Announcements and Independence Week

I love me some tokidoki!

Hello dear readers!  I hope you are enjoying a wonderful summer vacation at this moment, and not working too hard.  Sadly, too many work too hard for too little money in our country right now - but that's not the subject of this post.  As you know, many of our traditional holiday celebrations just don't work for me.  But rather than continuing to feel excluded, or like an alien, I have been rethinking holidays.  As you know, Mothers' Day is one that is difficult for me.  So I turned it into a celebration of women.  (See my Mothers' Day post here.)

I've decided to rethink Independence Day as well.  Okay, now haters, before you go crazy - I am a patriot.  That's why I want our country to be the best it can be.  I believe in the constitution.  I believe in American values and the American dream.  I just don't believe so much in the American reality.  I want to do all I can to leave a better society for our children.  Arrogant, I know.  But, I've been called by God.  No turning back now.

A quick word about soldiers and their families.  Soldiers in our country are asked to sacrifice in a way no human should ever be asked to sacrifice.  I do support our troops.  I just wish they were here.  Instead of policing arguments we don't understand - and really have no place in - they could be here rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure.  Make no mistake, our infrastructure is obsolete and falling apart.  Instead of continuing to apply the bandages that caused these problems in the first place (i.e., pipelines, autos, natural gas consumption, etc.), we need to look at sustainability.  These bandages will not sustain us, indeed, they will continue to make the problem worse.

Instead of spending our billions of tax dollars on wars, why not rebuild our country?  We have the structure in place.  The military are highly-skilled individuals with the best technology.  Have our patriots rebuild the bridges, the roads, build the high speed rail, hospitals, schools, alternative fuel sources.  Make this country a mecca and then - lead by example.  Once our house is order and every American has enough food, shelter, education, medical care, then...hold out a hand to other nations.

Yes, I've been called naive.  A dreamer.  What people think of me no longer phases me.  I don't even like that my beloved President Obama says that these things are hard.  No they are not.  They are easy.  Perhaps that's the problem.  We need to eradicate the belief system that change for the better is hard.  What is hard is the way we are currently living.  I know of no one in the U.S. who is completely happy.  They are either overworked like slaves, or underemployed or unemployed.  There's a lot of talent going to waste.  And it all starts with education.

Worse, than that, I've been called unpatriotic.  What crap.  I want the best for our nation, its people and the world's people.  The loss of even one person's potential is unacceptable.  You can even look at our problems from the stand point of selfish enlightenment.  The poverty of one encroaches upon the comfort of us all.

Holidays such as Veterans Day and Independence Day are always a dilemma for me.  Like, I said I do support our troops.  But I do believe that sometimes these young brave men and women don't know what they are getting themselves into.  Can your young daughter who is stationed in Afghanistan actually tell you why we are at war?   Also, I have a brother in the military and I'm proud of him.  He's a fine man, soldier, husband and father.  Do I support the troops?  Absolutely.

My brother enjoys being in the National Guard.  Sometimes he goes on a mission to save people, such as during Hurricane Katrina.  

Do I support war?  No.  I have heard many arguments for war, and am not convinced.  It's the year 2013.  As a young woman I didn't even think we'd make it to 2000.  War should be a concept that is incomprehensible.

I do apologize for the outpouring of words again.  The words are just flowing these days.  It's a gift.  And a curse.  (Ha!  That's a joke from Monk, one of my favorite shows.)

The purpose of this long-ass post is to tell you that I am making this week Independence Week on Creative Influences!  This week were are going to look at the man in the mirror.  That's where change needs to start.  I'd like to invite all of my readers to look in the mirror and see a fabulous person they love looking back at them.

I'd like to encourage independence from your internal tyranny.  Forget about self doubt.  Forget about what anyone thinks of you.  Forget about perfection.  You are perfect the way you are!  Time for a revolution from within.  There's an oldie, but goody, by Gloria Steinem, who first encouraged me to think this way.  Called Revolution From Within.  I highly recommend it.  In fact, it should be required reading for all young women.

This week on the blog is Independence Week!  The next post is about some bloggers I adore.  Followed by a quick reading list of some women using social media to its fullest advantage.  On the 4th we will have a very exciting guest post.  Stay tuned, dear readers, should be an exciting week.  All based on empowerment.  And remember at all times, you are fabulous!  Thanks for reading.  xo