Regret (An a.m. stream of consciousness)

My life is full of regrets. Let me count the ways:

I regret...

• not having my tonsils removed when I was a little girl
• not taking that trip to London by myself (it was a steal!)
• not visiting various friends while they lived abroad
• not visiting one of my favorite city's sooner (I would have moved there for school)
• befriending certain people
• never living away from home
• never visiting my grandmother's native land
• not speaking up to my true love (maybe I would be married now. I wonder every day...)
• not speaking up when I ran into my college crush on an elevator (that moment had kismet written all over it and I didn't grab it. Again, maybe I would be married now...)
• sleeping with that guy that time (ugh) - and anyone else I had no real feelings for
• every sexual encounter I've had since my first love. (I have only enjoyed 1 since)
• not quitting my first real job on the spot (before I had a mortgage to worry about and when jobs were a dime a dozen; oh God, why did I stay and put up with it??)
• buying my current home (well, not completely - love my neighbors, hate the property)
• never having my "city living" experience
• not calling 911 when my sister tried to kill herself (maybe she would have gotten the help she needed)
• begging my parents not to divorce (it would have been better)
• not beating my sister's abusive boyfriend's ass within an inch of his life while I was still a minor
• not moving in with my first love (bump "living in sin"; maybe he wasn't my true love, but I would be content)
• dating someone out of loneliness and desperation
• not telling my friend's parents that she was molested

Debt IS Slavery

"the borrower is servant to the lender"
- Proverbs 22:8, The Holy Bible

I'm happy to see churches addressing this problem (although worshiping at the altar of almighty debt is in no way a problem exclusive to Black Americans).  It has always smacked of hypocrisy to me when pastors not only encourage their members to go into debt (e.g. prosperity ministries), but sit at the head of a multi-million dollar mega church and don't help their members in need.

I've always tried my best not to owe anyone. We were taught early on that credit cards are evil.  I've had a few since then and this is the first time my balance has gotten out of control.  There is definitely a sense of oppression that comes with that.  I'm pretty extreme when it comes to my feelings about debt.  The Bible explicitly warns against being in debt to anyone PERIOD; so I always found it odd when churches encouraged property ownership, because - as most Americans have now learned - unless you can buy the house outright - you don't own a damn thing and you wind up in what will likely be the biggest debt in your life (unless you get seriously ill of course - that will really ruin you financially in the good ol' USA).  The BANK owns your house/condo.  Try not paying your mortgage. You'll find out who owns what so fast your head will spin.  I miss the freedom of renting - the freedom of the ability to just walk away.  Sure, you can't make any money when you're renting but you also can't make a profit if you can't sell your home - and you wind up with ruined credit.  Pick your poison.

Leave Groupies Alone

STD's, emotional instability, losing it all
Just a few reasons [straight] male entertainers should leave groupies alone. And if that wasn't enough, this vid is yet another reason (unless trannies are their flavor ;and I'm sure some of them don't mind at all). *shrug*

"Whom should I despise, since the one Lord made us all."
p.1237, Var Sarang, Guru Granth Sahib, tr. Patwant Singh

"The truly enlightened ones are those who neither incite fear in others nor fear anyone themselves." p.1427, Slok, Guru Granth Sahib, tr. Patwant Singh