by JS

Music is What Life Sounds Like

In music the passions enjoy themselves. – Friedrich Nietzsche

Music IS life

Day 9:

Sometimes, in this life, we need a song.

Whether it’s for helping us make decisions, sorting out our feelings, letting off steam, dancing in jammies or discovering something worthwhile, music is interwoven into our daily lives.
Music can dictate your path in life – your choice in friends, places to go, how you feel about yourself. Listen to up-beat music and feel energetic. Listen to a slow song and relax or just be.
I swear that 50% of my mind must be composed of song lyrics and melodies. Riffs and breaks and beats.

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Studies have found that music improves mood, and I am very interested in the interplay between the two. Clearly, music can change a person’s mood in few seconds, let her recall a certain past situation that happened to her clearly and can change her mental state. Is it possible for people with mood disorders learn to self-regulate through their choice of song? If so, how?

The point here is not what IS, but what CAN be through music as a tool for knowing yourself, and possibly others.

My boyfriend recently posted a song and stated “Love the words to this song”. This was posted while we were having a rough patch.

Here’s the catch – what did he like about the song? At that moment? What part of the words hit him, made him take affirmative steps to go and post this video and point out that the lyrics mattered to him? Does this mean anything profound? Should I take note?

“I Will Follow You Into The Dark” by Death Cab for Cutie

Love of mine some day you will die
But I’ll be close behind
I’ll follow you into the dark

No blinding light or tunnels to gates of white
Just our hands clasped so tight
Waiting for the hint of a spark
If Heaven and Hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the NOs on their vacancy signs
If there’s no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I’ll follow you into the dark
In Catholic school as vicious as Roman rule
I got my knuckles bruised by a lady in black
And I held my tongue as she told me
“Son fear is the heart of love”
So I never went back

If Heaven and Hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the NOs on their vacancy signs

If there’s no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I’ll follow you into the dark

You and me have seen everything to see
From Bangkok to Calgary
And the soles of your shoes are all worn down
The time for sleep is now
It’s nothing to cry about
’cause we’ll hold each other soon
In the blackest of rooms

If Heaven and Hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the No’s on their vacancy signs

If there’s no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I’ll follow you into the dark

Scorpio:

You might feel distracted or unable to focus today, which could be annoying if you feel you need to do one thing and one thing only. However, if you let yourself find inspiration in a number of things, you can turn this into a positive. Just don’t expect your attention to be undivided!

01.08.13

by JS

Pennsylvania Student creates Anti-Bullying MUSICAL

Day 8:

It’s always a good day when I read about anti-bullying efforts led by kids, for kids.

It’s the peers that really make the difference.

Please visit NVEEE.org so that YOU can MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

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ARTICLE HERE

A 17-year-old Hanover High School student wrote a few songs and some short scenes for a school project last October. More than a year later, Zachary Terrazas’ small project is a full-fledged musical and will be performed at Hanover High School in Pennsylvania on Jan. 12 and 13.

After Zachary held workshop performances of his anti-bullying musical, “The Victim,” in August at the Gettysburg Community Theater, he was given the opportunity to bring his work closer to home.

“I’m really excited about doing it in my hometown,” he said.

“The Victim” shows the cycle of bullying through scenes and music written and co-directed by Zachary.

The anti-bullying musical, “The Victim” will be performed Jan. 12 at 7 p.m. and Jan. 13 at 2 p.m. at Hanover High
School Auditorium, 401 Moul Ave. Tickets are $7 and can be purchased online in advance at
http://www.gettysburgcommunitytheatre.org or by calling 717-334-2692. For more information on the musical, visit
victimthemusical.weebly.com.

Zachary said he hopes that his work will inspire the audience to stand up for people who are being bullied and to understand that their words have power.

“Think before you speak,” he said. “Make sure you’re not causing pain.”

“What we’re trying to do is give as many opportunities for people to come see it, to get to watch it, to get a feel for what the musical is and the message behind it,” Zachary said.

Proceeds from ticket sales will go to the Pennsylvania Student Equality Coalition, an organization working to have state officials pass the Pennsylvania Safe School Act. According to the Pennsylvania Safe School Act website, the act would make Pennsylvania schools safer by addressing issues involving bullying, cyberbullying and harassment.

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Scorpio:

Daily Overview for January 08, 2013

Overview

A difficult person will not be as difficult as usual if you approach them with a rational argument. Also stay positive about it, because assuming they will be stubborn or refuse to listen will only make matters worse. They could surprise you with their reaction!

http://www.eveningsun.com/localnews/ci_22327572/anti-bullying-musical-comes-hanover

01.08.13

by JS

High School Senior creates Twitter Account to fight bullying that tweets compliments to friends and classmates.

Published on Jan 2, 2013, Jeremiah Anthony, high school junior and creator of @westhighbros, a Twitter account that tweets compliments to friends and classmates.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2InkWRc1zww&feature=player_detailpage#t=3s

Read Full Article

Jeremy’s Statement:

“For most people, the idea of kids and technology conjures up images of sexting and cyber bullying. I started @westhighbros to end cyber bullying at my school and to make it a better place to be in general. Let’s face it, school is for learning but socialization happens more often that studying. Our Twitter account is here to prove to every single doubter of the goodness of people, but especially teens, that people my age can do great things with technology. We’re here to show the world the power of technology and the power of positive word.

Let me back up a bit. I started @westhighbros in late October of 2011. I ran the account by myself for three months then asked one of my friends to join me – throughout the year we added more “bros” as contributors are called and we built up a decent following. We have everyone from the local newspaper to the local US Congressman follow us on Twitter and friend us on Facebook. Despite these high profile follows, our greatest joy is when parents of our classmates follow us on Twitter or friend us on Facebook. It gives us the parent stamp of approval. Right now we stand at about 850 followers on Twitter and 1,500 friends on Facebook, and yes we know every single one of them. Well there you have it, the story of @westhighbros, the world’s first compliment account. Now let’s talk about what we actually do.

Simply put @westhighbros and (the Facebook version of @westhighbros) writes compliments (we call them comps). We write comps mainly to our classmates at Iowa City West High but we’ve been known to write to the principal of our cross town rival, the President, and to celebrities. Most of the time people respond with a thank you and a follow. This is our method of eliminating bullying.

The USA started a war on bullying with a massive campaign on how to stand up to bullies. Newsflash, it isn’t working. Bullying is still a problem. And, even more frightening, we regularly hear news reports about bullying being a factor in teen suicide. While it may be impossible to eliminate bullying completely; my goal is just to impact one person. Even if it’s just a small change in their life, the second I know I have done something for someone, I know my goal is accomplished. You might be thinking this idea is dumb but ever since we started our Twitter and Facebook pages, bullying has decreased by over 60% at our school. By no means is my way the only way, but for my school it worked. I encourage anyone reading this blog post to think just for five minutes of ways they can help spread their own comps. Just a simple five minutes can change your whole community, it certainly changed mine.”

Jeremiah Anthony is a junior in high school. He is a self-proclaimed “normal kid in a world, who likes seeing the beauty in people.

01.07.13

by JS

pro·cras·ti·nate

Day 7:

Scorpio:

A heightened sensitivity or ability to see to the core of the situation will allow you to be a great help to friends and loved ones.

Make yourself available as a source of support, and they will be grateful to have an understanding and intuitive person to go to for assistance.

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Back to the daily grind. Today we are dealing with a broken Dell (shock), a messy desk area (double shock) and not enough coffee.

I have this issue where as soon as the work week is over, I log out of the virtual land of computers, and spend most of my weekend either sleeping or waking up.

Thus Days 5 and 6 were spent doing exactly that – procrastinating.

So – No post for YOU!

Soup Nazi was cool 🙂

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pro·cras·ti·nate

[proh-kras-tuh-neyt, pruh-] pro·cras·ti·nat·ed, pro·cras·ti·nat·ing.

urban dictionary:

1. A similar experience to masturbation, it feels good while you’re doing it, but it sucks afterwards when you realize that you just fucked yourself.

2. If you are on here, you probably are already doing this. It means you are putting something off until the last possible second (by doing pointless things in most people’s cases). i.e. He is awesome at procrastination: the day before a big project was due, he watched 6 t.v. shows, took a really long shower, and didn’t start his project until 3 a.m.

dictionary.com:

1. to put off till another day or time; defer; delay

2. Origin: 1580–90; < Latin prōcrāstinātus

(past participle of prōcrāstināre to put off until tomorrow, equivalent to prō- pro-¹ -crāstināre, derivative of crāstinus of tomorrow; crās tomorrow + -tinus suffix forming adjectives from

temporal adverbs); see -ate

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But the personal life is back on track, and now it’s time for me to MOTIVATE myself to:

1. Study for the Feb MBE – FML

2. Bikram Yoga – Feeling HOT HOT HOT!

3. Arm Weights – yes, I have granny arms 😦

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mo·ti·vate

[moh-tuh-veyt] mo·ti·vat·ed, mo·ti·vat·ing.

urban dictionary:

1. That thing in the back of your mind that drives you, no matter what seems to be stacked against you.

dictionary.com:

1. to provide with a motive or motives; incite; impel.

Origin: 1860–65; motive + -ate¹

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01.04.13

by JS

Cloudy with a Chance of Awesomeness

Day 4 543887_251854984945242_1002387020_n Today is the day I actually sit down and answer 30 bar prep questions. I will prevail!

Tonight’s Shenanigans include the “big conversation” with the significant, followed by a charity event to celebrate Erin Mia’s Birthday and help Kim’s Good Karma Group raise funds for Food for the Poor, Inc..

* FASHION FORWARD *: A SPRING 2013 RUNWAY FASHION SHOW WITH SPECIAL GUEST HOST, MISS SOUTH FLORIDA USA, GIANINA ACEVEDO.

In Celebration of Erin Mia Milchman’s Birthday to Benefit Food for the Poor, Inc.

You are ALL invited! If you can’t make it, please help out the cause by donating whatever you can to:

www.FoodforthePoor.org/goodkarmagroup

Scorpio:

Daily Overview for January 04, 2013

Overview

Watch your tongue in the next few days. You might be tempted to say something to someone that would just end up backfiring. People are doing things that they shouldn’t be doing, but if you keep your desire to rant in check, you’ll be glad you did.

01.03.13

by JS

J.Lo’s Stunt Double is a Man.

Day 3.

Thank you January 3, 2013 for bringing me this slightly entertaining news.

Yes, J.Lo’s stunt double is a man.

Were it not for this picture, and THAT look from the body double, this day would continue its downward descent MUCH more swiftly.

2013 is starting out interesting already, on SO many levels.

In other news, really Astrology? Really?

Scorpio:

Daily Overview for January 03, 2013

Overview

Don’t give your partner the silent treatment, and don’t hold back when you have something you would like to talk about.

Open communication is very important in any relationship, so talk it out! More will be resolved this way as opposed to holding it all inside and not giving your thoughts release.

Wow. FML. L8r.

01.02.13

by JS

Welcome to a New Day

2013.

Day 1. OVER.

418036_579900592027355_1410873134_n

Day 2. Shit just got real.

The plan:
1. Break out the Calendar
2. Update the Bucket List
3. FORGET THE PAST BECAUSE IT HAS PASSED.

But in case I’m not quite ready to forget the past, which judging from prior experience I never AM, here’s what Facebook believes are my best 20 moments of 2012.

Thanks for that Facebook. My best moments in 2012 consisted on being dressed as a goth circus-y chick at Halloween. Winning.

Apparently my best moments are those i make on my own – just a thought 😉

11.21.12

by JS

Terrible news out of Homestead, FL. Another child. Another Shooting. :(

November 20, 2012. Tragedy in Homestead school as a 13-YEAR-OLD girl was shot to death by a fellow student on a school bus in Florida.

These stories make me extremely sad, sick and drained every time I hear of another child lost so early in life.

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Here’s the story:

Miami-Dade Police Charge 15-Year-Old Boy With Manslaughter After Fatal School Bus Shooting. The 13-year-old succumbed to her injuries after being shot on a private school bus by another student, police said.

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Why in the world would a 15-year-old have a handgun in school/on school bus?? Do parents need to step up and check their child’s belongings before sending them off to school – a supposedly SAFE place?

Even more devastating – Lourdes had her 7-year-old sibling on the bus as well, police said.

RECAP:

Full story and link here.

Video here.

Police are ruling the death of 13-year-old Lourdes Guzman-DeJesus from Miami, Florida an accident.

The student found herself on a private school bus when she was fatally shot by a classmate, at around 6:45 a.m., on Tuesday, November 20.

Police have 13-year-old DeJesus’s shooter in custody, and ruled the death accidental.

Jordyn Alexander Howe of Homestead had carried a weapon on the bus and was showing it off to his classmates when the gun discharged, police reports say.

15-year-old Howe was a student at Somerset Academy Silver Palms in Homestead. CBS Miami reports that he will be charged as a juvenile. He was arrested for manslaughter and for carrying a concealed firearm.

The shooting took place as other 8 students found themselves on the bus. The vehicle was traveling to the Homestead area, in southwest Miami-Dade County.

According to Huffington Post, Guzman’s 7-year-old sister was among the other students besides her, when she was shot. Guzman attended Palm Glades Preparatory Academy, and her sister was on her way to Summerville Advantage Academy.

She was flown to Miami Children’s Hospital immediately after the shooting, but passed away in hospital care. Her schoolmates are being questioned by the homicides division at Miami-Dade police, regarding yesterday’s events.

“The children, they’re already shaken up over what they had to witness and on top of that you have to question them. So this is going to take a very slow and tedious process,” MDPD spokesman Det. Alvaro Zabaleta clarifies.

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WHEN WILL THIS STOP? The child who had the gun was apparently showing off to his friends. Did he know it was loaded? Did he shoot directly at Lourdes? How did he GET the gun!!!

Comments welcome.

10.24.12

by JS

Not that’s WICKED!! “Wicked” cast to help fight bullying

GO BALTIMORE!

My home town 🙂

BALTIMORE – The cast of the musical “Wicked” is taking a break from performances at the Hippodrome to talk to kids about bullying.

They’ll be working with students at Booker T. Washington Middle School in Baltimore on Thursday.

The actors will teach kids how to stand up to bullies and what to do if they see someone else being bullied.

“Wicked” cast to help fight bullying.

10.24.12

by JS

Bullying May Be Linked to Mental Disorders, with children MORE LIKELY than other kids to BE BULLIES

Bullying May Be Linked to Mental Disorders, with children MORE LIKELY than other kids to BE BULLIES.

“Much research probing the link between bullying and mental health has focused on how being bullied contributes to the development of issues like anxiety and depression. But a new study suggests the relationship goes both ways, finding that boys and girls with mental health disorders are three times more likely to be the bully.” SOURCE.

But what type of mental disorders were identified?

Depression, and Oppositional Defiant Disorder, apparently.

Here’s the Scoop:

Children with mental health disorders are more likely than other kids to be bullies, a new study finds.

The study, “Association Between Mental Health Disorders and Bullying in the United States Among Children Aged 6 to 17 Years,” was conducted by Dr. Frances Turcotte-Benedict, a Brown University masters of public health student and a fellow at Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence. She and her colleagues used data provided by the parents and guardians of children ages 6 to 17 as part of the 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health, which included nearly 64,000 children.

In 2007, approximately 15 percent of the children were identified as bullies, and that children with mental health disorders were three times more likely than their peers to bully other children.

“There is a larger story behind why children bully,” said Dr. Turcotte-Benedict, a Brown University masters of public health student and a fellow at Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence. “And part of that story may include the diagnosis of a mental health disorder.”

It is well-established that victims of bullying are at increased risk for mental health illness and suicide, but few studies have examined the mental health status of bullies.

Depression was associated with a three-fold increased risk of being a bully, while a diagnosis of oppositional defiant disorder increased the risk six times.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder. That disorder, which affects between 1 percent and 16 percent of school-age children, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, is characterized by many of the traits that are associated with bullying, such as aggression.

Turcotte-Benedict said the new study emphasizes the need for continued research into the complicated link between mental health disorders and bullying in order to improve prevention efforts. “We need to assess bullying prevention programs for their effect on children with mental health disorders,” she said, “and whether psychological support for these children has any impact on bullying behavior.”

Sources:

www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/22/bullying-mental-health-problems_n_2001583.html

Bullying May Be Linked to Mental Disorders – MedicineNet.

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-children-mental-health-disorders-bullies.html

I am. Are you?

Unapologetic Entrepreneur. J.D. Advisor Extraordinaire. Fan of Nonprofits, Promotions & Brilliance. Fights Bullies. Frequently Forgets to Blog.

Author Archives: JS

Music is What Life Sounds Like

Scorpio: