How Are Things Working for You?

I recently made a career decision to become a professional comedian. My employment status has become an issue. I have reached the age where employers love your level of experience, but do not necessarily want to pay you for it.

The day I left my last job was liberating and fun. The very next day my blood pressure was in the 120's. The stress was gone. I proceeded throughout the months working on my house and doing what needed to be done, but most of all I was focusing on myself. I was giving myself the nurturing I needed.

I refuse to let my health become an issue so I have a daily regiment of self-care which focusing heavily on my diet. I have incorporated more fruits and vegetables, exercise, laughs and rest. It is all paying off.

Take a moment today to look in the mirror and ask yourself, "How are things working for you?"
Be open to the answers.

Peace

What Is Your Issue?

I watched Al Sharpton's interview with Oprah and was glad to hear he had stood up to himself, said no and found a healthier way of life. His issue was clearly food. He ate fried chicken three times a day. It is a wonder he is alive.

We all have our issues. Food happens to be mine also. It was only when I told myself no that I was able to say yes to life. Most of us think our sin is better than an other's. We relish in our ability to manage being out of control. Al Sharpton most definitely was raging because he was starving himself. His body was not  getting what it needed to function properly.

For me, when I almost died from Pernicious Anemia, I woke up and began to take my health seriously. I was literally dying from a protein deficiency. Vitamin B-12 shots once a month sustain my life. It is absolutely amazing to me. I take several supplements, but the most important things I do for myself is I get rest, sleep and try to do all things in moderation.

Al Sharpton is being strict with himself which is a great things especially since he is so hard on others. He, as have I, have dealt with our demons and our lack of weight gain shows it. I recently began taking medication for a thyroid that should have been treated probably most of my life. with four weeks I lost eight pounds. When issues arise, we must tackle them before the become situations cause before you know it, you'll have an issuation on your hands.

What is your issue?

The Real Problem

The real problem of the human condition is we have allowed most of our humanity to be drained from us. This is why when we find ourselves with certain issues, we let them turn into situations thus we end up with an issuation.

As humans, we have ourselves to remind us of love, patience, kindness, evil, hate, etc. Unfortunately, something has entered our collective psyche that has created a paradigm of continuous violence towards and hate for our fellow man.

I believe it is our lack of human interaction that has driven us to this point. Families aren't as loving as they could be, thus those who leave their homes everyday, bring a jacked up reality with them. People engaging each other, each bringing their own issues, creating situations that cause others to have to deal with issuations.

If we would only treat others the way we would like to ideally be treated, yes, this would be a much better world. Even those who hate themselves have an idea of how they wanted to be treated better. Until we practice this mandated creed of "Do unto to others, as you would have them do unto you," we will continue to see a decline in humankind.

Let Go Fool

Wow! I have witnessed this girl chase after this man for over six years. She wouldn't take the hints, suttle or not. Finally, he did the worse he could do and that was to bring another woman to her house to confront her.

Let go fool! Yes, it is poor taste on a man's part to do what he did, but you let the issue turn into a situation that you are unable to handle. Now, there are others involved and you look like the foolish little girl that you are. It had been rumored she had fought several women over the years for his attention. She had been able to run the others away, but he wasn't allowing it this time. He wanted to be rid of her.

I wonder if he knew he wouldn't survive the day after he did what he did, if he would have done it anyway. Now she is left looking even more stupid. All that effort she put into keeping him still netted her nothing in the end cause he's dead.

What an awful issuation she has created for herself. She will forever have to deal with the knowledge that this man did not want her and died with that feeling, even though she was the one with him when he went on to wherever drug dealers go.

Let go. Don't let issues turn into situations!

Smart Boy

My son called me after the U of L game to see if I took the car keys with me to work. He was planning to go out and hit the streets like hundreds of other fans due to the win. Yes, I took them on purpose. I knew what the issue was and I knew that the probability of it turning into an issuation was vast, all things considered.

Prevention is the key to most situations. I recognized that my son would probably feel compelled to celebrate, but I also knew that the police would be out heavily. Why would I allow him to jeopardize his job, health, maybe even his life just so he could feel the momentarily joy of being around alot of jubilant fans? Gunshots were fired after the last win. Thank God no one was hurt.

When I said to him, "Son you just may be glad I took the keys." He said, "You took them on purpose. You knew what I was going to do. Thank you! Thank you, Mom. I love you."

He was relieved. Even though there was a huge part of him that wanted to go out and hit the streets, deep down he knew he shouldn't be out there. He was glad I saved him from himself. Made me feel good that I thwarted what could have turned into a bad issuation.

Prevention is the key to issuations. Prevent an issuation today.

Count Down

Little did I know when I witnessed him bring his new girlfriend over to confront the old one, that this guy would be dead by the next day. Yeah, he was a drug dealer, but he kept to himself and you could tell he didn't want trouble. Yet, he chose to date trouble and she brought it at every turn.

Too much of a coward to end it with her; he brought a young lady to her home to confront her. It was a shameful act, but one he felt was right to portray. They tried to fight each other, but the mother came out and got in between it.

After his death, it was rumored they had been chasing each other in their cars earlier that Sunday morning. I encountered him as I was preparing to leave my home. He actually spoke so I could hear him, asking me if I was a diabetic. He gave me a line about his mother being very ill and that he needed to help her. It didn't fly with me, but I went in the house as though I was going to assist him. I stayed long enough to give the impression I looked for something. When I returned outside, he was down the street asking a couple if they had a needle.

When he saw me come out, he came back towards me not saying anything but looking at me intently with his begging eyes. I nodded that I did not have anything and go in my car. When I returned, I told my daughter, "Well, I guess the little drug dealer is probably laid up somewhere high."

She came to me about an hour later and told me he had ODed. My soul knew it. He was to frantic that morning. He was seeking and searching out that which helped him end his life. So many think is was suicide and it very well could have been. No matter why, he is gone, done, finished. He can't hurt anyone anymore; not even himself.

Watch how you treat people, especially yourself.

He let his issues turn into a deadly situation.

Say What? You Don't Use Condoms!

 A man who refuses to use a condom in this day and age has a serious problem. Talk about some deep issues. Either he is completely disrespectful and self-destructive, or his ego is really out of whack, or he is stuck in a time warp.

Whatever the case may be not wearing a condom shows how ignorant a person really is. This is an issue that can turn into an unwanted situation instantly.

He must not know there are strands of Herpes and other diseases that cannot be treated with antibiotics. Yep, shit you get you can't get rid of.

Not to mention the possibility of producing an unwanted child, which you also cannot get rid of, unless you gonna pull a Ray Carruth and have the momma and baby killed. You stuck with that issuation.

Even if you contract something you can get rid of, you are rarely the same after having a burning experience like and STD can produce.

What about those who are in supposedly committed relationships, but want to step out and into someones unprotected private area? These brothers have no respect for themselves are their partners. The least they can do is to wrap it up.

Whatever your issue is with wearing a condom, (may you be male or female) you need to know if you don't, you will most likely end up with an issuation you just may not be able to get rid of.

Grow up and wrap it up at all times! Plain an simple.

What You Can Do To Prevent Issuations

Before I get into talking about issuations, I want to talk about how to avoid them.

The answer is so simple. There will always be issues. Life without issues is a life without life, but we can handle issues much better than situations. Oftentimes our issues start with us. Usually something we can handle is we only would. What happens is we allow what the issue is to fester into a full-blown situation with is often avoidable if we just take the time to deal with the matter when it arises.

Procrastination is the devil. Plain and simple. Especially for those of us who really want to achieve something in life. How do you prevent issuations? Put your big boy or big girl panties on and deal with the reality of the matter of the fact each time they are presented.

Most problems start off small. Recognize when balance is off in your life and do what you can to get it back to where it needs to be. Stop letting any and everybody into your life. Most folk have issues too so be careful not to allow someone to incorporate their issuations into your life.

Be willing to modify your plan need be. Issuations often happen because folk refuse to compromise or see the big picture.

Finally, be open to change as a whole. Know what you believe. Stand up for your rights and convictions. Be forgiving, loving and welcoming. All of this will help you prevent issuations.