Honest and Unbiased

As I work on what this blog is supposed to be I kind of came across an issue that I didn't realize was an issue, me. Although, everything I write is about is based on personal experience, from reviews, to life observations and random scripture, I see that it's completely unorganized, not really well formed and doesn't do much except share a story. I don't want this to be a daily diary. I want this to be a hub of random information, just a little more organized. I guess, I can just start at the beginning.

The name Honest and Unbiased comes from a line I would use in old pitches when I used to sell my words in exchange for goods. Years ago, when I wanted products to use and didn't want to pay for them, I would reach out to sellers, share my reviews, which were honest and unbiased and exchange them for their items. I have always done my best to share all parts of a product, both good and bad. I would includ pictures and would do video but there was not a commission beyond refund. Had I known back then that I could do that outside of Amazon and could make money, I'd probably have a different type of blog and I would probably have a different life. Believe me, the first time I tried to do this blog, on blogspot, I did just share reviews. It felt so shallow. I didn't like it and I think I quit after 4 posts. I didn't like all the material things that were gathering in my home. I didn't like that I was breaking Amazon's newly slated terms of service and I didn't like that people legit tried to bribe me. It wasn't worth copying and pasting my reviews. I still kind of feel tempted by the idea since I have so much review content and it was fun but it's not truly what I want for a blog. Through the years of reviewing things have shifted and changed. I've grown quite a bit and I don't really care for so much that's material. Now, I find myself using the words Honest differently. I remember a friend shared a quarrel she and her husband had in which she was asking him to be honest. He countered that with "well, you're not really being honest" and she paused to think about that. Was she being insincere in her marriage? Was she hiding who she really was? What did honesty even mean? That changed my view and set the wheels in motion for what Honest really means for me. Most of the time what you see in the Christian community isn't the whole picture. I know I didn't like the typical 90's Christian who was perfect. We got that one wrong guys. We shouldn't have tried to be something we weren't meant to be. Now people think were hypocrites and hate us. Maybe.

Oh, so I just have to add this here since it's silly and worked for me. I said a thing about not liking material stuff as much. I actually have a funny way I found contentment. Now, I will preface it with the fact that I did ask for Jesus to help me with my budget and to help me find contentment with all we have. That's a true story and prayer. The random idea that popped into my head was something about Kim Kardashian. It was a little thought train. What do rich people do? What does she do? What do you think when you're at that point financially with not a care in the world. And there is was. You just think like a millionaire. If I'm a millionaire, nothing is urgent, nothing is too expensive and nothing is needed. I can buy whatever I want, whenever I want or send someone out to do my shopping. I don't have millions and I don't know if I ever want that responsibility but I really don't buy anything anymore. Like other millionaires, I just like to keep my money and pay for quality or items I love and I really want for nothing. There's always something new coming out and if I miss it this time around, there will be something cooler to replace it later.

Back to the story now. The word unbiased in my pitch would refer to the fact that I couldn't be bought, wouldn't adjust a review and refused to give 5 stars right off the bat. So many people would beg me and try to bribe me. Eventually, Amazon caught on and found that people were selling their reviews. You'd see such inconsistencies in the reviews. 15 would read 5 star and have "perfect, best ever, buy this" language. Then there would be a few honest ones, mine included, that were like, "here's what works and what doesn't and here is the picture of what I received and here is how awful it is and it's not worth a dime". You can still spot these types of reviews on Amazon and now it's pretty much everywhere. For me, it was hard to tell someone who works overseas that their product is awful and they have to let you send the product back or the review will be unfavorable. I'd become friends with some people in Shenzhen and have not been so honest by just allowing them to refund me to keep the review off. I still had my integrity of not lying but omitting is kind of lying. So I don't do that anymore, just because of my old Catholic guilt. What the unbiased part means now is just me, not wanting to have an agenda. There are truths I abide by, because they're true and then there are peoples personal truths. I can't tell someone how to live but I can show how I live, by being loving and welcoming like Christ was to me when he saved me from hell. Also, I really want to show what's real. If you ask questions, I will answer them to the best of my ability with supporting text and funny anecdotes but really, there's no reason for me to try and win anyone over for Christ, as an agenda. That's His job. I don't like to push all of my views on anyone but I do want to help open a door for conversation. I just want to help where he wants me to help and be Christ like. Do I say it? Okay... In an honest and unbiased way. There I said it. Good night!