“True Star Power” (Do you have it?)

Marilyn Monroe

“True Star Power” (Do you have it?) 

By Glenn Peppers                                                                 1-20-14

In this strange world that we live in, we are often times forced to contend with fake fashion, crazy trends and people who'll do anything just to be rich and famous on TV, and just about everywhere in the media. Some of them will dye their hair clown colors, and sing off key, even with Auto Tune. Some of them'll cause a stir just to keep their names in the tabloids, just so someone... ANYONE will talk about them! Remember, there's no such thing as bad press! Bad press is simply cheap publicity!

Often times, these people will have no real life, awe inspiring, game changing talent to speak of. They mainly will have become famous byway of some scandal or sex tape, or something as simple as an act of juvenile foolishness (a prank) that garnered enough attention to get the reality show gawkers and gossip hounds baying! 

Denzel Washington

Yet on those rare occasions, there comes along those special people. Folks who sometimes by just their looks alone, or by their special blend of acting, singing, or instrumentation abilities, and mere presence can command bigger than life star power! Its just something about them that cannot be copied, or reproduced! Thus sparking look-a-likes, and imitators. All of whom will never be more famous than their idols! Despite all the many so-called stars in Hollyweird these days, and the world over, true Star Power is rare! 

Reality Television, and the new term for what Talk Shows have become over the years (The Paternity Test/who’s my baby’s daddy, I slept with your mother style talk shows) have made heroes of, and created fond idol worship surrounding these people's most personal (and often times trivial) problems. 

Most any Daytime Talk Show resolve for a problem

Television has inundated the airwaves with the antics of the perverted, the mentally unstable, and the willfully ignorant, sprinkled with a dash of criminal element; mostly exploiting them instead of helping them. Often times making a mockery of them on television, turning their heartache and problems into a human pit bull dog fight, making their pain a major pastime for millions! I find this amazingly sad that this is still a factor on broadcast television in this modern age! 

Not to be discouraged though. There is still in fact a lot of true talent still out there, yet for some odd reason, it is not getting through to a broad audience of television viewers who are begging for something uniquely creative (and not just shocking) to listen to, and watch other than those feuding and squabbling House Wives shows, or dare I say, Honey Boo Boo or The World's Dumbest Drunkards and blah blah blah/Miami Repo, and all those Profane Cartoon Shows. I won't even go into the new breed of Sexually, and Esoterically Occult Charged sitcoms and dramatic TV shows. And lastly; all those Fake out 24 hour news networks, masquerading themselves as just that... News Outlets? This is not true Journalism people!

Finding something good to watch and listen to on TV now days is like cleaning out a dirty clogged up drain pipe. With all that gunk dripping out of it, Somewhere in all that smelly, stinky gunk is trapped some pretty good actors, singers, and people who write and produce some incredible Music, TV and Movies. 

Sometimes the drain pipe leaks out a great TV show, or a wonderful movie and great sounding hit records every now and again, along with truly talented people carrying true Star Power behind the product. Its not all about Swag either! Believe me, there's a difference between swag and talent. If you don't know the difference, than you truly have been watching way too much bad television! 

So what do you do when good television shows come along? When that happens, you wipe the crud off it, tag it as a favorite on the remote, and enjoy it whenever it comes on. Or you record it on your On-Demand/DVR box. If you really really like it, buy the DVD or CD. Support your local gifted artist for goodness sakes! That way you don’t have to support or settle for watching the "I Wannabe Rich and Famous Crowd" who'll do anything to be just that... Rich and Famous! 

I think that if we all were a bit more selective and demanded more, the producers would have to do a double take. In order to stay afloat, the networks would have to Back the Train Up and do some major programming repairs! They would have no other choice but to do so. 

Glenn Peppers 

“Will America Ever Rise?...”

Tamara Mowry-Housley on Oprah's "Where are they now" show

“Will America Ever Rise?...”

"The Soul of a sister in pain can only be shared by the twin of that sister. How painful would it be, to share the pain of your twin when it is racially focused not just on you, but on the people you love in your life?"

By Glenn Peppers January 13, 2014

We know them as Tia and Tamara from the 90‘s television show, “Sister Sister!” Well in their real life/grownup world, they are 35 year old women with lives, marriages, children and careers! They have also in recent months been stars of their own reality TV show about theirs lives in general! Both have still maintained their sunny cute girl next door humor, and that laugh! Oh those two can make me laugh by just hearing them do so! 

Tamara and husband Adam Housley

Well, as life progresses and carried on. The two sisters married; and married two completely different people. Tamara married a white man, and Tia married an up and coming actor in Hollywood, who happens to be black. Since marrying a white man, Tamara has received so much flack, and negative feedback that it has become painful, and even disturbing to both Tamara and her sister Tia! 

Tia and husband Cory Hardrict

The bullying seemingly doesn’t stop there apparently. Fans have issued out insults and foolish comments to Tia as well, stated that she married correctly, because she married a black man, and vice-a-versa! Yet it is Tamara who is catching the brunt of most all the racism, and negative furor from a public that I can imagine adored them both as they came along, and grew up on television in the 1990’s! 

I also can imagine these bi-racial identical twins have gone through the interracial identity crisis wringer, and the whole, “Where do I fit it in this world?” syndrome most all their lives; and now this! It was announced at the outset of January 2014 that they would in fact be ending their reality show in order to raise their children, privately (among other reasons I’m sure) away from the media, and the public! In my brief experience at being a step-parent, I can understand their protective concern! Believe me, as a parent that’s all you want to do is protect your kids, even if they are all grown up! 

See the interview clip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UESwbjUqBHI

I saw a clip of the interview that the twins did on a segment of Oprah’s “Where are they Now,” where this discussion came up. Tamara as well as Tia were in tears taking about their experiences with people’s hatred laden comments and remarks about their mates, and their choices in marriage! Some situations of which Tia shockingly appeared to not have any idea her sister was suffering with, sparking even more tears!

Tia and Tamara in their
Sister Sister days

I find it so sad that these wonderfully sweet hearted girls (see there, I called them girls because that’s how I remember them most, as those cute little girls on Sister Sister) are going through such BS, and small mindedness! Obviously they aren’t the only people of color taking a hit from the racism monster who in recent years has risen from its semi resting place in the hearts of America. A literal monster awakening fully to chomp on the minds of those who will succumb to its charges of hate, ignorance and intolerance! 

It is no wonder why America is no longer considered a country the world looks up to anymore! It took electing an African American President to drudge up out of America its true feelings on people of color, and push the racial mindset over the edge. This on going childish blind hatred of not just our President, plus other countless mean spirited attacks, and acts of devaluing the lives of black children to the point of taking their lives, and letting their murderers go free is madness! This is equally about as insane as acts all the other brutal acts of aggression shone to other folks of color in America! This radical up-shift in racial intimidation, bullying, and various other volatile acts is more clearly peeling away, and revealing a nation built on hate, fear, ignorance, control, and violence that is now running rampant! 

It seems America had the entire world fooled for decades about how noble, and excepting we were to all peoples!... That is of course until a black man was elected to sit in the office chair within the Oval Office of the White House. When the reality of it actually hit. All of a sudden, True Colors emerged and began to show, all over this nation! What millions kept quietly locked inside themselves for what seemed like a lifetime is now spewing out like tainted water from a toxic drain! America is failing its Life-Lesson that God offers all of humanity in Diversity and Tolerance; and so far it seems, a good many of us are failing at this lesson, miserably! 

I can only imagine folks in other lands are looking and listening at the goings on over here; yet they see it from outside the forest, as we sit oblivious among the trees in a constant hail storm of insults, snide remarks, discrimination, red lining, and acts of out right violence, and constant verbal attacks. Yet we want the world to respect this country! I can also imagine folks around the world saying, "If you'd do this to your own countryman, how will you in turn treat us if given the chance?" 

I don't blame Tia and Tamera for ending their reality show really. Maybe raising their children outside the scope of Hollyweird's intrusive eyes of the paparazzi, and nutty fans, who I can imagine just a few short years ago were Tia and Tamara's biggest fans is the best thing! 

On a broader scale; the Hate Mindset is something that is definitely not going to sustain this country! It will if not anything else be responsible for dividing it, and taking away its unique core value, and worth! The kind of racism and hatred I see today will eventually erode and chip away at the heart of the America that once had hope. The America that I grew up with set the world on fire with its melting pot of wonderful creativity, and bigger than life personalities! America has always been about People!

Through all the craziness of the 1960’s and 70’s, on through the 1980's, we all still wanted the same things. A good life! Red yellow, black, white and brown! We all worked! We all did a good thing here in America! It was our differences that made us who we are, and it was all cool! To use a 60’s phrase... “There was togetherness!” I don’t see that togetherness anymore among peoples, anywhere!

There was a time Americans from every corner of this nation felt that they could at least seek freedom, and make good in this land. Everyone contributed! Back in the day, despite our differences, I remember a time when we all did a good days work, making and producing goods the world marveled at. Our innovations and inventions blossomed and sprang forth from every culture, right here in America! America’s best sell was that it represented hope... to all! 

So that's it? It is 2014, and this is what we’ve been reduced to? Has this country gotten so turned around and twisted that we are now going to let the Small Minded ruin everything that made this land great, despite its former hardships and racist past? Its a shame that this America that I’ve loved since childhood (after all we’ve been through) cannot seem to rise above the infantile and simpleminded, even in this modern age!

Glenn Peppers

Arctic Blast or Maui Breeze

Arctic Blast or Maui Breeze

By Glenn Peppers January 5, 2014

(A really cool FB friend of mine asked her friends if they had the chance, would they ever want go to Antarctica! The answer I gave her was close to the one in this assay, as the more I thought about it, I found even more reasons not to ever go. Here’s my shake on that question, which is slightly embellished from my Facebook response.):

"Let me be the one to clearly shout a rousing, "Heck Nah!" No thank you! Ya see, I watched one of my favorite old school Sci-fi movies Saturday. the Original, "The Thing from Another World" on Turner Classic Movies (this 1951 Sci-fi movie is set in the North Pole. Which still creeps me out pretty good I might add), and as far as the North Pole or Antarctica goes for me; between Santa Claus and his Elves, doggone Flying Reindeer, The Heat Miser (you know I had to include him). The Abominable Snow Man, and that evil Ice Queen chick... The North Pole? I don’t think so!... Although "The Island of Misfit Toys" would be a cool thing to see!... Oh ok, I know. That place does not really exist... or does it?  

Aurora Borealis (the northern lights)

Yes, like many of you, I really like the Northern Lights, but I think being up there, all up close and personal with them is a little creepy as well! I can appreciate the Aurora Borealis (the northern lights) from down here in north America, thank you! 

It didn't take me much thought at all to decide not to go (as if I had the means to do so). Yeppers, as far as adventurous excursions go, I think I'll pass on the polar vacation package. I mean think about it, there's Polar Bears up there at the north and south poles; and although very cuddly and Christmas Coke Cola Cute and all, they ain't very nice to us human folk! And if you must know, Penguins are not all giddy and dancy little creatures, with little arctic Happy Feet, like in the movie either! They'll kick your butt as well, in bunches!

Plus when you factor in all the Global Warming, and Glacial Meltdowns affecting the poles, and considering the fact that Antarctica is one big giant scientific Geek Squad playground. I'd feel way out of place there because, I am a long way from being any kind of a scientist! Heck, I'm still working on long division! 

Besides its just too dang cold up and down there! So with that, I think I'll put any thoughts or plans of ever visiting either polar region on hold... at least for a little while! Well lets just say, for a long while. Michigan is as close as I want to come to being in any arctic region! And so far, early into the season, winter has knocked me over with a One Two punch! Give me Maui any day!"  

Glenn Peppers

Kaanapali Beach in Maui

“If ever I were to Tattoo!...”

“If ever I were to Tattoo!...”

By Glenn Peppers

12-21-13

(Before you read my article on Tattoos. I have to first ask that you to first read this updated disclaimer on the article below that I wrote in December, at the end of 2013. It is January 5, 2014, and I am updating this piece because of some research that I've recently done concerning the "Infinity Symbol" pictured on the tattoo in the photo above the heading. 

My research uncovered the fact that the Infinity Symbol (Actually called an Ouroboros) has certain occult, and/or let's say, mystic implications that I am not comfortable with, given my Born Again status! Outside of what I thought was its mathematical and obvious representation of what eternal means; I found that the symbol the looks like the number 8 turned onto its side represents a Serpent Eating its own Tail! Although I've found this info on countless websites, and other encyclopedia sites. The definition or explanation information listed that I am using here is found in Wikipedia; and reads as follows: 

"The first known appearance of the ouroboros motif is in the Enigmatic Book of the Netherworld, an ancient Egyptian funerary text in KV62, the tomb of Tutankhamun, in the 14th century BC. The text concerns the actions of the god Ra and his union with Osiris in the underworld. In an illustration from this text, two serpents, holding their tails in their mouths, coil around the head and feet of an enormous god, who may represent the unified Ra-Osiris."

Well you can imagine my shock at discovering such a thing! It just goes to show that it always pays to investigate! Especially if you're planning to plaster some sort of sign, symbol or any saying or phrase onto your body. I've also added a new picture to this article that also crystalizes my thoughts on what kind of tattoo one should think about getting, and where to put it! I'll leave the article just as I wrote it in December of 2013 as a testament on just how easily one can become enthralled, and excited enough to unknowingly go out and get branded with signs, symbols, and esoteric endocrinal, religious beliefs that are not our own! So before I could let anyone else read this article. I felt that it had to have a disclaimer, reflecting my true ideals on the tattoo pictured above that I thought was so subtle, and so perfect!) 

Thank you 

Glenn Peppers

Here is my full article below in its entirety!

Now if I were to ever think about getting any sort of tattoo etched onto my body, it would be something like the one in the picture above. This would be a very cool tattoo to have! In fact it would be great! Something small, out of the way, like on the inside of my forearm or on the under side of my wrist; like in the picture above. I think it would look just as cool on my brown skin, as it does on the lighter skinned wrist above! If I had to have one, I'd get a tattoo that is unassuming; not some badly designed children's art scribble, fashioned from some dollar store, stencil/art-vomit template, done at some wayward tattoo shop! One that for whatever reason I can imagine smelling of jasmine incense. Don't ask me why! I know there are no places like that out here... Are they?

Nope, no biker dude named Duley, is gonna carve images into my body! No siree! Especially not if they look like some mad escapee from a mental institution, issuing out the likes of some of the tat's that I see folks getting plastered all over their necks, legs and wherever else on their bodies these days, just on a whim. Especially when folks go out and get cowboy drunk, or are going through a really bad (or even good) time in their lives. Still, there is never a good time for a bad tattoo!

If I were to wear a tattoo, it would have to be something well meaning. I love my elder son's tattoo! It is something that will always remind him of his time and service in the Navy, for a lifetime. It is finely crafted and is creatively set on his upper arm and shoulder area, highlighting and showcasing the Navy, and his own creativity! Yes he actually designed his own tattoo! 

For me, I need not have anything nearly as prestigious or statement filled as a tattoo resembling the ones our military men and women proudly wear! Their tattoo's are truly well meaning, and tell a story! They're somewhat like battle scars; yet I'd go even further as to say, for a great many military folks, they’re tattoos are somewhat like Metals, given their allegiance to their God, country, and branch of service. I’ve noticed that people who serve, wear tattoos to show allegiance to their units, company and/or outfit served, as it reflects they're loyalty, and bravery; and shows honor at having served! 

My tattoo (should I so choose to get one) would be something much more subtle. It would be one that I could look at when I'm 110 and say, "man, that still looks good!" So, for me, "Mother" tattoos are most definitely out! I love my mother dearly, God rest her soul, but even she would come back from the great beyond, and spank my butt for doing something as ridiculous as that! 

There’ll be no lighting bolts, no bared wired (tat’s from the late 1980's/early 1990's), a la Pamela (Barbed Wire Arm Band) Anderson and Kiefer Sutherland's copy cat arm band tattoos. 

No "What the heck is that!"  Mike Tyson Facial horror tattoos, AT ALL! No giant, mid evil gaudy crosses, or Lil’ Wayne/Rod Steiger, all-body “The Illustrated Man” tattoo frenzy’s gone wild thing either!... By no means! Its funny that in today’s days and times, Rod Steiger’s character in the movie (from Ray Bradbury’s novel of the same name) “The Illustrated Man” seems rather tame now, compared to when this was an issue as far as a feature film, back in 1969.

oddly pointy, monstrous snaky lookin' symbols

No tattooed wedding rings! Thank God I had no former lovers, who are now (or would soon have been) long gone lover type tattoos! Tattoos that I desperately would be trying to have laser removed, real quick!  No oddly pointy, monstrous snaky lookin' symbols that I know nothing about will ever get placed on my back or body, period! Heck, the dang thing might start moving around back there and freak me out! 

No skulls, no bulls, No dragons, no monsters or mythic maiden creatures giving me nightmares by staring me in the eye as I glance over at my arm in order to prop myself up in bed, to change sleep positions! Oh and, definitely no neck, chest or finger tattoos! When I saw a young brother with this huge neck tattoo spread across his throat that read, “Hood Rat!” I knew that his days as a Hewlett Packard exec (if he had such aspirations) would most likely never come to fruition!

I certainly will not ever think about getting an Asian tattoo! No offense to anyone Asian, but heck, I don't know what those symbols really mean, or what they're actually saying! Just because I am into the martial arts, does not mean I read, comprehend and/or speak Cantonese or Mandarin! For all I know, they could be plastering, "Eat at Joe's!" in Chinese on my body, and I would never know it! Except for when I go for Chinese take out, and the guy named Joe behind the counter laughs at my tattoo, every time I come into his chinese restaurant!

Jagger Lips

So there it is! Ok I know, it looks and sounds kinda wimpy, and kinda not there, but that's alright with me. I can live with a tattoo that simply says, Love wrapped into an Infinity Symbol! I don’t know if what I’m looking at in the picture above is a raised or branded image tattoo (if there is such a thing) or not. All I know is, I’d never get that tattoo at all if it only came in lugubriously gaudy living color (Now black!... Maybe black could work!) So, no matter how good of a sales person Duley the biker tattoo man is, he’ll never in a million years talk me into getting one of those big azz Mick Jagger tattoo Lips plastered onto my butt cheeks!  

More than that, no one could ever convince me to even look at those awful gigantic red hearts, or any rose (period) tattoo; especially with lightening bolts or arrows running through them! No guns, chains, or movie star picture either! The thought of having a nightmare eyesore tattoo forever emblazoned on my leg, chest, arms or back (or anywhere else for that matter) is terribly distressing! 

I won’t even go into the very idea of genital tattooing! The very mentioning of it gave me frightful goose bumps! Face it; why would I pay someone to do something to me that under normal circumstances, I would either sue the hell out of them for it, or kick the crap out of them, had they caused me that much of pain and embarrassment against my will! In a court of law this kind of treatment its called, "Assault!" 

Can you imagine having an eyesore tattoo in a very up front, and visible place on your body, as something you just gotta live with for the rest of your life, whether you like it or not? Unthinkable!

Think about it, that big ole’ heart or eagle tattoo on your butt oughta look really sweet when you’re 92 years old,  hoping your nurses assistant isn’t laughing when they change your Depends brief, and see’s your wrinkly, droopy old Heart, and tuckered out Eagle and Lightening Bolt tat sagging a whole lot lower than it was some 30 years ago! 

No way! Not this dude! So to those who will, I applaud and commend you! But to those of you who’ll think about it first, and do some careful planning (and much research) on getting a tattoo that fits your lifestyle, and personality. I wish you much Love and Infinity!  

Glenn Peppers

In Getting Older

“In Getting Older...”

By Glenn Peppers                          12-15-13

Yes, I am one of those December baby's! I'm one of those wintertime, "can't wait for Christmas" type baby's. You know the ones who make all of December, one big giant holiday celebration because our birthday's is close to Christmas! Well, in getting one more year older, further on into my latter fifties, I find that day by day, age is very much indeed apparent! These old bones are really starting to feel their age. 

I truly do believe we have some kind of built in biological warranty (with fine print) clock ticking inside us, telling our bodies... 

"Ok Glenn, its time to slow yo' butt down a notch! Get those eyes checked! Take your medicine! Watch your health conditions more carefully, and stay off the salt!" 

I even love it when all my friends and family, and my Facebook pals fuss at me about my health! You may not believe it but, (excuse my ebonics) "I be Listenin ya'll'!" So thank you to all those out there who know me, and know their way around the alternative health thang! It really does help! 

Its clear to me that my stiffness, and all my other aches and pains, and other conditions is all just apart of life. Heck, everybody has something their dealing with, right? Why should I be an exception to the rule? As far as my situation goes, God has been sending me little messages through various people, books, news articles, and other mediums here and there, reminding me that as far as my health goes, to take better care and "Work with what I got!" 

Real live Wonder Woman

I'm sensing that I need to be more creative in soothing my aches and pain when, where and however I can. I need to Meditate, Pray and Rest more. Which resting is something I surly do not do nearly enough of! Ok, ok! I know I should Exercise more, and stretch more as well. And yes, I know doing both keeps the blood pumping! I do know that when it all boils down to it, life is all a matter of learning how to live Life, and Live more vigorously! 

Life is about working and playing hard. Life is also about love and laughter; and enjoying every little nuance of happiness that life has to give! For so many in this world, pain does factor into the big equation of life. All kinds of pain! So in order to be better prepared for life's twisted dodge ball game with bricks, it helps immensely to know thy self pretty well; and to have good coping skills! Believe me, a whole lot of us are still working on that area!... I am one of many!

I get it that as the years go by, I won't be able to do a great many of the things I use to do. And sure my hair isn't all jet black like it once was; and my skin isn't as perfectly honey brown, and crystal clear as the avatar picture posted above, and on my Facebook page depicts. That picture is a fictional much younger image of me in deep thought, and all meditatively engaged! 

So yes, this picture is a slight embellishment somewhat of what I looked liked eons ago. But its not that far off!... What?... Well it "isn't!" Oh never mind!

Age and Time

Anyway, these days, I see quite a different person in the mirror. Yet deep inside, I still feel like that same bright eyed kid who not so long ago couldn't wait to take on the world! Not so long ago, I was full of wonder and childlike mischief, with impulsive desires and foolish dreams. Underneath this aging shell, I'm still that same guy!  I find myself asking where did that young man I once saw in the mirror for so many of my young years go, and when did he start to look so much like his dad?

Those of you who still have that youthful energy to run fast and hop fences, or turn a cartwheel have no idea how difficult it is coming to grips with the idea that there will be things you can either no longer do, or cannot do as well as you once did them when you were younger. When you foolishly took them for granted! Still, life is such that, you have to carry on and do the very best you can, and then some! You simply must go on!

The one thing I do love about getting older (not old) is that wisdom seems to sink in a lot better in my middle years, than when I was in the twenties! The problem is remembering and retaining what it was that I was becoming so confoundedly enlightened about! 

Yes you guessed it, by getting into my middle years, I'm still not a rocket scientist! Not by any means. But I do seem to grasp things much better these days. Maybe its because I've slowed down a notch or two, and have time to actually read the road signs of life! There's an old saying. "Youth is wasted on the young!" As the years fly by, I finding that there's never been any truer adage ever said! 

In getting older, I've also discovered that in healing, and soothing ones ill's. Its all about quieting ones mind, and strengthening ones heart! This wisdom was acquired over a lifetime of being in touch with God, and being in and around the Martial Arts, and understanding, and utilizing meditation, and praying faithfully. These things have over a lifetime has brought me much wisdom and healing; and has remained a source-point of great calm and peace within me; and at the same time helped me to achieve, great power (and no, not like Spiderman type great power!) within me! 

My Heroes 

So daily, in one capacity or another, I do these things, along with prayer to God through Jesus Christ who strengthens me. And when I do these things, my body usually follows along with what my mind and heart are doing! So in a word, I am my own Pied Piper! Remember, one is never too old to build another dream, or climb another mountain! Or play video games!

Have we really become a shadow of ourselves?

I hope that when the day comes, when you find yourselves, just a little bit slower, and just that little bit more tired going up the stairs, you'll remember, that in getting older, you will have traveled many roads, and seemed to have lived many lifetimes. 

You'll remember that there was a time when you once helped others who were older, and have come along in their years. Now it is you who just may need a helping hand, or a kind word from someone younger, stronger, and just like you, were unaware just how precious life really is in ones youth! 

For in your life span, life, times, and circumstance will change in a heartbeat. People will change. As will yourself! My advice to all of you... Live all your Life. For All of your Life! God Bless you all!

Glenn Peppers