American Dream or American Trap

Webster defines success as "the fact of getting or achieving wealth, respect, or fame". I am usually not one to quote definitions, but those ten words will help me explain to you why the American Dream is becoming the American Trap. I would first like to point out the only thing I would change about this definition ("the fact of getting or achieving wealth, respect, or fame") and that is the word "or". The "or" should be changed to "and" because today to be called successful in most cases you must have the wealth, the respect, AND the fame. Although the majority of us may never see $200,000 in our life time that is still not good enough for us. It is all about the millions and billions right? Even if you have the money others may not respect you. I hate to do this (excuse me Kayne) but the clear example here is Kim Kardashian. Yes, she may have the wealth and fame, but her respect levels are low and although she lives a lavish life, some that are not as fortunate still would not trade places with her. Today, the American Dream has become a package of fame, respect, and wealth. 

The media has received a lot of blame for this image we all try to pursue, but in reality families are starting to raise their children to believe they must have these three things in life.  Yes it may be better for us to see how much money Floyd Mayweather gave to charity last week, but it's the media's job to entertain. So of course the story will be how much money he threw in the strip club. The media can't always be blamed for doing its job. In my opinion, today people are raised to be so independent and filled with such a false image of life. We lose track of the fact that everyone who has success needed help along the way. Let me repeat that. Everyone who has success needed help along the way. The American Dream has become this trap by getting many to think success is easy and can be reached alone. 

We are caught up in the hype. Myself included. We are not always trying to reach success for the values we were raised and grew up on. You reach success to help the next man or woman do the same! I just have 1 question. Where does this  American Trap take our future? Must it take money, respect, and fame to make us happy or will we use these three things be utilized to build happiness in our surroundings and with people we love. 

Women in Hip Hop & Women in Society

Stand Out From Others

In today’s society, women in Hip Hop give off this perfect image. They have the flawless figures, the seductive outfits, and always say the right things. Men today look at them and say they want a woman just like a Nicki Minaj or Rihanna, making those women in Hip Hop feel superior and now every little girl or grown woman wants to be like them not just because they are fans, but because that is what men like. It is the same way vice versa with males in Hip Hop and males in society.

Hip Hop is a business and what you see on television and in videos is not really who they are or even sometimes how they look in real life. Women in Hip Hop have set this standard so high for not only African-American women but all women to have the whole package when in reality no one is perfect. A real role model and those who are the top women of Hip Hop should open up to the people and show them who they really are and tell women all around the world that there is no better person you can be but yourself. The media has taken over and now runs our lives and it is becoming monkey see monkey do. Since Rihanna dyed her hair red everyone and their mother is dying their hair red. That is her Rihanna’s style and just because it looks good on her doesn’t mean it will look good on you. Look to the women in Hip Hop for more than style and looks. Learn from them how to carry yourself in a womanly manner and not necessarily dress all seductive, but look at the amount of work they put in day and night in order to reach the success they have today.

Ladies, take a look at the things that have more meaning in your life and the things that Women in Hip Hop do that will help you reach success, not just look and dress like them. Every one of you is your own person, so why would you want to be exactly like someone else? Just think about it. Women in Hip Hop have carved a way for all women showing them that women can break into a male dominated industry and succeed. So think about your interest in life. Think about how you can be like them and be successful in this world by doing things no other woman in history has done before!  

The Female Mind

Ladies, Ladies, Ladies. Can't live with you and for darn sure can't live without you. The question I think we all want to know is what you are looking for in a male? Personally I don't even know if most of you know the answer to that, but let me tell what I have observed from my 19 years of living.

I feel like ladies are always looking for that special man, but there are certain obstacles that jump in the way from you all finding that man. These obstacles are all materialistic. They are things like money, cars, jewelery, etc. You might find a man that is great for you but society or your friends say because he does not have this, this, and that then he is no good. Not all females do this though. There are definitely a lot of great women in this world that are willing to sacrifice a lot for a man because they know he has potential and even though he might not have it all now he treats you like no other man has before. With time all the wants you have will be given to you trust me. Ladies I have learned that you look for what you want in a man instead of what you need. True? I believe so.

Ladies, Ladies, Ladies. It is amazing how you all love and fantasize over something you will never have. It is great to dream, but lets dream realistically. Trey Songz is not thinking about you trust me. I don't mean to be a downer or seem like the dude just trying to act like all girl don't have their head on straight. These are just some things I have noticed. In college you all run to the frat guys, athletes, etc. Why not run to a scholar? Don't let what society and the different magazines you might read determine what is right for you. Every single one of you have a mind of your own so lets please use it. You all say you are independent right? Prove it.

On a better note, there are a number of females all over that have been hurt by no good men and it has hurt and will for ever affect how you choose men. I apologize for all of the men that treat women this way, but ladies the future waits on no man or woman. It is time to move on and there are many men out here that will make you forget all about your ex-boyfriend. Just give them a chance.

The female mind might be the most complex thing on this planet and none of us will ever understand what really goes on up there. All I ask is don't let society tell you what you should and should not like. Just be yourself and everything is yours. Ladies as much as I hate to admit it you really do run this beautiful world we all live in.

Love You All

Great Motivational Speaker: Eric Thomas

The month of October was all fun and games for me. I felt like i could just party and do what ever I wanted and still do well academically. I could not have been more wrong! I needed some type of motivation and little did I know that I would find the motivation from my freshman year CAAP advisor, Eric Thomas.

He was always helping me and encouraging me then, but now it is touching and putting me back on my path of success more than ever. So now in the month of November I have turned my life around and I dedicate most of that change to Eric Thomas because of his words of encouragement and motivation. You all might be thinking he has only done this for me, but no many people can hear his word throughout the week. 

Eric Thomas also know as ET has 10 minute videos he does every Monday and sometimes Tuesdays to get your week started off right. These videos are called Thank God It's Monday (TGIM) or Thanks God It's Tuesday (TGIT) which can be viewed on YouTube or on his website theetstory.org. Then every Wednesday he Ustreams at 6 a.m getting that hump day Wednesday started off right with the encouragement you need to do everything you have on your schedule for that day and for the rest of the week. 

Other ways you can check ET out is on Twitter, Facebook, and his other website etthehiphoppreacher.com.

Thanks Mr. Thomas for everything and I encourage everyone to listen to some of ET's work because I guarantee it will change your mind frame and help you  to feel and know that you can really do anything you want to in life.

Real Definition of College

  

Many people believe that college is all about partying. Do not get me wrong I have been known to be at almost every party, but over these past couple weeks I have noticed something that I think everyone should know.
     I learned the real definition of college. College is not partying, it is not drinking or smoking, it is not a place where you can go just to be away from your parents. College is a place to learn, network, and experience things you never will in your life. There will always be time for fun and games during the number of years you will be at college, but do not let it keep you from achieving your real goals in life. Many of us come into college with a dream of what we want to be and do in life and we figure just by taking the classes we need and getting good grades it is enough to get us to that dream job. That is completely false. Getting good grades is great, but there is a lot more to it than that. One big thing is networking, I have come to find out that it really is a lot about who you know in this world when you are trying to go places and be apart of different things in the real world. Second people have to gain experience in the field they want to go internships with internships or maybe some job shadowing. A lot of college student watch television and believe everything will just come to them, but this is going to take a lot of work and its going to take a lot of cutting back from many things that you are use to doing like maybe Twitter, Facebook, friends, and even sleep.
     The world is a tough place and there are thousands of people competing for the same job you may want in the future, but you have to make sure you have more experience and you look better on paper than any of other people you are competing against. Life is a big game and no one likes to lose so just like people play Call of Duty or NBA 2k all day to get better at the game, it is time to play the game of life and use college as a key to open all the doors you need to in order to get to the places you wanted right now. I hope a lot of people that read this are young college students because the earlier you set yourself on the right path the better. I am currently a sophomore at MSU and I feel like I am learning this to late, but as they say better late than never.
     The time is now especially for the college students. Take advantage of all the opportunities you have around your campus. Start networking, get involved in clubs, start a club on campus you may like, limit the partying, and build yourself into who you want to be in the future. Remember the true definition of college and why you are really there and in the end there will be nothing, but success in your future. Good Luck!

A Dream Never Forgotten

I have grew up my whole life wanting to be on the PGA Tour. I have been playing golf ever since my grandfather started me off at the age of two. Everything I did with my whole life all the way up until I was a Senior in high school had something to do with golf. What happen Senior year? Well that year I got cut from the golf team. I personally knew I was better than many of my peers that made it, but I did not perform well when it counted. I took being cut as a sign of maybe I needed to give up the game of golf and so I did for the rest of that year and all of my freshman year of college. Since then I felt like something was missing in my life until I got back on the course a month ago and felt the joy I got out of playing golf. Then my competitive spirit returned when  I played with a childhood rival and beat him. Well that was all i needed to get myself back into the game of golf and trying to still live out my dream once again. Lately I have been practicing at least two times a week hoping I have my game in good enough shape so that I will be able to play of the MSU golf team next year. I feel like I am in a episode of Made and just like the MTV television show I hope I come out on top with my prayers answered and having my dream come true.

My message is just to never give up on the dream you have no matter what life throws at you. You have a dream for a reason because that is what is in your heart and that is what you feel is right for you in life. So live up life, but remember not to let your dreams fall behind because I did not.
 

Shades

Since when did lighter pigmentation mean you were better? Recently, in African American society there seems to be a battle between light skin and dark skin African Americans.

We are all black and descend from the same roots. Im sure when we all receive a survey and they ask for your race we say African American/Black not other and put down light or dark skin African American. There are larger battles to be dealt with in the black community such as drugs or crime, but most blacks want to be so ignorant to argue over skin color to people of your own race and ethnicity. What happen to Brotherhood?

This breakdown amongst my fellow black people has even made its way to twitter with treading topics of #teamdarkskin and #teamlightskin. You might even hear blacks to say to one another "thats why you would be a house nigga" because one is light skin or "thats why you would be in the fields picking cotton" because another was dark skin. Well here is a quick history lesson. Back during the times of slavery yes it was true that lighter African Americans worked in the house usually and darker African Americans were out in the field. This though was just another tactic Caucasians used to seperate blacks and in return try to get them fight against each other. Its sad to say that it is now 2010 and the tactics they used several years ago are still separating us and present in our society.

African Americans need to come together as one and not as light skin or dark skin. Media has played apart in the battle to because on television there are a lot more light skin black actors, singers, model, and performers that are characterized as the best or most successful. While not many dark skin blacks that have found the lime light. That is not all the media fault, but they do play a part in this on going battle. This seperation could all stop if we just realized there are many more important things to be worried about than you wanting to be with light skin women because you do not want your child being as dark as you. All shades of black is beautiful because BLACK is beautiful. Once African American society can come together and learn that we are all equal and beautiful we can get past trying to just look nice and work toward real goals like being president of the United States. Unity is the key to the future in the black community and I hope soon we find that key to open the door to new and expanding opportunities in the world.