I’m Back!

Well, it has been quite some time since I have written last. I’m sorry it has been so long. Fortunately, my long journey of college has finally come to an end and I will have many more opportunities to write! It has been a whirlwind of a year and I cannot believe that it is almost over already. Time has gone by so fast, but  guess that is what happens when you’re having fun? There have been ups and downs this year but there are definitely more pleasurable moments than bad ones. However, the purpose of this blog is to talk about one of the people that inspires me during those bad times.

That person is His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Just looking at a picture of this man never fails to put a smile on my face, as he is always smiling and appears happy. He is a humble, sweet man, with a very unique outlook on life, well at least it seems unique to me living here in America. The Dalai Lama is not someone who gets frustrated with others, he is calm in all situations, and has become at peace with himself and the world around him. The Dalai Lama has an amazing capacity for compassion, taking the toughest of situations and turning them into something you can solve by looking within yourself and changing your perspective. His words about compassion are quite inspiring.

I believe that the purpose of life is to be happy.  From the moment of birth, every human being wants happiness and does not want suffering.  Neither social conditioning nor education nor ideology affect this.  From the very core of our being, we simply desire contentment.  I don’t know whether the universe, with its countless galaxies, stars and planets, has a deeper meaning or not, but at the very least, it is clear that we humans who live on this earth face the task of making a happy life for ourselves.  Therefore, it is important to discover what will bring about the greatest degree of happiness.

From my own limited experience I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion.

So, when a problem first arises, try to remain humble and maintain a sincere attitude and be concerned that the outcome is fair. Of course, others may try to take advantage of you, and if your remaining detached only encourages unjust aggression, adopt a strong stand, This, however, should be done with compassion, and if it is necessary to express your views and take strong countermeasures, do so without anger or ill-intent.

Because we all share an identical need for love, it is possible to feel that anybody we meet, in whatever circumstances, is a brother or sister. No matter how new the face or how different the dress and behavior, there is no significant division between us and other people…I try to treat whoever I meet as an old friend. This gives me a genuine feeling of happiness.  It is the practice of compassion.

When reading his words, the Dalai Lama makes everything sound so simple, and it is. Unfortunately we sometimes forget this and make everything into a big event or problem. For the most part we like to make ourselves victims of what is going on around us, but it is ourselves that control how we percieve it. Nobody can change that for us. We can choose to treat people with compassion or not to, and in that choice we either do, or do not feel content. You can read the Dalai Lama’s entire thoughts on compassion at his website.

The Perrier Mansion with Dita Von Teese

Recently, burlesque star Dita Von Teese has become the face of Perrier sparkling water ad campaigns. She has even graced limited edition bottles. There have been numerous hints dropped by Dita leading up to the unveiling only a few hours ago. The Mansion looks breathtaking, and the music is great.

If you haven’t yet visited I suggest you have a look, you control your own fate with this interactive adventure! Who knows what you will or won’t get to see, if your manners are not up to par you are out of  luck. Either way there is some fun to be had, and if you play your cards right you might just get lucky…..

World of Dance Competition “Single Ladies”

I was watching Good Morning America and getting ready for work this morning when I saw a segment that showed the following video from the World of Dance Competition in California this year. I would have picked another version of the video but it didn’t have sound. These girls are 7-8 years old.

I don’t think I have been this upset about something in a long time. I don’t consider myself a prude, I’ve got a book about burlesque and fetish in my bathroom for casual reading (sorry if tmi lol =P), but this is pretty much beyond me. I was in dance for eight years since I was like 5, and I never saw anything like this for girls that age…ever. And sure, I wore a little hula girl outfit that was a bikini, and make-up that made me look like Mimi from the Drew Carey Show. And this was about fourteen years ago. But personally, I cannot watch this video and not feel that there is something off or wrong about it.

I’m all for being feminine, cute,  sexy, and flirty…. but to be dancing like this with your black and red knee-highs when you’re seven years old? That is a little much. How can you justify it no matter what context it is in? Would I want my daughter up there? Hell no. Would a father feel good about his little girl being up on there on stage dry-humping the air? I have a hard time believing most would feel comfortable with that. The truth is though, some parents are obviously comfortable, and don’t have a problem with it. And that is something I will never be able to wrap my brain around, I’m sorry.

I don’t mean to take anything away from these girls. And unfortunately they will be the ones that are ridiculed for this, and maybe it will not affect them negatively, I don’t know. Their talent is amazing and they did a great job. Their costumes are adorable and they had the attitude that perfectly fit their subject. There is no doubt their performance was great. But were all of the moves in the dance appropriate? No. Should girls that are 7-8 years old be dancing like that? Not in my opinion. Children grow up waaay too fast the way it is, please let them be kids for awhile without being overly-sexed up.

Discovering Tumblr

Well folks, I have discovered Tumblr.com, and the outlook is pretty colorful. ^_^ Usually when I write a blog I always include pictures. I am a picture fanatic. Usually when I am writing a blog I get distracted looking through all of the pictures that relate to my topic, and don’t end up writing the blog itself until much later. I find so many amazing images that I feel like there is no way that I can post or write about them all! Hence, Tumblr. It is cute, fun, simple, and easy to use. I am looking forward to creating my own little gallery of pretty things, so be sure to check it out! The current name is Something Beautiful. =]