The thing is these people don’t understand my polite brush off. They think it’s interest because I’m not actually yelling at them like everyone else. I usually like to make eye contact & smile at people, but the mall completely prohibts that unless you want to walk away with $400 worth of hair accessories or perfume that smells like dog’s breath. I just want to go to the store of my choosing & then eat Chinese food in a court like atmosphere. Is that really asking so much? Instead, I feel like I’ve just run through a gauntlet. I understand that they probably work on commission but they are single handily killing my shopping experience & just plain kindness. Does anyone know a way around this? How do you handle kiosk people?

Technorati : kind, polite, shopping

I’ve enjoyed watching “A Model Life” on TLC. It documents six women who are trying to make it in the business, with the help of Petra. There is only one (Angelika) who has the model high maintenance thing going on. The other five girls seem genuinely nice, a little insecure, even grateful. I guess that I don’t have to imagine a big controversy with princesses & models in a boxing ring duking it out, I think it’s possible to be both.

Technorati : fashion, model, model life, petra, runway, tlc, tv

So I was excited to see a movie coming out Opening August 24th in select theaters: Eye of the Dolphin. It looks like a movie that everyone can enjoy, with a fantastic storyline written by Wendell Morris, who is a three time Emmy Winner. The movie is about a teenager who gets expelled from an LA high school. Then she has to go live with her distant father in the Bahamas, where Alyssa befriends a dolphin. The really amazing part of the story is that Alyssa & the dolphin try to help the impoverished people in the Bahamas. That is definitely a positive role model for teenagers to look up to, something that anyone can learn from. I just wish there were more movies coming out like this one.

1. No one seemed to want the money, or believe she was really giving it away.

2. She asked the Star to come & document the experience. The reporter thought that Kathy was Kathy Lee, or working for Oprah. (No wonder tabloids have such weird stories). Then the camera was out of batteries so they ended up using a disposable camera.

3. Kathy didn’t get the credit, the people who were brave enough to actually take the money always hugged the wrong person.

Yes, it’s probably wrong to try to get publicity out of a random act of kindness. However, it showed that she was a good sport. Plus, she could’ve done a lot less for the same story, she could have given away only $1,000. So I guess it really was a random act of kindness after all, even though it was planned.

When we think of beauty Mother Teresa may not be the first person that comes to mind. However, she was one of the most beautiful people that has ever lived. I really wished that her life was more of a focus instead of the many young ladies who are plastered on the tabloids month after month. I have learned the following lessons from studying her life.

• Sometimes we have to break tradition in order to better serve others. Mother Teresa traded in her traditional Loreto habit for a simple white cotton sari with a blue border.

• Never give up, even when you can’t see the good you are doing. The first year of her ministry, Mother Teresa was penniless & had to beg for food & supplies. This helped her to be empathetic with the people she would help.

• You are never done serving. Even if you have won a Noble prize there is more to be done. Even if you are tired & have been working at it for 39 years.

I first heard this poem entitled “Anyways” & it was said that Mother Teresa wrote it.  After some research, there was a theory that it just hung on the wall of one of her orphanages & was called, “The Final Analysis”.  So, wikiquote has it simply as unsourced, but it’s something that I try to keep in mind when I get angry, hard to believe that someone with the screename Sarakastic would get angry, but it does happen.

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have,
and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis,
it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

I happened upon a site called celebritygossip today, & I got all the latest headlines in just seconds. The site is pink (adorable) & easy to use. Unlike the TV, you can vote on the stories & even leave comments. This is great because who wouldn’t have comments after learning that Lindsay Lohan’s birthday party has been canceled? It’s so much better than yelling at the TV, because my opinion actually can be heard, & there can be a discussion about it. Granted, I love the TV, but this site is even better.

It’s just such an interesting idea that I’ve never thought about before. I would definitely want make-up tips from Katie, but that’s not really a chore. If I did let them clean, I would probably have cleaned it in advance, kinda like fixing your hair before you go to the hair dresser. I guess my least favorite chore would have to be ironing, & that doesn’t seem so embarrassing as asking a celebrity to clean the toliet would be. I have a new respect for these stars, you have to be a very good spot to agree to do this. What chore would you have them do?

1.  I realized that everyone can do something to make the world a better place, even if they are the most unlikely person.  It doesn’t have to be big.  Most of these changes were brought about by personal tragedy.  From now on, I will try to remember this & turn my problems into strength & beauty.

2.  There are good people in the world..  When I watch the news, I am often disgusted by the cruelty of humanity, or the absurdness of celebrities.  There are so many people I have never heard of who are doing their part to make the world a better place.  This is true beauty.

3.  I overall just felt happier.  It was a good project, because I was involved in some small part by writing about it, finding more information, instead of just reading. I learned about a lot of great charities & causes. I encourage everyone to sit down & write about who they think is amazing.

These women have inspired me to become better & not be discouraged about how much there is to fix in the world.  Instead, I must find a way to make it better, in my own way.

"Imagine trying to get hundreds of organizations – each one independent and working on many, many issues – to feel that each is a critical element of the development of a new movement. I wanted each to feel that what they had to say about campaign planning, thinking, programs, actions was important. So, instead of sending letters, I’d send everyone faxes. People got in the habit of faxing back. This served two purposes – people would really have to think about what they were committing to doing before writing it down, and we have a permanent, written record of almost everything in the development of the campaign from day one."

In 1997 Jody was named as one of Forbes most 100 powerful women. She also received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997.