Daily Resolutions - not for New Year alone

It's getting closer to resolution time! What's my resolution for 2011? I just want to continue being me. I make resolution sometimes daily, weekly or monthly. Some days, I just jump at new things.

I have goals but a New Year's resolution won't help me to get there. I know that I need to save more and I have already started cutting costs. i know I need to write more and I am writing more - thus the blog! I know I need to learn to say 'no'. Trust me - I am getting better at that. 'No' 'NO' 'no no'

I'd like to encourage everyone to do the best they can every day. If you must set a resolution, don't get discouraged if you fall back. Keep moving forward and try to improve your behavior. If you want to make more friends for 2011, you can't still be rude or shy or sarcastic. If you want to get closer to God, you can't keep smoking weed or heading to the club.

Set SMART goals and try to work with them. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely is SMART.

POEM: A New Insight

I am the one who says
that I will not give in
that I was born to win
and I admit that I have sinned
against God and others
lied to a sister or a brother
yes imperfect and simple me
i need to stop playing myself hopelessly
and instead speak righteously
use my vision as bright torch
and keep searching for the lost
the overwhelmed and deceived
because the only way I can learn from my bad deeds
is to reach out and spread love
but it takes not me but US
to get life moving right
keeping the positive insight
living to the glory of God's delight

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Let's Get the Writing Started Right! I had to work on mine for years

Many people express that they have problems with writing formally and informally. It is evident in the poorly written business correspondence, the ureadable emails and text messages and the poorly written homework assignments.

If you want to be a good writer, you need to read more and write more. That's why teachers encouraged us to keep diaries and journals so that we can write more often. Now we have the blog concept which is the same thing except we are typing instead of hand-writing. It does not matter once ideas are logged somewhere. Try to proofread your own work to minimize errors and if available, ask someone to assist.

I had to work hard on my writing skills over the years. I was OK in school and passed English with a B and received a General II grade for English and Literature. I think that I could form individual sentences correctly but struggled to write essays and short stories.

I head to the then BVI Community College (now HLSCC) and passed the Effective Business Writing Class but still was not confident with my English skills. I still felt that I was 'up-to-par' and could express myself. It was when I accepted to UVI that I realized that I need helped. I passed the entrance exam for both Math and English but failed the essay portion.

This was quite a blow to me and I ended up having to take a Skills class. In that class, the other students would say 'Why are you in this class?' because I seemed to get everything right. It was then that I realized that I really need to work hard to improve my writing skills - not just the barebones grammar but the finese and expression. I needed to understand how to put the well-written sentences together to create an interesting, concise yet detailed work.

I kept at it and was able to progress in my English and other classes. In the journey, I was encouraged to write poetry and today I have over 200 poems. I think that I have been blessed to find professors and other students who showed interest in my growth and who encouraged me to pursue things that I did not believe I could attain.

It is heart-warming for me to share today that I have expanded my writing resume to publishing every once in a while locally and I have written for CORE Magazine, Brown Eyez Magazine, DISH magazine and now Suite101.com. I love the challenge in it and I love sharing information that I think is useful to others.

My blog, Words of Ribbon, was left alone for a while but I must return more regularly to share some thoughts or some poetry. Afterall, my greatest philosophy is that parable about the servants in the bible. I honestly feel that it was their LITERAL talents that they were hiding and the master took them away when they did not use the talents.

Therefore, don't bury your talents. Use them for the good of mankind.

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Gossip Kills - Especially When a Male Gossips

Gossip kills. It's worse when you are blamed for saying things that you did not. It seems these days that men are getting more heavily involved in spreading rumors. Come on, guys! Don't you have some work to do?

I have accepted that men are wearing softer colors like pink now - awesome, looking great. I let it go with the two earrings. I love the braids - except when he's fighting me for the hairdresser's chair. I encourage men to go for massages, pedicures etc.

I draw the line at men gossipping - women too! We can chit-chat and talk about the happenings yes and how we can improve things. But when you are going to say that I said something I did not - NO NO NO.

A woman loves a man who she can talk freely with but men who gossip and make up lies to get in between other people's friendships are like the crud in the kitchen sink after cleaning the dirtiest dishes. I am not saying that it's ok for women to behave like that. I just think lower of the man who does.



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What's Going On with Us These Days

There is a lot of wrong in the world today. People are the main cause of the wrongs. The animals known their roles and they live for that -whether they hunt or are the hunted.

We humans however prefer to cheat, steal and lie to get our own way and to gain power. It is a fact - "Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely." Biggy and Puffy also sang it well "more money, more problems."

So why the inane drive to gather it all? Unfortunately this is the cliche - it's human nature. Everybody can't be perfect and we should not try to be. We all need to focus on trying to be right with God, ourselves, our family and friends.

We know there is wrong everywhere. So what we can do individually. Do the best that you can and hopefully your good works will influence others to do the right thing too. It is always hoped that good works will be infectious. Some people look at good works like it's a negative thing but I think that those people are the ones who just need to re-evaluate themselves. Instead of watching and criticizing - we need to set better examples for our youth to help them to excel rather than rebel.

No matter what - wrong and crime will be there. There is no perfect world for us on earth. We just have to really pull ourselves together - accept defeat when it comes and celebrate the wins that we gain.

Let Your Light Shine - stop waiting and LIVE

I can no longer leave my blog untouched. There is too much to write about. From hair to politics, I have so many thoughts that I need to share.

Today is about getting the 'GET UP AND GO.' There are so many times that we find reasons to deny ourselves or to refrain from taking action or speaking up and out. If you read this blog, don't wait until you reach 25 or until January 1 to be proactive. Do what you have to do today.

I will not say that I am perfect but I take risks that are worth my while. People think that I am crazy because I put my car down after the transmission broke. It was a hard decision but I have to look out for my best interest. People would also say that I was stepping out on a limb to sign up to write for an online publication. I love writing for Suite 101 because writing more only advances my talents and resume.

While I live on a small island, it does not mean that I can't extend my talents internationally. How can I become a better writer or poet if my work is not shared. Too many people are afraid to experiment with opportunity. There will be challenges especially those that after intellectual property. However, as the hymn 'This Little Light of Mine" says "hide it under a bushel - NO, I'm gonna let it shine."

You have to find ways to inspire yourself. Sitting an waiting for your parents, boss or spouse to push you forward will get you NO WHERE. You have to find that inner drive and propel yourself forward. It's not every venture that will give you the best results. On the other hand, just taking that step into the unknown is a good learning experience.

THINK. BE INSPIRED. SHARE. LIVE

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Blog, oh Blog - I have not Forsaken You

I know I have not written in my blog for while. I am now writing for Suite 101 and I love it because it keeps me busy. My blog in recent posts has more become the poetry generator. I will admit that several more poems have been written since the last post here on Blogger.

Poetry seems easier for me to write. I play with words and it comes. I guess it's second nature now - maybe more first. It's like my singing - I do not sing as much as I used to and I think my voice has deteriorated but the more I write - the easier it is to share my poems.

These are my thoughts tonight (while listening to some Kirk Franklin, Donnie McClurkin, Marvia Providence):

spirit
alive
passion
be free
smile
unhinged
in one look
it's me
feeling
so special
being
a new me
surrounded
by nature
this love
how it captures
with joy
it enlivens
with peace
it strengthens
YES
it's indirect
and YES
it protects
never rejects
shows respect
and in fact
I know know
that this
is the
only
love
that
I need
because
it comes
from
heaven

© ribbon 2010