Failing our Children

My boyfriend's friend believes the world is coming to an end. He is prepared for it in just about every way: food storage, gear, a go-to location, etc. I've asked him countless times why he believes the world is coming to an end, and his answers have always involved the economy, politics, foreign policy, and so on. 


Today I read an article someone a posted on FB, and it's not something I would normally read or post, but it's got me thinking. Look at today's youth. Now, I used to work at a world famous toy store, and I observed kids' actions and behaviors with their families. Let me be the first to say, there are a lot of brats out there. My brother who is five years my junior was tortured in elementary school. Other kids would break and steal his things. For years it was one kid who constantly did things to him up until middle school where my brother finally got sick of it and stood up for himself. There are a lot of brats out there.


My mom told me a story her friend told her. Her friend's grandson, as some relatives say, is a demon and/or evil. This boy is four years old. A four year old knowingly killed a helpless abandoned chihuahua puppy. He threw the poor thing out into the rain, launching it from his shoulder out into the yard. His grandmother tried her best to save the helpless creature, but it had suffered brain damage and didn't make it through the night. When my mom told me what that boy had done, I so much wanted to show him what it'd felt like for the puppy. I can't believe how hateful and evil a small child can be.


I'd always thought that kids these days acted the way they did because their parents didn't discipline them. It seemed the children get everything they want and become spoiled. With kids like this around the country, around the world, how can we expect them to save our failing planet?


This article is something I wouldn't normally post, but it needs to be read, and it needs to be heard.

Apparently the White House referred to Christmas Trees as Holiday Trees for the first time this year which prompted CBS presenter, Ben Stein, to present this piece which I would like to share with you. I think it applies just as much to many countries as it does to America …


The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees. I don’t feel threatened. I don’t feel discriminated against. That’s what they are, Christmas trees.

It doesn’t bother me a bit when people say, ‘Merry Christmas’ to me. I don’t think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn’t bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a creche, it’s just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don’t like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don’t think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can’t find it in the Constitution and I don’t like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren’t allowed to worship God ? I guess that’s a sign that I’m getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it’s not funny, it’s intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham’s daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her ‘How could God let something like this happen?’ (regarding Hurricane Katrina).. Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, ‘I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we’ve been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?’

In light of recent events… terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O’Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn’t want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn’t spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock’s son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he’s talking about. And we said okay.

Now we’re asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don’t know right from wrong, and why it doesn’t bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with ‘WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.’

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world’s going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send ‘jokes’ through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?

The Best Friend

Her name is Becca, and I've known her since we spent long hours in a redneck school. Our friendship truly began to develop in the halls of the 8th grade, where we suffered in reading and science together. We came from completely different backgrounds: Becca was born and raised in the country, never moved anywhere, and grew up surrounded by family and the same group of friends; I on the other hand come from a military family which came with relocation, different schools, different friends, distant family. I live in a military city, which changes daily; she lives in the middle of nowhere. 

Despite our different backgrounds and locations, a friendship was born in those classes we despised. It was in those classes that our names of Steve and Billybob originated. And later, in the classrooms of the high school was where our comics were created, and have since relished. Where there was a demon teacher, there was a comic that told of many ways we would defeat her. It was our ambition to one day turn those comics into a TV show and air them on Adult Swim. 

One thing I love about Becca is how nerdy she is, and I wouldn't change it for the world. She knows Star Wars, Star Trek, and just about every super hero. She watches all the nerd movies; Iron Man, Thor, Star Trek, the X-Men series, Spiderman. She likes The Big Bang Theory, which I admit I enjoy as well. Another way Becca nerds it up is through video games: God of War, Rock Band, Dragon Age. She can answer any question with a Beetles song (which was a game she and her best friend, Brittney played).

I'd have to say the nerdiest thing Becca does is write a fanfiction for Dragon Age. I haven't read it, but I try my best to encourage her to keep writing. Perhaps one day she'll be an author. 

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6488428/1/Call_to_Arms

Becca has a heart of gold, warm and motherly. She's shy and can have low self esteem at times. I try to tell her she's amazing and that she needs to be happy with who she is. She loves art and wants to teach it to our country's children, but people look down on her for it. I think it's a wonderful thing; kids need a creative outlet  for their emotions, whether it be through painting, story writing, or piano playing. Art is as important for children as writing was for Shakespeare. Without art, video games, clothing lines, and houses wouldn't exist. Everything involves art, and I believe people forget that.

Becca is also insecure about her appearance. I want her to love herself. Becca and I know know a few girls who are bigger than her and love the way they are. Big and beautiful. I want Becca to have the same confidence, minus the skank clothing, haha.

 Becca and I have shared many awkward moments, from watching big girls dance like they're in a strip club to finding toenail clippings and red pubic hair on our Astronomy desks.

One winter's day on campus...

Me: It's cold as Hell out here!

Becca: Hell isn't cold?

Me: It will be when I get there.

later...

Becca: I'll meet you in your frozen Hell.

Me: I greet you to my frozen paradise with hot chocolate.

Once, Becca texted me while on campus, "So guess what happened to me today? I got hit by a dead bird!"

An epic moment of Becca's...

Becca: Idk how to say OK in Spanish.

Me: OK is universal.

Becca: So is my middle finger.

Which was later ruined by...

We had a student teacher in a college English class. Becca was driving us around on campus one day...

Me: Hey there's Chris!

Becca: Honk at him!

*awkward silence*

Yea, Becca nad I have had many good times together in the past, and plan to have many more in the future. I've told her that when I get married she's to be my maid of honor.

I can't wait to see what our future has in store. =]

Review: L'oreal Paris VS John Frieda

I am a natural blonde with dark eyebrows. I've been dyeing my hair brown and red off and on for the last few years. In the beginning of the summer my hair was a medium reddish brown (from dying dark brown over red). My roots were coming in, which look grey against the brown, and I decided for the summer I would go back to blonde. My best friend and I started the process using L'oreal Paris' Colorist Secrets Haircolor Remover, which said my target color was orange. After washing the product out, my hair was just a lighter brown with orange patches. I then tried dyeing my hair blonde using John Frieda Precision Foam Colour - Medium Golden Blonde 8G, which did nothing to my hair.

The next morning I bought L’oreal Paris Super Blonde crème lightening kit #200 bleach blonde for medium brown to darkest brown hair. It is a bleach, it does not really have a strong odor, but if you’re like me and love the foam application of hair dye, this is a pain in the butt. The instructions say to not leave in for more than an hour. An hour after I'd finished applying it to my hair I washed out the product as instructed and my hair came out orange. I’ve read that if bleach is not left in long enough it has this effect. My irritation was that this product was specifically for dark hair, and after an hour of it processing it made my hair orange still.

I had bought two boxes of this because my hair is really thick. I used only one box and planned to try again a week later, but decided against it.

I decided that I like myself better as a brunette, so Friday I dyed my hair using John Frieda Precision Foam Colour - Deep Brown Black 3N. I am much happier with the color, which looks more natural. My family and coworkers all like it better as well. 

Honestly I was afraid it was going to be too dark for my skin tone, but I think it came out great. I am in love with this line; it's very easy to apply with minimal cleanup. The smell of it is amazing; the dye itself even smells good and the conditioner is to "dye" for, haha. My hair usually doesn't hold color well, but I have no problems with John Frieda. No wash out (I have yet to try the reds though). Smiles all around. I definitely recommend this product above any other haircolor brands that I have used.

New

Hi,
I'm new to this whole blogging thing, but I decided I'd give it a try. Let me first start by introducing myself. You may know me as hyeppl (HEY-PEEPL); I have had this username since I was nine years old. I've used it on pretty much everything from emails to instant messengers to social networks. Why "hyeppl"? Well, I've been listening to Korean music since I was nine, and a singer I listened to was named HyeSung. "Hye" in Korean is pronounced "hey" in English (at least this is what I was told by a Korean friend of mine). So, as a nine-year-old, I thought it clever to add "hye" to "ppl". Enough about me. So, why am I blogging? Well, for various reasons. I would like to review products such as hair dyes and cosmetics. I would like to tell of my everyday adventures in college, such as how I met my wonderful boyfriend and practically stalked him daily ;) Finally, I would like to tell of my best friend and of the wisdom I try to share with her. Sometimes she does not understand, and sometimes there is a delay. But some of the wisdom I share with her I would like to share with others. In no way ever would I preach to those who read this, if anyone reads this for that matter. But even though I am young, I have ventured through many things, perhaps not always first-handed, but I have insight that may help people who seek guidance.


Now, the blog name. Why is it called this? Well way back in the eighth grade with my best friend, and yes she is still my best friend today years later, we had nicknames for each other. I was Steve, and she was Billy Bob. She has been renamed since, to the Singing Bee as she always breaks out in song. We have comics drawn that go back to high school. The plan is to find some good ones and share. We have very creative minds, and always wanted to create a show on Adult Swim, or have Shane Dawson recreate it in one of his skits. Hopefully, who ever reads this will share in our laughter.