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 Can Anyone Achieve the American Dream?

By
Larry Waldorp
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the statue of liberty with blurred american flag waving in the background. Democracy and freedom concept.

Success is actually not what you think it is. Actually, success is that very brief moment in time when you reach the pinnacle of your journey after a long process of trying: this is succeeding, the approval of your hard work. But money, fame, and fortune in itself  aren’t success, they are rather luxuries. And success isn’t guaranteed like most say, some make it and others die trying—-and the American Dream? The American Dream isn’t just one general idea of progression for every American, it can vary. With that being said, the American dream is not attainable for all people and there is no one clear assertion for how to or who attains it; rather success happens upon sheer luck, for some are just destined for greatness, otherwise, depending on the circumstances surrounding you, success could practically be handed to you.

Some people miss the mark, fall short of glory, don’t fit the stereotype, or are just denied the opportunity for equality and success. It was said earlier that money, fame, and fortune in itself isn’t success… success actually satisfies you. Once you attain these temporary commodities in life, there is a price you must pay. Alexis de Tocqueville, author of the excerpt, “Why the Americans Are So Restless in the Midst of Their Prosperity”, describes this situation perfectly, the title in itself explains it all. Tocqueville wrote from his perspective, giving vivid detail on the American in the middle of his/her prosperity. He writes that the original source for the recklessness and impatience that an American displays is the fact that they have gone as far as they can go; they have been given everything a man could be given….yet, while bathing in their own greed and ego, are miserable amongst their riches. So does this sound like a dream? A man getting all the desires of his heart while never holding them dear, releasing them to “pursue fresh gratifications”: that sounds like a nightmare. But since the real purpose for wanting success is the ongoing pursuit of happiness, how can one be satisfied if the dream is not attainable for all?

Life is fleeting: this is the reason to want success all the more, but can one attain this dream that, at some times, seems to be an illusion? Langston Hughes wrote a poem called ,”Let America be America Again”, which introduced one the first examples of a black’s emotions in the early to mid-20th century. This was an example of someone, a whole race, being denied the dream and opportunity. Then, African Americans had few rights and freedoms, denied any public say, and treated like the lesser ethnicity. Segregation, the separation of races, was the implementation of the idea that the American Dream was just a myth and not everyone got a chance to live it out. Hughes, although he inspires that this country would one day become a dreamland for all, negatively explains in detail the mistreatment of a race. He goes back to how once the Spanish, Italian, and European explorers settled to find new land for their country; how the pilgrims and puritans found this land as a refuge for freedom of religion and from a cruel dictator; how the Sons of Liberty quarreled and fought Great Britain for independence. And Although slavery was abolished during Abraham Lincoln’s presidency, African Americans were still being treated like bottom-feeders. This was being denied the dream.

Lebron James dunking on a fast break against the Houston Rockets.

Sheer luck and not fitting the prototype for the dream that you are after. This makes a person feel like everything that happens in life is vanity and all is meaningless if it has no purpose. If one fails, he thinks that life is pointless. There is the case for Lebron James, arguably the greatest of all time, who was born and raised by a single mother. He was extremely poor, having to move from friends’ house to friends’ house. But Lebron was slowly getting noticed by college scouts while in school because he had talent, exceeding greatly in basketball and football; and he lucked out sprouting to a 6’8” phenomenon by his senior year. James would end up skipping college, going to the NBA, win titles, break records, and the rest is history. But was this all meant for him? I mean, he came from poverty; this automatically reduces your chances for succeeding in life but given certain opportunities, James seized them and rose to fame.

Luck and chance are the same thing. And Lebron James’s story is one example of how success is not really an automatic happening nor is it a choice, but rather it happens to those who are destined for it or those who just happen to fall upon it. In Ben Shapiro’s “American Dream Faces New Reality”, he states, “ ‘No, success is really beyond our control,’. The quote supports the claim that we don’t control who is successful, nor do we decide if we will be successful; this means that the American Dream isn’t assured. Shapiro also wrote that the dream was an underlying idea, meaning that there is no clear idea what it is or how to attain it, verifying the fact that not just hard work will get you to the “Promised Land”.

Next time you see a huge celebrity on TV, consider their background and the circumstances that they were put in. And if one happens not to achieve his goal in life, know that only 14% of America finds wealth; this means 86% of America doesn’t make it. This lays down the unfortunate truth that the American Dream isn’t attainable for all people, one cannot be satisfied with just wealth, there is no clear assertion on how to or who attains it, and success happens upon chance.

Matt Sebastian Band at Rayburn Country Resort (Sabine County)

By
Rachel Lauren
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Regional up-and-comer Matt Sebastian and his band return to Rayburn Resort on Saturday, February 4th. No cover.
Make reservations at 409.698.1013 or email info@RayburnResorts.com.

Dueling Pianos & Dinner at Rayburn Country Resort (Sabine County)

By
Rachel Lauren
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Rayburn Country Resort is hosting a full night of stellar entertainment with Dueling Pianos & Dinner on Friday, February 3rd. $60 per person includes a delicious dinner followed by the highly acclaimed New Orleans Piano Maniacs.
Seating is limited and this show will fill up fast.
Make reservations at 409.698.1013 or email info@RayburnResorts.com.

How to Make a Scrapbook

By
Bee Martinez
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A scrapbook is a book for memories to be told. Have you ever felt like having a place to store your memories or interests just in case you forget them? Make a scrapbook!

It’s relaxing and it will help cure your boredom.

First, you’ll name your scrapbook!! Naming something gives you possession of that thing so name it something good!

I put “Life is better with people in it” because I want to put all my friends and family in this scrapbook and have them write their names on the cover. However, for the sake of theirs and my privacy, I put in pictures without people in them.

Here we have the sticky corners that will hold the photos in place. Make sure you have plenty before diving in!

In these pictures, you can see that I’ve put the sticky corner on the photo, opened the book, and put the photo on the page.

After putting in a few more photos in the book, I added a poem to the pages! XVII (I do not love you…) by Pablo Neruda is my favorite poem and I think it should be more known to the public. So if you want, add quotes, poems, or even song lyrics. Whatever resonates with you is what you should write down.

The Curse of Indifference

By
Larry Waldorp
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On April 12, 1999, Elie Wiesel addressed President Clinton and his wife, members of Congress, and the whole world. Wiesel tackled the concept of indifference and its effect on mankind; and as a victim of such horrible treatment inside concentration camps at Auschwitz, Wiesel wants his audience to know that indifference is the harsh truth. He makes the generalization that one of the greatest curses on mankind is for one man to deny the humanity of another; indifference is a failure to acknowledge one’s pain, most likely because he, or she, is blinded to their own.

One culture characteristic that separates people is religion and Wiesel uses the element of religion in the beginning of his speech to relate to the majority of the society at the time. Wiesel sets a mood of depression and has the audience thinking or all the havoc and countless deaths at the hands of man, then in a very dreadful tone, he says, “Better an unjust God than an indifferent one… Man can live far from God”. If it’s better for God to be angry at His creation than to be indifferent to it, then that makes indifference more foolish for a man to have towards another man. Wiesel makes the case that man can enjoy life, drink, and be merry away from God, but there is no running away from the ultimate truth. At the end of his point, Wiesel adds, “Even in suffering? Even in suffering”. This allows the man or woman to feel immediate guilt, knowing that God watches every action they take toward violence and chaos. And being indifferent gives them no reliable means of escape from their problems, and from God.

Immediately after he argues the foolishness of indifference by comparing it to the fact that even God shows emotion, Wiesel takes on the consequences of indifference and how it deteriorates the man both mentally and emotionally. He calls out those who are indifferent and comes to his second point that, “In a way, to be indifferent to that suffering is what makes the human being inhuman”. To be totally lacking in emotion and void of understanding and compassion means there is no longer a feeling that one’s life is valuable. It is detrimental to the soul, and Wiesel uses sound reasoning to explain that there is no good thing that derives from indifference, “Indifference is not a beginning; it is an end”. Indifference is a curse and as a blind characteristic, it leads others into the darkness. Wiesel knows this and uses strong connotative diction to convey that an indifferent man can no longer feel or see the needs of his fellow man, he is incapable of emotion, meaning “the end” for his own humanity.

Lastly, Wiesel condemns the subject of indifference, passing judgment on anyone who is careless towards someone else. Looking through the eyes of the oppressed, having been a victim of oppression himself, Wiesel teaches that, “And, therefore, indifference is always the friend of the enemy, for it benefits the aggressor–never his victim…”. Wiesel is insinuating that the aggressor is always at an advantage when it comes to inflicting pain on his victim because he has no weaknesses or emotional setbacks that will keep him from doing his evil task. What the audience can draw from this is that indifference can turn a man into a monster, a person who no longer knows himself. Then, slamming the gavel down, Wiesel concludes that, “Indifference, then, is not only a sin, it is a punishment”. From Wiesel’s perspective, if it’s punishment for the oppressed, then they are unfortunate as a victim of such torture. If it’s punishment for the oppressor, he is cursed for rejecting morality and ignoring the light, and he is cursed because he made a deliberate decision to be indifferent to those who suffer.

Wiesel wants to urge his audience to show compassion at the turn of a new century and start over to create a better world. But he also warns the oppressors: the latter end is worse with the aggressors than the beginning; it would have been better for them if they had been consumed with the repercussions of their anger than to be led captive and blinded by indifference.

The Four Types of Parenting

By
Bee Martinez
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Parenting is hard. At least, that’s what I imagine it to be. No matter what kind of parent you are, your child’s fate remains in your hands.

Permissive Parenting

This style of parenting is known for being more of a friendship role than anything. Parents will often avoid conflict to maintain that friendly relationship and discipline doesn’t come easy for the children of these parents. This may lead the child to struggle academically.

Neglectful/Uninvolved Parenting

These types of parents don’t know their children and are distant. While most of the time it is intentional, there are quite a few cases where it is unintentional. For the most part, the parent is usually distant because of personal matters such as depression and anxiety.

Authoritarian Parenting

Authoritarian parents believe children are inferior to them. You will often hear them say “Because I said so” rather than giving their child an explanation. When rules are to be made, the parent will belittle the child’s feelings to get their way. Often times the child will grow up to become a pathological liar.

Authoritative Parenting

Children with this type of parent commonly feel loved and accepted. This is because the parent takes time to get to know their child and takes what they have to say into consideration. This type of parenting is the healthiest of the four types. Children with these parents are said to become responsible and open-minded adults.

Now that you know the four types of parenting, what kind of parent are you? What kind do you aspire to be?

For more information, check out CNBC and Very Well Family!

Foods that are Gluten-Free

By
Rachel Lauren
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Gluten-free diets are not just for people with gluten intolerance or celiac disease, it is for everyone who wants to try it to have a healthier diet. A lot of people avoid gluten because of the health benefits that cutting out gluten has, like reducing inflammation in the body.

Gluten is actually a protein in wheat, barley, and rye, not the grains themselves. Contrary to some people’s belief, oats are gluten-free, so no need to worry there! Although it is said that gluten is the problem for either general health or celiac disease, that is not entirely true. It is actually the pesticides that are sprayed on these grains that cause the reaction to gluten for people with an intolerance or with celiac disease. Aside from that, the pesticides are unhealthy for anyone, so I encourage you all to get all-natural foods.

Some obvious foods to avoid are wheat-based cereals, wheat bread, noodles, wheat flour, and most gummy candies. Less obvious foods that you would not think would have gluten in them are some types of soups, especially soups from the Campbell’s brand. Typically, wheat can be used as a thickener in soup, so be sure to read the ingredients list in everything you get!

As for meats, you would think they’d all be gluten-free right? Well, that is not the case. Most meats generally are gluten-free, however some of them are seasoned with spices that are not gluten-free. You need to be careful of seasonings and sauces! One sauce that I know definitely has gluten in it is soy sauce.

There are some specific things you need to do as gluten-free food will not keep as long as regular foods will. For gluten-free bread, put it in the fridge or freezer. Freezing it will allow it to last much longer than putting it in the fridge or pantry but if you are going to be using the bread frequently then I would suggest to keep it in the fridge so you do not have to constantly defrost your bread. I also recommend that you keep gluten-free items on the top shelf of your pantry, refrigerator and freezer to prevent crumbs of gluten-containing items from falling into gluten-free foods.

Of course, there are things that are indeed naturally gluten-free. For example, fruits and vegetables, beans, seeds, unprocessed nuts, unprocessed meats, and surprisingly enough, cheerios, whether they be honey nut or original, are gluten-free as well. There are a lot more naturally gluten-free foods out there; these are just the ones I chose to list off.

My Make-Up Recommendations

By
Rozalin Martin
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I am very picky about my makeup, so I tend to stick to the same products when I go out. Here are a few products that I love and have been using for a while!

These two mascaras are the best that I have ever tried! The one on the left is great for people like me that have really watery eyes, and the one on the right gives your eyelashes a lot of volume making them look full and lengthy. These two are on the pricy side, but I would say the money is worth it!

This is a four in one compact that I use for my blush. This product comes in many different colors and variations that are pretty and unique. For my daily makeup routine, I usually only use the blush and the highlighter, but it gives me the option to use it all when I want to!

I just bought this product a few weeks ago and I absolutely fell in love with it! I have a few different shades, but this one is my favorite! It’s super creamy and pigmented which gives a beautiful effect.

This is my all-time favorite eyeshadow palette I own. My favorite colors to use in my inner corner of my eye is ‘Third Eye’ and ‘Wavelength’. They add a cool pop to your eyes and the shades are perfect for most of my outfits!

Change and Growth: How Life Experiences Can Change Perception 

By
Larry Waldorp
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There are many ways that a man can grow while changing in the process and there are other ways that a man can change while growing in the process. In the case of Squidward, in an episode of  Spongebob titled “Squidville”, Squidward longs for a better life away from Patrick and Spongebob and embarks on a pursuit in which his thirst for happiness and peace can be satisfied. Though Squidward did not find what he thought would be the solution to his problems, it can be said that he learned an important lesson and that his meltdown signified both change and growth in his character.

It is inevitable that life experiences change the perceptions of many peoples’ views on life and various situations, and it is only through certain circumstances that either awakens one to wisdom or leaves him asleep to it. Most people know the fictional story of King Midas, the king of Phrygia in Asia Minor who had already possessed great fortunes, thought that he could only achieve true happiness if it was provided by gold. When the king requested the god Dionysus to grant him the “golden touch”, Midas soon learned how wrong he was. He did not realize what was really important until things like food and drinks turned into gold or when he went to kiss his own daughter and she turned to gold. After begging Dionysus to remove the spell, he washed himself in the river Pactolus and became grateful for the things that he previously took for granted (his daughter, food, water, shelter, etc).

The likewise happened to Squidward when he packed up his bags for “Squidville”, where other creatures like him congregated and lived in harmony. But things began to get weary when Squidward started to go though the same routine day after day, with everyone having the same interests, going to the same places, and doing the same things. Squidward grew tired of this and the first moment there is a glimpse of change and growth in his character is when he hears the slightest bit of noise and says, “Spongebob?”, hoping that the one whom he thought he despised would show up.

 Squidward ends up destroying everything he thought could give him happiness in Squidville, thus leading both his growth as a character and to the conclusion of the whole matter: life is not worth living when every single increment of it is dull and repetitive daily, one needs an abundance of new things to try and different things to explore, and friends (regardless of how crazy they may be) who will overlook their flaws and stick by their side.

Saving seeds

By
Cary Sims
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Old gardeners know all about saving seeds. As newer gardeners develop their gardens and learn more about which vegetable varieties they prefer while reducing input costs, “seed saving” often becomes a part of their gardening plan.

Saving seeds from one year’s vegetables or flowers to grow the next year requires some understanding of basic genetics (heirlooms vs hybrids), harvest timing, drying techniques, and finally, storage. 

Genetically, not all seeds saved from one year to the next will be the same. Heirloom plants have been pollinated over time, and fruit from the heirloom varietal you save should have most of the characteristics of the parent. Gathering and saving seeds from a hybrid plant will often result in disappointment as only the first generation cross (i.e., hybrid) will yield the improved traits that led you to choose it in the first place. Hybrid plants are grown from seeds crossed from two pure parent lines. These parent plants are not similar and are combined to create desirable traits, such as disease resistance, increased vigor, and uniformity. The result of these crosses usually only lasts one generation, so the seeds harvested from hybrids may produce frustrating results.

When growing heirlooms, be sure to save seeds from your high quality, typical fruits. For example, if you desire a tomato variety that is round, dark red, and the size of a baseball, do not save seeds from fruits that are pale, elongated, or undersized. 

While any seed can be saved to plant the following year, experts suggest saving seeds from the following: beans, peas, tomatoes, and lettuce.  The reason for this short list is that these vegetables are self-pollinating and are likely to be true to what you raised the previous year. 

When these vegetables above are ripe enough to eat, they may not always be mature enough to save seed. Different vegetables require different methods in order to gather the seed from the plant. For example, beans and peas should be allowed to mature and dry on the plant. The tender Purple Hull pea pods we pick and cook have seeds that are not dried. Leave some bean pods on the plant and then you can easily break them open to remove the seeds.

Left unharvested, lettuce will send up flower stalks that contain seeds. If you harvest all of your lettuce when it is time to eat it, you may never see a seed! Lettuce has individual composite flowers that are similar to dandelion flowers. So, harvest lettuce seeds before they are dispersed by the wind and separate the seed from the tufts that allow them to blow in the wind. 

Tomato seeds can be harvested when the fruit is ripe enough to eat. Their seeds must be fermented to separate them from the gelatinous pulp that surrounds them. 

To do so, cut the tomatoes and squeeze the seeds and pulp into a jar with water. Let the jar sit for two to three days, agitating it occasionally. The viable seeds will sink to the bottom of the jar. Pour out floating seeds and liquid from the top of the jar. Fill with fresh water and repeat. When enough seeds are completely separated, pour the viable seeds from the bottom of the jar onto a cheesecloth, a paper towel, or a fine sieve to dry.

While most seed savers focus on vegetables, you can also save seeds from flowers. Though some flowers readily seed themselves, you can control where those seeds are replanted and gather them to share with others.

Check for mature, dried seeds about two to three weeks after the plants have bloomed. Flowers that lend themselves well to seed saving include bachelor’s buttons, calendula, cosmos, four o’clocks, globe amaranth, marigolds, morning glories, nasturtiums, and zinnias. Sunflowers are another popular choice for seed saving. The flower petals should die back, and the head should be allowed to dry for a few days while on the stalk. You will probably need to cover it with a paper bag to keep birds from eating the seeds. The flower head can then be cut off to dry in the bag in a warm, dry space.

The final step for seed savers is to dry and store the seeds for the following season. Seeds should be dried to the point where they could be snapped by hand or shattered with a hammer. Another test for proper dryness is to make sure that you cannot dent the seed with your fingernail. Gardeners spread seeds on various materials to dry them, including newspapers, coffee filters, paper plates, and screens.

So long as seeds are kept in a cool, dry, dark place, they can be stored in a number of clean containers. Some seed savers have good luck with storing seeds in the refrigerator; others feel that this environment could contain too much moisture, causing the seeds to mold. You’ll want to experiment to find the storage location that works best for you. 

Regardless of how they are stored, your seeds should be labeled with details about the plant variety and harvest date. Many seeds are viable for only a few years, which makes the date of harvest very important.

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