Self Made Man

The recent Time Magazine (January 30th issue) included a review of the book Self-Made Man,written by Norah Vincent. I haven't read the book yet, but it sounds like a great read. More importantly, it has the potential to help men and women better understand each other.

Norah Vincent spent 18 months posing as a man before writing her story. The end result helps us better understand gender differences. She found that the gender gap is pretty wide, but also that genders can learn to understand each other better.

Women often seem to think that a woman's way is better than a man's way of doing things. (Yes, I'm female, and yes, I'm guilty of this too.) Men tend to think their way is better. Self-Made Man suggests that we should be learning more from each other.

It's time to recognize that differences are what make this world a better place to live. Books like this can only help.

Now we just need a man to live like a woman for 18 months....

Simple Plan

I love it when a band I like does good things.

As you can tell by the title, Simple Plan is the band I am talking about. Here is the announcement I read today:

Lava/Atlantic recording artists Simple Plan have announced the launch of the Simple Plan Foundation, a charitable organization that will devote time and energy to raise money to help teenagers in need. The foundation will focus on young teens dealing with the hardships of growing up: drug addiction, poverty, depression, suicide, and other struggles. It will also donate funds to various medical and social organizations that care for sick children, and promote music education as a way for kids to find a passion and direction in life.

The band states, "These are issues that truly matter to us because a lot of our fans go through difficult times. We get tons of very sad letters and emails, and we also meet a lot of these kids at our shows, so we get a direct perspective on this dramatic social problem. It's heart-wrenching to see how many young kids are struggling, feeling depressed and lost. We are launching the Simple Plan Foundation to hopefully make a difference in their lives. We feel it's the least we can do."

I love their attitude, too. They have grown quite a bit and have decided to sing what they want without worrying about what label listeners put on it. They just want to make good music, which they do. More importantly, they sing songs that mean something to listeners. Is there anybody who can't relate to the lyrics of Welcome To My Life?

Do you ever feel like breaking down?
Do you ever feel out of place?
Like somehow you just don't belongAnd no one understands you
Do you ever wanna runaway?
Do you lock yourself in your room?
With the radio on turned up so loud
That no one hears you screaming....

For any of you who have read my blogs on suicide and are still reading, you can see that you're not alone. Then follow up with the lyrics from Shut Up:

“Nothing you say today will ever bring me down”

That's the attitude to strive for. If you're caught up in somebody else's opinion, it's time to change. I know it's easier said than done, but the best things in life almost always take some effort.

Make an effort. It's your choice. It's your life.

It's Your Choice

I was surprised to read that Richard Pryor was born and raised in a brothel. He experienced sexual abuse growing up. Despite this, he decided to make a name for himself. He rose well above his upbringing to bring laughter to others, and became wealthy and famous in the process.

Of course, wealth and fame are not nearly enough to combat serious depression. This was a struggle for the comedienne. Drugs and alcohol were one of the ways he tried unsuccessfully to comabat it. Note that this solution ultimately didn't work for him, just as it doesn't work for the rest of us.

Mr. Pryor took a rough beginning and made a name for himself. He brought laughter to others both through his own comedy and through his influence on other professionals. I have had a much easier life than him and have not made anywhere near the difference.

I may never touch the vast number of people that Mr. Pryor did, but I'm going to continue to try. You can, too.

It's your choice.

Who Has Changed Your Life?

I'd love to know who has changed your life without knowing it and how they did it. I am interested in all the things we can do to make the world a better place if we would only think of it. Please leave a comment or contact me at CanIChangeALife@yahoo.com.

Thanks for enhancing my life.

Janet

From Suicidal to Successful

My teenage daughter loves the clothing, music, and accessories at www.C28.com. Like many teenagers, she also has firsthand experience with school bullies. She is very independent, and this does not go over well with kids who want everyone to conform to their ideas of "cool".

I first read about C28 in Reader's Digest. I was intrigued because of their message of complete acceptance of everyone. I wish that there was a local C28 store because it would be a perfect place for my daughter to work and spend time.

Intrigued by the article, I looked up information on the founder. His name is Aurelio F. Barreto III. He created those Igloo dog houses you see everywhere. He eventually sold the company and walked away a very wealthy man.

But wealth doesn't buy happiness. I don't know what demons possessed him, but he ended up with depression serious enough that he considered suicide. Thankfully he decided against it. Even better, after he made the decision for life, he ended up on a mission to enhance the lives of countless others.

If you want to know more about his story, check out www.C28.com. It's also a great place to find quality clothing, music, and accessories. We have bought several items from them and always been pleased. Customer service is also terrific. Lately I had some questions for them and have been corresponding with a gentleman named Justin, who has been exceptionally patient and quick to respond to me.

Aurelio F. Barreto III is a great example of somebody moving from suicidal to having a terrific life. I would love to hear the stories of others who have done this, especially those who have overcome great odds to choose life.