New music by Green Day "Oh Love"

 

GREEN DAY "OH LOVE"

 

 

 

 

Why am I just finding out about this song? The older I get the less cool I become. I know absolutely nothing lately.

Civil Rights Footage

Civil Rights Footage

 

 

 

The Importance of Voting...IN MY WORDS

THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING

 

Picture depicting women picketing for their right to vote in the early 20th Century.

Obama... Romney... the finger pointing.. the bickering. Which one do we choose??? I know sometimes election day and days leading up to it can cause some confusion and annoyance for others. Often times I hear people say how they don't vote, dont want to vote, how their vote doesnt count, that it doesn't matter.  I just wanted to say why I really take advantage of election day, and my freedom to vote as a black woman. I honor and appreciate the long hard road American women had to travel so that we could have our right to vote.  I often think about the risks that black Americans and white Americans took so that black people could have their right to vote without intimidation. I think about Womens Suffrage which took place from 1848-1920. During the Civil Rights Movement, many Americans risked their lives and were beaten, marched went to jail, and toiled so that we can have the rights that we have today. I realize it, I get it, I understand that, and I do not want their hard work to be in vain. Thank God for these brave men and women, black and white, who fought for our civil rights. If they were not courageous enough to fight for our rights, then how would things be today.

 

There is no excuse for not voting, if that right was taken from any of us, we would feel awful.

 

VOTE

 



The Day I Met Destruction

THE DAY I MET DESTRUCTION



Titled "The End", a day of destruction depicted, mainly to show despair when in such conditions.

As I said previously, I grew up in a religious family. Often talk about the end of the world, The Second Coming and God's wrath. No matter how you grew up, what kind of background you have, it is one of those discussions that can be a little scary and troublesome to most people. Talking about destruction, death, and the end of the world, is a great way to disturb anyone or make them lose sleep. Economic Crisis, poverty, war, crime rates in America steadily going up...you see and hear preachers saying that God told them when the world is going to end or when God's second coming is... being of these reasons, often of course they are wrong and have no clue when this is going to happen. Or should I say they are wrong in saying they know the exact date...  Truth is, none of us know, how can you know for sure unless God or an Angel told you face to face which of course is not going to happen because since obviously, God and Angels.. and Satan for that matter, do not have physical bodies. Don't you think however, it is a good idea that the world does not know the exact date and time? Just think about what kind of chaos it would cause, if all of us knew the exact date and time of Jesus Second Coming along with the actual destruction of the Earth. And if you did know when the world was going to end, how would you spend that time?

Through this illustration I did above, I mainly wanted to depict the feel of despair and desperation, if I, or someone else, or anyone were to be in such a situation where no one could help you. Also showing the ending of the Lords Prayer. Even people that.. so called, don't b"elieve in God", have an urge to pray in desperate situations, I know.. because I see it happen a lot.

CHECKOUT THE WORLDOMETER--ACTUAL WORLD STATISTICS- http://www.worldometers.info/

Creature Animation...

Sorry I have been away for a while. I am working on my next post and artpiece which is about THE END OF THE WORLD. A favorite subject for a lot of us right? So when is the end of the world, I guess eventually dead or alive we will find out...

In the meantime a video from Youtube below from Creature Animation titled "Sp00ns Birthday Surprise"

Normal is the new boring

"I think being different, going against the grain of society is the greatest thing in the world. Elijah Wood"

Being a black girl who listened to Bush, Filter, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Our Lady Peace in the 90's, and in the south,  made me stick out like a sore thumb, along with my alternative way of dressing. Some people made my life miserable and often I was teased. I hated it and often did not want to get up to go to school. Every day I would ponder telling a lie and saying I was sick yet knowing I would have to back to school the next day anyway. But I was told one day, that the only way you are going to be happy is if you just be yourself. I realize now how hard it is growing up and to be bold enough to not conform to what people at school want you to be, or what society wants you to be. I guess in my case I crossed the line with because I wore my Oasis and Soundgarden T-shirts proudly. Imagine how uncomfortable I would of been if I had done what everyone else wanted me to?

Usually people that are insecure, are the ones that do the bullying and teasing. I have learned to say screw everyone else, and do my own thing, whatever makes me happy no matter how weird it makes me look.

It drives you nuts as a kid but as you get older, people respect you for being yourself. Love yourself, embrace yourself, BE YOURSELF.

Music by Christina Aguilera

STATISTICS:

• An estimated 160,000 US students miss school each day due to fear of attack or intimidation from peers.

                     (National Education Association, 1995)

• 9 out of 10 LGBT teens have reported being bullied at school within the past year because of their sexual orientation

Movie Trailers of the Top 10 Scariest Horror Movies

Top 10 Scariest Horror Films. The original movie trailers including, "The Shining", "The Amityville Horror" and "The Exorcist". 



Sweet Tooth Illustration

I

I don't have to critique this one do I? I assume everyone knows it is a cupcake? The most elaborate cupcake I have ever drawn or colored.  

CHEATING-INFIDELITY--Go for it or not?

Beautiful wedding cake that has been rotted. Oh yeah it is also bleeding. One of my first illustrations I colored through Photoshop.

I once had a situation where the person I was dating constantly accused me of cheating every which way you can think of at least three times a week. Accused me of having an affair with friends, my boss, co-workers... the puppy next door. If I conversed with a rooster down the street he would accuse me of screwing it. I got so mentally and emotionally drained that I did began to think what it would be like with someone else, if this person is already accusing me of screwing around and I am not, (never cheated on a boyfriend in my life), and I am being as faithful as ever, what would the difference be if I just went ahead and just CHEATED?? I mean hey, he is accusing me anyway, so why not go for it. Once I had that thought, I knew it was time to bail out. For the first time in my life, I could understand what would drive someone to actually cheat in a relationship. I realized even if I did cheat, I would still have to go home to that crazy boyfriend of mine. So, of course, I chose the option of leaving him instead.

Which brings me to a question. Is cheating ever OK? People have their reasons for cheating, not enough attention, their partner is overbearing, they are afraid to leave and try something new so they just cheat instead of leaving. Some people like the thrill. Personally if someone is a problem for me I just cut all ties, I would rather that, cheating from what I see, makes things very messy and can cause more problems than the ones you already have with that partner. But of course, that is IF you get caught. What I find more interesting, is that different nations around the world vary in their opinions about cheating. I found out that Russia is more open minded to extra marital affairs, some Western European cultures are very strict on the idea, and Africa also is known for their infidelity as well.

 Music by Katy Perry

Percentage of people in each country who feel that cheating is ALWAYS WRONG:

Australia 59%
Czech Republic 43%
Germany, 55%
 Norway 70%
Hungary 62%
Russia 36%
Austria 67%
Spain 76%
United States ---80%

http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Infidelity.aspx

Gun Violence-- the statistics

GUN CONTROL STATS

• 42% of Americans will be the victim of a completed violent crime (assault, robbery, rape) in the course of their lives

• Between February 2004 and February 2010, 1,225 firearm and three explosives background checks for people on terrorist watch lists were processed through the federal background check system. Of these, 91% of the firearm transactions and 100% of the explosives transactions were allowed

• Roughly 2,000-5,200 gun shows take place in the United States each year

• The 2008 Republican Party Platform voices support for the Second Amendment and the Supreme Court's 2008 decision in D.C. v Heller, which overturned Washington's D.C.'s handgun ban. The Platform calls for "the next president to appoint judges who will similarly respect the Constitution

• On June 26, 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, ruled that Washington's D.C.'s handgun ban was unconstitutional.[147] Both of the Justices appointed by Democrats voted to uphold the ban, and five of the seven Justices appointed by Republicans voted to strike it down

http://www.justfacts.com/guncontrol.asp#ownership

Gun Control- An American Myth

From Kent State, the shooting in Aurora Colorado, to the Trayvon Martin case, the United States is notorious worldwide for its gun violence and mass shootings. When it comes to weapons, guns are the most popular in the country. The problem has been ignored for so long by the government, mainly because of the the second amendment, right to carry laws, and intimidation of the NRA.

Despite laws to enforce background checks amongst others to attempt to make it more safe for usage of a gun, it has often still  ended up in the hands of people with a criminal background.  The man who wounded fifty-nine people and killed twelve at the Aurora Colorado movie theater, easily obtained a heavy amount of ammunition amongst other weapons via internet. What makes it all the more disturbing is he obtained them legally. Over and over again the government has failed to prevent these mass shootings from happening and affecting the lives of innocent citizens. It is safe to say gun control is non-existent in the country- if it were so, it would not be so easy to obtain a gun.



SCARY MOVIE 5

We can look forward to seeing Scary Movie 5, in theatres 2013--- Charlie Sheen will be starring in it..

http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2012/08/06/lindsay-lohan-charlie-sheen-scary-movie-5/

STEM CELL RESEARCH-Playing God? Or Saving Lives

STEM CELL RESEARCH-PLAYING GOD? OR SAVING LIVES?

My first paper in college was about stem cell research, the positives, the negatives. Funny thing is, I can't even think of a negative right now. Stem cell research as you know is  type of cell therapy wherein cells are introduced into the damaged tissue so as to treat the disorder or the injury. These cells have the potential to cure different kinds of diseases such as: Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injuries, Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, cancer, and diabetes. So what exactly could be so horrible about this? Many conservatives feel that taking a life to cure diseases is immoral. Even though the embryo is not alive, it is microscopic, and it isn't even equivalent to a woman having an abortion. I say if it saves lives, go for it, and think of all the lives we can save and change for that matter. Personally, I would rather my tax dollars go to Stem Cell Research than to prisons. At least lives will be saved for the good.
http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/12366/1/Pros-and-Cons-of-Stem-Cell-Therapy.html

The Supernatural--how real is it?

THE SUPERNATURAL-HOW REAL IS IT?

We all have our own scary, haunted story don't we? The Ouija Board, the haunted house down the street, the terrifying basement. From vampires, ghosts, demons, angels- how real are these things? I grew up in a very religious family, and being I went to church and have an extensive Christian backgroud, often I heard and still hear the stories of good and bad spirits. What huge part does the supernatural play in our lives and affect the way we think?

Vampires have been a popular folklore in our history dating back centuries. I recently I read an article about the vampire community in New Orleans, I didn't even know there was a vampire community in that area, or at all. In this community, these "vampires" or people, actually have their teeth sharpened, are into eating raw foods, and drink blood. Besides the coffins, ultra strength, the burning sunlight, and living hundreds of years, I guess that is close enough. http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2012/08/03/new-orleans-voodoo-hoodoo-vampires-oh-my/

I often wonder how many spirits actually roam the earth, how many times have I actually run into someone that was actually...I don't know, posssessed?  And if scientists or other realists say that there is no such thing as the supernatural, what explains all of the stories out there that people experience in houses, basements, haunted asylums, or the strange happenings when a loved one dies? I often wonder that, especially with the Ouija Board. Which by the way you can now play online. Why don't you play it, and just let me know how it goes... b/c I am a little...scared. Here is the website:

http://ouija-board.net/

STATISTICS

• 51% of the American population believe in ghosts
• 68% believe that Satan is real
• 72% believe in Angels
• 34% believe in ghosts or UFO's
• 45% of Americans aged 18-29 believe in Haunted Houses

Interracial Dating-The Unspoken Truth

INTERRACIAL DATING- THE UNSPOKEN TRUTH

INTERRACIAL RELATIONSHIPS... I just had to do an illustration on this, being that I have dated white men in the past...or maybe I should say I still do. I couldn't help but notice that while on a date with a white man, the looks I get, the stares or even it safe to say some people actually glare at me. As if I had committed the ultimate sin, the BIG betrayal. You would think that I did something very insulting, or said something insulting. But what crime was I actually committing? What crime was he committing? Is it because maybe I was taking a chance with him being a racist, or was it because he is taking a chance with someone who is black or probably, according to some people, not as smart as him and in that case... maybe he could do better? What exactly is the big deal?

In a country where interracial dating is steady on the rise, where we all finally share the same civil rights, and we seem to be getting on the same page, things are still not exactly as they seem. Statistics show that in 2010, 1 in 12 marriages in the United States were interracial. Despite of this, we still live in a country in which these types of relationships are frowned upon. Partly to blame is the deep seeded racism that was embedded hundreds of years ago, the long hard road to civil rights, broken promises of the government and politics, amongst other damaging situations of the past. Despite the changes that have occurred over the years to nullify our racial tension in the United States, people still feel the same way as they did in the early 50's.

STATISTICS

• Four in 10 Americans say lifting anti-miscegenation laws was good for American society; three in 10 say it made no difference and only one in 10 say it was bad for the country. 63 percent of Americans say it "would be fine" with them if a family member married someone of another race.
• Black men are two times more likely to marry someone of another race or ethnicity than Black women. The opposite is true among Asian men and women.
• Hispanics and Blacks who married whites are more likely to be college-educated than those who married within their same ethnic or racial group
• Interracial daters report receiving less social support, such as positive affirmation or help from friends, family, or just people they interact with in public
• Due to perceived lack of support, interracial couples are less likely to exchange gifts and to report thinking of themselves as a couple.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/16/interracial-marriage-stat_n_1280511.html#s702047&title=Total_Marriages
http://contemporaryfamilies.org/marriage-partnership-divorce/how-color-blind-is-love.html

CHICK- FIL- A HITS RECORD SETTING SALES

This very much surprises me. I thought everyone was supposedly pretty upset with Dan Cathy but I guess not. Apparently his comments made the chicken taste better... check out the video below:

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/chick-fil-record-setting-sales-appreciation-day/story?id=16912978

The Occasional Detour to Hell--Stress

Ever been stressed out before?

"If you're going through hell, keep going"-Winston Churchill

Money, relationships, work, so many things that cause us to want to pull our hair out. The illustration above is a perfect example of what it is like when going through some kind of problem in life. I was unemployed, short on money, and going through a breakup when I did this drawing.  Like most people I find ways to channel my stressors... exercise, draw, talk, cry, weightlifting.... so what are your stress relievers?  Studies show that the number one stress reliever for youth globally  is listening to music. What is a good way to cope with problems in life? What are the unhealthy ways?

STATISTICS 

UNHEALTHY WAYS TO COPE WITH STRESS

• SMOKING
• DRINKING TOO MUCH
• OVEREATING OR UNDEREATING
• SLEEPING TOO MUCH
•  
• 83% of women are stressed about money vs. 78% of men

• 60% reported feelings of irritability or anger compared to 50% in 2007
• Fifty-four percent of Americans are concerned about the level of stress in their everyday
• lives
• Danish are the most likely to masturbate.
•  
• The number one way young people cope with stress is to listen to music—65% of all youth globally do this.
•  Americans are the most likely nation to cry when stressed.

http://www.naturalwellnesscare.com/stress-statistics.html
http://www.ypulse.com/post/view/the-top-12-ways-young-people-relieve-stress

The Horror Movie Obsession

Horror movies, my absolute favorite. Just to think it all started being seven years old and constantly watching the movie "Amityville" knowing I had to go to bed right afterwards. This picture is based on my weird imagination, basically this is the type of stuff I think about while at work. It is my personal belief, that my obsession with horror movies is part of the reason for my wild thoughts. The funniest thing to see a pumpkin with a knife chasing someone. If it were me, I would just....kick him out of the way. 

I also believe in just about anything supernatural because of the horror movies. I don't know, maybe because I am strange, naive, silly, oddballish.. who knows? In my opinion, they all have a certain truth, they just fudge the details a little. For instance, the movie "Alien" who are we to say that there is no such thing? How do you know the government is just not keeping some sort of secret from us? If the world were to know that there were man hungry aliens out there, it would cause such chaos and havoc we would eventually destroy ourselves. What about  "Nightmare On Elm Street"? The story was created because Wes Craven read an article in a newspaper regarding a man who kept having nightmares. He did his best to stay awake, even keeping a pot of coffee by his bed. One day the man dies in his sleep, which gave Wes the brilliant horror movie idea. The fact that these horror movies have a sort of truth, is what scares me, and intrigues me at the same time. What about you?

Paranormal Activity 4 (2012)

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4--in theaters October 19, 2012

Theatrical trailer below:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/paranormal-activity-4-release-date-278026