Sorry, Not Sorry

Don't bother apologizing if you're going to do the same things you apologized for.

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 31, 2015

Look...these fake apologies irk my nerves. One minute you're sorry, the next minute you do the same thing that you apologized for. Cut the crap with these fake apologies because you're full of hot air. If you apologize for a transgression, make sure it's sincere; otherwise, keep your half-hearted apologies to yourself because most people know when apologies are sincere or fake. I would rather someone not apologize for a wrong then to apologize and not mean it because to me, they're sorry for being caught. I'm aware that you can't judge a person's sincerity because only the Lord knows a person's heart. On the outside, they may play hard like they aren't sorry for the mistake, but deep down some people may regret what they've done, it's that their pride won't let them be vulnerable. When you apologize for doing something wrong, it should be followed by repentance. If you repeat the mistake, it becomes a choice. 

Friendship For $1000 Alex

For the right price, you can purchase your own friend(s). This purchase comes with one condition: You cannot have your own mind. You have to co-sign your friend(s) even if they're dead wrong, and if you call them out, they will use shaming tactics against you and you run the risk of that person asking for a refund on their friendship. Sounds like a sweet deal, right? Yes, if you're desperate for acceptance. There are some people who will go to great lengths to have friends, even at the expense of individuality. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm not going out like that. If I have to change myself for people's approval, they can have that friendship stuff because it's not for me. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate genuine friendship. Genuine friendship is the kind that comes with no conditions. Both people are honest with each other; meaning they will be real with one another even if they don't want to hear the truth. This reminds me of middle & high school, where peer acceptance is everything to youth. Youth will sell their souls to be accepted among their peers, even if they have to do stupid things. Who's to say that even if you meet someone's conditions for friendship, that they'll approve you? You can sell your integrity for acceptance, and still not be accepted. The message behind this blog post is that some folks will never accept you, so you might as well stay true to yourself. At least you'll feel better about yourself, and the people who are meant to be in your life, will be there for the long haul.

Vision: Ray Lewis

This is a video clip of football legend Ray Lewis speaking about vision. God spoke through this man.

Pastor Ray Lewis: Write The Vision & Make It Plain

In Love With My Sister's Husband | Steve Harvey in the Morning on WDAS

In Love With My Sister's Husband | Steve Harvey in the Morning on WDAS

It's bad enough they've shared men, but this woman is in love with her sister's husband and wants support? I suggest she have an arena of seats because she should know better. Husbands are off limits; that goes double for a man that's married to her sister. I don't care how crazy she may go, she needs to supress these feelings by any means necessary. We all know what happens when someone chooses to act on these kinds of feelings. The potential for hurt would be far too great, and she doesn't want that. I do have a theory as to why this woman is feeling her sister's husband: He's an excellent husband who makes her happy. He's supportive & loving, also ambitious. Those traits would make any man endearing to a woman. Regardless of how good a husband he may be to her sister, he's still off limits. There's nothing wrong with her having feelings, but it would be wrong if she acted on them. "I'm in love with him", cut the crap. She wants what she can't have, that's all it is.

Wisdom Tweets

Dumbest statement I've read on social media: It's a man's fault if a woman cheats, meaning his cheating justifies her cheating. #CutTheCrap.

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 28, 2015

Message! https://t.co/g9mS3sD03w

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 28, 2015

Most of our obstacles would melt away if, instead of cowering before them, we made up our minds to walk boldly through them.

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 28, 2015

Men need to learn how to stop running their mouths like women. Observe some stuff!

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 26, 2015

You can't have sunshine without the rain? Actually you can. Don't do anything to bring rain in your life.

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 26, 2015

There are too many broke people with rich attitudes; humble yourselves.

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 24, 2015

Some men have no problem taking care of another woman's child, but he can't take care of his own. #FoolishnessPersonified.

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 20, 2015

Is It The Man's Fault

Someone posted a meme in one of my Facebook groups that asked, "If A Woman Cheats, Is It The Man's Fault?" Let me drop this bomb: It is never a man's fault if a woman cheats. Regardless of the circumstances, someone should never drive you to cheat on your spouse. I don't care if they slept with your best friend or aunt/cousin, there's no excuse for cheating. When someone cheats, they make that choice on their own, nobody made it for them. A group member was like "A man is at fault for a woman's cheating because he drove her to cheat based on his mistreatment of her" I shook my head because this person is big on accountability, and for her to come out her mouth like that is stupid. I would have kept that to myself because she made herself look crazy with that statement. If someone "makes" you cheat, they have power over you. I refuse to give anyone my power. If I cheat, it had nothing to do with my woman; that's on me. Some people preach accountability, but when it comes time to be held accountable, deflection is a given. A woman can be dead wrong for cheating, but she will find a reason to deflect to him. He's never there for me, the other guy made me feel loved, you work too much, and a list of other excuses. For women to be supposedly smarter than men, they don't act like it sometimes. Deflection is not a good look on anyone, man or woman. If a woman cheats, own it. Blaming the man for what she chose to do speaks volumes about her character.

Broke Folks With Rich Attitudes

There are too many broke people with rich attitudes; humble yourselves.

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 24, 2015

The concept of this tweet is for broke folks to stop trying to live above their means. There's nothing worse than a broke person adopting a rich attitude who spends money (s)he doesn't have, that's crazy to me. You're trying to keep up with the Joneses because you see the 8-room house, and the 4 luxury cars in the driveway. What that person doesn't realize about keeping up with the Jones' is two things: 1. The Jones' could be drowning in debt trying to keep up their image. Mr. Jones makes $15 an hour, but his wife doesn't work. He's killing himself to live in a rich neighborhood on what's considered a middle-class salary. 2. The Jones' could be debt free so they can afford to live the "good" life. The husband and wife are top executives at a major corporation, and they have multiple incomes, growing investment accounts, kids in private school, etc. In that instance, the Jones' can afford to live in the best hood possible so their child(ren) can have the best. It's ok to be broke and adopt a rich attitude if you're trying to increase your finances. That's understandable because if someone is broke and they want to increase their cash flow, it would make sense to adopt a rich attitude. Having a rich attitude goes into how you value money; you make your money work for YOU. Sometimes, you have to take a lesser job and come up off that. Use that "lesser" job as a stepping stone to something greater. That builds humility because you're being taught how to be faithful in little. The Bible states you're blessed with greater if you're faithful with least.

You Can Have Sunshine Without Rain

You can't have sunshine without the rain? Actually you can. Don't do anything to bring rain in your life.

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 26, 2015

Everyone's familiar with the phrase "You can't have sunshine without rain" In other words, you can't have good times without bad. Because we live in a fallen, sinful world, this is the unfortunate reality. At the same time, we have the power of choice. We have a choice to give or be selfish, spend or save, follow God or Satan, etc. You gain so much more when you give, because you never know when someone will return the favor. You could be in need one day, and someone remembers how you came through for them so they help you out. That's an example of having sunshine without the rain. If you decided to be selfish, you could have said no. The person could do one of two things: 1. Help you out of the goodness of their heart. 2. Help you anyway, but tell you not to come to them for anything else. Here's the catch: They would be within their right to refuse assistance because you didn't help them or someone similar. Because we have free will, that gives us power to create our own sunshine & rain. We can choose to have a sunshine filled life, or we can have a life full of rain, the choice is ours (for the most part.). Again, because we live in a fallen world, situations out of our control will come upon us. Nothing we can do about it, but take life as is daily. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm determined to create my own sunshine in life. I've had too much rain to want anything else. Rain can also be good because it washes away those impurities in our lives so we can shine brighter than before.

Peep Game

Men need to learn how to stop running their mouths like women. Observe some stuff!

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 26, 2015

I'm calling out these soap opera dudes because I've had enough of these dudes gossiping like women. First off, a man should NEVER participate in any kind of gossip because his manhood is suspect. Who raised some of these 2015 guys? I'm just curious because too many men are acting like women and women acting like men. Men need to learn how to stop running their mouths like women. Observe some stuff! Observation keeps you out of a lot of trouble because you're able to discern what you should(n't) do. I recall a time where someone asked me why is my life drama-free? My answer: I guide my life with discretion. If something doesn't concern me, I don't get involved. Most importantly, I observe. Observation tells you all you need to know about people, situations and places. These new age men wouldn't know about that; they run their mouths like water and wonder why they get jammed up. Just because you have information, doesn't mean you have to share it off-top. There are people who hang on every word; they pay close attention to what you're saying, just so they can have something to use against you at a later date. I can truly say that no one will ever have anything on me because I stay to myself for the most part. If I have to interact with people, I tell them what's necessary and keep it moving. That goes DOUBLE for some men involved in illegal activity because if you're doing dirt, it's always best to be as low-key as possible so as not to attract attention.

Slain In The Spirit Or Attention Seeking?

There is a difference between slain in the spirit and falling out for attention. When you fall out under God's power, it's not forced. God's power touches you unexpectedly and you have no choice but to submit under his anointing. Falling out for attention feels forced; you're trying too hard to be seen by the congregation, and unless the congregation has discernment, they may not be able to differentiate between slain in the spirit and attention-seeking. We've all been to churches where God is moving and when the pastor does altar call for prayer & healing, the crowd makes their way to the altar. It's at that moment where some people genuinely feel God's power and they have no choice but to fall out under God's power. Then there are those who fall out for attention-seeking purposes. Don't lie, you guys know what I'm talking about if you're in tune with church affairs. I don't want to be judgmental because God moves on people as he wills. One person could speak in tongues, another person could fall out under God's power; you never know. All I'm saying is when you're slain in the spirit, it comes natural. Just because the pastor gives you a tap on the forehead, doesn't mean you have to fall out. Too many people fall out in emotions thinking it's the Holy Spirit. When a believer has reached a certain maturity level, nothing knocks them out but God. Otherwise, some folks are just fronting to be seen.

I Think My Dad Is Cheating | Steve Harvey in the Morning on WDAS

I Think My Dad Is Cheating | Steve Harvey in the Morning on WDAS

What's done in the dark will come to the light. She doesn't need to tell her parents that dad is cheating because I'm sure her mother already knows, but she's playing it off like she doesn't. I've said this time & time again: Most people don't KNOW their spouse like they think. It's easy to be faithful when everyone's watching. Once a couple is out of each other's eyesight, their character shows; how they conduct themselves when their (wo)man isn't looking. The truth has a way of exposing itself, so that's why I think she shouldn't say anything. It's a matter of time before he slips, and then she'll see it for herself. The only problem I see is that the daughter knew about Dad's infidelity from the start, and she didn't say anything. Two things: 1. If you see injustice and don't speak up, you're co-signing and that makes you part of the problem. 2. I also believe that people are grown, meaning they know what they're doing, and it doesn't take someone bringing their transgressions to light. People should know right from wrong to come clean about the dirt that they do. That would be too much like right for some people. I wonder how long Dad can keep up this charade.

I Can Be Everything You Need

Shout out to one of my Facebook lovelies Teresa Marie for this topic. Let's get into the subject: Anytime someone is trying to get to know someone on an intimate level, they're quick to say "I can be everything you need" It sounds good coming out of one's mouth, but can someone REALLY be everything a person needs/wants? Doubtful. I say it's doubtful because people are flawed & will disappoint you from time to time, even your (wo)man. They don't mean any harm, but we live in a sinful world and because of that, there will be times where your (wo)man will hurt you (un)intentionally. This topic reminds me of the 80/20 rule: You're going to get 80% of what you want in a relationship. If you're getting 80% of what you want, you're doing very well. The other 20% is where you and/or your mate fall short. Let's say you CAN be everything someone needs; how many of us would hold onto those kinds of people?

Even if a prospective mate could be everything a person needs, who's to say the other person would hold onto them? Most people end up taking their (wo)man for granted, and when the other person has had enough, all of a sudden (s)he has a change of heart and promises to do better by their mate. By that time, it may be too late because everyone has their breaking point, that moment where they wash their hands of their spouse and leave. A lot of people like to play hard and say "I don't care if (s)he leaves, let them go", but if they're honest, they'll regret letting someone special go. True love is rare to come by, and those who find it are blessed.

Is It Ok?

Is it ok for your significant other to flirt sexually with their Facebook friends? My answer is no for one reason: It's a matter of time before it leads to physicality. It starts off as harmless flirting and once the conversation is flowing, both people get to talking sexually and make plans to meet each other in person. Once your significant other meets his/her Facebook friends in person, that's when things get interesting. I'm starting to understand why some people say social media is one of the top causes for infidelity in relationships because of the anonymity involved. How many couples are on social media together as a couple? Very few, although I think that number is growing. A lot of couples have met through social media and hit it off. Usually, it's one person or both people who have a social media account. If both people have a social media account, they don't advertise their relationship because they believe in privacy, or so they say. Sometimes, some couples don't advertise their relationship on social media because they have nothing to prove; they know they're in a loving relationship so why put their business online? Then you have couples in relationships where one person is active on social media for the sole purpose of double dipping. I feel like this: The only person one should be flirting with is their significant other. Out of respect for your mate and the relationship, flirting with Facebook friends is a negative and can lead to serious issues.

Random Thoughts: Week of 7/12

YOLO is leading folks to an early grave. Just because you only live once, doesn't mean you should be reckless.

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 12, 2015

When the blind leads the blind, both fall into a ditch.

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 12, 2015

Seek respect, not attention. It lasts longer.

— Law of Attraction (@TheLOAWorld) July 11, 2015

Second Florida State player charged with assault on a woman even though he defended himself. Note To Athletes: Stay Away From Women.

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 11, 2015

You can't cry over your losses if you refuse to fight for what you want.

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 9, 2015

If you grab your (wo)man phone, and they fight you, give it back because they're cheating.

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 8, 2015

Stop, Drop & Roll doesn't work in hell.

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 6, 2015

Chicago Gang Wars: Roseland

Chicago's violence has gotten a lot of media attention, from several documentaries explaining the violence crisis to Spike Lee's debut documentary: Chiraq. The brother in this video explains how it's not safe for kids to play outside because of street wars.

Chicago Violence: Roseland

Giving Up Social Media For A Committed Relationship

The craziest thing I've read on Facebook was some people saying they would give up social media to make their (wo)man feel better. Man, that's stupid because if you have to shut down social media because your partner is insecure, there's bigger issues to deal with. I don't care what other couples do, but I'm not shutting down social media to have a rewarding relationship with my lady. I've been on social media long before my woman came into my life, so it's crazy for me to give up social media. I use social media to reconnect with folks I've lost touch with over the years, meet new people from across the nation and world, promote my blog website and post encouragement. If she can't trust me to be faithful to her while on social media, then that's her issue and not mine. I understand everyone's different, so couples need to do what's best for them, but there should be some level of trust. If you can get your mate to deactivate their FB/Twitter account, then there's no telling what else you can get them to do. At the very least, I'll cut back on my social media presence, but closing my Facebook & Twitter accounts is a no-no. Trust is everything in a relationship. Without trust, you have nothing.

Athletes, Leave Women Alone

Second Florida State player charged with assault on a woman even though he defended himself. Note To Athletes: Stay Away From Women.

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 11, 2015

Story 1: De'Andre Jordan got into it with a woman at a Tallahassee bar. She calls him a nigger and swings on him. He defends himself, but he gets charged with assault even though she started it. Jimbo Fisher kicks him off the team, and he may be expelled from FSU. Story 2:  Same situation involving Dalvin Cook. Punched a woman several times in a Tallahassee bar last month, HE also gets kicked off the team and may face explusion from the university. That's two talented FSU players that have thrown their football careers away because of assault on a woman. Yes, the two women involved were at fault because they threw the first lick, but as athletes, there's a target on their backs. Everything they do is scrutinized because they're representing their university. I feel like this: College athletes need to stay away from women. Yes, I said it: College football players need to leave women alone because it's obvious some women provoke them to assault. This is why it pays to live low-key because you avoid mess like this. Some women have NOTHING to lose, and will do anything to bring a successful man down. Some of these college athletes don't think about that; all they're thinking about is getting her into bed, and when she doesn't respond the way he wants, he gets in his feelings and puts his hands on her. There goes his future because she presses charges. This is just me: If I'm a star athlete, I'm living low-key. After watching too many athletes catch cases, socking a woman dead in her mouth for hitting me is not worth throwing away my collegiate career. Even if I'm right for defending myself, the courts won't see it that way. They're going to look at her as the victim, and me as the aggressor. That's something I can't risk, so I don't put myself in those situations. 

The State Of The Streets

The way the "streets" are now, it's not like it was growing up in the 50's and 60's. You had loyalty and camraderie among your partners you ran with. If someone in your crew was caught, he did his time and had his homeboys look out for his family. Fast forward to 2015, you have young boys telling on each other. Well, I'm gonna tell on this person, that person, this person and that person. When the investigator gets you alone and offers you a cup of coffee and a cigarette, folks mouths' start flowing like the Mississippi, just telling everything from Day 1. A lot of the reason is because some of these dudes want to get back to one of these broads, so they get their boys to take the fall. I don't condone getting involved in the thug/street life, but if you're going to be "about that life" do your dirt alone, because at least you won't tell on yourself. You can't trust your partners you run with because when the law put pressure on you, little by little you or they're going to fold. The police, DA and the Feds know how to get a confession out of you. I've followed some of the biggest criminal cases to know how this goes: How do you think the Feds are able to take down some of the biggest organized criminal groups in the nation? They have informants that are feeding them information about that group and once the Feds have enough information, they move in and shut everything down.

Teresa Marie: What Is Gossip?

Shout out to one of my Facebook friends for this status. She broke down what it means to gossip. Read On:

Teresa Marie

15 hrs · 

I saw this in my news feed and had to share it!!!

WHAT IS GOSSIP?????

Gossip is discussing anyone in a negative way without their knowledge or presence....

Even if you would say it to their face... Yet you say it behind their back out of there presence..

It Is Still GOSSIP. 

Gossip is telling someone's personal business, even if it is not necessarily negative

( it's still NOT your business)

Gossip is venting complaints about another person to someone other than the person your complaint is about (even if it is valid).

Gossip is hinting at another individual even if you keep their name undisclosed. (Spirit knows)

Gossip is being a silent party to the negative chatter of others. Even if you never say a single word, your presence is agreement and therefore promotion of this TOXIC energy.

WHY I CHOOSE NOT TO GOSSIP

Gossip is judgment energy. Judgement suggests seperation. When I judge my neighbor I am essentially saying that I am different/ separate/ better than they are.... When in reality we are all one. Just living life surviving comfortably.

This will keep one from the purpose of spreading Light, having compassion, and experiencing personal growth. Like all energy, gossip attracts like energy ( more judgment, more gossip) producing karma that must be balanced.

CHALLENGE

*Encourage rather than tear down

*Nurture the gifts, talents, strengths of others rather than expose their weaknesses

*Hold your neighbors accountable to a higher standard of peace and remember.

(No One Can Gossip Alone)

Have a blessed day.

Confession

I'm going to put this out there, and I don't care who's slighted: I used to want friends to tell me when I'm wrong, but as I got older, that foolishness changed. I'm about loyalty. I'll have your back through the good & bad. If you're wrong, it's up to you to recognize it on your own. Grown folks shouldn't need someone to let them know when they're wrong, they should know. As part of my zero tolerance mindset I've adopted: If you're going to be friends with me, you can't tell me when I'm at fault, or we're done as friends. Straight Up & Down. If I wanted someone to correct me, that's what parents & other elders are for. To me, elders have more of a right to correct me than my own peers because elders have been down the same road, and they have a lot more wisdom to offer. Why wouldn't I listen to them? Sure, I may rebel from time to time, but that's rare because 9 times out of 10, they were right, but I didn't see it at the time.

Little Of This, Little Of That

I better not hear anyone over 30 using the term "Bae".

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 7, 2015

You cannot talk defeat and expect to have victory. Send your words out in the direction you want your life to go.

— Joel Osteen (@JoelOsteen) June 20, 2015

Stop, Drop & Roll doesn't work in hell.

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 6, 2015

“If you have faith when you pray, you will be given whatever you ask for.”” Matthew 21:22 CEVDCUS06 http://t.co/ZGr8w75zym

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 4, 2015

I wonder who lied to some women when they were told they look good with their hair cut short, or bald. #HotMess. 😩

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 3, 2015

Foolishness can end your life quick, and death will be ready to embrace you.

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 2, 2015

Caught In The Game: By Kendra Winters

Kendra Winters

8 hrs • Edited •

Can I be real before I lay down?

Gentlemen , this is something I don't understand about you young boys - Why do most of you "Think" you’re a player ?

But get caught in the "game" ALL THE TIME!

 REAL PLAYERS keep it real with everyone they recruit on their team, they go over the rule book and plays with each teammate!

They never put a player out on the field without them knowing they’re unaware of the playbook!

So half of you are not "Players" you are "Cheaters" ; you get players by false advertisement and lies (like politicians)

You tell the individual what you think they want to hear, while secretly doing undercover work on another team!

Little boys learn the difference!

Because eventually your plots and plans will self-destruct right before your eyes and you will be without any teammates!

Focused

Kendra|Kim

All I have to add is....You can't play the game without risking defeat..

Pay Before You Build

Build your empire after paying your bills.

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) June 25, 2015

I'm about building my empire as much as the next person, but I'm not building anything until most, if not all my bills are taken care of. Think about it, it doesn't make sense to build when you're in debt. I understand some folks are ambitious and want to make their dreams come true as fast as possible, but sometimes you have to be practical in your approach. It's better to hold off on building until you stack your money and eliminate debt, then to build & have to contend with business & personal debt. Unless your money is long to where you can eliminate both at the same time, I don't think it's smart to build while you're in debt. I like to read about self-made multi-millionaires and you know what they all have in common? Most, if not all of them are debt free. Because they're debt free, they're able to enjoy their wealth. They have no worries about being late on payments because they were disciplined with their finances. Going further, they sacrificed the now for later. That's what I mean by building your empire after paying bills. The sacrifice is paying your bills first, the empire is being debt free so you have more money to build your dream. In my opinion, you don't have an empire if you have equal debt. Think about it, what profits you're making quickly go out because if you're smart, you'll use your profits to get rid of debt. I'm into building just like everyone else, but I'm strategic in my building because at the end of the day, I want to leave something to pass on; give those following me a blueprint on how to build their own empire. 

Where's Our Flag? By Babette Glenn

She's telling the truth with this one.

Babette Glenn

4 hrs · 

It is said and proven the Confederate flag is a sign lots of white people use to express hate towards most, if not all black people. Well, where is the flag to express hate for most blacks towards other blacks? I ask because there sure is as much hate amongst them as it seems to be coming from the whites towards the blacks as said and proven about lots of white people. There isn't one, yet, there's lots of blacks trying to have that flag taken down, but very few working to have hate taken out of most black people's hearts for their fellow people.

Getting Out What You Put In

Everyone has heard the statement "You get out what you put in" many times over. That statement applies to all walks of life: Trying to get promoted on your job, wanting a successful marriage, debt freedom, making A's in school, etc. You get out what you put in, right? In a perfect world, that would be true, but sometimes you can put in with the best intentions and hard work, and things still go south. Why is that? Because we live in a fallen world, and because of that..things will happen that are out of our control. In a way, training & planning can go so far. Sometimes, it irks me when some people say "you get out what you put in" as if that's supposed to be a cure-all. They mean well, but I think sometimes some people are a little clueless. You have people born into good fortune that are well-connected; these people have never known struggle, and you have those who were dealt a bad hand from Day 1. These people have known struggle all their lives, and they fight & fight to get ahead, but always manage to come up short, through no fault of their own. These people become bitter because they see others getting ahead with ease, and wonder why they can't have the same advantage, even though they're doing equal the amount of work, or greater. Take marriage for example: There are couples on the brink of divorce RIGHT NOW that are fighting to save their marriage, but one person doesn't want to stay, even though the other spouse wants to make it work. These couples have gotten married with the best intentions, but trials have come against their marriage with such force, that one spouse has checked out in the relationship because (s)he can't take it anymore. The moral of this blog: Sometimes, you won't always get what you put in due to circumstances out of your control. Nothing wrong with that; maybe, it wasn't supposed to work in your favor. 

Misconceptions About Friendship: Jamora Lei Rogers

Repost from Jamora Lei Rogers (Facebook friend)

People have a misconception of friendship around here. We're all grown-ups, so act like it. If you are friends with someone and they do something or say something that you don't like or don't agree on then talk about it. Settle it. Move on. Life is too short to play peoples games, tell a bunch of lies to, and read minds. Keep it real, say what's on your mind, and don't sugar coat anything. 

Just because you talk every now and again doesn't mean you're friends yet. Just because you confide in someone you don't exactly know... again, this doesn't make you friends. Those are acquaintances. To actually make time to get to know an individual, spend time with, care for, make a bond, etc. should be continuous when becoming a friend. I take my friendships very serious. I can smell bullshit a mile away, so don't play with me. You don't want me in your life? That's fine boo, because I'm going to keep on keepin' on like the fabulous "me" I'm meant to be. 

All I have to say is...she said that!

Kekeing With The Wrong One(s)

Foolishness can end your life quick, and death will be ready to embrace you.

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 2, 2015

As usual, I was on Facebook the other day watching prank videos. Some prank videos were in good fun, others were dangerous because they could endanger the jokester, and the victim. This one Facebook page was titled Hood Pranks Gone Wrong, where a jokester pranked several inner-city residents. So this prankster goes into a ghetto to prank someone, and he ends up shooting at him. The jokester was like "It's a prank bro, it's a prank!" He was fearing for his life because he said it fast. The shooter didn't think so because he fired on the joker. In a way, the prankster got what was coming to him because some people don't have a sense of humor, so you can't joke with everybody. Nothing wrong with that, it's how some people are. You can joke with some people, others not so much because you don't know how your pranks will be received. The shooter could have been in a bad mood, and wanted a reason to fire on somebody, or he could have been into it with an enemy thug, you don't know. All I know is the jokester escaped with his life, and I bet he learned yesterday. He learned who (not) to joke with. Foolishness can end your life quick, and death will be ready to embrace you. Look at these high-risk videos on social media. One video showed a man in a swamp provoking an alligator, and the gator almost ate him. That's the thing, some people are asking for death messing with crocodiles, gators, or any dangerous animal. I salute the man's bravery because he has the guts to do what most people wouldn't, but I value my life too much to engage in anything detrimental to my well-being. 

Strawberry Letter: Pregnant By My Best Friend

Strawberry Letter | Steve Harvey in the Morning on WDAS

This letter is about two best friends who grew up together. They did everything together from going to the same schools to sexing. The issue is he's become distant since she let him hit. Should she be surprised? Not really, because even though they're close, once some men get what they want sexually from their lady friend, some men want nothing to do with her. You have a few decent fellas who will stay in her life for two reasons: 1. They appreciate the "friends with benefits" relationship, and 2. They want to see if there's anything more between them. How I know there's more between them is she gets in her feelings when he dates. Why would she be furious that he's going with other woman? Because she gave him the cookie, and now she's in her feelings. He's no better because he's livid when she dates as well. I'm just saying it's a dead giveaway they have feelings for each other because they can't stand seeing each other with other people, especially since they sexed. She better go ahead and tell him because it's not like she'll be able to hide the baby bump much longer; at some point, he will notice. The only potential issue is he could assume any one of the other guys is the father since she's dated around, but that can't be true since according to this letter, she and him had sex so by default, he's the only one she's been with sexually. I just think she should tell him and get it over with, because the longer she tries to hide, the worse it's going to be for her when the baby arrives.

Kissing The Frog

Sometimes you kiss the frog, other times you are the frog.

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) July 1, 2015

I'm sure everyone has heard the phrase, "You have to kiss several frogs to find your prince(ss)." That comes from a childhood Disney fairy tale where the princess was looking for her prince, so she went through several guys before she finally met her match. In other words, she had to kiss a bunch of frogs before she met that one man who knocked her socks off. How is this relevant in 2015? It's simple. In a perfect world, everyone would find their mate on the first go, and some of them do. The ones who find their prince(ss) are the ones who aren't moved by the first (wo)man that shows them interest. They start off as friends, and if the relationship goes right, that "frog" (meaning, she may write him off at first glance, but in the end she's glad she gave him a chance because he turned out to be the best thing that happened to her) may turn out to be a great (wo)man after all. What I mean by "Sometimes you kiss the frog, other times you are the frog" is this: Most of the time, a person swears up and down that the other person isn't right for them, but some people don't realize that THEY could be the frog all along. It's not until years later that both parties come to the conclusion that they're wasting each other's time, and it would be best if they went their separate ways. The moral of this message is this: It's easy to assume that other people are always the frog, hard to admit that maybe..just maybe..YOU could be the frog all along, but your pride won't let you see it.