Our nation shall rise from a great divide

 

• Our Nation is divided

For so far it is blighted

With our differences so stark

Pure motives are too dark

We fail to reach consensus

As politics have lost their senses

News media have chosen sides

Contributing to a farther divide

Fake news created every day

Facts no longer the only way

Alternate news has created a strong base

Many without a moral compass or space

How can they not know what is true

Have we all got dumber with the news?

Some want to hear news they agree with

They claim that they don’t believe in any wordsmith

The pandemic has made it worse

Combined and brought together under this curse

The past two years have been bad

Seeing our World has become sad

Our Country has been tried

As Some Politicians have lied.

Our Country is our strong hope

We are riding a slippery slope

Amanda Gorman spoke in rhyme

As she read the Hill We Must Climb

She spoke of obstacles and slopes

Most importantly of our many hopes.

We must come together now

Or lose ourselves forever shall

If Americans don’t participate

Anger and ruin will prevail in hate

We as a country must go through tribulation

As we come together as a Nation.

We shall rise like a phoenix

As we reach our zenith

The words that surprise

Our Nation shall rise.

Our nation shall rise from a great divide

 

• Our Nation is divided

For so far it is blighted

With our differences so stark

Pure motives are too dark

We fail to reach consensus

As politics have lost their senses

News media have chosen sides

Contributing to a farther divide

Fake news created every day

Facts no longer the only way

Alternate news has created a strong base

Many without a moral compass or space

How can they not know what is true

Have we all got dumber with the news?

Some want to hear news they agree with

They claim that they don’t believe in any wordsmith

The pandemic has made it worse

Combined and brought together under this curse

The past two years have been bad

Seeing our World has become sad

Our Country has been tried

As Some Politicians have lied.

Our Country is our strong hope

We are riding a slippery slope

Amanda Gorman spoke in rhyme

As she read the Hill We Must Climb

She spoke of obstacles and slopes

Most importantly of our many hopes.

We must come together now

Or lose ourselves forever shall

If Americans don’t participate

Anger and ruin will prevail in hate

We as a country must go through tribulation

As we come together as a Nation.

We shall rise like a phoenix

As we reach our zenith

The words that surprise

Our Nation shall rise.

Marcia herring art sold after in thrift store

 I found a beautiful Marcia herring painting at a thrift store it was marked 275 on the back.  It was an 11 x 11 painting small and square but very beautiful red floral art on rice paper.   I resold it for 60 on eBay.   Marcia herring is a Sotheby s artist .       

Marcia herring art sold after in thrift store

 I found a beautiful Marcia herring painting at a thrift store it was marked 275 on the back.  It was an 11 x 11 painting small and square but very beautiful red floral art on rice paper.   I resold it for 60 on eBay.   Marcia herring is a Sotheby s artist .       

The benefits of Journaling

 

Journaling can benefit us in the long run because it can help people see something that they couldn’t see on their own and they can improve upon. Journaling can improve a person’s life by aiding in many areas of their life. Journaling can be anything that the person wants to write about. Some people keep a journal about what they eat during the day to help them lose weight. Some people use a journal created for the arts, either with words or with drawings.  Some people keep a journal as a record of their activities during the day. Some people journal for fun and create a scrapbook from their journal.  

Journaling for weight loss

Journaling for weight loss can help the individual examine how much they eat during the day. Some people can make decisions on what to eat or the amount of food they've had. By journaling, it helps the individual change their eating habits as they look back on how much they ate in a day. 

Journaling for art. 

Some people journal for the creation of art whether it be for writing poetry or short story ideas or even drawing art. Creativity flourishes in the journaling process because it helps the individual and improve their craft. One great poet, Dylan Thomas started journaling when he was 14 years old. He became a great poet laureate.  Writing is a form of expression that flourishes as a creative activity. Journaling allows the freedom of creativity to grow and increase their skills. 

Journaling as a historical record,

 There is journaling as a daily record for events for a person. People like to jot down events or daily activities as a record kept. It keeps the individual looking back at the record, in case they need the information that records the events attended. It allows the person to write about their thoughts, and opinions about different experiences. A more detailed record than a calendar. A Diary of events as a family record that could be used for genealogy purposes. 

Journaling for fun

Journaling can be a fun experience if the person decides to create a scrapbook of events or of a family log.  It is fun to create a scrapbook with die cutouts of Cricut to include on the pages.  Creativity is really utilized when creating a scrapbook journal.  

Journaling for Mental health

Journaling for mental health is another benefit for people to use as an outlet to destress, lower anxiety, let out frustrations and pain in their journals.  It helps a person to express themselves and for up tensions that prevent a person from being happy. 

Journaling for goals 

Journaling is a benefit that can help individuals in their endeavors. A journal can be an outlet to write about your goals, your ambitions, your inspirations and aspirations, even new year resolutions. 

Journaling for self-reflection

 People who journal for these main reasons can examine themselves with their own writing. Journaling allows for self-reflection on what they did during the day, how they felt about it.  Journaling helps the person to take a step back and reflect on themselves to improve on what they could’ve done differently. 

Journaling for better writing 

The more a person writes the better their writing improves. Journaling helps to improve writing skills as an additional benefit. The craft of writing takes practice and brainstorming ideas to create interesting writing. Brainstorming ideas is a difficult part of writing because it is the idea of creating interesting topics to write about.   These are the main reasons why journaling is a benefit for anyone that decides to journal.

1. Top 8 reasons to journal  journey.cloud.com

The benefits of Journaling

 

Journaling can benefit us in the long run because it can help people see something that they couldn’t see on their own and they can improve upon. Journaling can improve a person’s life by aiding in many areas of their life. Journaling can be anything that the person wants to write about. Some people keep a journal about what they eat during the day to help them lose weight. Some people use a journal created for the arts, either with words or with drawings.  Some people keep a journal as a record of their activities during the day. Some people journal for fun and create a scrapbook from their journal.  

Journaling for weight loss

Journaling for weight loss can help the individual examine how much they eat during the day. Some people can make decisions on what to eat or the amount of food they've had. By journaling, it helps the individual change their eating habits as they look back on how much they ate in a day. 

Journaling for art. 

Some people journal for the creation of art whether it be for writing poetry or short story ideas or even drawing art. Creativity flourishes in the journaling process because it helps the individual and improve their craft. One great poet, Dylan Thomas started journaling when he was 14 years old. He became a great poet laureate.  Writing is a form of expression that flourishes as a creative activity. Journaling allows the freedom of creativity to grow and increase their skills. 

Journaling as a historical record,

 There is journaling as a daily record for events for a person. People like to jot down events or daily activities as a record kept. It keeps the individual looking back at the record, in case they need the information that records the events attended. It allows the person to write about their thoughts, and opinions about different experiences. A more detailed record than a calendar. A Diary of events as a family record that could be used for genealogy purposes. 

Journaling for fun

Journaling can be a fun experience if the person decides to create a scrapbook of events or of a family log.  It is fun to create a scrapbook with die cutouts of Cricut to include on the pages.  Creativity is really utilized when creating a scrapbook journal.  

Journaling for Mental health

Journaling for mental health is another benefit for people to use as an outlet to destress, lower anxiety, let out frustrations and pain in their journals.  It helps a person to express themselves and for up tensions that prevent a person from being happy. 

Journaling for goals 

Journaling is a benefit that can help individuals in their endeavors. A journal can be an outlet to write about your goals, your ambitions, your inspirations and aspirations, even new year resolutions. 

Journaling for self-reflection

 People who journal for these main reasons can examine themselves with their own writing. Journaling allows for self-reflection on what they did during the day, how they felt about it.  Journaling helps the person to take a step back and reflect on themselves to improve on what they could’ve done differently. 

Journaling for better writing 

The more a person writes the better their writing improves. Journaling helps to improve writing skills as an additional benefit. The craft of writing takes practice and brainstorming ideas to create interesting writing. Brainstorming ideas is a difficult part of writing because it is the idea of creating interesting topics to write about.   These are the main reasons why journaling is a benefit for anyone that decides to journal.

1. Top 8 reasons to journal  journey.cloud.com

The Politics of the Holidays

                

 The politics of Thanksgiving and Christmas

How the holidays are politicized

 When you greet someone over the holidays?, Do you say “Merry Christmas”, or have a Happy Thanksgiving?. Or do you simply say happy holidays?. Depending upon if you are conservative or liberal they are political divisions due to culture wars. Conservatives tend to think how happy holidays is a politically correct greeting as opposed to saying Merry Christmas. Fox News has made this a new story every year. Stating how Americans no longer say Merry Christmas because it is a Christian holiday and that it's seen as discriminating to acknowledge one holiday instead of many.  Liberals will argue that they are people who celebrate other holidays, not just Christmas. A Happy holiday is a greeting that is generic enough to encompass more religious holidays like Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. What is wrong with acknowledging holidays other than Christmas? Conservatives have pushed the narrative that Liberals are anti-religion, and are anti-Family Values, and anti-American by pushing these extreme conservative viewpoints on the American public. Simply for saying happy holidays based on your political Viewpoint. You will have a political opinion on this greeting. Isn't that a shame, that the holidays like everything else in America are being politicized? Even your greeting is politicized. Do you think that greeting a person with a happy holiday should be politicized? Or should America continue to divide itself with these culture war?. Are there more meaningful topics that are more important than these culture wars? These are questions, Americans should be asking themselves. Should I engage in these culture wars simply because Fox News thinks it's a story? This is a time of self-examination of where you stand in these arguments.

Fox News, which is a conservative news station, has pushed these culture wars to the extremes. Many Republicans believe that liberals do not cherish American values and American traditions. When that cannot be further from the truth. Many Americans are divided due to their politics. “A new MPR Marist poll reveals that Merry Christmas Remains the favorite seasonal greeting for 56% of Americans with 31% preferring happy holidays” When Americans go to a store about 52% now say it doesn't matter how stores greet them over the holidays”. About a third choose Merry Christmas and Republicans are much more likely than Democrats to say Merry Christmas. “Happy holidays is a popular greeting among Americans under 30, while older people tend to prefer Merry Christmas as a traditional greeting”. Another CBS poll reports “Christmas is on everybody's tongue”, “supposedly a war against Christmas but 67% say that this is the time of year, Merry Christmas is the greeting that they tend to use”. The war on Christmas began in 2005 when an author named John Gibson went on the O'Reilly show to discuss his new book The War on Christmas: How the liberal plot to ban the Sacred Christian holiday is worse than you thought. “Gibson pointed out that the government and corporations were pushing an anti-christian agenda”. Fox News has continued to return to this topic every year since 2005. While other networks have no coverage on this topic. Some networks have begun to mock Fox News coverage on the War on Christmas.

The holidays should be a time of family and unity, not acrimony and division. Fox News, the conservative network, has convinced most Americans to believe that by saying Happy Holidays it is somehow a conspiracy plot to undermine Christmas. Christmas has been politicized just like everything else in America.  America should not engage in these culture wars because it serves no purpose other than dividing Americans. 

1. Npr/Marist poll. Google answer 

2. 5 facts about Christmas. Pewresearch.org

3. USAToday.  

4. Cbsnews.com

5. Harvard Business Review NBR.org

The Politics of the Holidays

                

 The politics of Thanksgiving and Christmas

How the holidays are politicized

 When you greet someone over the holidays?, Do you say “Merry Christmas”, or have a Happy Thanksgiving?. Or do you simply say happy holidays?. Depending upon if you are conservative or liberal they are political divisions due to culture wars. Conservatives tend to think how happy holidays is a politically correct greeting as opposed to saying Merry Christmas. Fox News has made this a new story every year. Stating how Americans no longer say Merry Christmas because it is a Christian holiday and that it's seen as discriminating to acknowledge one holiday instead of many.  Liberals will argue that they are people who celebrate other holidays, not just Christmas. A Happy holiday is a greeting that is generic enough to encompass more religious holidays like Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. What is wrong with acknowledging holidays other than Christmas? Conservatives have pushed the narrative that Liberals are anti-religion, and are anti-Family Values, and anti-American by pushing these extreme conservative viewpoints on the American public. Simply for saying happy holidays based on your political Viewpoint. You will have a political opinion on this greeting. Isn't that a shame, that the holidays like everything else in America are being politicized? Even your greeting is politicized. Do you think that greeting a person with a happy holiday should be politicized? Or should America continue to divide itself with these culture war?. Are there more meaningful topics that are more important than these culture wars? These are questions, Americans should be asking themselves. Should I engage in these culture wars simply because Fox News thinks it's a story? This is a time of self-examination of where you stand in these arguments.

Fox News, which is a conservative news station, has pushed these culture wars to the extremes. Many Republicans believe that liberals do not cherish American values and American traditions. When that cannot be further from the truth. Many Americans are divided due to their politics. “A new MPR Marist poll reveals that Merry Christmas Remains the favorite seasonal greeting for 56% of Americans with 31% preferring happy holidays” When Americans go to a store about 52% now say it doesn't matter how stores greet them over the holidays”. About a third choose Merry Christmas and Republicans are much more likely than Democrats to say Merry Christmas. “Happy holidays is a popular greeting among Americans under 30, while older people tend to prefer Merry Christmas as a traditional greeting”. Another CBS poll reports “Christmas is on everybody's tongue”, “supposedly a war against Christmas but 67% say that this is the time of year, Merry Christmas is the greeting that they tend to use”. The war on Christmas began in 2005 when an author named John Gibson went on the O'Reilly show to discuss his new book The War on Christmas: How the liberal plot to ban the Sacred Christian holiday is worse than you thought. “Gibson pointed out that the government and corporations were pushing an anti-christian agenda”. Fox News has continued to return to this topic every year since 2005. While other networks have no coverage on this topic. Some networks have begun to mock Fox News coverage on the War on Christmas.

The holidays should be a time of family and unity, not acrimony and division. Fox News, the conservative network, has convinced most Americans to believe that by saying Happy Holidays it is somehow a conspiracy plot to undermine Christmas. Christmas has been politicized just like everything else in America.  America should not engage in these culture wars because it serves no purpose other than dividing Americans. 

1. Npr/Marist poll. Google answer 

2. 5 facts about Christmas. Pewresearch.org

3. USAToday.  

4. Cbsnews.com

5. Harvard Business Review NBR.org

How you can make money writing on vocal.media

 I am writing on vocal media visit my site at vocal.com and type in the search box Anna Cruz you will find all of my articles. I have written poetry, short stories, and articles about Christmas and other miscellaneous things.  I could use the support.  If anyone is looking to make money by writing, try vocal.media.  If your writing goes viral the article can make a lot of money.  Vocal media allows creators who create content to publish their writings online.   You can enter their challenges to win prize money on the stories written.   Or simply make your writings stand out so that you can be placed under the top story to be showcased.  Bonuses are sometimes awarded based on the number of articles written.  If your story is selected as a top story your article will get more traffic. You earn 3.80 per 1000 reads if you are a nonmember. If you become a subscriber you can enter the challenges and you will earn 6.00 per 1000 reads.  If you optimize your articles for Seo it will do better and get more traffic. Before writing on vocal, I suggest that you take the HubSpot academy free online course on Seo optimization first it is really helpful.

How you can make money writing on vocal.media

 I am writing on vocal media visit my site at vocal.com and type in the search box Anna Cruz you will find all of my articles. I have written poetry, short stories, and articles about Christmas and other miscellaneous things.  I could use the support.  If anyone is looking to make money by writing, try vocal.media.  If your writing goes viral the article can make a lot of money.  Vocal media allows creators who create content to publish their writings online.   You can enter their challenges to win prize money on the stories written.   Or simply make your writings stand out so that you can be placed under the top story to be showcased.  Bonuses are sometimes awarded based on the number of articles written.  If your story is selected as a top story your article will get more traffic. You earn 3.80 per 1000 reads if you are a nonmember. If you become a subscriber you can enter the challenges and you will earn 6.00 per 1000 reads.  If you optimize your articles for Seo it will do better and get more traffic. Before writing on vocal, I suggest that you take the HubSpot academy free online course on Seo optimization first it is really helpful.

Why is thrift shopping so popular?

 

This vintage cameo

Thrifting is so popular because everyone likes to treasure hunt especially with pre owned items.  Everyone likes a deal and many like to haggle over prices at sales.

Yard sales, garage sales and estate sales are especially popular for people searching for specific items or for spontaneous finds found to either keep or flip on sites like eBay.

"Another man's trash is another man's treasure" that saying is so true today. 

Thrifting started in the 60s when people started to purchase vintage clothing and vintage collectibles.  There has always been a market for antiques items more than a 100 years old.  Vintage items were considered junk until recent history .  in this era of climate change many people are choosing to reuse, recycle and repurpose items to save the environment and at the same time save money.

The reasons why shopping At at thrift shops are popular are because: it's affordable.

At thrift shops you can pay anything from a few cents to a couple of dollars for clothing and household items. 

Thrift shopping helps the local economy by guaranteeing people with low economic resources find items in their price range to shop.

Many people choose to shop thrift but there is a segment of population that rely on thrift shops for their needs such as clothes shopping and furniture shopping. They have budget constraints that make them have no option but to shop at thrift shops.

Thrift shopping helps charities that provide jobs and job training as a service to the disadvantaged and disabled like Goodwill.  Many thrifts are non profits and help the community they are in.   There are some that are for profit but they also donate to charities and causes in the community.

Thrifting is popular because Gen z tend to buy sustainable. Clothing and items and are making thrift a billion dollar industry.  

Thrift shopping is popular because we are saving the environment by reusing and recycling these items as we give them a second life and take them into our homes.

Thrifting will always be popular because people will always search for deals and amazing rare finds and treasures.

Why is thrift shopping so popular?

 

This vintage cameo

Thrifting is so popular because everyone likes to treasure hunt especially with pre owned items.  Everyone likes a deal and many like to haggle over prices at sales.

Yard sales, garage sales and estate sales are especially popular for people searching for specific items or for spontaneous finds found to either keep or flip on sites like eBay.

"Another man's trash is another man's treasure" that saying is so true today. 

Thrifting started in the 60s when people started to purchase vintage clothing and vintage collectibles.  There has always been a market for antiques items more than a 100 years old.  Vintage items were considered junk until recent history .  in this era of climate change many people are choosing to reuse, recycle and repurpose items to save the environment and at the same time save money.

The reasons why shopping At at thrift shops are popular are because: it's affordable.

At thrift shops you can pay anything from a few cents to a couple of dollars for clothing and household items. 

Thrift shopping helps the local economy by guaranteeing people with low economic resources find items in their price range to shop.

Many people choose to shop thrift but there is a segment of population that rely on thrift shops for their needs such as clothes shopping and furniture shopping. They have budget constraints that make them have no option but to shop at thrift shops.

Thrift shopping helps charities that provide jobs and job training as a service to the disadvantaged and disabled like Goodwill.  Many thrifts are non profits and help the community they are in.   There are some that are for profit but they also donate to charities and causes in the community.

Thrifting is popular because Gen z tend to buy sustainable. Clothing and items and are making thrift a billion dollar industry.  

Thrift shopping is popular because we are saving the environment by reusing and recycling these items as we give them a second life and take them into our homes.

Thrifting will always be popular because people will always search for deals and amazing rare finds and treasures.

Visit my ebay store vintage old treasures

 My eBay store has vintage jewelry baseball collectibles and household items at amazing prices.  Visit www.vintageoldtreasures.com

Visit my ebay store vintage old treasures

 My eBay store has vintage jewelry baseball collectibles and household items at amazing prices.  Visit www.vintageoldtreasures.com

The politicazation of vaccines and masks

  

Why are there 80 million Americans unvaccinated and why is there such an aversion to wearing masks?  The answer is simple there is so much disinformation out there that many Americans believe social media or news platforms like fox news and newsman which spread disinformation.  Covid vaccine has become political even though Americans have been getting vaccines for

 

over a hundred years such as polio , flu, measles and other vaccines.  Why is covid different ? 

It started when Donald trump refused to wear a mask and caught covid.   He said it was like the flu even though he had expensive treatment to treat his covid that regular Americans wouldn't have access to.  Republicans started to follow his lead and hence it became political.   Nevermind the more than 648,000 Americans that have died from covid despite this number the covid deniers won't vaccinate causing the virus to mutate into the delta variant.  These millions are spreading covid to vaccinated people and children under 12 potentially killing innocent people.  

Covid numbers are still high in America because the unvaccinated are taking up icu beds from patient's that need the treatment from life threatening illness and injury.  What's tragic is that the unvaccinated don't have to die unnecessarily if they only vaccinated .  our economy could rebound if people only decided to listen to the science and not the nonsense out there. 

The facts are out there for level headed people to listen to fact,  the almost 700,000 people that have died should scare them into taking the vaccine.  This disease was created in a lab it wasn't designed by nature so it was designed to be deadlier by the fact that its so contagious.  Vaccination should be mandated because people don't understand that this isn't about personal choice this is about personal survival. 

Covid doesn't care if you are republican or democrat this disease kills with impunity. I read a story of a small Texas girl of 4 years old died of covid because of anti vaxxer mom who had covid she spread it to her little girl and now she has to live with that. The mom now wished that she had vaxxed up. Covid is not a hoax nor is it the flu it is more than that.  The sooner people realize the truth the better it will be for the country.  

President Biden mandated that companies with 100 or more workers had to vaccinate or be tested weekly for covid. He placed fines on air travelers who won't mask up in order to limit the spread.  These mandates are within his powers as President and I hope this will limit the spread of the disease.

There are people that believe that the vaccine has a microchip in it or that it affects woman from getting pregnant. Some celebrities have spread misinformation like Nicky Minaj saying the her cousin's friends testicles got swollen because of covid vaccine. One lady at a town hall said the people have become magnetized by the vaccine. People believe this nonsense and that is scary.

Americans need to inform themselves by listening to the science not the political rhetoric for the sake of this country.

 

The politicazation of vaccines and masks

  

Why are there 80 million Americans unvaccinated and why is there such an aversion to wearing masks?  The answer is simple there is so much disinformation out there that many Americans believe social media or news platforms like fox news and newsman which spread disinformation.  Covid vaccine has become political even though Americans have been getting vaccines for

 

over a hundred years such as polio , flu, measles and other vaccines.  Why is covid different ? 

It started when Donald trump refused to wear a mask and caught covid.   He said it was like the flu even though he had expensive treatment to treat his covid that regular Americans wouldn't have access to.  Republicans started to follow his lead and hence it became political.   Nevermind the more than 648,000 Americans that have died from covid despite this number the covid deniers won't vaccinate causing the virus to mutate into the delta variant.  These millions are spreading covid to vaccinated people and children under 12 potentially killing innocent people.  

Covid numbers are still high in America because the unvaccinated are taking up icu beds from patient's that need the treatment from life threatening illness and injury.  What's tragic is that the unvaccinated don't have to die unnecessarily if they only vaccinated .  our economy could rebound if people only decided to listen to the science and not the nonsense out there. 

The facts are out there for level headed people to listen to fact,  the almost 700,000 people that have died should scare them into taking the vaccine.  This disease was created in a lab it wasn't designed by nature so it was designed to be deadlier by the fact that its so contagious.  Vaccination should be mandated because people don't understand that this isn't about personal choice this is about personal survival. 

Covid doesn't care if you are republican or democrat this disease kills with impunity. I read a story of a small Texas girl of 4 years old died of covid because of anti vaxxer mom who had covid she spread it to her little girl and now she has to live with that. The mom now wished that she had vaxxed up. Covid is not a hoax nor is it the flu it is more than that.  The sooner people realize the truth the better it will be for the country.  

President Biden mandated that companies with 100 or more workers had to vaccinate or be tested weekly for covid. He placed fines on air travelers who won't mask up in order to limit the spread.  These mandates are within his powers as President and I hope this will limit the spread of the disease.

There are people that believe that the vaccine has a microchip in it or that it affects woman from getting pregnant. Some celebrities have spread misinformation like Nicky Minaj saying the her cousin's friends testicles got swollen because of covid vaccine. One lady at a town hall said the people have become magnetized by the vaccine. People believe this nonsense and that is scary.

Americans need to inform themselves by listening to the science not the political rhetoric for the sake of this country.

 

Daytona beach trip

Life's a box of chocolates

 Did you know that Daytona Beach was where the first Daytona nascar races were held in the 1910s before being moved to present location. On the boardwalk there are plaques about the history of Daytona Beach which is fascinating.

Have to go there to enjoy the history and scenery.

Here are some photos from trip.