Writing Prompt #7

Do you think it is ever a good idea to end a friendship? Why or why not?

I think there are two sides to this question.

It is a good idea because there are solid reasons to end a friendship. One good reason would be betrayal or serious infraction. While you can forgive, the friendship would never be the same after a tough situation. Sometimes people drift apart. That happens too. Some friendships were never strong to begin with. Those drift apart too. I personally do not keep friendships that are damaging or toxic in any way. This is just not a healthy relationship to have. As an adult I am getting pretty good at identifying them. The same rule applies in my romantic relationships as friendships sometimes develop into this. 

It is a bad idea to end a friendship over something silly. If the other person walks away, its on them. Romantic relationships are the worst reason to stop being friends with someone. Sure, your attention is spread thinner but true friends find time for each other. In other words do not fight over guys or gals. The bad reasons are subjective because I might think something is silly but someone else might have a different view on that. For example, I might think of a candle as a candle and blow it out. no big deal but someone else might think that its disrespectful to the host of the party. This is not only, subjective but also has a cultural significance. I agree to disagree in these cases.

I can't change the people around me but I can choose who I bestow with the honor of being called my friend. At the end of the day, taking offense is a what really ends friendship. Forgiveness is not easy but it is a step in the right direction. 

-Melody

The Laughing Emoji

Today’s society practically lives online. You may run into 1 or 2 people that despise all things social media. Then your face looks shocked like the painting, The Scream, or like the emoji with the oval mouth. Either way online interactions practically rule world, especially for younger generations. In these interactions we often react in a variety of ways. Facebook is one of the biggest social media platforms. Their developers came to a realization that we respond to things with more than just a thumbs-up or thumbs-down. So they decided to add additional reactions. They range from smiles to angry but the one that bothers me the most is the laughing Ha-ha reaction.

Here’s a little context for you. People have laughed at me and mocked me my whole life. Personally I don’t laugh when something is not funny. To me, it is immature to laugh when the topic is not funny or even meant to be funny. Jokes and anecdotes are funny. A comment/statement on Facebook is not always funny. Sometimes it is just stating a fact or having a discussion.

Sometimes people put the laughing emoji to laugh at you for saying something they perceive as stupid. Facebook has opened the door for bullies to make fun without saying anything. When I see a laughing emoji as a reaction to one of my comments, I am immediately bought back to the high school cafeteria where people giggle over the smallest thing. What are we? Kids? I am pretty sure that most of the interactions I have online are with adults over the age of 25. By this age most people don’t randomly giggle over things. A more mature reaction would be thumbs-up or a smile and move on. Why make people feel bad about posting something. I can’t count the number of times that I have deleted my own comments online because I felt so bad about what I wrote even though there was nothing inherently wrong with it. Sometimes I know it’s best to take back my words and just not continue the conversation. I have learned over the years that its best to avoid conflict and pick your battles if at all possible.

My main point is that before your react to something, you should think about how that person might feel. I catch myself in this often and try to make sure that I react respectfully.

Happy New Year!!! С Новым Годом!!

Happy New Year everyone!

С Новым Годом to all my Russian friends!

2017 is over! A new year often means a new beginning!  Well the number 8 in Hebrew numerology means just that. I'm hoping that this year will be a new start for me.

Currently I am jobless for the first time in two years. The last time this happened it was the beginning of 2016 and I had just totalled my car and needed to find a job and fast. So I took a job as a security guard. Fast forward to 2017 Exactly one year to the day I started as a security guard, I quit and went to work for a large financial corporation. I absolutely loved it. Sadly it was not to last. 9 months later, September 1st I got a call that they were letting me go. I was in a state of shock. For two weeks I did not have a job so my moms friend referred me to someone (they will remain nameless). I worked for that person for 3 months and quit because, long story short, I could not please him. So I remained jobless for the next month.

This past month I realized that I needed a break from all the craziness in my life. I spend time with my family and we even got a new kitten for Christmas. His name is Rico. So as you can probably guess, I have had my hands full. I forgot how destructive cats can be. Anyways, all of that aside, I am going a little crazy. Call it cabin fever or whatever, but I need to find a job and quick. I hate sitting around. Unproductivity is what truly makes me unhappy. Another thing I figured out is that I keep letting what people say get to me. This is so unhealthy. In 2018 I resolve to stop that. I need to be like a duck in water. let the water roll off me (maybe my new meditation should be called "be one with the duck").

So, I just found out that the party I was supposed to go to got cancelled due to house system failures. So I felt really bad for a few hours and then learned about what happened to the house and immediately understood that it's not about me. I have a really bad habit of jumping to conclusion that someone does not like me or is mad at me and therefore does not want me around. This is simply not true. Another thing I need to work on in 2018.

New Years Eve morning I went to church. I was late but I made it just in time. I had to sit in the back. My friends were not there so I left right after to go home and set up for my lifestream. This is the first time I have ever tried something like this. The internet disconnected 3 times. Turns out that my network adapter was connected to the power settings. so it would be put to sleep every hour. I just fixed that this morning just before I sat down to write this post. Over-all it was an interesting experience. I learned a lot about OBS settings and how to make sure my microphone does not echo. I ended up chucking my microphone and just using the microphone in my laptop. I also connected my second monitor. The next thing I need to sit down and learn is GIMP. I need to make thumbnails for my videos. Another thing I need to do in 2018.

After the stream, I settled down in the basement and set the table and had myself a peaceful New Years party at home. It was pretty awesome. This is what I needed. After the new year struck I plugged in a movie and laid back with some tea and sweets. This time last year I spend New Years in a cold drafty guard house at a Coca Cola Plant. The bright side to all of this situation is that I was not on the roads where there could have been a bunch of drunk drivers and I did not have to spend a drop of gas to go to my party.

Every storm cloud has a silver lining and the sunshine after a storm makes a rainbow.

Happy New Year,

Melody