Welcome to My Random World

Whenever you move into a historically safe neighborhood, you probably assume you will…well…stay safe. That is a logical conclusion to draw from, but it may be a little naïve. I currently live in a neighborhood with half of the city’s police force, but I have had more trouble here than I have ever had in my adult life. I would never discourage you from living in a safe neighborhood, but you need to know the issues that may come along with doing this. Don’t spend your entire forensic psychology salary on a home without knowing about the problems that may come along with it. Here is a look at some of the dangers you may find in what you believe to be a “safe” neighborhood.

Rowdy Kids

In my neighborhood, I seem to have an overwhelming amount of kids that are always up to no good. Safe neighborhoods draw in families, which is not necessarily a problem. The problem comes from the way the kids behave in the neighborhood. I pulled up to my house yesterday and found a whole group of them playing in my front yard, and I’ve found them in my gated back yard as well. Not only is that an invasion of my privacy, but it is a big safety concern for me. Before you move into a neighborhood, you may want to check out how it functions right when school gets out. That will allow you to see all of the kids in action.

False Sense of Security

When you move into a supposedly safe neighborhood, you get a false sense of security. You might be tempted to leave your doors unlocked or keep the lights off at night. The fact is that any house can be targeted for a robbery, even in a nice neighborhood. I had someone try to break into my house just a few days ago, and it scared the shizz out of me. I have three cops on my street alone, not to mention the others that live around the block. I just never thought something like that would happen here, but it did. The only reason I can think of for this was the fact that I had no lights on outside, which made my home look a little vacant. I had a false sense of security, and it almost put my life in danger. That is just something you have to beware of when you live in a safe neighborhood. You could still be in trouble in the end.

Mysterious Neighbors

Safe neighborhoods are actually great places for illegal activities because they are less likely to be targeted by law enforcement. You could have an entire meth lab down the street for you and not even know it. I honestly think that some people that live across the street from me are selling drugs because of the way that cars just come by the home and leave abruptly all day long. You have to be leery of that at all times if you live in a safe neighborhood.

At the end of the day, no neighborhood is really safe. I’m not saying this to freak you out. I’m saying it to help you stay alert in the future. If you are always aware of your surroundings, you will not have to worry about some of the factors I mentioned above. Keep one eye open at all times, and invest in a good home security system. As long as you stay on the lookout, you should be good to go.

I have been having a really hard time sleeping this past week, and it is really messing my schedule up. I’m not working efficiently in the slightest, and I’m having a really hard time focusing on whatever it is I’m doing throughout the day. Seriously, this screen looks like a giant blur right now, but I can’t do anything about it. Sleep has a huge impact on all areas of life, and I know that as much as anyone. Nevertheless, I’ve been staying up more than an FBI agent on a big stake out lately. I’m hoping I can vent enough about this to make sleep just come to me. I guess we’ll see what happens after this article.

The Root of the Problem

I can’t really tell what the root of the problem is with my sleeping, but I think it has something to do with getting behind in my work early on in the week. When I do that, I usually don’t go to bed until I’m all caught up, which throws off my sleeping schedule completely. If I get off early in the week, I’m off the whole damn week. That’s what happened this Tuesday. I was fine Monday and I got to bed around 10 PM. Then Tuesday cam and I was up until 3 AM. I haven’t been able to catch up since.

I work at home, so you’d think I would just do my work whenever I want to or forget about it for the day. I can’t do that though because I have goals to fulfill every week. My husband and I are actually saving to pay off next year’s rent at the start of the lease. This will save us from having to budget for $1,000 in rent every month, giving us more money to put away for a new car, new furniture, or an actual house to call our own. Maybe I’m stressed about the savings too, and that is part of the reason why I can’t sleep. Not sure, but that sounds logical enough to me.

The Potential Relief

I don’t think I’m going to get any relief for my sleep deprivation until Monday because my work week ends on Sunday. However, I do have hope about getting some relief on Sunday because I’m currently ahead on the work I had left to do this week. Most Sundays are my catch-up days, where I do whatever I didn’t have time for in the beginning of the week. Im crossing my fingers that I won’t have much makeup work to do so I can actually get to bed at a decent time Sunday night. I won’t know until that comes though.

What I’m Doing in the Meantime

Since my sleeping schedule is all messed up right now, I’m actually trying to make the most out of the 10 minute power naps I take in the morning. These provide just enough of a boost for me to get through writing an article without sounding like I have a learning disability. They may not be much, but they’re better than nothing. I’m just hoping that all of this gets resolved soon, or I’m going to pop some Tylenol PM and knock myself the f*ck out.

Well, I can’t say that writing all of this made me any sleepier, but it did help me get some thoughts off my chest. I like writing posts like this because they make me think about my life from all angles. Then I can make logical and objective decisions about it. Don’t you feel special for being a part of that process

I have always been a fan of American Idol, ever since the finale of the first season. I like the ups and downs of the show, but I feel like lately there have been more downs than ups. The show is sinking, quite frankly, and I hate to see that happen. I just don’t think it is the same though, for several reasons. If you have been watching Idol as long as I have, you have probably noticed the same decline that I have seen. It makes a big difference in the overall enjoyableness of the show. Let’s take a look at some of the things that have gone downhill over the past few years.

They Added a Fourth Judge

I think the first thing that really threw things off was when they added a fourth judge, Cara. I actually really liked Cara because she provided better advice than Paula and wasn’t afraid to tell it like it is. She was a singer and a songwriter, so she had insight in the industry that the other judges didn’t fully have. All of this does not take away from the fact that the show did not need a fourth judge. It made voting awkward, and it was just an overall mess. The show never really picked up after that.

Paula Left the Show

The original judges on Idol worked so well together. You had Simon, the brutally honest one; Paula, the nice on that didn’t make any sense half the time; and Randy, the semi-nice semi-mean one. When Paula left the show a few years ago, I think Idol lost part of the balance it had on the judging panel. The judging panel is the visual representation of the show. When it’s messed up, the show is messed up. I don’t think Idol ever fully recovered from this.

Ellen Entered the Show

I adore Ellen Digeneres, but I really don’t think she was a good fit for American Idol. I know they were looking for something different, funny, quirky, etc., but I just don’t think Ellen hit the mark. Yes, she knows about performing, but she doesn’t know anything about music. At the core of this show, music has to prevail. There was a huge controversy about how Ellen was hired to replace Paula, which I don’t think is fully true. Nevertheless, I think the imbalance was noticeable from the start.

Cara Left the Show

I know that I mentioned earlier that Cara entering the show caused a problem, but I think her leaving caused one as well. Cara was good at her job, and she really did blend into the panel quite nicely. I think if she had replaced Paula, the judges would have been just fine.

Simon Left the Show

Of course, the biggest upset of all was when Simon Cowell left the show. I really didn’t think I would watch it again after that. I did mainly out of habit, but I really don’t think it is the same without him. There is no one out there like Simon, and there never will be. He was the glue that tied everything together, and now it is all falling apart for good.

You don’t need a degree in psychology to decipher the problems with the current setup. With rumors that they may replace Ryan Seacrest in the near future, there is no telling what will happen with the show over the next few years. One thing is certain though – it will never be as good as it used to be. For now, I will just watch everything fall apart before my eyes. You might as well join me.

If you don’t know Mark Zuckerberg then you don’t know very much about pop culture. However, if you don’t know who Mark Zuckerberg then I’m in luck; now you get to read my article!

Well, I’ll break it down for you. There’s this thing called the Internet… oh wait… maybe I should fast forward a bit…

The connectivity provided to users of the internet wasn’t always the way it is today. In fact, Mark Zuckerberg was the catalyst for how the virtual world stands today. With the founding of Facebook, people have been able to create relationships, mend old ones, and maintain a social life with others from afar; and this is a phenomenon that is solely due to one man: Mark Zuckerberg.

In fact, the creation of Facebook has helped create an entire industry and even evolve the free-trade of information. With such a heavy volume of users, Facebook is an ideal spot to advertise! Plus, with the way Facebook has effectively filtered content of advertisements to only be seen by the client’s target audience based on search history.

Possibly known as one of the generations most profitable and influential software engineers, Mark Zuckerberg, for all practical purposes, owns the internet. 48% of Americans admitted that they receive their news through Facebook, as opposed to other mediums of information like newspapers, television, or radio broadcasts. A majority of the population uses Facebook as a way to communicate, and more than Eight Million status updates per hour, per day. With that much consistent communication between users, there is no wonder why Facebook could be considered the 8th wonder.

If you don’t yet have a Facebook account, you should probably get one. In the world we live in, it could one day become the only way people communicate! And if Facebook ever flops and becomes a communication that nobody is interested in, at least Mark Zuckerberg has an extensive software engineer resume!  Regardless of the future of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg is sure to remain on the A-List of social networking.

 John D. Rockefeller, the most recognizable of all American Industrialists, is one of  the most influential people in American history. Representing everything that the  American dream stands for, John D. Rockefeller was the first person in U.S.  history to surpass a net worth of one billion dollars. It can be argued that, due to  inflation, John D. Rockefeller was the richest man in history. if you could buy a  pound of candy for 5 cents in 1920, imagine how much you could get afford with  500 trillion nickels!

An entrepreneur and investor, John D. Rockefeller formed the company Standard  Oil in Ohio. Standard Oil quickly become the most profitable shipper of oil and  kerosene in the country.  However, with Rockefeller’s many successes came much  scrutiny. His wealth, as acquired from more than just the founding of a  monopolizing oil company, was achieved by many other investments. Creating a  name for himself; writing his way into history, “Johnny Dee Rocks” was a  household name in the 1880′ and on. Except, they called him by his God-given name, not “Johnny Dee Rocks”… (I bet that’s what his friends called him though!)

Also pursuing philanthropy by donating to charity, John D. Rockefeller was a huge advocate of higher education and proper distribution and spending of funds to better achieve that goal. In the eyes of Rockefeller, paying it forward is a civic duty of a successful individual. He also helped fund his church. In fact, from his very first paycheck, John D. Rockefeller donated 10% of his earnings to  his church.

Known all around the world for his accomplishments, John D. Rockefeller is everything that every American dreams to become.

As for me, I just play Monopoly any chance I get. Buying Boardwalk gives me the only rush I need to feel as though I’ve accomplished the American dream.

Jolly Ole Saint Nicholas is a influential figure for children worldwide. And  though he has many names, Santa Claus is the single leading representation  of  joy and cheer. Changing the lives of many tiny-tots, Santa also helps in  keeping  parents across the world sane.

Though some might think Santa to be a fictitious character, the delight spread  across the world is extremely real. In the eyes of children, who might not have  many  personal idols (with the numerous exceptions of a nameless police or  parole officer,  fireman, or astronaut circa 1970′s), Santa is the only face of  hope and promise. In  fact, Santa Clause is the one man every child can count  on.

Of course, I remember when I learned all about the secret of Santa Claus. One day, early December, my older brother took me into my parent’s bedroom to help him look for presents. Of course, at the time, I never considered that the “presents” we were looking for were, in fact, “Christmas presents”.

Long story short, we found a couple of Gameboy Advances in my parent’s closet. Then, my brother told me I couldn’t say anything about them and had to act surprised Christmas morning. That is when the cat came out of the bag.

…I never looked at my parents the same way ever again (until they started paying my college tuition).

And while not every family celebrates Christmas or humors the idea of Santa  Clause, many children rely on him. Whether you call him Santa, Kris Kringle, or  Saint Nick the representation stays the same. Putting a face and personality to amplify joy to reach the necessary Holiday glee is important.

Enjoy your holiday season and, no matter hat your beliefs may be, keep an eye on the sky. You may not believe in Santa, but those reindeer are legit.

 Geoffrey Canada is an advocate of advancing education to troubled, Inner-City  children. He was born in January 13, 1942 and has a Master’s Degree in  Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education. In the 1990’s Canada  started a nonprofit organization to help educate kids who were surrounded by  inner city conflicts, such as drugs, guns, and rampant homeless.

Before the futures of thousands of children began to shape, Geoffrey Canada  ”mentored” less than a hundred. Seeking to evolve his cause, Canada’s idea’s  bloomed faster than the crime and poverty could keep up. Today his  organization covers a whopping 100 city-block area.

“Osama Bin Laden is not going to come here and destroy America. Our education system is doing that just fine.”

Canada has accomplished a feat that many might have, at one point, considered impossible. With the large number of children whose lives have been touched, the accomplishments made by Geoffrey Canada are truly amazing.

Creating contributing members of society out of children that our general  public had forsaken was a task that no other had attempted. Of course, the task  was hard. To everyone’s surprise, Geoffrey Canada had much success. The  simple fact is that you can not separate a child from their hometown. The poor  social qualities and government funding surrounding poverty-stricken areas  should not negate the level of opportunity available to our nation’s youth. The origin of a child should not commit them to an online education, or even no education at all.

Though you may not have ever known who Geoffrey Canada was before today, he has been shaping our nation’s education system to promote a better world for generations to come.

Geoffrey Canada has turned the lives right-side-up for thousands of children; saving lives and building futures. The success surrounding Geoffrey Canada’s non-profit campaign is living proof that miracles do, in fact, exist.

Melvil Dewey

With no relation to Hewey and Louie, Melville Dewey created one of the better known organizational systems still taught to this day. If you didn’t know, or haven’t yet guessed it, we’re talking about the Dewey Decimal System.

Celebrating Dewey’s 160th birthday today, January the 10th, it is important to remember how Melvil Dewey has shaped the world into what it is today. Besides creating a classification system that is used in libraries, both public and private, nationwide, Melvil Dewey was an innovator and a volunteer. Dewey helped found the Lake Placid Club, dedicated to the teaching of proper spelling. Also, he independently founded a private company: the Library Bureau, dedicated to the furnishing of equipment and supplies available to libraries to better serve the purpose of widespread reliability.

However, Melvil Dewey accomplished far more in his life than even he knew himself. That accomplishment, of course, is the internet. The way things are classified online is mildly comparable to the structure of the infamous Dewey Decimal System. One might say the internet would not be what it is today if not for the meticulous upbringing of paper classifications. Though the Dewey Decimal System is not the basis of all paperless classifications, is has helped a great deal in evolving our current technologies.

Even before Amazon existed, and before you could attend school online, Melvil Dewey was working to thrust our world forward; into what it is today.