Stand By Your Man?

It seems to me that most politicians are notorious for their sex scandals and extra marital affairs. I'm starting to think that the two go hand in hand. But have you ever noticed that in most cases, the wife silently stands by and sticks with her husband while he makes his traditional public "I'm Sorry I was Wrong" confession? I just think of all the different wives and their stories...Hillary Clinton, Silda Spitzer, Suzanne Craig, Lee Hart, and Dina Matos McGreevey to name a few.

But I must admit, I do like the way that the latest wife is handling her present scandal, despite the criticism she has been receiving: Jenny Sanford, whose husband(Mark Sanford) has just been caught having an affair with a woman in Argentina. She and her husband are now having a "trial separation".

Some have criticized her for not being present at her husband's public apology speech like the many other scorned politician's wives who have come before her, but I applaud her. Unlike the many other wives, she did not subject herself to the humiliation of standing silently behind her husband while he admits his wrongdoing, as if she condones his behavior.
She even issued a powerful statement:
"We reached a point where I felt it was important to look my sons in the eyes and maintain my dignity, self-respect, and my basic sense of right and wrong. This trial separation was agreed to with the goal of ultimately strengthening our marriage."
Brilliant. Instead of just standing there being submissive, she is taking a stand. She should not be criticized for that.

After all, she is still respecting her marriage and planning on working through it.
Provided that Sanford gets his act together, of course.

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Rest In Peace, Michael Jackson

Everyone is buzzing about the sad news. I really can’t believe it myself, 50 really is a young age. But while everyone is talking about this event and spinning it their own different ways, (Talking about his trial, his surgeries, his children, etc.) I want them to consider something else. Let’s look back on his life for the good times he brought us. Many of us grew up listening to his music, and we associate it with many events in our own lives.

But for him, instead of enjoying life’s little moments as he got older that most people get to experience, he was out performing and providing entertainment to enrich the lives of others. And what about his own life? When I was talking to my parents about his death they kept saying, “I remember when his song ___ came out, I was in high school….” Or “I loved this song growing up…” But what about Michael Jackson? What about what he enjoyed when HE was growing up?

Just imagine not being able to lead a normal life. I mean the going to school everyday, playing in the park, spending time with family, hanging out with friends, etc. And then there are the firsts: Your first kiss, your first road trip, your first job, etc. He wasn’t able to really grow up that way…he was too busy performing since the age of 5. Even when he wasn't on tour, he wasn’t even able to go outside and go to the store….without being swarmed by fans.

And how do we repay him for all the joy he brought us with his music? We scrutinize his every move...We judge him…and call him “Sicko” and “Jacko”. Now don’t get me wrong, I am not condoning any of his behavior, I am just saying that I feel no one really tried to understand him. In an interview with ET he explained that he never really was comfortable around people, the only place he was comfortable was on a stage with thousands of people watching. Because THAT is the only life he really knew. And boy did he know it well.

So even though I am sad at the passing of the King of Pop, I can’t help but feel a little glad. He no longer has to feel troubled about his childhood. He no longer has to be scrutinized and judged by the media and the public. He now has the peace that he was looking for.

And as for the rest of us, we now have the peace of just listening to his music.

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Clearing the Ninth Hurdle...

I just saw a rerun of the heartbreaking race of female USA athlete Lolo Jones, and it really inspired me. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, she was considered a favorite for the 100meter hurdles. During the race, she pulled out in first only to stumble on the 9th(of 10) hurdle, and it caused her to not medal at all. The whole world watched as she expressed her pain from such a colossal disappointment. Almost immediately after, she is quoted saying, "I hit a hurdle about twice a year where it affects my race. It's just a shame that it happened on the biggest race of my life." So what is she doing almost a year later? Well, she definitely didn't let that huge disappointment stop her. Lolo talks about her experience and gives inspirational advice in her upcoming book, "Clearing the Ninth Hurdle: Life Lessons Learned from Not Winning a Gold Medal". On an IPTV story about her life, she said, "I'm so thankful that I went through the hardships…so now I can appreciate my victory so much more."

Readers- Lolo is so right. How can you truly appreciate and value success if you've never experienced failure? I sincerely hope that you are still thankful Lolo. I do believe that your great victory is coming, and boy is it going to be sweet! I love her story, and I wish her the best of luck in future races. It just shows that when life gives you lemons, make lemonade….. or mabe you should just write an inspirational book. ;)

My words are up.

**Lolo's book has an expected publishing date of June 25th, 2009. If you want to find out more about Lolo Jones, you can check out her website: www.runlolorun.com

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They say History repeats itself...(yes I know another cliché)

When I turned on the radio yesterday, I realized that I can no longer be confident in the fact that the “new music” that I hear is actually new. In almost every genre, especially hip-hop/rap, every artist seems to be taking “oldies” and “refurbishing” them. They take an older song, add an extra beat and new lyrics, and then BAM! It’s finished. It’s as if there is no such thing as originality and creativity. It really is frustrating, especially when you think you are hearing something for the first time……

but then you realize the song was actually popular 20 years ago.

My words are up.

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If It’s Not One Thing, It’s Another

It seems that as time goes on, and as society becomes more advanced, we begin to dispel all the cliché sayings of the past. Are we becoming so arrogant that we must discredit some of the sayings that our parents and grandparents lived by and loved to quote? You know the cliché about breakfast being the most important meal? New studies say that it actually can be the most fattening, so it might be a good idea to just skip it. To me, ANY meal has the potential to be the most fattening. I mean, it all depends on what you eat.

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What is happening in Iran...not possible in the U.S.?

As the turmoil in Iran continues...

I have been very fascinated by all the events in Iran. I have been saddened as well, especially after hearing stories like the one of Neda. I do want to encourage all readers to remember that these protests are being led by the youth of Iran. Many say that two-thirds of the population is under 30. I admire all of the protestors for what they are doing- standing up for what they believe.
It really begs the question…if that situation were to happen here in the U.S., would our youth rise up and demand political reform?

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The FIRST post!

In today’s fast paced, technology-driven world, everyone wants to know everything – and they want it nice and concise. So I, Alexandrya “Alex” Holley, am writing this post to inform you that this blog will do just that. As a journalist-in-training at the world’s first and most prestigious journalism school, I will be publishing posts about my thoughts on interesting topics in my life and the lives of others, the community, and the media.

My words are up. Click HERE to Continue Reading...