Step Family

Step Family

Most people believe that when a man marries a woman that they should stay together despite problems that they have. With some couples, that's not their way. More and more children these days are the children of divorced parents.

The hardest part of being a child of divorced parents is that when the parent your living with comes up to you and says that they are going to marry someone else. There are many emotions involved in this- ranging from hate to jealousy. It is very hard to try and get used to having a new mother or father around, besides the fact that it's just not the same. An even harder part is starting to call them 'mom' or 'dad'.

With me, it was a totally different situation. My mother and father divorced when I was two years old, in Virginia. My mother, two brothers and I moved to Michigan and moved almost directly into her old boyfriends’ house. At such a young age I didn't know any difference that this was my dad. So it wasn't as hard to get used to as it would if it were later on in life. Even though I called this man dad all my life he wasn't officially my 'dad' until 1989, a year before his death.
Being eighteen now, I could not and would not ever get used calling another man 'dad.' I'm not sure if this is because of my age, or that this 'step father' is the only one that will ever be a dad in my life.

Assisted Suicide

Assisted suicide is an easy, painless procedure to help terminally ill patients put an end to their pain, to their life. As the law follows, currently, a medical physician can legally prescribe this lethal dose to his patients, as does Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Kevorkian has been administering this to his terminally ill patients. Within the last decade or so, this lethal doctor has taken the lives of almost two-dozen people across Michigan.

Most people agree that taking a life of someone else their life shall be taken. I agree with this. But on the other hand, being terminally ill and living through constant pain, wouldn’t you want to get it over with, painlessly? Kevorkian has been charged for every life that he has taken. But with his statements, as in, the patients do it themselves, he only provides the chemical, he continues to do what he does best.

Daddy

It’s been eight long years now
Since I’ve felt the warmth of your touch
The strength in your words
The happiness I feel when I see you smile

I would give anything
To have this all back again
My heart, my soul,
My everlasting breathe

Now that you’re gone
I look back on those times
The good, the bad
You held my hand
Through thick and thin

Daddy,
Even though you’re not here
The memories
Lie deep within my heart

Listen

Listen

I am so alone
Without anyone to turn to
Who do I tell my fears to?
Who do I share my feelings with?

I don’t know what to do
I don’t know what to say
Is anyone there to help?Is anyone there to hear?

I fear life has no happiness
I feel there is no meaning
I don’t know how to respond
I don’t know how to feel

I only wish there were someone
Somewhere out there
To take my fears away
And listen to the words
That I have to say

In My Dreams

In My Dreams

Someone stop the hurt
Someone stop the pain
Someone stop the tear
That is running down my face

Hidden in the corner
Of my ever-pondering mind
Lie’s the memories of you
So still and so fond

I lie in bed at night
Dreaming about how much you mean to me
Thinking of the memories of you
In my heart
As well as in my mind

I miss you so much
They way you made me feel
The way your words
Kept away all my fears

Even though I can’t feel you
Even though I can’t hear you
You’ll always be
In my dreams

Why?

Why?

Why can’t you look at me
The way you look at her?
Why can’t you give me
The affection you’d give her?
Why can’t you show me
The time you’ve showed her?
Why can’t you care about me
They way you care about her?

Why?

I can look at you
As fond as I looked at him
I can give you
The affection that I gave him
I can show you
Times like I showed him
I can care about you
As deeply as I cared about him

Sarah McLachlan

Sarah McLachlan

And what a breathtaking and glorious sight Sarah McLachlan's soul must be. There is not another artist like her, none with the honesty and courage she consistently conveys.

Sarah McLachlan was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1968 and has been on a musical path ever since. Following years spent studying classical piano, guitar and voice; the singer was discovered in a new wave band in 1985. In spite of the fact that McLachlan had not yet written a song of her own, Nettwerk Records label signed the 19-year-old singer into a recording contract.
McLachlan's first album, Touch (1988), went Gold in Canada, thanks to hits like 'Vox' and ‘Steaming.' Solace followed in 1991, reactions to that album were even stronger than that of the first. 'Drawn to the Rhythm' and 'Into the Fire' took Sarah=s music into the mainstream. 1994's Fumbling Towards Ecstasy was immediately loved by her many adored fans. This took McLachlan's success into a whole other level, aided by the strength of the songs, 'Hold On,' 'Possession,' and 'Good Enough.' Five million album sales later, Sarah continues to grow stronger, each and every day.

The summer of 1997 not only brought with it, McLachlan's new album, Surfacing, but also a 35-date traveling concert, known as the Lilith Fair. Conceived by McLachlan, the show is a two-stage, multi-artist phenomenon, featuring female artists. She quotes, "It doesn't exclude men, it simply celebrates women." Artists such as Suzanne Vega, the Indigo Girls, Paula Cole and Tracy Chapman will set the stage afire.

McLachlan’s ten-year career has indeed been a decade ascending in popularity, in profile and, most importantly, in her sense of self. McLachlan has made a career out of putting herself on the line emotionally; fans are repeatedly drawn to her candor and forthrightness. Her newest album, Surfacing, is no different. As she explains it, "Surfacing is about me finally growing up and facing the ugly things about myself. We all have a dark side, it's bullXXXX that we say we don't, and at some point we are going to have to face that." Life is about living and learning, Sarah McLachlan admits that the process of making Surfacing served to teach her many things about herself. Not all of the experiences were easy, but each and everyone were necessary. "I've learned to trust myself, to listen to truth, and not to be afraid of it and not try and hide it."

Remember Me This Way

Remember Me This Way

After having a lot of time to sit back and think about this topic, I have made a few changes in the way I want to be remembered.

This past weekend I attended a funeral service for a women I never really knew, my great aunt, Gretchen Tremmel. Although I never really knew her, I felt as though I had forever. This service wasn't really a funeral, she told her family that when she died, that she didn't want a huge funeral with lots of people standing around her body in a casket, staring down at her crying. She wanted her family and friends to celebrate, to get together and enjoy that time with the other family members that don't get to see one another often. What it turned out to be was a party. It was held in a church's community room; there was food, friends and family, there to share the times. As everyone went around the room and said whom they were, how they knew or were related to her, they were also given a chance to share a fond memory of theirs, good or bad. I have to say this is what touched me most deeply. Seeing her family and friends talk about what a great person she was to them, how much she cared and how much she devoted herself to helping other, filled my eyes with tears. Although this wasn't supposed to be a sad occasion, it was hard to fight back these emotions. At that moment, I knew.

When I die I don't want people to stand around my casket, staring down on me. I want people to celebrate, my new life, and cherish the rest of theirs with the people who they care about. I want to be remembered, remembered not for what I did, my success, but for the lives I touched, either good or bad. I want me family and friends to share with one another, the kind of person I was, and how I touched each of their lives. I believe that when you die that you can look down on the world, to watch over the people you love. With my already deceased family by my side, we will be looking down upon them celebrating right along with them. Sometime during this service I want some things shared, poems, letters I have written to a person, songs that the lyrics help explain something to someone that I couldn't say before. Things that I want to say to the people I love.

(Song) Will You Remember Me This Way… Sarah McLachlan
(Song) Remember Me This Way... Jordan Hill
(Song) If Tomorrow Never Comes... Garth Brooks

The Ideal Body

The Ideal Body

The strive for "the ideal body" is something that stares many people in the face. Although there are many things out there to keep people in good physical health, such as, Gym's, nutritious foods, juices, vitamins etc. whereas the average working person doesn't have either the time or money for these things, as in myself.

Particularly, at this point in my life, my priorities are settled on getting or maintaining the perfect body. Although it is important to me, my habits, because they will eventually show in the future. Lately, I am finding myself eating the "wrong foods" and not making time to exercise. Although I am a teenager, I work off a lot of what I eat, it still shows due to the fact that I don't have extra time to go to the gym. Also financially I don't have the money for all of these high priced so-called healthy regimens.

Diets, to me, are just a easy way to loose weight, sometimes not so simple. It takes more than just a layout of what you need to do and eat. It takes will power and determinations to get the results that you want and in the long run, need to live a balanced life.

Crime, the Death Penalty and Justice

The death penalty is an easy method of justice. I do agree with this decision, if made, only if for good reason. I believe an eye for an eye, although I only think that way due to prison being too easy on it's inmates. There's no punishment and justice in a person being sent to prison, even if it's for life, if all they are going to do is sit around, watch television, play pool and socialize.
Socialization is a skill you have to have or you will not survive, but not socializing over a hand of cards but a book and paper. I believe that prisoners do need an education. After leaving, offenders should have some skills to live by. For instance, my brother was sent to prison five years ago to serve a sentence of two to 30 years. Now he is finally been tried for another crime and is on his way to Federal Prison. He cannot leave until his time is up, until he has passed a GED, taken a vocational class to learn a specific trade, has set up a job that involves that trade, not just a minimum wage job and a place to live.
Personally I think prison should be a place for punishment along with rehabilitation. Many prisoners are either not offered schooling in prison or do not choose to advance themselves with what may be offered, which is only hurting themselves in the long run. To make these offenders advance themselves the courts should take the step to make them take classes and have things set up for them. Prison should be a strict, instead of laid back place to repent your wrongdoings'.

Weapons in School

Weapons in School

A weapon is usually considered a weapon if it is something used to harm another person. Guns, knives, razors and bombs etc. are considered weapons. All of these could seriously hurt or even kill someone. In my opinion if a student has taken a weapon to school to intentionally hurt someone they should be permanently expelled from the school district. These students should not be expelled just so that they can attend school in another district, but so that they can be placed into some sort of violence rehabilitation, to learn how to control their anger and to find alternate ways to deal with bad social situations instead of resolving to violence.

A few ways to prevent students from bringing weapons to school is to teach some sort of violence class in the school, to show students the impact weapons have on society, along with the consequences. Another method is to show that there is strong concern for this problem by installing metal detectors at the front doors or having an on campus security officer. If situations keep getting worse, have bag and body searches on a daily basis. Sooner or later the students will realize that this is a serious matter and that it is not worth all this just to bring a weapon to school, weapon, protection or otherwise.

Child Discipline

Ways to discipline your children may be the most controversial topic among raising children. Some agree that spanking your child may be considered child abuse, on the other hand, the majority of those who were raised on spankings when they did wrong, beg to differ. I myself am a child of the age when spankings were allowed, within limits of the law. Myself, I feel that if I didn't receive a hit when I didn't pick up my room, I would be one of the messiest people known.
There are many ways to discipline your child, and each child is different and act differently towards different kinds of discipline. I know for myself "time out" probably wouldn't have worked for me. Although spanking should be a last resort, if all else fails. This kind of discipline should only be used in the home, by the parents. Teachers, baby sitters. should find an alternate way to discipline your child.

In conclusion it is the parents choice to see which role of discipline works with their child, if spankings are what works, it should not be illegal, unless it moves onto physical abuse and or emotional or physical scaring.

What’s The Reason?

What’s The Reason?

What’s the reason
For waking up in the morning?
What’s the reason,
For keeping a head upon my shoulders?
What’s the reason,
For controlling my frustrations?What’s the reason,
For trying to grasp my sanity?What’s the reason,
For working as hard as I can?What’s the reason,
For loving every minute of every day?What’s the reason,
For smiling, laughing, crying?

What’s the reason?

The Reason is you

You, make me want to face the day
You, help me keep a head upon my shoulders
You, have this power to help control my frustrations and
Grasp my sanity
You, make me want to work as hard as I can
To…
Smile at you,
Laugh with you,
And cry with me

Today...

Today...

Today I turned over a new rock in my life. I have always dreamed of being someone else, someone different, today I was. I can't pinpoint who or what I was, what I was acting like or what exactly brought about this change. I've never cared for any other person like I feel today and forever. Their thoughts, their feelings, their steps through life mean everything to me. I have feelings like I've never felt before. I always thought that love was the world’s strongest emotion. But today I revealed to myself that I was wrong. The way I feel goes much deeper than that. Through all the tribulations, we have stuck together. All the fights, heartbreaks, and raging emotions. The way I feel about this person is virtually indescribable. I would do anything foe them, die if I had to, if it meant that they would live. My emotions for this person are unmatchable, incurable and unstoppable.

Slipping Away

Slipping Away

I always felt as though I had the power, the power that drew people towards me. I’m not sure if it was my personality or what it was, but everyone used to like me, care about me. Lately I feel deserted, alone, scared. I feel that there is no one around me that cares about me, what I do, or what I want to become. With every ounce that there is, I spend it on someone else; I live to please. I feel so frustrated, as though everyone I’ve ever cared for is slipping through my fingers. I try to grasp them but their falling further and further from my reach. Who’s to blame? Is it my fault? Am I pushing them away or are they leaving under their own free will? I use every bit of sanity I have just to make it through each day. Arguments occur spontaneously. One minute we’ll be carrying on a detailed conversation and the next we’ll be at each other’s throats threatening to leave. Leaving is the last thing I want to happen, leaving is giving up, giving in. the way I see it, I never want it to end, but on the other hand, I give up.

My Feelings for You

My Feelings for You

My feelings for you grow stronger
As each day goes by.
If I professed my love for you
Things would never be the same.
I see that twinkle in your eye
It fills my life with joy.
Your laugh so cute
It sends a smile across my face.
Those words that you whisper
Sends a tingle up my spine.
I hope to hear those three special words
I Love You.

Sometimes I Find

Sometimes I Find

Sometimes I find myself alone
Thinking of all the times I've had
Some the best, some the worst
Although everything seems to
Work its way out
I am always scared,
Scared
If what the future has for me
Alone with only
my thoughts to keep me safe.

My Friends

My Friends

My friends are my everything
They are my light of day
The darkness of the night
The tear in my eye
And the smile across my face

Tonight Is Your Night

Tonight Is Your Night
Tonight everything will be perfect. The room lit with several candles, soft music is flowing through the air. The atmosphere is warm and gentle. This night will be dedicated to you and you only.

There are only two people in the room, you and one other person. You will talk endlessly about your deepest, darkest, thoughts, ideas, feelings and emotions. The questions you will be asked do not have to be answered, it is all up to what you want to be shared. Tonight is a night for absolute bonding; you will get to know the other person like you've never known another before. Any questions that you ask will be answered regardless of privacy.

The reasoning behind this night is for you to let loose. To get close to another person, start a relationship like no other. Tonight you may feel emotions ranging from happiness to sorrow, you will laugh and you may cry. Don't be embarrassed, don't be shy, don't be afraid to be yourself, just let go. Nobody's going to laugh at you, maybe with you. Tonight is a night for comfort, anything that you've held in private or secrecy that you said you'd never share with another soul may be let out, if you’re comfortable.

This night is a night for trust and friendship building. If you need someone you can confide in and someone who will listen to you and perhaps advise you... Tonight Is Your Night.

What I Learned in Life

What I Learned in Life

Everything in life has a meaning. Cherish all. Memories last forever. Get over it. If it’s bound to happen, it will. Good things come to you when you least expect it. Work hard and you will get what you want. Live life to the fullest. Don’t settle for less than the best. Be spontaneous. Be the person you want to be, not who everyone else thinks you should be, be yourself. When a good thing comes, let it flow, don’t push it away. Let things come to you, don’t run to them, don’t chase. People do things because they care, or they wouldn’t have done them. I come first, do what I want to do. Don’t try too hard. If it doesn’t work, fix it.

What I’ve learned from John Alton

Listen, talk, talk things out instead of arguing. Try everything once, if you don’t like it you don’t have to do it again. Stop, don’t push. Satisfy yourself first. Don’t be spoiled. Speak what you feel. Don’t trust until it’ earned. Don’t try too hard, if someone doesn’t want to do something, they’re not going to. Work hard, spend as you wish, you earned it. Don’t take everything to heart.

What I’ve learned from James Poma

Don’t start out a relationship with intimacy. Don’t jump into things too quick. Don’t smother people. Keep a distance if you want a good relationship. Don’t say things you don’t mean. Show how you love people in multiple ways. Don’t turn everything into a big deal. Cherish every moment. Talk things out. Don’t trust before you’re ready. Find a common ground. Do things you both enjoy. Don’t push people away, persistence. If it’s not right in your mind, don’t do it.
Please yourself first. Think before you speak. Get to know people inside and out.