Why crush someone's dream?

Some people have their life all together and planned out when they are young, others ‘fly by the seat of their pants’ as they say. But hey, whatever makes you happiest. Life’s all about planning whether it is short term planning or long term, it always helps to have a plan.

When you are young you usually plan out what you want to be when you’re older and you usually picture something more extravagant than you will be able to afford. So on the chance, which sometimes can be small in today’s world, in which everything does work out for you and you can afford you should take that chance on your dreams.

Dreams are important, they drive our success. They help you want to work hard so that you can come close or potentially achieve your dreams.

Kids often have dream jobs, and cars, but what about homes? What is your dream home like?

In my last blog, a couple was inspired by the Disney Pixar movie, “Up”, and painted their home to resemble the house.

A link to this blog can be found here:

http://lydiasblog0703.blogspot.com/2014/04/up-inspired-home.html

This was their dream after seeing this movie and falling in love with it. They faced some ridicule by their neighbors for damaging the Victorian image of the neighborhood but they didn’t care this was their dream.

This relates to the article I am reading now about Lois Cherry and his wife, Marsha Gordon. Cherry is an architect and he too wanted to build his family their dream house. Their home is located in North Carolina. The modernly built design has neighbors up in arms, so to speak. The neighbors are angered that is disrupts the Victorian style of their neighborhood. This sounds very similar to the article about the “Up” inspired home.

This couple had to face a four hour hearing to get the proper building permit for their modern inspired home. They made it clear it would be this too.

They started to build their beautiful dream home and fell in love with it, but the neighbors did not.

Neighbors are hiring lawyers to accuse Lois Cherry and Marsha Gordon of violating “Historic Development”.

All I have to say to this is really people? It’s one house on the whole street. Who cares if it looks different? This provides a contrast for people to admire no architecture and old.

If it’s their dream why crush it? How would you feel if someone crushed your dreams?

To read more on this issue:

http://www.today.com/money/neighbors-want-architects-dream-home-torn-down-its-devastating-2D79606820

"Up" inspired home

Watching movies and TV shows, is just part of our American Culture these days. Have you ever seen something in a movie and said to yourself, “wow I want to do that?” I know I have a million times. Whether it’s playing a prank on someone, pulling off a stunt, or just simply changing yourself or something you own to look a movie, many people have had these thoughts. This is how our culture is influenced. We are influenced through things we see in movies that we want to make our reality.

Hosam Haggog and Fatima Rahman have done this as well. They have spent two years renovating their house to look like the house from the animated Disney Pixar movie, “Up.” I find this absolutely wonderful because I myself have a special appreciation for all things Disney, not to mention all things Pixar.

Their home is located in Santa Clara, California on Harrison Street. Although, I, myself, think this is an absolutely wonderful idea. Hosam Haggog and Fatima Rahman’s neighbors do not agree.

“Harrison Street is the oldest street in Santa Clara with homes more than 100 years old. Many residents take pride in preserving the original look and style of their Victorians.”

The above quote is from the following article that can be found at think link:

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/neighborhood-arms-over-movie-inspired-home-n90971

Many neighbors argued they were making the “house look like a clown”. I think this is an overreaction. Hosam Haggog and Fatima Rahman own this house. I don't think their neighbors should be angry. It is their home they should be able to do with it as they please.

In my opinion, if they are this passionate about this movie, they should express this.

I think what we can all take away from this, is that if you see something in a movie or on a TV show, that you want to do, then go for it and don’t hesitate because of what others think. Anything is possible.

How do you see it?

What is your take on policemen or the government looking through your cell phone?

What about when you get arrested, should police be able to go through your cell phone’s texts, calls and pictures without a warrant?

This is being debated in the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

“It's an important case, given that more than 90 percent of American adults now own a cell phone and 58 percent have a smart phone.” this was stated in an article on the subject.

This article can be found at the following link:

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/supreme-court-takes-police-power-search-cell-phones-n90046

The constitution prevents police for searching through personal items without a warrant for search; however an exception could be made in the near future for the use of cell phones.

You know what they say; a person’s smart phone holds all of their secrets. That’s why we all protect them like gold, right?

The Supreme Court will be faced with two cases on Tuesday. The article reads as follows, “The Supreme Court will now hear two cases on the privacy issue, both involving criminal defendants who sought to have evidence taken from their phones thrown out on the grounds that the police did not first get a warrant. Lower courts came to opposite conclusions in their cases.”

I think this is an interesting topic up for debate. It will be interesting to see what they rule.

I think my argument to this particular issue is qualifying.

I don’t think it is right for the police to look through your belongings without a search warrant. I think it is wrong and a violation of our privacy, as privacy is one of our freedoms as an American citizen. However, I can also see the other side of this.

The way I see the other side in this, is that, let’s say, you had something happen to a family member, a friend, or a loved one and the police had a suspect. What if the information needed to find this family member or to find out what happened was somehow on this suspect’s cell phone. I would want to know as soon as possible what this person knew. I wouldn’t want to wait around for a warrant.

I see both sides, how do you see it?

Prom

The buzz right now for high school students all across the United States, is prom. It is prom season, and girls are busy pinning hair ideas on Pinterest, and getting their nails painted, while guys are trying to rent tuxes for the night all high school students look forward to.

This is such an exciting time of year for students but what happens when one of your best friends or your prom date gets murdered after becoming prom queen?

I thought, this can’t be real, this sounds like a seen from a movie, but it’s real for students in Connecticut.

At Jonathan Law High School in Connecticut, a 16 year old prom queen was murdered by a classmate.

Maren Sanchez was stabbed to death Friday morning in Jonathan Law High School. According to reports she was stabbed by a classmate, (who’s name can not be released because he is a minor), because she didn’t want to go to prom with him. Or at least this is what is suspected. This kid must’ve felt pretty rejected in order to act out in this way.

This is a tragedy. People need help with their mental illnesses. We need to find ways to prevent these things from happening. Maren Sanchez or her friends or family did not deserve this.

According to an article that can be found here,

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/connecticut-town-mourns-girl-killed-prom-n90886

“The suspect is currently under psychiatric evaluation and a 15-day emergency commitment at a medical facility.”

The above quote is from the suspects attorney, Rich Meehan. According to Meehan the suspect will be charged as an adult.

Friends of the suspect say he was a great kid from a great family. The suspect is on the football team and one of the nicest kids. No one is sure why he caused this tragedy to happen, though it is suspected to have something to do with Maren Sanchez not attending prom with him as her date.

The stresses that things like prom put on high school students of my generation are absolutely ridiculous in my opinion, especially if they cause someone to be mentally ill and to commit a crime of this demeanor.

Please talk to your friends or your kids or someone you know and remind them that these events are meant to be joyful, and these times in your/their lives are supposed to be worry free. We want to prevent tragedies like this from happening. We, as a society, need to take away the stress of these things on our young adults today.

For more on prom related, visit my last blog here: http://lydiasblog0703.blogspot.com/2014/04/asking-celebrity-to-prom.html

Asking a Celebrity to Prom

Being famous would really be something now, wouldn’t it? It’s prom season, and all over social media you hear of kids asking celebrities and famous people to be their prom dates. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a celebrity actually saying yes and going with a student to their high schools prom but I do find it interesting that these students are so intrigued by someone they have never met before.

Have you ever thought about this? Why are we so intrigued by other humans who are popular in the media? This seems weird if you really think about it. It’s like you always thinking about your loved one, but when you think this way about a celebrity it’s almost creepy, because you have never met this person before in your life, yet you love them.

What about being a super model? People all over idealize about what it would be like to look like you or date you, if you were a model. None the less, being Miss America, yeah that would be pretty fabulous. People all across the country would love you.

This year’s Miss America, Nina Davuluri was visiting high schools on a tour when a young boy at a Pennsylvania high school asked her to prom. This boy wanted more than anything to go with her but unfortunately, The Miss America, Nina Davuluri, had to decline due to her busy schedule.

Even though, Miss America, Nina Davuluri was not offended by this boy’s request for a prom date, the school thought otherwise.

This school gave this student a three day in school suspension according to the following article:

http://www.today.com/style/miss-america-defends-student-suspended-asking-her-prom-1D79552132

 Miss America, herself, stuck up for the student and said he shouldn’t be in any kind of trouble for asking her. However the school released a statement about student behavior.

This statement reads, “"It is not our practice to discipline a student for asking someone - even Miss America - to a school dance," the statement said. "However, it is our practice to set expectations for student behavior, to communicate those expectations and rules to students and families and to ensure those rules are followed within our schools."”

This I can agree with, that students need to follow behavior expectations when a visitor comes, however I think he shouldn’t have been suspended.

Read the article above and tell me what you think!

Drunk Driving

So imagine this, one night you are laying in your bed thinking all those thoughts that you do before bed, like what you have to do tomorrow, when you fall asleep, and then boom a car crashes into your house and you are killed. Or imagine that of a loved one. What do you do when a tragedy like this happens?

Death is one of the worst things about being a live. But what makes it even worse is when someone dies unexpectedly because it leaves you with so many unanswered questions. It really isn’t fair, no matter who it happens to or how it happens.

The reason I’m sitting here on a Sunday afternoon blogging about death is because I came across an article talking about a drunk driver who hit a house and killed a sleeping teenager. How sad.

This article stated, “(Reuters) - A 16-year-old girl asleep in her bed was killed early Sunday when a suspected drunk driver careened into an apartment building in southern California, law enforcement officials said.”

Can you imagine how her parents felt the house shake and then came to find their daughters body torn into pieces? Yikes.

To make matters worse, the drunk driver was underage. This is why there is an age limit on this stuff people. There are reasons why people under the age of twenty one years old are not allowed to consume alcohol.

Not only was he drunk, he was driving around eighty miles an hour. By housing?! This is crazy. We need to stop people from drinking and driving. It hurts so many people today, it just isn’t right.

According to the article, the driver, Robert Rodriguez is twenty and being charged with suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and vehicular manslaughter. Rodriguez is held on $100,000 bail.

Just because this kid wanted to drink one night, look what happened to him and the family of this young girl. Drinking and driving is bad. Life is too precious to let a little partying ruin so many things for so many people.

People need to think about what they’re doing before they do it. This is a prime example of this. Life is really too short. Even for Rodriguez who didn’t die, he now has to face a lot of jail time and his family has to suffer as well. That is so stupid.

Make good choices and make the most of life before it’s too late.

The article addressed above can be found here:

http://news.msn.com/crime-justice/sleeping-california-teen-killed-when-car-plows-into-apartment

Do you love what you do?

Do you love what you do? Is it still what you want to be doing the rest of your life? At this point in my life, I’m trying to decide what I want to major in while in college. This is hard because I don’t know what I want to do every day for the rest of my life. I want to enjoy whatever I’m doing.
"When people love what they do, they are happier and more successful. They work longer hours, make more friends at work, spend most of their time thinking about how to do things better and talk to everyone about what they do, which provides them with lots of diverse ideas on how to do their job even better. Their job becomes intertwined in their life rather than separate from it, and they excel because of it." Ray White said.

This above quote came from the following article:

http://msn.careerbuilder.com/article/msn-16-flexwork-freelance-and-pt-how-to-love-the-work-you-do/?catid=WL&SiteId=cbmsn416&sc_extcmp=JS_16_advice

That quote by Ray White really makes you think about what you want to do. It’s also basic psychology. If you love something and have a positive attitude about it you will have the desire to put in more effort and therefore you will be more successful.

Success comes from your desire and your drive to do something. If you don’t have any force behind your actions you will never be successful.

Loving your job will translate to a more successful and happy life. But, according to the article you don’t have to be completely passionate about your job in order to be successful.

This is also discussed in the article. The article states that if you love what your job benefits you to do you will be more successful, as well. For example if you love what the pay enables you to do you will be more successful.

If you don’t have any passion the article suggests you find something you’re passionate about and translate that into your job. This could have to something to do with the money you earn from your job.

If you have five or less minutes in your day today, or tomorrow or any day this week, take time to read this article and think about what you can do to make you love a small part of your job. It was worth it for me and it could make a world of difference to you or someone you know too.