Seriously?…Enough Already!
Excerpts from the upcoming book by Chris Gilrath II

Chris Gilrath, II is an avid observer of everyday life and popular culture. He has a passion and love for the arts and entertainment and channels this through writing and reflecting on his blog “Gil-Gil: Just My Five Cents”. Chris has mentored the youth within the local metropolitan Kansas City Area through his youth ministry at Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church. With his practices as an educator and mentor, Chris sees the struggles that today’s youth and young adults deal with on a daily basis. He also understands the challenges that people face in their lives and understand that often times the issues that are imposed on us subsequently, are imposed on others and are never dealt with.

Joy, pain, and triumph are a few emotions he uses to share his knowledge with others through rich, vivid and intense story telling with the release of his upcoming book, “Seriously?….Enough Already!”. Chris looks forward to his book to be the vehicle to reach the mainstream media with his storytelling and humorous approach to everyday life.

Chris has been kind to release a few excerpts from two of the chapters in his upcoming book, “Seriously?…Enough Already!”. With his direct approach people of all ages will enjoy his take on everyday life and issues.

Chapter 11
Enough Being A Drama Queen: Are You The Victim or The Victor?
“Sadness bears no remedy for the problems in your life. While you run your race, keep a smiling face. Help you set your pace. Life is on your case.” –On Your Face by Earth, Wind & Fire (written by Maurice White, Charles Stephney, and Phillip Bailey) 1976.

What does one think of when the word “drama” is spoken? Do you think of the soap operas that come on during the daytime? Do you think of your local theatre troupe acting in front of a stage? OR when you hear that infamous word “drama” does the name of a certain individual pop into your head? Is this a person that if you looked up the word “drama” in your dictionary, you would see a picture them with crocodile tears next to the definition. This is what is commonly referred to as the drama king or drama queen.

Johnny and Joann Drama are very common in our culture today. Our pop culture has taught us to embrace these dramatic people. Look at the overabundance of reality television series, and countless celebrities who are always full of drama and grief. To break it down this type of person has the “its all about me” mentality. No matter what you are going through, they are always going through something worse. Every time Mr. or Mrs. Drama come around you know there is going to be some type of drama involved. You ask them how they are doing (and before you gasp in terror at the horrible act you just committed) Johnny or Joanna begin to tell you EXACTLY how they are doing. Joann Drama’s life is never easy. She has had a lot of issues happening in her life. She is constantly in tears and sad with the hopes that someone will ask “Joann what is wrong?” Joann will snap in a moment’s notice, if she feels she is being attacked.

Here are some warning signs that you are dealing with a Johnny or Joann Drama:

• Does Johnny or Joanna Drama ALWAYS, ALWAYS have a problem?
• No matter what your problem is, Johnny or Joann Drama will always have a problem bigger than yours.
• Johnny or Joann Drama are always on the defensive even when you are joking with them.
• Johnny or Joann Drama is dramatic or intense about the smallest of issues that normal people find a slight issue or incident. Johnny or Joann Drama make it a HUGE PRODUCTION and are surprised that you are not taking it as seriously.
• Johnny or Joann Drama need to be the FIRST to tell you bad news. If they are not the first then they are pissed off.
• You proceed to tell Johnny or Joann Drama about your personal situation whether good or bad they will always, always make it about them some way. They are very creative at it.
• Johnny or Joann Drama does not actively listen to you when you tell them about their problem, they are thinking about their situation. They are just waiting for the right moment to cut you off or but in and interject their own personal drama.
• Johnny or Joann Drama is always around people who make their situations worse and bring them down.  Do you ever wonder that the reason is because they have to continue to feed their drama…OF COURSE THAT IS THE REASON.

Does this sound familiar? If you have identified with the checklist above, you have a Johnny or Joann Drama in your life, or you MAY be the Johnny or Joann Drama. If you are dramatic at least OWN that you are. Several of you are reading this chapter and are like “Oh hell yeah I know a dramatic person! Humph!” When in reality what you need to do is go look in the mirror. TAKE A GOOD LOOK.

Chapter Thirteen:
Enough Dummy: Ignorance is NOT Bliss
It seems like we have begun to celebrate or honor a culture where it acceptable to be ignorant. Being intelligent, articulate, and respectful has become a thing of the past. I see girls who have lost all types of self-respect for themselves by dressing in skimpy, revealing clothing, cussing like a sailor, allowing some no good hustler to “get them panties”. I see young boys, and men alike who sag their pants, cuss and disrespect women (while the women allow it), go around with their hair uncombed, unbraided, and walking around holding their crotches, and yelling so many obscenities, you blush a little when you hear them. It seems like our pop culture celebrates this now. Look at all of the reality shows that we have now that teach our young people that you do not have to be famous for anything but just being famous. You do not have to work hard for anything, just become a brand; a phenomenon and you can get on TV. It seems like everyone is getting a reality television show these days where you see people talking with no common sense, cussing, having sex, “getting their smoke on”, partying till wee hours of the morning and then coming home vomiting. This has become appealing?

Its time we go back to having that self-respect. The merit of my manhood is not by how many females I take to bed, but by the level of respect that I give them. The merit of manhood is not determined by huge amounts of wealth and power, but in the pride that I take in doing the job or honing the craft that God has blessed me with. We as a society have got to start saying “Enough is enough!” Our vocabulary is more than just “b****”, “ho”, “trick”, “crump”, etc.  As Justin Timberlake says, “I’m bringing sexy back”. Well I’m bringing classy back! It’s time folks. Yes it’s time.