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Celebrating my triumphant return to the blog with a Religious Holiday that represents the start of a "new year" for pagans and also celebrates the lives of those who have passed on.  Halloween as a religious Holiday is a joke to most as the real purpose of the Holiday has been mocked through the years and has now become a corporate fueled holiday, much like Christmas. For me as a new pagan, and as one who is leaning more towards the practices of herbal-ism and mediation, my Samhain (SAH-win) focuses on reflection and renewal.   But here's some stuff you probably didn't know; All Hallows Eve, Saints Day, and Halloween are Christian names. Most of today's Halloween practices are christian ones. Pumpkin carvings to ward off spirits and dressing up in scary masks was the christian way of "protecting" themselves from the Celtic practices that they believed were bringing evil unto the world.  Dia De Los Muertos is closest to the TRUE S...

I don't know what I'm supposed to do or say in these situations. So in turn I choose not to watch the videos, I choose not to follow the cases, and I choose to stay quiet. Why? I don't feel as though i'm someone in a position to have an opinion about all this. This is not to say I don't feel a certain way about what I see. It turns my stomach and it scares me. Because only being afraid of receiving a speeding ticket is no longer enough, I'm now afraid of loosing my life. Cue eye-rolls from people who question my "blackness". My early opinions were along the lines of "Well if they just listened..." "If they cooperated..." "If they watched their tone..." The way I saw it, most people of color lacked a respect for law enforcement. But now these things no longer apply. Now even cooperating can get you shot. What is respect if it's bred from fear? I refused to believe that cops could be so cruel and downr...

I've been accomplishing a lot lately. Literally full steam ahead for the past month or so and I can say that it has paid off. My Twitter following is on the rise, as is that of this blog. With so many projects rolling along nicely my first flop hit me pretty hard about a week ago. Please allow me to step into my other self. The me that loves  anime, manga, and comics.  One of my side projects has been to bring a little taste of real life into what I experience among friends that also enjoy my nerdy indulgences and at conventions. My Facebook page and eventual channel " EchoTV " was to debut with a panel on diversity in cosplay at Otakon 2016; the convention's last year in my home town. When the convention emailed to tell me my panel application for "Cosplaying While Black" was denied, I was angry and wanted an explanation. (One I have yet to receive) In my rejection letter they basically say that they didn't properly go through all submissions ...

So I have written about this topic before. When Paris was attacked, I was ashamed (even of myself) of the way people reacted to this country going through what they did. It was sad and we felt for them. But has anyone else noticed that we only ever feel for these "super power" countries when so many other places go through this everyday? The following is what I wrote after Paris. Every one of us is guilty. We tend not to change the color overlay of our facebook pictures for countries like Afghanistan or Syria. Most of us don't even know that China's youth is so opressed and depressed that they're locking themselves away in their rooms and even killing themselves. No one bat an eye at the college campus in Kenya where 147 people were killed. And the Paris media attention drowned out the suicide bombing tragedy in Beirut one day before. What happened in Paris is indeed a tragedy. But it brings to light how we as Americans pick and choose who to show ou...

I usually try to cover things that are a bit more personal with these updates, so with that said I think I get to rant at least a little. There are several things Iv'e noticed about my own generation that both excite and sicken me. There are those of us who can set our minds to amazing feats and through unrelenting willpower and unconventional means, usually get the job done. Then there are a great many who want everything served up to them, cry when they don't get their way and are for the most part are all talk. At this point in our lives, where all of us are basically adults, we need to stop acting like children and get real about our future. It's already messed up as it is with previous generations going about things the way we are now. They "didn't think it would happen" or "ignored the signs" and now we're faced with things like; no social security for ANYONE in our generation a planet that's killing itself  pay that is ...

Img Src: phanniemay tumblr Women are each other's worst enemies when we should be each other's greatest asset. My general attitude towards other women is genuine excitement at their happiness and beauty. My first instinct is not to criticize but to uplift and this is hardly found in female interactions. My question on this matter is, why do women treat each other so harshly when the world is already against them? It's a waste of time and energy to put down ANY woman for ANYTHING. Just because you do not agree with a woman's choices in life, clothing, work, religion, or how she was educated it does not make her less than you. If you seriously think you are just that much better than anyone else I cannot wait for the day where the truth comes to put you in your place.  I never even thought too much about my attitude on women until a friend and old coworker pointed out to me how my attitude toward her made her feel. (this is the second time she's done t...

This like really needs to be discussed. And I will try not to rant but I feel like I need someone to explain to me why this is an acceptable course of action for someone who wants to travel. I've seen about three young ladies on my Facebook feed create GoFundMe accounts so they could go abroad for study. Memories of all three ladies leaves a sour taste in my mouth although I have not seen most of them in almost five or more years. But back then these were girls who were spoiled, obnoxious, and all around mean-spirited. Now setting the past aside... While part of me says "It's great to want to expand your horizons." the rest of me says "Why should I pay for your travel?" I really don't give a rat's *ss that you're studying business and want to go to Europe for three weeks. I went for two and the only person I asked for money was my mother. When I couldn't afford to go to Japan two years later for photography, I JUST DIDN'T GO! ...