i am J. DAKAR

"Men do not dump women. Even if it is clearly over, you should never think of it in those terms...."

Mon, 28 May 2012 12:55:50 -0500

“Men do not dump women. Even if it is clearly over, you should never think of it in those terms. Dumping is too cruel, too disrespectful to women. You can say it didn’t work out. You can say you are going your separate ways. You can tell her - and the world - that you grew apart. You can call it anything you like - but if a man ends a relationship with a woman, he should never call it dumping. A woman dumps a man. But a man breaks up with a woman.”

- The Sage of Reason by Tony Parsons

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Sun, 27 May 2012 22:06:00 -0500

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Thu, 24 May 2012 16:42:43 -0500

People in Planes — “If You Talk Too Much (My Head Will...

Tue, 22 May 2012 05:59:00 -0500

People in Planes — “If You Talk Too Much (My Head Will Explode)”

"Writers write."

Sun, 20 May 2012 15:41:03 -0500

“Writers write.”

- dream hampton

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Fri, 18 May 2012 10:15:51 -0500

"The richness is in me, in my heart and in my head, not in my pockets."

Sun, 13 May 2012 15:31:36 -0500

“The richness is in me, in my heart and in my head, not in my pockets.”

- Gac Filipaj, 52-year-old janitor at Columbia University who graduated Sunday

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Sun, 13 May 2012 12:49:09 -0500

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Wed, 09 May 2012 22:13:30 -0500

"This is the most libertarian generation that has ever existed. I just think it’s taking a..."

Mon, 07 May 2012 08:06:35 -0500

“This is the most libertarian generation that has ever existed. I just think it’s taking a little bit longer for people to realize … but in 10 or 20 years, once our age group starts to have more of an influence in society, we’re going to see very significant shifts in what’s happening.”

- Alexander McCobin

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Sun, 06 May 2012 13:27:53 -0500

Thievery Corporation - “The Richest Man in Babylon”

Tue, 01 May 2012 16:46:30 -0500

Thievery Corporation - “The Richest Man in Babylon”

"I think life might be a bit nicer for us if we were to get up with the sun in the morning, eat when..."

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 12:55:57 -0500

“I think life might be a bit nicer for us if we were to get up with the sun in the morning, eat when we are hungry, work when we are most productive, and go to bed when we are sleepy—regardless of the clock time.”

- Neil Stanley, Ph.D.

I recall from my college courses the importance of empowering women, and it’s rare to find a...

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 12:11:18 -0500

I recall from my college courses the importance of empowering women, and it’s rare to find a television show that does so. But The Conversation does just that with candid discussion from a female point of view. Nothing is off-limits, and with interviews from women who are both interesting (in the pop-culture sense) and unafraid to speak their minds, this is definitely must-see TV, airing Thursdays at 11 ET on Lifetime.

Great job, Amanda and The Conversation team! Keep up the great work.

The Secret to Success

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 20:20:46 -0500

The Secret to Success

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Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:17:39 -0500

Norah Jones — “Happy Pills”

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 13:48:03 -0500

Norah Jones — “Happy Pills”

If I Should Die

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 19:00:05 -0500

The title alone seems so out of place for a guy who’s just celebrated his 28th birthday. My week-long birthday celebration/vacation gave me time to think and reflect on my life thus far, and as morbid as it may be, I didn’t think I’d live to see this 28th year.

It’s funny how a birthday forces one to address mortality, or maybe that’s just me. When my dad called to wish me a happy birthday, he asked if I felt any older. My mom did the same when she saw me a few days later, and I replied to both that I didn’t and immediately began to think about how I actually felt younger than I had in the past.

I was reminded of my plan to commit suicide years ago and praying to God to remove those thoughts and feelings. I wouldn’t be here today were it not for my faith in Him, but I became even more aware of my mortality writing about death years later:
I do not fear it, nor seek it, nor do I think I can cheat it; I simply accept it. The only thing I fear is that everything I hope to accomplish won’t be before my time comes.

By that time, I had learned a couple of things about death.

If you fear death, you think that it’s something that you can avoid and refuse to accept that it is going to happen eventually.

If you seek death, depending on the reason, you’re a coward. If you try to escape from your problems through death, you are a selfish coward.

If you think you can cheat death and imagine yourself as being invincible, you are an idiot. You will die; it is only a matter of when and how.

But I am now at a place where I know and understand that I am not in control of certain things, and death happens to be one of them…just as I see that the plans I had for myself will not supersede the original plans God has for me. My only plan and what I hope to accomplish now is living a life full of passion and purpose as I do His will.

It’s no wonder I felt so old; trying to plan a lifetime would have that effect on anyone. But now that I’m a little older (and thankfully, a little wiser), I feel so truly blessed to actually be a little younger. I can only imagine how that must sound to someone who isn’t me. Words can’t even begin to describe this feeling, but I wish everyone could experience it with each passing year.

Just know that regardless of what you’re going through, you can and will endure.

Trust me, I’m a living testimony.

♫ Post Title Soundtrack: Big K.R.I.T. — “If I Should Die”

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Sun, 01 Apr 2012 08:20:33 -0500

#IAmTrayvonMartin

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 12:10:38 -0500

#IAmTrayvonMartin