If you have no idea what happened, or what Duck Dynasty is, it's basically a show on A&E that features the lives of some crazy hillbillies who own a successful business that makes products for duck hunters. Phil Robertson, who is very right-winged, made a video which denounced anti-gays. Well… if you're some high-profile reality star with the media all over you, why in your right mind would you express your views over a controversial and sensitive topic where the rest of the world can see it? Of course you are entitled to your opinion, but saying something like that when you're representing a major company would make all parties look bad. He also picked a bad time to make this announcement because there are many pro-gay movements and laws coming about, especially legalizing gay marriage. Also being in the spotlight can make you highly susceptible to any form of attention.
Is it totally unfair that he got suspended? Of course it is. He unfortunately wasn't aware of the repercussions of his actions. Because he is on a TV channel, he is representing them. His actions were a poor representation of A&E and any company wants to look out for themselves without getting a bad business rep. I'm sure because of how popular he is and with strong viewer protest, he will be brought back in the somewhat near future. For now, I think he needs to learn his lesson about not putting others down for the entire world to see and keep his negative opinions to himself!
Saturday, December 21, 2013
The Road to Being Different: Non-Conformism
So what is it like being different? What is this "hipster" trend everyone speaks of? What is individualism. This post describes it all through the eyes of me, someone who has experienced all of this first hand. Enjoy!
I am gaining soulful knowledge as I tremble down this precious path. It is one that few are willing to open their eyes to… when they do, they will never turn back!
Being "different" doesn't always mean that you possess lesser of a physical or mental capacity than others. It just means that your interest, fashion sense, the way you conduct yourself, etc. is not within any sort of spectrum. You are not popular, nor are you a loser. In a sense, you are an outcast to society. In retrospect, you're just one who decided to turn the world into a coloring book and color outside the lines and with colors that don't match the picture.
Unfortunately, these types of people are highly susceptible to being bullied. Going through pain does, however, make you a stronger person. Being bullied and told that "you're weird" may cause people to end up wanting to fit a mold and lose sight of who they really are. Individualism is severely declining because everyone wants to look like "it" instead of "you". There is one way people are aiming to look and they are running in that direction. Variations of "it" end up forming cliques, groups, sororities, etc. If you don't fit, you're either shunned, made fun of, or both. It stinks, but you need to have a lot of will and motivation to hold onto your true identity and to feel comfortable flaunting it.
If you are strong enough to tolerate the constant criticism, you end up becoming the definition of a genuine person. You will be a magnet and people will be attracted to the likes of you. When people see a red apple in a box of green apples, they realize it doesn't belong, but those who are curious to try will be pleasantly surprised. Unfortunately, staying true to yourself is easier said than done. It is very difficult to stay strong, especially when what should be your primary support system is doing the opposite.
Something that always helps is having friends and/or family who stand behind you despite your ways. You don't want to conform to the norm. To you, there is no such thing as normal. You are you and always you. In all honesty, the things that I have admitted to doing that are the most "out there" types of activities, such as "larping", have all gotten a lot more positive reception than I thought. A lady that sits behind me at work thought it was one of the coolest things she's ever heard. If you don't let fear consume you, your individuality will prevail and you will be an inspiration to others. No, not those "perfect" people who everyone claims to be inspired by… those people who are like Snow White and clean with all the cute animals by their side. No, not that type of person. I mean someone who is willing to consistently stand up for what they believe in and present their brand to the rest of the world with pride. These people deserve the most respect because of the hardships they endure throughout their lives. Those of the types of people who inspire me… those who bring zest and meaning to life and introduce it to me. They should be admired more than someone who is perfect because they are missing out on a part of life that they should be exposed to.
I'm sure you're wondering about hipsters, right? If I were to define hipsters, I would coin them as being conformists about being anti-conformist. Hipsters claim to be ones to challenge society every day, but really, they just ended up forming their own little society that function as that type of anti-conformists, instead of being your own person who is free of ANY label. I tried listening to so called "hipster" music, and I couldn't do it… then again, I like more upbeat/poppy style music (NOT pop, but music that is fast and will make you happy or empowered when you listen to it). If hipsters are conformists to being non-conformist, then what does it mean to be truly nonconformist?
To be a genuine non-conformist, you must establish your own distinct style/fashion sense, have your own set of mannerisms, and have a set of interests/hobbies that is outside of the norm. For example, I am a young adult female who has liked anime since age 10, works in a male-dominated field as a web developer, did band for as long as I could remember, was one of the founders of my high school’s video game/DDR club, writes spoken word poetry, likes contact sports/martial arts, and doesn’t care if I go walking outside wearing purple pants, leopard leggings, a giant hair bow, or brightly colored eyeshadow. Today, I even went to work wearing a scarf with piano keys on it (I work in a business casual office, but it was “jeans” day today). Yeah, I have of course had people tell me that what I’m wearing looks “weird”, but I don’t let that stop me from walking out the door. It’s not like I’m wearing puke-colored clothes or something. Probably one of the most painful things I received happened about 3.5 years ago where a couple people (all were friends, same incident) sent me facebook messages that in great detail, told me that I was a worthless, fat whale. How do you keep going after such negative feedback?
In order to successfully travel down the road to being different, it may take years to realize your true identity. Of course, this is the road less traveled and who in their right mind would want to go down that route? You may end up denying it, resenting it, or enter a state of disbelief and think to yourself “I can’t believe I’m doing this”. You basically end up in an argument with your mind wondering why you are where you are. That mindset must go away, but it definitely takes time for that to happen. Struggling to accept yourself is a major human fallacy in itself. Make sure you have a support system of close friends or family that will always understand you and be there for you. There will always be positive feedback in your favor. A good example of that is when I tell people on my team at work that I do "some crazy medieval foam sword fighting thing" and start telling them all the lingo. They were all amused and thought it was the coolest thing in the entire world. You can't always assume people are going to think negatively of everything you say and do. You have to believe in your power, your overall sense of self, and everything you stand for. As long as you stand behind yourself confidently, others will follow like a magnet attracting metal.
In order to successfully survive the road to being different, you must be able to accept much negative criticism and reception. Haters exist everywhere. Ignore them. They mean nothing to you or anyone in your circle of whatever size. As long as you are you and you are happy, that's what's most important. Be careful not to go too overboard with this concept, otherwise people will see you as weird, fake, or creepy. You need to stay within a certain degree of means to avoid deliberately setting yourself up for ridicule. For example, if you walked outside in just your underwear, people would laugh at you. If you walked outside in regular clothes and a Tony the Tiger shirt, people would be like "woah, that's so awesome!" You must not be indecisive and know where you want to go. You must never stop when you run into an obstacle or people purposely try to bring you down. Everything is easier said than done, but you need to always make sure you uphold your values with pride. Start from there and keep going!
What does it mean to go down the road less traveled? It doesn’t mean you're not a “regular person” and it doesn't mean you're at all screwed up in the head. With me, I have a job in my field of study, live on my own with a friend, I actually have friends, and I am college educated. Being different is NOT a rebellion, a cry for help, or a mental illness. It just means to engage in activities people are less likely to engage in, dressing in ways no one would ever expect to see, thinking the way no one else does, and being what no one's ever seen before. People will warm up to it. It's the emergence of a new trend only you possess. It's you feeling comfortable being you. Those who survive feel a sense of pride and possess an unsurmountable amount of wisdom for everything they have to put up with. Everyone is in this world for a reason. For some, it's to show that different is beautiful… it really is! Different is not broken, less worthy, or unnatural. It is the boldness of individuality. Let's show the world how amazing different is by you just being you!
I am gaining soulful knowledge as I tremble down this precious path. It is one that few are willing to open their eyes to… when they do, they will never turn back!
Being "different" doesn't always mean that you possess lesser of a physical or mental capacity than others. It just means that your interest, fashion sense, the way you conduct yourself, etc. is not within any sort of spectrum. You are not popular, nor are you a loser. In a sense, you are an outcast to society. In retrospect, you're just one who decided to turn the world into a coloring book and color outside the lines and with colors that don't match the picture.
Unfortunately, these types of people are highly susceptible to being bullied. Going through pain does, however, make you a stronger person. Being bullied and told that "you're weird" may cause people to end up wanting to fit a mold and lose sight of who they really are. Individualism is severely declining because everyone wants to look like "it" instead of "you". There is one way people are aiming to look and they are running in that direction. Variations of "it" end up forming cliques, groups, sororities, etc. If you don't fit, you're either shunned, made fun of, or both. It stinks, but you need to have a lot of will and motivation to hold onto your true identity and to feel comfortable flaunting it.
If you are strong enough to tolerate the constant criticism, you end up becoming the definition of a genuine person. You will be a magnet and people will be attracted to the likes of you. When people see a red apple in a box of green apples, they realize it doesn't belong, but those who are curious to try will be pleasantly surprised. Unfortunately, staying true to yourself is easier said than done. It is very difficult to stay strong, especially when what should be your primary support system is doing the opposite.
Something that always helps is having friends and/or family who stand behind you despite your ways. You don't want to conform to the norm. To you, there is no such thing as normal. You are you and always you. In all honesty, the things that I have admitted to doing that are the most "out there" types of activities, such as "larping", have all gotten a lot more positive reception than I thought. A lady that sits behind me at work thought it was one of the coolest things she's ever heard. If you don't let fear consume you, your individuality will prevail and you will be an inspiration to others. No, not those "perfect" people who everyone claims to be inspired by… those people who are like Snow White and clean with all the cute animals by their side. No, not that type of person. I mean someone who is willing to consistently stand up for what they believe in and present their brand to the rest of the world with pride. These people deserve the most respect because of the hardships they endure throughout their lives. Those of the types of people who inspire me… those who bring zest and meaning to life and introduce it to me. They should be admired more than someone who is perfect because they are missing out on a part of life that they should be exposed to.
I'm sure you're wondering about hipsters, right? If I were to define hipsters, I would coin them as being conformists about being anti-conformist. Hipsters claim to be ones to challenge society every day, but really, they just ended up forming their own little society that function as that type of anti-conformists, instead of being your own person who is free of ANY label. I tried listening to so called "hipster" music, and I couldn't do it… then again, I like more upbeat/poppy style music (NOT pop, but music that is fast and will make you happy or empowered when you listen to it). If hipsters are conformists to being non-conformist, then what does it mean to be truly nonconformist?
To be a genuine non-conformist, you must establish your own distinct style/fashion sense, have your own set of mannerisms, and have a set of interests/hobbies that is outside of the norm. For example, I am a young adult female who has liked anime since age 10, works in a male-dominated field as a web developer, did band for as long as I could remember, was one of the founders of my high school’s video game/DDR club, writes spoken word poetry, likes contact sports/martial arts, and doesn’t care if I go walking outside wearing purple pants, leopard leggings, a giant hair bow, or brightly colored eyeshadow. Today, I even went to work wearing a scarf with piano keys on it (I work in a business casual office, but it was “jeans” day today). Yeah, I have of course had people tell me that what I’m wearing looks “weird”, but I don’t let that stop me from walking out the door. It’s not like I’m wearing puke-colored clothes or something. Probably one of the most painful things I received happened about 3.5 years ago where a couple people (all were friends, same incident) sent me facebook messages that in great detail, told me that I was a worthless, fat whale. How do you keep going after such negative feedback?
In order to successfully travel down the road to being different, it may take years to realize your true identity. Of course, this is the road less traveled and who in their right mind would want to go down that route? You may end up denying it, resenting it, or enter a state of disbelief and think to yourself “I can’t believe I’m doing this”. You basically end up in an argument with your mind wondering why you are where you are. That mindset must go away, but it definitely takes time for that to happen. Struggling to accept yourself is a major human fallacy in itself. Make sure you have a support system of close friends or family that will always understand you and be there for you. There will always be positive feedback in your favor. A good example of that is when I tell people on my team at work that I do "some crazy medieval foam sword fighting thing" and start telling them all the lingo. They were all amused and thought it was the coolest thing in the entire world. You can't always assume people are going to think negatively of everything you say and do. You have to believe in your power, your overall sense of self, and everything you stand for. As long as you stand behind yourself confidently, others will follow like a magnet attracting metal.
In order to successfully survive the road to being different, you must be able to accept much negative criticism and reception. Haters exist everywhere. Ignore them. They mean nothing to you or anyone in your circle of whatever size. As long as you are you and you are happy, that's what's most important. Be careful not to go too overboard with this concept, otherwise people will see you as weird, fake, or creepy. You need to stay within a certain degree of means to avoid deliberately setting yourself up for ridicule. For example, if you walked outside in just your underwear, people would laugh at you. If you walked outside in regular clothes and a Tony the Tiger shirt, people would be like "woah, that's so awesome!" You must not be indecisive and know where you want to go. You must never stop when you run into an obstacle or people purposely try to bring you down. Everything is easier said than done, but you need to always make sure you uphold your values with pride. Start from there and keep going!
What does it mean to go down the road less traveled? It doesn’t mean you're not a “regular person” and it doesn't mean you're at all screwed up in the head. With me, I have a job in my field of study, live on my own with a friend, I actually have friends, and I am college educated. Being different is NOT a rebellion, a cry for help, or a mental illness. It just means to engage in activities people are less likely to engage in, dressing in ways no one would ever expect to see, thinking the way no one else does, and being what no one's ever seen before. People will warm up to it. It's the emergence of a new trend only you possess. It's you feeling comfortable being you. Those who survive feel a sense of pride and possess an unsurmountable amount of wisdom for everything they have to put up with. Everyone is in this world for a reason. For some, it's to show that different is beautiful… it really is! Different is not broken, less worthy, or unnatural. It is the boldness of individuality. Let's show the world how amazing different is by you just being you!
Passion
A short little poem on how I describe what passion is and means. Enjoy! For more awesomeness, check out www.facebook.com/RebsMcduxler
The flame that can never be extinguished
Exclaims in the pure darkness
That drive never dies,
Passion never ceases,
And pride never dries,
As you take flight
And soar into the present infinity
The flame that can never be extinguished
Exclaims in the pure darkness
That drive never dies,
Passion never ceases,
And pride never dries,
As you take flight
And soar into the present infinity
Refresh
When you have that feeling you want to start over in life and find yourself in the world with your view for an ideal mindset, this is how I'd describe it. Enjoy! Find more awesomeness on facebook: www.facebook.com/RebsMcduxler
Out with the old
In with the new
Life is changing
Time is blazing
Don't be hanging...
Around
Waiting around
Struggling to pound...
Never feeling found
Until you come around...
Realization
Comes to town
To make you not frown
And show you that you're no clown...
Get rid of the bad
Bring in the good
You want gold
Not coal
It will make you cold
Blow your mind into a state of utter consciousness...
Be aware of your surroundings
Know the inner workings of yourself
Let go of what you need to
Make sense of the world
Shine like a crazy cloud
Trudge strongly through tireless trenches
To annihilate negativity,
Be surrounded by your team,
And achieve the ultimate sense of living!
Out with the old
In with the new
Life is changing
Time is blazing
Don't be hanging...
Around
Waiting around
Struggling to pound...
Never feeling found
Until you come around...
Realization
Comes to town
To make you not frown
And show you that you're no clown...
Get rid of the bad
Bring in the good
You want gold
Not coal
It will make you cold
Blow your mind into a state of utter consciousness...
Be aware of your surroundings
Know the inner workings of yourself
Let go of what you need to
Make sense of the world
Shine like a crazy cloud
Trudge strongly through tireless trenches
To annihilate negativity,
Be surrounded by your team,
And achieve the ultimate sense of living!
Sunday, December 8, 2013
RIP Paul Walker: Why Are Celebrity Deaths Glorified So Much?
Paul Walker was definitely a legendary actor and what happened to him is a tragedy (and quite scary). My thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and fans of course. On November 30, 2013, tragedy struck with a man who was in the wrong place at the wrong time...
But here's my question. Why is he SO much more important than anyone else who died. He's receiving more recognition than military personnel and Nelson Mandela. Yes, I will give him credit for his movies being pretty good, but come on, people die every second. Come on, I hadn't even HEARD of this person until my facebook was spammed with people posting "omg, RIP Paul Walker... blah blah blah..." There are children starving in Africa and probably dying every few minutes, and instead, the oh so lovely media likes to focus their attention on someone who entertains us. Is an actor dying really "that" noteworthy besides just notifying the public that he's dead, being honored, and having a funeral? He's just another person too...
Spread the word if you agree. We need to stop glorifying celebrity deaths so much and focus on what really matters, like making the world a better place, ending homelessness, not screwing veterans over, helping third world countries evolve and have fresh drinking water, and other business like that. Celebrities are no better than humans and society needs to stop displaying them as superior. People are people. Let's just move on already and continue to think about the future! We can't change the past, he isn't coming back, and we will continue to live our lives without him!
But here's my question. Why is he SO much more important than anyone else who died. He's receiving more recognition than military personnel and Nelson Mandela. Yes, I will give him credit for his movies being pretty good, but come on, people die every second. Come on, I hadn't even HEARD of this person until my facebook was spammed with people posting "omg, RIP Paul Walker... blah blah blah..." There are children starving in Africa and probably dying every few minutes, and instead, the oh so lovely media likes to focus their attention on someone who entertains us. Is an actor dying really "that" noteworthy besides just notifying the public that he's dead, being honored, and having a funeral? He's just another person too...
Spread the word if you agree. We need to stop glorifying celebrity deaths so much and focus on what really matters, like making the world a better place, ending homelessness, not screwing veterans over, helping third world countries evolve and have fresh drinking water, and other business like that. Celebrities are no better than humans and society needs to stop displaying them as superior. People are people. Let's just move on already and continue to think about the future! We can't change the past, he isn't coming back, and we will continue to live our lives without him!
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Conquer the Chaos
From the queen of non-conformism comes another misadventured Thanksgiving weekend with my family... Being driven into despair, you end up hitting a dead end and need an extra push. Thanks to entrusting in a dear friend, hope is just beneath my skin right now and I'm even more excited for the future than ever! I guess getting whacked in the face full on with a belegarth spear was the introduction to destiny... This is spoken word too!
More of me is on facebook. Like me to see vast amounts of epicness: www.facebook.com/RebsMcDuxler
Survival…
The bare minimum of a victory
Chaos ensues strongly as wind gusts through the subconscious
Digging a hole towards mayhem's graveyard past depression…
Along the sidewalk she goes towards hostility only wanting to escape…
But there's no treasure…
Lost along the way the shot of a bow an arrow aimlessly guides her
Needing more than will to win
Wandering worries gust through the subconscious
Like striking a snapped match
Provoking the monster buried inside softness
Holding back the dreaded waterfall that's as sharp as fire
Because all of her words are ammo for the enemy
While all she wants to do is conquer the chaos…
Getting told time and time again, "YOU SCREWED UP, MAGGOT"
Detrimental to the soul
Being reminded time and time again, "YOU DON'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE"
Makes it feel like "here's the team… and there's the outfield… you scurry along now"
WHY IS EVERYTHING WRONG TO YOU?
DO I EVEN BELONG TO YOU?
YOU MAKE ME LOST…
AT ALL COSTS…
JUST LIKE EXHAUST…
Basically being forced to conform
The negativity resistance runs wild
Feeling like a last resort
And only seeing business and altercations…
She hides away with fear as a shield
To yield her imperfections from shining through
While trying not to swallow poison or step through thin ice…
The one moment where you run into a dead end after delving into every direction
Only to find nothing except blank…
Placed into the lead victim role
Starring as the black sheep
Subject to scrutiny
She leaves the herd and keeps turning back
When all she's told to do is pack
And is always called a quack…
The mystery to help conquer the chaos is unfolding
Because she doesn't want to feel excommunicated from her home
Which is as painful as a steroid that causes an ulcer
While trying to douse the despair…
Then all of a sudden…
The flick
The switch
The click
Never broken and magically mended
And finding the right remedy
To show that perseverance prevails
As she returns to full strength and beyond!
More of me is on facebook. Like me to see vast amounts of epicness: www.facebook.com/RebsMcDuxler
Survival…
The bare minimum of a victory
Chaos ensues strongly as wind gusts through the subconscious
Digging a hole towards mayhem's graveyard past depression…
Along the sidewalk she goes towards hostility only wanting to escape…
But there's no treasure…
Lost along the way the shot of a bow an arrow aimlessly guides her
Needing more than will to win
Wandering worries gust through the subconscious
Like striking a snapped match
Provoking the monster buried inside softness
Holding back the dreaded waterfall that's as sharp as fire
Because all of her words are ammo for the enemy
While all she wants to do is conquer the chaos…
Getting told time and time again, "YOU SCREWED UP, MAGGOT"
Detrimental to the soul
Being reminded time and time again, "YOU DON'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE"
Makes it feel like "here's the team… and there's the outfield… you scurry along now"
WHY IS EVERYTHING WRONG TO YOU?
DO I EVEN BELONG TO YOU?
YOU MAKE ME LOST…
AT ALL COSTS…
JUST LIKE EXHAUST…
Basically being forced to conform
The negativity resistance runs wild
Feeling like a last resort
And only seeing business and altercations…
She hides away with fear as a shield
To yield her imperfections from shining through
While trying not to swallow poison or step through thin ice…
The one moment where you run into a dead end after delving into every direction
Only to find nothing except blank…
Placed into the lead victim role
Starring as the black sheep
Subject to scrutiny
She leaves the herd and keeps turning back
When all she's told to do is pack
And is always called a quack…
The mystery to help conquer the chaos is unfolding
Because she doesn't want to feel excommunicated from her home
Which is as painful as a steroid that causes an ulcer
While trying to douse the despair…
Then all of a sudden…
The flick
The switch
The click
Never broken and magically mended
And finding the right remedy
To show that perseverance prevails
As she returns to full strength and beyond!
Saturday, November 16, 2013
The Quest
Growing up and turning into an "adult" is one of the most difficult transitions you will ever have in your life. You have to accept full responsibility for everything and have to learn how to do everything on your own. It's rough, but as long as you see your goal at the end and do what you can to advance towards that goal, you will win in life! It is also a liberation that everyone needs when their time is right! It is daunting, but doable as long as you don't give up! Enjoy!
Time to set yourself free
Isn't that what you've been waiting for your
entire life?
Reaching freedom is a lengthy journey in
itself
But it's something you need to find out for
yourself!
Exploring the trenches is the only way to find
the buried treasure
There's no use in sheltering yourself!
Why have a costume and a scripted personality
attached to your conscience
Controlling your every move
Instead of cruising along through the central
core
Where your soul is attached to your heart
And mends prior damage
Restoring you to full mental capacity
Enabling you to possess the strength of wisdom
And the power of courage...
Growing up isn't all about paying bills
It's about liberation
Adulthood isn't only about responsibilities
being shoved down your throat
It's about learning, experimenting, and
experiences
Life isn't about time flying faster than the
blink of an eye
Messing up doesn't mean you're going to die
Moving up doesn't mean possessing a childish
arrogance to stand higher than the sky…
All the clichés such as, "live life to
the fullest" and "live, laugh, love"
Are just our simple rules on how to thrive
But we humans like to over complicate
everything…
What you need to do to accomplish life's
greatest goal
Is to find the buried treasure
All while learning how to achieve nirvana…
Society thinks that success is only defined by
the following three things
Money…
Materials…
And madness…
Life doesn't have a formula to succeed besides
for seeing secrets slowly…
To rush life would crush the youth out of your
curiosity
The equation is yours to produce…
The mission of the quest is to search for
answers to better ourselves
Rationalize the overwhelming
And follow life's warming aura…
There is no set time it takes to finish the
quest
Take it at your own pace
It's your mission
Your life
Your game…
Never give up
Keep on climbing
Your peak will be reached
Even after trembling through quicksand…
The key exists…
Believe in the quest
Melt your heart into the quest
Live the quest
And your dream will successfully be fulfilled!
Typhoon
As my thoughts and prayers go out to the families impacted by that awful typhoon and tornado in Washington, IL, I want to convey to people to not have a defeatist attitude towards this type of situation. Tragedies are the worst possible things that can happen, and we need to continue to move forward and rebuild ourselves!
Below are some links that can keep you updated on relief efforts and lead you to websites to donate to assist victims in need. Every bit of help counts! Feel free to pass this page along to try to raise all the money we can! Together with unselfishness, we can achieve anything and make a difference!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Washington-IL-Tornado-Recovery/361545887315736?ref=nf - Washington, IL Tornado Recovery Facebook Page
http://www.redcross.org/charitable-donations?campname=donate&campmedium=aspot_unassigned - Donate to the Red Cross in order to help the Washington, IL tornado victims
http://www.redcross.org/news/article/Red-Cross-Sends-Support-to-Philippines-for-Typhoon-Response - Donate to the Red Cross in order to help the Philippine typhoon victims
Somber stars strive to eat life alive...
They burst into a deadly explosion
Leaving many defeated,
Others destroyed,
And even more derailed…
Why must a natural cause cause devastating damage?
There isn't much to salvage…
But there's even more to ravage…
A typhoon is sighted containing senseless terror
Like a sickly tornado ready to wreck havoc on the town...
The storm's strikes scattered…
Scathing us
Tailing us
And ailing us...
We can only retrace, revive, and rebuild!
We can't stay down forever
There is always a way to rise from the ashes
No matter how far away the ladder is...
Hope always exists
No matter how thick the clouds are
Just try
Reach for the sky
Never give up from the nasty climb
In order to restore the ruins,
Provide peace for the fallen souls,
And to begin again, in what shall be a new beginning!
Below are some links that can keep you updated on relief efforts and lead you to websites to donate to assist victims in need. Every bit of help counts! Feel free to pass this page along to try to raise all the money we can! Together with unselfishness, we can achieve anything and make a difference!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Washington-IL-Tornado-Recovery/361545887315736?ref=nf - Washington, IL Tornado Recovery Facebook Page
http://www.redcross.org/charitable-donations?campname=donate&campmedium=aspot_unassigned - Donate to the Red Cross in order to help the Washington, IL tornado victims
http://www.redcross.org/news/article/Red-Cross-Sends-Support-to-Philippines-for-Typhoon-Response - Donate to the Red Cross in order to help the Philippine typhoon victims
Somber stars strive to eat life alive...
They burst into a deadly explosion
Leaving many defeated,
Others destroyed,
And even more derailed…
Why must a natural cause cause devastating damage?
There isn't much to salvage…
But there's even more to ravage…
A typhoon is sighted containing senseless terror
Like a sickly tornado ready to wreck havoc on the town...
The storm's strikes scattered…
Scathing us
Tailing us
And ailing us...
We can only retrace, revive, and rebuild!
We can't stay down forever
There is always a way to rise from the ashes
No matter how far away the ladder is...
Hope always exists
No matter how thick the clouds are
Just try
Reach for the sky
Never give up from the nasty climb
In order to restore the ruins,
Provide peace for the fallen souls,
And to begin again, in what shall be a new beginning!
Belegarth Octoberfest 2013: A First Event Experience
Camping is a beautiful way to get in touch with the natural beauty in the world, but who would think that staying in the middle of the woods for five days wearing cool looking “costumes” and swinging stick at people could be so much fun?
Octoberfest 2013, aka “beetoberfest”, October 2-6, is a weekend I’m going to remember for the rest of my life. There were SO MANY BEES (but thankfully, I didn’t get stung). Prior to my first event, I had been to somewhere around 10 practices and 2 mini events, but never to an actual overnight event. I was very excited, but had no idea what to expect.
Preparing for the event was a lot of work, but well worth it. I needed to get ahold of weapons and garb since I hadn’t owned any at the time and I didn’t want to look like a total newbie. Many people that I had talked to provided me with pointers for fighting, what to expect on the field, little tidbits that I needed to know, and much more! I was pointed in the right direction for garb and got some made for me, and a weapon build was set up to ensure I was prepared with my own weapons. Since it was my first weapon build, I had zero idea what to do and didn’t even know what fries were (no, they are not french fries that you eat). There were thankfully veterans there that showed me the ropes without reluctance. The fact that veterans are always willing to give me fighting pointers and general belegarth advice without hesitating, is something that motivates me to want to come back; it is also a good thing for retaining newer fighters.
Some newbie tidbits I was informed of:
1. You need a tent, but thankfully someone had an extra one to loan me. Make sure to always zip it up (and close your car doors too) right away in order to prevent bugs (and bees) from getting in your tent. Thankfully, I encountered very few bugs and no bees in my tent!
2. Overpack to the max. If you have a car, I suggest that you drive it down there so that you can take as much as you want and not have to depend on anyone else to grab your stuff. You can also go into town whenever you want if you need something and can also provide a kind favor to friends or other realm/unit members who need a ride
3. Look at Sorcia’s packing list: http://geddon.org/Sorcia's_Packing_List -- I took almost everything on that list and then some, and I had way too much stuff. If you don’t own equipment, most realms will probably let you borrow their loaner gear
4. Leave at least 1 blanket, 1 garb, 1 jacket, 1 pair of underwear, and 1 pair of socks in the car in case your stuff gets wet or frozen
5. (No one told me this one) Bring allergy medicine, advil, vitamins, and whatever other meds you may need. I encourage people to take their vitamins while at the event, especially because most people don’t get much sleep. I took my vitamins every day at the event, stayed healthy all 5 days, and didn’t come down with anything after either
6. I was suggested to take the day off of work the Monday after/use a day to recover. Although I ended up being ok without it, it’s always a good idea (for a camping event)
7. Take your hits, call your shots, and listen to hold calls. If someone clearly hit you and you know it’s flat, call “flat”. If someone barely brushed against your clothes, call “garb” or “light” depending on the location of the hit. If someone hits your hand with your weapon in it, call hand. If someone blatantly hits you, take your limb or death. It’s just one battle. You have plenty of other chances to fight! Also, when you hear “hold”, stay where you are and go down on one knee until the heralds tell you to resume fighting
8. Listen to the heralds!
9. When you die, LOOK DEAD (or clear off to the side)! A lot of people have told me that people keep hitting them when they’re dead, but I have never had that issue. Besides for having “three points” on the ground, whenever I see people charging towards me, I either try to get out of the way by holding my sword (or weapon) over my head and running off the field or if I can’t get out of the way, I put my sword on top of my head and put my hands over my face/wave them around to signal to people “don’t hit me, I’m dead”
10. When you’re going to walk into someone else’s camp, announce “Hail Camp”. If they respond, then feel free to go ahead. If not, then try again. It’s just out of respect to do that. If you feel uncomfortable hailing camp because you’re new, have your veteran friend do it to show you an example. It helps!
11. DRINK WATER!!! If you forget to bring water to the field, people will share!
12. Lady Feri’s food is delicious! Make sure to try it at least once during the event
13. Hold some cash on you (or your tent) in case you need it
14. Bring an opaque (aka NOT see-through) bottle/device to store your drinks in, especially if the site is dry
15. You need to bring your own utensils and napkins to feast as they are not provided. Plastic plates and silverware work!
16. If you wear contacts, bring a spare pair and your glasses too! Your eyes may dry out due to lots of campfires
17. Have fun and be safe!
Besides for the bees, this is what a typical day at an overnight camping event is like. You get there and check in at troll, set up your tent, put on your garb, and walk around on the very first night. When you wake up on the first full day, you wake up and get ready first of course. There may be classes offered, but those are usually announced very close to the event. The classes consist of anything from fighting techniques to how to be a better writer. Make sure to eat breakfast too while you’re at it. The bathrooms are sometimes a bit of a hike. Also, you better be willing to use an outhouse… After that, make sure to get your weapons checked if you’re fighting. Then, it’s time to fight!
Fighting usually lasts from somewhere around 11am-noonish until around when the sun goes down. The beginning of fighting is usually either small pick-up/line battles, games (ex capture the flag, bridge battles), then the bigger battles usually happen (ex unit/realm battles), then castle and line battles until people are about done. In between that, you should probably eat some more, drink water, and you can watch some of the other things taking place (ex knights trials). Feel free to chat and dual with people as well. You can definitely learn a thing or two!
After that, you usually have some more time to wander around and chill until it’s time for feast (if there is one). If there is no feast, you will usually (or at least in my case) end up eating with whoever’s in your camp. If there is feast, try to get there as soon as possible with your silverwear, plate, and napkins as the line will gradually become very long.
After you eat, there may be some kind of event going on, such as a knighting, a gladiator pit, etc., but most people usually wander around from camp to camp and enjoy everyone’s company until however late. A word for the wise, try not to get too messed up because I’m sure fighting with a hangover isn’t very fun (I was fortunately careful enough to avoid that).
Be sure to check out whatever else is going on, such as gladiator pits, knights trials/vigils, people being “initiated” into units, people moving up ranks in units, etc.
Go to the surprise feasts right away, because there may not be night meat left by the time you get there! I learned that the hard way… Oops! Thankfully, my camp was having a cookout that night! Mmmmm, tacos!
Bring a jacket too, because sometimes it’s freezing. Even though people are in garb the entire time, if you have your north face on over your garb, no one will give you a hard time!
During the day, it may be very sunny out. I always suggest wearing sunglasses on the field because a. the one time I didn’t wear sunglasses, there was a glare and I couldn’t see anything and b. I have also heard stories of people getting shot in the eye (and then having to go to the hospital) with an arrow or getting the area around their eye all cut up from getting hit. It’s not a rule, but just a friendly suggestion. Also, kneepads are a great investment for when you get legged!
Don’t be afraid to admit that you’re new because it’s better to be accepting and genuine about it than try to be someone you’re not. When I told people that this was my first event and I was pretty new, everyone was like, “welcome to belegarth, you’re in for a treat!” The vets were always giving me pointers, answering my questions, and of course ensuring that I have fun, am safe, and not walking alone.
Feel free to ask as many questions as your heart desires. It’s better to learn than to fear asking questions because you’d feel silly. You will honestly look worse if you don’t ask questions and then just have even more questions later that you wish you would have asked right away. From what I’ve seen so far, belegarth people have always been willing to share their vast knowledge of the sport and life in general. It’s definitely a positive feature I enjoy taking advantage of! You will learn so much about the fighting field at an event because it’s an entirely new experience and very different from practices or duals (especially with a couple hundred people on the field fighting at the same time). It’s intense, but tons of fun. Right before I was about to go on the big fighting field for the first time, I was extremely nervous and overwhelmed and had no idea what I was doing. Yes, I felt completely silly, but the veterans that I knew ensured me that I was going to be fine and do well. I managed to kill about a handful of people that weekend, and for my first event, I’ll take that as a win because at least I killed “someone”!
If you’re looking to join a unit at some point, go shopping around and don’t rush to join a unit. You will be happy that you waited because you should ideally find the unit that would fit your needs (ex a fighting unit, friendly unit, family-oriented unit, all of the above, etc.)
Also, most people have minimal sense of time. At events, it’s a time to be away from the outside world and instead of being consumed by your troubles, you are living in the now. I seriously felt like I was in a fantasy land paradise. It was the best 3 days off of work I’ve ever used and one of the best weekends I’ve ever had! Everyone’s event experience is different, but I’ll give this one a 10/10 for me! I met so many incredible people and would highly recommend attending an event whenever you have the opportunity! I learned so much not only about fighting, but about myself and the world around me. I even discovered a new realm thanks to getting hit in the face by a spearman during line battles and him being polite about it! The most random little encounters are always there to help me find my place in belegarth! Part of the reason why I enjoy this sport is because of my love for martial arts, contact sports, my thirst for knowledge, and most of all, the people I have met in this sport have already helped me to become a better person. Thank you to everyone who made me feel so welcomed at my first overnight event and I can’t wait until the next one comes. See you all at Rhun Closer!
Octoberfest 2013, aka “beetoberfest”, October 2-6, is a weekend I’m going to remember for the rest of my life. There were SO MANY BEES (but thankfully, I didn’t get stung). Prior to my first event, I had been to somewhere around 10 practices and 2 mini events, but never to an actual overnight event. I was very excited, but had no idea what to expect.
Preparing for the event was a lot of work, but well worth it. I needed to get ahold of weapons and garb since I hadn’t owned any at the time and I didn’t want to look like a total newbie. Many people that I had talked to provided me with pointers for fighting, what to expect on the field, little tidbits that I needed to know, and much more! I was pointed in the right direction for garb and got some made for me, and a weapon build was set up to ensure I was prepared with my own weapons. Since it was my first weapon build, I had zero idea what to do and didn’t even know what fries were (no, they are not french fries that you eat). There were thankfully veterans there that showed me the ropes without reluctance. The fact that veterans are always willing to give me fighting pointers and general belegarth advice without hesitating, is something that motivates me to want to come back; it is also a good thing for retaining newer fighters.
Some newbie tidbits I was informed of:
1. You need a tent, but thankfully someone had an extra one to loan me. Make sure to always zip it up (and close your car doors too) right away in order to prevent bugs (and bees) from getting in your tent. Thankfully, I encountered very few bugs and no bees in my tent!
2. Overpack to the max. If you have a car, I suggest that you drive it down there so that you can take as much as you want and not have to depend on anyone else to grab your stuff. You can also go into town whenever you want if you need something and can also provide a kind favor to friends or other realm/unit members who need a ride
3. Look at Sorcia’s packing list: http://geddon.org/Sorcia's_Packing_List -- I took almost everything on that list and then some, and I had way too much stuff. If you don’t own equipment, most realms will probably let you borrow their loaner gear
4. Leave at least 1 blanket, 1 garb, 1 jacket, 1 pair of underwear, and 1 pair of socks in the car in case your stuff gets wet or frozen
5. (No one told me this one) Bring allergy medicine, advil, vitamins, and whatever other meds you may need. I encourage people to take their vitamins while at the event, especially because most people don’t get much sleep. I took my vitamins every day at the event, stayed healthy all 5 days, and didn’t come down with anything after either
6. I was suggested to take the day off of work the Monday after/use a day to recover. Although I ended up being ok without it, it’s always a good idea (for a camping event)
7. Take your hits, call your shots, and listen to hold calls. If someone clearly hit you and you know it’s flat, call “flat”. If someone barely brushed against your clothes, call “garb” or “light” depending on the location of the hit. If someone hits your hand with your weapon in it, call hand. If someone blatantly hits you, take your limb or death. It’s just one battle. You have plenty of other chances to fight! Also, when you hear “hold”, stay where you are and go down on one knee until the heralds tell you to resume fighting
8. Listen to the heralds!
9. When you die, LOOK DEAD (or clear off to the side)! A lot of people have told me that people keep hitting them when they’re dead, but I have never had that issue. Besides for having “three points” on the ground, whenever I see people charging towards me, I either try to get out of the way by holding my sword (or weapon) over my head and running off the field or if I can’t get out of the way, I put my sword on top of my head and put my hands over my face/wave them around to signal to people “don’t hit me, I’m dead”
10. When you’re going to walk into someone else’s camp, announce “Hail Camp”. If they respond, then feel free to go ahead. If not, then try again. It’s just out of respect to do that. If you feel uncomfortable hailing camp because you’re new, have your veteran friend do it to show you an example. It helps!
11. DRINK WATER!!! If you forget to bring water to the field, people will share!
12. Lady Feri’s food is delicious! Make sure to try it at least once during the event
13. Hold some cash on you (or your tent) in case you need it
14. Bring an opaque (aka NOT see-through) bottle/device to store your drinks in, especially if the site is dry
15. You need to bring your own utensils and napkins to feast as they are not provided. Plastic plates and silverware work!
16. If you wear contacts, bring a spare pair and your glasses too! Your eyes may dry out due to lots of campfires
17. Have fun and be safe!
Besides for the bees, this is what a typical day at an overnight camping event is like. You get there and check in at troll, set up your tent, put on your garb, and walk around on the very first night. When you wake up on the first full day, you wake up and get ready first of course. There may be classes offered, but those are usually announced very close to the event. The classes consist of anything from fighting techniques to how to be a better writer. Make sure to eat breakfast too while you’re at it. The bathrooms are sometimes a bit of a hike. Also, you better be willing to use an outhouse… After that, make sure to get your weapons checked if you’re fighting. Then, it’s time to fight!
Fighting usually lasts from somewhere around 11am-noonish until around when the sun goes down. The beginning of fighting is usually either small pick-up/line battles, games (ex capture the flag, bridge battles), then the bigger battles usually happen (ex unit/realm battles), then castle and line battles until people are about done. In between that, you should probably eat some more, drink water, and you can watch some of the other things taking place (ex knights trials). Feel free to chat and dual with people as well. You can definitely learn a thing or two!
After that, you usually have some more time to wander around and chill until it’s time for feast (if there is one). If there is no feast, you will usually (or at least in my case) end up eating with whoever’s in your camp. If there is feast, try to get there as soon as possible with your silverwear, plate, and napkins as the line will gradually become very long.
After you eat, there may be some kind of event going on, such as a knighting, a gladiator pit, etc., but most people usually wander around from camp to camp and enjoy everyone’s company until however late. A word for the wise, try not to get too messed up because I’m sure fighting with a hangover isn’t very fun (I was fortunately careful enough to avoid that).
Be sure to check out whatever else is going on, such as gladiator pits, knights trials/vigils, people being “initiated” into units, people moving up ranks in units, etc.
Go to the surprise feasts right away, because there may not be night meat left by the time you get there! I learned that the hard way… Oops! Thankfully, my camp was having a cookout that night! Mmmmm, tacos!
Bring a jacket too, because sometimes it’s freezing. Even though people are in garb the entire time, if you have your north face on over your garb, no one will give you a hard time!
During the day, it may be very sunny out. I always suggest wearing sunglasses on the field because a. the one time I didn’t wear sunglasses, there was a glare and I couldn’t see anything and b. I have also heard stories of people getting shot in the eye (and then having to go to the hospital) with an arrow or getting the area around their eye all cut up from getting hit. It’s not a rule, but just a friendly suggestion. Also, kneepads are a great investment for when you get legged!
Don’t be afraid to admit that you’re new because it’s better to be accepting and genuine about it than try to be someone you’re not. When I told people that this was my first event and I was pretty new, everyone was like, “welcome to belegarth, you’re in for a treat!” The vets were always giving me pointers, answering my questions, and of course ensuring that I have fun, am safe, and not walking alone.
Feel free to ask as many questions as your heart desires. It’s better to learn than to fear asking questions because you’d feel silly. You will honestly look worse if you don’t ask questions and then just have even more questions later that you wish you would have asked right away. From what I’ve seen so far, belegarth people have always been willing to share their vast knowledge of the sport and life in general. It’s definitely a positive feature I enjoy taking advantage of! You will learn so much about the fighting field at an event because it’s an entirely new experience and very different from practices or duals (especially with a couple hundred people on the field fighting at the same time). It’s intense, but tons of fun. Right before I was about to go on the big fighting field for the first time, I was extremely nervous and overwhelmed and had no idea what I was doing. Yes, I felt completely silly, but the veterans that I knew ensured me that I was going to be fine and do well. I managed to kill about a handful of people that weekend, and for my first event, I’ll take that as a win because at least I killed “someone”!
If you’re looking to join a unit at some point, go shopping around and don’t rush to join a unit. You will be happy that you waited because you should ideally find the unit that would fit your needs (ex a fighting unit, friendly unit, family-oriented unit, all of the above, etc.)
Also, most people have minimal sense of time. At events, it’s a time to be away from the outside world and instead of being consumed by your troubles, you are living in the now. I seriously felt like I was in a fantasy land paradise. It was the best 3 days off of work I’ve ever used and one of the best weekends I’ve ever had! Everyone’s event experience is different, but I’ll give this one a 10/10 for me! I met so many incredible people and would highly recommend attending an event whenever you have the opportunity! I learned so much not only about fighting, but about myself and the world around me. I even discovered a new realm thanks to getting hit in the face by a spearman during line battles and him being polite about it! The most random little encounters are always there to help me find my place in belegarth! Part of the reason why I enjoy this sport is because of my love for martial arts, contact sports, my thirst for knowledge, and most of all, the people I have met in this sport have already helped me to become a better person. Thank you to everyone who made me feel so welcomed at my first overnight event and I can’t wait until the next one comes. See you all at Rhun Closer!
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Emergence Poetry Book
I plan on eventually publishing a book of my poetry since I have written a large quantity of poems (of course I would go back and revise everything) and the book would be called Emergence. The book would basically be a compilation of my poems that are not spoken word. My spoken word poems would instead be posted on youtube and uploaded here, but I need to get over to an open mic night first because I would rather have people see my poems in action than me sitting in front of my computer recording myself.
I chose this one as the title poem because a major theme I use in a lot of my poems is showing that you can always triumph when you run into some rough patches along the way as long as you don't give up. I feel like this would tie in nicely with the rest of my poems and would be the very first poem listed in my book. Enjoy!
Don't forget to like me on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebsMcduxler
Emergence
Slowly creeping from the shadows to the outside world
Surfacing from obscurity
Always being the underdog
Trying to make a difference…
While uniquely existing
And never resisting
Opportunity rises
Failure falls
Success grasped
Victory achieved
I chose this one as the title poem because a major theme I use in a lot of my poems is showing that you can always triumph when you run into some rough patches along the way as long as you don't give up. I feel like this would tie in nicely with the rest of my poems and would be the very first poem listed in my book. Enjoy!
Don't forget to like me on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebsMcduxler
Emergence
Slowly creeping from the shadows to the outside world
Surfacing from obscurity
Always being the underdog
Trying to make a difference…
While uniquely existing
And never resisting
Opportunity rises
Failure falls
Success grasped
Victory achieved
Friday, November 8, 2013
Pride is Precious: Poem on Legalizing Gay Marriage
My message for it I recently took a class on gender and the humanities in terms of how society views LGBTQ people in different periods of time and different areas throughout the world. I have seen the media address stories on the negative side ranging from people being homophobic in general, killing themselves for not receiving support, and being outraged for people showing support in ways such as painting rainbow nails in Russia (where non-heterosexuality is highly frowned upon and illegal). On the positive side, I have seen stories on successful pride parades, how people came out of the closet and received positive feedback from family and friends, and most recently, the legalization of gay marriage in the 15th state, Illinois. I have always been very accepting of diversity and believe that people should be allowed to love whoever they want. If loving someone of the same gender makes them happy, then they should be allowed to do so without anyone giving them a hard time. They should especially receive full support from family and friends. Since I am 100% for the passing of this law, I happily wrote this poem in response to people in my home state being able to marry whoever they want an for being a proud supporter of gay marriage as well. So thank you Illinois being a true supporter of love and being at least a little bit more accepting towards diversity! This is also another spoken word poem. Enjoy!
Since this is a very important topic, I posted it on buzzfeed for you all to share it with the world: http://www.buzzfeed.com/dbzmaron/pride-is-precious-poem-on-legalizing-gay-marriage-gfaq
Equality…
Not a privilege
But a right taken with you from the womb
Granted to you on your first breath…
Love…
The ultimate state of being
Which is a true necessity to all
And the token to full life stability
Labels…
An insult towards individualism attached to us at the hip
Which is what we use to define human nature and society's shape
But why must society scrutinize something outside the line's limits
Why can't two people of any race, gender, creed, whatever, just live happily ever after?
Everyone dreams of their perfect star in the sky…
Love isn't something we should have to plea and pry and protest for…
It's a basic entity that's a life requirement to thrive in this shallow world
Life shouldn't be more complicated than politics…
We’re all thirsty for happiness and need to acknowledge this true statement:
Love is love
People are people
Pride is precious
Embrace it…
The unnecessary cowards need to stop and think
Would two people of the same gender who unconditionally love each other BOTHER YOU?
How does that even AFFECT YOU?
When two people are minding they own business living their lives just being HAPPY
Why is that such a PROBLEM for you?
It's THEIR choice who to love and it's THEIR choice who to live and it's THEIR life
WHY do you CARE and physically TRY to stop happiness that's not within the norm?
Just let people live
And let people love
Because love is love and will always be love
No one should be deprived of the rights from life’s most sacred entity…
Gay…straight…homosexual…heterosexual…
These are just labels that are false representations of human nature…
Our only label is human
But everything else is subject to being tainted through bias…
We are not packages with labels
We are human
We are not monsters for loving who we choose to love
We are human
We are not devil worshippers for defining our sexual orientation outside the norm
We are human
If there is one message to scrape from under the sand
It’s that love is love
People are people
Pride is precious
Support it…
Since this is a very important topic, I posted it on buzzfeed for you all to share it with the world: http://www.buzzfeed.com/dbzmaron/pride-is-precious-poem-on-legalizing-gay-marriage-gfaq
Equality…
Not a privilege
But a right taken with you from the womb
Granted to you on your first breath…
Love…
The ultimate state of being
Which is a true necessity to all
And the token to full life stability
Labels…
An insult towards individualism attached to us at the hip
Which is what we use to define human nature and society's shape
But why must society scrutinize something outside the line's limits
Why can't two people of any race, gender, creed, whatever, just live happily ever after?
Everyone dreams of their perfect star in the sky…
Love isn't something we should have to plea and pry and protest for…
It's a basic entity that's a life requirement to thrive in this shallow world
Life shouldn't be more complicated than politics…
We’re all thirsty for happiness and need to acknowledge this true statement:
Love is love
People are people
Pride is precious
Embrace it…
The unnecessary cowards need to stop and think
Would two people of the same gender who unconditionally love each other BOTHER YOU?
How does that even AFFECT YOU?
When two people are minding they own business living their lives just being HAPPY
Why is that such a PROBLEM for you?
It's THEIR choice who to love and it's THEIR choice who to live and it's THEIR life
WHY do you CARE and physically TRY to stop happiness that's not within the norm?
Just let people live
And let people love
Because love is love and will always be love
No one should be deprived of the rights from life’s most sacred entity…
Gay…straight…homosexual…heterosexual…
These are just labels that are false representations of human nature…
Our only label is human
But everything else is subject to being tainted through bias…
We are not packages with labels
We are human
We are not monsters for loving who we choose to love
We are human
We are not devil worshippers for defining our sexual orientation outside the norm
We are human
If there is one message to scrape from under the sand
It’s that love is love
People are people
Pride is precious
Support it…
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Music's Vortex
I think music is one of the most powerful things we humans have been blessed with. To those who music has a large significance to, this is how music makes me feel and what I think it does to other people in general and in the workplace at least. I hope you music lovers out there feel at least similarly about this joy as I do!
You should also like me on facebook too: www.facebook.com/RebsMcduxler
I also have a deviant art page that I am just starting to add to as well: dbzmaron.deviantart.com/
Music's vortex…
The power to spark emotions
Giving you a spiritual journey to a land of physical comfort
Even better with a sense of synesthesia
It helps you find your guiding light
Telling you an elaborate story in the simplest way
Displaying the big picture
Faceless…
Shielding you from the pain of daily life
Aiding you towards the goal full of gold
Inspiration apparent to uplift weaknesses…
A conversion to a profound mood
That carries you deeper through your mind's powerful turbulence
With an ability to free you from judgment's torment
Inducing peacefulness through a protective spell
Like magic…
You should also like me on facebook too: www.facebook.com/RebsMcduxler
I also have a deviant art page that I am just starting to add to as well: dbzmaron.deviantart.com/
Music's vortex…
The power to spark emotions
Giving you a spiritual journey to a land of physical comfort
Even better with a sense of synesthesia
It helps you find your guiding light
Telling you an elaborate story in the simplest way
Displaying the big picture
Faceless…
Shielding you from the pain of daily life
Aiding you towards the goal full of gold
Inspiration apparent to uplift weaknesses…
A conversion to a profound mood
That carries you deeper through your mind's powerful turbulence
With an ability to free you from judgment's torment
Inducing peacefulness through a protective spell
Like magic…
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Atlas
Here's one of the shortest poems I've ever written telling us to never give up and keep trekking on through your darkest times! I wanted to see how something turns out when I make it shorter as opposed to my usual lengthy poems. Enjoy! Also, you should like me on facebook if you want to see more of my personal expressions through imagery and artistry: www.facebook.com/RebsMcduxler
Life graces by us as we watch it float on
Carry your world like an atlas to fly on
Don't halt from the high tides and your present darkness
Proceed towards your divine diamonds past preceding darkness
Life graces by us as we watch it float on
Carry your world like an atlas to fly on
Don't halt from the high tides and your present darkness
Proceed towards your divine diamonds past preceding darkness
Inspirational Quote Graphics
Here are some inspirational quote graphics I have made on photoshop so far. There are more to come and I have plenty of quotes and I have written plenty as well that I will add to here. That would be even more cool if people uploaded them to facebook and everyone shared them because of how true they are! In the meantime, you should like me on facebook: www.facebook.com/RebsMcduxler
Friday, October 25, 2013
Cease Fire
I am so sick of seeing violent crimes and school shootings that I am just disgusted. This is how I feel when I hear about something like this happening... And this one is spoken word too!
Violence...
An epidemic more disgusting than obesity
A problem more painful than a heart attack
A nastier habit than smoking cigarettes...
But everyone wonders…
How are people so SICK and TWISTED to commit such a dastardly deed
Eliminating other people's time
Just for the sake of attention
OR it’s just from the wacky world going on in their head...
Among the social media you consistently see posts about thoughts and prayers going out to whoever
Surely it breaks your heart
But why don't people insist on a cease fire?
People need to take a STAND against these evil villains
Instead of allowing them to terrorize the town
And not giving them the proper preparation to prevail from the sickness...
Life is not a video game…
There is no infinite lives hack or respawning after you die
Coming back to the way things were
Or restarting the game when you take a wrong turn
Without realizing that you don’t need weapons to beat the game
And solve the painful puzzle with your mind…
We are SICK of seeing tragedy
We are DONE seeing the blood and tears without the taste of victory
We need to be AWARE of the world
And give the public eye the needed knowledge
Of why violence is just a cry of built up emotions clouded in smoke
Lacking a place to be channeled
Causing circling chaos
Ruining reality
Enabling the media to dispel more sadness
And continue to script our wacky world for the public eye
We can’t keep waiting
We can’t keep saying
We can’t keep whining
Because those are just empty actions
Take a stand for a cease fire
And just do SOMETHING
To enable the flag to rise from mourning
And our cloud of shame to see a smiling beauty!
A little goes a long way
Without any dismay
So just do it!
If you want some more inspiration or find out when I post my next poem or blog post, like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebsMcduxler
Violence...
An epidemic more disgusting than obesity
A problem more painful than a heart attack
A nastier habit than smoking cigarettes...
But everyone wonders…
How are people so SICK and TWISTED to commit such a dastardly deed
Eliminating other people's time
Just for the sake of attention
OR it’s just from the wacky world going on in their head...
Among the social media you consistently see posts about thoughts and prayers going out to whoever
Surely it breaks your heart
But why don't people insist on a cease fire?
People need to take a STAND against these evil villains
Instead of allowing them to terrorize the town
And not giving them the proper preparation to prevail from the sickness...
Life is not a video game…
There is no infinite lives hack or respawning after you die
Coming back to the way things were
Or restarting the game when you take a wrong turn
Without realizing that you don’t need weapons to beat the game
And solve the painful puzzle with your mind…
We are SICK of seeing tragedy
We are DONE seeing the blood and tears without the taste of victory
We need to be AWARE of the world
And give the public eye the needed knowledge
Of why violence is just a cry of built up emotions clouded in smoke
Lacking a place to be channeled
Causing circling chaos
Ruining reality
Enabling the media to dispel more sadness
And continue to script our wacky world for the public eye
We can’t keep waiting
We can’t keep saying
We can’t keep whining
Because those are just empty actions
Take a stand for a cease fire
And just do SOMETHING
To enable the flag to rise from mourning
And our cloud of shame to see a smiling beauty!
A little goes a long way
Without any dismay
So just do it!
If you want some more inspiration or find out when I post my next poem or blog post, like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebsMcduxler
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Smile
My deep-down description of what a smile really is... in poetry form. Enjoy! Last modified 5-6-15!
This magic can never be broken,
Even if it’s cracked along the edges.
With this wonder staying in sync with the sun
It shall spread its joy to a star near you!
If you want some more inspiration or find out when I post my next poem or blog post, like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebsMcduxler
When your happiness reaches the surface,
A special kind of power is born.
The whiteness on your teeth glows like a spotlight in your face
Igniting the air as the sparkling fireworks take flight in the night sky.
A special kind of power is born.
The whiteness on your teeth glows like a spotlight in your face
Igniting the air as the sparkling fireworks take flight in the night sky.
This magic can never be broken,
Even if it’s cracked along the edges.
It contains a certain stability
To carry you through turmoil.
Even when the world decides to do a 180,
Your smile shall prevail.
It can defy all odds,
Being worn on your sleeve to the grave
Like an outfit unable to be removed
As black can be turned into light.
To carry you through turmoil.
Even when the world decides to do a 180,
Your smile shall prevail.
It can defy all odds,
Being worn on your sleeve to the grave
Like an outfit unable to be removed
As black can be turned into light.
With this wonder staying in sync with the sun
It shall spread its joy to a star near you!
If you want some more inspiration or find out when I post my next poem or blog post, like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebsMcduxler
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Cake's Makes Fun of Vlogs
Cake discusses his view on why he dislikes vlogs so much and thinks they're annoying. Enjoy!
Theme Change
I decided that I wanted to make this blog more professional looking now that I am in the "professional world", so I overhauled the theme and put a new one up! I hope you all like it!
Monday, September 16, 2013
Freeform Freedom
My description of how the creative mind works coming from someone who's always been a huge nerd. Yes, this one's really short. Enjoy!
Who knew that a nerd could actually possess creativity!
It goes against standard stereotypes
Where your brain strays from the thought of society's norms
To conjure an artistic masterpiece
From your ambidextrous brain
The most unlikely soul can possess this special spirit
Drawing colors of the wind within your mind
Striking a powerful flow at random
Causing the owner to create a fandom
Begging you not to judge a book by its cover
Your world is never grounded or boxed in
The soul sustains total control for the power to never divert itself to an absence
Freeform freedom straight from the heart
Yearning to inspire and conquer the world
With the beauty in what we call art!
If you want some more inspiration or find out when I post my next poem or blog post, like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebsMcduxler
Who knew that a nerd could actually possess creativity!
It goes against standard stereotypes
Where your brain strays from the thought of society's norms
To conjure an artistic masterpiece
From your ambidextrous brain
The most unlikely soul can possess this special spirit
Drawing colors of the wind within your mind
Striking a powerful flow at random
Causing the owner to create a fandom
Begging you not to judge a book by its cover
Your world is never grounded or boxed in
The soul sustains total control for the power to never divert itself to an absence
Freeform freedom straight from the heart
Yearning to inspire and conquer the world
With the beauty in what we call art!
If you want some more inspiration or find out when I post my next poem or blog post, like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebsMcduxler
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Family
For another spoken word endeavor, those who know me see the visual display from my heart of how much pain my family causes me. After awhile, I decided to find a channel for how I feel and wrote a poem about it (and it felt quite refreshing to do so). Enjoy! (edited 11-15-15)
Through the idealistic vision of a family,
If you want some more inspiration or find out when I post my next poem or blog post, like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebsMcduxler
So… what is family anyways?
It it just a term to describe people who live together?
Is family blood, belief, crossing the same bridge, what is it?
Sometimes, it can represent pure chaos
Causing you to scream at the top of your lungs,
Until you fall blue,
Crying on the floor.
DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU'VE DONE?
When you look through these olive-colored eyes with a visible flame inside,
You see someone who only wants to love and make the world a better place.
Within the confines of a place that should be called home,
Mental safety is compromised and the heart of an innocent soul.
The heart is shattered and needs to be mended.
The heart is shattered and needs to be mended.
You've DAMAGED and RIPPED APART your own daughter,
And I'm sure you don't even falter
At the fact you've turned a beautiful entity into a disgusting disease,
A place reminding me of a toxic wasteland.
A place reminding me of a toxic wasteland.
Through the idealistic vision of a family,
You see people gathered at the dinner table
Sharing stories
Being open
Possessing a special kind of love
Saying the words “I love you” to everyone's faces,
And even displaying genuine affection.
But if I told you I loved you, I feel I'd be lying...
What if the only thing that wanders within your mind is is a bitter taste,
Triggered by the daily beatings inside your head,
In every location, even your bed?
This home is not safe and I must escape!
This home is not safe and I must escape!
Surrounded by constant negativity,
Complaint after complaint after complaint
Picking out flaw after flaw after flaw that you wear on your sleeve every day,
Like a gun with never-ending ammo,
Like a gun with never-ending ammo,
I feel like I'm depicted as a computer error and must be destroyed.
They always hinted, “when are you moving out” and “in case you move out soon, we’ll help you…”
They tell me how I'm not good enough and fall short,
Being driven into a dark hole
Where all of the support I was given was just a facade.
The more bullet holes I accumulate in my flesh,
The pain builds deeper and deeper and deeper pain within the destroyed soul
Causing it to shut down.
Brutal terror engulfs the odd one
With the fiery rage dispels from the monster within.
I am so desperate to penetrate through the evil
I've bottled up for years from every pill I've had to swallow from your pain.
They're standing in front of me yelling in my face again for forgetting to put the mustard in the fridge
And the unkind demands I said no to for the first time.
I've bottled up for years from every pill I've had to swallow from your pain.
They're standing in front of me yelling in my face again for forgetting to put the mustard in the fridge
And the unkind demands I said no to for the first time.
You threaten to chase me up the stairs and beat me again,
But before I run, I pull out of my pocket my last resort attack,
The ear-shattering use of “STOP!!!!!
The only thing destroying the family is you… This isn't MY fault…”
As I contemplate to myself how exhausting negativity is,
And what family really is,
I yearn to be myself
And set on a quest to find which constellation is mine;
It's the one without a name sitting next to the sun!
The ear-shattering use of “STOP!!!!!
The only thing destroying the family is you… This isn't MY fault…”
As I contemplate to myself how exhausting negativity is,
And what family really is,
I yearn to be myself
And set on a quest to find which constellation is mine;
It's the one without a name sitting next to the sun!
She runs away from hell,
To a land where camaraderie exists
And love is in the air!
Relationships feed from the optimistic sky
As life is racing by!
In a place where fresh air is everywhere
And positivity reigns in heaven,
Everyone treats you as you deserve.
Your kind heart and help matter
You thrive from your surroundings and your people,
Who tell you how much of an asset you are,
And how you're better of a person than you think you are.
Hearing the three magic words being told to your face: “I love you”
Having someone approach you to say: “you inspire me”
Seeing someone pour from their heart: “you’re truly important”
And that isn’t even from my flesh and blood.
Being with “family”
Isn’t a reminder that you have to settle in desperation just to have a roof over your head,
Be driven into a pit of misery and despair,
And get pushed to run away…
But you should be endeared in life through positive reinforcement from loved ones
Who show you the way to be truly happy in life is to be surrounded by wacky people whose synergy lights the universe
And tell you no matter how many cracks on the surface, nothing is ever broken.
I am not broken; I am now whole!
If you want some more inspiration or find out when I post my next poem or blog post, like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebsMcduxler
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Desperate for a Friend
This post is purely for humor. All I can say is... if you're this guy, go get some help!
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Miley Cyrus: From Disney to Disturbing
Oh Miley Cyrus… a person who went from being teen pop star goody two shoes Hannah Montana to a controversial hit through the media. I'm sure everyone saw her lovely display on the VMA award show, as well as her music video for the song "We Can't Stop". Now, no one can stop talking about it…
Back in the day, Miley used to be the star on the hit series Hannah Montana, which is a show that I'm guilty of watching almost every single episode and the movie. Her songs were actually inspiring and projected a positive image upon children, teens, and more. After her departure from the Disney Channel, she was looking for a breakthrough to turn into an adult and prove herself as being mature. There are certain ways to do that… promiscuous dancing that looks rather slutty and singing about society's glorified version of a party where everyone gets dangerously messed up is not a way anyone should want to portray themselves to the public eye. Knowing how the media is these days, one wrong move and you will be scrutinized for life.
Some people may wonder "who is society looking up to" or "what happened to Hannah Montana and her Disney image"… She's having a new CD come out soon too, which I'm sure is going to be huge now that Miley has gone viral. People keep making vines, videos, memes, etc. of her now that she is the center of mostly negative attention. It seems like everyone enjoys focusing on the bad things that someone does, as opposed to "hello world, this person just volunteered in Africa to bring drinking water to impoverished families". Why not glorify that instead as opposed to making people appear to be worse than they really are? The world really isn't "THAT" bad of a place, but it seems the news these days likes to only present topics of controversy or how some person in the south side of Chicago was murdered. Apparently, the rest of the world cares more about 10 minutes of a ridiculous display from a famous star on an awards show than how we can make the world a better place…
Here's what I have to say. No matter how crazy inappropriate both of those were, I think that the rest of society has more important things to focus on than a young adult who decided to act like a crazy fool on TV for the rest of the public to see. Of course there's freedom of expression and I think she crossed the line to a very large degree, but to me and to everyone else, she should just be considered some famous teeny bopper trying to find her way in the world who did so in a very poor fashion. She's definitely doing a good job making a statement of being herself. If something as trivial as this can trigger as many hits as the current issues with Syria, society should shove its head back on straight, get a grip, and try to fix ACTUAL problems. Yeah, it's entertainment, but still, get over it, stop making such a big deal over it, and move on. We can spend our time doing much better things than harping on something as silly as this!
If you want some more inspiration or find out when I post my next poem or blog post, like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebsMcduxler
Back in the day, Miley used to be the star on the hit series Hannah Montana, which is a show that I'm guilty of watching almost every single episode and the movie. Her songs were actually inspiring and projected a positive image upon children, teens, and more. After her departure from the Disney Channel, she was looking for a breakthrough to turn into an adult and prove herself as being mature. There are certain ways to do that… promiscuous dancing that looks rather slutty and singing about society's glorified version of a party where everyone gets dangerously messed up is not a way anyone should want to portray themselves to the public eye. Knowing how the media is these days, one wrong move and you will be scrutinized for life.
Some people may wonder "who is society looking up to" or "what happened to Hannah Montana and her Disney image"… She's having a new CD come out soon too, which I'm sure is going to be huge now that Miley has gone viral. People keep making vines, videos, memes, etc. of her now that she is the center of mostly negative attention. It seems like everyone enjoys focusing on the bad things that someone does, as opposed to "hello world, this person just volunteered in Africa to bring drinking water to impoverished families". Why not glorify that instead as opposed to making people appear to be worse than they really are? The world really isn't "THAT" bad of a place, but it seems the news these days likes to only present topics of controversy or how some person in the south side of Chicago was murdered. Apparently, the rest of the world cares more about 10 minutes of a ridiculous display from a famous star on an awards show than how we can make the world a better place…
Here's what I have to say. No matter how crazy inappropriate both of those were, I think that the rest of society has more important things to focus on than a young adult who decided to act like a crazy fool on TV for the rest of the public to see. Of course there's freedom of expression and I think she crossed the line to a very large degree, but to me and to everyone else, she should just be considered some famous teeny bopper trying to find her way in the world who did so in a very poor fashion. She's definitely doing a good job making a statement of being herself. If something as trivial as this can trigger as many hits as the current issues with Syria, society should shove its head back on straight, get a grip, and try to fix ACTUAL problems. Yeah, it's entertainment, but still, get over it, stop making such a big deal over it, and move on. We can spend our time doing much better things than harping on something as silly as this!
If you want some more inspiration or find out when I post my next poem or blog post, like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebsMcduxler
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
The Game
You lost the game... or did you? Just a pinch of optimism will help you win, even through the absolute worst!
If you want some more inspiration or find out when I post my next poem or blog post, like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebsMcduxler
Within the stormy day
While staring out the window looking for a
light
Appearing deep in fright
The desire comes to go numb
Just to subside the pain
And ease the agonizing tension
In order to play the game
But why…?
Searching for answers
Within the turmoil and twisters of life
Terror ensues to topple over the bridge
As one struggles to keep an inflamed mind in
check…
While the tears are locked inside,
There's nowhere to hide,
And help is not on the way…
Why is everything about pain?
Wondering where the bright side is,
Searching for answers,
The twister inside the mind is ready to
unleash a destructive blow…
Trying to speak her mind
Receiving a large dose of ridicule in return
Ready to blow
With a cork nearing its way out
The only thing she wants is to close her eyes
And realize that tomorrow is another day…
But it doesn't get any better…
Trying to find herself
Through transformation into the dreaded form
of adulthood
The craving to become a child struggles to
prevail,
But you know you need to grow up…
Balancing the maturity and wisdom with
ignorance
Within a corporation and life's game
You are taken onto the battlefield
Where the fun feels like a dream
But it's actually for real
And life is grand,
Which is something the haters can't stand
Because the game consumes everyone’s souls…
So they band, and beat, and bash with a brand
With a negative vibe trying to eat the rainbow
Making it all goes sour
While she tries to be herself...
For trying to help
She gets taken for granted
For saying no
She gets abused
Even by those who are supposed to love…
Trying to find a way out
Is quite the tedious task
Rather challenging as well
But it's not so swell…
She continues to search for answers
Within the tattered heart
That needs to be sewn together with love…
Yearning for a moment to be uplifted,
Chasing the storm cloud for a moment of
freedom,
The escape begins for a moment of peace…
In order be away from evil we humans like to
call drama
She sheds an optimistic light to the rest
To uplift them all
Watching the haters fall
And lovers rise…
The only ones who will win in life
Are those who keep their pride
Continuing to stand tall
Before they fall
Making the world a better place
Spreading love and inspiration to all…
When the search for answers is complete,
Within the soulful mind,
The quest for life
Is never complete
Journeying onward and upward
With optimism by her side,
Knowing she has her pride,
She will always conquer life's game!
If you want some more inspiration or find out when I post my next poem or blog post, like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebsMcduxler
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