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Top Metal and Rock Ballads

What’s Valentine’s Day without music? So I thought of my favorite rock/metal ballads.

When we think of a ballad the first thing that comes to mind is something that romantic and then R & B or even country music follows but wait any genre can make a ballad. A ballad is a song that tells a story which can be romantic, dramatic, or even funny.

There is something about hearing Phil Anselmo and James Hetfield singing a melody accompanied with heavy riffs the goes all through me!!! Oh my stars!!!

Here are my top 10 favorite ballads:

10. Fly to the Angels- Slaughter
9. The Thin Line Between Love and Hate- Iron Maiden
8. Close My Eyes Forever- Lita Ford and Ozzy
7. Love Bites- Def Leppard
6. Dream On- Aerosmith
5. Is this Love- Whitesnake
4. White Moon- The White Stripes
3. Without You- Motley Crue
2. This Love- Pantera
1. Nothing Else Matters- Metallica

Valentine’s Day and Black History Month

First off, Happy Happy Happy Valentine’s Day to all! I hope and pray that you will be spending today and beyond with your special someone. Enjoy this wonderful day.

When we think of February, three things comes to mind Black History Month, Valentine’s Day, and that it’s the shortest month of the year.

Valentine’s Day is when people buy gifts like cards, flowers, chocolates, and jewelry, etc.

Black History Month recognizes well and little known facts about African Americans of the past and present.

Valentine’s Day and Black History Month can both enjoy their recognition. Valentine’s Day popularity is right up there with Christmas because it’s the day that people express their love through gifts for their significant others. There are several blacks owned businesses that can help to make Valentine’s Day memorable during one of the most critical months of the year.

A very popular gift that people get on Valentine’s Day is chocolates. It is estimated that a whopping 19.6 billion dollars will be spent on chocolates alone. Phillip Ashley Rix is the founder of Phillip Ashley Chocolates. Phillip Ashley Chocolates has a clientele of celebrities such as the incomparable singer Stevie Wonder. These chocolates will win anyone over with the visually gorgeous, bold colors, and unique shapes which are unlike any others.
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Feeling like you and your loved one would enjoy a playful glass of wine? Check out Brown Downtown Napa it’s the first and only black-owned winery in the state of California. It’s one of five black-owned wineries that are located in the United States.
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Perhaps your special lady would enjoy some colorful flowers with an artful setting that will leave an lasting impression? Check out Hibiscus Flowershop located in New York they even make fudge. How cool is that?
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How about seeing your lady in something sexy? Aimanosi Lingerie will have your lady looking sexy while being affordable.
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Want your lady to know how you feel, but you can’t find the right words? Trust African-American Expressions to find the perfect words for you. They even have a collection by my favorite poet Maya Angelou.
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Fellas I haven’t forgotten about you Talley & Twine Watches have beautifully designed one of a kind watches that will show you just how your lady feels about you.
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February may be the shortest month, but it has two events that can leave lasting memories that people could never forget.

Peggy Jones

Here’s another interesting piece of black history Peggy Jones aka Lady Bo was the first African American female rock and roll guitarist. She played guitar in Bo Diddley’s band.

In my opinion black history is a part of American history. We are Americans point blank. Black history month is when I take the time to find out about little known facts. Little known facts that wasn’t recognized by not many people at all.

It’s so awesome being able to share another amazing moment of black history.

A Love Like Theirs

Richonne Baby!!! I have always admired Rick and Michonne’s relationship. Was Rick married to Lori? Yes. However, Rick and Lori’s marriage was rocky before the zombie apocalypse. Rick talk to Shane about Lori always being angry with him. As soon as Lori thought that Rick was dead, she began sleeping with Rick’s best friend, Shane. Lori even got pregnant by Shane. How could she cheat on her husband so quickly? I believe that Lori and Shane were always attracted to one another. She joked with Rick about not being able to get a divorce during a zombie apocalypse. Was Rick attracted to Jessie? Yes, but she was married to someone else. Michonne was the woman that he trusted and confided in the must. Michonne changed Rick’s life for the better; in fact, their relationship was the first healthy relationship that he ever had. Rick and Michonne’s relationship consists of essential things, a natural friendship, mutual trust, and most importantly, excellent communication. Rick’s son Carl loved Michonne he told her that she was his best friend. Like it or not, Rick and Michonne were destined to be together long before they ever met. Sometimes it takes being with other people to understand what’s for you and what isn’t. Michonne knows when to give input, and she knows when to trust Rick’s choices. She’s loyal to his face and stands up for him behind his back. Yes, we know that it’s just a tv show but how sad it is to think that a relationship like theirs on exist on television?
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It’s Sunday, February 10th and I am counting down to 9 p.m, that’s when the Walking Dead will may its return. I will miss seeing Rick and Michonne together; their love is like no other. Like a person who was once head over hills for a person but has since laid the torch down yet reminisce every so often. I am still hopeful that Rick and Michonne will reconnect one day.

Three Years Strong

Hooray!!! Happy Birthday to Be Lifted.

Ever since I was young I loved to write. I remember the day that I decided to become a blogger. It seems almost like yesterday when I started my blog. It’s my blog that consists of my thoughts, poetry, diet lifestyles, and choices of music.

Three years later Be Lifted is still going strong. I look forward to many more years of blogging.

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The Story of My Life

Growing up my walls were plastered with posters of Skid Row, Kiss, Cinderella etc. My mother bought me t-shirts with Guns N Roses and Pantera on them. I’ve never went a long with what was considered to be the collective of the black community. I listen to all music but metal/ rock music is my favorite besides the lyrics in the rap music of today are disrespectful. I’m not interested in music that constantly degrades women it just isn’t cool. There are some women who listens to this kind of music with the excuse of well they aren’t talking about me. Which is so completely lame. Some of these rappers only concern is to make money not even wanting a gold or platinum record like how it was years ago. Rappers years ago wanted to make positive changes in the community. Things are so different from years ago that it almost breaks my heart.

The thing about the internet and social media people are able to connect and tell their truths. I can totally relate about being told that I’m not black enough because of my choices in music, social views etc. What’s being black enough anyway? Isn’t my skin color enough? I never understood the phrases “acting white” or “not being black enough”. Still I’ve heard this most of my life. It only kept me isolated when I was young. I can definitely relate to this video it’s the story of my life.

My Idea of Love

First and foremost
Love has no color
In my eyes
If anything
We only deprive
Ourselves of
The endless possibilities
By limiting ourselves
Because we are afraid
To think outside
Of the box
Which has nothing
To do with preferences
Let’s be clear
It all boils
Down to fear
Why not step
Beyond our comfort zone
We become free to fly
High and broaden our horizons
We find out that
There is a whole
New world
To explore
That will embrace
Us and give
Us what we deserve
And a lot more
What a treasure
When we realize
That we can
Have better
We begin to change
We begin to grow
We become less hard
We feel more safe
In our womanhood
Understanding that we
Can be tough as nails
Or soft as Daffodils
There is something about
Being a confident lady
Where we feel safe
It changes things
We owe it to ourselves
To see what’s
Out in the world
To stop questioning
Our worth
Because our past relationship
Choices showed it
Our name is not
The United Way,
Salvation Army,
Or Goodwill
We are not
Charity cases
Therefore no one
Should expect to
Come into our worlds
All while displaying
Very little effort
We deserve more
Than lazy daters
We deserve more
Than deadbeat fathers
Who have multiple
Children mothers
All of which they
Have zero thoughts about
Life is so short
Each passing day that goes by
Should consist
Of choices
That reflects realistic
Plans that were thought out
We are better
Than spontaneous decisions
Unless we are traveling
Around the world
Having a priceless worth
If not it will
Be our future
That will be hurt
The right mentality
Will attract the right people
Who are destined to
Be in our lives
But it can’t happen
Without being open
To change
And valuing who we are
We are courageous
We are radiate
We are brilliant
We are a gift
Anyone who says or thinks different
Is out of place
It’s our life
People who wants to
Bring us down shouldn’t be in it
It’s our choice
People who express negative
Is the opposite of positive
They do not serve a purpose
So let them go their way
As we keep shining
Being a beacon light
For true love to find us

Who Can We Trust?

I will be sincere I have trust issues, and you can trust me on this. Depending on who we talk to trust isn’t thought of in the same capacity. Some people don’t trust certain people due to specific “experiences” while giving other people a blank check to do as they please. They will chalk up trusting a lover who’s a repeat cheating offender as “Everybody plays the fool sometimes.” In a nutshell, trust isn’t always what it seems to be.

Trust once it’s broken will never be the same again. Is this a statement that we can trust? Whether or not we choose to admit it at some point, we have to trust somebody such as the people who prepares our food at restaurants, grocery stores, trusting drivers to obey the rules of the road, authors of books that schools teach our children with, etc. We don’t necessarily trust politicians, but we still vote and put them into offices. The government cannot always be trusted with the shutdowns and layoffs. Thinking of who can we trust, and the possibility of being let down can bring on all types of anxiety.

How about our pastors? Sadly the church has lost a lot of our trust due to some people’s bad behavior and always asking for money. The situation with the church is deep, in my opinion; the wrong kinds of people lead the church. People should have their eyes on God, not on people. People will quit going to church, give up on God, and use their bad experiences with people to justify their actions. These same people will trust certain people over and over again. I will go deeper into this subject at a later time.

We can trust our family, friends, and significant others, right? Hmmm. I suggest that you don’t look at the divorce rates or watch the Maury show.

In recent years I have seen a lot, and other people have as well. As times goes on, less and fewer people are inclined to trust anything or anyone. It seems that most people who are trying to gain our trust have hidden agendas. Some people try to get close to pump you for information that they will use against you down the line. We are human beings we all have made mistakes, and as long as we live, it will happen again. I can’t take people who pick and choose the people who they decide to give great trust to seriously. It just shows the lack of importance placed on trust, which is the reason why I have trust issues.

Trusting a person’s experience is also a gamble I have learned this from the interviewing of victims and witnesses class. To trust a person’s experience would mean trusting their memories, there are things which can taint the accuracy of their memories like their feelings towards certain people or subjects, which is the reason why detectives rely heavily on forensics because a person’s memory isn’t always accurate and false memories are still possible. Even relying on the memories right after an incident may not be authentic multiple people can witness it but have different recollections. Yep. Trust, at times, can be a tricky thing.

Three top mottos have helped me a little with my trust issues:

Be a person that can be trusted.
It’s possible that we could be wrong about a situation.
Expect the unexpected

I pray for discernment because the thought of opening myself up to trust people is just downright scary.

Thicker than a Snickers

If you came up in the 90s, you might be familiar with the phrase thicker than a snicker. Someone may get mad with me, but the line between thick and obesity is wider than most choose to believe. Literally. It’s time to become more health conscious. I have been on both sides of the fence, which is why I know that it’s more to it for most people who struggle with weight. It’s more like what is it that is eating the person. I’m an emotional eater. Once I realized what was going on, I was able to work on the problem.

Some men tell women that they want them to be thicker than snickers but complain when they become big as a brick house. Look I want to be healthy, and that’s the way that I am staying. Most of my family have the battled of the bulge. I am not shallow; it’s about my health. Some black women do care about being fit because they want to be healthy. Thankful for the Keto diet, it has changed my life.

Daily, I see some men who claim that they are not concerned about a woman’s weight when they should be. Women should look at men who say that they don’t care about her size. I mean, what man wouldn’t want his lady to be healthy? Obesity is the leading cause of high blood pressure and diabetes. Less than truthful men disgust me because honesty is what’s best. Being fit helps with not just being content with life but living well and living it to the fullest. Plus size clothing isn’t the only complaint, but it’s one of them they don’t fit well and let’s not start on the different color patterns. Not downing anyone, it’s hard to lose weight and keep it off. Losing weight helps with not just our physical state but our mental state as well.

Not a Bobblehead

Society had become so sensitive from when I grew up that Christmas songs are no longer fun anymore. Social media has made it easier for people to beef about stupid things. The stupidity leak is real, and I can’t deal. If there is one thing that culture class has taught me is that we all can learn something from someone else. Some people think that they know everything and don’t need to learn anything else. In life, we must understand that people will not always agree with us or think like us. The only people who we can control are ourselves no one else. We have to learn how to agree to disagree. Heck. Our enemies can have things to offer at times because they may tell us something that a friend or family member may be too afraid to say.

I don’t want to align myself with a bunch of yes men/women. I want people who will tell me when I’m wrong. Shoot! Help me don’t hurt me by holding back information that I need to hear. I’m not a person that’s hard to communicate with. If I ask a person for their opinion, I’m open to the response. I don’t want to control a person’s opinion. I’ll only hurt myself in the long run.

I’m not an airhead. I’m not a bobblehead. I think the way that I choose. I use to feel not so brave about sharing the way that I thought, but now I embrace my thought process. I’m secure about who I am, which is why I don’t take it personally if a person doesn’t agree with me. There are Republicans and Democrats who see politics differently. There are the prosecution and the defense which look at the same case in different ways. Not being able to look at situations from a different perspective can make a person closed-minded.