No Filter

Having no filter is nothing to be proud of. Some stuff you shouldn't say because you end up looking stupid.

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) December 6, 2014

I can't stand this stupid term. Everybody and their mama is saying "No Filter". Having No Filter is nothing to be proud of because some stuff you say can cause you to look stupid, so maybe people should consider having a filter. When people say No Filter, they have no discretion about what comes out of their mouth or what they do. They don't care what others think or feel, they'll lay it out there with no hesitation. Those people are attention seekers because they're trying to get notoriety by their statements. I'm going to be real, and I don't care who's slighted, I will judge any & everyone who uses this term. I'm shaking my head at them in my mind because if they only knew how dumb they sound, they would probably consider having a "filter". That's the issue with society as a whole, people have gotten comfortable with letting their mouth shoot off like a rocket. It's better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than open your mouth and remove all doubt. I know the First Amendment guarantees free speech, but in a way there's no such thing as free speech, because anything you say can and will be used against you. There's a thing called libel and slander; you can be sued for both offenses and rightfully so. You can't just say whatever you want and not expect repercussions. You tell me, is having no filter something to be proud of? I'll wait.

I Want To Be Like You

Doing what others do does not make you look cool. Just be what you are.
— Life Diary (@diariezolife) December 2, 2014

Today's message is about trying to be like someone else. From an early age, most of us are taught socialization skills. Socialization skills are taught so kids can learn how to relate to others, which I can agree with to an extent, but I have a problem with trying to fit in to the point where you become a cookie-cutter version of someone else. If someone has a Maserati, you go out and get one without realizing the other person probably can afford one. If you see someone dressed to impress, you upgrade your wardrobe to compete with them, and so on. Honestly, it's a bunch of nonsense trying to do what someone else does to make yourself look cool. I would expect this from children & teens because they don't know any better for the most part. Peer acceptance is critical for children & teens because they want to be liked to the point where they end up doing detrimental things.

If a child sees his friends looking crazy, that child tries to emulate their friends because they don't want to be an outcast. If (s)he doesn't go along with their friends, (s)he risks being outed from the group, and their name is dragged through the mud. What do they do? They go along because they value peer acceptance over individuality. There are some children & teens who value their individuality to where they enjoy standing out. They could care less about peer acceptance because those same people they're trying to be like, could care less about them. It's nothing for some people to stand out because in their mind, they're staying true to themselves. Those are the people I respect because they don't need acceptance from the masses. As long as their loved ones value them, that's all the acceptance they need. For me, I'm not trying to be like anyone else. I may be inspired by others, but I'm not going out of my way to emulate them because I wouldn't feel right.

In conclusion, stop trying to fit in when you were born to stand out.

God's In Control: On My Terms

Many people say God's in control, but what they really mean is God's in control as long as it's in a way that they approve.

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) November 30, 2014

The general consensus among the Christian community is that God's in control, regardless of the circumstances. When things work in our favor, God's in control. When things don't work our way, God's in control, but he has his own reasons for things not working out in your favor. All you can do is keep your faith and prayer life strong, and trust God. That's the hardest thing for anyone to do is trust God, even if we think we can figure things out.You know what: People believe God's in control, as long as God did what they asked him to. The minute God does something higher than us, we want to blame God or try and fix it ourselves. Many Christians don't know how to say "You know what Lord, I give this to you. I can't fix this situation, and I'm not going to try. Your ways are higher than mine." It baffles me that people want God to be in control on their terms.

Why do folks want God to be in control on their terms? Because people want to control God. They want to be able to dictate how God plans their life. If God has them go one way, and (s)he goes the other, they want God to co-sign. If God co-signs, then it means that God is in control. If God was in control on people's terms, God would be nothing more than a puppet; you pull its strings and it moves however you desire. What people fail to realize is that God Is Sovereign, meaning that his ways and thoughts are higher than ours. It's easy to say God's In Control, as long as God's answering every prayer. Are these same people going to believe that God's in control based on rampant injustice in this country? Believe it or not, God's in control even if we may not understad what, why, when, or how.

Read vs. "Read"

The same people claiming to "read" folks are also being "read" themselves. No one is above being read.

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) December 2, 2014

 There is a difference between Read and "Read". Reading is studying material from a textbook or other source in order to obtain knowledge and understanding. "Reading" is an attack on one's credibility, and it also means to tell someone about themselves. My problem with this "reading" phenomenon is that everybody claims to be an expert at "reading" folks. It seems like everyone is quick to tell someone about themselves, but they forget one thing: The same people claiming to "read" folks are also being read themselves. No one is above being read. It's almost like pointing fingers: There's always 3 fingers pointing right back at you, so why do it? There will be times where you need to tell people about themselves, but make sure you're clear before you try to read someone. There's nothing worse than reading someone with your own skeletons. For example, the Atlanta Housewives. You have a group of outspoken, strong black women who are quick to "read" someone. Being that Nene, Phaedra, Cynthia, Kenya and Kandi have been around each other for a while, they know each other very well. They've gotten into it with each other, and each cast member has told things in confidence that were later used against them. That's why you can't tell people your business because as the adage goes in criminal justice: Anything you say, can & will be used against you. Here's an idea: While people are so busy trying to read others, perhaps they should READ themselves. The world will be a better place for it.

Low Key

Living low key keeps you out of so much drama because no one can tie your name to any mess. "Richard knows what happened, he was there." Unless it involves my loved ones, I live as low key as possible because not only does it benefit me, but my loved ones as well. My loved ones do not partake in my issue(s) unless I request their assistance, but even then I can take care of most things on my own. I've been following the drama on Atlanta Housewives for a while, and the term "low key" comes to mind. The ladies fake & front like they're so close, when we all know that's a lie. For a group of women to be so close, they're constantly at each other's throats. Then again, it's said that many women can't get along with each other, so I'm not surprised. If a person's low key, they don't have to worry about this nonsense because they can sit back and observe. If someone's about drama,  swerve on them! There's one problem with being low-key, some people will mistake that as being stuck-up, when that's not the case. I like to think most people have a low tolerance for drama, and act accordingly. If you don't like something, why place yourself in that environment? Makes no sense at all. If living low key makes one seem arrogant, that's fine. Wear that with pride because that means you're doing something right. It's better to live low key and drama free, than be social and get jammed up.

Bye!

Don't be afraid of losing someone who doesn't feel lucky to have you.

— Life Facts By Lemon (@lifeandlemon) November 28, 2014

Today's blog message is about being strong enough to lose someone. Most couples get together with the best intentions and they make plans to spend their lives together. They're vibing very well, but as the relationship progresses, something happens to damage the relationship to the point of no return. One party wants the relationship to work, whereas the other could care less. The committed person pleads with their (wo)man to help them make the relationship work. The heartless person shows through their actions that they don't want to be with him/her. What's a person to do when they're the only one who wants the relationship to work? My answer: LET THEM GO! You can't make someone stay with you if they don't want to. The more you force someone to stay with you, the more agitated they become. All that's going to do is drain you and them. If someone wants to exit your life, show them the exit. By showing them the exit, you're freeing yourself for the one who will appreciate you the way you deserve. Going further, the unappreciative person is doing you a favor by leaving your life, because that's less drama for you to deal with. The older someone gets, the lower their tolerance for nonsense. I'll never understand why some people spend so much time trying to keep a person who doesn't want to be kept. LET THEM GO! That's what happens when you're desperate for any (wo)man who shows you interest, you fight so hard to keep what doesn't want to be kept. Exit Stage Left. 

Ferguson: The Aftermath

When Darren Wilson was acquitted of Michael Brown's murder, Michael Brown's family was irate, and with good reason. A few days, Michael Brown's stepfather shouted "Burn This *&%$# Down" on national media. He made himself look crazy because you don't go on national media screaming burn down a community. Not only are people probably side eyeing Brown's stepfather, but authorities are probably going to indict him for inciting a riot. There's some things you don't do, let alone say on national TV. Make it so bad, Michael Brown's parents pleaded with the protesters for peace, and the protesters disregarded their wishes. These clowns decide to tear up their community, and for what? All that's doing is proving the stereotypes that already exist: Blacks can't peacefully protest without showing their behinds. Now, I understand there are times where action must be taken, and I agree. Look at Malcolm X, he fought for equality by any means necessary and sometimes that included violence. You can't do that today, because law enforcement is looking for any reason to cuff you. Let's think a little further: The protesters looted and burned down their community, now what? Business owners lose their livelihood, and the employees are out of jobs. Ferguson residents start complaining about the lack of investment in their community, but they didn't think about that while they were showing their behinds, burning down business, and causing all kinds of havoc. What broke my heart is a lady who had her own cake shop and looters torched her business. All I could do was shake my head, and I pray she's able to recover and come back stronger than ever.