Saturday, November 21, 2015

Babies watching babies


(c) 2011 P. Lynne Designs
Status report from my Facebook page….” Sad news and a question. I was reading trends a few moments ago, and this is one of the reasons why I don't need to read nor see the news, but a 19-month old died in Houston, TX, because her siblings (two 3-year-olds) put her in the oven and she was severely burned. The oven was on. Now my childless self-wanted to know what was so damn important (sorry for the language), that the mother and the boyfriend had to leave these 4 children alone in the house? Nothing was that important. Ladies, unless you are passed out on the floor, there is NO REASON to leave a child under the age of 12 along in the home. NO REASON. if it is that important, CALL A BABYSITTER OR RELATIVE to watch your kids. Heck, take them to a police or fire station. Anything just does not leave them at home alone. Kids are too smart for their own good these days. Having them sit in front of a television set or computer while you are out for 5 minutes or longer does not cut it for these kids. There is so much stuff for a child to get into. You cannot have a baby watch a baby. There is a blog post coming, so I will continue my rant there. Be blessed.”
This is probably one of the hardest blog posts I have written on My Ambiance Life.  It comes with sadness, because I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I am a compassionate person, among my many flaws.  It is a flaw that I proud to have, and I feel that this is one of my character strengths, but it also comes with a price, I cry too easy.  Even though I have not cried about this particular case, I have cried about others in the past with the same ending…. Child dies while another sibling is caring for them, because parent is so in love with SO (Significate Other), too lazy to call or text an adult, or too crazy to call or text another adult to watch their children.  The child who is doing the watching usually is a sibling, who is next to the child who dies.  In this case, it is two 3-year old twins (I assume), and I guess, as the most cases are) the 19-month was crying, and they were trying to find a way to quiet the child.
Now there was supposed to be a fourth child in the home, and I wonder where was that child and how old that child was.  If that child was slightly older than the two 3-year olds (age 4-8), that would explain why the mother put that child in charge, but it still does not excuse for the absenteeism of the mother and the boyfriend.  It happens all too often.  A few weeks ago, an 8-year old was put in charge of a 1-year old, I believe, and the 8-year old beat the baby to death, again trying to quiet the child.
As I explained in my post on Facebook, I am childless, and even I know not to leave someone that young in charge of a baby (yes, at 19-months, they are still babies in my eyes).  I am not saying that a child cannot watch another child, but as an adult, you need to be within earshot range to grab the child and go into protective mode, should they get into harm’s way.  Some of the helpful ways that an older sibling under 12 can be helpful are:
·         Listen out for the baby when they should be waking up from a nap.
·         Alert parent when the baby is hungry or needs a diaper change.
·         Entertain the baby with you nearby, not out at the corner store.
·         Feed the baby with you nearby.
·         They can also briefly hold the baby while sitting down.
Again, I do not know nothing of this case, and my prayers go out to all involved.  I am not sure if the mom briefly left the children before, or if this was a first.  Either way now is not the time to criticize her (despite my rant on Facebook).  She has a long road ahead of her, by first laying her child to rest, then dealing with children services, who have no sympathy for the neglect of a child.  After all, even if she and the boyfriend were in the house, which could happen too, it was neglect in children services eyes.  People have left children before, and it will happen again in some other part of the country.
My prayer for parents has always think before you act, and this includes leaving children with others, especially with another child.  Make sure that child is responsible for taking care of that child, and it should be a child over the age of 13.  I did not mention 12 because that age is so awkward.  You are not a little child, but you are not a teen either.

I feel better, and I hope that everyone starts doing a little more thinking.  

Thursday, November 19, 2015

No Black Actresses Allowed

Cover of the Hollywood
Reporter (c) 2015 Hollywood
Reporter
Help wanted…. Must be able to go from one emotion to another in 2.2 seconds flat, deliver lines like a pro, and except any roles given.  Apply within.  Oh and P.S. You MUST BE an African American female.  I cannot stress that enough.
This should be the sign that hangs outside of the Hollywood sign (you know, the one in the mountain ranges overlooking the city).
I was reading an Awesome Luvvie article a few moments ago, and she pointed out the Hollywood Reporter’s “Roundtable of great actresses for the year who had won Emmys and Oscars awards.  On the cover, it was all white actresses, and I wondered if they noticed that too, so I read the article.  What was in the article basically was how they made their picks, and yes, they too were surprised that no actresses of color had any awards this year (season or whatever they call it).  I am so glad that you noticed HR because I was going to call you out for being one-sided. 
What I am going to do is call out Hollywood for a second or two.  Not much, but I have this question:  Have all the actresses of color retired this year?  You know who I am talking about:  Angela Bassett, Cicely Tyson, Rosario Dawson, Lupita Nyong, or Kyla Pratt.  What about Whoopi Goldberg or Monique?  Shari Shepard?  I will even throw in Raven Symone (even though I am so over her and her mouth).  They may not win Emmy, Oscar, or even Tony awards, but they can act.  Please hire them for something meaningful, nothing stupid.  I hate comedies or dramas where the African American in the room is so stupid until they are the first ones to get killed in a horror movie, play a drug addict or dealer, a prostitute, a single mom with 44 kids, abuser, or a person that is just plain down and out.  Why can actor or actresses of color be cast in a movie like white people?  If we do, it has to be in an all-black cast according to Hollywood.  No mixed neighborhoods, churches, nothing. 

So, where do we go from here?  I hope that everyone is working in some sort of film, and as for the women who graced the cover of the Hollywood Report magazine, I am not demising their talent at all.  They are all talented actresses, I just would have like a more diverse cover, because I am sure there are some talented Hispanic, Indian, and Asian American Actresses out there who could have been on the cover as well.  My suggestion for Hollywood Reporter is do not write this article anymore, until you can come up with a more diverse cover, because you and Hollywood just offended a few people.

Saturday, November 14, 2015

Prayers For Paris

This is a short, improved post.  I am not even in my usual "write in MS Word, then paste" mode.  This is real and raw. So, excuse me if I have spelling and grammar mistakes.  This is not the time to call the grammar police on me, this is way too important than that.

I am upset right now.  I have no words for this kind of senseless act that has happened in Paris, France.  This place is on my bucket list of places I want to see before I die (I am not just about traveling to Disney World folks).

My prayers are that whoever has done this, and I understand that it was a group of people, not just one or two, I pray they are caught and tried for the acts they have done.  This is selfish and cruel.  What I want to know is how can you impede on someone's way of life?  These people have done nothing to you at all.  They had families, jobs, lives, and just because you do not like they way they live, you had to end it?  

Property of Google
Images (c) 2015
Let me point back to America's 9/11.  The day two buildings in New York City had the same fate.  People were just living their lives, getting up, going to work, just living their lives.  all of sudden, buildings came crashing down, and planes crashed (4 of them).  These people, cowards,  disrupted a way of life for these people and their loved ones.

I want to address one more, well two...

Gun violence in this country has escalated a lot.  People are pissed off or mentally disturbed, then kill others on school grounds (elementary, middle, high, and college campuses). There was also the federal building in Oklahoma, where one lone man, Timothy McVay, blow up a building, again disrupting a way of life that men, women, and in this case, children, some who were just born, snatched away from their families, their loved ones.

The important thing is this:  there are too many acts of violence that have happened within the last 30 years or more.  Sure, there have been other killings before Timothy McVay.  The difference is I became an adult during this time.  I have not noticed it when I was a child.  my parents shielded me from this type of media coverage, the breaking news.  My childhood was very cushy compared to today's child.  This is something I have to deal with as an adult, an aunt, and soon to be a mother. (Yes, I am going to start paperwork for adoption in January 2016). How am I suppose to shield my niece, nephews, and potential child from this, and if I had my way, all of it, but I cannot.  No one can take this away, but you can discuss it if they are old enough to have a discussion.  Do not force the issue, only if they ask.
Meanwhile, violence is not the way.  two wrongs do not make a right.  You cannot march with this one.  Besides that, marching leads to violence by either the people doing the marching or by the people the others are marching against.   Not only that, by now, these people who terrorised Paris have gone home, high fiving themselves for a victorious win on their part.  
It is sad that we live in a world, where in order to get a point across, violence has to disrupt the very fiber of a people.  It reminds me so much of the acts against African American males who were killed, as well as the authorities who felt it was necessary to kill now, ask questions later.  The whole thing is just sickening.
Well, it is late, and I must go to bed.  Before I do, I will pray for Paris. I hope you will too.  You do not have to be of a particular religion, just pray in a manner that you were taught to pray.  God hears all who yield to Him.  Good night, Good morning, or wherever you are in this world.  Paris, the world is praying for you.  PEACE!

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Let the Adventure begin…. Going outside of your comfort zone to get your story



They have containers!!!
From Tuesday Morning
(c) 2015 P. Lynne Designs
Yesterday was a very eventful day.  Other than the usual waking up in my comfy bed, I had a business women’s meeting (Shout out to Awesome Women in Business).  I got there late, because unless I have my GPS on and secure, I am the most directional challenged person you could ever meet.  I drive a lot, but when I ride with someone who knows where they are going (i.e. my dad), I sit back and run my mouth.  That is what introverts do.  Another subject for a different day.
Anyway, it was on marketing your business, and I can spend a whole hour talking about how to do that with your own business, because I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, but that is not the subject for today.  Shall we move on?
After the meeting and networking with some of the ladies, who I have not seen since my accident in July, which was due to recovery, and getting my business ready for the holidays, I headed home…or did I?
I think I might add these.
From Tuesday Morning (c) 2015
P. Lynne Designs
I was hungry, but I did not want fast food.  I wanted something new or something that I have eaten in a long time.  This food had to be portable, but soft on my throat, because I am recovering from Strep Throat.  I had not been around the Bethel Road area in a while, so I went on a little adventure.  First I looked at a couple of strip malls, and if you are in the U.S, you know what I mean.  I did not want Chinese food, and one Indian diner looked questionable, so I passed those up.  I found my familiar, Micro Center, which if you do not have one, it is basically a computer store, and I needed to go in there to get some ink, but, as a rule, I do not get my printer ink from a computer store.  The prices are too high unless you find a deal, and I was not up for that.   What I was up for was Tuesday Morning, a store that is similar to Pier 1, World Market, and Big Lots in one store.  They have closeouts and clearances on items.  I looked in (Warning:  Very dangerous stuff ahead…) but walked out with nothing.  Why?  Because I took my credit cards out of my wallet, and at the moment, my bank will not like me if I had bought a candy bar with my debit cards…come on payday.
Cam Asian Market in Columbus, Ohio
(c) 2014 Google Images
Next, and this is where the true adventure began, I stepped next door to Cam, an Asian Market.  Folks, this chick has never been in an Asian market before because I am not Asian.  But this is a post about stepping outside of your comfort zone, and other than a trip to New York or San Francisco to visit Chinatown or even a trip to an Asian country, I get my Chinese food from a bistro around the corner and my Sushi from a diner across town.  Let’s just say that I was the only black chick in the market. 
I can honestly say without a doubt, if you want to fully immerse yourself in someone’s culture, go where the locals go.  Have your doubts, and things that your family and friends have told you about a culture in mind, but let it go when you walk into that culture.  I noticed that the people in the market, basically kept to themselves.  They were not on smartphones, except one, and he and his friend were millennials.  My cart almost ran into a lady, who did not say excuse me.  I said it, I guess she was surprised that I said anything.  The music was quietly playing in the background, and it was not the latest pop music in America, it was THEIR music.  The only English I heard was when I went up to the counter.   Last week, I had forgetting to get eggs in Whole Foods, but the only eggs I found were the type they ate, which were eggs like Thousand-year-old eggs, and boiled eggs in soy sauce.  I bought a piece of yeast Brown sugar bread for $1.99.  It was quite tasty, and if I put the effort in, I can make yeast bread.   They had a very small section of European goodies, but there wasn’t anything American in the store.  I now know where to get my Dim Sum, should I want to cook it, because Columbus’ Chinese restaurants do not like to serve Dim Sum at all.  Finding ingredients for Sushi has never been a problem.   I just do not have the manual dexterity it takes (nor the 10 years of schooling) to make the perfect roll, so I leave it up to the experts.

Brown Sugar Yeast bread from Cam
(c) 2015 P. Lynne Designs
So if you want an adventure, you do not have to spend $1,000 on plane tickets and $300 a night on a hotel room, just to get a blog post going.  Just do what I did yesterday.   Get out of your comfy bed, and go to a part of your city or town that you think you would never venture to, and visit some of the shops.  Become the observant, people watch.  Notice how they act, and write about it.  Be careful about taking pictures, it might not be their way. (I took pictures inside of Tuesday Morning for personal reasons and a project I am working on, but none in the market).  Be respectful of that culture, but do not trash-talk.  This is how we as a nation can begin to heal from all the hurt and pain.  You do not have to agree with everyone, even in your own little corner of the world, but who knows, that little corner may become bigger when someone not like you shares in the moment.  I enjoyed coming out of my comfort zone.