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Author
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Topic: Definition of an American
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Randall
Webmaster Posts: 20096
From: Saturn next to Charmainec
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted November 11, 2011 01:06 PM
  
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"Life is like a box of crayons. Most people are the 8-color boxes, but what you're really looking for are the 64-color boxes with the sharpeners on the back. I fancy myself to be a 64-color box, though I've got a few missing. It's okay though, because I've got some more vibrant colors like periwinkle at my disposal. I have a bit of a problem though in that I can only meet the 8-color boxes. Does anyone else have that problem? I mean there are so many different colors of life, of feeling, of articulation...so when I meet someone who's an 8-color type...I'm like, 'hey girl, magenta!' and she's like, 'oh, you mean purple!' and she goes off on her purple thing, and I'm like, 'no - I want magenta!'"
-John Mayer IP: Logged |
Randall
Webmaster Posts: 20096
From: Saturn next to Charmainec
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted December 08, 2011 01:39 PM
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RegardesPlatero
Moderator Posts: 3338
From: Storybrooke, Mr. Gold's Shop
Registered: Sep 2011
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posted December 11, 2011 05:36 AM
To be honest, I went through a phase in which I had a negative opinion of America. That was an angsty phase of my life in general, when I was going through a lot. I was angry and ****** off about everything and just had a lot of bad energy in me for a long time. It wasn't so much personal toward any one place or group or person; I basically had a long-term b*tch phase after going through a lot of stuff and was in a horrible place emotionally.These days, I'm more nuanced and balanced about it. There are good things and bad things. America has its good side and bad side just like any other country. On the bad side, I'd say that Americans don't always know a lot about other cultures or countries, hate the way that many dress (sloppy--pajamas in public, jeans even to more formal events, stained t-shirts, things like that), wars, etc. Not a lot of good films, either--many are dumbed down or just tell too many things directly rather than leave anything to the imagination (at least the 'big-budget' films; some independent films are good, as are some of the classic ones). However, there are good things too that I like, which I can see now that I've come out of my more angsty phase. One thing that I do like about America is foreign aid that we give. I also like that women have opportunities and rights here: yes, it could be much better and we still have a long way to go, but compared to horror stories that I read about in other countries, I can't help but feel grateful that I wasn't born in certain places due to how women are much more severely mistreated. I like too that it is a diverse place; something for everyone. I think that Obama is very bright and intelligent and am proud to have a leader like that--someone that I can admire and respect (and I got to hear him speak live, too, while he was still campaigning back in 2008). I like that people can speak freely. I love the good people in my life here. I generally consider myself a citizen of the world as opposed to just one country, and I LOVE to travel to other countries, so I'm not on the 'nationalist' bandwagon, but I do have a more fair and balanced view than I used to have. I don't really think that most countries, with a handful of exceptions, are all-good or all-bad. Every country has its good and bad points. I also don't think that the rest of the world hates Americans--when I was in Europe, I was genuinely shocked that people were nice to me and had good things to say about America. As long as you don't act like an arrogant jackass, which is the stereotype, you're fine and people (at least in Europe) will often be OK with you. Now, in other places, it may be different, but in Western and Central Europe, I've found people to be more accepting and kind and to have a more fair view of America and Americans than Americans tend to think.
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*I use the whole sign system*
Personal Planets:
Sun, Mercury: Libra
Venus: Scorpio
Moon: Cancer
Mars: Capricorn See my profile for my complete chart. IP: Logged |
Randall
Webmaster Posts: 20096
From: Saturn next to Charmainec
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted December 14, 2011 10:11 AM
Thanks for sharing.------------------
"Never mentally imagine for another that which you would not want to experience for yourself, since the mental image you send out inevitably comes back to you." Rebecca Clark IP: Logged |
Randall
Webmaster Posts: 20096
From: Saturn next to Charmainec
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted December 15, 2011 11:56 AM
The media would have us believe that America is much hated, but in reality, that is often not the case.------------------
"Never mentally imagine for another that which you would not want to experience for yourself, since the mental image you send out inevitably comes back to you." Rebecca Clark IP: Logged |
Randall
Webmaster Posts: 20096
From: Saturn next to Charmainec
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted January 23, 2012 01:32 PM
*bump*IP: Logged |
Randall
Webmaster Posts: 20096
From: Saturn next to Charmainec
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted January 24, 2012 10:41 AM
This string is relevant now that we have a discussion in GU2 on the topic. ------------------
"Never mentally imagine for another that which you would not want to experience for yourself, since the mental image you send out inevitably comes back to you." Rebecca Clark IP: Logged |
BearsArcher
Moderator Posts: 726
From: Arizona with Bear the Leo
Registered: Apr 2010
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posted April 08, 2012 01:39 AM
I started this thread SOOOO many years ago  It was even before I married Bear and lived abroad in Germany. I still feel the same way. Sometimes seeing something from the past is the best reminder of who we are. Thank you Randall for bringing this back up. Love to ya! IP: Logged |
Randall
Webmaster Posts: 20096
From: Saturn next to Charmainec
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted April 08, 2012 02:11 PM
You're welcome!  ------------------
"Never mentally imagine for another that which you would not want to experience for yourself, since the mental image you send out inevitably comes back to you." Rebecca Clark IP: Logged |
juniperb
Moderator Posts: 4217
From: Blue Star Kachina
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted May 03, 2012 12:51 PM
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Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it. ~Rumi~ IP: Logged |
Randall
Webmaster Posts: 20096
From: Saturn next to Charmainec
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted May 04, 2012 11:52 AM
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"Never mentally imagine for another that which you would not want to experience for yourself, since the mental image you send out inevitably comes back to you." Rebecca Clark IP: Logged |
Randall
Webmaster Posts: 20096
From: Saturn next to Charmainec
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted July 22, 2012 09:18 AM
The first post is a great one.------------------
"Never mentally imagine for another that which you would not want to experience for yourself, since the mental image you send out inevitably comes back to you." Rebecca Clark IP: Logged |
Lindaland
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