A Cure For The Winter Time Blues

Ah, yes. It's that time of year if you live either on the East Coast, Mid West (like myself)
and the Rockies, where you look outside and see the snow on the ground along with temperatures
between 0 and 30 degrees with the wind chill well below zero. After you look at that window,
you take a deep breath and sigh to yourself. The winter time blues does also, affect those who live in the South, West Coast and the Southwestern United States, but at least you guys can go outside (well, earlier this month, those living in Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, North and South Carolina, and Tennessee had to deal with some snow and Florida had a cold snap) while the rest us has to stay indoors and deal with cabin fever.

There are people out there who love Winter, the snow, cold, the idea of White Christmas. In my opinion, I think that the whole concept of having a white Christmas is very ov-er-rat-ed!
I put it like this: the same people who want a white Christmas, or at least see some snow falling from the sky on Christmas Day, are the same people who want the snow to start melting away on December 26 and making sure that the white stuff and the cold doesn't come back. You can't have it both ways. Either you want to have snow or you don't to see it coming down when the holiday season is upon us.

What is the Winter Time Blues?


Winter time blues usually takes place in Mid to late January when the holidays (Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day) have come and gone; when you have already took down your Christmas tree; when you have put up all of your Christmas presents; when you have not gone to the mall since you have finished Christmas shopping; when you have stopped baking holiday treats (cookies, pies, cakes, etc.) once the season is over; when you have already attended all the Christmas parties that you can possibly go to (and who doesn't love a good Christmas party); and when you have put up all of your Christmas decorations (indoor and outdoor-even those some people might leave them up until Spring or even year round.) Pretty much, once the run of the holidays are over and done with, there is an emptiness inside of you, and then you start to feel somewhat depressed by the gray skies, cold temperatures and the sun setting earlier than usual (Daylight Saving Time.)

Exercise

This ranked at the top of almost everyone's list of goals for the new year (notice that I said "goals" and not "resolutions because we have the tendency to break our resolutions a few days or weeks in the next year, while goals are the destinations that we want to reach with the sense of real change, accomplishment and progress without the idea of failure crossing our minds at anytime.) The purpose here is to either lose weight or get their bodies toned or in shape for the summer. If you fall into this category, then go to your local gym, sign up for a year long membership (well, if you have the money for it) and get busy. Now, if you don't have the resources or the weather outside is bad, you can develop a workout routine in the comfort of your own home. Incorporate sit-ups, push-ups, jumping jacks, jump rope routines, etc. in your workout routines. Just make sure that you exercise in moderation without the chance of straining any muscles or breaking any bones. Also, if you like to run outside regardless of the weather conditions, by all means go for it, but be careful. If you wear too much clothing while jogging, you will pass out once the exercise routine is over. At the same time, if you go out running without covering up your skin in the cold weather, you will catch hypothermia very quickly. So dress warmly and comfortably before you go out there to jog.

Mind Stimulation

We are all guilty of this. Anytime we come home after work, school or any other activity, we turn on the TV, sit down on the couch or our favorite chair and that's it. Since we only just watch television and don't do anything else, at times, one hour after another, our brains can turn to mush by being inactive. You see, our brain is a muscle and just like any other muscle, we have to strengthen it. So how can we do it? Since we can two things at once, here are some solutions while watching television, or better yet, do these activities away from the television:

1. Read the newspaper or book

It is important to learn what's going on in the world because you don't want to be the person that doesn't know anything about current events, sports news, and celebrity news. After you're doing reading the newspaper, why don't you pick up a good book and start reading it. In today's world, everyone is so busy doing something (work, school, other activities, etc.) that we just can't slow down and relax. One way to relax is to get yourself something to eat, a hot or cool beverage, a book, a comfortable place to sit and just read.

2. Taking a class

Whether it's in the classroom or online, try to learn something new. If you really think that you seen it or heard it all before, you haven't. By taking a class, it allows you to learn something that you have never heard before and you can use the valuable information either at your job or for future reference in your personal life. Also, you can learn something outside of the classroom as well. If there is a specific hobby that you are into, then learn as much as you can about that activity. The knowledge you'll pick up while doing the research will show that you have a serious passion about something (i.e. your hobby, activist work, etc.)

3. Doing a crossword puzzle/brain teaser exercises

By doing the crossword puzzle along with the brain teaser exercise in the newspaper (local or national), you can test how much you really know. The puzzles and exercises are designed to challenge you and determine how smart you really are. The exercises are fun and I strongly encourage everyone to try it.

4. Learn a foreign language

If you ever wanted to learn how to speak a foreign language, now is the best time to do it. Now granted, studies have shown that is best to learn a new language when you are a child rather than as an adult, but that should not stop you from pick up a book, CD, DVD or mp3 and learn how to speak a foreign language. It takes time and patience to learn a new language but it will pay off in the long run.

The 4 above mentioned tips are exercises that will stimulate your mind, penetrate your soul
and just make you feel good all over because in each activity, you are 1) Gaining knowledge
and 2) Doing something that you would normally not do at all.

Writing

If you ever wanted to write that novel? How about that movie or television script? Better yet,
have you thought about composing songs? Go ahead and just do it. The only that going to stop you from doing it is self, so go and try it! Before you get started, do some homework and research how to do it. Once you are done, the first thing you must do before someone look at your work is copy write it immediately. As a writer, your worst fear is that you send off your work before copyrighting it. Then, the company would reject your work, rework a few things here and there in your piece, slap their name on it, and the next you know, they just stole your glory and possible fortune. You could sue them, but you wouldn't a leg to stand on because you never copyright your work.

Dancing

So you think you can dance, huh? Well, it's no secret that Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance are always in the top 10 or near the top of Nielsen's television ratings. Both shows are popular because of two reasons : 1) People like to watch other folks dance and
2) People love to dance. It is no mere coincidence that the number of people participating in Ballroom, Latin and Swing dancing has skyrocketed in popularity ever since both shows made its
television debut a few years ago. If you ever wanted to dance, go ahead and try it. If you have two left feet and can't dance at all, well that should not stop you from seeing what you can do on the dance floor. You can learn how to dance with a dance instructor or even better, you can bring a partner along to help you out.

Cooking

If you love to cook, but at the same time, prepare the same meals every single day of the week, why not give your regular dinner routine an extra kick by trying something different. Give it a shot by adding spicy and tasty dishes to your menu. Learn how to cook different types of meals such as Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Korean, etc. and you will be surprised how it will turn out. If you never cooked anything before in your life, give it a shot and see what happens. Of course, it's trial by error, and you will make some mistakes along the way and that's all right. Don't worry if you mess up, because we're all human and all of us have either burned up a dish or the meal didn't come out as originally planned. With repetition, creativity and patience, you can cook anything for anyone at anytime. Who knows, you could carve out a cooking career and become the next Paula Deen or Gordon Ramsay.

Playing an instrument

When you were a child or teen, did you ever play an instrument, or thought about it and never got around to it? Well, it's never too late to pick an instrument and learn how to play it. It doesn't matter if you're 8 or 100 years old, if you are interested in playing music, by all means, go for it. First, decide on which instrument(s) you like to play. Then, select a music teacher/instructor and learn music theory (major/minor chords and scales; the importance of time signature; find out how to find out what key a specific song is in; etc.) As a piano player, I know about the ups and downs of playing an instrument. You can never get bored playing an instrument because each musical style (Pop, Rock, R&B, Jazz, Blues, Funk, etc.) presents a new challenge and at the same time, it's a lot of fun learning those styles, too. If you want to be successful in playing an instrument, here are some my suggestions:

1) Time

You don't have to practice all day long in order to become really good in play an instrument, especially if you other obligations going on in your life right now( work, school, etc.) The minute that you have come free time, practice as much as possibly can. The key word here is practice because it doesn't matter how long you practice, but rather how many times a week you should practice. If you can't practice everyday, make it 5 to 6 times a week.

2) Patience

Okay, if you have never play an instrument before, you will get frustrated after a while because the song you are learning right now doesn't sound like the way that you want it. My advice is simple: start off slow and steady, and when you feel comfortable, then pick up the tempo of the song. The biggest thing that you have to realize when you begin playing an instrument is that you're not going to be great overnight. It takes a lot of patience and the desire that you want to

3) Repetition

As the old adage says: if you keep doing something over and over, you're going to better each and every time. The same is true when playing an instrument. Not only you must play with your favorite instrument on a regular basis, but also learn the major and minor scales, major and minor chords. Also, once you master the art of memorizing and playing a song without having the sheet music in front of you, then you are on your way to become a true artist.

Get out of the house

When the weather outside is fairly decent and if it's not too cold outside, then get out of the house as often as you can. While you're out, do some fun such as going to the movies, join an organization, participate in volunteer work, etc. Hibernation might be cool if you're a bear, but cabin fever is not the way to go if looks and feels temperature-wise okay outside.

If you are still feeling depressed as I finish up this article, cheer up. Spring is not that far off, but at the same time, you only wish that it would come fast enough.

What Would King Do?

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would have turned 81 years old on January 15. There has been a lot of changes in the United States and the rest of the world since his assassination in 1968. But the question here is what are some of the things that King would like and dislike. Now I can't think for Dr. King because he was a man with his own thoughts and opinions, but it would be
interesting to see if he were alive today, what are some of the things that King like and what
are things that he would not like at all.

Things that King would have liked:

1. First African American President


King would have been ecstatic to see a black man as the commander in chief, especially of
what African Americans have endured in the history of the United State (slavery, Jim Crow, horrible acts of violence ) and continue to go through to this day. However, he would dismissed the idea of a "post racial America." As long as bigotry, hatred, discrimination, ignorance, prejudice, intolerance, stereotyping and the not fair and balance treatment of minorities (African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans,those of Pacific Islander decent) still continues here in 2011 a "post racial"America will NEVER happen.



2. Minorities as elected political officials

King believed in mobilizing people in order to fight for a cause along with the idea of
participating in the political process. Over the last forty years, minorities not only engage
in voting but also became elected officials in all phases of politics (Mayor, Senator, Governor,
City council, etc.) Also, minorities has made some moves working in the higher levels of
government, too in the past 20 years, include Secretary of State (Colin Powell, Condoleezza
Rice) Secretary of Labor (Linda Solis); Attorney General (Eric Holder); Joint Chief of Staff
(Powell); Surgeon General (Dr. Jocelyn Edlers and Dr. David Satcher); Supreme Court (Justice Clarence Thomas); and the founding of the Congressional Black Caucus. Now, you only hope
that younger minorities will pick up the torch and continue to participate and eventually have
a career in politics. The turnout for the 2008 presidential campaign was a good indication, but the lack of participation in the 2010 mid term election was not a good sign. We shall see where it goes from here.

3. Racial groups working and socializing together

King had a vision of people of different races and cultures getting together without conflict and he would have been happy seeing this going on at various places such as work, school, neighborhoods, social functions and sporting events. However, he would not like the idea that some people may choose to segregate theme selves and not learn more about another person's culture. In my opinion, by isolating yourself from everyone, you will live a sad life because you will never know how much similarities you might have with someone of another race or ethnicity.

4. Minorities doing well in education

King would have been pleased to see minorities doing well in education, not only graduating from high school but also have a serious interest in higher education (earning a Bachelor's Masters and/or Doctoral degree.) However, he would have been disappointed to hear that certain minority high school students can only read at grade school level and that they are likely to drop out of school well before graduation. The reason why students should say in school is that with a good education they can create the life they always wanted. Students that drop out of school early are more likely to get involved in drugs and crime and besides, who really want to have a life like that?

5. Minorities doing well in sports and entertainment

While King would applaud the success of athletes and entertainers both professionally and on the business side, he would probably encourage them to speak out about social issues. While there are athletes and entertainers would are doing that right now, there are others out there who's only interested in the money aspect and that's about it. That's fine and all, but if you have the platform to speak, along with the fact that your fans follow your every word, use the stage to talk about issues that affect you personally.



Things that King would not like

1. The Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq

King was a man of peace and believed that nonviolence was the way to go to solve any
problem. On April 4, 1967 King spoke out against the Vietnam War. If you listen to that
speech (check it out on Youtube) just remove the words "Saigon" and "Vietnam" and
replace it with "Baghdad" and "Kabul"because you can use that speech to describe what
is going on in both Iraq and Afghanistan right now.

2. Inequalities among women and minorities

Women and minorities have come a long way over the last 40 years. However, everything is
not equal for all people. For example, for every dollar a man makes, a woman is paid $.80 and
for minorities, it's less than that. The feeling is this: if everyone has the same level of education and similar qualifications for the job, then everyone should have equal pay for equal work. Also, there are inequalities when it comes to health care, education, housing, the judicial system as well. King wanted everyone to be treated equally, regardless of their gender, race or ethnicity and it's too bad in 2011 that people are still treated like this.

3. The violence in the US


King would be disappointed to see how violent this country has become. Cities in the United States has been affected by the number of gangs along with the fact that people can get
access to drugs and guns anywhere at anytime. Those three elements can create a violent
environment and it can get to the point where, depending where you live at, that you can't
even walk in your own neighborhood without someone might try to do something to you.
Also, it's sad to see and understand how can people can commit such violent act and doesn't feel any remorse about it. Whether it's the senseless daily violence taking place in the streets and communities in America or the recent shocking tragedy in Tucson, Arizona, people had this shoot first and don't care about the other person mentality and it's just insane. If you have
a beef with another person, fine, but don't pick a gun to solve the problem because it will make the situation worse that it really is.


4. Hatred spread online

The Internet is great because it allows people to connect with each other along with

the chance to meet new friends and talk about anything on their mind. However, if

the issue is about race, the message boards online can really show the ugly side of people. Whatever it's about a highly debated issue (the immigration bill in Arizona) or a prominent news story (remember Bethany Storro, the Vancouver woman who last year made up the hoax that an African American woman threw acid in her face) people will go online and use racial slurs and comments to express themselves. They can hide behind a computer screen and submit their hate filled comments without getting themselves in trouble. Also, online is a target for hate groups to not only spread their own hatred but also recruit new members to their organization.
They say that they are protected by the Freedom of Speech Amendment. Yes, you can say and do anything that you want, but use to spread peace and goodwill, not hate.

5. Poverty in the US and the world

When King was assassinated on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee, he was there for
the Poor People's Campaign, a campaign designed to help out poverty stricken citizens by talking about their plight and come with ways to solve their problem ( the proposed idea was to provide housing, full employment and the promise to have annual income for those who were down and out.) Today, he would have been depressed to see so many people either unemployed; living at or below the poverty line; homeless; along with looking at the long line of folks just waiting for food at each food bank across the United States.



6. Certain politicians, talk show hosts and people in general taking his words, twisting them
and use it to their advantage.

I have two words for those folks out there who engage in this type of behavior: "STOP IT!"
King said in his 1963 "I Have a dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. to judge everyone by "content of their character and not by the content of skin." Unfortunately, they are some people out there who want to take that part of the speech and use it to rail against Affirmative Action and to back up the idea of reverse discrimination policies. I'll tell you right now, there is NO WAY King would stand by and let people do this to any of his speeches.

Conclusion

While writing this article, obviously I have no idea what Dr. King would do or even think about when it comes to issues that affect all of us in today's world. But I gave it a chance and see what happened if Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were alive today in 2011, what would he say and what would he do?