Happy June! Advice, Drugs & Alcahol & MySpace

I finally figured out how to edit my MySpace.com page. I hesitated to put one up, and I might end up deleting it, but for now, it looks pretty cool. Colin has one on there and once he did it, I had to do it too! I'm normally not a follower, but hey, what's fair is fair!

So, here's what I wrote over at Myspace.com:

Happy June Y'all! I can't believe 2007 is pretty much half gone, it's been an amazing year so far! I've learned and laughed a lot!!! :)

I know this is my first entry, but I want to write about something that has been irritating me for the last week.

A lot of the young celebrities around my age are getting busted for DUI's, drugs and repeated stints in rehab, and I just have to say: ENOUGH! Stop whinning, stop complaining, stop blaming and take responsibility for your actions!

The first step to recovery is self-awareness and the ability to be honest with yourself!
Heck, that's the first step in ANY type of recovery, substance-related or othersie!
I may live in Vegas, and I'm by no means perfect, but these girls seriously need help!

Drinking and driving is NEVER okay-- under any circumstances, what so ever. Call a cab, call a friend, for these girls, call your limo driver--anything but driving drunk.

It is true that everyone makes their own choices, but when you drink and drive, you are making the choices for everyone else on the road. You are helping to decide the fate of everyone around you--and that's unfair, disrespectful and downright wrong. I have no tolerance for drunk driving.

I have little tolerance for excessive drinking anyway. Sure, I've been drunk like once or twice in my life--but that was enough. Why getting drunk is perceived as fun is beyond me. My generation may not be doing the drugs that my parents' generation did, but in my opinion, drinking and alcahol consumption is highly overated!

I can understand a glass of wine here and there, or even a great margarita, but the line between drinking for pleasure and getting drunk and being stupid is so thin that to me, it's just not worth it. Too many people don't know where that line is to begin with and therefore, have no idea when they cross it!

Perhaps I am talking as the daughter of an alcaholic (my ex step-dad), but you know what, I'm glad I had that. It made me realize the serious effects alcahol can have on one's life. It's not that wine or beer or alcahol in general that is bad, it's the domino effect they have once they get out of control.

Addiction is a horrible, horrible disease. I suppose on some level, we're all addicted to something; be it TV, computers, the Internet, caffine, video games, shopping, etc....but some addictions are more prominent and more life-altering than others.

Addiction to alcahol and drugs is a never ending cycle, and even when one is sober and clean for any length of time, the chance of "falling of the wagon," is always eminent.

I've been asked why I never cared for drinking or partying, and the truth is, it's not that I don't like to have fun. I just don't need to drink or be drunk to do it! It's not that I want to be the "best," or most "moral," person around.(I've had my share of sins.)

Quite frankly, alcahol and drugs scare the hell out of me. I figure the best way to avoid the two getting out of control is to avoid them all together! I undertand why people want to do drugs and drink, life is a blessing, but let's face it, sometimes life sucks. Life is hard, it's trying, it's difficult. We all want to escape something. But, being able to look something in the face, deal with it, live though it and come out better for it is so much better than becoming numb to it.
Numbness only delays having to deal with something. Ignoring things does not make them go away. And eventually, all that ignoring and numbing bites you in the butt. So for me, I just try and deal with things head on, from the start. That way, I can't say I didn't try. I've had things I've wanted to escape, absolutely, but I'd like to think that for the most part, I've worked to deal with whatever was handed to me. I was given a pretty fair hand too!

I like my life, the way it's gone so far, and while there are things I am still dealing with (always will be), I'm so darn glad I didn't miss out on any of it. Some memeories are better than others, but at least they're mine and I can remember them. That is such a gift!

So, in conclusion I think that all these young starlets should just get their heads out of their butts, stop whinning, STAY IN REHAB, pay their dues and get a clue. They sincerely need to grow up, and it is my prayer that they do.

My bigger prayer, however, is that other people my age will NOT listen to these seemingly clueless women. Please know that drugs and alcahol is NOT the way. It will not get you anywhere what so ever. Drugs and alcahol may be fun for a very short while. But in the end, NOTHING GOOD ever comes from them. Anyone and everyone who's done them for an extended amount of time would whole heartedly agree with me. Please find another way to have fun and enjoy yourself. Learn to deal with life. Try meditation, try God, try therapy, try family/friends/loved ones, try anything at all--drugs and alcahol are not the answer. They're not cool, they're not pretty and a lot of times, they're deadly.

And I'm personally not willing to die for that kind of a good time!

I figured while I was giving free advice to others, I'd write about the advice I've given. I'm sure I've written about in here before, but for good advice's sakes, let me share it again:

My mother gave me these words to live by: it's all about balance! It's such a difficult thing and as a woman, I think it's harder to balance it all. Work, school, family, friends, significant others, children, personal, etc, etc, etc. Whatever it may be, we're all experiencing one great big juggling act! But, my mother told me it's not just about balancing time, it's also about balancing yourself. I balance myself by keeping in close touch with my friends, and meditating. Perhaps that balance lesson is percisely why I never tried drugs. I knew that drugs and drinking would prevent me from ever having any kind of balance in my life! Thanks Mom!

My mother's other piece of advice was this: anything in moderation is fine, anything in excess WILL kill you. So, an occasional drink or doughnut is fine. And occasional extravegant purchase is fine. Too much of anything is never a good thing. No matter what it is. Moderation is the key!
My mother told me once that the way a man treats his mother is a clear indication of how he will treat you. That was recent, but so true! A man who loves and respects his mama (without being a total mama's boy) will love and respect you!

My mother also gave me the following advice: believe in the power of the word; always be loyal, always try and be fair, and always be the bigger, nicer person. She always told me that I was no better, but no worse, than anyone else. She also taught me the Golden Rule, treat others the way you want to be treated!

My friend, JoJo, told me that everything is temporary. She shares this philosophy on her myspace page! It's so true. Good, bad or indifferent, everything is temporary, including life! When the going gets tough, just remember that, and when things are going wonderful, remember this as well--it'll make you savor and enjoy it that much more!

My dad told me to "always be thankful for the things you don't have AND don't want, instead of looking at the things you want and don't have."

My girlfriends collectively told me that, love should always outweigh need.
They also told me "don't be in such a hurry, slow down." This is great all the way around--concerning everything!

My boyfriend has given me advice too, on lots of things, but only when I ask. He freely gives his opinion, but not so much his advice. I like that about him. The thing I can most hear him saying to me whenever I'm freaked out about something is "everyone does it, don't worry, it'll be okay." Not EVERYONE does EVERYTHING, but usually we're talking about big things like moving out, marriage and so on. I'll have to ask his advice on something specific so I can come back here and put it in this entry--as a P.S. of course!

Wynonna Judd once said, "remember you're a human BEING, not a human doing." And my other Wy(nonna) favorite is: "there are two ways to come out of anything, bitter or better. I choose better!" And so do I!

When I asked her about relationships, my Grandma E. said "women usually always give more than men. So get to used to it." My grandma also gave me this advice: "you are what you meditate upon, don't ever underestimate the power of energy and creation." That's a daily thing that's important to keep in mind!

Other than that, I can't remember. My friends seem to come to me for advice as much as I go to them, and I like it that way. I love that I have a great network of people in my life that I can bounce ideas off of, who also bounce them off of me. It's fantastic!

Thank you Lord for another beautiful day! A long, hot, productive day! And thank you for my boyfriend's understanding, hopefully, he'll talke my email to heart and not end up mad at me for writing it. I had to say what I felt. We have real communication and it goes both ways! Please keep my mom safe on vacation and let me have a restful, relaxing weekend full of fun! God, You, and my life, are truly awesome!

In Light N' Love,
-Sarah :)