Unveiling my new blog: Aleshia's Angle

You may have noticed that I always have an endless list of "projects" in progress. My compulsion stems from a long history of working in the hectic field of human services. The "lack of funding" always insures that there are never enough qualified staff to provide adequate services. I responded to the dilemma by learning the art of "effective efficiency." It gave me an ethical way to meet the demands of management without sacrificing the needs of clientele.

Long story short: I take multitasking to the extreme. My career has created a psychopathology in me, in the form of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, adult onset - employee type (self-diagnosed, of course)!

My "recovery plan" consists of putting all of that excess energy to work using a cognitive-behavioral therapeutic modality. I made a list of my primary objectives, which incidentally happen to be literary in nature:

• journaling my personal experiences
• composing creative written works 
• improving my literary skills
• contributing to the social sciences 
• selling a few pieces to pay the bills

To these ends, I have decided that I need yet another blog; one that has a more serious, academic tone. It is a non-partisan social commentary highlighting issues that affect all of us from a sociology point of view. The blog is called Aleshia's Angle, and I would love to present your "angle" too! I hope you will stop by, and if it interests you, I am going to begin accepting guest blog proposals. There are 5 requirements to have a guest post published on my new blog:

1. NO POLITICAL RANTS ALLOWED
2. topic is within the realm of the social sciences
3. post demonstrates insight on the issues facing a modern society 
4. the piece is well-written according to high quality publishing standards
5. writers must respond to visitor comments in a timely fashion

If you are interested, you can find my contact information on the "About Me" page of my new blog. Please understand that I am unable to financially compensate contributors at this time. However, I will promote your work among various social media. Please include your byline in the proposal, and include a copy of all attributed photos that will accompany the post.

Let the positive cultural revival begin!

Large crowds freak me out. Some say I have a phobia, but avoiding the risks associated with so many people occupying the same space at the same time, sounds logical to me. I think my fear is quite rational, as I prefer not to be the target of a pickpocket, and to avoid getting trampled by an out-of-control crowd. When we attend large events where crowds are unavoidable, my husband plays a game to help ease my mind. He looks over and says, “Moo,” implying that as cattle, we are making our way through the dinner line. He always brings my smile out!

My question is, why do people tend to follow the crowd (in a metaphorical sense)? I realize that chatting about the latest movie release builds camaraderie in the office, but what about the sculpted nail trend? Frankly, the idea of getting my fingernails ground down, then attaching acrylic pieces to them with superglue, gives me the creeps! Even more gross, is the piercing and tattooing trend - this dangerous gamble could result in serious negative health effects.

I want to challenge to readers to explore the world outside your social circle, and to be a positive trendsetter. Instead of celebrating the disturbing culture of reality television, be freethinking, eccentric individuals, who model inspiration and hope for others. Refuse to let your personality become a pawn of group-think mentality. Make a commitment to develop your natural creativity, talent, and skills. Cultural revival begins with a single person, when each of us unleashes our inner awesomeness!

Dancing Brown Cow clipart from Clker.com