soseztheleadr

Happy June, everyone.

Normally, I'd be psyched about this month, since it's the official beginning of summer and the days when they're longer, but right now, I don't feel like celebrating summer.

Here's the reason why. On June 23rd, 2017, my dad passed away. I'm still dealing with the loss, but something tells me that I may never get over it.

Why? Well, he talked some EMTs into sending him to Brookdale Hospital and ever since then, I've blamed them for his death, since they never did enough to help him get better. He was diagnosed with Sepsis, and it only got worse with time. With such a loss hanging over my head, I could not handle losing another family member, especially since I wasn't able to move out of my parents' house before he died.

I will never forgive Brookdale for sending Dad to his grave, but since they're close by my neighborhood, they're hard to forget about. So, I'm asking, has anyone lost someone close to them? I mean, really close? I'd appreciate hearing stories of these sad memories and what people have done to deal with them. Just know this: I am not looking for sympathy. I just need to know if people have felt the same way I have over the years.

Thanks for reading, and as always, keep smiling, and keep dreaming.

Hey, everybody.

By now, the entire world has entered 2024, and you've made your New Year's Resolutions. I just decided to write this first journal of the year and wish everyone a Happy New Year.

But for those who are Catholics or Christians, you likely celebrate New Year's Day a different way. Yes, this day is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and finishes the Octave of Christmas.

However, don't think the Christmas season is over. It's not over by a long shot, so keep your decorations and your Nativity dioramas safe and intact, and remember the true reason for the season: The Christ-child, as that is the greatest Christmas gift of all.

Happy New Year, and as always, keep smiling, and keep dreaming.

'Twas the night before Christmas

And all through the house

Not a creature was stirring

Not even a mouse.

Hello, everyone.

In case you're wondering why I quoted "A Visit from St. Nicholas", it's because it's that time again. Yes, it's Christmas Eve, and I wanted to wish all my watchers and everyone else here a very Merry Christmas.

But, as you're preparing your Christmas dinners for tomorrow, I would like you all to be reminded why this holiday was founded. This holiday was founded because we humans received the greatest Christmas present of all: The Christ, God the Son. Yes, without him being born, we wouldn't even have Christmas.

So, while you're all ripping into your presents tomorrow morning, be sure to take time from your busy holiday preparations to pray to the Christ, and thank him for His arrival into this world.

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year to everyone.

It seems the Christmas holiday will be focused on extremely early, and you can thank my mother for this.

Maybe I should explain. She was trying to get her refrigerator/freezer fixed, and in order to do that, she called a technician. And he said he needed an important part, but didn't have it with him. So guess what happened? We had to unplug our appliance, and it's gotta stay unplugged until November 27th.

So, thanks to my mother, we are not going to have a Thanksgiving dinner. Period! Thanksgiving at my house is officially cancelled! I have no words for this except "Thanks a lot, Mom. Thanks a lot for destroying the only remaining holiday I had no reason to hate." Well, now there's no holiday I don't hate now because of humans.

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody. You can celebrate it if you want, but Thanksgiving for the Johnsons is officially cancelled.

Hello, everyone.

Just wanted to drop by and share my thoughts on the 2023 version of The Little Mermaid. I must warn you, if you haven't watched this film, turn back immediately, because there will be spoilers.

For starters, Halle Bailey was an excellent cast choice for the main character. Ariel was re-imagined incredibly well, and Halle's voice when singing the memorable songs we all know and love did the role justice. I'm sure Jodi Benson (the original voice for Ariel) would be thinking the same thing if she did watch the movie (and I'm sure she did.).

Anyway, I also like how Scuttle had a focal point in the movie. Giving this character her own song proves how much Disney seems to like the supporting characters. But seriously, did they have to make Scuttle a female? That's one of the changes I could have done without. I understand Awkwafina was a female singer, but I'm sure a male with the same inflections as Buddy Hackett could have been found to re-create him. But... Scuttle's song, i.e. The Scuttlebutt, did more than make up for that change. In my opinion, that was my favorite new song in this movie.

Finally, I give props to Disney for giving Ariel the role of defeating Ursula. That change, in my opinion, was the best, because it gave the mermaid Princess a chance to show her fans what she was made of, not like the original 1989 film, where she did practically nothing besides throw Ursula off-balance and make her destroy Flotsam and Jetsam.

If anyone has any opinions on this film, I'd surely like to hear them, whether they be positive or negative, but whatever you do, please try not to bash this film and say you prefer the 1989 version. I will not have anyone bashing this film that Disney worked so hard to create.

Thank you, everyone, and as always, keep smiling, and keep dreaming.

Well, I have a new update on what's been happening in my life and what's been happening since I was accepted for supportive housing.

I have a peer specialist trying to help me move out, but so far, everything he's suggested has failed completely and miserably, mostly because of authority in my neck of the woods. Attempting to obtain a voucher, the Bowery Mission, Federation of Organizations... even heading to the Bronx failed.

It's like nothing I do can make a difference in my life, so if this is what it takes to try to move out in a year, there's only one thing I can do: quit. There's no way God can work a miracle in four months, so I'm going to have to re-apply. I wanted so badly to move out, and I've exhausted all my options, so I'm just going to have to pray that God is on my side in this case.

Thanks for listening, and as always, keep smiling, and keep dreaming.