Power of blogging Part 2

As I said in my ealier post, bloggers have considerable power.

The Chicago Tribune reported today that Shaquanda Cotton, the black teen sentenced to 7 years in prison for shoving a hall monitor even though she had no prior record, will be released early today.

You can check out the full story here.

An oldie but goodie...

I wrote this post at my old blog address www.shoeaddict19.livejournal.com. I wrote it Christmas Eve when I was bored. But I went back to the site and dug around and realized that everything I wrote then is still true. That is amazing to me.

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I know I probably did this same post back around Thanksgiving, but I'm waiting for my parents to get back so I can go to the store to do some last-minute shopping (even though I remember telling them that I needed the car early this morning, but that's neither here nor there at this point) and I have nothing better to do. Seriously. It's either this or washing dishes. And you know writing always trumps putting my hands on a bunch of funky dishes.

So what am I thankful for? (This is by no means in order)

I'm thankful for the fact that I've (sort of) maintained my weight over this year, because usually my weight flucuates like nobody's business. I'm still in the 135 area, give or take a few pounds in either direction.

I'm thankful that I have had some wonderful professors who demanded the best of me and as a result, I have made some wonderful connections.

I'm thankful for my family. I'm thankful for my mom for working two jobs, sometimes not sleeping for a few days just so we can afford to live in the house we've been living in for 17 years. I'm thankful for my dad for being so knowledgeable and trying to do the best he can with what he has. I'm thankful for my sisters because I know I can tell them anything and get the truth from them.

I'm thankful for my boyfriend. He tells me things that I don't necessarily like to hear, but that I need to hear. He's also the reason why I smile.

I'm thankful for my health. I might not be the most athletic person in a room, but I'm not suffering from diabetes or hypertension or asthma or anything. So I'm thankful.

I'm also thankful for Rachael Ray (Food Network TV Host -- "30 Minute Meals"). I know it sounds weird to be grateful for someone who doesn't even know you, but it's true. Ever since I've gotten addicted to Rachael Ray's show, I've been trying to make a conscious decision to watch what I eat. Before Rachael, I considered restaurants an "anything goes" zone, meaning it was a special event so why deprive myself? Uh-huh. Only that I was eating 1,000 calories and 60 grams of fat per meal, which was not helping. My boyfriend would take me out to dinner a lot and let me tell you, I can eat. He'll probably even admit that I'm not the same size I was when we first hooked up. I used to be around 129, 130. I know five pounds doesn't sound like much, but it's the difference between a size 6 and size 8. (And I really hate wearing a size 8) But I thank Rachael for getting me to see that sometimes it's worth it to just stay in and cook for yourself because then you can control the calories and you can eat more! She also helped me discover that I love to cook.

Last but not least, I'm thankful for God for blessing me with this talent. It may sound a little arrogant, but I believe I have amazing talent. Not only do others affirm this belief, but I just know. When a basketball player steps up, plants his feet behind the 3-point line and shoots, and the ball just swishes through, no rolling, that is amazing. That's how I feel after I write a good article. So I'm thankful.

What are YOU thankful for?

Blogs I'm Feeling Right Now...

I spend a lot of time on the computer. More than I should, but when you're broke and bored, the Internet can provide a heck of a lot of entertainment.

So when I'm browsing, I tend to read a lot of blogs. Maybe 10-15 a day. I try to find new people with new concepts so I don't feel like I'm reading the same ones over and over again. As I've gone along, I feel these are the ones who deserve repeat visits.

1) Jonzee.com - I don't know how David does it, but he manages to crank out quality posts all the time. He regularly posts on items I would never have found surfing the internet on my own - dust-mopping slippers, anyone?

2)African-American Dad - Ever since I became a mom, I've read pretty much all the "mommy blogs," where either stay-at-home moms or those who work outside the home decide to blog and chronicle their lives or work or just daily thoughts. I can pretty much relate to all of them, but I really enjoy reading about the male perspective. I enjoy reading about men who not only love their children, but chronicle that in a blog form. I never knew men were keen on revealing their personal frustrations on potty training, wife's mood swings, etc. African American Dad is great because you get to hear life from a voice that's not typically heard in mainstream America.

3) The Professional Hater - I don't know if this is a real blog or not, but this guy from Giant magazine cracks me up. His columsn/posts (whatever you want to call them) can be a bit harsh, but it never fails to put a smile on my face. I've only been reading it for a few days and already I'm hooked.

4)Ebony Mommy - Never met her, but I can say from reading her blog for a few months that she is one woman who has it all together. Beautiful kids, goregous house, fantastic relationship and a sense of self that comes across so powerfully on a computer screen. Like I said before, I don't know her personally, but after reading her blog I wish I did.

5) Tia Williams - Yeah, I mentioned this one before, but I had to say it again. I'm learning to give credit where credit is due and celebrate the fabulousness (is that a word?) of other people. Her blog is wonderfully written, with a sort of down-to-earth best friend charm that keeps you eagerly anticipating updates. She has got it together and I'm happy for her.

This is it for now. Maybe I'll make this a regular feature. Who knows? Let me know if you think I missed anybody. I'm always looking for new blogs to read.

The power of blogging...

I love blogging for the same reason I decided to study journalism and make it my career in life. I love how words can create action. Can change people's minds. Can stir up emotions we didn't even know were there.

Words can do all of that.

By now I know you've heard of the Shaquanda Cotton case, the 14 year old Texas girl who was sentenced to 7 years in prison for shoving a hall monitor.

When I was browsing blogs and came across the name time after time, I knew it was only a matter of time before something good came out of it.

This morning on MSNBC, I heard about how the governor of Texas is being flooded with calls and letters from concerned people all over the country, asking him to step in on Shaquanda's behalf.

This is what keeps me blogging day after day. Sure, the majority of blogs are about celebrities, or pointless musings about a blogger's day, but a lot of blogs have power. They can change things.

A big thank you to those who cared enough to blog about Shaquanda. I know she thanks you too.