No matter what they say...

Hello darling readers,
I hope all of your different and diverse holidays treated you well. Next time we meet, it will be 2012! What a year it has been. I wish all of you the very best in the new and upcoming year.

Song time!

Beautiful, by: Christina Aguilera

I know this is horribly cliche song, but it has a pretty powerful message, especially in the image obsessed generation we live in today.
Christina began her career at 17, when her first album, My Reflection hit big after its release in 2000. Christina has since released 7 full albums, including the soundtrack to a movie she helped produce and starred in. For living in Britney's shadow for most of her career, she is a very successful woman.

This song seemed out of place on her album Stripped, which was released in 2002. Stripped was album that contained the hit song "Dirty," which caused large amounts of controversy for it's explicit content and sexual innuendos. Parents wondered: how was all of that coming from someone who on their last album sang about saving the big "I-T" for someone special? They also wondered: how we can let our kids listen to this? But typically as our America works, the dirtier Christina got, the more popular she became, even outshining Britney at times. So when this song aired for the first time, music video included on MTV, people were literally taken aback. The video showed all shapes and sizes, all religions and cultures, every clique and genre of person debuted in this video. Her message was clear: you're beautiful the way you are.

"'Cause you are beautiful no matter what they say
Words can't bring you down, oh no
You are beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring you down, oh no
So don't you bring me down today."

With the rising accounts of bullies and teasing, this song is one for the ages. How many people, not just kids, wake up feeling like they aren't good enough? How many people are ashamed of who they are, even they are being who THEY want to be? Since when do people have the right to judge how another person decides to live their lives? That's not the America I remember. Ugh, end rant. My apologies. Bullying affects almost every single school aged child in America. We have seen the negative effects of bullying (Columbine), when simple teasing get's taken too far. So then why I ask, does it continue?

TOPIC FLIP

With New Year's fast approaching, the idea of resolutions comes about. People vowing to change things this year, that they regret or disliked about themselves in the previous year. Weight loss is the most popular goal that is set, this stat is supported by the amount of gym memberships that are opened in the month of January.
Any other day, I would look you straight in the eye and say, "hey, don't conform." There would probably be a few curses thrown in there as well. But today, I say: "Do whatever is going to make you feel better."
This song isn't talking about looks. This song is about feeling beautiful, inside and out. So maybe at your current weight, you don't feel so hot. My only advice to you darling, is complaining gets you nowhere. If you want change, you have to get up and embrace it before your motivation settles. Soon enough, you'll see and feel a change, enough for you to keep moving forward.
I know there are thousands of people out there who are unhappy with their bodies. To all of you, don't be afraid to do something about it. You are only as strong as you believe yourself to be.

With that my darling readers, I leave you. My apologies for the strange format of this blog, though I hope it was to your liking.
With love and wishes for a good new year,
And as always,
Keep jammin'.


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