02 Friday Jun 2017
Posted in Photographs from Art Gallery, Poems
Tags
Addiction, Cutting, Hope, Love, Motivation Speaking, Photograph, Self-Harm, Solitude, Suicide Awareness, Summer, Support Groups, TEEN DEPRESSION, The Jewels' Angels Foundation, Travel
SOLITUDE
Some stolen moments are taken for granted…to be forever lost in your longing for another day so simple and pure.
Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Photograph By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright: September 2016
23 Tuesday May 2017
Posted in POEMS By Jewels
Tags
Addiction, Awareness, Blogging, Hope, Life, Love, Motivational Speaking, Poems, Religion, School, Suicide, Support, TEEN DEPRESSION, The Jewels' Angels Foundation
I always told my girls that actions speak louder than words… this is the one time I wish they hadn’t listened.
Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright: May 23, 2017
4 AM
I am stuck in a dream
I don’t want to leave so I refuse to scream
I tripped and fell into a new life
Screaming cause someone has a knife
Don’t fret, just your imagination
You’ve made a fabulous creation
The grass grows long so you lay
Wishing you would fade away
You don’t want to weep
So you wish and pray
That you won’t wake up the next day
I am stuck in a dream
jcw
07 Sunday May 2017
Posted in Just a PERFECT Thought
As parents, we do not want to admit our teenagers are using drugs, but we need to keep our eyes open. Elementary school years are the years of innocence. Jr High School may be another story, all together. Teenagers may go through drastic changes once they hit 7th and 8th grade and high school may be even worst.
As parents, we need to watch our teenagers for warning signs of possible drug use:
1. Sudden changes in mood / attitude
2. Bursts of anger
3. Isolation from family (spending a lot of time in their room)
4. Drop in grades
5. Lack of interest in normal activities
6. Changes in appetite
7. Changes in sleeping habits
8. Lying
9. Change of friends
10. Skipping classes / truancy / tardiness
It is our job as parents to keep a close communication with our teenagers / children. Stay involved in their lives and know where they are and what they are doing when they are not home.
It is also important to let your kids know you “do” trust them and they can come to you to talk when they need to. Don’t get your feelings hurt if they don’t talk to you about everything, but stay positive and let them know you are there for them when they do want to talk.
Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
03 Wednesday May 2017
Posted in Photographs from Art Gallery
Tags
Addiction, Adolescence, Awareness, Depression, Family, Friends, Life, Love, Non-profits, Suicide, Support Groups, Teen, The Jewels' Angels Foundation, Travel
CHOOSE LIFE
THE JEWELS’ ANGELS FOUNDATION, INC.
Photography By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright February 2017
28 Friday Apr 2017
Posted in Just a PERFECT Thought, Poems
Tags
Addiction, Dead, Faith, Family, Happiness, Hope, Loss, Love, Memories, Pain, Siblings, Sisters, Smile, Suicide, TEEN DEPRESSION, The Jewels' Angels Foundation
April 28, 2017
She felt as though her days were limitless
Her heart ached, her soul empty
Longing for the once happy life, the sunshine that would make her smile
Laughter, bonding, memories, happiness
Distant, now it was all so distant
What happened?
Why did he take her?
Why did she take herself,
herself away from me?
Now there is little happiness
A simple smile is painful, but she does it anyway
Faking happiness, telling herself she is okay
Xanax numbs the pain,
Alcohol makes living okay,
But inside she is dead.
-PMW
02 Wednesday Nov 2016
Posted in Excerpt from Manuscript - SNOW
Tags
Abusive Relationships, Addiction, Author, Book, California, Cocaine, Crank, Crystal Meth, Eastern Sierra Mountains, Love, Manuscript, Marriage, Novel, Photographer, Published, Recovery, snow, Sunset Magazine, Travel, Unpublished, Writer
Excerpt from Manuscript – Snow
The wooden bench had turned out to be a bad idea, as the beginning of the first frost escalated the startling cold that was quickly creeping up and under her skin.
January didn’t seem to notice much, as she was lost in thought. She was annoyed with herself…more like in disbelief…how could she not have seen the signs.
She had loved this man for more than half her life, but somehow she had missed it.
Earlier that day she had spoken, on the phone, with an old friend…a friend who had brought it to her attention that Jack had been using throughout their life together. She knew that he smoked weed, but cocaine? Or as her friend had kindly put it, whatever drug was available that day.
She had always blamed the weed for his mood swings, his fits of anger, and his sudden outburst of violence. She herself had become co-dependent, wanting him to smoke so that he would be numb enough to be kind to her.
She had fallen into the vicious cycle of the poor pathetic wife who deserved what she had accepted. She despised women like this, but yet she had become the spitting image of just that.
Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Photograph By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright November 2, 2016
28 Friday Oct 2016
Posted in Excerpt from Manuscript - SNOW
Tags
Addiction, Blow, Cancer, Cocaine, Death, Hope, Love, Marriage, Photograpahy, Published Author, Relationships, snow, Unpublished Author, Winter, Writer
Excerpt from Manuscript – Snow
The first snow of the year. The air was crisp with the hint of winter, causing her breath to catch in her throat, but yet so pure, allowing her thoughts to drift into promises she had told yourself, but had not kept.
January wrapped her leather coat tightly around her. Although she was cold, she had the softest warmth radiating around her. She was at peace. She knew she had done the right thing.
She knew she had hurt Jack…Christ, it had hurt her too, but she knew he deserved to know the truth. The truth was freeing because it allowed her the freedom to be honest with not only herself, but with him.
However, she was still haunted by his eyes, the disturbing contour of his face as she had told him.
Her only concern was where to go from here.
He had always been strong, but she was worried for him because she knew that he would have a hard time. After all, he was an addict and addicts weren’t good with dealing with change.
She knew they would have to change everything about their life. She would be in and out of hospitals for the next couple of months. This would put a definite toll on their marriage.
But she was confident in the strength of their relationship, after all, they had over come his addiction…
Jumping, January turned, startled by the sound of the opening of the front door.
“Jack…”
“Sweetheart…I am so sorry I left you…I’m home now and I will never leave you again.” Jack pulled her into his chest, tightly holding her, gently smoothing back her hair from her face as his tears fell.
Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Photograph By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright October 28, 2016
12 Wednesday Oct 2016
Posted in Excerpt from Manuscript - SNOW
Tags
Abusive Relationships, Addiction, Author, California, Cocaine, Love, Published, Recovery, San Francisco, snow, Unpublished, Writer
Excerpt from Manuscript – SNOW
Autumn, a time when the leaves changed from green to yellow to orange and then red. The days were warm in the mornings, as the nights escaped into the most certain chill.
This time of year had always been January’s favorite. Moving to San Francisco had been his idea, but now that she had warmed up to it, she too loved the quaint city with all its undying charm.
Standing out on their balcony, with her faux-fur coat wrapped around her body, fighting to keep her warm, but desperately failing, she watched the city lights flicker in the distance. Jack seemed to be spending more and more time away from their home and from her.
She perniciously had too much time on her hands to think. She didn’t like when her mind drifted over to the darker side, but it had been hard not to lately.
She missed him so much that her heart ached. She knew in her heart that she was losing him, but she couldn’t compete with this. She had to let him go, but she didn’t know if she had the courage to do so.
She had always hated that stupid saying, “If you love someone set them free and if they are yours to keep, they will come back to you.”
“Dumb saying.” She thought, despairingly wiping away the tears.
Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Photograph By: JCW
Copyright: October 12, 2016
28 Wednesday Sep 2016
Posted in Excerpt from Manuscript - SNOW
Tags
Addiction, Author, Bolsa Chica Beach, California, Cocaine, Love, Published, Recovery, Relationships, Religion, snow, Sober, Travel, Unpublished, Writer
Excerpt from Manuscript – SNOW
She lay there, in her expensive Donna Karen suit, carefully watching him, as his chest slowly went up and down with each reserved breath.
January knew she should change her clothes and grab a bite to eat, but she was afraid. She was afraid to leave his side.
In the past, she had taken life as it came. In other words, she hadn’t taken it seriously. Not until today.
Jack stirred, moving only slightly in his bed. Startled, January hastily pushed the lock of hair away from her eyes…digging in her purse for a bobby pin, quickly shoving it in her mouth, and nervously pushing her hair behind her ear.
Starring intently, only inches from his face, she waited, waited for him to wake.
“Jack Honey…can you hear me? Jack?”
The room fell silent once again…nothing could be heard, except for the breathing machine, as it went beep, beep, beep…driving January mad.
She wasn’t a religious person, although she had been around plenty of people claiming they were, but she needed to get her voice out…she needed God to listen to her prayer.
“Dear God, please bring Jack back to me…I promise to love him more and help him to get clean and stay clean.”
Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Photograph By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright September 28, 2016
21 Wednesday Sep 2016
Posted in Excerpt from Manuscript - SNOW
Tags
Addiction, Agents, Author, Break-ups, Cocaine, Heartache, Love, Magazine, Photography, Published, Rehab, Relationships, snow, Travel, Unpublished, Writer
EXCERPT FROM MANUSCRIPT – SNOW
They both lay in bed, exhausted, but satisfied by their late night excursion.
January cuddled up closer into Jack’s arms, nestling her head in between the nape of his neck, just under his ear, as her slender fingers gently glided over the dark hair that now appeared on his chest.
At first, she had thought she would hate the thought of her man having a hairy chest, Jack had always been a clean-shaving guy, but over the past few years, he had let it go. January loved it.
“I love you, Jack…you know that, right?”
“Of course, Sweetheart. And I love you too, with all my heart.” He said, bringing her lips up towards his, kissing them tenderly this time. “Why do you ask?”
“I just get worried sometimes…that’s all.”
“Worried about if I love you?”
“No, worried that it won’t last. It’s all too perfect and when everything is perfect there is always something that comes along and ruins it. It seems like I am never completely happy and when I am, it is taken away from me.” January sadly said, stretching out her long legs from under the sheets.
“Baby, I love you now and forever. That’s all that really matters for right now. We have the present…that’s all we can be certain, we can’t foresee the future, Sweetheart.”
“I know that Jack…I just hope you’re right.”
“Trust me.”
Sadly enough, that was what worried her.
Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Photography By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright September 21, 2016
Ask Ms Mandi 
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