For those saying, “oh poor Tiger,” realize that this settlement is not about alimony and child support, it is about silencing the lamb; Elin.

Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive…

Revenge is so unattractive so I hope that Elin’s decisions were based on justice, not greed, and not revenge. Is she entitled to $750 million dollars? I believe she is entitled to everything they both agreed to in their prenuptial agreement; if it so happens that it adds up to $750 million, so be it.

Written by Antoinette Forsythe Copyright © All Rights Reserved, Image Credit: Tiger Woods Iphone Wallpaper by xploitme, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic License.

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

From out of nowhere my friend shouts, “Dat ain’t Martin Luther King you stupid idiot” She looks back at me, I shrug my shoulders and said, “Well, how could you not recognize Chris Rock. She replied, “Oh yeah! Yeah! That’s it! I thought he looked familiar.”

Definitions:
Ignorance: Lack of knowledge, education or awareness.
Bliss: Extreme happiness; ecstasy.

The moral of the story is: (1) Unless looking like a total idiot gives you an extreme feeling of happiness, ignorance isn’t bliss. (2) ….and no, all black people do not look alike! (3) white ignorance on black history, when will they learn; literally!

Written by Keelan Forsythe Copyright © All Rights Reserved, Image Credit: Untitled image by LunaMoth116 Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License.

I was walking down the street wearing my Malcom X t-shirt and this white girl said, “Hey, I like your Martin Luther King shirt!” While chuckling I replied, “Thanks, this is the Maclom-X edition.” From out of nowhere my friend shouts, “Dat ain’t Martin Luther King you stupid idiot”

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

The effect of this disease is already in effect by changing our climate and our world. The Arctic region has long fascinated humankind – sparking holiday myth, motivating explorers, and inspiring people to create clever solutions for living in extreme cold. However due to global warming, the climate over the Arctic is changing at an accelerated pace.  Arctic climate shifts are expected to delay recovery of the northern stratospheric ozone layer. Aside from all the ice melting in the Arctic, surface air temperatures are projected to be high enough in this century to melt the ice sheets of Greenland.  (Source: Union of Concerned Scientists)

Although it is difficult to connect specific weather events to global warming, an increase in global temperature has caused border changes, including glacial retreat, arctic shrinkage and worldwide sea level rise. Surface air temperature continues to increase yearly due to the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is the process by which absorption and emission of infrared radiation by atmospheric gases warm a planet’s lower atmosphere and surface. Surface air temperature has risen from 3.6 to 5.4 over the past 50 years, and because of this, permafrost has began to melt and tundra regions are slowly disappearing, forests will expand northward into current tundra regions and already the White spruce, the most valuable timber species of the North American boreal forest, has experienced sharp declines as an effect to global warming. (Source: Union of Concerned Scientists)

Since global warming has affected the environment so dramatically, our wildlife’s source of food and habitats are diminishing and being destroyed. Take, for example, the life of a polar bear, an animal dependent on the polar icecaps for habitat, its white fur perfectly camouflaged with the snow for hunting. Now realize that your home is slowly melting away. Each year it gets more crowed and there’s less food around. Sea ice, which you could use as a bed and diving platform, is also melting away. Where can you rest after a long day’s swim? Oh wait! You can’t; so, what do you do? Well, hopefully your large body that’s been deprived of food will make it to the next block of sea ice. Worst case scenario (which is usually what happens), you don’t make it and drown.

Now, you may think, deprived of food? Well, polar bears aren’t the only ones that need sea ice. Their food source, seals, also need it to rest; and, like polar bears, if there isn’t any sea ice to rest on, they drown and fall to the bottom of the ocean, which is out of reach for polar bears. Other animals are also in peril since forests will expand northward into tundra regions, caribou and reindeer, both of whom depend on tundra vegetation, will be affected greatly when their food source and living environment has completely been destroyed. These two are only some of the animals that are facing extinction. (Source: Union of concerned Scientists). Wildlife is at risk as global warming changes the timing of seasonal behaviors such as breeding and migration which has an effect on animal life cycles.  The National Wildlife Federation considers global warming to be “the most dangerous threat to the future of wildlife.”

Here are some species affected by global warming:
Adelie Penguins: Rising temperatures are causing the amount of sea ice to diminish, which in turn causes the amount of algae in the water to decrease. Many tiny organisms, including the krill shrimp which forms the foundation of the Adelie penguin’s diet, cannot survive without this important food source .(Source: National Wildlife Federation).

Caribou: Almost everyone annoying mosquitoes knows how can be, but if you happen to be a caribou, these common summertime pests can have an even bigger impact. This is because warming Arctic temperatures have caused an explosion in these insects’ populations. As caribou use more energy shooing the pests away, they decrease the amount of food that they eat and energy that they conserve in preparation for the coming winter months. Female caribou are particularly at risk as the effort of birthing and raising the new generation takes enormous energy. (Source: National Wildlife Federation).

Monarch Butterflies: Brilliant orange and black monarchs are among the most easily-recognizable of the butterfly species which call the Americas home. Their migration takes them as far north as Canada and, during the winter months, as far south as Mexico City. It is here that changing conditions could cause their demise if current climatic trends continue into the future. In Mexico, the butterflies amass themselves in fir trees which provide shelter from rain and temperatures which often dip below freezing. As rainfall worldwide continues to increase, the protection that these trees provide may not be enough to shield the butterflies from these hazards. (Source: National Wildlife Federation).

Trout: Coldwater: Fish, such as trout, depend on a frigid mixture of spring and glacier water to thrive. As North American temperatures continue to rise, trout stand to lose three-quarters of their current habitat. (Source: National Wildlife Federation).

Coral Reefs: Coral reefs are colorful underwater forests which teem with life and act as a natural protective barrier for coastal regions. The fishes and plants which call them home belong to some of the most diverse – and fragile – ecosystems on the planet. In one year alone, sixteen percent of the world’s coral reefs were wiped out. A sea temperature change of a mere one degree Celsius would yield similar losses. Increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the water cause additional damage to corals, leaving them defenseless against storm damage and erosion. (Source: National Wildlife Federation).

Due to changes in the environment, climate and wildlife, life as we know it will be dramatically changed for the worst; culture and society too will be affected. People who hunt and eat specific animals (i.e. Eskimos, Vegetarians) will have to find a new source of food and possibly a new living environment, if they are unwilling and/or unable to make the necessary changes they too will die off. Without proper nutrition new diseases may form as well old ones may reappear. As a matter of fact we may experience medicinal shortages; many medications are derived from plant, animal and mineral sources. Clearly if the sea level continues to rise a domino effect will be created amongst all living thing and the possibility of global flooding will turn from a vague theory to a reality of biblical proportions.

However there is an up-side to global warming, as a result of the arctic ice caps melting new valuable undiscovered natural resources will be available to the world; the arctic is unclaimed land. Many believe the arctic is loaded with untapped resources (gold, conflict-free diamonds, oil), as a matter of fact on August 2, 2007 a mini-submarine dropped a titanium capsule containing a Russian flag on the ocean floor at the North Pole.  Increasing the availability of conflict-free diamonds to the public will enable us to stop funding the wars in third-world countries and hopefully stop the wars altogether. If more oil is found under the Arctic’s this will buy us more time to finding an alternative to oil its self such as bio-fueled or hydro-powered cars. With an increase of gold more jewelry and coins can be made, new gold-powered heat or gold-powered electrical devices. Aside from the natural resources that can be found under the polar ice caps a new trade route to the east can be opened up to Europe. Global warming has had a positive effect in Québec; warmer summer nights and shorter warmer winters.

However on a global scale the negative affects far out weight the positive. There would be agricultural and animal extinction, global flooding; an uninhabitable planet. The only way to save the planet is or all countries to take global warming seriously and create and put into effect a plan of action. We can reduce carbon dioxide by relying less on public transportation (trains, planes, automobiles), cities can find ways to reduce traffic jams by redesigning or improving upon there highways, burning less fossil fuels and finding alternatives to factories that emit harmful gases into our atmosphere. Wood burning fire places could be replaced by other forms of heat such as electric heaters. As an individual you can drive less or car pool, walk more often and stop smoking. If we do not control global warming agriculture, wildlife, culture and society will be greatly affected, for the worst.

Written by Keelan Forsythe Copyright © All Rights Reserved, Image Credit: Nisqually Glacier, Mt. Rainier (Mount Rainier has more glacial ice on it than any other peak in the lower 48. This is a view up the Nisqually Glacier to the summit of Mount Rainier. Taken from a magnificent viewpoint along the trails at Paradise. This is an excellent place to see the awesome grinding and excavating power glaciers can exert over the landscape and the slow inextricable effects of global climate change on Mount Rainier’s glaciers. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington.)  by glennwilliamspdx Attribution 2.0 Generic Creative Commons License

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

If you really want to be blown away by this story, read part 1 first, Premonitions in dreams dream wedding funeral two homes sharks meaning. (click HERE)

The Interpretation of ‘Grandma’s Funeral’
FUNERAL – (1) To go to the funeral of a relation or friend is a good sign to the dreamer, who will either inherit property or marry into money. (2) If you see a particular person attending the funeral either that person or some friend of his will die and leave you something. (3) To dream of a funeral service denotes an inheritance.
CRIES – If the cry is one of despair, as in the case of shipwreck or fire at sea, either you or your wife will in due course gain a great deal by speculation.

The Interpretation of ‘The Wedding’
WEDDING – To dream of being married, or a wedding, is a very unfavorable dream especially for lovers. It denotes the death of a near friend or relation, with loss of property and severe disappointments.

The Interpretation of ‘Shark Attack’
SHARK – (1) To see a shark pursuing and attacking you, denotes that unavoidable reverses will sink you into despondent foreboding. (2) To dream of sharks, denotes formidable enemies.

The Dream of ‘Two Homes‘ needed no interpretation…

The Actual Events That Occurred…

I received a phone call from my father’s ex-girlfriend Elaine, (we had never met or spoke before) she told me he had passed on. A few days later I left by airplane for his funeral. Upon landing I had to go to baggage claim and in order to do so I boarded a shuttle; the shuttle’s appearance and the view were exactly as it was in my dream.

A few days after the funeral I asked Elaine if she knew of a woman my father dated, a woman he claimed harassed him repeatedly, destroyed his precious flower garden, stalked him and caused him to be a prisoner in his own home. She laughed and said, “Your father is crazy, he is talking about me, but he always exaggerates the story.”

As time went by I was able to meet some of my dad’s friends and they all knew of Elaine. They shared many tales using the word “evil” to describe her and spoke of her repeated attempts to “take his home” from him; they all told me the home she now lives in, is that of my father; a mistake that haunted him. This was rather disturbing because none of them knew each other. Furthermore, they were all in and out of his life during different periods and I met them all individually, not as a group; one of them was a pastor.

None of them knew of my father’s passing; my father’s funeral was attended by Elaine, her family and I. She denied his loved ones the opportunity to say goodbye; she told me not to post a notice in the newspaper, she said, “no one is going to come, your father kept to himself; he didn’t have any friends.”

Bear in mind Elaine broke the news of my father’s death, paid for my airfare and accommodated me in her home; she treated me very well. As the days passed I was bothered by the many stories she shared about my father; she described someone I did not know; I did not believe her but said nothing. I asked many questions and caught her in many lies; I said nothing and did not show my hand.

When I returned to my country, I began sorting through dad’s things, I discovered many official and personal documents proving each and every story my father and his friends had shared with me about her, for those reasons I believe she was the shark in my dream; she was also the one who was knocking on my door when I awoke from that dream.

I spent much time agonizing over that and “How am I going to pay two rents?” I decided, “My family would never be in peace living in that home; it would be a constant reminder of my father’s pain and suffering and I couldn’t live with that and all the drama that came with it.

I inherited my father’s home by speculation for there was no Will and although the mortgage was very low, I was unable to make the payments; it simply was out of my budget. This really frustrated the woman whom I had left an extra set of keys; she did not have to care for the property nor watch over it, someone else was left to do that.

I had to endure her constant complaints/concerns that the bank would foreclose and that Elaine and her family were repeatedly trespassing and trying to break into the house; these complaints kept coming although I repeatedly made it clear my current home and family were my priorities. When I could no longer endure it I sent a letter via her daughter hoping and praying she would bring her mother into the light; leave it alone.

The letter stated, “…If the bank is going to take everything so be it. If I am unable to return and recoup some of my things I accept that. The things in the house are just that; things!  The only thing I would want is the painting of my father’s grand uncle and again I accept if I cannot get to it in time. As for Elaine and her family I can not and will not loose any sleep over them and/or get caught up in all that drama; it is not my character.  I just really need to be at peace and leave it ALL in God’s hands; I trust him completely and whatever he has in store for me, I accept and I ask that you do the same. The letter came today and is now in the hands on a lawyer. I PROMISE to communicate with you; I will send emails.”

Her daughter after confirming in writing the receipt of the above letter replied, “Since we did not hear from you and worried that the notice that mom sent you by mail stating they were going to dispose of the property and contents thereof by Feb 10.  Therefore my mom went ahead got a storage facility and dismantled the beds, dining table, and removed the dishes and chinaware from cupboard etc and packed them into boxes and made arrangements with the deacons from the church to remove all of your belongings that we thought were of value to you on Tuesday February 9th to the storage facility at a cost of $35 a month to my mom hoping that you would return one day soon.”

Her response infuriated me! Not only did she deny me the right to closure and peace as requested, but she also attempted to impose an expense that was not discussed with me at any time.

Following that email she left a phone message stating that the bank had now foreclosed on the house, changed the locks and all the things I left behind are in the house “as I did not take her advice and let her put the things in storage.” The neighbors however claim my car is sitting in the middle of her driveway and she placed my things in storage. I have not yet responded to that message and have no intention of doing so.

Had I been skilled in the art of interpreting my dreams, I could have spared myself a whole lot of emotional, physical and spiritual pain; had I known Elaine was the woman my father often spoke about, I would have never given her access to his bank account and I would have demanded an autopsy. Elaine was alone with my father when he died in his home; by law an autopsy should have been done.

Dad, I have cried many tears for you for I am so deeply sorry for the pain and suffering you had to endure. I fought the fight dad, and now its over; the truth has now been told. RIP now daddy. RIP.

Written by Antoinette Forsythe Copyright © All Rights Reserved, The interpretations are as given by the dream book ‘The Classic 1000 Dreams’ by foulshm, Image Credit:  premonition by Michele Diodati Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic License.

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

(1) Don’t write in all capitals; SURNAMES only. In the online world writing in capitals is used to imply shouting.

Don’t – I’M MARY, MY GRANDMOTHER IS MABLE MAUDE JOVAN B. 1928 IN CLARENDON.
Do - I’m Mary. My grandmother is Mable Maude JOVAN b. 1928 in Clarendon.

(2) Provide as much detail as you can; results will be much better. Create the post as if we nothing, because until you tell us, we don’t. Include enough information in the message to warrant a proper response. Listing surnames and locations without full details will only get responses asking for more information. Instead, provide users with as much info as you an give to solicit a connection; dates, locale, parents, siblings, occupations, travels etc.

Don’t – Looking for SMITH, JONES, BROWN, JOVAN
Do – My grandmother is Mable Maude JOVAN b. 1928 in Clarendon, Jamaica. Her brother was John, sisters: Catherine, Louise, Agatha, and Aunt Fanny (pet name). I think Mable was the last born. John went to do farming abroad (where, when). Their father was called Uncle Sonny. We are related to SMITH JONES BROWN from Mocho, Clarendon, Jamaica.

(3) Subject & Message Body
Do not attempt to post your entire message in the subject. Do not post subject headings that offer no information “need help”, “looking for my father” or similar headings. The subject should clearly state your SURNAMES of interest, the LOCATION and any other relevant info that would summarize your query.

Do - SMITH, JONES, BROWN, JOVAN – Little London, Westmoreland, Jamaica
(even though your query will be posted in the Jamaica Forum, include the word ‘Jamaica’ in the subject and message so that it will show up in searches)

(4) Don’t mention your living relatives especially your parents without their permission! You will see this as the norm on genealogy boards worldwide; don’t do it! Identity theft is very easy when you have all the info you need.

Don’t – Hi I’m Mary, my mother is from Clarendon and her maiden is BROWN. My father is John George MITCHELL. Her grandmother is Mable Maude JOVAN b. 1928
Do- Hi, I?m Mary. My grandmother is Mable Maude JOVAN b. 1928 in Clarendon, Jamaica. I am looking for ancestors and descendants from those or other areas of Jamaica.

(5) Roll Calls
Do not put “Roll Call” in the subject heading, there is no one by that name. When listing the surnames you are looking for, try to break them into smaller posts and tell us about each of them; don’t list more than four at a time. List the surnames and location in the subject.

(6) Organize your query so that it is easy to read; break it small paragraphs especially if you have a lot of info. In that case you may want to discuss a few people and create a new topic for the others.

(7) If you’ve found a connection explain how you are connected, don’t just say you are; remember the board is help everyone make a connection. Many people get to this point and then begin corresponding privately leaving all others in the dark. Share!

Don’t ? Hi I think we are related, I believe I?m your cousin.
Do – Hi, my grandmother is xyz b. 1920 in St. Vincent. Her father is xyz and mother is xyz. She had two sisters; Mary and Jennie. If this rings a bell we are related.

(8) Update Your Posting (s)
If you after you have placed your post you find some clues or solve your mystery, update your post and share your findings with others that may also be looking; you may find even more clues thereafter.

Written by Antoinette Forsythe Copyright © All Rights Reserved, Image Credit: Explore Your Roots by CaribbeanAncestry.com Copyright © All Rights Reserved.

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

1. You will begin by documenting all the information you know off-hand; fill in the attached Pedigree form (click the word pedigree) as best you can.
2. Now you will look around your home for hidden resources: family heirlooms, documents, letters, photo albums, Bible (some contain a genealogy chart at the beginning), school records, phone books, diary, church directory, telephone directory etc.
3. At this point you will create a system for gathering and recoding your data; the basic questions you must always seek to answer for each person you add to your Tree, and how will you record it. See Basic Questions.
4. You will now go through each item (resource), extract information from it and record it. Most importantly you will document the source (where you found the info) for every piece of information that you record (diary, school record, death certificate, Bible, you etc). Do not make any corrections in your notes; record misspellings, incorrect dates etc. exactly as written. Also make note of any source (s) that confirms info already in your Tree.
5. Once you have extracted all that you can from yourself and your personal belongings, you will then branch out to other members of the family; interviews.

Basic Questions – remember to note your sources:
(1) Full name (maiden / nick name / pet name / title)
(2) Name change – state the reason (adoption, paternity, marriage etc.)
(3) Appearance – what did they look like (i.e. black, mulatto, green eyes, mole on face, hunch back, white etc.)
(4) Date and place of birth – witnesses, godparents
(5) Date and place of death – witnesses, cause, where buried
(6) Education- what schools did they attend, where and when
(7) Occupations – what jobs did they hold, where and when
(8) Marriages – to whom, when, where, how (banns, certificate), witnesses
(9) Military Service – when, where, why (enlisted, drafted, flee country etc.)
(10) Church – affiliation, when, where, role if any (deacon, minister, choir, teacher etc)
(11) Travel – when, where, why, how
(12) Affiliations – political, clubs, offices held
(13) Awards – when, where, why
(14) Addresses – when, how long, lived with whom or near whom, or near what

Example of note taking:
Jane Isabella Smith b. June 16, 1956 Big Bong Island, Naga Naga. d. Nov 20 1999, bur. Canada. Source: John Barry Smith son of Jane Isabella Smith; email.

Now one thing to remember is this, if you exchange a lot of genealogy emails with John you should mention, the subject and date of the email. Why? Let’s say three years from now, you find some errors in your Tree, you may have to re-examine your old notes, by adopting a consistent method, you will know exactly where to look and/or whom to contact for another interview.

Written by Antoinette Forsythe Copyright © All Rights Reserved, Image Credit: Caribbean Ancestry by CaribbeanAncestry.com Copyright © All Rights Reserved.

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

The only thing left is the dreaded Hallmark card with those cliché Mother’s Day poems of famous quotes; ugh!

What did I receive for Mother’s Day? Well, you’re looking at it; my 18 year old son gave me a hand-made card with his own words thoughts and feelings. Words that made me feel appreciated, valued, loved, honored, understood and respected; I received the best Mother’s Day gift in the whole wide world; something without a price tag, from the heart and soul; priceless!

I love you son; thank you for making every day of my life worth living.

Love Mom

Written by Antoinette Forsythe Copyright © All Rights Reserved, Image Credit: Mother’s Day 2010 by Keelan Forsythe Copyright © All Rights Reserved

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

FamilySearch.org has begun the process of transcribing the data from their microfilm collection into an online searchable database. Here are the errors that I have spotted thus far:

• Surnames – In cases where a birth record does not contain a child’s surname, the transcriber assumed the child took the mother’s surname name; this is a huge mistake and you will only catch it if you know the child.
• Given Names – Males are assumed as females and vice versa based on the name; the transcriber has assumed the original registrar made an error and/or has assumed the name is gender specific.
• Misspellings – Surname misspellings are being corrected and should not be as the error is often carried over onto other official documents and/or it can become the name they continue using. The corrections should be written in brackets if being done or mentioned as a side note.
• Dates – Dates of birth are incorrect in some case off by years
• Informant / Witness Roles  not defined – Witnesses and / or informants to births are being listed as the father;  another huge mistake. Sometimes the informant is a friend, the person present at birth, a relative, the midwife or the person in charge of the child; the information could be anyone but we don’t know what their role is becasue this information is not being provided to us via text or a link to view the actual document.
• Certification – We are only given the certificate number but not the letters that go with it (i.e. “55” instead of the entire certificate number “LE55”). The letters are a must as it is the actual certificate number. It is also useful for distinguishing between two or more women having the same name and giving birth in the same year. It also helps to clarify the data found in the indexes.
• Locations - Districts, towns and parishes are not correctly matched. For example, you may see “Spanish Town, Westmoreland, Jamaica” and if you don’t know any better, you will take this as fact.
• The district of registration is being mistaken for the place of birth and they are not always one and the same.
• Missing Documents – There is no image (link to view the actual document) so we are denied the opportunity to see valuable information; date, name, occupation, residence, parents, actual age at christening, parents married or not, mother’s maiden name, witnesses, informant etc; confirm the data transcribed.

I use Ancestry and Family Search (LDS mormon genealogy site) religiously; I could not do without them and truly appreciate their efforts. I am extremely grateful to FamilySearch.org for making their online data available for free; they are not another money grabbing genealogy corporation. However, I am now forced to use them as I use my own site (CaribbeanAncestry.com), with great caution; as long as the information being presented is not supported with its documentation (so I can verify for myself), I must take it as hearsay or an assumption; I cannot take the transcriber’s interpretation as fact.

I have sent a letter to Family Search regarding the errors; I strongly suggest that  you do not use their beta site (http://fsbeta.familysearch.org) until they correct these errors and take steps to ensure they will not be repeated.

Please share the experiences (positive or negative) that you have had with these two  sites. Also share your suggestions and tips that we can use in the meanwhile to get around these issues.

In the days of old, family histories were passed down over the years by word of  mouth without error;  I’ll continue to use my mother’s oral history for my family tree research; modern day resources for genealogical research has got nothing on my mamma!

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Written by Antoinette Forsythe Copyright © All Rights Reserved, Image Credit: Secret… by Vince Alongi Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

Me The Clueless Depressant

Out of the Mouths of Babe – Ma (laughing), that’s not a doorbell.

Me The Clueless Depressant – What do you mean? It’s that moron down the street! His stupid door chimes every bloody morning when he leaves for work; it drives me crazy!

Out of the Mouths of Babe – Ma, it’s the school bell; it doesn’t ring like a regular school bell. It sounds like a door chime and rings every half an hour every single day, on the weekends, and even in the summer time.

Me The Clueless Depressant – Whaaaat! Are you serious? Oh my goodness! Are you sure? Ha ha ha ha ha ha haaa! Man, I really need to leave the bat cave more often; damn depression; talk about detached. That is hilarious, and here I am calling the man a moron; who’s the moron now! Haaaa ha ha ha ha; that’s one for the books!

Written by Antoinette Forsythe Copyright © All Rights Reserved, Image Credit: Cat or Alien by kaibara87I Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

(1) Grandma’s Funeral – I had a dream that my paternal grandmother passed away. This was very strange because I had never met her and she had already passed. I was aware of her name, a few details, and not much more. At the funeral I cried and cried which was considered normal but what was odd, was my insistence on standing next to the coffin while the funeral director propped her into a sitting position, thus allowing someone to take a picture of us. The other thing that was odd was the overwhelming sadness I felt at the funeral given that I did not know her at all; I was all over her. I thought, how could she rest in peace with all my drama.

(2) The Shuttle – In this dream I was at College ABC and had to go to another campus. Even though it was ABC its location was now XYZ (downtown). I then had to board a shuttle of sorts (a shuttle that travels via rail above ground) to go to the campus; I remember looking down on the ground as we traveled high above the ground; the ride was quiet and smooth. There were many trees, the view was peaceful and beautiful. This dream was very short but it confused me because I never think of College ABC or XYZ, my thoughts are on GHI College; the college my son was planning on attending. Also none of these schools use this type of transportation to go from campus to campus. Lastly, I have never seen this type of transportation in real life. In fact I don’t even know if its called a shuttle.

(3) The Wedding – This dream occurred more than once with minor variations. I was attending the wedding of my best friend; I was the videographer. At some point she tells me that she does not really want to marry her fiancé and the wedding is canceled. In another variation the wedding occurs but I arrive at the last minute due to complications.

(4) Two homes – At least seven times I had this dream with minor variations.
I was living in a house and somehow I ended up being tied to two leases. In all versions I was confused as to how I was going to sort out the mess; how can I live in two places at once? I remember panicking about the rent that was due on the new home because I had no money. I remember trying to figure out how to move all my furniture into the new place; some things had to be left behind in trunks and in storage. In all versions I went to back to the storage or second home and tried to pack some things in my car; in all versions I had to leave many things behind; it was very upsetting to me. On all occasions I awoke very stressed as if it were really happening. I would think about it all day; why am I having this dream? Why over and over again!

Now once these dreams occurred they began to be realized and I continued dreaming; I will only tell you of one although it turned out those were premonitions as well.

Shark Attack – All I remember is this, I was being attacked by sharks; They were trying to break into my room; these sharks didn’t swim, they stood upright like men. The dream ended as I was awoken by my own screams and Elan knocking on my bedroom door; she could hear me screaming from her room.

End of part 1; to be continued… – Click HERE to read Part 2

Written by Antoinette Forsythe Copyright © All Rights Reserved, Image Credit:  premonition by Michele Diodati Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic License.

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

(2) When someone in the family dies you’re pissed off because you didn’t get a chance to interview them. Everyone else is deeply saddened they didn’t get a chance to say goodbye.

(3) You shamelessly joined this group for the sole purpose of finding more relatives.

(4) You can honestly say, “I knew a woman that had 20 children in 18 years; her husband fathered 3, her first cousin 1, her uncle 1 and the rest was her slave masters; all children had the same surname.”

(5) After a night of partying you tell your friends that your eyes are bloodshot, your head hurts, you feel nauseated and you are more confused now than the night before. All because you chose to skip the partying to go look at birth registry microfilm… for 5 hours!

(6) Everyone is dreading the upcoming family reunion because Milton who just got out of jail will be there; they feel its way too early to speak to him. They don’t want to say or do anything to upset him. You can’t wait to get there because you think no time like the present time to grill him about his grandparents.

(7) While your girlfriend is snooping through her friend’s friend list looking for hotties, you’re looking to see who shares your surname.

(8) After finding a hottie your girlfriend goes to google.com to check him out. You go to ancestry.com to check out his ancestors.

(9) You have at least on one occasion, stayed up all night trying to figure who the baby daddy was for someone’s gggm.

(10) While reading a tragic news story, you drop a tear or two and decide to start a movement to free the slaves; you forgot the paper is dated 1792.

(12) You joined the aviation group and you’re afraid of heights and would never fly a plane, but hey, the admin shares your surname; you might be related.

(13) While in a bar fight your friend shouts, “and your mama is on welfare!” You chime in, “yeah and your gggf… !”

(14) Your ailing grandmother is hospitalized. Everyone shows up with flowers, slippers and teddy bears. You show up with a tape recorder, notepad and a pen.

(14) Your ailing grandmother dies and everyone can’t wait for the Will to be read just so they can see the gold mine they’ve inherited. You can’t wait to dig through her photo albums, diaries, letters, heirlooms and old documents, then you want to see the Will only to see if grandma mentioned some relatives you might have not yet discovered; a genealogical goldmine.

(15) Every time you’re introduced to someone all you want to know is, “what’s your surname and what parish / country are you from.”

(16) You often nag your friends to interview their parents and grandparents, “before all that history is gone forever.”

(17) You often nag your friends and insist they make a Will because its important to keep all that property in the bloodline.

(18) Your friend tells you he just had a beautiful baby girl and .you think, “…another surname lineage shot to hell.”

(19) You’ve joined your surname facebook group, you have a facebook genealogy app and you are a member of more than three facebook genealogy groups.

(20) It wasn’t enough for you to join every genealogy site that exists, you had to go and start your own genealogy blog / website / faceboook group…

http://CaribbeanAncestry.com – Free Caribbean West Indies Indo-Caribbean Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library

Written by Antoinette Forsythe Copyright © All Rights Reserved, Image Credit: Addicted to Genealogy by CaribbeanAncestry.com Copyright © All Rights Reserved, Caribbean Ancestry by CaribbeanAncestry.com Copyright © All Rights Reserved.

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

11 If they say, “Come along with us;
let’s lie in wait for someone’s blood,
let’s waylay some harmless soul;

12 let’s swallow them alive, like the grave,
and whole, like those who go down to the pit;

13 we will get all sorts of valuable things
and fill our houses with plunder;

14 throw in your lot with us,
and we will share a common purse”-

15 my son, do not go along with them,
do not set foot on their paths;

16 for their feet rush into sin,
they are swift to shed blood.

17 How useless to spread a net
in full view of all the birds!

18 These men lie in wait for their own blood;
they waylay only themselves!

19 Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
it takes away the lives of those who get it.

Noun  1.    temptation – something that seduces or has the quality to seduce
enticement
influence – a cognitive factor that tends to have an effect on what you do; “her wishes had a great influence on his thinking”
forbidden fruit – originally an apple from the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden; it is now used to refer to anything that is tempting but dangerous (as sexuality)
bait, come-on, lure, sweetener, hook – anything that serves as an enticement
allurement – attractiveness; “its allurement was its remoteness”
2.    temptation – the desire to have or do something that you know you should avoid; “he felt the temptation and his will power weakened”
desire – the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
3.   temptation – the act of influencing by exciting hope or desire; “his enticements were shameless”
enticement
influence – causing something without any direct or apparent effort
wheedling, blandishment – the act of urging by means of teasing or flattery
leading astray, leading off – the act of enticing others into sinful ways
seduction – enticing someone astray from right behavior
allurement, solicitation – the act of enticing a person to do something wrong (as an offer of sex in return for money)

entice definition
en·tice (en tīs′, in-)
transitive verb enticed -·ticed′, enticing -·tic′·ing
to attract by offering hope of reward or pleasure; tempt; allure

The Bible – Proverbs 1: 8-19 NIV, Image Credit: Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bing Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling by prawnpie, Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

Sometimes reality has a way of sneaking up and biting us in the ass. And when the dam bursts, all you can do is swim. The world of pretend is a cage, not a cocoon. We can only lie to ourselves for so long. We are tired, we are scared, denying it doesn’t change the truth. Sooner or later we have to put aside our denial and face the world. Head on, guns blazing. De Nile. It’s not just a river in Egypt, it’s a freakin’ ocean. So how do you keep from drowning in it? – Meredith Baxter quote

If addiction is judged by how long a dumb animal will sit pressing a lever to get a “fix” of something, to its own detriment, then I would conclude that netnews is far more addictive than cocaine. -  Rob Stampfli quote

Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names – John Fitzgerald Kennedy quote

I’ve learned that no matter how good a friend someone is, they’re going to hurt you every once in awhile and you must forgive them for that.

Fast for Fear of Choking (You can’t refuse to do the thing you need to just because there is a slight chance to fail.) – Chinese Proverb quote

I may have my pride, but my pride does not have me.

A stiff apology is a second insult… The injured party does not want to be compensated because he has been wronged; he wants to be healed because he has been hurt. – G. K. Chesterton quote

Never ruin an apology with an excuse. Kimberly Johnson quote

I’ve never known any human being, high or humble, who ever regretted, when nearing life’s end, having done kindly deeds. But I have known more than one millionaire who became haunted by the realization that they had led selfish lives. – Barry C. Forbes quote

You can bend it and twist it… You can misuse and abuse it… But even God cannot change the Truth. – Michale Levy

Judge a person by their questions, rather than their answers. – Voltaire

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. – George Santayana

The coward calls the brave man rash, the rash man calls him a coward.

Try and fail, but don’t fail to try. How long should you try? Until.

One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure its worth watching.

Nobody can hurt me without my permission. Mahatma Gandhi

My wisdom comes from my own personal experiences, my knowledge from the experiences of others; if it were the other way around I couldn’t trust myself. – Antoinette Forsythe

When thought becomes excessively painful, action is the finest remedy. – Salman Rushdie

We think too small. Like the frog at the bottom of the well. He thinks the sky is only as big as the top of the well. If he surfaced, he would have an entirely different view. — Mao Tse-Tung

For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief. -Ecclesiastes

Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You cannot uneducate the person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore. We have seen the future, and the future is ours. Cesar Chavez

Love is a decision – not an emotion.

Before enlightenment – chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment – chop wood, carry water. Zen Buddhist Proverb

Arguing with a fool proves there are two. Doris M. Smith

Men soon the faults of others learn. A few their virtues, too, find out. But is there one I have a doubt; Who can his own defects discern? Sanskrit Proverb

Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the LORD gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged. 1 Chronicles 22:13

No one ever choked to death swallowing his pride

Are you not ashamed of caring so much for the making of money and for fame and prestige, when you neither think nor care about wisdom and truth and the improvement of your soul? Socrates

Image Credit: Philosophers Club by Thomas Hawk,  Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

In the second stall was his girlfriend, she made a mess of her stall. Or eyes met as she exited her stall.  She said, “Oh don’t mind him, he’s talking in his sleep.” I could see inside her stall, there were feces in and out of her bowl; it was overflowing.

In the third stall there was a woman on the floor, she was passed out; she looked pale and dead. Her door was closed.

The last stall had no door and no right wall; it was filthy as well. I really contemplated as to how desperate I was to even think of using it; I knew for sure I was not going to sit on it or touch anything.

As I stood there staring at it (trying to muscle up the nerve to use it), a couple walked in. They leaned on the wall on which the bowl rested; just a few feet away. I now focused my attention on the stall next to me, “Meth, you don’t know if up is down or down is up. Don’t worry, she’s not dead, and, you’re gonna have to use this stall, you don’t have a choice,” the woman said.

It did not appear they had any intention of giving me what little privacy there was; I pulled down my pants and urinated; I was on my menstrual cycle so there was a small amount of blood in the bowl. I wiped myself clean but did not flush; no one did.

As I finished I looked up at the stall next to me, I noticed the woman had climbed to the top of the stall door; she jumped. Her head split open; there was blood everywhere; she died.

Written by Antoinette Forsythe Copyright © All Rights Reserved, Image Credit: 2 am. By mondi Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

Happiest When Wet
…I didn’t have time to debate the issue; I had to rush home for prayer-meeting with Maggie and Justin, the first of hopefully many to come. After the meeting Justin went back to his friend’s house. I told Maggie I’d walk her home because I really wanted to keep up with my daily walks, and I needed to buy some fruits.

Half way there I began to sweat and trust me, it really was not attractive. However, there was no need for worry, just in the distance there was a yard with a sprinkler. I ran over and stood under the sprinkler with my face looking up into the clouds; I closed my eyes, opened my mouth, and drank and drank and drank. You would think I had just journeyed through the desert on bare foot during the worst heat wave; I thanked God for water, the hose, easy access to the lawn, and the fact that there were no chained hungry rabid dogs lurking about.

I let the water run over my face and hands and it felt so darn good. However, unbeknownst to me, it also wet the entire right side of my track pants and the crotch of my pants; great, we still had several blocks more to go, the sun had now begun to set so it wouldn’t dry in the next five minutes, and, I had to walk back home during rush hour along the main streets. We had a good laugh about it all, after all what else could I do but laugh at myself; I knew I hadn’t wet my pants and that’s all that mattered; so what if I looked like the poster child for Depend (Incontinence Undergarment Company).

We finally got to the store and in just a few minutes I purchased a variety of fruits. Maggie took nearly fifteen to look at every fruit, in every isle; touching, smelling, weighing and debating. In the end, she bought one lousy banana; hell, I could have given her one of mine! She decked with banana in hand and I gracefully clad in my wet pants and fruits galore; we decided to hang out for a bit. We stood on the corner of an intersection; it was part of a long strip laden with high end stores and Restaurants. It was a beautiful summer day so there was plenty of activity. I was enjoying all the excitement it had to offer; I did not know what it really had in store for us.

Nuts and Bolts
As we checked out the scenery a car pulled up a few feet away and parked; Maggie didn’t notice but I, I miss nothing. While Maggie was busy chatting away I was busy checking out the character stepping out the car. As he stepped out I gasped, “nuts and bolts!” Maggie immediately turned in my direction to see what all the commotion was about. Her body shook with disgust as if I said “let’s eat worms.” She mumbled under her breath as soon as he passed us, “Why’d you have to show me that?” “I didn’t show you,” I explained, “I couldn’t help but notice.”

The tall white man took his time in crossing the street in his skin tight (I can’t breathe) red not black bicycle shorts. He went into the pharmacy and all eyes were on him; we weren’t the only ones that took notice. A few minutes later he exited the pharmacy; a few minutes too soon as far as Maggie was concerned; for this time, she had front row seating to his little showing. Her body literally convulsed, “Oh, Dear, Lord,” she said at a snails pace. This time he crossed the street at a much slower pace; if that was even possible.

My eyes were fixated on his groin; I’m sure he knew all eyes were on him becasue suddenly for no apparent reason, he turned to the side and stood still for what seemed like an hour. The view was disturbing and we were all traumatized. He turned in our direction and headed straight for us. My eyes were still fixated on his groin as I was still in shock. I shook my head in disbelief and said, “I’m sure that’s illegal. Don’t you think? I mean really, it has got to be!” As he climbed back into his car and left, Maggie and I stared dumbfounded at each other. I finally exhaled and said, “Yep, there you have it, dick and balls, upfront and center for all the world to see; nuts, and bolts. Girl, I’m bringing Hammer Pants back!”

With those words I looked down and realized my pant crotch was still slightly wet; not really noticeable, but if you looked hard enough, you could see it. Then it hit me, what if he noticed? What if he thought he made them wet? I realized that his ‘thing’ had somehow put a spell on me; I was still a bit dazed. I had to get back to reality.

Be Cool
Maggie began chatting again. We chatted about our adventures on opposite sides of the globe; she had gone to England for two years and although she had been back about two years, we never had a chance to talk about it in depth; we had a lot to catch up on. By the time we finished swapping tales my pant had dried and my fruit bag was starting to feel heavy on my shoulders. I slowly placed my bag on the pavement between my feet and then with a great big sigh of relief, I began to stretch out my shoulders.

As I was coming out my stretches, I noticed a car parking right across from us; the driver was quite handsome and he really caught my eye; after the last driver, we were long overdue for some real eye candy. I flirtatiously shouted over to him, “Hey handsome. How are you doing today?” Maggie chuckled hysterically; she couldn’t believe that I could be so bold. He smiled back; a smile so wide I’m pretty sure I saw his tonsils. He blushed and quickly vanished into the corner store. “I can not believe you said that, girl you are too bold. I think you gave the poor man a heart attack,” she said as she continued to laugh. “Girl he was a fine looking man, shy as hell, but fine! The worst thing he could do is curse me and I would live after that.” I said smiling back at her.

Within a few minutes he came out of the store and got into his car. He then bent down as if he had dropped something. He then came back out with what looked like a pencil, walked over to the trunk and placed the small item into the trunk. Maggie quickly whispered, “Ooh girl, he just did that so you could get a second look”. He smiled at me and walked back without saying a word; we chuckled like two teenage girls. He got back into the driver’s seat and reached down on the floor again, this time he pulled out a large container of bottled water. As he began to sip its contents, he assumed the ‘gangsta lean’ position and turned up his stereo; which of course was playing rap music. “Can I get a drink?” I asked. My partner not associated with this crime quickly pointed out, “Kayla, he can’t hear you, his music is too loud.” “I know that. I would die if he answered,” I said rather shyly; revealing the fact that I’m really not ‘that’ bold. “I wonder how he’ll exit.” I whispered in her ear.

As soon as the words left my mouth he smiled at me and revved his engine. I smiled back at him and then Maggie and I faced the other direction. Although our backs were turned, his exist was loud and clear; it sounded as though he peeled off at lightening speed; screeeeeeech, urrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, BOOOOOOM! There was a loud crash! My mouth dropped open and my body immediately fell to the pavement in deep despair; I sat on the curb with face cupped in my hands and almost wept; I felt sick inside. “No, no, no, no, no! This is all my fault! Oh no, no, no, no!” I cried out. “I shouldn’t have flirted, I shouldn’t; he was trying to impress me! Oh no! This is terrible!” I couldn’t stop repeating myself. I couldn’t get up. I couldn’t and didn’t dare look. I could hear the crowds gathering all around me but it was all so surreal; I was in a dream-like state of mind and I could hear the chattering and all the questions being uttered; I, had all the answers.

“Kayla, it can’t be his car!” Maggie screamed at me in confusion. “Anyway, how is it your fault? We’ve had this talk. Stop talking responsibility for other people’s stupidity!” She said scolding me in her mother-daughter tone. “It ‘is’ my fault and it ‘is’ his car; I can feel it!” I insisted. Maggie looked over at the crash site and began to laugh hysterically, “Kayla, it’s not, his, car! He’s long gone; it’s a white car!” she shouted. I shouted back in agony, “His car ‘is’ white!”

Her laughter came to a sudden halt. She pulled me up and over towards the fence; I didn’t want to look but I knew I had to. Like two peeping Toms we peeped over. We immediately saw the white car door opening from the driver’s side. The man stepped out his car and shook his head in disbelief, he then turned and looked at us; it was him! There was no smile; he was expressionless. As he turned back to his car a tall white man came out of a restaurant; it was his car that was hit; they both inspected their vehicles without a word to each other.

The more I thought about it, the more it made no sense; how, why, for what? Certainly not for me! When I first saw him he was parked at the stop light; his car was first in line the corner. When he peeled off, it means he didn’t go straight, he made an immediate left turn; a turn unto a narrow road that has cars parked on both sides; you have to proceed slowly as not to hit any of the parked cars. Maybe he didn’t know that, but still. More shocked than Maggie, both drivers and I, were the restaurateurs; his car slammed into a parked car, the parked car was then pushed up and unto the sidewalk crashing into many table; at that table, there were restaurateurs.

Although I was deep in thought, I could hear Maggie cackling away in the background; she somehow still thought it was funny; I didn’t hear the joke, I didn’t get the punch line. “What an idiot, what a total idiot!” she said. “This could’ve been a really nice moment for you both, all he had to do was smile back and drive off like a normal human being; but nooooo! Kayla, his decision to do what he did had nothing to do with you; it was his choice and his choice alone. Think about it.” she said still chuckling. I thought about and then responded in agreement, “Yeah, you’re right, not even a NASCAR driver would’ve begun a race at 1000 miles an hour; his first move was an immediate right angle turn. I mean really, who would do such a thing?” “You see Kayla, that’s why I’m laughing.” She said. “It’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen a man do.”

I continued looking over the fence analyzing the crowd that had gathered and said to her, “Maggie, this poor man picked the whitest block and the whitest restaurant to crash into. Not only that but it’s filled with the drunkest white people that will serve as witnesses when the police arrive. Maggie, this Negro is a dead man walking! I can’t even think of what to say or do to help him out.”

We decide it was time to leave; we had seen enough action to last a lifetime. As we walked down the street, we slyly looked to the left, I was silently hoping and praying he wouldn’t look back, but he did, and for the second time that day, time stood still; his eyes locked on mine; still without expression. I said nothing and I didn’t smile. I didn’t go over and offer to help. I didn’t wave. No matter what the reality was, I felt guilty; I honestly felt helpless and was deeply numbed by it all. As I walked home, I vowed never again to cool off under a sprinkler, never again to blame myself for the actions of another and, never again to flirt; but I know all too well, “Never say never.”

Written by Antoinette Forsythe Copyright © All Rights Reserved, Image Credit: the answer to the question: Why are bike shorts always black? by iwishicoulddescribeitto youbetter Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic, No Need 4 Speed by amandabhslater Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic, sprinkler fun by StormyDog Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

I have come to the sad realization that depression is one of the most misunderstood diseases; it is no different from Diabetes, Alzheimers, Alcoholism or Stigmatism; you are either born predisposed to it (genetic predisposition), a victim of circumstances (triggers), suffer from a chemical imbalance and/or many other factors that may come into play. The reality is, it is not a choice that one makes; depression is a disease that one has no control over; you don’t wake up and decide to be sad and lifeless, you just are.

The insensitive and/or ignorant people may say things like: “What the hell do you have to be sad about? Please, you don’t have any disease you are just in a funk. Don’t let the doctors put that in your head. You’re just going through a rough patch; it will pass. Suck it up, get over it, what kind of man are you; be a man. Just trust in God and you will feel better; come to church on Sunday. Don’t put that in your profile status, nobody wants to hear your gloom and doom stories. It is all about nutrition, if you eat the right foods and exercise, you’ll be fine; you don’t need medication. You are depressed because you have locked yourself up in your house; just get some fresh air. You just need some good sex.” Some may even laugh at you; literally. These individuals do not realize the severity of your disease; that it requires professional medical attention; that your words to them may actually be a cry for help. The mean people are like school bullies, their response is with the intent to hurt you. These people will gossip about you with anyone that will listen.

I was born defective and predisposed to many diseases and illness; the hospital gave my mother a drug while she was pregnant with me; my children also suffered with various medical problems as a result of that same drug; only one survived.

To those suffering from this disease I encourage you to begin your fight by coming out and seeking help; show your strength for seeking help is not a sign of weakness. Cast aside your fears of society’s stigmas. Accept that the mean people will throw it in your face at any given moment; they are mean by choice; you are depressed because you are ill; the mean person has just as much “mental issues” as you do if not more.

Remember that the insensitive and ignorant are simply that, most of the time they really don’t know any better and really mean well. Sometimes it is just their way of dealing with being uncomfortable with the subject at hand.

I have decided to “come out” to empower myself and others; I will no longer hide in shame because there is nothing to be ashamed of and no one worthy of hiding from.

Now that I have “Come out” with my depression, my friends and loved ones may now stare at me and wonder, is she here or just going through the motions; for this you must not worry. Worry when you see me driving towards a bridge while intoxicated. Worry when I no longer say I love you.  Worry when I do not return your phone calls or accept your invitations. Worry when I no longer tell jokes and dance at the parties. Worry when I no longer fulfill my passions. Worry when I no longer support you when you are down. Worry when I no longer comb my hair. Worry when I no longer care for my family or my home; worry when you see that I can no longer fight my disease…

My disease cripples me physically…

• I want to get things done but I just can’t; I am starving, my stomach hurts and my head is spinning but do you really think I can make it to the fridge? I just don’t have the energy.
• I am always tired; I function on 2-4 hours of sleep each and every day; my night is day and my day is night; damn insomnia.
• I know that I need to get that done but I can’t and yes I know the consequences are very serious if I don’t, but could you please just do it for me?

… no society, I’m not lazy, I’m not a procrastinator and I’m not a slave driver. No it is not just mind over matter. Do you know how much energy it takes for me to get up, get dressed and comb my hair? The mere thought of leaving the house overwhelms me; pray I don’t have an anxiety attack.

My disease emotionally numbs me…

• Sure I danced all night but that was my brain automatically responding to my favorite songs; I was simply going through the motions; I was emotionally detached from it all.
• Yes I was the center of attention at your get-together. Yes I had everybody in stitches, but deep down inside, I really wanted to go home and be alone; I’m often irritated when too many people are in my personal space or in my life; I prefer to be alone.
• Yesterday was a great day. Today I feel like I just want to die; I feel so sad and I don’t know why; I hope the sun comes out tomorrow because I am so very tired of crying.

… no society, I’m not trying to be the center of attention and I am not fake. I was actually working very hard to be in the moment; to be sociable. Do you know how that I deserved an award for that night out; realize that it has been 4-6 months since my last social gathering.

My disease puts me in mental slow motion…

• Sure I can build a website but do you know how many months prior to its execution I was planning on doing that? Did you know that each and every step literally took weeks or months to complete?
• Did you know this is supposed to be a DAILY blog site written solely by me; yes I keep trying to get back on track even though I know I may fail; again.
• I have to be self-employed. Who will hire me if I can’t complete a task within a given time frame; I have to go at my own pace; whatever that is.
• Were you still talking? Sorry, I blanked out. No you have to start over, I have no clue what you said and I am so easily distracted.
• I’m not saying I don’t know you I am saying I don’t remember you.

…no society, I’m not avoiding work; I’m actually a workaholic and an overachiever. No, I can not give you a deadline as to when I will be available. I get that you’re trying to work with me but you are not working with my brain.  No, I am not trying to be rude or play you for an fool but realize that I get very little sleep so concentrating is a task within itself. Hell most of the time I have no clue what day, month or year it is. As a matter of fact, I have no memory of my life from ages 1-10; the rest of my life is a total blur; please forgive my memory, or lack thereof.

My disease has my brain in intellectual overdrive…

• I lay awake at night with a thousand thoughts racing through my mind
• I excel at everything I do but I am easily bored by tasks, people, places, things; life in general can’t keep me entertained.
• I often have great difficulty in understanding when people speak; I’ll ask the same question in several different ways or state the same statement in several ways.

…no society, I don’t need to simply write them down. I don’t just need something constructive to do; properly channel all that energy. I am not trying to challenge your authority, I am not trying to be disruptive, I am not calling you a liar or trying to be disrespectful. I don’t just need to shut up and listen and no, I’m not trying to start an argument; I really don’t understand what you are saying; you lost me at hello.

Society, you say you are frustrated with me, well just imagine how I feel; when I’m depressed, each day is a challenge; within that day, I can go from happiness to overwhelming sadness all within a single hour. Each month is an accomplishment and each year that I live, worthy of an award to be hung on a mantle for the entire world to see.

Depression is far more complex than many realize and there are many types: Major Depressive Disorder (Major Depression, Clinical Depression), Dysthymic Disorder (Dysthymia), Manic Depression (Bipolar Disorder), Post Partum Depression, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Anxiety Depression (panic disorder, social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder), Atypical Depression, Chronic Depression, Double Depression, Endogenous Depression, Situational Depression or Reactive Depression, Agitated Depression, Psychotic Depression, Melancholic Depression, Catatonic Depression.

If you suffer from depression and/or have experienced any of my symptoms, share this story with those who can’t imagine a day in your life; find the courage to tell someone that you are in deep emotional pain; do not try to manage your depression on your own; a doctor is best equipped to diagnose and recommend treatment if necessary. Treatments may include: Medication, psychotherapy, life skills, stress management skills, in home assistance and in severe cases, shock treatment and/or hospitalization.

If you know someone that suffers from depression take the time to support them in their journey by giving an ear when they need it. Support them by checking in on them from time to time; bring dinner and a movie.  Offer spiritual support if they so desire; there are organizations that specialize in psychotherapy for Christians; a combination of professional counseling and spiritual counseling, or you can try to find a Christian psychotherapist for your friend. Support them by continuing to include them in your activities even if they never attend. Show that you appreciate their efforts when they do call, come out, come over or invite you out; show and tell them you love them now, instead of at their funeral.

I encourage everyone to take the time to reach out to that person that has lost their job, their family, their home; anyone going through a difficult time; we have a responsibility to take care of each other. Share this with all your friends, family, health care establishments etc, anyone with young children or teens; you might save a life…

Famous People with depression and/or experienced suicidal ideation, tendencies, feelings, thoughts:

• Lady Diana Princess of Wales struggled with depression and eating disorders.
• Tyler Perry actor comedian suffered from depression and attempted suicide.
• Rodney Dangerfield was diagnosed with clinical depression; Dangerfield believed that it began early in his life due to a father who abandoned him and a mother whose cruel remarks made him feel worthless.
• Beyoncé Knowles singer suffers with Major Depression.
• Terrie Williams high profile publicist to the stars lives with Major Depression.
• Joe Budden hip hop singer suffers with Major Depression.
• Terry Bradshaw football great struggles with depression.
• Harrison Ford actor struggles with depression.
• Jim Carrey comedian struggles with depression.

Christians/ people in the Bible who had episodes of depression and/or committed suicide:

• King David “I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. …I groan because of the turmoil of my heart” (Psalm 38:6,8  – NKJV).
• Abraham (Genesis 15)
• Jonah (Jonah 4)
• Job (Book of Job)
• Elijah (1 Kings 19)
• King Saul (I Samuel 16:14-23, etc.)
• Jeremiah (Book of Jeremiah)
• David (Psalms 6, 13, 18, 23, 25, 27, 31, 32, 34, 37-40, 42-43, 46, 51, 55, 62-63, 69, 71, 73, 77, 84, 86, 90-91, 94-95, 103-104, 107, 110, 116, 118, 121, 123-124, 130, 138, 139, 141-143, 146-147)
• Abimelech (Judges 9:54)
• Ahithophel (2 Samuel 17:23)
• Judas Iscariot (Matthew 27: 5)
• Saul (1 Samuel 31:4)
• Saul’s armor-bearer (1 Samuel 31:4-6)
• Zimri (1 Kings 16:18)

“Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done. Now, if you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain’t you. You’re better than that!” – Movie Quote from ‘Rocky Balboa’

*Depression: It is thought that depression is caused by an imbalance of brain chemicals. Depression is a serious illness.  It is very different from the common experience of feeling miserable or fed up for a short period of time. When you’re depressed, you may have feelings of extreme sadness that can last for a long time. These feelings are severe enough to interfere with your daily life, and can last for weeks or months, rather than days.

*Ignorant / Ignorance: Ignorance is the state in which one lacks knowledge, is unaware of something or chooses to subjectively ignore information. This should not be confused with being unintelligent, as one’s level of intelligence and level of education or general awareness are not the same…

*Insensitive: Not having normal physical feeling; not having normal emotional feelings, cold, tactless, undiplomatic.

Written by Antoinette Forsythe Copyright © All Rights Reserved, Image Credit: Antoinette Forsythe by Antoinette Forsythe Copyright © All Rights Reserved, Cleveland Prevue of the Week (Back cover of April 17-24, 1948) by Cleveland Prevue Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License, K.O. by Evil Erin Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

As humans we all at some point look down on others however, would we honestly apply the same scrutiny to ourselves if we committed the same faux pas under the exact same circumstances? None of us can truly say what we are really capable of doing or not doing. Until we walk into those shoes we should all hold those thoughts and our tongue.

I know absolutely nothing about golf but I know a lot about human imperfection so I’m routing for Tiger; in his personal and business life because everybody deserves a second chance. It is sad to see that there are so many wishing and hoping he fails…

Written by Antoinette Forsythe Copyright © All Rights Reserved, Image Credit: Tiger Woods Iphone Wallpaper by xploitme, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic License.

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

I am deeply disturbed by this dream. I know that dreaming of a loved one already deceased (old death) means new death. However I do not know how to interpret a dream of someone I don’t know and NEVER EVER think of.

Does anyone know what death represents in this instance given that the stranger (Michael), myself, and my close friends (professional athletes) are all still living; dreaming the death of a living person.

Written by Antoinette Forsythe Copyright © All rights Reserved, Image Credit: R.I.P. by Andycoan, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

Why is it shifting? I haven’t got a clue. What strikes me as odd is the fact that the world has been experiencing strange weather patterns for years, as far back as Bible times. So why on earth (literally) are we now treating it as a new phenomenon? Perhaps you can share your theories be it hoax, myth, conspiracy or facts; I’m open to all.

In the meantime, I’ll keep singing… “I’ve got sunshine on a wintry day. When it’s summer outside I’ve got forest fires. I guess you’d say. What can makes things happen this way? Global warming (global, global). Talkin’ ’bout global warming (global). Hey hey hey, Hey hey hey, Ooooh.”

Written by Antoinette Forsythe Copyright © All rights Reserved, Image Credit: IMG_2800 by tolkien1914, Creative Commons Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 2.0 Generic License.

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

Their idea of increasing our control to privacy meant: (1) All of Facebook can see our Friends List. (2) The Friends of my Friends (who may very well be our enemies) can now add us as a friend. (3) Our Fan pages can be seen by everyone so gone are the days when we could be an undercover stalker. (4) When we remove data (photos, emails, comments etc) from any part of Facebook the data still remains; according to them “removed content may persist in backup copies for a reasonable period of time (but will not be available to others).” Based on my personal experience that period is well over a year and is still available to applications etc; that is how I discovered this flaw. (5) Every single action we take throughout the entire site is displayed for all our friends to see on the Home page; if we wanted all our friends to know something wouldn’t we post it in our status? (6) Regardless of our photo and video privacy settings, people outside of our friends list can access them; tag tag tag, that’s what happens when you tag. (7) Pending friends can view your updates so all someone has to do to see your updates is to send you a friend request.

There was a time when we could protest by creating a group, clearly those days are over. Now every time they make changes we protest for a while but then we adapt because they ignore us. At face value, Facebook ain’t what it used to be; I now call it Fakebook.

Their Privacy Policy Explained
1 Privacy

Your privacy is very important to us. We designed our Privacy Policy to make important disclosures about how you can use Facebook to share with others and how we collect and can use your content and information. We encourage you to read the Privacy Policy, and to use it to help make informed decisions.

2 Sharing Your Content and Information
You own all of the content and information you post on Facebook, and you can control how it is shared through your privacy and application settings. In addition:

1. For content that is covered by intellectual property rights, like photos and videos (“IP content”), you specifically give us the following permission, subject to your privacy and application settings: you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with Facebook (“IP License”). This IP License ends when you delete your IP content or your account unless your content has been shared with others, and they have not deleted it.
2. When you delete IP content, it is deleted in a manner similar to emptying the recycle bin on a computer. However, you understand that removed content may persist in backup copies for a reasonable period of time (but will not be available to others).”

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©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

It can be a very dysfunctional and emotionally draining relationship so the next time she does it, ask her to “stop and focus on the issue at hand.” If she continues let her know how it makes you feel. If she still continues tell her you will not continue the conversation until she is able to do so without making threats. If that doesn’t work you should leave; her behavior may be symptomatic of issues beyond your control and the relationship could become physically abusive when and if she doesn’t get her way. If the relationship is very important to you there is always professional counseling.

Some of the verbally abusive statements / signs that you will hear in various relationships: Boss, parents, marriage, husband, women, men, friend and so on…

• I will fire you
• I will see to it you will never get another job in this town / in the industry
• I will destroy you in this town
• I know people that will take care of you
• I will tell  …. about the ….
• I will sell the photos / videos / emails etc
• I will put the photos / videos / emails etc all over the net
• I will tell your husband / wife / girlfriend / boyfriend you slept with me
• I’m not having sex with you
• I will leave you
• You will never see your kids again
• I will file for full custody of the kids
• I will cut off all your money
• I will tell your kids…
• I will beat you
• I will kill you
• I will kill the kids
• I will kill myself
• Who do you think they’re going to believe, me or you?

This type of relationship is all about your mate being in total control; love means having to surrender the totality of such control; a willingness to comprising and agreeing to disagree; everything in moderation without totally surrendering “who” you are.

Emotional abuse is often denied and overlooked; unfortunately, many believe that if there are no physical bruises then there is no abuse. As well, many men don’t even know they are in an abusive relationship because they believe that “women don’t abuse men.” It is really important that you nip this in the bud before things become physical and /or out of control.

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Written by Antoinette Forsythe Copyright © All rights Reserved,
Image Credit: Stars for one night by steepways, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic License.

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Written by Antoinette Forsythe, Copyright © All Rights Reserved

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

I watched the entire winter Olympics and it appears that many athletes were facing gravely difficult personal obstacles in one way or another. In any other sport no one cares about your personal life, you either score or you don’t; you don’t get bonus points because of what’s happening in your personal life (there is no pity vote); Joannie’s mother passed away as she was on her way to see her daughter perform at the 2010 Olympics; a tragedy felt by many.

Although I deeply sympathize with Joannie her performance was not flawless. In fact, she almost fell on one of her jumps and the rest of her performance simply didn’t compare to the other skaters. American skater Mirai Nagasu gave such a brilliantly flawless performance that the sportscasters raved on and on while she performed stating SHE would get the bronze. However after a strangely prolonged deliberation, the judges issued the marks and gave the bronze to Rochette pushing Nagasu into fourth place; no chance for a medal.

To add insult to injury when the results were been issued the same sportscasters hypocritically applauded Joannie taking the bronze. They did make some indirect comments stating otherwise but I guess it would’ve been deemed insensitive and politically incorrect to simply directly ask, “How in the hell did she get the bronze over Nagasu?” It is unfortunate that none had the courage to be honest. Bear in mind, I was watching a Canadian channel with Canadian sportscasters; more bias; nationalism.

I do applaud Rochette for being able to perform as she did given the circumstances, I don’t know if I would’ve had the courage to do so. However, I think it is also a tragedy that Rochette did not earn her Olympic medal and that the one who rightly deserves it did not receive it. I do hope the Americans will launch an appeal to this decision and see to it that the medal is given to the athlete that performed the best physically, not emotionally.

Before posting your comments on this article be sure to watch both performances, I guarantee you will be as stunned as I am and outraged. Please also note that I am a Canadian and proud of it.

Written by Antoinette Forsythe Copyright © All rights Reserved, Image Credit: Joannie Rochette by Scribblez, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

I don’t believe this is a black issue this is an issue that is now being faced by many women around the world; strong women of all races.

In earlier years the role of man was clearly defined in the Bible and he followed it; it was accepted as law and never questioned. As time passed some strayed away from those traditions and laws, man began to create his own set of rules as to how things should be. Over time he slowly reversed the roles of man and woman thus creating confusion; the ‘natural’ order of things no longer existed.

Today’s woman is physically spiritually and emotionally stronger and is far more educated, as a result more self-reliant; less dependent on men. The men however have been taking on many roles previously only performed by women. They have become more of a nurturer than the men of old. In terms of their educational progress there hasn’t been any; they were never denied such opportunities.

In a relationship a man NEEDS to feel like a man and when he is partnered with a woman that equates or surpasses him in strength, this can very be difficult; it goes against his nature; against the natural order of things. I think that strong women need to know when to wear that ‘hat’ and when to take it off; we need to relearn how to let a man be a man; there is nothing wrong with being assertive and strong however, when a woman displays these characteristics 24/7 it can and will take a toll on any relationship.

From a man’s perspective this woman has to win every argument, she constantly speaks down to him, she doesn’t allow him to help her with anything and every moment is literally a battle. He walks around on eggshells because he has no clue what or how to please her and when he tries, she is quick to remind him that she is quite capable of doing it herself, “Anything you can do I can do it better and I can do it all by myself.” Now if the tables were turned would you date someone like you; someone that by their actions and words made it clear that they don’t NEED you; a man needs to feel needed.

Unfortunately the modern woman is in search of the man of old (strong) and the modern man is looking for a woman from the past (submissive), neither of which is in high supply; both a dying breed. The only solution is to be willing to modify our search criteria to what is available and not what was. We must also be willing to make changes within ourselves; let a man BE a man, let a woman FEEL equal.

My thoughts on this video: These women are looking for the wrong qualities in a man; things that are not going to matter in the long haul; physical appearance, race, age, status and yes a bank account filled with money. They need to stop making ‘a list’ and learn to be open to a little more open; focus more on the character of a man…

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I’ve never really thought about that (lucid dreaming and dream manipulation). I simply dream, wake, document, and then try to make sense of it all. I actually had to research the possibilities just to write this blog; I mean, who knew this was something people were interested in doing.

Daniel 5:12 (New International Version)

This man Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.”

Some people are blessed with the gift of intuition via their dreams, if they were to learn how to manipulate their dreams, could it change the future and would this be considered as venturing into the land of the occult?

I personally believe that the future is best left in the hands of God…

Written by Antoinette Forsythe, Copyright © All Rights Reserved,  Image Credit: Daniel in the Lion’s Den (c. 1615) by Peter Paul Rubens Oil on canvas, 224 x 330 cm, National Gallery of Art, Washington c. 1615, Public Domain

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

The next day I was walking down the same street and I saw the hole. I fell into the hole again. I asked the Lord to help me out of the hole and he did.

On the third day I went walking down the same street and I knew that the hole was there so I looked up. Somehow, I fell into the hole again. I ask the Lord for help and he said, “I will be here but you’re going to have to help yourself this time.”

The fourth day came and I went walking down the same street. I knew that the hole was there, so, I jumped into the hole. I asked the Lord for help. He said, “Yes I am still here, but you’re going to have to help yourself out.”

The fifth day arrived and I went walking down the same street. I knew the hole was there so I crossed the street. All the while, watching that hole, I continue down the rest of the street.

The sixth day came and I really wanted to walk down that same street, but I knew that I could not and should not because I may be tempted to jump into the hole. I took another street.

On the seventh day I took the bus.

Written by Lance Howe, Edited by Antoinette Forsythe Copyright © All Rights Reserved, Image Credit: Descent by dilivion Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic Licence, Trip to Heaven by talba, Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic License.

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

If I were in Haiti and/or had family and friends therein, I would pray that the world would hear our cries and come to our rescue by any means necessary. I would be thankful to all those who came to help without even knowing us. I would be thrilled to know that enough money has been received to assist us in rebuilding our land; put our lives back in order.

This has not been the case for the Haitian people and I cannot understand why.  So I have to ask: What did Haiti do with all the money? Should the governments of the receiving countries be trusted with such large sums of money? Is there any accountability process in place for all funds given and received?

I believe we are all responsible for each other; we are all one body of people scattered across the globe; I believe that there is no such thing as “there is nothing that I can do for you.” If I have half a loaf of bread, it is my responsibility to feed everyone in my family first. If my neighbour then knocks on my door and tells me he’s hungry, it is my responsibility to share my slice with him. If as he leaves he passes a homeless man it is his responsibility to share his slice with him and so on.

With that being said, why are so many governments sending millions of dollars that should be used to take care of their own people FIRST? America has yet to complete the rebuilding required from Hurricane Katrina and other disasters. It has yet to clean up low-income neighbourhoods and make homelessness and poverty a thing of the past. It has yet to rescue all families that have recently lost their homes to foreclosures or that are facing foreclosures; look at what 100 million dollars could have done for Americans!

When you donate, please, use an organization that is known to be financially responsible; ensure that your money is being used for what you intended; all donors and intended recipients have a right to said process.

I will continue to pray for the people of Haiti.

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He said – No! You can’t do that! You have to forget! That’s the whole point of forgiveness. If you are still holding on to the past then that isn’t forgiving. That’s so unfair to that person. That means you are being a hypocrite.

She said – I am a believer in the Bible and I don’t know of any passage in the Bible that tells me to forget. I choose to learn from the past and that may require that I do not forget that someone could still hurt me. It’s not unfair to that person! They must accept the consequences of their behaviour; they must accept that some people may not ever trust them again and I think that if their behaviour hasn’t changed, they shouldn’t be fully trusted.

He said – No! You have to give people a chance! You can’t hold the past over them! You have to forget! No one is perfect! The Bible says to forgive and forget!

She said – Let me give you an example of what I mean. As a child, two men in my family abused me, in one scenario I remembered vividly what had taken place. My mother later told me that since then, he had become saved. In the second scenario, I couldn’t remember what had happened at all, but I knew that he had abused me.

There came a time when I had to face them both. I went to the home of the first and as our eyes met, a peace came over me; I could see that this was not the same man that I knew as a child. He was different! In that moment, I completely forgave him and forgot about the past. I then had a lovely evening with him and the family. Over the years we kept in touch and when he died I cried. Remember, in this scenario, I had a vivid memory of the past.

When I met with the second (of whom I had no memory of the events), the moment I saw him I was overcome with a sick feeling in my stomach. He walked over to me with a smirk on his face. He then hugged me and squeezed my bottom; his behaviour was inappropriate and very disrespectful. The last time this man saw me I was but a child of only 10 years; this meeting was 22 years later. In that moment I decided to forgive him and to pray for him. However, because he had not changed his ways, I did not allow myself to forget the past thus opening the door for him to hurt me again and I did not maintain a friendship. A few years after my visit, he did the same to another family member during her visit. In spite of it all, I don’t hate him and I still pray for him. I also pray that one day I can forget.

He Said – I still think you are wrong. You are already making a decision that they’re never going to change. You have to give them a chance to change.

She said – Sorry but I don’t owe such people anything. I think in these circumstances “to forget is foolish.”

Now that you have listened in on a conversation, consider my dilemma…

The Bible says, “forgive as I have forgiven you.” So does God want us to forgive and forget in all cases even if it renders us as open prey for the wicked? Are we capable of forgiving on the same level as the Lord; he is perfect and we are not. According to the Bible did God really forget and forgive?

Written by Antoinette Forsythe Copyright © All rights Reserved, Image Credit: IMG_0211 by Nick Skitch Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License, Slavery Museum by timbrauhn Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License, Jewish victims of the Nazi holocaust during World War 2 in Public Domain.

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.

Of late, a friend said, “I’m no African Canadian so don’t call me that, I’m Jamaican or black. I didn’t come from Africa.” He was born and raised in Kingston Jamaica in the 70’s and arrived in Canada as a teen. Another friend stated, “I’m not black, I’m brown. Africans are black.” Another, “I’m no Negro, that and nigger are derogatory terms used by the white man. I’m an African-Canadian.”

Well, I decided to read my Bible and in order to find my origin, I began at the beginning; Genesis. I read about my eldest ancestor Adam (first man) and Eve (first woman) and their appearance. I read about their first home; Eden. It told in great detail exactly where it was and so using an ancient map, I looked it up. Then it spoke of a new beginning by way of a great flood and how later God scattered man “abroad upon the face of all the earth.”

I have thus concluded that my ancestry is African and I am Jamaican by birth. I am colored, brown or black if one is to describe the pigment of my skin. Now that I’ve become a Canadian citizen, I would be described as a Canadian of African decent; African Canadian. If you were to determine my race I would be a Negro. If one were to describe my skin pigment and heritage then I would be an African Black. If I were to trace back to my first ancestor I would be a descendant of Noah via Adam and Eve, who lived in Eden; Africa.

Who am I? A Negro, Person of Color, Colored, Black, African-Canadian, Afro-Caribbean, Caribbean Woman; derogatory, offensive, outdated, inaccurate or politically incorrect, I am not defined by words whether positive or negative; I know who I am and from whence I came. In the end, God defined me; “In the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Written by Antoinette Forsythe Copyright © All Rights Reserved, Image Credit: world mosaic: a tribute to flickr portraits by pardeshi, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.

©2010 The Philosophizers. All Rights Reserved.