All the World's a Stage, But the Play is Badly Cast

Friends are wonderful people. I have no idea what I'd do without them. It doesn't take much to be my friend but it takes a lot to gain my trust. That's why it seriously irritates me when I find that my judgment of character has been proven wrong.
The role of villain in disguise as a friend is as old as time. Unfortunately it has repeated itself many times throughout history in just about every life of every human being. Heck, even Jesus had to deal with this infuriating situation. But it never gets old, does it? Most times you don't even see it coming. It hits you like a freight train and leaves you feeling humiliated, discouraged and vulnerable.
Recently I've experienced the feelings that come with such emotional damage. A person, who I considered to be a good friend of mine, saw fit to spread a ridiculous lie about my personal life and did so in the presence of a member of my family. I have no idea how many people she may have told or who believes it. Now I feel deeply hurt and paranoid. How can you trust someone who so readily offered up false information about you? How could you ever feel comfortable with a person like that?
Obviously, I'm more than somewhat perturbed. I'll forgive the person in question but what about my reputation? I take pride in being myself and being a good person in general, but how can I possibly fix what many are quick to believe and react to? I guess I'm glad that I have real friends and people who actually care about me more than their selfish wants. Thank God for them.

Inside Out

I have officially made a goal that I know I can stick with. I'm going to make some serious improvements inside and out. I'm doing this for myself only. No one put me up to it and my self esteem is perfectly healthy. But ya know what? Improvement makes a person that much better and happier with him/herself.
A person can't control much in life, but they can change the way they feel about themselves. So wish me luck! Here's to you finding the greatest happiness you can with yourself.

Corset Ripping Novels: A Soapbox Rant

You've seen them before, the paperbacks with the busty heroines scantily clad and pressed against their shirtless heroes. You know, the books that are usually at the back of the library and in remote corners of the bookstores. Fairly cheap, easy to get. People check these "romance novels" out all the time where I work. Mostly older ladies, I've noticed. What's so great about these cheap paperbacks with the racy looking covers?
Yesterday I picked up one of these novels. Nothing was going on and I was curious. A lady had just returned this particular...ahem..."novel". I flipped through the pages and skimmed the plot. It was pretty interesting at first despite the many grammatical errors and misspelled words. The story begins with a southern belle escaping with her prize horses from her war ravaged home to the Colorado Rockies to live with her brother. A man is hired to accompany the lady on her treacherous journey and they fall in love. This story was actually turning out to be kinda cute...that is up to the point he started mauling her. The author ruined a perfectly good story by throwing in all the kinky details of an intimate relationship.
I don't know of any girl who doesn't enjoy a good romance every so often, but way to ruin the experience by leaving NOTHING to the imagination. Personally, I don't need to see the so called "steamy sex scene". Wouldn't it be better if the heroine could just melt into her hero's arms and get swept off her feet and into the sweet ecstasy of their love? Doesn't that sound better than getting your eyes raped with vivid images of people you've never met (not that it'd be great if you knew them personally either)?
Call me crazy conservative girl, but I believe the body to be something sacred. Something to take care of and cherish. Sharing it with someone should be special, personal, and PRIVATE. Why waste your most personal possession on someone who isn't going to care one way or the other in the morning? Why even bother reading about it? I feel sorry for the trees that die to make such books that violate even fictional characters and the readers in such a manner.
So look at it this way, every time you don't buy one of these "Corset Rippers", you save a tree, your eyes and several hours of your time.