The Rebound

What the fuck do I look like your "rebound"?  We've all been involved in this situation one way or the other.  You were either the rebound or rebounder. Being the rebounder is the easiest of the two.  You pretty much just catch the first good thing you see coming.  However, the one who is actually the "rebound" usually doesn't even see you coming and by the time you scoop them up its too damn late.  They are right in your hands and the only way they're going anywhere is if you yourself decided to let them go.  In your heart you know letting them go is the right thing to do.  You know you're in no position to be entertaining someone who may quite possibly fall for you.  You don't have what it takes mentally, physically or emotionally to give them what they deserve.  So why does the rebounder hold on to the rebound so long?

When you've been hurt and have had your heart torn to pieces you begin to embrace anything to help you smile and feel whole again.  I'm not saying you go looking for a new significant other or someone to date.  BUT, when someone happens to just pop into your life and shows you what it is to smile again or perhaps sheds some light on the fact that maybe not all men/women are the same you embrace them.  But while the rebounder is busy embracing the rebound, recovering from their recent heartbreak and putting the pieces of their life back together.  The rebound is falling for them.  There are some instances which the rebounder goes out of their way to actually let the rebound know the situation.  Now naturally you would think that if someone knows they're the rebound they would run from the situation.  Quite the contrary.  When someone is made aware they are the rebound, there is this sense of "want to" that takes over.  The rebound wants to show the rebounder that they can love them past all the heartache and pain.  The rebound wants to show them that they aren't that other person.  But the majority of the time that whole plan tends to backfire.

While you, the rebound is busy trying to prove to the rebounder that not all men/women are the same they are slowly starting to believe it or least entertaining the thought.  But what they are not entertaining is that YOU are that man or woman.  You have become a stepping stone in their recovery process.  You're just helping them to feel like they can love again in due time.  You're making them feel good about themselves, like it wasn't them that fucked up their last relationship, but that it was the other person.  Everybody wants to feel like they weren't the cause of a break-up.  It makes the recovery process easier to deal with when you can point the finger.  So what happens when they're ready to get out and date again?  They may actually give you, the rebound a chance.  But that chance being given is a little skewed.  You see up until now you've been a really good friend.  You've been there for them in the time of need and they are grateful for you.  Their gratification may lead to the start of a relationship.  I'm not saying that the rebound never gets the rebounder.  That would just be a naive statement to make.   Things happen and people fall in love.  But when you put yourself in a position where you have become such a good friend.  Most people try to avoid ruining the friendship by not dating at all.  So now you're in the friend zone with what maybe be your own broken heart but you were hoping for something more.

I'm not here to discourage anyone from becoming the rebound.  I've been there done and that and its had a different outcome each time.  I'm simply here to shed some light on the situation and encourage you to proceed with caution if it happens to you.  Trust yourself above all else.  If you feel like you cant do that then its probably in your best interest to steer clear of becoming the rebound.  If you can't trust yourself and your emotions you're just setting yourself up for heartache.  Try to be as rational as possible.  You have to know the rebounder's situation in its entirety if possible in order to really make an educated decision.  If you don't happen to know everything then just do what you feel in your best interest.  Just make sure you're aware of the ramifications of your actions.

"Being the rebound can be a bitch.  But if caught by the right rebounder it can lead to two points..." - AV Quotes

1Love
AV

The Dream or The Perfect Reality?

When we are dreaming alone it is only a dream. When we are dreaming with others, it is the beginning of reality. -- Dom Helder Camara


As I laid in my bed tonight tossing and turning.  I decided to wave the white flag in my battle with insomnia.  I then proceeded to turn on the tv and like most nights at midnight there wasn't a damn thing to watch.  So I went to my old reliable HBO On Demand and started watching reruns of Sex and the City (if you know me then you know this is the norm and if you don't know, now you know nigga *Biggie Voice*).  Interestingly enough that lead me to my computer and got me to thinking.  We often say that we can't help who we fall in love with.  Well if that is the case and we absolutely believe that.  Then my question to you is, What if you fell in love with someone that didn't want all the same things you wanted out of life.  Marriage, Children, etc...  With us living in a world that we have had convinced ourselves that love is scarce and Mr. and Mrs. Right are one in million.  Could we really walk away from the dream in order to experience the perfect reality?

I have a friend who is very adamant about not wanting to get married.  She's not against spending her life with a man but marriage just isn't on her bucket list by any means.  When I look at myself the only thing I've ever wanted to do in my life besides play professional basketball and open up a Boys and Girls Club is to start a family of my own.  Be married and have some kids.  Share a life with them and experience fatherhood and being a husband.  What if you fell in love with someone who didn't want all the things you've ever wanted?  What if I happen to fall in love with someone like my friend who didn't want to get married.  Could I give that up for the sake of our love?  I honestly do not know the answer to that.  Part of me feels like if I did flat out know the answer then that would be a mistake in itself.  That would make me a close minded person and that it something I pride myself on not being.  Is comprising the right thing to do in such a situation or is it best to break your ties  with that person and allow each other to find what each of you is really looking for?

I was in a relationship in which the woman and I happen to be in two different places in our lives.  Although we both wanted the same things, our timing couldn't have been worst.  I was still in school trying to attain my bachelor's degree in Sports Management while she had already started her career, she was living alone and had been for some time.  She was also looking to settle down and start a family.  Not to mention our relationship was a long distance.  From the outside looking people say things like "If you two really loved each other you could have made it work" or "She would've waited for you if she loved you."  But I don't know how much I lean towards that skewed perception of the situation.  Life and time are two things that don't wait for us.  So how exactly are we supposed to wait on it?  When we decided to end things I wasn't bitter because I felt like she should have waited for me.  I understood her dilemma completely.  She had a dream and she felt it was still well within grasp.  Who was I to ask her to come live in the not so perfect reality with me, together, forever.  Was she my Mrs. Right? *smirks* I don't know the answer to that.  Maybe she was or maybe she was just someone I needed to come along and open my eyes to something I hadn't experienced.  Nonetheless, she is an amazing woman I pray she finds all she's ever dreamed of and more.

At the end of the day, I guess it all boils down to the dream or the perfect reality.  Some people die chasing their dreams.  While others dream chase never forgetting to slow down to wake up and enjoy their perfect reality. 

1Love
AV

Single... Do YOU!

Single -only one in number; one only; unique; sole

"Maybe some women aren't meant to be tamed. Maybe they just need to run free till they find someone just as wild to run with them." - Sex and the City

Someone asked me to write about the single life and the balances between females having their fun and going over board.  I can't speak for women, but I will speak for both men and women in general.  A lot people are surprised by the fact that I'm a fan of Sex and the City.  To me not only is the show entertaining but insightful.  How often do men get to listen and observe women without them being creeped out or unaware of it.  I take the time to educate myself while being entertained at the same time.  If you ask me the show should be on PBS its so damn educational.  Unfortunately, us men don't take the time to learn and are too busy worrying about what our boys would think about us watching SATC.  In the words of Clark Gable, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."

I've often said that I'm not built for the single life.  When taking out of context that statement makes me seem needy or that I may have self dependency issues.  To be quite honest I used to struggle with believing I did myself.  But I've grown to realize there's nothing wrong with preferring to have that one person in my life.  My personality enjoys tending to a woman's needs and having that special someone in my life to share it with.  But I'm also one of the pickiest individuals known to man.  It doesn't stem from a physical aspect as much as it does compatibility.  I enjoy having the flexibility with someone that I can laugh with, talk about life and have that chemistry with.  But enough about me. Let me get into this blog.

To me trying to balance fun and boundaries while being single is one's personal choice.  There is no right or wrong way to be single.  There' no handbook called "Single for Dummies" and if there is the son of a bitch who wrote it is stealing money.  Boundaries are set at the discretion of yourself.  But what you must keep in mind is that all your actions will be followed by reactions and consequences.  There are all kinds of single people out there.  Some are are single and ready to mingle, others are single and have no intention of dating and just working on themselves and some are single and just blowing in the wind and if something good comes knocking then they may answer.  What kind of single are you?

For the record despite what ignorant people choose to talk and tweet about.  Having a casual relationship with a man does not make you a ho ladies.  The men who hold claim to this ignorant ass statement are exactly the men you should avoid.  Two adults who decide that casually dating is what works for them and have the respect for one another doesn't make them hos.  Although he may respect you, I caution you to understand that your actions may sometimes come with a price.  If you open yourself up to a casual relationship with a man he maybe hard pressed to want to see you exclusively.  So just be aware of that before entering into such a relationship.  Women attract men with the bait you dangle at us.  If you dangle casual relationship and he bites.  There's a good chance he wont let go and grab the exclusive title if you try dangling that later.  Just something to think about.

Again boundaries are set by you.  Don't allow others to dictate how you choose to live your single life.  I do however feel its important you respect yourself.  If you are at the peace with who you are when you go to sleep at night then fuck what anyone else has to say about it.  But if you're not and you feel your actions are unbecoming then address it and change it.  Just remember that all your actions come with a reaction.  You can't always control others reactions but you can always control your own.  So if you're single, be single and do you or someone else.  It doesn't matter.  Just do what you feel comfortable with and be true to yourself. 

1Love
AV

The Beast: Male Ego

BlurtIt.com: A male ego is often associated with a poor opinion of oneself in comparison with others and is believed to stem from an inherent complex which may alternate between feelings of superiority and inferiority resulting in the desire to impress others



The male ego is without question as sensitive as we joke about it being. It’s so sensitive in fact; it needs to be taken care of much like a baby or pet. It needs to be nourished, nurtured and loved. But by whom is the real question. Most women are smart enough to know that the male ego does have to be fed by them from time to time. Those women who know this very fact and choose to ignore it fall behind the 8 ball very quickly and learn things the hard way. Smarter women know when and when not to feed the male ego. They also know how much to feed it. It’s us, men they have no clue how to tame the beast inside us known as "The Male Ego."

Most men allow they're ego to run wild like a lion in the jungle or like a hoodrat in an uncut rap video. Just recklessly letting it do what it wants with no rhyme or reason and without control. What we fail to realize is that we must handle our Male Ego with care. We have the power to control the beast that lives within us. We have to be careful how much we feed it when it gets hungry. You want to know why some men enjoy fucking so many different women? The Male Ego. It makes him feel good to walk around knowing he can sleep with some many different women and makes himself feel good when he's around his boys talking about it sexual escapades.  He's feeding his ego way too much. Not only is he feeding it too much but he's feeding it McDonalds, Burger King and all that nasty unhealthy shit. Whatever is just lying around is being digested. Now that's all the ego needs, knows and it will continue to want more of it. Just like any baby or animal would.  The ego learns to appreciate what its being fed and given to by us. You have to handle the "Male Ego" with care. When you feed it don't allow it to get full and not be able to move from the table. Feed it just enough and feed it with some thing healthy. It will grow accustom to higher standards and self respect keeping it tamed and under control. You see most men are under the impression "I am who I am. I'm not gon' let her change me." Very well, to each its own. But you have the power to control what is within you and if you can't then there is no place for you in society and you should find a rehabilitation center as soon as possible.

You ever find yourself doing things out of character for a woman that you may not necessarily love. Well that's because she's figured out how to stroke your Male Ego and you can't get enough. So you now do things that are unbecoming because of how she makes you feel. She has successfully reached your male ego and it needs to be fed. So how is it women have figured out how to tame the beast that lives inside us before we could ourselves? That's because were stupid. Point blank period the majority of men think with their dicks. This clouds any judgment that we should be making with the head on our shoulders. Although women are notorious for thinking with their hearts and not their minds. When it comes to the male ego they keep all that emotional shit in check because they understand what we don't. The Male Ego needs to be handled with care.

Women have a way of making us feel like they need us without appearing needy. They can make us feel like the king of their lives when we know damn well she's been out on two other dates this week. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see what’s going on there. We believe what we want and they're giving our male ego exactly what it needs. I've always said: "A smart woman knows how to make a man feel like he's in control. A smart man knows that a smart woman is always in control despite the way things appear." Problem is there are so many dumb men and women together that neither can figure out what's going on. We see this all the time!

Just to give fellas something think about. Ask yourself "What have I been feeding my ego?" and "Is it doing me more harm than good?" When you know the answer to those two questions you can then start to figure out how to control the beast inside you known as the Male Ego.


1Love
AV

The Race Card

I'm going to set the tone early on this blog.  Racism will NEVER die because we are too scared to let it.  *pauses for reaction* Each and every one of us black, white, Hispanic, Asian or what have you has experienced racism at some point in our lives.  When we look back on that moment(s) we're either amused, upset or dumbfounded by the ignorance.  But to me not all racism should be crowned with the word ignorance.  Think about this for a minute shall we.  It has historically been the black man's defense mechanism to blame "the man" or pull the "race card" when things do not work in their favor.  Whether is looking for a job, caught in some illegal mess or just wrong doing.  Even better look at the public reaction of black women when they see a black man with a white woman.  That's just what we do.  I'm going to exclude myself from the "we" for the sake of this blog because I for one never blame "the man."  But nonetheless, black males are known for pulling the race card at every moment of weakness.  Now I am by no means saying that ALL of us do, that they don't have a legit point or that they're wrong for doing so.  I've seen first hand racism work against me.  But I feel that is exactly why we'll never let racism die.  Its more much more valuable in our society than we care to see because we place such a negative connotation on it.  Many of you reading that last line just said "This dude is fuckin' nuts!"  When I use the word valuable it is not to be confused with the word necessary.  It is valuable in its own right.   

Hypothetically speaking, lets just say racism disappeared all together.  Well now many of us have lost our defense mechanisms and our own sense of comfort.  When shit goes wrong now were going to be force to place blame on ourselves instead of "the man" or pulling the "race card."  Nobody ever wants to point the finger at themselves.  I don't care who you are.  Would it be nice to be able to drive through a nice neighborhood at midnight and not have the police run my tag because of the car I'm driving? Sure.  Would it be nice to get pulled over and not be asked "WHEN was the last time I was arrested?" You're damn right!  But I've come to accept the world around me.  Are there some ignorant people in this world that have no rhyme or reason as to why their racist? You can bet that shit.  But I believe they are the minority.  Others are more scared racist than anything else.  Allow me to elaborate further.

I think its safe to say that African-Americans/Blacks for whatever reason feel white people do not like them.  That most white people are racist.  I think that's bullshit, but again I'm speaking from a general point of view.  Well it is that very attitude that brings the racism.  If you think whites don't feel the tension you're sadly mistaken.  So naturally they themselves get on the defense.  Before you know it you're fighting a war of negative vibes.  Nobody has to even say a word.  You're looking at them like they don't like you and they're looking back feeling intimidated by the fact that they know you feel the way you do.  That me to is scared racism.  But again that's the norm and we're comfortable with that.  People like to be comfortable and regardless of the circumstances they prefer comfort over unfamiliarity.

In an recent interview with CNN Miami Heat Forward, Lebron James says racism played a role in the criticism he received for making his decision to play in South Beach.  I agree but to a certain extent.  Lebron chose to go on tv and have an hour long special about "The Decision."  That was his choice. All be it for a good cause to raise money for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America every chose to ignore that completely!  My feeling is that no matter what color or race you were everyone felt that was a terrible idea.  Especially since he chose to do so and not return to Cleveland.  Originally his biggest critics were his peers and former players, the majority of them being black.  But interesting enough as soon as the white media started to bash Lebron, the black public rose to his defense.  They then took the stand "Its ok for us to bash him, but you guys can't do it."  Now that's ignorant!  You can't open the door of criticism and then try to control who's going to walk thru it.  Brett Favre, Quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings, a white guy, has been playing the media and football fans about his retiring and coming back for 4 years now.  But basketball season hasn't even started and Lebron continues to get ridicule for his decision.  While Favre who is 1-2 as a starter and playing horribly is getting somewhat of a pass.  I'm not saying that the media hasn't mauled him like a Tiger because they absolutely have.  But I couldn't imagine how different things would have been if a black athlete went about his business the way Favre has and struggled the way he has. 

If we're going to point the finger at anyone we should start with ourselves.  We have helped create the racism around us so we need to shut the fuck up and stop crying about it.  Our parents taught us our ways and we continue to pass that on to our children.  That's the only explanation for a five year old walking in school and calling someone a "cracker" or "nigger."  That's what they are being taught.  The only way to break the trend is to stop ourselves.  Again I don't think racism will ever die and to me its not all that unfortunate.  Sad to say but what the hell would people talk about if it didn't.  The world runs on negativity.  I stop watching the local news because the shit is depressing and centered around negativity.  The world is fueled by all of this so there's no where for it to go.  World peace?  Sounds good but there's no way we could live with it because we would bore ourselves to death!

I know this post has many of shaking your heads in disbelief and I was well aware of that before I started to write it.  I know many of my friends will respectfully disagree and others will think I'm just wrong all together.  Nonetheless, I don't write for fame and I don't write for acceptance.  I do it to provide insight and a different perspective on life.  Also because I just enjoy putting my thoughts on paper.

I appreciate the love and support you all show to my blog. Thank you and God Bless

1Love
AV

Committment... Checklist... The Fuck?

"What do you look for in a woman?"  The answer to this question changes about as much casts wardrobe in a Tyler Perry play.  Not from me in particular but for most men in general.  I recently read blog that spoke about men being able to commit and what makes us commit.  In that same blog it spoke about women and the proverbial "check-list."  Basically what the author was trying to say is that for a man to settle down its more about "right place, right time" than it is the woman in his life. 

Boissuq.com When men are ready to settle down, they go with whatever is right there at that moment. Luck of the draw…

Naturally I would love to disagree with the above statement, but in this case that quote does hold some truth to it.  Again not necessarily for me, but for men in general.  Most men don't think about marriage and settling down on a daily basis.  The majority don't approach dating with the idea of "Can I see myself with this person long term" its more like "She's cool and I enjoy her company, lets see how it goes."  It is the woman that later brings up the discussion of "Where do we stand?" or "Where do you see this going (in reference to the relationship).  At that point he has to decide whether or not that is something he wants to address or simply let her go on with her life and let her find the man that can give her all that she wants and needs.

We see men all the time that say things like "I think its about time I settle down."  Keep in mind no where in that statement does he make reference to the woman in his life.  He just feels that he's at a point in his life where chasing pussy is no longer a priority and he wants to settle down.  Well all that means is the next woman that walks into his life and makes him feel good and he loves, there's a good chance he'll marry her.  We can add this to the list of why the divorce rate in America is so damn high.  Most men don't settle down because of the women in their lives, they settle down because of where they are in their own lives.  Pardon me, but seeing how most women dream of being married and having a family she'll be so blinded by the fact this man wants to spend the rest of his life with her she won't even question why?  Call me crazy but I feel she's entitled to questioning someone that she's about to invest her life in.  But that's just me.  Ladies, any time a man starts a sentence with "I feel like I'm at a point in MY life...." then proceeds to want to make you apart of his life.  You have ask yourself is it more about him or you?  He has to want to settle down because he believes there is no other woman in the world that he can't picture himself being without.  Not that he's tired of chasing pussy and you happen to be in the picture now.

I personally don't even bother to date a woman that I can't see myself being with long term.  I think so many of us are so wrapped up in trying to figure what we want.  Truth is, until you figure what you DON'T want it is harder to pin point  the things you do.  I know exactly what I don't want.  So it allows me to weed out the women who possess such qualities.  To each its own and what I don't want maybe a necessity for the next man.  Do I have a checklist?  I think we all do.  Some are longer than others, some are much more shallow and some are just way too specific.  I happen to believe that checklist is more pivotal initially.  For instance, there has to be something on your "list" that attracts you to that person.  Once you're able to slowly start get to know them you may see they don't meet all the criteria on your list.  But that starts to matter less and less because of how that person makes you feel.  If they bring you joy, happiness and make you feel good about yourself.   Perhaps it won't matter as much that he hasn't graduated from college just yet, or that she happens to have a 3 year old son that isn't yours.  I'm not saying these are things that are easy to overlook by any means.  But our attitudes do tend to change when we have someone in our lives that bring us so much happiness.    

I don't want discourage any of you who happen to have a checklist that looks like this

1) Must be this height

2) Have a college degree

3) Be this race

4) Have this belief in God; and

5) Make x amount of money


BUT I do challenge you to really reevaluate your own life.  Before creating this checklist you have to understand where you are in your life and what it is you are expecting the next person to have to be with you.  "Who the hell am I" is the first question you need to ask yourself and be confident in your answer.

All men are different despite the popular opinion of women.  If you approach us like we're all the same then there's a good chance you will always see the same man.  Be open minded. Minded being the operative word.  I'm not telling you to open up your heart to every man.  But if you open mind I think you'd be surprised at what you find in some of us.

1Love
AV

Education Please!

When I look at our school system in the United States I fear for our children as well as the future of America. Now before I go any further, I'd like to address the fact I have only attended private and public schools in the state of Florida. This is just one man's opinion and many of you I'm sure will disagree with my outlook on this situation. You are inclined to do so. But I digress. The first question that needs to be addressed is how did the most powerful nation in the world fall so far behind in terms of education. I think finger pointing is the blame. No one wants to take any responsibility. The parents are pointing at the teachers, the teachers are pointing at the parents and the school board and the school board thinks cutting cost is always the answer. Noting in the history of the world was ever resolved with finger pointing. Someone has to step up and hold themselves accountable for the disastrous education our children are receiving. I am fully aware that there are phenomenal teachers in our schools. I was fortunate and blessed enough to have been taught by many of them. But while I was being taught by some of the best, I had friends being taught by the worst of the worst! So how do we resolve an issue so deeply rooted in our own communities and within our country? I strongly believe it starts at home.

From the time we are born we are raised by our mothers and fathers.  Although fathers have become scarce in many of our communities, our mothers have remained strong in trying to raise us up right.  Regardless of whether its a single parent household or both parents happen to be present, it is their job to prepare their children for the world.  I walked in to kindergarten in 1991 and I knew how to read, write and do math.  Up until that day I had never met a teacher in my life.  My father worked for the city of North Miami and my mother was working at Equifax.  Neither of them attended college and neither of them were extremely studious in high school.  So it clearly doesn't take a genius to put a child in position to learn and be successful.  If you as a parent don't put your child in a position to succeed, you can all but guarantee they'll fail.  Are there children who rise above all of that? Absolutely!  But for everyone child that does there are a hundred that don't.  I don't know about you that is one statistic I'm not taking my chances with.  If you can stress the importance of learning and education into your child at a young age they will always carry that with them.  They will understand what it takes and they will strive for excellence because you help show them the way.  You as a parent can't expect your child to go to school and instantly be eager to learn when you haven't given him/her any incentive to want to learn.  They are children and the majority of children and adults even are driven by external motivation.  It is your job as a parent to motivate your child to get them to understand the value of an education because they are too young and naive to comprehend that on their own.  After you've motivated them and explained the importance it is your job to follow through with your actions.  Be involved as much as you can whether is checking their homework, attending parent teacher conferences or whatever it is you need to do to show your child they are not alone in their strive for excellence.  It is not enough to just say "Education is important so go to school and learn."  But then you're oblivious to the fact that your child is failing until the report card comes out.  That's child neglect whether the state says so or not.  We have to make a concerted effort to start our children's love for education and strive for excellence at home.

Which brings me to my next point.  Teachers, educators or what have you, have one the hardest jobs known to man.  They have taken on the responsibility of educating our future.  I feel they are so under appreciated and taken for granted every single day!  It has gotten so bad in our schools that teachers are being forced into classrooms of 30 or more students.  I'd say thirty percent of the students could careless and are only in school because they have to be so they're constantly distracting those who actually do care to learn.  Do you realize how hard it is for a teacher trying to get through to 30 kids when 10 of them could give a damn.  I think this is one of many reasons why some teachers have given up on trying to educate and just show up and give out work.  Its easier to hand out assignments and say this is due at the end of the class than it is to try to teach a lesson while you have 30 percent of the class is texting, playing games or whatever it is they are doing to cause a distraction.  But then what happens to the other 15 or 20 students.  They're education takes a hit because of those who don't give a damn?  That's clearly not an ideal situation.  Lets talk about standardized testing shall we. The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test also known as the "FCAT" was first administered in 1998 to students statewide.  All third grade students must pass the reading section in order to move on and all high school students must pass reading and math to receive their high school diploma.  At first glance one would say they should absolutely have to pass a test to graduate to show they can at least read and write.  But if they take a deeper look into what goes on behind the scenes perhaps they could see the cause for concern.  When school starts in August the FCAT is being stressed from day one.  The whole curriculum is revolves around getting students to pass the FCAT.  Which means many teachers take on the attitude, "if its not on it, we're not teaching it."  Well why would some teachers take on such an attitude?  Perhaps because the school board has been in talks about basing their salaries on the performance of the students and their FCAT scores.  This has go to be one of the dumbest things I've ever heard in my life!  It just sends the wrong message to all parties involved.  Students strart to stress about one test determining their futures and teachers are stressing because their livelihood in being placed in the hands of 8 year olds and high students passing a test.  Standardized testing accomplishes nothing when put to the wrong use.  I do however feel students should take an assessment test the first week of school in a variety of subject matters.  That same test should be given at the end of the school year and then I feel we would have a better assessment of how our children are performing as well as how our teachers are educating them.  I am in no way, shape or form on board with teachers salaries being based on the success of the child.  Especially considering that where the school is geographically places a huge role in the performance of the students.  Is the system flawed? Yes.  Can it be fixed over night? No.  But did we wait too long to try to right this ship? Absolutely!  Something has to be done and its going to take a collected effort from all of us to get back on board and give our children the best chance at an education as well succeeding in life.

I've always wanted to make a difference in children's lives.  I grew up in the Boys and Girls Club and that changed my life for the better.  If I am ever blessed enough financially to open up one of my own I will do so and it will be with love and not for financial gain.  Our children are our future and if we don't invest our time and energy into them the streets will.  It starts at home! God bless.

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