C. JoyBell C.'s Blog, page 31
July 12, 2014
When you're all alone, do you like you?
I came across this today, it made me smile, it made me teary-eyed, it made my heart happy! I'd like to share this with everyone on the planet, so here you go:
July 5, 2014
The EU Paradox (and more!)
I'm currently studying HEC Paris'(Ecole des hautes études commerciales de Paris) EU Studies course. For those of you who aren't familiar, HEC Paris is a private business school established in 1881, located in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. HEC is the business school of ParisTech and is considered as one of the most prominent business schools in the world.
A few weeks ago we had a written assignment to pass, which I found quite challenging. It was challenging because we were required to express and present so much in less than 1000 words. I wanted to share my assignment here on my blog, because I believe that it can be of use to inquiring minds and I also believe that it presents a new way of considering democratic participation when looking at politics.
Here was our task:
"How could you explain that, although the European Union has been continously extending its fields of competence and the European Parliament has been gaining more powers, turn out in the elections for the European Parliament seems to have steadily declined? What do you think could be done to increase the participation of the citizens in the democratic life of the EU?
The essay should demonstrate a strong understanding of the materials provided in the lecture and the interactions between the different "players of the EU game". Please note that defining democratic participation may be not only a useful but an essential part of answering this question.
Please adhere to a 500 - 1.000 words range, neither exceeding the maximum word count nor failing to meet the minimum."
Below is my undertaking:
Today, we face a paradox: though the European Union is esteemed to be improving through a growing number of competences and a creeping reach of influence and power; the popularity amongst its people seems to be dwindling and this is reflected in the turnout of the European Parliament elections. In this year's May Elections, for instance, the centre-right European People's Party won the most seats but came up well short of a majority. In Denmark, France, and Great Britain, rightist groups opposed to the European Union won unprecedented victories. Elsewhere, populist parties won significant seats. In total, roughly a quarter of all seats went to parties skeptical of the EU or protest parties. Thus, the election was seen as anti-establishment. In France, the Front National Party has beaten both the mainstream parties in this election, capturing 26 per cent of the vote share. The other topper is the stridently anti-immigrant and EU-sceptic UK Independence Party that trounced the ruling Conservative Party and the opposition Labour Party. The extreme left party in Greece has emerged as the other major anti-establishment platform in these polls; not to mention small inroads made by Germany’s new party that is skeptical of the Eurozone rather than the EU itself. Meanwhile, the EU has come very far from its humble beginnings in the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and the European Economic Community (EEC) formed by just six countries in 1951 and 1958, respectively, to later growing in size by the ongoing accession of new member states and growing in power by the addition of policy areas to its remit. Today we are witnesses to the EU's single market and we admire how passport controls have been abolished within the Schengen Area, thus allowing residents free movement, equal privileges and right of abode. Moreover, EU policies aim to ensure free movement of not just people; but of capital, goods and services. Today, the union maintains permanent diplomatic missions throughout the world and represents itself at the UN, the WTO, the G-8 and the G-20. Furthermore, we can see the EU competences ranging from Commercial Policy and Common Fisheries Policy amongst its exclusive competence; to the Internal Market, Transport and Energy amongst its shared competence; to Culture and Tourism amongst its supportive competence. Despite all of this, coupled with a hand-in-hand system of support between the European Parliament and the two other EU Institutions involved in EU legislation (The Council of the European Union and The European Commission), as well as the other EU Institutions such as the Court of Justice of the EU, the European Central Bank and so on and so forth— Euroscepticism is still on the rise!
I believe that it is beneficial to have an understanding of what can and should be expected, in the first place. How can we determine what is disproportional or "wrong" if we do not even know what can be expected, what can be considered as a "democratic participation"? I actually think this proposes a philosophical angle of thought: is "disproportional" really in fact equivalent to "wrong"? If the positive growth and the positive efforts of the EU have not garnered a response from EU Citizens that can be considered proportional to its actions; can this be truly seen as wrong, given the fact that we ultimately consider the highest good to be the democratic one/ the true desire and voice of the people? William R. Schonfeld has an incredibly interesting take on this which can be found in his book, The Meaning of Democratic Participation. Says Schonfeld, "The work of some political scientists is consonant with the assumption that 'asymmetry' is a fact of organizational life. That is to say, within social and political units, 'abilities to produce intended effects and derive benefits are unequally distributed; ... someone affects more than he is affected, controls more than he is controlled and/or gets more than what is allocated.' Democracy is a type of hierarchical relationship which mutes and reduces asymmetry through participation. Other work explicitly argues that symmetry is possible or at least might be approached. While asymmetry may be modal in practice, examples of "real democracy" do exist and should serve as models for emulation." Reading this, the questions that I am led to tackle, are:
Is a participatory democracy a true democracy or by refusing to participate in something that one does not believe in, is that individual in fact expressing his right to a true democracy?Or does the act of refusal in fact constitute a participatory democracy in that a choice is exercised? Is democracy enacted through doing what we are told is democratic or is democracy enacted through doing whatever we want— even when what we want is against what we have been told is democratic? When I began writing this essay, I thought that I already had my answers in mind! I was going to say that I believe education— though a long-term method— is always the best way to encourage awareness of a cause or a cure— our particular "cause/cure" being a more involved turnout at the European Parliament elections and a more favourable opinion of the EU in general. I am the farthest thing from a "Eurosceptic" and in fact, I look to the EU as the loving hands that descend to care and protect its people to a degree that other nations can only dream of! So I was going to suggest the education of the young ones in school and the education of European society as a whole, as the best means of producing a more active awareness and desire in the people to make an influence for the betterment of the EU's efforts and reach. But after pondering upon what Schonfeld wrote, I wonder if the true "democratic participation" is in fact the active choice to do or not to do as one is led to believe should be done! If so, then I, friend of freedom, have nothing more to say.
References:
"8th European Parliamentary Election", Current Affairs, jagranjosh.com. Accessed May 31, 2014.
"EU Institutions and Other Bodies", europa.eu. Accessed May 31, 2014.
"European Union", Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, en.wikipedia.org. Accessed May 31, 2014.
William R. Schonfeld (1975). The Meaning of Democratic Participation. World Politics, 28, pp 134-158. doi:10.2307/2010033.
A few weeks ago we had a written assignment to pass, which I found quite challenging. It was challenging because we were required to express and present so much in less than 1000 words. I wanted to share my assignment here on my blog, because I believe that it can be of use to inquiring minds and I also believe that it presents a new way of considering democratic participation when looking at politics.
Here was our task:
"How could you explain that, although the European Union has been continously extending its fields of competence and the European Parliament has been gaining more powers, turn out in the elections for the European Parliament seems to have steadily declined? What do you think could be done to increase the participation of the citizens in the democratic life of the EU?
The essay should demonstrate a strong understanding of the materials provided in the lecture and the interactions between the different "players of the EU game". Please note that defining democratic participation may be not only a useful but an essential part of answering this question.
Please adhere to a 500 - 1.000 words range, neither exceeding the maximum word count nor failing to meet the minimum."
Below is my undertaking:
Today, we face a paradox: though the European Union is esteemed to be improving through a growing number of competences and a creeping reach of influence and power; the popularity amongst its people seems to be dwindling and this is reflected in the turnout of the European Parliament elections. In this year's May Elections, for instance, the centre-right European People's Party won the most seats but came up well short of a majority. In Denmark, France, and Great Britain, rightist groups opposed to the European Union won unprecedented victories. Elsewhere, populist parties won significant seats. In total, roughly a quarter of all seats went to parties skeptical of the EU or protest parties. Thus, the election was seen as anti-establishment. In France, the Front National Party has beaten both the mainstream parties in this election, capturing 26 per cent of the vote share. The other topper is the stridently anti-immigrant and EU-sceptic UK Independence Party that trounced the ruling Conservative Party and the opposition Labour Party. The extreme left party in Greece has emerged as the other major anti-establishment platform in these polls; not to mention small inroads made by Germany’s new party that is skeptical of the Eurozone rather than the EU itself. Meanwhile, the EU has come very far from its humble beginnings in the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and the European Economic Community (EEC) formed by just six countries in 1951 and 1958, respectively, to later growing in size by the ongoing accession of new member states and growing in power by the addition of policy areas to its remit. Today we are witnesses to the EU's single market and we admire how passport controls have been abolished within the Schengen Area, thus allowing residents free movement, equal privileges and right of abode. Moreover, EU policies aim to ensure free movement of not just people; but of capital, goods and services. Today, the union maintains permanent diplomatic missions throughout the world and represents itself at the UN, the WTO, the G-8 and the G-20. Furthermore, we can see the EU competences ranging from Commercial Policy and Common Fisheries Policy amongst its exclusive competence; to the Internal Market, Transport and Energy amongst its shared competence; to Culture and Tourism amongst its supportive competence. Despite all of this, coupled with a hand-in-hand system of support between the European Parliament and the two other EU Institutions involved in EU legislation (The Council of the European Union and The European Commission), as well as the other EU Institutions such as the Court of Justice of the EU, the European Central Bank and so on and so forth— Euroscepticism is still on the rise!
I believe that it is beneficial to have an understanding of what can and should be expected, in the first place. How can we determine what is disproportional or "wrong" if we do not even know what can be expected, what can be considered as a "democratic participation"? I actually think this proposes a philosophical angle of thought: is "disproportional" really in fact equivalent to "wrong"? If the positive growth and the positive efforts of the EU have not garnered a response from EU Citizens that can be considered proportional to its actions; can this be truly seen as wrong, given the fact that we ultimately consider the highest good to be the democratic one/ the true desire and voice of the people? William R. Schonfeld has an incredibly interesting take on this which can be found in his book, The Meaning of Democratic Participation. Says Schonfeld, "The work of some political scientists is consonant with the assumption that 'asymmetry' is a fact of organizational life. That is to say, within social and political units, 'abilities to produce intended effects and derive benefits are unequally distributed; ... someone affects more than he is affected, controls more than he is controlled and/or gets more than what is allocated.' Democracy is a type of hierarchical relationship which mutes and reduces asymmetry through participation. Other work explicitly argues that symmetry is possible or at least might be approached. While asymmetry may be modal in practice, examples of "real democracy" do exist and should serve as models for emulation." Reading this, the questions that I am led to tackle, are:
Is a participatory democracy a true democracy or by refusing to participate in something that one does not believe in, is that individual in fact expressing his right to a true democracy?Or does the act of refusal in fact constitute a participatory democracy in that a choice is exercised? Is democracy enacted through doing what we are told is democratic or is democracy enacted through doing whatever we want— even when what we want is against what we have been told is democratic? When I began writing this essay, I thought that I already had my answers in mind! I was going to say that I believe education— though a long-term method— is always the best way to encourage awareness of a cause or a cure— our particular "cause/cure" being a more involved turnout at the European Parliament elections and a more favourable opinion of the EU in general. I am the farthest thing from a "Eurosceptic" and in fact, I look to the EU as the loving hands that descend to care and protect its people to a degree that other nations can only dream of! So I was going to suggest the education of the young ones in school and the education of European society as a whole, as the best means of producing a more active awareness and desire in the people to make an influence for the betterment of the EU's efforts and reach. But after pondering upon what Schonfeld wrote, I wonder if the true "democratic participation" is in fact the active choice to do or not to do as one is led to believe should be done! If so, then I, friend of freedom, have nothing more to say.
References:
"8th European Parliamentary Election", Current Affairs, jagranjosh.com. Accessed May 31, 2014.
"EU Institutions and Other Bodies", europa.eu. Accessed May 31, 2014.
"European Union", Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, en.wikipedia.org. Accessed May 31, 2014.
William R. Schonfeld (1975). The Meaning of Democratic Participation. World Politics, 28, pp 134-158. doi:10.2307/2010033.
June 30, 2014
Equine Healthcare Plan!
Hello wonderfuls!
What I have to share with you today has nothing to do with my writing or with any other sort of thing that I usually discuss here. Today I want to share with you my recent assignment that I have done for the Equine Studies course that I am taking via long-distance learning with a University in the United States. So our assignment this week was to come up with a healthcare plan based upon four types of equine internal parasites and also four types of equine diseases. We were instructed to come up with a plan for de-worming and also for vaccination. All of the assignments in this course can be based upon either a horse that we own or a hypothetical horse that we own only in our imagination! So basically, the idea is to comprehend four basic parasites and four basic diseases threatening our real or hypothetical horse, and to provide a healthcare system to address those.
So I thought that I'd share my assignment with all of you, just in case it could be of use to any horse owners out there, anybody doing research on the subject, so on and so forth. I think that I came up with a rather comprehensive plan and that's why I think it could be put to good use if I share it here on my blog, for the world's taking! So, I hope this will be of interest to you, if only to widen your variety of knowledge!
Equine Healthcare PlanAssignment # 5
Introduction
First of all, I would like to introduce you to my hypothetical horse which I have been describing here since the very first assignment. His name is Windsong, he's a non-breeding Falabella Miniature Horse stallion who weighs only 25 kg. and stands at only 29 inches in height. He lives in the State of Florida and is a companion horse who spends a lot of his time indoors (inside the family home), as most miniatures do. Like many miniatures, he sleeps in a bed with a blanket (very cute), although we (my family and I) have also provided him with a small stable in our gated backyard, sort of like an "out house" for him where he can seek shelter while outdoors. A large backyard is already adequate foraging grounds for a Falabella Miniature Horse, because it is very small! The general rule of 2 acres per horse simply doesn't apply to this breed of horse. Also, the general rule of 3% of feed per body weight doesn't apply either, as miniature horses are supposed to only be fed 1.5% of their body weight! In fact, the variety of standards that apply to average-size horses don't apply to the Falabella Miniature Horses; so with every new assignment I always have to do separate research on what this specific breed of horse needs! Moreover, I don't actually live in Florida where my beloved hypothetical horse lives here on paper; so I have to do an adequate amount of research on the regional area in order to expound my understanding of my Windsong's needs in that part of the world.
De-worming Plan
According to my research, it has been discovered that providing a general rule of de-worming for all horses is not advised and could in fact be hazardous! According to the McKee-Pownall Equine Services Veterinarians, it's not one stroke for all folks when it comes to de-worming equids! Each equid has individual needs and not all equids in a pasture would share the same level of infestation risk. For example, one horse may not have the same amount of infestation as the next horse and dosing all horses with the same amounts of de-worming drugs is apparently the very reason why there is a level of resistance that often develops in the parasites. So the key is to first identify the individual needs of the equids and drug them accordingly. Each horse needs its "own stroke." Fortunately, we can detect and classify these high, medium, and low burden horses through fecal examinations at appropriate times of the year.
Now, according to my research here, the four types of parasites I should be most concerned about in the state of Florida, are the :
Large Strongyles (strongylus vulgaris) which are more of a problem year-round really, just because their incubation period (time it takes for them to mature) is six months! Because of this long incubation period, treatment for this would start in the Spring (March, April, May) and in the Summer (June July, August), in order to prevent infestations spreading in the Winter (December, January, February)— when infestations of this type would normally happen. In fact, according to the veterinarians over at The Horse, what this means for the horse world is that larvae disappear rapidly from pastures during hot, dry weather, but they survive extremely well in freezing conditions. In most regions of the United States, infective larvae present on pasture in October can persist until the following May or June. The treatment for this infestation is usually Ivermectin given at 6-month intervals.Small Strongyles (bloodworms or cyathostomes). Larval cyathostomosis occurs seasonally, usually during Winter and Spring. The treatments for this type of parasite are generally administered at 2-month intervals with Ivermectin and a 3-month interval treatment with Moxidectin, from September to March each year.Ascarids (large roundworms). According to The University of Florida's Department of Animal Sciences, Because ascarids shed a very tough egg that can survive in the environment for several years, and only hatches after being swallowed by a horse, transmission of that worm is non-seasonal and not affected by changes in climate. On most breeding farms, the majority of eggs ingested by this year’s foals were passed by foals on the same farm during the preceding year! Generally, the idea with this particular parasite is to try and build immunity during a foal's first year of life by de-worming with BZDs, Pyrantel, Ivermectin, or Moxidectin at 2-month intervals during the foal's entire first year of life.Tapeworms. This is a common parasite amongst horses and little is known about its seasonality, although it has been suggested in our lectures here in our class, that typically this type of parasite is a problem during Spring, Summer and Fall. According to The University of Florida's Department of Animal Sciences, Ivermectin-Praziquantel or Moxidectin-Praziquantel given as a daily treatment is recommended to control this parasite. But I think this is a rough guide and I will get to my own personal de-worming plan in a second.
The above information I've listed in numbers is just a general guide and my real de-worming plan, as tailored to my Falabella Miniature Horse's needs, would be something that is recommended by the veterinarians over at McKee-Pownall Equine Services. First of all, their recommended plan is based upon individual needs of the horses (whether the horse is classified as a high, medium or low burden horse as determine by fecal examinations.) Then going from there, a plan is developed. I should also point out and make it very clear that Miniature Horses require a slightly different deworming approach, as they should not receive Moxidectin products! So let's say my hypothetical horse is classified as medium-burden, here is the de-worming schedule that I would follow for him:
One or two treatments with Fenbendazole (Panacur) in April, followed by a fecal examination 8-10 weeks after that initial treatment. Then in July my horse would receive another scheduled treatment with Fenbendazole- Pyrantel (may be administered together.) Another fecal exam would be scheduled for a 2 weeks post-July treatment. His next treatment would come in November with a dose of Ivermectin- Praziquantel (may be administered together if required.)
Vaccination Plan
First to be noted is the fact that Miniature Horses do require the same dosage of vaccinations as regular-size horses. However, they are not supposed to be given combo-shots that include the West Nile vaccine, because it is too much for their system to handle. Below is a list of four diseases I would be concerned about in the region of Florida and during what times of year or how many times a year the vaccines for these diseases should be administered. I have taken my vaccination plan decisions from my research at Fair Grove Veterinary Service, American Miniature Horses dot com, AAEP (American Association of Equine Practitioners) and Ramblin' Rose Miniature Horse Ranch, and I am structuring my plan based upon a Miniature Horse stallion who has not had any prior vaccinations.
West Nile Virus. Apparently, horses traveling to the State of Florida need to be boostered with this disease's vaccination 2 weeks before said travel date. Moreover, it looks like veterinarians in problem areas like Florida vaccinate against this disease 2-4 times per year! This vaccine is a "Spring Vaccine" and should be given during the Spring months (March, April, May) with an initial booster shot in 4 weeks and then regular boosters should be given every 6 months thereafter. However, since it has a 6-month interval, this vaccine is also classified as a Fall vaccine and administration of boosters may also be given during the Fall (September, October, November.)Tetanus Toxoid. Tetanus on its own is given as a 2-dose vaccine, where the 2'nd dose is administered 4-6 weeks after the initial one, with an annual revaccination. However, this disease's vaccine is often administered as part of the VEWT (Venezuelan, Eastern and Western Encephalomyelitis and Tetanus) vaccine that is given during Springtime, before the onset of the vector season.Rabies. The anti-rabies vaccine, in Miniature Horses, should only be given once— initially in the Spring and then the boosters would come every 2-3 years. There is a difference here between regular-size horses, who should receive annual boosters after the initial dosage.EEE/WEE (Eastern Western Equine Encephalomyelitis). This vaccine should be administered during the Springtime. Initially, we would be giving a 2-dose treatment, with the 2'nd dose given 4-6 weeks after the first. Revaccinations (boosters) should be given prior to the onset of the next vector season (meaning next Spring.) However, some argue that this vaccine should be given twice a year! I believe that the frequency of administration of boosters should be determined by an experienced veterinarian working in the actual nearby area where my hypothetical horse lives, determined by the vet's professional assessment of my horse's needs.
References
McKee-Pownall Equine Services. Health Care FAQ Guidelines for De-worming. Accessed June 28, 2014The University of Florida's Department of Animal Sciences. Equine Parasite Control. Accessed June 28, 2014The Horse. Strongyles: The Worst of the Worms. Accessed June 28, 2014Fair Grove Veterinary Service. Equine Health>Vaccinations. Accessed June 28, 2014Horse Channel dot com. AAEP Horse Vaccination Chart. Accessed June 28, 2014American Miniature Horses dot com. Vaccinations. Accessed June 28, 2014Ramblin' Rose Miniature Horse Ranch. Worming and Vaccinations. Accessed June 28, 2014
What I have to share with you today has nothing to do with my writing or with any other sort of thing that I usually discuss here. Today I want to share with you my recent assignment that I have done for the Equine Studies course that I am taking via long-distance learning with a University in the United States. So our assignment this week was to come up with a healthcare plan based upon four types of equine internal parasites and also four types of equine diseases. We were instructed to come up with a plan for de-worming and also for vaccination. All of the assignments in this course can be based upon either a horse that we own or a hypothetical horse that we own only in our imagination! So basically, the idea is to comprehend four basic parasites and four basic diseases threatening our real or hypothetical horse, and to provide a healthcare system to address those.
So I thought that I'd share my assignment with all of you, just in case it could be of use to any horse owners out there, anybody doing research on the subject, so on and so forth. I think that I came up with a rather comprehensive plan and that's why I think it could be put to good use if I share it here on my blog, for the world's taking! So, I hope this will be of interest to you, if only to widen your variety of knowledge!
Equine Healthcare PlanAssignment # 5
Introduction
First of all, I would like to introduce you to my hypothetical horse which I have been describing here since the very first assignment. His name is Windsong, he's a non-breeding Falabella Miniature Horse stallion who weighs only 25 kg. and stands at only 29 inches in height. He lives in the State of Florida and is a companion horse who spends a lot of his time indoors (inside the family home), as most miniatures do. Like many miniatures, he sleeps in a bed with a blanket (very cute), although we (my family and I) have also provided him with a small stable in our gated backyard, sort of like an "out house" for him where he can seek shelter while outdoors. A large backyard is already adequate foraging grounds for a Falabella Miniature Horse, because it is very small! The general rule of 2 acres per horse simply doesn't apply to this breed of horse. Also, the general rule of 3% of feed per body weight doesn't apply either, as miniature horses are supposed to only be fed 1.5% of their body weight! In fact, the variety of standards that apply to average-size horses don't apply to the Falabella Miniature Horses; so with every new assignment I always have to do separate research on what this specific breed of horse needs! Moreover, I don't actually live in Florida where my beloved hypothetical horse lives here on paper; so I have to do an adequate amount of research on the regional area in order to expound my understanding of my Windsong's needs in that part of the world.
De-worming Plan
According to my research, it has been discovered that providing a general rule of de-worming for all horses is not advised and could in fact be hazardous! According to the McKee-Pownall Equine Services Veterinarians, it's not one stroke for all folks when it comes to de-worming equids! Each equid has individual needs and not all equids in a pasture would share the same level of infestation risk. For example, one horse may not have the same amount of infestation as the next horse and dosing all horses with the same amounts of de-worming drugs is apparently the very reason why there is a level of resistance that often develops in the parasites. So the key is to first identify the individual needs of the equids and drug them accordingly. Each horse needs its "own stroke." Fortunately, we can detect and classify these high, medium, and low burden horses through fecal examinations at appropriate times of the year.
Now, according to my research here, the four types of parasites I should be most concerned about in the state of Florida, are the :
Large Strongyles (strongylus vulgaris) which are more of a problem year-round really, just because their incubation period (time it takes for them to mature) is six months! Because of this long incubation period, treatment for this would start in the Spring (March, April, May) and in the Summer (June July, August), in order to prevent infestations spreading in the Winter (December, January, February)— when infestations of this type would normally happen. In fact, according to the veterinarians over at The Horse, what this means for the horse world is that larvae disappear rapidly from pastures during hot, dry weather, but they survive extremely well in freezing conditions. In most regions of the United States, infective larvae present on pasture in October can persist until the following May or June. The treatment for this infestation is usually Ivermectin given at 6-month intervals.Small Strongyles (bloodworms or cyathostomes). Larval cyathostomosis occurs seasonally, usually during Winter and Spring. The treatments for this type of parasite are generally administered at 2-month intervals with Ivermectin and a 3-month interval treatment with Moxidectin, from September to March each year.Ascarids (large roundworms). According to The University of Florida's Department of Animal Sciences, Because ascarids shed a very tough egg that can survive in the environment for several years, and only hatches after being swallowed by a horse, transmission of that worm is non-seasonal and not affected by changes in climate. On most breeding farms, the majority of eggs ingested by this year’s foals were passed by foals on the same farm during the preceding year! Generally, the idea with this particular parasite is to try and build immunity during a foal's first year of life by de-worming with BZDs, Pyrantel, Ivermectin, or Moxidectin at 2-month intervals during the foal's entire first year of life.Tapeworms. This is a common parasite amongst horses and little is known about its seasonality, although it has been suggested in our lectures here in our class, that typically this type of parasite is a problem during Spring, Summer and Fall. According to The University of Florida's Department of Animal Sciences, Ivermectin-Praziquantel or Moxidectin-Praziquantel given as a daily treatment is recommended to control this parasite. But I think this is a rough guide and I will get to my own personal de-worming plan in a second.
The above information I've listed in numbers is just a general guide and my real de-worming plan, as tailored to my Falabella Miniature Horse's needs, would be something that is recommended by the veterinarians over at McKee-Pownall Equine Services. First of all, their recommended plan is based upon individual needs of the horses (whether the horse is classified as a high, medium or low burden horse as determine by fecal examinations.) Then going from there, a plan is developed. I should also point out and make it very clear that Miniature Horses require a slightly different deworming approach, as they should not receive Moxidectin products! So let's say my hypothetical horse is classified as medium-burden, here is the de-worming schedule that I would follow for him:
One or two treatments with Fenbendazole (Panacur) in April, followed by a fecal examination 8-10 weeks after that initial treatment. Then in July my horse would receive another scheduled treatment with Fenbendazole- Pyrantel (may be administered together.) Another fecal exam would be scheduled for a 2 weeks post-July treatment. His next treatment would come in November with a dose of Ivermectin- Praziquantel (may be administered together if required.)
Vaccination Plan
First to be noted is the fact that Miniature Horses do require the same dosage of vaccinations as regular-size horses. However, they are not supposed to be given combo-shots that include the West Nile vaccine, because it is too much for their system to handle. Below is a list of four diseases I would be concerned about in the region of Florida and during what times of year or how many times a year the vaccines for these diseases should be administered. I have taken my vaccination plan decisions from my research at Fair Grove Veterinary Service, American Miniature Horses dot com, AAEP (American Association of Equine Practitioners) and Ramblin' Rose Miniature Horse Ranch, and I am structuring my plan based upon a Miniature Horse stallion who has not had any prior vaccinations.
West Nile Virus. Apparently, horses traveling to the State of Florida need to be boostered with this disease's vaccination 2 weeks before said travel date. Moreover, it looks like veterinarians in problem areas like Florida vaccinate against this disease 2-4 times per year! This vaccine is a "Spring Vaccine" and should be given during the Spring months (March, April, May) with an initial booster shot in 4 weeks and then regular boosters should be given every 6 months thereafter. However, since it has a 6-month interval, this vaccine is also classified as a Fall vaccine and administration of boosters may also be given during the Fall (September, October, November.)Tetanus Toxoid. Tetanus on its own is given as a 2-dose vaccine, where the 2'nd dose is administered 4-6 weeks after the initial one, with an annual revaccination. However, this disease's vaccine is often administered as part of the VEWT (Venezuelan, Eastern and Western Encephalomyelitis and Tetanus) vaccine that is given during Springtime, before the onset of the vector season.Rabies. The anti-rabies vaccine, in Miniature Horses, should only be given once— initially in the Spring and then the boosters would come every 2-3 years. There is a difference here between regular-size horses, who should receive annual boosters after the initial dosage.EEE/WEE (Eastern Western Equine Encephalomyelitis). This vaccine should be administered during the Springtime. Initially, we would be giving a 2-dose treatment, with the 2'nd dose given 4-6 weeks after the first. Revaccinations (boosters) should be given prior to the onset of the next vector season (meaning next Spring.) However, some argue that this vaccine should be given twice a year! I believe that the frequency of administration of boosters should be determined by an experienced veterinarian working in the actual nearby area where my hypothetical horse lives, determined by the vet's professional assessment of my horse's needs.
References
McKee-Pownall Equine Services. Health Care FAQ Guidelines for De-worming. Accessed June 28, 2014The University of Florida's Department of Animal Sciences. Equine Parasite Control. Accessed June 28, 2014The Horse. Strongyles: The Worst of the Worms. Accessed June 28, 2014Fair Grove Veterinary Service. Equine Health>Vaccinations. Accessed June 28, 2014Horse Channel dot com. AAEP Horse Vaccination Chart. Accessed June 28, 2014American Miniature Horses dot com. Vaccinations. Accessed June 28, 2014Ramblin' Rose Miniature Horse Ranch. Worming and Vaccinations. Accessed June 28, 2014
June 24, 2014
How to buy a C. JoyBell C. book!
Hello, wonderfuls!
People often message and email me to ask which of my books I would suggest that they start with. It's rather hard to answer that question point-blank, because in order to suggest books to people, you have to be their personal friend first, really know them, really know what they are looking for in a read or what they really need from a book. So I thought I'd make a blog post addressing this very issue, providing you with insight about each of my books, for whom I would suggest them, so on and so forth. I think this would prove to be very helpful for all of you!
Let me first start by saying that all of my books have an esoteric inclination, although to different degrees and in different ways. That means that generally speaking— seekers and thinkers would benefit most from reading my words. Although I should also add that I have met some of the least spiritual people who have come to recognize the existence of their souls after reading even a single quote from my works. So I guess it really depends on a person's destiny, after all. Still, I can give you a good recommendation on what would most possibly suit a person, based upon the individual souls of my books. So here goes!
The Conversation of Merachefet is the most deeply and highly esoteric of all my works. I doubt that everyone who reads it would be able to understand it. In fact, I almost didn't release this book due to the level of its esotericism. Every time I myself pick up this book, the weather physically changes and I change along with it! And it's always something new every time! This book will bond with the energies of a person who has a high vibrational frequency. In these pages I bring forth universal truths that span over the beginning of time and on into the future. I almost didn't release this book because I didn't want senseless, dumb people to read it and then just not understand any of it, or even worse, possibly even give the book a bad review or a low rating! It would be like throwing pearls to pigs! But then I realized that if I didn't release it, there would be many people deserving of pearls who would never receive them. So I recommend this book to those who seek truth of all forms and who are willing to be changed by it.
This book makes reference to magick and also to fantasy (notice I separate magick from fantasy.) There is a true magick and then there is fantasy. This book offers a platter containing both. I would recommend this to the fantasy-lover as well as the magickal seekers/practitioners. This would also be a good read for those who believe in the concept of soul mates and twin flames. Furthermore, these pages contain erotica (towards the end of the book) so it would also be a good read for those of you who are, well, "turned-on" by erotic writings. In a nutshell, this book contains the essence of magick, fantasy, eternal love and hot sex!
This is the erotica-free (sans erotica) version of the above book. Contains everything in the erotic version, except for the hot sex! So if you want magick, fantasy, eternal love but no hot sex— this is the better choice for you!
This is the same book as above, just in a different cover style.
Same sans erotica version as above, different cover style.
The poetry in this book has been described by some readers as "magical and luminous." Many of the poems I have in these pages are those that I wrote on my travels when I was finding and getting to know myself. This leg of my travels was a sacred, spiritual journey for me and I believe that comes across in a very unhampered, clear way, to the reader. I would describe it as incense rising into the senses. Many of the writings in this book are esoteric in nature and also allude to mythology.
This is a very character-driven novella that explores human movement and its relationship to inner emotions, cause and consequence of events that reverberate through time and affect other people in a diverse range of ways, the depth of the human psyche and how the mind works during conversation and recollections of past happenings and memories. It also explores the exact depth of human relationships and how those relationships affect our interactions with other people not necessarily associated with those primary connections. This is all explored in a sudden, forceful way. It's been said about my book, that it was perhaps written "in a wild, maddening, passionate rush." It's true, because that is exactly how I wrote it! I believe this book suits those who like character-driven stories and who are not simply looking for a passing entertainment; but rather, looking for a mentally stimulating and emotionally gripping literary piece.
This book is rather set apart from the rest, not only because I illustrated it myself, but because the tone comes from a more "every day" place. The poetry here is more tangible; but tangible in an esoteric way. While you read this book, you will be able to quickly form connections between the poetry written here and your everyday relationships with people, as well as those not-so-everyday relationships that sometimes tend to haunt you, echoing from your past. This book has been reported by a few mothers of autistic children as having a soothing effect upon their child when it is read to them. I don't know why my book has this effect for some autistic children; but I'm thankful for that and I thought I would let you know about it.
This is the "sister version" of the dragonfly book above. I also illustrated the pages of this one and I meant to write it in a similar, tangible and more physical fashion, as I have done with dragonflies.
The Sun Is Snowing was my first-ever published book and this current edition is already an improved, revised one. This book was written and published at a time when all that flowed through me was innocence and gentleness (I later went back though, and added more writings written from difficult experiences, which can be found in this revised version.) Everybody from children to adults to the elderly have expressed appreciation for the writings in this book, which have been described by many to be "very raw, very human, very gentle and very magical, heartwarming." Some people have even reported coming out of therapy due to owning and reading this book! I am astonished every time I hear reports like that! Furthermore, there are many coloured, high-quality photos between these covers, coming from a wide range of photographers from all over the world— from the most professional artists to the girl standing outside with her camera, posting her captures to Flickr. I would recommend this book as a gift for people in therapy and rehab, for children (with parental supervision) and for theorists (there are a number of original theories presented), for philosophers and for those who want to feel gentleness and experience healing.
This book is a compilation of all the things I am quoted as saying and writing. As you may already know, my quotes are scattered all over the globe and have become a part of people's lives, everywhere. Initially, I didn't plan to publish a book containing all of my aphorisms; but the demand was great and it would simply be an easier way for my beloved readers and fans to have quick access to all of my short words that they love and cherish so dearly. So I went ahead and made this book, named it Vade Mecum, and watched how it has indeed become many people's "constant companion." Many people describe my words as "profound" and you will find many "love notes" addressed to me from my readers, in the closing portion of this book.
I hope that you will find this book-choosing/buying entree to be very purposeful, helpful, and I hope that your "main dish" will be one (or more) of these works of mine. Have a day filled with happiness and I hope you choose well! Remember that I am an independent author, which means that I am responsible for my own books from start to finish! That also means that I am not backed by any huge, multi-million-dollar publishing company! I am my own publisher! So please bear with me if you cannot find my books at your local brick-and-mortar bookstores, that just means that I don't have contracts with multi-million-dollar publishing houses that would be responsible for hooking me up with brick-and-mortar bookstores. There are alternative ways for ordering my books, which goes to say that you can order them anywhere on the internet or directly from their individual CreateSpace bookstores. You can also order from IndieBound.org and have them deliver my books to your favourite brick-and-mortar! Book Depository is a more affordable way to order online from anywhere on the planet, or if you prefer, you can always just approach your bookstore concierge/front desk/manager/owner, and place an order for any of my books, which would then arrive in about two weeks (arrival time depends on your book store.) You will be able to do this from anywhere on the globe and people have done this in the Middle East, Europe, Africa, SE Asia, so on and so forth. For easy links and more information, please don't hesitate to visit me!
People often message and email me to ask which of my books I would suggest that they start with. It's rather hard to answer that question point-blank, because in order to suggest books to people, you have to be their personal friend first, really know them, really know what they are looking for in a read or what they really need from a book. So I thought I'd make a blog post addressing this very issue, providing you with insight about each of my books, for whom I would suggest them, so on and so forth. I think this would prove to be very helpful for all of you!
Let me first start by saying that all of my books have an esoteric inclination, although to different degrees and in different ways. That means that generally speaking— seekers and thinkers would benefit most from reading my words. Although I should also add that I have met some of the least spiritual people who have come to recognize the existence of their souls after reading even a single quote from my works. So I guess it really depends on a person's destiny, after all. Still, I can give you a good recommendation on what would most possibly suit a person, based upon the individual souls of my books. So here goes!
The Conversation of Merachefet is the most deeply and highly esoteric of all my works. I doubt that everyone who reads it would be able to understand it. In fact, I almost didn't release this book due to the level of its esotericism. Every time I myself pick up this book, the weather physically changes and I change along with it! And it's always something new every time! This book will bond with the energies of a person who has a high vibrational frequency. In these pages I bring forth universal truths that span over the beginning of time and on into the future. I almost didn't release this book because I didn't want senseless, dumb people to read it and then just not understand any of it, or even worse, possibly even give the book a bad review or a low rating! It would be like throwing pearls to pigs! But then I realized that if I didn't release it, there would be many people deserving of pearls who would never receive them. So I recommend this book to those who seek truth of all forms and who are willing to be changed by it.
This book makes reference to magick and also to fantasy (notice I separate magick from fantasy.) There is a true magick and then there is fantasy. This book offers a platter containing both. I would recommend this to the fantasy-lover as well as the magickal seekers/practitioners. This would also be a good read for those who believe in the concept of soul mates and twin flames. Furthermore, these pages contain erotica (towards the end of the book) so it would also be a good read for those of you who are, well, "turned-on" by erotic writings. In a nutshell, this book contains the essence of magick, fantasy, eternal love and hot sex!
This is the erotica-free (sans erotica) version of the above book. Contains everything in the erotic version, except for the hot sex! So if you want magick, fantasy, eternal love but no hot sex— this is the better choice for you!
This is the same book as above, just in a different cover style.
Same sans erotica version as above, different cover style.
The poetry in this book has been described by some readers as "magical and luminous." Many of the poems I have in these pages are those that I wrote on my travels when I was finding and getting to know myself. This leg of my travels was a sacred, spiritual journey for me and I believe that comes across in a very unhampered, clear way, to the reader. I would describe it as incense rising into the senses. Many of the writings in this book are esoteric in nature and also allude to mythology.
This is a very character-driven novella that explores human movement and its relationship to inner emotions, cause and consequence of events that reverberate through time and affect other people in a diverse range of ways, the depth of the human psyche and how the mind works during conversation and recollections of past happenings and memories. It also explores the exact depth of human relationships and how those relationships affect our interactions with other people not necessarily associated with those primary connections. This is all explored in a sudden, forceful way. It's been said about my book, that it was perhaps written "in a wild, maddening, passionate rush." It's true, because that is exactly how I wrote it! I believe this book suits those who like character-driven stories and who are not simply looking for a passing entertainment; but rather, looking for a mentally stimulating and emotionally gripping literary piece.
This book is rather set apart from the rest, not only because I illustrated it myself, but because the tone comes from a more "every day" place. The poetry here is more tangible; but tangible in an esoteric way. While you read this book, you will be able to quickly form connections between the poetry written here and your everyday relationships with people, as well as those not-so-everyday relationships that sometimes tend to haunt you, echoing from your past. This book has been reported by a few mothers of autistic children as having a soothing effect upon their child when it is read to them. I don't know why my book has this effect for some autistic children; but I'm thankful for that and I thought I would let you know about it.
This is the "sister version" of the dragonfly book above. I also illustrated the pages of this one and I meant to write it in a similar, tangible and more physical fashion, as I have done with dragonflies.
The Sun Is Snowing was my first-ever published book and this current edition is already an improved, revised one. This book was written and published at a time when all that flowed through me was innocence and gentleness (I later went back though, and added more writings written from difficult experiences, which can be found in this revised version.) Everybody from children to adults to the elderly have expressed appreciation for the writings in this book, which have been described by many to be "very raw, very human, very gentle and very magical, heartwarming." Some people have even reported coming out of therapy due to owning and reading this book! I am astonished every time I hear reports like that! Furthermore, there are many coloured, high-quality photos between these covers, coming from a wide range of photographers from all over the world— from the most professional artists to the girl standing outside with her camera, posting her captures to Flickr. I would recommend this book as a gift for people in therapy and rehab, for children (with parental supervision) and for theorists (there are a number of original theories presented), for philosophers and for those who want to feel gentleness and experience healing.
This book is a compilation of all the things I am quoted as saying and writing. As you may already know, my quotes are scattered all over the globe and have become a part of people's lives, everywhere. Initially, I didn't plan to publish a book containing all of my aphorisms; but the demand was great and it would simply be an easier way for my beloved readers and fans to have quick access to all of my short words that they love and cherish so dearly. So I went ahead and made this book, named it Vade Mecum, and watched how it has indeed become many people's "constant companion." Many people describe my words as "profound" and you will find many "love notes" addressed to me from my readers, in the closing portion of this book.I hope that you will find this book-choosing/buying entree to be very purposeful, helpful, and I hope that your "main dish" will be one (or more) of these works of mine. Have a day filled with happiness and I hope you choose well! Remember that I am an independent author, which means that I am responsible for my own books from start to finish! That also means that I am not backed by any huge, multi-million-dollar publishing company! I am my own publisher! So please bear with me if you cannot find my books at your local brick-and-mortar bookstores, that just means that I don't have contracts with multi-million-dollar publishing houses that would be responsible for hooking me up with brick-and-mortar bookstores. There are alternative ways for ordering my books, which goes to say that you can order them anywhere on the internet or directly from their individual CreateSpace bookstores. You can also order from IndieBound.org and have them deliver my books to your favourite brick-and-mortar! Book Depository is a more affordable way to order online from anywhere on the planet, or if you prefer, you can always just approach your bookstore concierge/front desk/manager/owner, and place an order for any of my books, which would then arrive in about two weeks (arrival time depends on your book store.) You will be able to do this from anywhere on the globe and people have done this in the Middle East, Europe, Africa, SE Asia, so on and so forth. For easy links and more information, please don't hesitate to visit me!
June 20, 2014
Loving this girl...
I often say, that I am my fans' biggest fan. Truly, I gush over the people that gush over me. That's just the way that I am. This video is a good example of that! While I was watching this, I was blushing because I felt so shy to hear her say my name, "C. JoyBell C." and I was thrilled at the same time, because my book was being reviewed! I was also gushing over how beautiful this girl is! She's effortlessly beautiful and smart. And I love her ombre hair!
Maaike, thank you so much for doing this review, I will cherish it (and you.) A hug and a kiss from me to you!
Maaike, thank you so much for doing this review, I will cherish it (and you.) A hug and a kiss from me to you!
June 18, 2014
Sun and Sunlight
Sun and Sunlight
The Sun is the body
The Sunlight is the Spirit
Just like you and me
There is a body
There is a Spirit
Just like the Moon
Moon is the body
Moonlight is the Spirit
Like a rainbow
The raindrops
Make the body
The colour is the Spirit
Just like your hand
Is a hand
But that movement inside my soul
That’s your Spirit touching
My own
Copyright © 2014 C. JoyBell C. All rights reserved.
June 6, 2014
Dear Dying Race,
People today do not understand the meaning of sacrifice. In fact, you might not even want to read the rest of what I have written here, after reading the word “sacrifice” in the first sentence. This word has become synonymous with religion and with loss. Modern society believes that sacrifice is the ultimate loss and has completely failed to associate it with any sort of gain, whatsoever!
The sad part is how children these days are not raised; they are just born and then they are “raised” by the media: television, movies, magazines, Facebook, popular opinion, popular culture... their convictions are just about as deep as the width of a magazine spread of the latest supermodel! And when I say “children” you’d be surprised to realize that I am pertaining not only to our younger generation but also to my own generation because I see even my own generation as “children.” Then these children are “raised” by the media inside the illusion that they should expect only the best out of every single thing that comes their way and that any form of discomfort on their part is to be shunned and feared; of course, this illusion is only created by advertising teams of companies that want you to buy their products. The message is coming from the left and from the right of people’s Facebook accounts, from televisions, from the magazines, from internet blog articles and so on and so forth— the message that their product will make you feel better and give you better than the next product can— the sickening illusion that the world is catering to you and trying to give you all the things that will make you feel good! People sit there and buy into this illusion, expecting that their lives are supposed to work that way, expecting that this is what it’s supposed to feel like, expecting total comfort as a sign of quality and happiness... people are stupid! Meanwhile, the reality is merely that companies are trying to make money so that their CEOs can live in utter comfort. That’s the reality.
The reality of sacrifice in life is both a scientific and fundamental spiritual and moral reality. In order to accept a new energy, one must sacrifice another energy to make room for the new one. In order to accept something that you want— you have to be able to see its value and prioritize it above something else. Energies are not equal. People’s energies are not equal, the energies added to your life by other people and by activities and decisions and choices— they are not equal! The key skill that needs to be cultivated in one’s life is the ability to assess value. Unfortunately, this ability is often crushed underfoot by the stupidity created by the hands of the aforementioned rhythm of current society. How can an individual assess the value of a person or a thing in order to prioritize and build a beautiful life around or with it, when that same individual assesses the value of everything based upon how he/she was “raised” by the media? Based upon magazine spreads and advertisements? Based upon how many Facebook “likes” something gets? My God!
In order to be a good husband and have a happy family, a man must assess the value of having a wife as greater than the value of having a fuckbuddy. In order to be a good wife and mother, a woman must be capable of assessing the value of her children over the value of her career and the value of her husband over the value of a fling. The stupidity happens when people exhibit no abilities whatsoever to see the different values of people, circumstances, choices, decisions and things! And the frightening fact is that this stupidity is all the rage! This truly frightens me. It frightens me to realize that it is possible to marry a person who does not see a difference of worth between the person he/she is marrying and the person who he/she used to fuck for the weekend! It frightens me to realize that a mother may not be able to assess the value of her child as greater than the value of her waistline! And one may argue that it is all about what one values in life; but this is a falsity. There are universal values designated to things and to people and those do not change based upon what you choose to think! The value of your child will always be greater than the value of your waistline or the value of your job! The value of the children of a nation will always be greater than the value of the companies of a nation! Even if the values change in the minds of the people and the children become fifth in line or the family becomes tenth in line; the only outcome of that is distress, imbalance and rot! The values do not actually change; what changes is the quality of people’s purpose and lives! People begin to lose in life. They begin to “win” in what they think is what’s worth winning in; but then they lose in life! And the thing is that they know it! They know it in their hearts! There is an emptiness, a loss, a never-ending fall that just keeps on going down, down, down and they try to fill it up but it just doesn’t get filled up! This is because we do not designate the value of things. The value of a thing is set as eternity is set. You are more valuable than the whole world and everything in it, simply because God gave you that value and this doesn’t change throughout time or throughout lifetimes! No matter how the world system seeks to make the person as second best to the corporate, to the company, to the systems making money— all the systems rot in the end, as a result of this imbalance! Because the person is of more value and yet a system is placing more value upon itself than upon the individuals! In the end we see crises, we see destitution, we see unanswered questions and unsolved problems.
There is always a sacrifice made in order to solidify the worth of something. Sacrifice is what gives anything its worth; whether it was a sacrifice made by another for all of mankind on a cross a long time ago or if it was a sacrifice made by a nation or by a certain people or by a single person for his lover or for his friend! Sacrifice is an act that gives merit and gives value to something else that is worth that merit and that is worth that value. The fact that the generation of today does not recognize this (and I’m including my own generation here) is testament to the reality of this dying race. Of this stupid people.
Sacrifice something in order to let something else in. See the value in something by comparing it to the value of the other. Know the value of things by seeing their purpose, their meaning and their depth! Create something for your future by living to be that kind of person now. Things are not advertisements, people are not advertisements— they do not exist for our comfort or for our pleasure! Furthermore, how do you measure pleasure in your person? Do you measure your pleasure by the experience of things that are easily coming and easily going or do you measure your experience of pleasure in things that are lasting? And the question furthermore expands to ask, “Do you know how to make lasting things? And do you know how to make things last? Do you know how to place value in a thing, in a choice, circumstance or decision— in a way that makes it a lasting thing? And by what means can we create such a value to place into something or someone?” This value is created by the means of a strong willpower. The Will of man must be the King of all his person— body, soul and spirit. It is the strong Will of man that is able to create and to project and to make anything take root whatsoever it desires. But this Will is cultivated not against the natures that be; but in accordance to the natures that be. And what are these natures? These natures are the laws that are called “supernatural” by those who know not of its ways! But the truth is that what is supernatural to them is simply called “natural.” What is supernatural to you is only natural to me. We have the supernatural knowledge of what is natural and in this the Will must be cultivated. You cultivate your Will by believing in things before they are seen, by creating things out of nothing, by willing what is meant to be— into being! It is the Will of man and woman that reaches far above the illusions of this stupid society we are all trapped in and what’s more, reaches so far and above that we are no longer trapped in that stupidity! All sparks are created by the friction made when what is natural fights to escape what is unnatural (keep in mind the true meaning of natural and unnatural.) All the unnatural shit that you’re supposed to believe is more important than having a family, than being a mother, than loving someone— that’s your bondange, that’s your trap! And the funniest part of all this is how you actually believe that your trap is your freedom! But then isn’t that how all traps keep you there inside of them? By making you feel like they are your freedom?
Copyright © 2014 C. JoyBell C. All rights reserved.
Storm Sky
Storm Sky
The sky that I love the most
Is a dark sky filled with wind
A dark sky filled with rain
And winds and pieces of souls
That gather together to scream
Not bad screams, not frightening ones
But screams like songs you think
You might remember somewhere
In the bottom of your spirit
You remember the beautiful screams
The magnificent sounds that
Your soul knows how to sing
But can’t always so easily remember
It’s when the sky is dark
The taste of rain is preeminent
That I feel like I can see clearly
I can remember clearly
It’s like the thick skies cover me
And keep me from all the things
That struggle to take me away
From myself. I love this darkness.
Copyright © 2014 C. JoyBell C. All rights reserved.
The sky that I love the most
Is a dark sky filled with wind
A dark sky filled with rain
And winds and pieces of souls
That gather together to scream
Not bad screams, not frightening ones
But screams like songs you think
You might remember somewhere
In the bottom of your spirit
You remember the beautiful screams
The magnificent sounds that
Your soul knows how to sing
But can’t always so easily remember
It’s when the sky is dark
The taste of rain is preeminent
That I feel like I can see clearly
I can remember clearly
It’s like the thick skies cover me
And keep me from all the things
That struggle to take me away
From myself. I love this darkness.
Copyright © 2014 C. JoyBell C. All rights reserved.
May 23, 2014
Regarding Men (A Note for Women)
If there is some advice that I would give to all women, regarding men, that would be to look for a simplicity of character and a strength of will. There seems to be a "fad" these days, a fad for complex characters, disturbed and weak minds... sick reasonings that wish to be entwined in some kind of endless maze... women are supposed to be drawn in by that or something. But don't be. All of that disturbed complexity is just self-centeredness, a fear of being mundane, a fear of being forgotten, a fear of being not good enough. But it is all of this fear that makes a man not good enough, to begin with. Even the false pretense of having no fear, is a fear in itself. The mark of a man who is courageous and brave, is the man who is brave enough to be simple, courageous enough to be vulnerable. The whole old story of a sheep in wolf's skin (yes, a soft heart in a hardened exterior) should not have any appeal to a woman. Because that hardened shell and exterior— that's just evidence of a boy who never grew up. And you're not his mother, nor should you want to be his mother! And it is only your own vanity that makes you want to be the one to "break open" that shell! And so you have become equally self-centered as he is! Self-centeredness is not a foundation for anything lasting between two people who want to be in love.
I'm not the kind of woman to pat a man on the top of his head and allow him to indulge his stupidities. I have an innate demand for vulnerability and simplicity of character (which is the mark of a courageous, grown man) and strength of will (which is another mark of a real man.) Sometimes, you really need to give up on someone for the simple reason that they do not deserve you!
You don't need to fulfill some vain fantasy that you have in your mind, you don't need to fall in love with the idea of your heroine self saving a man from all of his loneliness and stupidities. A man must change his own stupidities and he must pursue you in order to rid himself of his loneliness! A man will do things for himself because he can, because he is capable, because he won't give up.
Sometimes I think that the reason why the quality of men is so low these days, is because women are always around to indulge them in all of their lack and inadequacy. I think that to change men— we must change ourselves— us women. If we want them to come up to higher standards, then we must be those standards, we must maintain those standards. Woman can change the world by changing her point of view, her perspectives, her mind, herself.
I'm not the kind of woman to pat a man on the top of his head and allow him to indulge his stupidities. I have an innate demand for vulnerability and simplicity of character (which is the mark of a courageous, grown man) and strength of will (which is another mark of a real man.) Sometimes, you really need to give up on someone for the simple reason that they do not deserve you!
You don't need to fulfill some vain fantasy that you have in your mind, you don't need to fall in love with the idea of your heroine self saving a man from all of his loneliness and stupidities. A man must change his own stupidities and he must pursue you in order to rid himself of his loneliness! A man will do things for himself because he can, because he is capable, because he won't give up.
Sometimes I think that the reason why the quality of men is so low these days, is because women are always around to indulge them in all of their lack and inadequacy. I think that to change men— we must change ourselves— us women. If we want them to come up to higher standards, then we must be those standards, we must maintain those standards. Woman can change the world by changing her point of view, her perspectives, her mind, herself.
May 21, 2014
Saving Our Daughters
I believe that the moment a girl realizes that she is beautiful— she experiences a sacred transformation. I truly believe that beauty holds a sacred place in the throne of woman. We are not born feeling like we are beautiful, or at least, not realizing our full potential/the full potential of our beauty; but there are pivotal points in our lives when our beauty begins to unfurl in our eyes and we realize the extent of its reach therein. These pivotal points are crucial and delicate. I believe that the growth and direction of a girl is greatly determined by these crucial and delicate "zones" created by words, experiences, observations and impressions. And one could argue, "Something as shallow as beauty?" but it is nonsense to argue such a thing. The apex of all wisdom and honor is beauty and many an ancient Grecian Philosopher has expressed that. According to those demigods like Plato, beauty is the holy grail of why we search for anything, at all! The problem lies in today's modern associations with "beauty." People see things so vulgar and ignorantly call them "beautiful." It is the stupidity of man which is shallow; it is not beauty that is shallow. Beauty is at the crown, the highest reach of wisdom, honor, gold...
I believe that it is crucial how your daughter comes to realize her beauty. If she comes to associate her own sense of beauty born out of comparisons to other girls; unfortunately, she will continue to glean that by comparing herself to other women, throughout her life. We all know this is not a beneficial way to feel that you are beautiful— through comparing yourself to other women! Now, if a little girl realizes her sense of beauty at an early age, associated with experiences that are innately and eternally strong and fortified (e.g. the realization that the rose is beautiful and that she, like the rose, is a beautiful creation) then her belief in her own beauty will in turn take on that same form— the form of the beautiful creation that she has come to associate herself with/as. Imagine talking to your small child, telling her, "You are as the eternal Sun that rises and sets in the dawns and in the twilights, a beautiful creation unattached from the criticisms and faults of mankind." Just imagine what kind of a woman that little girl will grow up to be! Now think about how useless it is for your daughter to realize her beauty and self-worth based upon what boys think of her or based upon what her friends think of her or what the media thinks of her! If she associates her own beauty with that of what she sees in magazines, on television, or from what kind of "feedback" she gets from boys— she is going to become a woman full of insecurities, not knowing who she really is! If she's not a model— she's not beautiful enough, if she's not sleeping with every guy at school— she's not beautiful enough, if she's not a beauty queen title holder— she's not beautiful enough! These are all false perceptions. Just perceptions. And yet it is these perceptions that mold and form our daughters, our little girls!The key is not in training our little girls to not care about being beautiful— that is not the natural order of things! But the key is being the vanguard of those very first steps she takes on the journey into seeing and placing her own beauty, her own attractiveness! She doesn't need to be only beautiful on the inside and not on the outside; but like the sunshine, she can be worthwhile, useful, meaningful, while bringing beauty to the dawns and to the dusks! What do our little girls equate beauty with? With creations in the sky everlasting, like the stars and the Moon? Like the beautiful constellations? Or do they only know what is beauty to the swine? The title of "beautiful" in exchange for sex, in exchange for attention, in exchange for making money for huge companies? Think about it. Really think about it.
When you look at your beautiful girl— associate her with things immortal— and tell her that. Bring her belief in her beauty up so high that it exceeds the reaches of mankind's mortality and lies. Save your little girls.
And what about you? You the mama? You the grown woman? Do you look back at the first conceptions of beauty in your mind, at those first perceptions of yourself that you had and think to yourself, "It's too late for me!" But no, it is never too late for one who is able to reach down into herself, know herself, know her soul and remake the fabric of her own spirit from the inside-out! You can change yourself, in your own eyes, by your own efforts! Take yourself back to when you were a little girl, speak to yourself, comfort yourself, see yourself! See yourself beautiful.
“And the true order of going, or being led by another, to the things of love, is to begin from the beauties of earth and mount upwards for the sake of that other beauty, using these steps only, and from one going on to two, and from two to all fair forms to fair practices, and from fair practices to fair notions, until from fair notions he arrives at the notion of absolute beauty, and at last knows what the essence of beauty is.” (Plato; The Symposium)
“Beholding beauty with the eye of the mind, he will be enabled to bring forth, not images of beauty, but realities (for he has hold not of an image but of a reality), and bringing forth and nourishing true virtue to become the friend of God and be immortal, if mortal man may.” (Plato; The Symposium)
“...when he looks at Beauty in the only way that Beauty can be seen - only then will it become possible for him to give birth not to images of virtue (because he's in touch with no images), but to true virtue (because he is in touch with true Beauty). The love of the gods belongs to anyone who has given to true virtue and nourished it, and if any human being could become immortal, it would be he.” ― Plato, The Symposium
