Things about me and the holiday season

Hi guys! Now that I have some new followers, I suppose it's time to write a regular blog.

I ran into Lori, a friend from high school, at Corner Market tonight and found out she and a bunch of my other high school friends have blogs on here. So, I'm attempting to let you guys know what's going on with me - which, by the way, is a big nothing.

I'm still working at the Andalusia Star-News and I fear I will be there for may more years. I have been working on finally writing a book and I am over halfway finished with it. I simply have to finish up the ending and wrap up the plot. I wrote for NaNoWriMo last month and wrote over 50,000 words. I'm rather proud of myself for doing this. This is the first time I've written anything over 11,000 words. I'm just hoping my plot works out - so far I've simply let the characters carry me wherever they want to go. It's worked out well. I'm hoping to be in the stage of editing by January - that is, if I can finish writing by then. I'm hoping to get a series deal, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to the point of sending off samples to publishers.

Mostly, my life revolves around work, sleep and writing - which is kind of sad, but that's what it takes to get by right now.

If you guys need get in touch with me, send me an email or leave me a comment. I check my email often - and have it open at work.

The holidays are coming closer. Just a week off and I'm not sure where I will spend it this year. My cousin and best friend, Jonathan, has joined a government program and I am not sure if he will be coming home for Christmas or not. I hope so. I would like to see him before he goes off to train because he will be out of contact for at least 6 weeks. I will get to see Mary Ann, Doug and Ally this Christmas at least. I have not seen Ally since she was around three months or so. She just had her first birthday last month and I am looking forward to seeing my niece and my cousin for Christmas. Presents aren't even in the plan this year - except for what I get for Ally. All of us are suffering from the economy and low paying jobs. Hey, at least mine pays more than minimum wage, but without insurance it's a bit hard to do much of anything still.

In the coming year, I am hopeful that I will either find a better job, get something more out of the job I have or become a published author. Any of these will make me happy and that's all I want for the new year - to be happier than I am right now.

I wish all of you the same - a Happy and Bright New Year and a wonderful Christmas!

Acceptance and Defeat in the Presidential election

First off, I want to say that this blog is not meant to offend anyone, it is simply my opinion on the recent presidential election. Secondly, I did not get to watch debates from either of the candidates as I was working. So, this is based on commercials, coverage I got to see of the race, and the things I have read online.

I just read John McCain's concession speech and I find it uplifting despite the loss for the Republican party. McCain was very gracious in his defeat, but his supporters did not seem to take it as well as he did.

My hope is that after the dust settles, all of the McCain-Palin supporters will rally to the side of our new president. Because it is a historic event. And we are all a part of it no matter who our vote was cast for. The American people spoke and this was their decision - that Barack Obama be our first black president.

Barack Obama's acceptance speech proves that he is an excellent speaker - perhaps only saying what the American people want to hear. I don't say this because I do not believe in him as president. I say this because I know over the past years that I have been able to vote - we have not seen change. We have not had a president in office who has kept his word. That took his campaign platform into office and started making things better. They have all waited until the end of their terms to try to change things for the American people.

My biggest question and concern is: Will Obama be able to make sure all of his promises happen?

Broken promises are always a part of electing a president to office. And, though I did vote Republican in this election, I do have hopes that our country will be better for the Democratic leadership.

I agree with most of Obama's policies and I would like to see these things happen once he claims the office of president. Health care, energy, taxes and the economy are big things on thing minds of almost every American.

My prayer for this country is that we will all unite and stand firm in what we believe in. We have the right to disagree with the choice of president elected to office, but in the end we must accept it and move on.

Petty differences and over the top acceptance or denial will not remove this man from office. Together we must go forward and look to the future of this good nation. We must be proud to be Americans with freedoms that other countries still do not have.

We have the freedom of press - the freedom of religion even if ours is not the same as that of our president. We have the freedom to give our opinions to everyone.

We are truly blessed. And we should never take it for granted.

Wishing to be a published author

As most of you know, I'm working on writing a book. This is a big undertaking on my part.

I want to be known for something other than what I don't do for a living - yes, here I'm taking a hit at the newspaper business. I loved writing feature stories. Writing articles about people is the best thing to do in a newsroom - in my opinion. There are so many people out there - and they all have a story to tell if you let them.

I'm 28 years old and I know that's probably young for an author, but it's what I've always wanted to do since I first knew I could write. My writing style has changed a good bit over the years, developed and molded by my English teachers and creative writing professors. It's also changed because I role play online at LiveJournal a good bit as well. Playing out a story with someone else gives you so much more freedom to write one character instead of two or more.

I haven't always loved reading books, but recently I find reading nearly anything to be good. I read all sorts of things - history and romance to classics. And though I haven't been reading much lately, I still enjoy it.

It's a really important part of the creative process for me - reading my favorite authors and watching my favorite shows. Inspiration comes in many forms for me. And I can only hope that through writing this first project I can be one step closer to my dream.

Presidential candidates disappointing

I have not really followed this election as well as I would have liked, but with my job I'm not able to see any of the presidential debates. So far, I believe both candidates are a bit disappointing.

Now, let me explain. The campaigns and the mudslinging of this election have been far beyond any of those in past years. No wonder people are unsure who to vote for. As for me, I am still wondering which would be the lesser of two evils. McCain and Palin - who seem to have decent views on things - or Obama and Biden who simply like to trash talk their opponents from what I've seen on the news.

What happened to "if you have something to say, say it to my face?" Does it matter if the ads that are running paint them as hypocrites for saying something in the first place?

Last election, I did vote for the Democratic party and I know this country needs a change from Republican views. I just hope and pray that every voter will really think about what this country needs before they go to the poll. They shouldn't just vote for a candidate because of race, religion or sex. They should consider what this country needs - and right now our biggest and most urgent concern is the economy.

With the stock market still fluctuating and loosing more and more each day - will we hit rock bottom and never be able to get back up? Or will we bounce back from this and be stronger for it? Will gas stay under $3 or will we be forced to carry on as it goes back toward $4? Will health care reform come into play? Will all Americans get the health care we so desperately need in times like this? Will any of these things get done if Obama or McCain are in office? Will they just screw up even more than George W. Bush did? Will our troops come home in the next two years? Are the promises being made on the campaign trail and in debates empty? What can we as voters and Americans do to make sure our new president takes these things and does what he has promised?

These are all questions we need to ask ourselves before we pick a candidate - if we haven't already. And honestly, are we going to be better off than we were under the last president?

I'd like to hope so.

Excitement abounds in book reading

Two hours and 33 minutes and counting. Breaking Dawn hits shelves at 12:01 a.m.

How exciting is it for some one who loves to read as much as I do?

It's really thrilling - just as thrilling as waiting for the final book of the Harry Potter series.

I just hope that my ideas will start to flow more after I finish this book. And I'm absolutely excited about Acheron by Sherrilyn Kenyon coming out on Aug 5. I will more than likely buy it from WalMart.com this weekend if it will get here on Tuesday.

I've got things to finish up at work so I can leave around 11 and go by the movie place.

Expect to see a review here when I'm finished and have thought about it.

Meyer's Breaking Dawn release set to come out this weekend

The countdown to Stephenie Meyer's final book in the Twilight series has already caused quite a stir. Facebook groups, LiveJournal communities, and websites including Meyer's own (updated and put together by her little brother, Seth) are pumping fans up as they anxiously await the Breaking Dawn release.

Two days and counting. The spoilers start coming out of the wood works and people try to ruin the fun for other Twilighters. Most moderators try to be helpful - telling people not to post spoilers or to post warnings behind a cut. Some even warn readers where spoilers can be found so they can stay away. But of course there are always a few that can't help but give into temptation.

Since the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, fandom has slowed to a crawl. Events set in stone by J. K. Rowling have fic writers trying to come up with new ideas. And new ideas begin to become more and more alternate universe than the main dream of Rowling's series.

With the announcement of the Twilight movie - some fans became rather upset in the choice of actor put into the role of Edward. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire co-star, Robert Pattinson, dives into his first American movie role as the dark, mysterious Edward Cullen.

When asked by MTV news how he learned how to do an American accent, Pattinson said he "grew up watching American movies and stuff" so he "learned how to "act" from American films."

"I think it's turned around now," Pattinson told MTV news about how it was received that he would be playing Edward Cullen. "I remember when I first got cast, that was quite funny. It's kind of the same reaction I would've had if I were a little girl: "What?!?" I looked at the "Twilight" [message boards] the other day, and it seemed like it turned around. But for a while, I was staying inside and I kept my doors locked. I watched a couple of these YouTube videos of people who were complaining about the casting. I don't know. They should have been given parts in this movie."

Most fans seem to have accepted Pattinson and rising star, Kristen Stewart (Jumper, The Messengers) as Edward Cullen and Bella Swan.

As the book release date draws closer, most gamers and fanfic writers are starting to cut themselves off completely from anything that will spoil the book for them.

Meyer, a graduate of Brigham Young University, has a bachelor's degree in English. She lives with her husband and three young sons in Phoenix, Az. With the publication of her first novel, Twilight, booksellers chose Meyer as one of the "most promising new authors of 2005".

Breaking Dawn promises to be one of the most waited for books since the final Harry Potter novel. Most fans of the Harry Potter series have eagerly searched for something fill their time with. This series gives them a first person view of a young girl and how it feels to fall in love, have a broken heart and make new friends.

Hopefully the end of the series won't be disappointing to fans - and since Meyer's next project is the companion novel to Twilight, Midnight Sun, fans won't have to let go of Edward Cullen just yet.

Give Yourself a Chance

Life is ever easy. We've all learned that the hard way, haven't we? Whether it be through trying to better ourselves or through relationships going wrong - we learn it and we get through it.

I've realized I have one very annoying trait, which my cousin seems to have also - we both talk things to death when we don't know what to do. But at least we have each other to talk to so we don't end up talking to ourselves.

Advice is never easy to hear nor is it easy to give. Some people are just born to give advice and some to take it. I'm more on the taking end. And even then sometimes I don't take it. I prefer to do things my own way. The same can be said of my cousin. No matter what someone tells you to do, you are the only one who can actually do it and make something happen.

I would consider myself a listener and a shoulder to lean on. I know without a doubt that I need to be more assertive in what I want to do with my life - especially at the age I am now. I won't get anywhere and I'll give up all my dreams if I don't do something about them.

But pursuing your dreams is a hard step to take. You know you have to do it or you'll end up staying where you are and be unhappy for the long haul.

I've realized that I don't want to be stuck in park anymore with my engine running, ready to go. I want to get moving again and start realizing some of my smaller dreams so my bigger dreams can come into focus. It's a small step, but it can be a big step if I make it happen.

And taking such a step can be a hard decision - weighing the pros and cons of the entire situation can give you perspective, but in the end you have to take the plunge.

Courage weighs in here. Do you have the guts to do it? If you've sat there long enough to see you have to do it, then you should have plenty of courage and if you don't, get it! It will be worth something in the long run (or at least that's my hope for my situation).

My Daddy was like Elvis and John Wayne rolled into one

Today, being Father's Day, is just as hard for me as my daddy's birthday since he's not here. It's been 21 years, a lifetime for some and I still feel the pain whenever I see little girls with their fathers. I never really got to know mine, but I remember him just the same.

The best way to describe my daddy is this - he was a mix between Elvis and John Wayne. That's how I picture him in my mind when I think of him. He wasn't a singer and he wasn't an actor in western movies, he was simply Daddy to me. And at the age of six, he was my hero.

I'm sure every little girl thinks of her father in that way at such an age. It was no different for me, even though as I grow older, the memories fade. His voice grows dimmer in my mind, but his face is one I know I can never forget in a lifetime.

My half-sister told me this story a few years ago, so I thought I'd share it with everyone else.

Daddy and I had gone to visit my half-sister, Ginny and her son, Jeremy. (Yes, my nephew was only one year younger than me.) I was in my biting stage and boy did I love to bite anyone. But that day, I made the mistake of biting my father. I bit him so hard I was trembling. Then, of course I got the spanking of a lifetime. But I never bit him again.

My daddy was great. And I was a daddy's girl for my first six years of life. I went hunting and fishing with my father. I even caught a really big catfish with him. He was proud. I know I'll never forget that day.

So, Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there. Love your children and let your children love you - you never know when the day you're living in will be your last.

Writing for the love of the game

Getting to read articles in Editor & Publisher has been a great learning experience for me as of late. Today, in the May 2008 edition, I got absorbed in the "Going Mobile" article about mobile journalists. They work out of their cars most of the time, being on the go all day long instead of being in an office. As the article said, there are drawbacks. The main one being that you can't bounce ideas and whatnot off of someone if you aren't in a newsroom. And having someone there to help you with a story is always a wonderful and fulfilling experience.

Of course, I would love to be a mobile journalist for the simple fact that I wouldn't have to be in a newsroom all day and I could publish the information immediately onto a site or blog. We're in an age where we want the news as fast as we can get it and local news coverage for a town the size of Andalusia isn't every good. Sure, we make the news on a few rare occasions, but WSFA and WAKA aren't local stations to us. And our local stations are very poor indeed, if we still have them.

I was skimming the Editor & Publisher website for the link, which of course has to be paid for in the case of the mentioned article above, when I came across an article about journalism and how you have to pretty much do it for the love of it and not the money. Journalists, no matter how renowned or Pulitzer worthy, never get paid enough for the brilliant ideas they come up with.

Right now, I could toss out about three ideas that would more than likely be good and brilliant stories, but no one would ever go after them. So I might as well list them here.

The first one, involves much investigative reporting. The hospitals here are known for how badly they treat patients, so the article would surround finding out about those facts and how many of the doctors are under investigation or have pending lawsuits against them, as well as the hospital. I know it would be a great investigative peace, but there aren't any reporters here who would take the chance on that one. Not even me. The hospital pays this newspaper way too much money to go and air out all that dirty laundry.

The second one would be all the impending cases of sexual abuse. Of course we run stories on those all the time, but I would do a series here with the children in these cases. Let the community see these children if the parents will let it happen. And then do another piece on the pedophiles themselves, focusing on what drives them to do this to children and keep doing it until they are caught and incarcerated.

The third idea was an idea I had a while back, but no one took me up on it. I would do a series on each pre-school here in this town. Give an overall picture of how it is run and what kinds of things are different at each one. Parents would have a better knowledge of where they are sending their kids and what they are paying for when they do.

Watching shows like Smallville and movies like One Fine Day or Never Been Kissed have always been inspirational. Undercover reporting has always been something that I would love to do, but know I will never have the chance to do. I know it has to be a rush, getting the scoop and being there when something goes down. You have to have nerves of steel to do a job like that and just watching it on shows and movies makes me want to do something worth while to get that Pulitzer prize.

Remembering the written road

After reading an editorial in the last AUM paper for the semester, I decided it was time to rediscover through this blog how I came to be a writer.
I suppose inside my own head I've always been a writer. I remember when I was seven, we had to write a book and put it together with pictures for the school library. It wasn't very good and the drawings were barely better than stick figures, but I wrote a complete story at that age. The only thing I really remember about it is that I wrote it about my Aunt Vivian and finding my way to her house.
While I didn't like to read what I was supposed to in elementary school, I remember fondly how my mother would read to me when I was younger. One of my fondest memories of her was the first time she read the fairytale "Little One Eye, Little Two Eyes, Little Three Eyes" to me. I know the whole tale isn't as fascinating as Sleeping Beauty or Snow White, but it made me think creatively. That's what my mom always wanted.
In her later years, I remember her reading more and more romance novels. But the point is that she wanted me to read more - read anything to broaden my creative juices.
I started to write poetry and began keeping a diary as soon as my teen years began. That was my start. Writing about my day or whatever it was I was feeling. Maybe it was only a few sentences, but it was enough to make me feel better about myself to know I'd done something. As a result of starting to keep a journal and writing poetry to get out my emotions, I've always relied on my pen to help me through any tough times.
I still use this technique today, typing long online journal entries that often read as though I'm insane. Of course, when you are feeling anger, hurt, pain or loss, you don't really think about what you are saying through your words, only that you are getting those feelings out in the best possible way.
I started to write a novel when I was 15. I remember it was just before my mother died. The concept of Anne Rice's vampires and living in another time, not aging had hooked me. Vampire lore and the supernatural powers that came with such things made me want to write my own twist. As I look back on that beginning, I can honestly say now, I have a different approach to vampires altogether. I've read different authors and watched different shows. I think my take on vampires would go more along with Joss Whedon's - except for the souls part.
My high school years were spent writing notes and trying to pass English and Algebra. Being a creative writer should have opened up a big world of wanting to know English and grammar, but somehow I was lacking in that area. Mainly my unwillingness to learn how to spell came at quite a cost. My spelling still has not improved. I rely religiously on spell-check and the online dictionary.
As I started junior college, I finally started to write more prose instead of verse. My interests changed and my world did more spinning before all was said and done. I had a boy break my heart, lost some friends, lost my favorite uncle, and moved to Troy to finish my schooling.
They say what doesn't kill us, makes us stronger. But what I think is that those things keep killing us each time we relive the painful memories of it in our minds. They make us weak and strong all in the same moment. Weak - because we are only human and can only take so much pain, sorrow and hurt. Strong - because we get back up, build some more walls around our hearts, and try to go on as long as we can.
Writing has always been my way of coping with reality and reading has become another way of coping. To be able to escape into another world and become the heroine is often better than real life. We can see ourselves in the characters we create through writing or we can relate to the characters in the stories we read.
Escaping into another place and time can help us make it through a hard day at work or simply make us feel better about ourselves.
Most novels have a happy ending even if you have to read the next one in the series to find it. There must be a plot that brings about some sort of problem, which naturally leads to a conclusion, a completion of everything, thus bringing us a happy ending.
In saying all of this, I am simply saying I have not, even as a writer found my happy ending. In my personal life, I've seen nothing but sorrow and pain. Who's to say I won't find my happy ending as soon as I let go of the fear of taking a chance? Only I can do that and see what happens.
So, dear reader, I am starting fresh. Writing what I know and what I am. I can only hope and pray that my path in life will become more clear in the days and weeks ahead.
Life is never easy. If it were, it would be more like the fairytales we loved so much as children.

The truth of the matter of male pregnancy

I was watching The Daily Show with Jon Stewart at a friend's house the other night. Naturally, there are a few tidbits that catch your eye.

One of these was a pregnant man. Of course, I was curious. How can a man possibly be pregnant? I was told, not by the host of the show, but by my friend that the man had gotten pregnant after his wife couldn't have children. This made me curious since my friend proceeded to tell me the "man" had once been a woman and was married to a woman. Now, my question was: where did the sperm come from? We all know that two naturally born women cannot have a child. Needless to say, I didn't get the whole story.

At work the next day, I hear another version of the story. The man is indeed a man and is carrying the child for his wife who is unable to have children due to having a hysterectomy. So, they gave the man all the women parts needed to carry a child and did artificial insemination on him, which made him pregnant.

Now, here I am at 4 a.m. looking up internet sources on this article. I have no idea what the guy's name is, but I keep coming up with Thomas Beatie. Beatie was a woman once and has had a full sex change except he still has a uterus and a womb, which allows him to carry a child.

Still, the question remains. Where did the sperm to create this child come from? If it came from someone other than Beatie, then obviously he is not the biological father and never can be due to his original sex.

My opinion on this is, while it might be nice for a man to carry a child for us women, it is not biologically possible. Though men do have nipples, they were not created to care and nurture a child inside their bodies. If they were, then they would also have wombs. Messing with science and the way the world works is dangerous business. And although transsexuals can have both female and male organs, one is going to dominate the other. That's the way of life, people.

It's one of those days

I wrote this at the job on Monday. This was one of the bad days. Here's how it went:

I have had the day from hell. I get up this morning after a decent night's sleep and I feel like crap. Yes, I feel like a truck has run over my head. My wisdom teeth on the bottom are coming in and the one on the right wants to give me problems. Those problems are pain on that side to my ear and right at my cheek. Lovely, right? The one on the left is already poking through the gum because I can feel the tooth. Okay, no problem, I have my trusty Oragel rip off from Wal-Mart and I'm ready to go to work though I feel like crap.

I get to work early and as I get out of my car, a co-worker pulls up and I start talking to her about her "new" car. Three hours later, another co-worker informs me I have left my lights on. I feel my pockets for my keys. Not there. Crap. I've locked the keys in the car with the ignition on so the lights are on AGAIN. And stupid me hasn't put the spare key under the car yet or whatever. So I'm going crazy. I'm losing it. I'm seriously not feeling good at this point and I just want to go home, but I have to stay at work. Because my job sucks and I'm nearly the only one who can do it.

I call my "mom" and get no answer at either number. I take a chance and call her at work. She's the store manager at the Burger King in Opp, which is only a 20 minute drive. Turns out she's at the grand opening of the new BK in Elba this week, so I had to call her there and ask her to bring me the spare set that she has. And since the lights are on, I know it's going to kill my battery by the time she gets to bring them to me at around 7:30. Great.

Chad, one of the press guys, tells me he can get my keys out with a coat hanger, which they actually have some in the mens' bathroom right now. Okay! Great! Do it! After a few tries, we finally get it unlocked using the window in the back driver's side by pushing down the button to get it to go down. Well, the battery was pretty much dead, so I start asking people if they have jumper cables. No one had any! None of the guys! How crazy is that?

I decide, hey I can't lose anything by texting a friend of mine who lives nearby, so I send her a text asking if she has some jumper cables. Yay! She does and she comes to the rescue in like 15 minutes! A true friend will get off their ass, get dressed and come rescue in your time of need!

This has made me learn an important lesson. I need a spare key at work or duct taped to my car somewhere. Or I just need to tape one to my head and hope I don't forget it either. I should just get a hoop and put it on there and wear it as an earring. Hey, Janet Jackson used to do it! Why not!

Know where you live

It came to my attention as I was pasting in the letters to the editor last night that most young people today do not know where they come from or anything about the town they live in.

This letter was written by my great uncle, who is the historian for our family.

It's amazing to see that the truth of a city can get buried in legend or in what others would want the history of a town to be. It has to be exciting and fascinating, but not always true.

Some people find history boring, but in truth, it should be the focal point of our lives. To know where we came from so we can tell the next generation about it. Our heritage is something to be proud of. It is something we can pass on and something that time cannot erase.

I’m proud of our town, but I’m not proud of those who seek to make a fantasy of how our town came to be.

The main reason I am writing this is because of the letter above. I feel strongly about truth and a fantasy will now be forever marked on the side of a building in mural form. I suppose it is just that, a mural, but if it is to be about our city, then why not let it be true?

We could all use some truth in our lives, couldn’t we?

Health care reform for everyone

This letter was rather disturbing to me.

Reading about how today's veterans are treated when they go in to VA hospitals for health care, was an eyeopening experience.

I had read other letters and several articles on the subject before, but the letter above published in the Andalusia Star-News from a veteran, put things in prospective.

Our veterans deserve better health care! They've served our country, given their time away from their families to help keep our country free. They deserve to be treated with respect and not have to deal with all the rules and paperwork that seems to have taken over their health care plans.

The same goes for health care for any American.

Canadians have free health care, why shouldn't we? Sure they have to pay for a few of the more expensive things, but all in all, seeing a doctor when you're sick doesn't cost an arm and a leg there. Here, it's around $50 to see a doctor or a nurse practitioner. And even with insurance, which costs at least $150 a month, you still have to make a co-pay. Granted, it's only around $15 or less, but still, that's money we could use for prescriptions. Prescriptions aren't cheep either and most health care plans don't cover that either.

In short, all Americans deserve something better. Especially our veterans.

More refunds: Are they going to help the economy?

The president signed a bill, giving all those who draw a paycheck, a $300 refund at the least.

The real question is: will this help or harm the recession of the economy.

Most people tend to think, if you have more money, then you'll spend more. But if you save it and get a good interest rate on it, then it'll be more beneficial in the future, right?

With interest rates not being so good, that's a hard thing to answer. For the economy, it's not going to get any better since we're already owning ourselves about 30 grand a piece from a recent commentary I read today.

With all this money, we're not helping the economy by getting all of our paid in taxes back, are we? The national debt will more than likely go up several billion dollars in order for every working person in the United States to get back more money.

Personally, I think this is a great thing for Americans. If most of them are like me, they work in a low paying job that barely pays the rent, let alone all the bills that pile up. But with the economy and the national debt, it's not such a great thing, is it? Our generation will be the ones who are having to fix all of the problems that we started with the Baby Boom of the 1980s. We're workers now and we're going to have to take care of our parents in another 20 years or so when they retire.

What kind of world will we have then? It takes years to come back from an economic depression. The world has seen it before...but could we come out of another one? Would we be stronger for it? Or just more naive?

Celebrities and the media: How far is too far?

(note: this will be one of those "I" blogs)

Celebrities live a very public life once they're in front of the camera. One box office hit and they're followed around every where they go. One hit record and they're branded for life even if they don't put out another one for years.

I am sick of hearing about Britney Spears! Give the girl a rest! I'm sick of hearing about Anna Nicole too. It's been over a year. Find something new to talk about and let her daughter have a normal life. It's one thing to talk about them occasionally, but it's entirely another thing to have them bashed every day or have their private lives put out there for everyone to see. They deserve the same rights we have. The rights to privacy, being the most important.

Another thing that I cannot get over is how the media can be so self serving. When a family is in morning over the loss of a loved one, that is NOT the time to go snapping pictures. It is not the time when the body is rolled out to be taking them either. Things like that are in poor taste. And if there are those who don't agree with me, I think you should have a lesson in respect.

Sure there are famous pictures of things like that, such as John F. Kennedy, Jr. saluting his father's coffin as it passes by. And of course, as a nation we watched as former First Lady, Nancy Reagan kissed her husband's coffin.

I have the personal belief that things like that should be private no matter who the person is. And let me just say that all these reports of how the person died should not be made public. Sure, we're all curious, but is it really our business to know? No. It's not.

The paparazzi are all about getting the one shot that no one else can get. They hound celebrities and follow them around. They cause accidents and find Britney without her underwear again. Or take pictures of Heath Ledger as his body's wheeled out of his NYC apartment. They try to dig up things, such as the video that's been passed around where Ledger is clearly doing drugs.

Being naturally curious is not a crime, but seriously think about it, how would you like to be followed around all day, every day?

Elections: Are they getting too personal?

As everyone is well aware, Super Tuesday was a big deal here in the south. Those running for president have outdone themselves this year. They started campaigning early for one and visited states they were sure they could swing the vote on.

The top runners here were Huckabee and Obama. Though Clinton won the county, it was not enough to win the state. Obama has big numbers with young and first time voters. What is the big deal about voting for him? Does he really stand for the important issues? Health care for everyone and making the economy better? These are the main focuses on Clinton's agenda, which seem to make her a front runner for the Democratic party.

Huckabee has the Bible Belt in the palm of his hand from the background he brings to the race. With Alabama being a mostly Republican state, it's hard to understand how Obama would win the state.

Huckabee has movie stars on his side as do all the other candidates. Huckabee has Chuck Norris, which Obama has Oprah and George Clooney. Are voters going to look at who their favorite star is voting for when they chose a candidate to support? It is doubtful. One would hope they look at the issues and those that they agree on with the candidates.

Will the one we vote for win the race? No one knows. It is time for a change. The current president is at the end of his term and Americans are looking at what was done during his two terms. Change needs to happen for us to move into the future. The only question remains is: which of these forerunners will bring about the much needed change Americans deserve?