful, Depressing Weekend. I Really REALLY Hope All This Shit Is Gone.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Mellow, Or Lethargic?
So I'm in college now. I'm an hour and a half away from my partner in crime, Nichole. An hour and a half away from my family. I'm not "anti-social", but I'm not having as much fun with the people I'm with now. I've been told that I've become ever more mellow since I moved, and even though my "mellow-ness" is what characteizes me, I feel like it's become more depressed lethargy than being cool and mellow. I don't know why I feel this way, my life isn't bad right now, college is great, I love my classes, my roommate and I are actually getting along, Im doing real well. I don't know why I feel so ...down. I'm simply not as happy as I could be. Something's missing. Not just my friends, family, phone, and car. But something big. I kinda feel like I'm going nowhere right now. I feel like I'm just taking up space. Not doing anything important. I'm just a burden. I'm lost.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Puzzled
I'm beginning to realize how all the things I've done in my past are all so significant. Everything I do affects who I am. If I never did that, this wouldn't have happened. If I would have done this, that wouldn't have happened, and so on and so on. I firmly believe that everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING, happens for a reason. A little less than a year ago I was in a heap of trouble. I had made some terrible decisions and I have always thought that it was all a huge mistake. But now as I'm sitting here on my couch thinking back on what I've done and seeing everything that has happened since then, I'm happy that all happened. I'm a stronger person because of it. People look down on me for the choices I've made. I think it makes me a better person. I'm pretty happy with myself these days and because of that, I have no regrets. None. I've done lots of bad things before, I've made many poor decisions, but I'm grateful for the lessons. I feel like I can make the most out of my life because I've seen the worst of my life. I'm not saying it's a good thing to screw up, what I am saying though is this: We all make mistakes, we all must learn from those mistakes, what I've done has actually made a few people realize how bad some things can really mess you up. So if my lowest point can help someone decide not to go there, then I've succeeded. Everything happens for a reason.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Currently
So I'm doing pretty good with my "get healthy" plan. I drink only water, I'm doing lots of little things to stay active, I'm really watching what I eat, and no more sweets. I'll let that last one slide every now and then but hey, it's all about baby steps. I'm already feeling better throughout the day. I have more energy and I feel happier. I've been losing sleep though, for some reason the past three night have just been awful. I don't normally wake up often in the night but these past few night I've just been having odd dreams and wierd things like that that cause me to wake up. I just hope this will all work out for me.
So far so good .
So far so good .
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Decision
I've decided that it's time for a change. I'm going to college next month. I'll be on my own and becoming an adult. I need to get healthy. I'm tired of living like this. Starting this very moment I'm eating right and getting active. I've set my goals and there is no doubt in my mind that I will reach them. I'm not talking about numbers either. I honestly don't know how much I weigh. I don't like scales. I just want to get to the point where I feel good about myself. I want some self confidence and assurance. I know I can do this. This Is My Journey.
Road Trip
Okay So The Way I See It, Life Is Like A Big, Long Road Trip. We're All Reading Our Maps Upside Down, Getting Lost, Braking Down, And Making Pit Stops Just To Get To Our True Selves. My Destination Is The Beautiful City Of Laurissa. I Still Don't Know Who I Am, I Don't Know What My City Is Like, But I'm Having A Damn Good Time Getting There. When You Take A Road Trip, Half The Fun Is Just Getting There. It's The Same Concept In Life. We All Just Need To Get Over Ourselves And Enjoy The Ride. Stop Worrying About The Mess-Ups. Our Trip Isn't Going To Be Perfect. We'll All Run Out Of Gas Or Break Down Or Miss Our Turn Once In A While But It's OKAY. We All Make Mistakes. You Wont Be The Only One. We All Deserve To Just Let The Top Down, Turn Up The Radio, Stick Our Arms Out The Windows, And Take It Easy. Every Mile, Every Day, We Get Closer And Closer To Discovering Our Cities. I've Got Miles And Miles Ahead Of Me But I'm On My Way And So Far It's Been One Hell Of A Ride. My Point Here Is Just To Say That It's Okay To Be Terribly Confused Or Lost. Who Isn't? We'll Find Our Way To Our Cities. If You Get Lost, Don't Worry, You'll Realize Where You Took A Wrong Turn And Be Able To Correct It. We'll All Find Our Cities Eventually. But In The Mean Time, Take Detours, Find The Back Roads, Don't Be Afraid To Ask For Directions. ENJOY THE RIDE.
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