life: What holds us back?

A little less than two weeks ago we were remembering the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, the activist, leader, and the FBI proclaimed ladies man (lol). We all know (or should know at least) who he is and what his stake in American History is. But what made him so great? What drove him to be great? I have done a lot of thinking lately and have asked myself this question numerous times. Looking back, I feel like it could have been anyone else easily. But why was it him and not anyone else? I think I figured it out. Among his personable demeanor, his oratory skills, and his ability to command a crowd, I feel like his greatest attribute was his courage. The reason why he is and should be revered is because of the fact that he was willing to step out of his comfort zone and show no fear in the face of adversity.

Why is this important to us? All of us have the ability to be great and accomplish things that the mind cannot initially fathom. We all have the ability to change the world. We all have the ability to turn air into gold. What I feel is holds people (whether black, white, purple, or whatever society dubs an individual as) back is fear. Fear is an overwhelming presence in all of our lives. The fear of death and the uncertainty it holds, the fear of falling in love and trusting, the fear of the unknown. We fear because we cannot control the outcome of what happens in the future and it often keeps us from making decisions that could benefit us. We stay in our comfort zones because we can control the outcome. From life, to love, the fear of the unknown and the uncontrollable gridlocks us and keeps us at a monotonous standstill.

My uncle told me something as a shorty, “The biggest cause of failure is the fear of failure.” In fear, we fail. It may not be apparent to us within the moment but it is there. To succeed and to accomplish we cannot be let fear bind us. Fear is inevitable. We all experience it in one instance or another. This does not mean we should let it control us in the way that it does. Martin Luther King Jr. and his contemporaries did not let fear stop them from pushing for what they believed in. We hold the same power that they did. We can change the world. We just have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. We must step out of our own way. We must face whatever fears we have and accomplish. It is the only way to succeed.

random: You Know What I Hate/Like?

My homegirl Jai put this together. I thought it was pretty raw and decided to share.

You know what I hate/like?

When I’m dancing like

and some creep comes up behind me and dances like

And I turn around like

And he’s like

And I’m like

And I walk away like

And he play’s it off like

and then I see a fine shawdy dancing like

And I’m like

and I go over to him and we start dancing like

and then a bad ass song comes on, and we’re like

And the rejected guy looks at me like

And I’m like

and he’s like

and I’m like

random: Double Life

random: Jim Halpert vs Dwight Schrute

Anyone who watches the Office knows of the constant everyday pranks battles that ensue between Jim Halpert and Dwight Schrute. Here is a list of my favorite pranks by Jim. They are in no particular order. Let me know if I forgot any.

#1

Health Care, Season 1, Episode 3

Could someone in your office be suffering from Ebola? Mad-cow disease? Leprosy? Flesh-eating bacteria? A government-created killer nano-robot infection? Or perhaps most deadly of all, Count Choculitis? Dwight's in charge of selecting a new cost-efficient health insurance plan, but runs into some difficulties: How many insurance companies provide coverage for those suffering with hot-dog fingers? Pam and Jim have contracted nearly every infectious disease under the sun, and some not yet discovered, according to the forms they submit to Dwight. FYI, if your teeth ever turn

to liquid and drip down the back of your throat, chances are you're suffering from spontaneous dental hydroplosion.

#2

The Alliance, Season 1, Episode 4

What do you do when there are rumors of downsizing in your office? If you're Dwight Schrute, you form a super-secret alliance with your arch-enemy Jim, schedule covert rendezvous in the parking lot to discuss suspicious employee behavior, and volunteer to seal yourself inside a cardboard box to spy on coworkers. While Jim and Pam Beesly

encourage Dwight's paranoia, this is one prank that Dwight pulls on himself...right down to his disguise for spying on the Stamford branch — peroxide bleached blond hair.

#3

The Pilot, Season 1, Episode 1

Say you've lost your stapler, or your calculator, or your ''World's Best Boss'' coffee mug. Someone probably borrowed it. Maybe you misplaced it. But if you work at Dunder Mifflin Scranton, your office supplies are probably encapsulated

in a Jell-O mold, courtesy of Jim Halpert. While it's not his most elaborate or inventive hoax, Jim's inaugural prank is a classic, especially when he denies his guilt while innocently slurping on Jell-O.

#4

Dwight's Speech, Season 2, Episode 17

When Dwight receives the highest honor that a Northeastern Pennsylvania-based midsize paper company regional salesman can attain, Salesman of the Year, Jim is more than happy to give him public speaking tips, including a copied speech by World War II-era dictator Benito Mussolini. Jim's prank backfires, however, when Dwight's impassioned speech is a big hit with his audience.

#5

Booze Cruise, Season 2, Episode 11

When Dwight's desk paraphernalia goes missing, he probably thinks it's floating in Jell-O. But he's flabbergasted to find his bobble head, name plate, and wallet showcased in the office vending machine. You decide which moment is more memorable: Pam buying Dwight's pencil cup or Jim handing Dwight a bag of change so he can buy his stuff back, one nickel at a time. Pencil cup: One dollar. Watching a coworker buy back his own bobble head doll:

Priceless.

#6

The Fight, Season 2, Episode 6

Dwight seems to have misplaced his desk. But before he can whine to Michael, Jim begins a game of Hot or Cold, which Dwight (a natural-born hunter, seeker, and ping-pong enthusiast) cannot resist. Dwight's miffed when he finally locates his desk in the men's restroom, but doesn't confront Jim about his new office space.

#7

Ben Franklin, Season 3, Episode 15

When Jim is assigned to hire a stripper, he calls exactly who you'd think: the Scholastic Speakers of Pennsylvania. When Ben Franklin arrives, Jim reveals to Dwight that the man is not an impersonator; he is the real Benjamin Franklin. After trying unsuccessfully to stump ''Ben'' with a series of historical brain busters, Dwight raises his fists and yells at the sky. ''I don't care what Jim says. That is not the real Ben Franklin,'' says Dwight. ''I am 99 percent sure.'' (Bonus Beesly prank: When Ben tries to flirt with Pam by mentioning that he invented electricity, she reminds him that the real Ben Franklin had syphilis.)

#8

A Benihana Christmas, Season 3, Episode 10

Pam gives Jim the ultimate Christmas gift: classified plans to a long-term prank on a completely oblivious ''CIA operative,'' otherwise known as the assistant to the regional manager, Dwight Schrute. Dwight's mission, as determined by Jim, is to report to Langley headquarters via helicopter for training, followed by an ice cream social. Upon discovering he has been compromised, Dwight aborts the mission and destroys all evidence. In this prank, Dwight not only loses his dignity but also throws a perfectly good cell phone off the roof of Dunder Mifflin.

#9

Moroccan Christmas, Season 5, Episode 11

Jim Halpert, always thinking of what to get his bullpen-mate for the holidays, decided to wrap Dwight's desk, chair, lamp, computer — basically everything in Christmas wrapping paper. Or, that's what it looked like.

#10

Branch Closing, Season 3, Episode 7

When Jim steals some of Dwight's stationery and sends Dwight faxes from ''Future Dwight,'' Dwight isn't the only victim. Stanley Hudson loses a perfectly good cup of coffee when Dwight bats the ''poisoned liquid'' out of Stanley's hands.

To: Dwight
From: Future Dwight
Subject: Office coffee
Dwight: At 8 a.m. today, someone poisons the coffee. Do not drink the coffee. More instructions will follow. Cordially, Future Dwight

#11

Gay Witch Hunt, Season 3, Episode 1

After discovering Oscar Martinez is gay, Michael and Dwight team up to out other coworkers. Luckily, Jim knows just the device the duo needs: Gaydar, the technology to detect homosexuality, available for purchase online! Jim breaks the bad news that Gaydar is sold out at Sharper Image, but manages to send Dwight the device, which has an uncanny resemblance to a metal detector. Dwight's thrilled, until he scans himself and the Gaydar beeps wildly

#12

Business School, Season 3, Episode 17

Something's wrong with Jim. He feels all tingly. He can't touch garlic bread. His teeth feel...sharper. He's sensitive to sunlight. When it comes to mythical creatures, Dwight has more experience with werewolves. But he can't deny the telltale signs that poor Jim is morphing into a vampire. Besides, as Dwight astutely points out, if a vampire was in the U.S., it would obviously ''come to a '-sylvania.' Like Pennsylvania.''Obviously.

#13

Phyllis' Wedding, Season 3, Episode 16

Inspired by Pavlov's experiment, Jim trains Dwight to expect an Altoid at the sound of a computer log-in bell. After weeks of conditioning, Jim boots his computer, and Dwight robotically extends his hand. When he doesn't receive a mint, Dwight smacks his lips and wonders aloud why he has such a bad taste in his mouth. Turns out paying attention in psych class pays off, and Dwight is successfully brainwashed.

#14

Product Recall, Season 3, Episode 21

Question. Which Dwight is best: Dwight Schrute or Dwight Halpert? While it's less of a prank and more of a direct insult, Jim's impersonation of Dwight is too memorable, and dead-on, to leave out. With a pair of $4 drugstore glasses, a tie from the Salvation Army, a calculator watch, and an unfortunate hair part, you too can become a Dwight look-alike! To be even more convincing as a Schrute, be sure to ask a series of nonsensical questions. Dwight's revenge: A messy hairstyle, a few goofy smirks, and some unabashed flirting with Pam (in other words, an equally hilarious impersonation of Jim).

#15

Performance Review, Season 2, Episode 6

Dwight arrives to work on time every day, rain or shine, healthy or sick, showered or covered in beet juice and goose feathers. So he's understandably upset when his perfect attendance record is marred thanks to Jim, who successfully convinces Dwight that it's Friday, when it is, in fact, Thursday. After a well-placed Apprenticereference, Dwight is completely convinced that he has the following day off. He arrives to the office on Friday, hours late, unshaven, and in rumpled clothes, all of which will be duly noted on his otherwise perfect performance review.

#16

Conflict Resolution, Season 2, Episode 21

No one can truly appreciate the magnitude of Jim's high jinks until taking a look at Dwight's complaint files. Jim boasts an impressive rap sheet: he's paid off his coworkers to call Dwight "Dwayne,'' replaced Dwight's pens with crayons, put a bloody glove in Dwight's desk and tried to convince him he was a murderer. But perhaps the most elaborate prank in the hefty complaint file is Jim's alleged tampering with Dwight's telephone handset. Jim is charged with incrementally increasing the weight of Dwight's phone with nickels, and then abruptly removing the change. The result? Dwight nailed himself in the face with his phone.

random: O_O