21May 2014 by CJ

YOU have to make the decision to move on

Life & Living
Regardless of one’s good intentions - void of malice or spite - things don’t usually work out as we’d like them to. It’s funny, no matter how much you try to convince yourself of the possibility for a positive outcome, there’s always that little part of your brain that knows your expectations are highly unrealistic. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned in life it’s to be hopeful for the future, because sometimes life does in fact surprise you. Unfortunately, this post is not being written about one of those occasions. Jodi Picoult, author of Salem Falls writes: “Words are like eggs dropped from great heights; you can no more call them back than ignore the mess they leave when they fall.” Writing this blog, I’m well aware of how…
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08May 2014 by CJ

Masculinity should be defined by MORE than just strength

Information & Education, Life & Living, Youth
Our society has long proclaimed what they believe comprises the measure of a man – courage and bravery; dominance and power; unfeeling and cold. These distinctions are nothing new however. From the dawn of the caveman to the ancient Romans to those roaming the earth this very day, men have continuously defined themselves by their strength, NOT their emotions. We see sensitivity and emotional expression as a flaw in the armor that protects the reputation of masculinity – often questioning any man who dances to the beat of a much different drum. I’ve personally spent years battling this stigma – always more in tune with my emotional side, rather than caring to support the antiquated beliefs of my gender. I’ve come to understand that the measure of one’s manhood goes…
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07May 2014 by CJ

Processed foods and rubber shoes should have nothing in common

Information & Education, Life & Living
Subway, one of the biggest bread makers in the world, recently removed a chemical from its bread recipe that’s typically used to increase elasticity in everything from yoga mats to rubber shoes to imitation leather. Soft drink giant Coca-Cola, following Pepsi’s lead, recently said it will begin removing brominated vegetable oil (BVO) from its drinks. BVO is a flame retardant often used on plastics and kids clothing. At times it’s almost unfathomable to think of how many chemical substances are allowed on the recipe cards of processed and fast foods. While the FDA might exist to protect the public’s health, I can’t help but wonder how they honestly believe examples like I’ve mentioned above will not negatively affect a person’s body over time. Are they simply naïve? Are they yet…
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06May 2014 by CJ

Today’s seeds bring tomorrows happiness

Information & Education, Life & Living
On a shelf in my home lives a collection of books my wife and I have collected over the years. They range from old fiction novels, to Jane Austin classics, to children and picture books which hold some sentimental meaning to both of us. On the very last shelf, tightly pressed between a pair of Funk & Wagnalls dictionaries and a large Bible my wife received from her grandfather is an old, tattered looking book. It’s about the size of a magazine, with a pale blue hard cover and duct tape holding its binding together. It’s my grandmother’s high school yearbook. It was June 13th, 1940. The Lyndhurst, New Jersey high school auditorium was filled with eager family and friends, all anticipating the upcoming ceremony scheduled to begin at 8:15…
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30Apr 2014 by CJ

You may not always win the battle, but that doesn’t mean you should stop fighting

Life & Living, Youth
“Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are a good person is a little like expecting the bull not to attack you because you are a vegetarian.” -Dennis Wholey I suppose I’m a little naïve when it comes to the workings of the world. Deep down there’s a part of me that believes if you stand up for injustices you feel passionately about, while making a strong and factual argument, that you have the power to change things for the better. To abolish or at least contain the unfairness that seems to plague every facet of our society. But as I said, I’m a little naïve and life simply doesn’t resolve itself neat and tidy like an episode of Little House on the Prairie. Still, that doesn’t stop…
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