...The Future of Media...

I Am Me...

Authorslegacy — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:36:09 GMT

I am me

You'll never know

The pain inflicted

Was long and slow

I rose above

Walked away

You will not kill me

Not today

My Dream...

Authorslegacy — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:20:30 GMT

My dream is to live a life free of being controlled. I've come a long way in this world compared to who I was 4 years ago. Learning to stand on my own two feet (to defend what's right) has been so rewarding! It was hard to make it here...alone...not really alone. I had my boys! Everything is about them now...always was. I'm just saying the whole single woman thing. For some reason, this is just the way I like it. Spending 10 years having your life mapped out for you, this freedom is wonderful. No more asking permission to go anywhere...no begging to buy my boys new shoes...no fear of when he's going to snap once again. It's over...and I moved on!

The one thing not many people know is that I look over my shoulder every day...I have no choice. There was one thing stopping him from killing us - only one! He looked up to my dad...he even feared him...the only reason he didn't succeed at killing us is because my father was still alive. That's not the case anymore. I know what my future holds for me...I'm not an idiot. He will be brought to justice when something happens...and my children will avenge me. I am there world...they are mine.

There's very few things in this world that are worth holding onto. It's a world of hate and crime...murder and mayhem...there's not much good left anymore. It kills me seeing what the world has become - compared to when I was growing up. I never had to worry about the things my children do...never had to lock my doors...never had to fear a stranger. In this day and age...the strangers are a lot safer than what most people would think. It's the family that could end up killing you. Hold onto your children...keep them safe...no matter what the cost.

Welcome in 2009...

Authorslegacy — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:07:58 GMT

The start of a new year...what fun that could be! If you're anything like me, you'll be stuck in the same dead end job...drive the same old car...live in the same yellow house. Yeah, my house is yellow! If you think about it, the new year isn't going to be any better than the last unless you choose to make it better!

As for me, I'm working on my next novel...the movie script is almost in production phase...and I still have to play waitress every day at a run-down little diner. It's not really little - I just don't want to be there. My passion is writing...always has been. Apparently, there is no demand for my type of writing right now. That's why we started working on the movie script! It's going to be a redneck horror flick - and who better to write it than a little redneck waitress from suburban Pennsylvania.

By spring, the novel I'm working on is also going to be developed into a movie script...that one is going to be my baby! Bottom line...it's about a mother who loses her only son and she will do anything to have him brought back to her. There's so many ways you could take that...I'll let you just remain curious for now! My dream is to have that novel (script) launch me into a whole new realm...

Writing is a passion...a lifestyle...a curse. It's what I love to do and it's what I'm good at. With my idols being King and Poe...what else would you expect! It is a lifestyle that will become my ultimate high...and provide me with my crashing low...but, my words...they shall live on through all eternity.

Is Knowledge Power

Authorslegacy — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 08:17:35 GMT

I can not sit here and say that knowledge is truly power. What determines that would be the process in which we use that knowledge. It's a known fact that society is less educated than it has been in the past...because there is a faded sense of the educational process. But, knowledge comes in many forms. It is brought to us by our life experiences, whether they are bad or good. It also comes to us from the choices we make during those experiences. We can either choose to use our knowledge for the right reasons...or take the other path - which would result in that knowledge becoming either a power or a weakness. Boil it all down to a persons ability to feel compassion...to have self-pride...and wanting to make a difference in the world.

There are many people in generations past that I could use as an example. Let's start with Edgar A. Poe...the man who was my literary inspiration. He possessed an enormous amount of knowledge. His writings were vast and over the edge...they range from the positive aspects of life to the darkest shadows of the mind. Either way you look at it, the man was a genious. As an author, his knowledge proved to be his biggest power. As a man, that same knowledge led him to his demise...it was his ultimate downfall. Maybe it's a curse of knowing too much and not understanding how to use it in the right way.

Another example I can use is Adolf Hitler...I'm sure you're surprised that I would include him in this. But, think about it from my point of view. He indeed had a warped sense of reality...and beliefs that are considered demonic. Maybe so, but look at the knowledge he possessed and the lengths to which he went to carry out his beliefs. The path he chose was evil and can never be forgiven...it never should be. He used his knowledge in an attempt to gain total power - total control. As with anyone who makes the choices he made...he failed. His knowledge led to a suicidal end. Taking his own life was less torturous than any fate he would have met following his capture...and he knew that. So, his knowledge eventually led to the realization that there was no escaping what he had done. The power that he thought was his quickly proved to be stripped away.

That leads me to believe that anyone who feels their knowledge is power should reconsider that thought. Knowledge is just what it is...knowledge. How we choose to use it will determine the person we morally are. If I could use myself as an example here...maybe you'll understand what I just said. Personally, I have more knowledge than a lot of people...I just choose not to vocalize that. I make my decisions not only using what I know...I use my compassion in those choices. I try to do the right thing based on my personal beliefs...based on how I would like people to perceive me. That is the only way knowledge should be used. It shouldn't be a tool to determine power...rather, a stepping stone to lead into the future. Do not use your knowledge to benefit yourself...use it to improve the person that you currently are.

Child Support Criticism

Authorslegacy — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 08:15:26 GMT

I am a mother...I have two teenage sons...and I struggle. Now, what I'm about to say will probably shock a lot of people. But, I feel that the child support system in this country should be done away with. Save it for the dead-beat parents who choose NOT to take care of their children. The economy is now something that is affecting everyone negatively...it's an unavoidable situation. With the excessive amounts that these parents are paying monthly for support, there is no way for anyone to get ahead. I'll share a couple stories with you and maybe then you'll understand why I look at this the way I do.

Starting with myself...I was raised by my father. He worked full-time and then some to take care of me. Never once did he take my mom for support. That is an ethical decision that he made 30 years ago...and in turn, he passed those beliefs onto me. My dad was the rock that I always had to lean on. He taught me how to be a good person...how to think of others. He instilled in me the beliefs that when you have a child, it's your own responsibility to care for that child. I had what I needed at my dad's house...I had what I needed at my mom's house. That's just the way it was. He always told me that there is no reason to take away from another parent with the intention of having more for yourself. That is what support means to me...it's a weapon. All it does is put a price tag on a child's head. It leads to resentment between everyone involved. When you are an adult, it's your job to take care of your own bills - to support yourself. It's up to both parents (equally) to provide for their children within their own households. That is what I believe...that is how I am raising my boys.

Now, I will tell you about a friend of mine. He is paying almost $1400 a month in support for his 2 children. It infuriates me because his ex was the one that left...she was cheating on him and moved her and the children in with another man. He sees his kids very often and is active in their everyday lives. He only makes about $40,000 a year - now you do the math! He lives alone and has his own bills to take care of...his ex moved in with another man, both of whom work full time. My friend was giving her money out of his paychecks every week for things the kids needed...be did it because he wanted to. She didn't feel the couple hundred he gave her weekly was enough...so, she took him for support. Now, she makes more than him and lives in a household that has another income...and she still gets almost ALL of his money. At the hearing, the judge told him that he should have thought about the consequences before he had kids. That is the most appalling thing I've ever heard! He had to move back in with his parents...probably for a very long time to come. And he is not the only friend of mine going through that same thing.

I feel that the child support system should focus more on taking care of the children and not financially taking care of the other parent. It should be used for parents that are NOT active in their children's lives on a regular basis. There should be a little more compassion towards mankind when it comes to the support system. Our economy is spirally downhill and the support system is feeding into the frenzy...it seems to choose a side without knowing the background on why both parties are in the courtroom. In 13 years, I never took my ex for support...and now you know why. I struggle to pay my rent and other bills...he drives a Jeep and owns a Corvette. His money is his...my money is mine. But, the respect we have for each other and the beliefs that we possess in raising our children the right way leaves us on an even playing field. I know if I need something bad enough, he will be there to help provide it for the boys. And that is what matters the most...we are BOTH there for our children when we need to be. Maybe the court system should look at the bigger picture before deciding the financial fate of the parties standing before them. They should look at their involvement as parents...not the size of their bank accounts.

Moral Values vs. Society

Authorslegacy — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 01:11:23 GMT

Honestly, without moral values what kind of strength can society have. Think about it - without a conscience there can be no compassion...without forgiveness there can be no healing...without loyalty there can be no respect. With morals, values, and ethics quickly spiraling downward what chance is there for any type of normalcy.

There were days when we didn't have to lock our doors at night. We all looked out for each other, we were our own safety nets. Now, some of us double and triple lock our doors. The times faded from when we could leave our children outside for hours to play. It was quickly replaced with panic once the sun started to set. The strength of society diminished just as rapidly as the moral values declined...coincidence...I think not!

Once we took personal responsibility away from our citizens, the 'bad seeds' started blaming everyone other than themselves for problems they faced. Did you ever hear the ridiculous excuses - I have! It started with the sayings that movies make kids buy drugs...video games make kids hurt someone...guns make kids kill...when will it end! It's not these issues that are affecting society in any sense of the word. It's the parents that take the easy way out - the parents that don't teach their children what it means to be a productive member of the real world. These are children raised with no understanding of right or wrong...and they can not be fully to blame. For if you're raised with no morals and values - you possess none. And without any combination of two, there will be no chance of remorse.

How do we return society to the state it was once in...I do not know. It will be a difficult road to face considering that the government has taken away much of a parent's right to discipline their own children. You raise your voice at your kid...expect the state to walk through your door. Raise your hand to your child...expect that same agency to drag them out of your house. It's just the way it is. A government that is incapable of governing thinks they are holding the power of raising our children for us. If that's the case, then they should be the ones sitting in our kitchen when our child is 4 hours past curfew...when our kid comes home drunk...or when our child breaks the law. Then what would their position be...would they admit that they don't know what they're doing. I doubt it...just like with the erosion of moral values, they would surely find someone else to place the blame with.

The erosion of moral values is most definitely eroding the strength of our society. There is nothing we can do to change that...we have to let it run it's course and pray that the future generations are smarter than we are. Maybe they will have the courage to stand up to a world full of selfish individuals and make a difference. Once that happens...this world may turn out to be a safer place. If they fight for what's right, at some point maybe someone will listen. And when they are given the chance to teach their children moral values...hopefully no one will interfere.

If we are raising the future leaders of society...then let us do so. It's up to parents and society alike to teach the importance of respect, compassion, and loyalty. For without these things there can be no future worth living.