VJBS - Vee Jefferson

...So Speak it With Rhythm;-)

Girl,

I found this awesomely beautiful spirit on youtube. She's funny and open and honest about her experience with this disorder. Please watch as she attempts to give us a raw glimpse into her life and what it's like to be her.

And don't forget to check out her other videos on her Smile 2day, Tears 2morrow youtube page.

Bipolar Disorder II

Bipolar disorder, or manic depression, can be an extremely crippling obstacle to deal with for the individuals suffering from it. They are most times misunderstood and misconstrued. If you see them during their low or high periods, you are not seeing the individuals at all. What you're seeing is the effect that the disorder is having on them at that time. But the truth is that these folks are usually highly intelligent and very creative. If they've completed some type of notable work (ie. book or novel, painting, poetry, blockbuster movie, latest no.1 single) or excelled in some all-time favorite sport or popular hobby, they are called geniuses, stars, and sometimes even superstars! And although a few could possibly be called "a little eccentric," crazy is rarely the term used to describe them. It's only the regular, everyday people like you and me who would be stigmatized by Bipolar Disorder and made to feel ashamed or criticized for needing help.

Often times Bipolar Disorder is misdiagnosed because the person may seek help for the depression, but not inform the doctor or therapist of the mania. We all know what depression is for the most part. We know that depression is when someone is sad, loses his or her sense of self-esteem and self worth, and sometimes may even want to leave this earth completely. That's pretty easy to comprehend, even if you're not able to sympathize and empathize. So let's talk a little about the mania. Mania is the extreme ups or periods of happiness the person may be feeling. And if it feels good, why would he or she mention it to the doctor, right?

Well, extreme mania is marked by insomnia (difficulty sleeping) and hyperactivity. It WiLL feel good in the beginning, and if a person is on the arty side, this may be the time when they're able to create their greatest works. But soon after, if the mania continues, the person may become anxious and out of control, start multiple projects that never get finished, spend excessive amounts of money, and even indulge in some unusual and/or unsafe behavior. Some clues that a person may be cycling towards mania are:

• Speech may get faster than usual
• Thoughts may become very scattered and fragmented as the person jumps from idea to unrelated idea
• Movement & activity increases (i.e. walking faster during normal activity)
• Extreme increase in physical activity like exercising (i.e. going from working out 3x/week to 3x/day)

NOTE: The clues for cycling towards depression would be just the opposite.

Sleep deprivation, which is of course very unhealthy for the physical body to begin with, can cause a whole host of mental symptoms which can closely resemble psychosis. For the person affected by Bipolar Disorder, the manic phase can be just as bad as the depression phase because it is the exact, extreme, polar opposite, hence the term Bipolar - two poles. The body will be tired while the mind is constantly racing. The lack of sleep can cause paranoia, hallucinations (hearing and seeing things), delusions (believe things that are not true), aggression, and sometimes even violence.

The symptoms of bipolar disorder are as varied from person to person as hair color. They can be mixed, occur seasonally, cycle regularly or in no discernible pattern at all, have unequal duration in phases, occur sporadically or very often. Bipolar II disorder is defined as having the typical disorder, but the highs are not as high as in Bipolar I. They have periods of hypomania instead, so that aspect is less extreme, so to speak. There are other forms and variations as well, but I'm not going to get into them, as this is NOT a health site.

But I do encourage any of you reading this post, if you have any of these symptoms, or can relate to the young lady in the video, please see someone. Ask questions and educate yourselves. You don't have to be plagued by these unexplainable mood swings, and you are NOT alone. Being diagnosed is not a death sentence. It's actually a "life" sentence that can lead you to the path of a more fulfilled and happy life.

And in case you're wondering, the young lady featured in the video is feeling better today than she has in a long time. She sought help, found the right meds and found the right therapist. I'm so inspired by her strength and ability to not be afraid.

Vee to Miss Smile 2day: You go girl! You're absolutely awesome!

Love, Light, and Peace of Mind,

Vee

---

Helpful links:

http://www.bipolar.com/

www.bipolardisorder.com/

www.mentalhealth.com/dis/p20-md02.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bipolar_disorder

http://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/bipolar-2-disorder

www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/bipolar-disorder/complete-publication.shtml

So who handled the the bad press ghost best?
Clinton (Paul) or Obama (Rev. Wright)?

---

And I was thorougly disgusted after viewing this clip.
Can you say wolf in sheep's clothing?

---

Just another tall tale told by Clinton!
But then again, she just probably "misspoke" again.

But to be honest - and I never get into politics here at VJBS - I don't think this country is quite ready to have a woman as President. Not that I have anything against it, but I don't believe it is going to happen in 2008. And I definitely would not vote for her simply because she's a woman. Matter of fact, I wouldn't vote for her period. I don't trust her, and she has shown that she is NOT above lying. I agree with the voices of those who believe that having Clinton as the Democratic Nominee will ensure a victory for the Republican Party. I truly believe Obama would have a fair chance.

A word from Vee: Hillary, OMGosh, would you just stop already???!!!!

A question for Ms. Maya Angelou: Are you still on board with this woman???

---

From Dusk to Dawn
Niambi Brown Davis
Parker Publishing, May 1st, 2008
$10.95 US;
ISBN-10: 1600430368





Meet Bilal and Ayo, two people who are polar opposites in every way. He’s 32 and she’s 42. Bilal is ready to get married and start a family. Ayo, on the other hand, is a comfortably relaxed, in- her own skin widow with a 20 year old son. And she's certain her child-bearing days are over. Bilal is Muslim, and Ayo is most certainly not. Neither Bilal's father, nor Ayo's son are too happy about the relationship. These two, having nothing in common, would struggle to even hold a conversation, much less fall in love? And after their disastrous first encounter, you’d think it was impossible. Or is it?

But not so fast. I’ve been invited to participate in the FROM DUSK TO DAWN: Against All Odds 2008 Virtual Book Tour. Debut author, Niambi Brown Davis, has asked me this question, "Which of these issues - older woman/younger man, different faiths, disgruntled family members, late in life motherhood/infertility issues - has the potential to wreck the most havoc on Ayo and Bilal's relationship and keep them from walking down the aisle?"

But before I give my perspective, watch the trailer.


The fate of this relationship is quite questionable since there are issues and obstacles right from the very beginning. From their May/December romance, to their different faiths and feelings regarding children/starting a family, to the disapproval of family members, this couple will definitely find out if their love is real enough to last. But for the sake of blogging, I'm going to delve into all the different obstacles facing them and decide which one I think could possibly manifest the biggest problems and be the hardest to overcome.

Albeit, all relationships are a work in progress, but starting off behind the eight ball only makes things harder. Notice I didn't say impossible? And while I do believe any of these challenges could potentially cause havoc in a relationship, I think the biggest issue facing this couple is their different religious beliefs. All the other obstacles can be overcome by the mighty "L" word. But having very different religious beliefs and faiths would be the most detrimental in any relationship, even if the love is true.

Why?
Because a person's faith and religious customs and beliefs may influence the way he or she eats, sleeps, prays, and possibly even celebrates holidays, it would be ridiculous to think that a major difference in two views would be of little concern. Also, that faith is the determining factor for how the person will both act and react in a certain situation and how circumstances are viewed. It makes no difference if the situation or circumstance is positive or negative, serious or not so serious. So when crises occur within that relationship, if the two people involved are not in some sort of agreement about how to handle them, or at least what the expected outcomes should be, then chances for having huge, unresolved issues, which can lead to breakdown in communication and ultimately broken relationships, increase drastically.

Now we all know that every relationship will cause a few scrapes and bruises from time to time. But when the love is real, these hurts will heal easily and become barely noticeable in no time. But when you start mixing religions or trying to change a person's belief system and how he or she worships and views the world, now we're talking big, gaping wound territory.

This novel is most extraordinary! National Best-selling Romance and Romantic Suspense Author, Deidre Savoy, describes it as SIZZLING!

You DON'T want to miss this one!

About the author:

Niambi was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. She and her family lived for many years in Washington, DC and for three and a half years, made the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago their home. She has written for Bronze Thrills, True Confessions and Black Romance Magazines. Niambi indulged her passion for sailing and travel by serving as publicist for the Black Boaters Summit and as a member of the National Association of Black Travel Writers. Presently, Niambi writes for Travel Lady Magazine. Her first digital novella was published in January 2008 by Arrow Publications, LLC. Aside from writing and travel, Niambi is an avid reader of historical fiction, and deeply involved in tracing the history of both branches of her family tree. Her day job is running the business of Sand & Silk/Soleful Strut, where she produces private label products for hair and skincare companies as well as her own line of handcrafted soaps, creams and scrubs.

For more information on Niambi Brown Davis, please visit:
http://www.niambibrowndavis.com/
http://niambibrowndavis.blogspot.com/

The Against All Odds 2008 Virtual Book Tour hosted by Yasmin Coleman of http://www.apooo.org/

Peace, Love, Light, & Good Reading,

Vee

Future Tour Stops:

May 8th, 2008 - Mo Flames
http://www.myspace.com/monique_flames

May 9th, 2008 - Eboney Farashuu
http://www.myspace.com/ebonyfarashuu

Earlier Tour Stops:

May 6th, 2008 - Tifany Jones
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/sistahconfessions

April 20th, 2008 - Yasmin Coleman - The Kick off!
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ycoleman

I am soooo excited!
I've been waiting, and waiting, and waiting...
and now it's almost here.
You guys ready to be "carried" away?

This movie is purely indulgent for me.
I've been a Sex and the City fan for over 5 years.
So no, this post is NOT to educate, it's not to inspire or enlighten, and it's definitely not to endorse whatever crazy things these ladies might be getting into this time.
For me, it's simply a popcorn/haagen dazs, relax and have fun, no kids, no work, no worries, Sunday evening to myself, which btw is looonnnngggg overdue!