Laugh as much as you breathe.

excerpt from an essay im workin on:

Marijuana is not only a safe drug with medical benefits but it could rapidly stimulate our failing economy. At its current rate of production legal marijuana generates 35.8 billion dollars per year. Profits from marijuana exceed that of corn and wheat combined. And that’s just the legal margins. Revenue from illegal domestic marijuana is speculated at around 60 billion dollars a year. That’s a total of 95.8 billion dollars each year excluding imports. Marijuana is considered by profuse amounts of economists to already be our nation’s number one cash crop. As Thomas Jefferson said, “Hemp is of first necessity to the wealth and protection of the country”. George Washington himself predicted that hemp would be our most valuable product. Economists estimate that if marijuana were legalized annual tax returns would be 6.2 billion dollars. That’s over 6 billion dollars in the hands of the federal government rather than in the hands of so called drug criminals. This money could be spent on combating the flow of hard, more serpentine drugs onto our streets.

If the fact that legalizing marijuana will engender enormous sums of money isn’t enough for some skeptics let’s take a look at the money that it will save. Approximately 7.7 billion dollars is spent annually on law enforcement to traverse marijuana consumption. Legalizing marijuana would eliminate 100% of these costs. Another taxpayer expense that would be emphatically reduced is prison disbursements. New FBI statistics show that one marijuana smoker is arrested every 45 second. Since 1990 5.9 million innocent Americans have been arrested on cannabis charges, a number greater than the population of Alaska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming combined. 88% of all people in jail, a staggering 1.2 million, are there due to marijuana offenses. In the case that marijuana is legalized that number will be reduced to 440,000 people, a prodigious decline. The deprivation of operating prisons would also deteriorate dramatically. The cost of operating prisons comes directly out of taxpayers pockets. Currently a 40 billion dollar per year expenditure would be cut back to 8.8 billion dollars, still a gargantuan amount but much, much less than what it was. With this amount of savings and profits it’s a shame our capitalist society hasn’t already demanded the legalization of pot.

THOUGHTS??

This is blowing my mind…I wrote this email 3 years ago to a heartbroken friend…and now it’s coming back to help ME!!:

“I love you so much. So as u no, I had been struggling alot with just stupid stuff but I am doing better now as I am starting to prioritize my life, I guess I let the world put veils over my eyes and let me stray away from the things that matter: God has a plan for us and we need to remember that. sometimes what we have in mind for ourselves is completely different than his actual plans for us. Even tho, this is such old news…get in the Bible. Seriously, it boggles my mind how one verse can completely change my entire outlook on the day and what i have going on in my life. God speaks to us thru his Word…we need to be in it.  it’s so true we need to be preparin ourselves each day to face the world by knowin more about the Bible…Also I  have learned that the music u listen to impacts the way u continue in your way and emotions…like if you are sad do NOT listen to sad music, it’ll just keep u in that depressed state of mind…listen to music that will uplift u…like something gospel-ly :D. Also, remember that love is a good thing…that grieving and being sad doesn’t make it love. Love is patient, kind, pure, true…u no 1 Cor. 13…if it hurts you, brings u down, makes u cry all the time, that’s not love…it’s just a distorted worldy version of it. The world thinks that love is only real if it hurts like in the movies….thats not it, no look how God loves us…unconditionally, that’s how we are suppose to love…or at least strive to love. Just some thoughts and wisdom I want to share with you. Anyway, I am praying for you and I miss you soo much! I love you and am prayin for u everyday…thats the other thing, dont underestimate the power of prayer, no matter how far we stray, God can always hear us …i love you so does He!”

staff:

Thank you.

How does the heart die?
Like a tree shedding its leaves
So does the heart die…
Shedding each leaf of hope.
Death is not the greatest loss
We have to face;
Greater is the death
Within us as we are living.
Beaten, stripped, alone:
A heart cries itself to sleep
Each bitter, lonely night
Memories keep it from sleeping;
Loneliness stalls its beating.
Until one day…
The heart no longer feels
Will no longer love
So slowly, painfully…the heart dies;
Shedding its hopes, its dreams
Crying, bleeding;
Wounded and forgotten
Blind, deaf and bruised from Love
A heart dies broken.

-K.W (written in 07, after tumultous breakup)

JUMP AROUND jump JUMP JUMP!! around!!

Go

I can’t hide from you.
I stand in the shadows, but you see me.
I walk behind others,
Cry in the dark.
I turn off lights,
Yet you still see me.
Go…please, just go.
I can’t bear for you to look at me.
No, please do not reach for me.
I don’t deserve you…no, please.
I look down,
You reach out,
Oh, your pierced hands…
Lord, why?
For me?
This sinner, that I am,
Reeking of wicked sins;
With a heart of utter shame.
There is nothing here.
You can not use this useless vessel…
I am no good to you, Lord…
Oh God, please.
Leave me.
I am pushing…Please!
Oh, why won’t you go?
Why do you love me so?

Being a first generation American, and a Chinese and Colombian mix, hasn’t always been an easy task. Both of my parents are proud and very culturally loyal, which attributes to my ability to speak both Spanish and Cantonese fluently, use chopsticks, salsa dance and have a short temper! Not to mention, my “exotic look”, which guarantees people will always ask, “what are you?” before “how are you?” Being raised in such a “different” environment, full of multicultural elements, made it frustrating when all I wanted to do was fit in like other normal American kids.

I always believed my parents were almost too different for each other; my mother: a hot-blooded Latina, and my father: a stubborn meek Chinese man. So it wasn’t too surprising when my parents divorced while I was still a young girl. I was always trying to escape the fighting, and the drama. I even went as far as “escaping” to God’s Country out west to find myself. I’ll forever be grateful I did because it’s out there I found my true love: Nature.

I completed my first two years of my undergrad at the University of Montana-Missoula.While attending the university, I learned to use my vibrant personality to meet people and develop friendships. Where normal, shy teenagers were wary to boldly approach their classmates, I was eagerly introducing myself to everyone and anyone. I worked hard in my classes; I was involved in Intramural Basketball and Softball. I volunteered in the Flagship program, working as an editor for a local newspaper. I volunteered at school, church, and sorority events. I did some modeling and fell in love with it. I was always on the go, with school, work and extracurricular activities.

Then almost 2 years ago, I lost my best friend in a car accident and soon after my uncle to a heart attack. In the aftermath of these tragedies, I experienced changes in my life and myself I was unprepared to handle. Where I was once outgoing in every area of my life, I became withdrawn, overwhelmed with the loss of my loved ones. At only 19 years old, I found myself batting depression, anxiety, eating disorders, etc. As hard as I tried to move on, I found I couldn’t do it alone.

Finally, I sought comfort in the family that I had distanced myself from and decided to move home. I took the year off from the school, to properly heal and learn to cope with my grief. My mother’s family comforted me in such ways I could never have anticipated. They all individually took the time to stop by and encourage me in words, hugs and gifts. I began to heal. Also during that time, I began to work for my father in Pennsylvania, helping at his store and learning his business.

Today, as a 21-year-old woman, with a strong work ethic, a proud respect for my multicultural heritage and a determined spirit, I want nothing more than to acquire my degree from a place I know will fully suit my academic needs as well as my desire to grow in my diversity.

hip hopping toddler

margaapsari:

hold me

Wizard of Oz