philosufi | sandy hook tragedy

The Newtown, Connecticut massacre was tragic, to say the least. If anything good is to come out of it, it should be the spark of conversation and hopefully, ACTION with regards to the United Sates gun culture and mental health awareness. 

Like millions of others around the world, I was glued to twitter and various News sources,  eagerly anticipating updates and answers. WHY did this happen? HOW it can be controlled? Frankly, massacres are becoming tragically common, especially in the United States.

The day after the shooting occurred, I was thinking about posting a typical post about how my thoughts were with the victims and that the US needed to take immediate action. In addition I was going to add the usual 'Sufya Sass" adding, "...I swear if I see any pictures using this tragedy to gain "likes" "shares" or tweets to gain followers, I will go H.A.M".  But I told myself, no we are not THAT desensitized to the world, this isn't about a sad panda in need of likes, this is real life, real lives and real tragedy. 

Yet, every time I sign into Facebook I see someone is asking for a "like" to support this victim or this message. What in the actual f*ck guys?? I understand the want to spread awareness for tragedy and that curiosity naturally draws us to finding answers but when you end a beautifully written piece with "like to show support" it draws my focus away from the message and onto a need for "instant fame"  It's f*cking stupid and does NOTHING to help ease pain for the families or the community. 

Makes me question the relevance of Facebook, does it even matter anymore when people an contribute meaningful content on sites like Twitter? UGH!! 

philosufi / boys

Never try and understand the thoughts that run through a mans mind, because if you try and you succeed you gon' damn well wish you stopped.
They're so much more complex than you'd ever expect and frankly, it's exhausting to try and think about anything OTHER than how pretty they are. I'm not in ANY way suggesting that a woman can't grasp the thoughts that run through their brains, AS IF. I'm just saying...why bother? they're all the same anyways, by the time you get to the important stuff, you've been confused by all the B.S.

beauty / coffee hair mask

What if I told you that the coffee grounds you use to make that sweet sweet energizing nectar in the morning can be used at night to make your hair fine as hellll? Would you believe me? DAMN STRAIGHT YOU WOULD! 

Coffee is a natural energizer (hence why we drink it in the morning) and if you ever feel your hair is limp, dull or not growing fast enough, you can actually apply coffee grounds to your scalp and you'll see immediate improvements. Or, if your not looking for a mess (cause, holy shit is there a mess) you can simply rinse your hair in cold down, freshly brewed drank.

Benefits: 

• FLUFFY: Coffee grounds are coarse and when you put them on your scalp it rubs away some of the build up from years of using product after product.

• GROWTH: The caffeine in the grounds draws blood to the scalp when it is applied directly on your head. Over time, your hair molecules are energized and grow faster. 

• SHINE: I don't know why, and I don' know how BUT coffee makes hair so shiny and alive...I can't even handle it. 

• COLOUR: Coffee beans are naturally strong in colour, so when you apply it toyour hair it does darken it a teeny tiny bit. So, not really a great method for blonds, but brunettes, get on it! Also, it's very beneficial for those who are starting to show greys! 

Methods: 

PASTE

• 3 Tbls of grounds 
• Your fave conditioner (Use enough to make a thick paste, use your discretion) 
• 1/2 a lemon
• 2 eggs

Mix that shit together, wrap your head in plastic wrap OR a plastic bag (please, do not cover your nose or mouth...mistakes), put a towel on your pillow, go to sleep.
Wake up, wash your hair as per usual (rub somewhat roughly so your scalp really feels it), let your hair dry, style, vacuum the HUGE mess you made with those grounds, look at your sexy hair in the mirror.

GROUNDS:

• 1 Tbls of grounds
• Conditioner 

Mix conditioner and coffee grounds together in a bowl (we're not animals) enter shower, shampoo, rinse, grab mixture and use it like you would conditioner, wash until it's all gone, look at your sexy hair in the mirror.

LIQUID:
Brew coffee like you normally would.
Once you've got that done, make yourself a nice cup and drink that while you wait for the rest of it to cool down. Once cooled, rinse your hair with the coffee and squeeze out access liquid, before wrapping your hair in plastic wrap or a plastic bag (again, not the face). Let this sit for 20 to 30 minutes while you go on Facebook and write a post about having coffee in your hair (Ex. "holy shit, I have coffee in my hair. This shit BEST work"). Rinse out your hair and BOOM you're in shine city.
Hope this is helpful!! Have a beautiful day.

philosufi / legacy

You know, they say you die twice. One time when you let out your last breath and again, a bit later on, when somebody says your name for the last time. Don't let this be you, leave your mark in this world, be happy, be brave and always be kind.

trend / leather

What's more badass then having little hearts at your elbows? Not a whole lot. Leathers always on trend and this year more than ever, you'll find little pops of it everywhere. From your pants, to your jackets and even earrings. EMBRACE IT! Feel badass! Look hot like fi-ya!

i was here

This is going to be silly, but I admire Beyonce quite a bit, she represents strong, powerful, confident women who, despite being "sexy" can be taken seriously. I think she is truly one of a kind, the perfect role model for women and girls around the world.

The reason I went on that little love-fest rant is because often I feel like I'm losing touch with who I am and who I would like to be. I want more than anything in the world to help, inspire and touch the lives of people, giving hope while bridging the divide. In this quest, I'm truly not looking for recognition, just searching for my identity in other people. 

When I think it's time to stop dreaming because, frankly, one person can not make a dent in the world, never-mind change it, I head to YouTube to watch Beyonce's performance of my favourite song, I Was Here. Immediately I begin to believe again, the words, the images and the emotion fill me with happiness. 

Take a listen and you'll see what I mean.

Have a beautiful day,

trend / spikes

Fall is my favorite season, yes because of the new heavy and warm styles that emerge but also because it's the most halal fashion season! YAH for covering up with lots of fun options!!

In addition to warm sweaters, I LOVE the accessories that come out, this year more than ever before. PEOPLE! You can use your swag to kick ass! No more feeling unsafe walking down the street at night. Can I get a "hell yah?"

Above I put up a few options of spiked accessories that I'm lusting after (The Jeffery Campbell shoes in particular) but can't afford because I am jobless and my limited income goes to my Tim Hortons addiction. For now, I'll just look at them and cry over my donuts. Fun? FUN!

No matter what is happening in the world, make sure to keep yourself happy and whole, be playful and have fun.

me, myself & i

I like to think of myself as a well-rounded person, possibly because my zodiac sign (yes I believe that bull crap) is a Libra or maybe because I don't like to take myself too seriously. Either way, I have many loves which lead to this bi-polar blog. The world, its dwellings and it's creativity inspire and interest me, SUE ME if yah dun like it, son!

I wanted to keep this blog focused on world issues BUT I love fashion, music, art and philosophy far too much to keep my options closed. I'm going to start posting whatever sparks my interest, but I can confidently say I'll "never, ever, ever" bring celebrities into this realm! This I promise me!

My Philosufi is that if you care about how you present yourself (i.e. fashion darling) it doesn't translate to you valuing the world and social issues any less. I think it's best not to judge or question the the value of a persons spirit and heart, on their love of all things happy! Your worth and contributions to greater good should not be questioned because of your style, economic level or physical appearance but only in your actions. Keep this in mind while reading (as if anyone is reading) this blog.

Enjoy??

music > everything (except food)

I've got an almost unhealthy addiction to music. It literally IS the soundtrack to my life.
If you were to play a song from 10 years ago, one that I'd heard once or twice, it would take me back to that point in time or at the very least, it would eat away at my soul until I figure out where I heard it. Music is consuming my life and...I ain't mad.

Often I find that we don't like the music other people like and that's the absolute wrong way to go about music. I don't like music because I'm told to like it, different things keep me coming back for more. 
For instance, most of Nicki Minaj's  music is actual garbage BUT I love some of it because the beats are SO SICK and the word play is creative! Same goes for Weezy F Baby. Other times, I like them because they make me want to dance, even if I don't know a single word they're saying, Pitbull, I'm looking at you...weeeeee ooooo. And in other cases, I love the meaning behind the lyrics, basically Ed Sheeran over everything. 

The point is, music is supposed to evoke emotion and if it does that for you, who are we to judge other  peoples choices? Everyone is different. 

Right now, I can't stop listening to Phil Phillips' (such a dumb name) rendition of Damien Rice's, "Volcano" and-this one pains me, Massari's "New Day". I know, judge me because I judge me. 

I leave you with this picture of Phil Phillips because he is one fine looking country boy...damn those green eyes & quirky awkward charm!

Have a beautiful day!

amanda todd

Everyone is well aware of the story of Amanda Todd, the 15 year old girl who committed suicide after being bullied for over 2 years for flashing someone over a webcam when she was in the 7th grade. The story, the video, all of it has been dissected to within an inch of its existence, and the publics out pouring of sympathy has been overwhelming. Personally I have a few issues with this entire story.


People, young adults in particular, have taken to "social activism" which I define as "liking" or "retweeting" something powerful and feigning intrest for the time period in which this issue is prevalent and then moving on without a thought to the issue. It's because society is lazy and value notoriety for doing something "good" rather than ACTUALLY benefiting the cause.
"The media" functions under a 3 week news cycle, where they will discuss something incessantly and tell you all the things you should be feeling as a result. As soon as that dries up, they move on immediately, focusing solely on the task at hand. Guaranteed this story will have dropped off the face of the mainstream media in that period of time. And while we can only hope that something good comes from this, such as an anti bullying cause etc, there really is no telling, because hardly anyone will care to look.
With the immense outpouring of greif for the loss of Amanda, especially under the umbrella of her final message, in which she simply states "I have nobody...I need someone." (still gives me goose bumps to read that) there has been a  HUGE backlash! For whatever reason, people feel the need to express their anger over the fact that Amandas story is gaining all this attention when people are committing suicide over being bullied everyday and no one knows.  (See Below) I mean, this is a VALID point, a lot of people aren't gaining nearly the same amount of attention, HOWEVER it's gotten to the point where they aren't focusing on the poor dead girl but once again notoriety. It's NOT Amanda's fault that her video had this type of reaction, and that the media put so much focus on her. Believe it or not she has no control of the situation and to use a page dedicated to her after death to spread your message is just disrespectful to her memory.
I guess what i'm trying to say is, people are greedy and needy. Even when they're trying to do good, they are only looking to please themselves. *sigh*

"RIP Amanda Todd" - Facebook 

"RIP Amanda Todd" - Facebook

"Jessie J- Who You Are" Video - Youtube

international day of the girl

   Yesterday was the first official "International Day of the Girl" focused on uniting and inspiring women and young girls to be active in their communities, schools and understand that their lives are valuable. That they hold the key to growth and empowerment for themselves, their communities and society in general.


     Introduced by the United Nations and supported by Plan Canada, this day is devoted to inspirational talks and strong "Girl power" motifs, ideally through classrooms around the world. While I support all causes aiming to change perspectives on the role of women and enlighten those who think to deny basic human rights, I can't help but be cynical and downright confused about the purpose. What IS the point in focusing an entire day to this matter when the "real" people in need of such inspiration and motivation have little to no access to the information. This entire campaign was promoted through social media, television, radio etc. and let's get real those messages are not being heard in 3rd world and  developing nations. It would have been moe effective to NOT waste money on letting us know that TODAY we could celebrate being a female and send aid, winter + school supplies to those very "change makers".

    In some aspects I see and encourage this campaign, for example, the hypersexualization of todays youth, both male and female, through "trusted" media and networking outlets. When I was 12 I could barely utter the word "sex" never mind actually HAVE it. Now, I'm not judging anyone, because we have our own paths in life and we are truly free to follow them, however I cannot get passed the realization that the media is doing nothing but edging on behaviour that's UNHEALTHY, never mind "frowned upon". We need to continue encouraging youth that they are people, not objects and it's okay to wait because believe it or not, your vagina doesn't self combust...seriously, true story. Truthfully, how can this campaign even make a dent in the minds of girls/women in North America when we have shows like "Here comes Honey BooBoo", "Toddlers in tiaras", "Jersey Shore" and musicians like Nicki Minaj and Ke$ha, telling us that inorder to be fulfilled you must focus on beauty, men and being sexed up...it's too much work! I for one, GIVE UP!
   

   Also, please let's all remember that we can't blame the media for all of this, it's parents, classmates, society...but aren't THEY all influenced by the media? Whatever, it's just an endless circle of self doubt...who know's if we'll ever get out. Probs not...



If you would like to learn more about the campaign, feel free to click the link below!!
International Day of the Girl 

philosufi / we are visitors

"we are visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow to love...and then to return home."

                 

                                             - Australian Aboriginal Proverb 

I came across this quote on my new favorite facebook Page "Universe Explorers" and I want to start living my life with this as my guide. We ALL are temporary and in the grand scheme of things, our existence is just a spot on the timeline, the most we can do it live our life to the fullest and leave this earth better then we came into it. 

Easier said than done...

philosufi / feel again.

I feel like I've been walking around in a suburban bubble, numb to everything and every feeling. I live life like I've been told it should be lived; getting an education, working a part time, wanting, buying, never actually needing anything.  I've viewed the worlds misery with only a passing thought. I'm better than this and society- one dares to hope, is better than this.

the result of an "alleged" attack

These images are beyond disturbing. I have to wonder WHY they would burn their bodies after they were already dead? Have THEY (not he, they) no respect for these human beings? 

ignorance is bliss

16 peoples murdered, several more severely injured and yet this incident is labelled as an accident, a rouge soldier who has "post traumatic stress disorder". Not ONCE will the word terrorist be used, no that term is exclusive to the Middle East, to Afghans, to Muslims.


When will americans wake up and see what their government is doing? When will they care? My predictions? Not for a long time, not while there are iphones, and fancy computers to distracted them. BASICALLY the plan is working, there is no revolution if there is no one who cares...