0 The Case of the "Crazy" Celebrity

It's a scenario we've become all too familiar with. A celebrity has their stint in the limelight, and before we know it they become the center of attention, not for their talent, but for their misfortune.

This misfortune can be trouble with the law, erratic behavior, controversial comments/actions, drug problems, sometimes it can all of them combined.

After a while, the general consensus becomes: "Well, I guess (insert celebrity's name here) has gone crazy." 

Yet, for many people, that's when the real show begins.

We laugh at them, comedians make jokes about them, tabloids exaggerate stories about them and TMZ has a field day with them. But no one stops and thinks, "What if that was me?"

What if it were you that the media was talking about 24/7? What if you were constantly being publicly criticized for nearly everything you did?

What if you had your privacy invaded and had people asking you questions about your personal life every time you went out in public?

Don't get me wrong, this isn't meant to be me speaking on pedestal or to say that some celebrities aren't directly responsible for the controversies they face.

What I'm saying is that celebrities are people too. They make mistakes, they go through things emotionally and psychologically. But the difference between us and them is that they have money and millions of people watching them.

A prime example of this can be seen in the recent controversy surrounding actress Amanda Bynes. Bynes was once a promising young actress and in her younger years, she was a stand-out talent on Nickeloden.

But in the past year, she's fallen on some hard times, she's been in the news for alleged drug issues and other legal issues, as well as various episodes of erratic behavior.



Now it's quite obvious that Amanda Bynes is someone who is going through a lot mentally, yet the world simply sits back and enjoys the show.

Her story isn't that different from that of Kat Williams, Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Lohan, and many others.

What these people really need is help, not news coverage.

Yet, whats really wrong with this is that some of the same people who laugh and make a spectacle out of celebrities' misfortune are the same ones who idolize them when they die as a result of their stress.

Need an example?

Look no further than the "King of Pop" himself, Michael Jackson. 

He was another person who was demonized, and portrayed as "crazy" in the media, and even accused of false crimes, and what did many of us do? We fed into it.

We couldn't understand why he seemed so different from us. We didn't know why he chose to dress, talk and act the way he did, we just let the media write him off as being "crazy", as being a "rapist" and a child molester. Those controversies are believed to have intensified many of Jackson's drug problems, which is directly related to his untimely death.

Yet, after he died, everyone became Michael Jackson fans again. After we recognized how talented he really was since he was no longer with us, many of us started to say, "Hey, maybe Michael wasn't as bad as they made him out to be." 

Does anyone see a big problem with this?

Why does it take for a person to die for us to have some type of empathy for them? 

Why don't we question the reasons behind people's controversy while they are alive?

Why do we let the media control our opinion of public figures and why is the media so quick to tear these people down?  

Lauryn Hill, another troubled star whom many people have deemed "crazy", said it best in her song Superstar: 

"Just as Christ was a superstar... They'll hail you, then they'll nail you, no matter who you are."  

Maybe these celebrities that the media are always talking about aren't the main ones who are "crazy", maybe something else is "crazy", like society.

Maybe the entertainment industry itself is a bit twisted and maybe America's obsession with the personal lives of celebrities is strange. 

How about we try to focus on handling our own personal issues?  

Or what if we stop paying so much attention to celebrities and start paying more attention to the people in our lives that matter, like our families?

Or maybe I'm just talking crazy.

0 Edinboro University: My journey for excellence

On the morning of August 25, 2007, at the age of 17 years old, my life changed forever.

I remember the day vividly; I gave a hug to my parents and little brother as they got in the car to leave the parking lot of Lawrence Towers. My then-nine year-old brother, usually the family jokester, uncharacteristically had tears’ swelling up in his eyes.

The sad look on his usually laughing face, showed that it was finally sinking in that it was time for the person closest to him, whom he’d been around every day of his life, to go away to college.

As they drove away down Perry Lane and disappeared in the distance, I stood in the parking lot and for the first time in my life, I felt like I was an adult.

The first thought that popped into my head was, “Well, you’re here, now what are you going to do?”

At that moment I felt numerous emotions at once, I felt fear, anxiety, excitement (once I realized there were beautiful women nearly everywhere), yet most of all, I felt like I had something to prove.

Many of my high school classmates were going to the bigger schools like Temple and Penn State. I knew that I wasn’t going to a “big school”, but I had “big school” mentality.To me, it didn’t matter that Edinboro University wasn’t a big name school because in Edinboro University, I saw opportunity, I saw a unique experience waiting to happen, and I chance to grow into the person whom I was destined to become.

I didn’t come here not looking to live off of the legacy of EUP, I came here to help build a legacy for EUP.

Hopefully, I was successful in achieving that goal. But if I was, it wasn’t just because of me, it was because of the people who help us every day.

So, I’d like to thank all of the professors, staff and administrators who work hard to give us the best educational experience possible.Thanks to all of the housekeeping staff, the facilities staff, the food services workers, who keep this place running smoothly.

Also, I’d like to thank all of the people who work within our campus organizations to make this campus better, including those within Residence Life, Greek Life, SGA, many others, and last but certainly not least, our campus media.

Thanks to the students who may not be involved with any particular organization but work hard to improve this University.

And thank you to all of the wonderful people from different walks of life that I’ve been blessed to meet here.

At the age of 17, when my journey first began at Edinboro, I asked myself, “What are going to do?”

Now, at the age of 23, approaching the “real world” and getting closer to end of my Edinboro journey as a grad student, I have to admit, I sometimes ask myself the same question.

Yet, the answer to the second question is the same as the answer to the first, that is: Make the most of it.

I’ve learned many things at Edinboro University, but one of the best lessons that I learned was to make the most of what you have. That means making the most of your resources, your environment, your opportunity to learn, your friends, and most importantly, your time, because eventually, all things must come to an end.

Yet, the end of one journey is just the start of a new one.

I’ve been honored to have taken part in such a remarkable journey here and no matter where I go throughout my life, I will always cherish the moments I’ve had here, and  I don’t care how corny or clichéd it might sound now, but great things do happen here.

Thank you, Edinboro.

2 Health is a journey, not a destination

Life is going to throw many things at us which we are unable control. Yet, in many cases, our health and fitness isn't one of them.

Yes, family history, environmental factors play a role, but in most cases, no one plays a bigger role on our health than ourselves. One of the most prevalent, yet avoidable health problems in the US related to the standard American lifestyle is obesity.

According to the medical journal, PLoS Medicine, obesity is a leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., causing an estimated 200,000 deaths annually. It contributes to countless diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and even some cancers.

Many of us have seen family members and even some friends be plagued by these health problems. In recent years, this has made me become more health-conscious than ever. 

I've read countless health books, I had a gym membership back at home in Philly, I even went vegetarian a few times in the past few years, yet, I face a problem which many people face when it comes to getting healthier.

But do you know what my number one problems is?: INCONSISTENCY

... And that word is in bold for a reason, because when it comes to health and fitness, I can be one of the most inconsistent people in the world.

For example: One day, I drank a blended kale smoothie at 5pm, and ate chocolate chip cookies at 6pm...

Yeah, chocolate chip cookies can be a problem.

This guy know what I'm talking about...

On top of that, I'd allow myself to become lax in my diet, I'd skip workouts, and just begin to succumb to generally laziness... and I believe that when you allow yourself to be lazy with one aspect of your life, such as health and wellness, it starts to play a role on other aspects of your life as well.

So, I'd like to invite you all to join me on a journey of creating the habit of living a healthy lifestyle. 

In addition to all of the other stuff that I write about society, entertainment, (or whatever topic is on my mind that week) I also I'll share recipes, nutrition tips, workouts, discuss some of my role models as it pertains to fitness, etc.

But as I share my progress I'd like for you all share yours as well, so, just shoot me an email at mdebose310@hotmail.com sharing steps which you are taking to live a healthier, more active lifestyle, and I'll share them on my posts

Or, you can share in the comments section of my posts.

... and let me make it clear that this isn't a race, nor is it a competition, because when we take steps towards a healthier, more active lifestyle we all win.

But first, we have to leave some of these common excuses at the door:

1. I don't have time to workout

One of the main things which I learned in college is that people make time for what they want to do. We make time for TV, video games,  social networking, etc. That means that we can take time to dedicate ourselves to something IMPORTANT.

And for those people who are too busy being productive to take care of themselves, the same applies to you. What's the point of being busy if you aren't healthy enough to enjoy the rewards which you gain from your work? Make time, you'll thank yourself later.

2. It costs too much to eat healthy

Yes, some high-quality foods are pricey. Yet, in later blog posts, I'll talk more about inexpensive healthy foods. But we have to remember that our health is the most worthy investment in the world. 
As the rapper Stic. Man from the group Dead Prez once said, "Food is costly, but being sick is more expensive."

So join me on this journey of growth, improvement and development. I'm sure it'll be worth the time.

0 The Injustice of Indifference

Recently, I was on Facebook, when I came across something that disgusted me...Well actually, that happens pretty often, but I digress.

I saw a status written by a young women who apparently discussing  her previous night out, she said:

"Ugh I'm definitely going to be banned from all Philly cabs or be the target of a terrorist attack at some point. I totally told this dbag cab driver to go back to his own country last night lol"

But I wasn't so much surprised that she would post something like that, after all, America hasn't come that far in terms of cultural sensitivity and acceptance.

And just because this guy is in office doesn't mean that everything's cool either.

What shocked me even more were the reactions to what she said, one of her friends commented, "USA USA USA", while another responded, "Haha, this just made my day."

I sat and thought to myself, "How should I respond to something like this?" 

Then, I began to think of how many times I've been in arguments with people via Facebook for similar things and at the end of the day, it just seemed to be a waste of time.

That made me ask myself, "Should I respond to this?"

So, I did what most people of my generation does when they face a dilemma... 

I made a Facebook post about it. 

I informed my friends of these comments and asked for their advice on what I should do. One said, "I think you need to say something... A lot of people who say stuff like that think they're in the majority... They think it's the status quo."

I responded, "Yeah, but I just hate arguing with people who don't even know why their wrong."

What he said next had a profound effect on me, here's what he told me: 

"Don't say something because it's fun [or convenient], say something because its important."

At that moment, I realized that I almost fell into the trap of apathy and indifference which many Americans fall into when it comes to issues of discrimination.

Far too often we only speak up against wrongs which only affect us or those close to us, but won't speak out for the people who don't belong to the groups to which we belong. Thinking about this, I figured I had to say something, I said:

"I know that I don't usually comment on your stuff but this is offensive. If he was a jerk, call him a jerk. But the 'terrorist' and the 'go back to your country" stuff was uncalled for."

Minutes later she responded:

"That's the whole point, I was a little tipsy, I'd never say anything like this sober. That's the joke, dude."

Yet, this dude (me) didn't see the joke. So, I then responded with the following: 

"Being tipsy isn't a free pass to be offensive (or to make light of it the next day). If anything this is something you DON'T want to share because judging from some of the responses on this post, some people think this kind of stuff is ok ... If someone told me, 'Go back to Africa' (which is a lovely place, by the way lol) I'd be offended, whether that person was sober or not... I'm not judging/criticizing you personally, I'm just against what you said."

Mysteriously, as I posted that comment, her page disappeared and I saw this:

Most likely, this meant I'd been deleted, blocked, or both. But either way I was happy that I stood up for a just cause.

Most people believe in ignoring things like that, or just writing people off as being ignorant. Yet, how does that help to stop the behavior in question?

Some people might say, well "They're not talking about me." But when I hear that I often think of some wise words that one of my mentors, a sociologist by the name of Dr. Werner Lange once taught me. They were the words of a German minister named Martin Niemoller, who commented on the indifference of German intellectuals during the rise of the Nazis, he said:

"First they came for the communists,and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the socialists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me."

We all have a human responsibility to speak out against injustice and unfair treatment of other people, whether its on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, class, sexual orientation, political beliefs, etc.

Writer, and Holocaust survivor Elie Weisel once said, "The opposite of love is not hate, it is indifference." When we turn a blind eye to injustice and become indifferent and apathetic to the struggles of those who are culturally different from us, we indirectly contribute to injustice.

It is OUR job be to agents for love and truth to truly stand up for the principles of "Liberty and justice for ALL", because authentic liberty and justice cannot exist without genuine love and truth.

1 What's the deal with Boropalooza? (For Edinboro students)

OK, I get it if you don't like the name "Boropalooza", that's perfectly fine.

It's one thing to criticize the name "Boropalooza"... But  what's unfair is that hardly anybody is talking about all of the other new things that EUP is doing to make this years homecoming better.

  

It seems everyone is focused on the name and not actually what's behind it.

Immediately after the Bigger, Better, Boro I saw Facebook posts saying "They're getting rid of Homecoming?!" or "Boropalooza? What is this, the circus?"

Yet, ironically, many of the people who I saw criticizing the changes weren't even there to hear about them themselves.

They just lost their minds when they heard "Boropalooza".

This didn't happen, but you get the point.

Yet, no one's talking about the actual changes that are happening with homecoming, which I find to be beneficial. 

Prime example: The changes in the homecoming candidacy requirements.

It was announced that Edinboro Students who aren't in trouble judicially and have at least 24 credits could run for homecoming.

Do you know how many people have wanted to run for homecoming over the years but couldn't because they weren't part of an organization?

I find something like this to be great because it is more inclusive of the Edinboro University community as a whole and not just focused on organizations.

Also, another new thing that they're introducing is a bonfire for students during homecoming weekend.

Who in the hell doesn't like a bonfire?

No one's cancelling the game or the parade, no one's changing our tartan colors to polka dots, and no one's changing our alma mater to "The Wobble" (even if they did, I probably wouldn't mind).

Hell, people weren't even this passionate and vocal when Corbett cut our budget. Remember that, guys?

But, I digress. 

I honestly think some people constructively criticize but others just want to be negative toward anything that differs from what they're used to. 

And quite frankly, there are some people who just have personal issues towards particular people who were involved with introduction the new initiatives and use that as a passive-aggressive way to criticize them.

But they were gonna be mad either way.

We might not all agree on the name, but hopefully there one thing that we can all agree on, our love for Edinboro University. 

I can't wait to come back for Homecoming/Boropalooza this Fall as an alum and enjoy all of the great festivities that the Boro has to offer.

So let's just try to go into this with an open mind have some fun that weekend... Who cares what it's called?

0 Kobe Bryant: A lesson in resilience

Resilience (Merriam Webster's Dictionary)

1. The capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive stress

2. The ability to recover from or adust easily from misfortune or change.


"I made a move that I made 100 times and it just popped" , said a solemn Kobe Bryant, fighting to hold back tears during a press conference last Friday. 

That was the emotional description of the devastating injury that he suffered last week in a game against the Golden State Warriors.

Kobe ruptured his Achilles tendon in that game and had to undergo surgery. Doctors say his recovery time will be between six to nine months. Sports analysts say that after an injury like this, with him being 34 years old, his career may never be the same.

Yet today, it is likely that Kobe sits back with a smile on his face.

All the doubts which people have of him and all of the pain that he feels,  are simply gasoline to his fire.

The fire which burns inside Kobe Bryant is his drive to be the best. It's what separates him from other NBA stars and many other athletes in general. It's the reason why people talk about him in the same sentence of the likes of a Michael Jordan.

It is the reason why he can score 81 points in a game... and possibly do it again.

Kobe knew early in his career that he had to prove himself. When he went to the NBA fresh out of high school in 1996, some people questioned his ability to perform on the same level as athletes who played in college and honed their skills over time.

Many saw him as a boy trying to play in a man's league. However, he proved them wrong and surpassed many people's expectations, winning five NBA championships, being a two-time NBA finals MVP, and ranking 4th on the list of most points scored in an NBA career.

Kobe lives and breathes basketball, he's a student of the game. I remember watching Spike Lee's 2009 documentary, Kobe Doin' Work, in which Kobe narrates footage of himself and the Lakers playing against the NY Knicks. By just listening to him talk about the game of basketball, you can see why he's been so successful.

He thinks with focus and clarity, he plays with the precision of a chess player and leads on the court with the strategic eye of an army general.

Now I'm not the biggest fan of Kobe Bryant, but I respect his ambition and drive, and I know that when you doubt him, you'd better be ready to see him do something spectacular. 

Make no mistake about it, the Mamba will strike again.

But at the end of the day, there's a bigger picture to all of this. We could all learn something from Kobe. What Kobe shows us is that not only are drive and focus important, but he also shows us that we are far greater than our challenges.

Too often, we let our setbacks put us into a slump. We temporarily forget about our dreams, our ambitions and our goals and slow our progress. Yet, setbacks are merely setups for comebacks. We have to learn how to view our challenges as exactly what they are: challenges.

Facing a challenge doesn't mean it's time to throw in the towel, that means that its time to come back even stronger.

If you need an example of this, just watch what Kobe does next season.

I'm not saying whether or not he'll be MVP next year or that the Lakers will win the championship. Only time will tell what he's going to do.

But one thing that he won't be doing anytime soon is quitting.

0 Is Journalism Dying?

Published in The Edinboro Spectator: April 4th 2013

About a month ago I joined a group on the professional networking website Linkedin called "Linkedin for Journalists".

The group consists of hundreds of journalism professionals and job seekers looking to connect with people within the field. Me, being a young journalist approaching graduation, joined this group as soon as I read about it.

Seeking advice on breaking into the field of journalism, I asked a question within the group's discussion page.

"I'm a grad student approaching graduation and trying to get my foot in the door as a journalist. Do you have any advice as it pertains to the job search?", I asked. 

To my surprise, over 30 people commented with advice and tips for me. Yet, not all of the responses were positive. While I was reading the comments I noticed a few group members had responded in quite a negative tone.

One poster responded, "Yeah, I'd suggest going back to school and getting a law degree."
Another one commented, "Journalism is a dead-end business... students are making a mistake in pursuing what is laughably called a career as a reporter."

Now, I've heard this sentiment many times before.

In fact, as an undergraduate student at Edinboro University, pursuing my degree in print journalism. I even had a guest speaker in one of my reporting classes call journalism "a dying field".

The economy isn't what it used to be, newspapers companies are shutting down, and technology is changing the face of both print and broadcasting journalism as we know them. 

Yet, journalism is not dying, it is only evolving.

Yeah, it may be much harder to break into the business these days, but we can't afford to lose hope. A huge problem is that many people already have. 

Some are too afraid of change and are so stuck in the way that things USED to be that they cannot adapt to the way that things actually are.

All fields evolve in some way, look at medicine, law, business and entertainment.
What makes people think that journalism is going to be exempt from change?
Maybe we're not living in the same as the era of journalism that our grandparents experienced.

Yet, journalism still matters.

I believe that when a journalist is truly passionate enough about their craft, they don't wait for someone else to validate their skills. They don't wait for some "job" to make them feel like a journalist.

True journalists aren't made by their major or career, they're made by whats in their heart.

True journalists are inquisitive, curious and fearless. Therefore, they FIND and/or CREATE a way to be successful and prosperous at what they do.

So, whether one is a writer for the New York Times, is an anchor on CNN, or simply a blogger, we should take pride in what we do, because our work is monumental.

Journalists are supposed to be society's messengers, the writers of history, the  the voices of the voiceless, those who make sense of seemingly senseless times.

They help us to understand this ever-changing world in which we live. They analyze and examine our lives, and as Socrates said, "The unexamined life is not worth living."

People have sacrificed their lives for the sake of journalism

Therefore, to neglect journalism is to neglect a huge part of our lives.

Being a journalist is a heck of a responsibility, yet it is an honor as well. That is something that we all need to remember. 

As long as passionate journalists live, journalism will never die.