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wings and things

Police Matter – Dangerous Driving Charge

on December 23, 2013

It was disconcerting to receive a forwarded email from Ming’s lawyer, with the police charges outlined, while he was still in hospital. I read through the document in my hotel room with my heart in my throat of course because the bare facts of what happened are stark and frightening for two reasons: 1. They are a reminder of that terrible night; and 2. They are damning of Ming – well of course they are, as they should be.

But to have to read the email heading (above) over and over again, in my several days of communication with the lawyer, stops my breath every time. My family have all provided character statements for Ming and the children are all recovering well however full recovery is still in the distance, both physically and psychologically and this, too, stops my breath.

The court date has now been set for mid-January so finally we will know what will happen to Ming in terms of his sentencing. I hope there will be leniency but, if not, we will just have to wear what comes next and it really doesn’t matter to Ming compared to his relief that the children will all eventually be all right.

But, as his mother, my hope is rather fragile and frantic that the judge will see that he is filled with remorse and will never ever do anything like this again. Ming has agreed to accompany the police to schools in the new year to warn other children and teenagers of the dangers of what he did. His message will be simple and now it is mine: never, ever, drive with people unsecured in the back of a ute (truck). Never!

Note: We were told in the hospital that the main reason for discharging patients early was because at Christmas they were inundated with emergency admissions of car accident victims.

18 responses to “Police Matter – Dangerous Driving Charge

  1. Vicki (from Victoria A Photography) says:

    We all pray for leniency, but as a serious driving offence, one should be prepared.

    I think Ming visiting schools in the New Year is to be highly commended – young people need to hear it from the heart.

  2. I can’t imagine the conflicting emotions right now! Everyone is safe and on their way to recovery, Ming needs and gets surgery and it goes well, and having to deal with the legal end of all of this. I pray for your strength. And I admire Ming’s attitude about it all (and yours).

  3. bulldog says:

    I hope you are allowed to appear as a character witness and can offer your side of his remorse, as well as his recent back op they should go easy on him…

  4. paulaacton says:

    I know it will be hard but try to make the most of Christmas to spend precious family time together and create good memories to see Ming through dark days if the judge does not judge wisely and live leniency, hopefully the fact he is willing to help police get through to other youngster will work in his favour but the system does not always apply common sense or a balanced considered decision

  5. ksbeth says:

    oh, i am hopeful for leniency in this, for all of your sakes

  6. lensgirl53 says:

    You know, Julie, the old saying “behind every cloud is a rainbow”…I see a rainbow trying to peek through these very dark days. Hold onto hope, dear friend…even if it is fragile…it still is. I hope for all of your family a blessed and Merry Christmas…in spite of all the adversity you face. xoxo dale

  7. It tough as a mom, not to worry. I have this feeling everything will work out fine. Hang in there.
    Diana xo

  8. janechese says:

    I think it is very commendable that Ming is willing to go with the police to share his experience.Merry Christmas to you all.

  9. Julie–with all my heart I hope everything turns out all right–Ming is very brave–may you both have a peaceful Christmas and forget this for a few days–(((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))))))))

  10. janeslog says:

    Hope everything turns out fine. It’s not like he deliberately set out to cause the accident. They need to bear that in mind.

    Having been a victim of a crime a few times now, I cannot say that I was impressed by the attitude of the police and basically had to solve the crimes. Hopefully the Australian police are a bit sharper than the Scottish ones.

    Just now we are hearing about these two British girls who smuggled 1.5m British Pounds of cocaine into Peru and tried to deny it. After a lot of publicity they have been sentenced to 6.5 years for it -far too short in my opinion.

    The Glasgow girl’s mother is always in the Daily Mail bleating on about how it is so unfair and she wants her daughter to spend the time in a cushy British jail. Not that the British public have any sympathy for her. But the point is that this was a serious crime which they thought they would get away with.

    Ming did not go out deliberately to commit a crime – it was an accident. Please remember that.

  11. Luanne says:

    Many hugs to you.

  12. I can imagine how upset and anxious you must feel. I send you many thoughts of hope for a kind judge. (((hugs)))

  13. I hope that at least knowing the court date alleviates a little of the stress of the unknown. I think that it is a very encouraging development that the police are letting Ming travel with them to schools to help serve as a public announcement, that has to have some impact on the judge’s decision, along with Ming’s remorse, the character references and the good prognosis for all the children, I think that good news may come about. I think of both of you and hugs for both of you. 🙂

  14. Continuing to entertain hopeful thoughts it all works out okay. It’s good that he’ll be going with the police to schools. Now we continue to pray.

  15. Of course as a mother you are feeling for the children hurt and also for your son who is very repentant…. Character witnesses are good, his willingness to speak is another and his true sorrow for what happened is another… Add to that the fact many will be praying for the judges heart to be softened is another…. Diane

  16. It is so hard to have to sit passively as our children take ownership for the consequences.of their actions. It’s especially even more difficult when what happened was not because of our children’s ill intent, but instead they just didn’t see the big picture.
    My wishes for leniency echo everyone’s Jules.

  17. FlaHam says:

    Julie, like you and your family I pray that the judge handling Ming is lenient. Please take care, and know you both are being thought of. Merry Christmas, please be safe. — Bill

  18. Ingrid says:

    I think it is great that Ming will go with Police to schools to warn other kids about the dangers of riding in an open vehicle. Even if only one or two kids are deterred from doing this makes it a worthwhile exercise (and I’m sure many more than one or two would be deterred)

    I remember we used to do things like that – driving around in open utes and think nothing of it, just shows how something so innocent can can go so wrong. All the very best to you both and may the judge be in a good mood and consider carefully.

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Open Source House Ghana Ltd Recruitment 2011

Posted on :

9 Aug, 2011

Category :

Business Management Jobs in Ghana, Finance Jobs in Ghana

CFO/Business Controller

for Open Source House Ghana Ltd
Organization: OS-House Ghana Type:  CFO/Business Controller
Location: Accra, Ghana Level: Master/ MBA/ Construction Management
Expiry date 31st  August 2011 Start: Per direct

Open Source House Ghana Limited (OSHG) is a social enterprise providing affordable and sustainable housing concepts and solution for the lower middle-income households in Ghana. OSHG is a facilitator that sources client groups from employee-based groups, arranges financial services to mortgage banks and end users, selects, coordinates and controls constructors and ensures timely, quality delivery of affordable houses within the budget. OSHG believes in the ESG principles.

The lower middle class in developing countries is rapidly growing and so is their demand for housing. More than 1 billion people are forced to live in slums and this percentage is growing rapidly. Many of these  people  have  a  decent  job  like  nurses,  teachers  and  civil  servants  and  therefore  a  regular income.  Rapid urbanization, wastage of resources, expensive building materials, inefficient construction methods and unshared ideas are all part of the underlying problem. Open Source House aims to make housing accessible for this group of people, for less than 25.000 GhC (12.500 Euro).

OS-House Ghana is looking for a motivated individual with the following characteristics:

  • Entrepreneurial
  • Strong social and environmental values in line with OSHG core values
  • Strong negotiation skills and ability to make deals with banks and contractors
  • Mentality of making things work
  • Experience in construction fund management and financial controlling
  • Solid understanding of how the financial sector work with regards to real estate financing and mortgage markets
  • Solid understanding of bill of quantities, construction costing and the tendering procedures
  • Good organizational and time-management skills
  • Strong social drive to achieve impact among the lower-middle income group
  • Knowledge of building construction technologies and ability to manage building budgets and ensure timely delivery of houses is an added advantage

Required Skills or Experience

  • Work with OS-House Ghana mortgage partner(s) to develop appropriate mortgage product to OS-House Ghana target clients
  • Negotiate and conclude deals on interest margins of mortgage banks and better and affordable mortgage terms for OS-House Ghana customers
  • Preparing of tender documents and selection of suitable contractors
  • Manage the construction processes and meet construction deadlines
  • Preparing of contract documents for contractors and demand performance bond from contractors
  • Monitor current development in the real estate sector in Ghana and develop networks and maintain good working relationships with key stakeholders

Educational level and experience

  • MBA in Construction Management
  • Five years experience in financing real estate Or Five  years experience in mortgage operations or construction management
  • Experience in working with building contractors

Nature of engagement

  • Part – time

How To Apply

Interested applicants should send their C.Vs to [email protected] not later than 31st August 2011.

Closing: 31 Aug, 2011

Comment on this Job - Please Post Your Comments Below:

Jobs in Ghana | Current Jobs in Ghana | Companies | Job Vacancies in Ghana

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VOTD: Lost Circus Bear in Alaska?

Just watch this dam bear play… These animals sure have a way of making me smile.

From the video description over at

This is “Hugo”, the nickname given to a goofball bear who lives around the Alaska Wildlife
Conservation Center. While capturing photography of the local wildlife, the photographers notice Hugo and capture his playful activities with a bale of hay.

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That’s Doctor Hobo Thank You Very Much

Hobo John here, peace to you good folks. I have been off the streets almost two years now and I recently took a job writing for a radio station web-site and Facebook page. If things go right they may even eventually put me on the air.

At any rate the NAIA World Series unfolds in my home town every year and I have been covering it for the website. Our hometown team, the Lewis-Clark State Warriors, won tonight and will play for the championship tomorrow against a team from Florida.

Todds Baseball

I did a video interview with the right fielder after the game. They came back from five runs down, and he said something that struck me, “I never doubted,” he said.

Me, despite being full of bravado, doubt all the time. Every other day I tell myself I am headed back to the streets. I told myself I was going to go home without a player interview, I had done enough already G** Dammit.

But I found myself walking out there none the less, adrenalin pumping through my chest. When that happens my mind tends to get a little fuzzy. Sure enough during the interview I forgot who our team beat; it was an Mobile, Alabama team by the name of Faulkner. The kid was gracious though and the rest of the interview went OK.

I think a lot of folks in the world die of shame, self-loathing and loneliness; it breaks my heart and could very well have been me. But my understanding is that God does not give up on people and he certainly did not give up on me and I am grateful everyday just to wake up and breathe.

God may provide a rest period, lots of people call it death. But my belief is you keep coming back seeking those secret dreams until they become reality.

I had a similar, no doubt moment on the streets I wrote about for Joe a while back. I decided one day I was not going to let my fears and doubts stop me from doing what I wanted to do. I fully embraced the hobo lifestyle after that, digging through garbage and ash cans in broad day light. I believe I went from being a Master of Hobo to a Doctor of Hobo at that time.

Listen folks if a 51 year old Doctor of Hobo can pursue a writing or radio career, there ain’t no reason, you can’t do whatever the heck it is you want to do. Now I think baby steps and patience are important, but steps must be taken.

Now are you going to have moments of doubt and shame; yes you are. Is you heart going to fill with adrenalin and  feel like it is going to explode from beating so hard; yes it will. Will people you know mock you and try and hold you back; yes they will. Is any of that a reason to give up; no it is not. When any of those moments happen, thank God, ask him for some help, keep loving yourself and keep on trucking, so to speak.

Now I had a dream the other night that what I really wanted to do was be a cowboy. I also truly miss the streets at times especially the people. But I tell you what, wherever I end up; this little light of mine, I am going to let it shine. I suggest you do the same. The point is if you want to be a cowboy and you have never seen a horse, let alone ridden one; don’t let that stop you, go for it baby

Hobo John here, I love you with everything that I have. I also fully support you in taking some risks and having some fun and joy in this world before you die. That is the kind of attitude that can keep you alive forever. Need a friend? Send me a friend request on Facebook why don’t you. Peace

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About Author

Hobo John

Hobo John here, I am a fifty year old man currently living in a small town in Idaho, this is also where I grew up. Like any Idaho boy I love the outdoors, and am a sports enthusiast. But I also love the arts and paint a little myself. In Proverbs it says, "A man's pursuit is his kindness, " and that is my only true mission in life. I like to write about just about anything; songs , children's stories, politics, short stories, however, I have not attempted a novel yet. I also consider myself a bit of a philosopher, after seven years of living the homeless life I actually started to enjoy it. I started writing little phrases that I hope contain some wisdom. I call them Hobo Metaphysics. "Gentle beats the shit out of aggressive," being one of my favorites. Peace to you folks, "I love you with everything that I have." That is my motto and the truth of things.

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Robots Starting to Reproduce: On Their Own…

I’m as fascinated by 3-D printing as the next person, but never expected it to come to THIS!

What if robots could evolve?

It’s the question asked by a group of scientists in Amsterdam, whose radical new project aims to create smarter, more advanced robots through a process similar to sexual reproduction.

While the idea may sound far-fetched, they’ve already demonstrated a proof of concept – in February, two robot parents came together to ‘mate,’ and the first ‘robot baby’ was born.

In the Robot Baby Project at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, scientists have developed a way for robots to have ‘sex’ and pass on their DNA to offspring.

Doing this can allow them to ‘develop their bodies through evolution,’ making for successive generations that have more advanced physical and behavioural capabilities.

As the process continues, the researchers say robots can become more suitable for use in unknown environments that could be hazardous to humans, like deep sea mines or even other planets.

‘We have two robots that meet and mate, and just as in the animal kingdom, this results in a baby,’ says Guszti Eiben, Professor of Artificial Intelligence at VU, in a video explaining the concept.

Here’s the video:

Evolution of Robots. Evolution of the mind of the robot. Got it! I’m O.K. on that level.

But then here’s the tricky statement…

“Two robots that meet and mate…and just as in the animal kingdom, this results in a baby.”

Oops! Sorry, that’s where I disagree. In fact, the scientist even stated…”they don’t have legs, they are not humanoid”.

Two robots evolving and producing a 3-D printed robot baby is NOT the same as two humans that produce THIS…

You have one object where most of the body parts are 3-D printable and some assembly is required and then there’s the obvious…no assembly required.

Are you REALLY going to tell me this is the SAME? Come on man! And NO…the robot baby is not “born”…”just as I would have sex in nature”.  I’ve had sex in “nature” and pretty sure it wasn’t the same. I also delivered 3 babies and definitely sure…this robot baby and my babies were NOT “born” or delivered with the same fortitude of pain and beauty that happens when a mother is delivering a baby after 9 months of pregnancy. You can’t tell me the excruciating birthing process with doctors, nurses, husbands, relatives, diapers, breast feedings, etc. is the same. One happens through a “wifi network” the other was a miracle or act of God.

Just not the same. Cool, I’ll give you that, but not the same.

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Nancy Hayes

Nancy Hayes is a Digital Media Specialist and Conservative, Grassroots Activist. Over the past 4 years - she has worked on 21 campaigns nationwide. She has been involved in several key elections, including Ted Cruz for President and Herman Cain for President . She has served in such positions as Social Media Specialist, Phone Bank Director, State Director of Volunteers, and Grassroots Activist. Stay involved! Stay inspired! Stay educated! #TeamJoe #PJNET #CruzCrew #GOHTeam

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Family-Owned Businesses: Do’s and Dont’s

As we head into the weekend, here’s expert advice from Robin Paggi, our resident guest blogger, on ways for owners of family businesses to recognize and prevent personnel conflicts.

Family-Owned Businesses: Do’s and Dont’s

My first job was working for my dad, Bob Rutledge, at his bait and tackle shop (Bob’s Bait Bucket). Almost four decades later, I now work for Jeff Thorn at Worklogic HR, where a number of past and current employees belong to the Thorn family.

Evidently, my experience being both a relative and non-relative in a family-owned business is not unique because, according to the article “The Facts of Family Business” on, “about 90% of all U.S. businesses are family-owned or controlled by a family.”

Being employed in your family’s business can be a challenge for many reasons. In the article, “Working in a Family Business: Understanding the Pros and Cons” on, the reason at the top of the list is that “working with family members may sometimes lead to conflict.” Indeed! My husband grew up working with his brothers in his father’s business. One day at work, an older brother started bossing him around in a way he did not appreciate. Fed up, my husband dropped his tool belt on the floor, walked home, drove back to college, and never returned to the family business.

“Conflicts are part of a normal experience for many small start-ups and family-owned businesses,” said Carolyn M. Brown in her article “7 Rules for Avoiding Conflicts of Interest in a Family Business” on True, but conflicts in family businesses are bad for all employees – those who are family members and those who are not. Ways for family business owners to prevent conflicts include:

Treating family and non-family members equally. “Don’t create two classes of employees – family vs. non-family. Be careful not to show family members special treatment,” said Brown. Although I no longer work with my dad, my three brothers and nephew do. The family business has expanded to two locations and has employed numerous people in addition to family members over the past 38 years. According to my dad, all employees are treated the same: “Everyone does the same work and plays by the same rules.”

My boss also agrees with this philosophy; however, he admits that he’s tougher on his family members than his other employees, which is not necessarily a good thing. “I caution employers that, while you want to show that you’re not favoring your family, don’t go overboard because you end up treating them so differently that it has a reverse affect.”

Creating a boundary between the family and the business. Family members who work together need to keep the business out of their home life and their family drama out of the workplace. In her article “5 Tips for Managing a Successful Family Business” on, Nico Janssen said that, “Families will always bicker, but the challenge is not to let the bickering (interfere) with the business and rub-off on non-family employees…” Family drama is not allowed in my dad’s stores. “You’ve got to maintain a sense of decorum,” he said. “It’s foolish not to.” Family drama is also not present at my current workplace. In fact, if I had not been told that I’m working with Thorn family members, I wouldn’t have known it.

Other rules for preventing conflict that family business owners should consider include: not employing family members if they can’t make a contribution to the business; disciplining and rewarding family members just like other employees; communicating openly and honestly (don’t keep it a secret that family members work there and keep everyone in the loop – not just the relatives); and, don’t let family members take advantage of the relationship (such as allowing them to borrow company vehicles when non-relatives aren’t allowed to).

Working in a family business can be challenging for everyone involved. Employers who treat everyone equally and keep family and business matters separate help reduce conflict and increase the likelihood of the business’s success.

Robin Paggi is the Training Coordinator at Worklogic HR.

Robin last wrote for us on There’s More to Motivating Than Money. Before that she wrote on Love at Work: How Should Employers Respond, and prior to that about lessons for employers in the Brian Williams matter.  Prior to that she wrote about giving employees a second chance. Before that she wrote about making sure the applicant is a good fit for the job and before that about  cure for inappropriate behavior at work. Before that she wrote about cyberloafing, on business lessons from a Christmas story and before that about cell phone policies at work. She has also written for us on rules for holiday parties at work and before that about preventing workplace bullying.

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Do New Years Resolutions Ever Work?

In previous years I’ve made New Year resolutions and they’ve not even lasted a week. Each time it has happened though I’ve used the experience to hone my resolution-making skills for the following year. For example, the first resolutions I ever made included 1. Irrigate the desert, 2 Solve the Middle East problem and 3.Moisturise every morning. I now realise that those resolutions were far too ambitious; there’s no way I was ever going to moisturise, for God’s sake!

The next year I tried to make my resolutions more achievable; 1. Eat a bit healthier, 2. Get a bit fitter, 3. Moisturise once a month. By February, I had plummeted into a deep pit of stinking, vomit-inducing, shit-smearing depression. I sat in front of the TV from March until November; didn’t even switch it on till August. This had happened because the resolutions had been too vague, mundane and uninspiring this time round.

Year 3; I deliberately made my resolutions much more lofty and inspiring. 1. Say one nice thing to everyone you meet every day, 2. Smiling makes you feel better and everyone around you feel better so smile, smile, smile, 3. Moisturise!  I still struggled however. Saying something nice to everyone I met proved to be tricky as I regularly associate with daleks, Dracula Prince of Darkness and Nigel Farage. Also, I found it a strain to have to smile whilst unconscious (ie- while asleep or at work).

Consequently, the year after, I tried to be a lot more realistic and down to earth when setting resolutions. My list read; 1. Use cockney rhyming slang whilst simultaneously replicating the voice of Ray Winstone, 2. Pronounce ‘th..’ as ‘ff..’ as in ‘I ffort you ffort I was ffinking I ffort you was ffick!’ 3. Ffarcking moisturise you ffarking nonce!

None of these resolutions worked and maybe we have to face the notion that the whole idea of just deciding to change something about yourself on some arbitrary day of the year is always going to be doomed to failure. Changing habits is one of the hardest things we can ever aspire to do. It takes planning, persistence, repetition and support. Even the simplest of habits can be so ingrained that it takes a lot of shifting. You can’t just decide to change it and then expect it to automatically change overnight. The real danger in making New Year resolutions is that the inevitable failure to stick to them can make you feel inadequate, hopeless and depressed. Then, change is even less likely than ever. So what should we do instead of making resolutions? Ah… well… haven’t figured that out yet. Definitely going to figure it out this year though. It’s one of my resolutions.

4 thoughts on “Do New Years Resolutions Ever Work?

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Django Unchained – 2012

The Message

The deeper meaning of the film is sometimes misinterpreted with the idea that the film denies the integrity of what happened in the past. For instance, making it seem unrealistic that there was no actual hero in the past that would rescue their wife. But perhaps there was once a hero but the story was never told, instead of regarding it as a fairytale movie of a black man in a cowboy attire. (Reed, 2013).

  • The Truth

Perhaps Tarantino’s main message was to appeal to the present, and not just what had happened in the past. The blacks were at the bottom in regards of equality and social order and are still at the bottom even today. He shows an emphasis on things that had happened years ago are still present and people are living in a cycle of humanity.

This film is about racism with the support of slavery during the pre-Civil War in America. It is an historical fantasy of postmodernism revealing Blaxploitation in western genre. Not leaving out the obvious scenes of violence, brutality and inhumanity.

The great amount of violence used in the film is questioned as is it really necessary to reveal this to current viewers that already know the history of the slaves. Which comes down to showing the audience how brutalized the slaves were carried out and people can relate more or sympathise when it is visualised rather than read or spoken from word of mouth. The audience can experience it for themselves.

There is also a question towards the use of language. Tarantino makes use of the n-word ‘nigger’ in his films. Some critics such as Spike Lee, perceive Tarantino as a racist as how he structures his characters. The question of, if the n-word was not used, is it possible that Django Unchained would have lost its actual meaning that Tarantino is trying to send to the audience. However the most unique question to ask is why does a film such as this exist? Why is there a lot of controversial and hype around this kind of film?

The answers to the above questions can be answered: the reason why there are constant debates and questions surrounding a film like this is because people have been and still are living in a racist society. Racism has been an ongoing battle for many decades and it continues to drag along in the mud. It is not only an ‘American’ racial issue but a worldwide racial issue (Reed, 2013).

  • Racism

Looking closely at the whites in this film, there is a scene in which an offensive slave owner, Calvin Candie, offers his guests dessert; a slice of ‘white cake’ with the notion that he only prefers white cake and only associates himself with white people. In this scene, Candie is surrounded by white women, eating white cake and has a white house which becomes a mask of who he is, a white racist.

At the end of the film, Django makes it clear to get rid of every white slaver and destroys Candie’s perfect white house. The explosion of the white house indicates the rage and loss of the slaves and black people that revenge is paid back to those that overruled them and took advantage. The whole slavery system is bound to come crumbling down. Although, it is not over entirely for black people and other races that are oppressed but an individual or group of activists always seem to step up and fight the battle of racism (Reed, 2013).

*Reed, A. Jr. (2013). Django Unchained, or, The Help: How “Cultural Politics” Is Worse Than No Politics at All, and Why? Available: http://nonsite.org/feature/django-unchained-or-the-help-how-cultural-politics-is-worse-than-no-politics-at-all-and-why


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Book a Week Challenge (Double Edition) — Book 9

The second book for this week is Luka and the Fire of Life by Salman Rushdie.

For fans of Salman Rushdie’s Haroun and the Sea of Stories, comes yet another delightful tale featuring Haroun’s younger brother Luka. When Haroun and Luka’s father, famed storyteller Rashid Khalifa succumbs to a sleeping sickness, Luka embarks on a mission to the World of Magic to retrieve the Fire of Life itself. Joining him on his quest is a singing dog named bear, a dancing bear named Dog, and the mysterious Nobodaddy, Rashid’s ghostly double.

In a bustling and minutely imagined fantastical landscape crammed with allegorical figures and places, Luka moves between the mythological and the contemporary: one minute he is meeting all manner of gods and goddesses, the other he’s subject to the laws of the video game, keeping a close eye on the number of “lives” he has left and trying to save his progress through various levels.

The novel moves quickly and there are a number of laugh-out-loud moments. The only times it seems to drag is when Luka turns to introspection or worse, when he analyzes his companions and the world around him. It’s like Rushdie is trying to lead his audience instead of letting them get it on their own. It doesn’t help that Luka sometimes acts like a spoiled brat. (Then again, I have yet to meet a twelve-year old who didn’t act like that at one time or another.)

Favorite Line/Image: When Grandmaster Flame was right in front of him, Luka shouted out at the top of his voice, ‘May your animals stop obeying your commands and your rings of fire eat up your stupid tent.’

Now it so happened that the moment when Luka shouted out in anger was one of those rare instants when by some in – explicable accident all the noises of the universe fall silent at the same time, the cars stop honking, the scooters stop phutphuttering, the birds stop squawking in the trees, and everyone stops talking at once, and in that magical hush Luka’s voice rang out as clearly as a gunshot, and his words expanded until they filled the sky, and perhaps even found their way to the invisible home of the Fates who, according to some people, rule the world. Captain Aag winced as if somebody had slapped him on the face and then he stared straight into Luka’s eyes, giving him a look of such blazing hatred that the young boy was almost knocked off his feet. Then the world started making its usual racket again, and the circus parade moved on, and Luka and Rashid went home for dinner. But Luka’s words were still out there in the air, doing their secret business.

What I learned: Though they do slow – and sometimes halt – the narrative, some of the best moments come when Luka ponders how his actions will change others’ lives. His quest is an arduous one that endangers his friends, and he knows it.

“I am exploiting their love and loyalty,” he thinks. “It seems there is no such thing as a purely good deed, a completely right action.”

Despite all the action going on around him, Luka’s struggle is primarily a moral one. And like many adolescent magical heroes, he recognizes that the tough part about being a kid is that the job of being the adult largely falls to him.

Bottom Line: A great story full of adventure, mischief, and magic. Highly recommended for kids and adults.

Book a Week Challenge # 2

WHAT’S PLAYING: Louis Armstrong and Bing Crosby “Brother Bill”

This week’s book is “The Enchantress of Florence” by Salman Rushdie.

This is the tale of Niccolò Vespucci, a golden-haired wanderer, murderer, magician, and conman, who visits the royal court of Emperor Akbar, ruler of the Mughal Empire. There, Vespucci tells the story of Qara Köz, Enchantress of Florence, lost Mughal princess, and the most beautiful woman in the world.

This was a tough one.

According to the jacket copy, “The Enchantress of Florence” is “the story of a mysterious woman, a great beauty believed to possess the powers of enchantment and sorcery, attempting to command her own destiny in a man’s world.” Unfortunately, Qara Köz is anything but. She has no personality, no purpose, except to please men. In fact, she does little more than sell herself to the highest bidder, making sure that she is always on the winning side. She doesn’t even show up for a third of the book.

The first hundred pages describe Niccolò’s struggle to reach the emperor and Akbar the Great’s internal musing about the nature of man and kings, which sometimes fall into the realm of proselytizing. The book is dense with obvious and sometimes unsuccessful attempts to reconcile East and West, Renaissance Europe and Mughal India, and the overall story just didn’t feel cohesive.

But the writing! Sweet Mother, the writing! So sumptuous, so beautiful, it left me shaking my head in awe. If I could do anything half as well as this man uses words, then I would die a happy, fulfilled woman. It’s his mastery of the craft, past all explanation, that gives this book its glamour and power, its glory. I spent hours completely absorbed in the tale, but it wasn’t the story that captivated me. It was the writing. After I finished it, all I could say was “Holy Shit.”

Favorite Line: “He could dream in seven languages. … He had picked up languages the way most sailors picked up diseases; languages were his gonorrhea, his syphilis, his scurvy, his ague, his plague. As soon as he fell asleep half the world started babbling in his brain, telling wondrous travelers’ tales. In this half-discovered world every day brought news of fresh enchantments. The visionary, revelatory dream-poetry of the quotidian had not yet been crushed by blinkered, prosy fact. Himself a teller of tales, he had been driven out of his door by stories of wonder, and by one in particular, a story which could make his fortune or cost him his life.”

What I Learned: Master your craft. I spent hours lost in this fantastical world. Was the story great? Not really. But the writing was superb. And it was that writing, the way Rushdie put me inside the story, which kept me reading. I don’t know if anyone else could have done the same. I guess what I learned is that great books can come from great stories or great writing, and if you’re lucky, both.

Coming next week: “Memoirs of a Geisha” by Arthur Golden.

The First Ten of Fifty-Two Books for 2012

WHAT’S PLAYING: Lil Wayne “How to Love”

So, last week I decided to read a book a week for an entire year. It’s not really about the number; it’s about reconnecting with one of the most important things in my life: reading.

That being said, I’m having a hard time getting started. The idea of reading fifty-two books is ambitious to say the least. At the same time, fifty-two is a paltry number compared to all the novels I want to read.

So to make things easier, I’ve narrowed the list down to the first ten. I’ll be posting reviews on each one, depending on when I finish them. Some of these I have read before and want to revisit. Others are new additions to my ever-expanding library. But they all have one thing in common: masters of the craft wrote them, people I hope to emulate in my own writing some day. (And please, remember that I’m reading these books as a consumer. Not a critic.)

1.Witches Abroadby Terry Pratchett

Bet you saw that one coming. This is one of my favorite Discworld novels, and I can’t think of a better way to kick off the New Year.

2.The Enchantress of Florenceby Salman Rushdie

This is a new addition. I’ve heard great things about it, and I’m a huge fan of his writing. I can’t wait to read it.

3. “Memoirs of a Geisha” by Arthur Golden

Lyrical prose, haunting imagery, and a strong protagonist. Toss in an epic love story set amidst World War II, and you have a book worth revisiting.

4.The Handmaid’s Taleby Margaret Atwood

No reading list would be complete without this unnervingly realistic portrayal of a dystopian future.

5.Poison Studyby Maria V. Snyder

A friend of mine recommended this one. I don’t usually go in for fantasy-romance novels, but she insisted I give it a try.

6. “The Princess Bride” by William Goldman

I grew up watching the movie. Imagine my surprise when I learned that the book was so much better.

7.Everything is Broken” by John Shirley

Another favorite author — not to mention a kick ass mentor – this is John Shirley’s latest. It’s scheduled for release on January 24. I’ve already pre-ordered my copy.

8. “Neverwhere” by Neil Gaiman

I am ashamed to admit that – while I am a rabid Neil Gaiman fan – I have yet to read this one. An oversight I intend to remedy soon.

9. Luka and the Fire of Life” by Salman Rushdie

The first repeat on my list, but not the last. I picked this one because I wanted a kid’s book on the list, though from what I hear, this book is so much more than that.

10. “Butcher Bird” by Richard Kadrey

Tattoos and demons and witches, oh my! An excellent choice to round out the list. (Plus, I’m kind of digging the ink.)

And there you have it. The first ten of my fifty-two books. What about you? What’s on your must read list for 2012? (If you have any recommendations, I’m open to suggestions.)

I’ll be honest. I don’t know if I’ll be able to pull this one off, but no matter how many books I read – fifty or five – the important thing is that I’ll be reading.

Best New Year’s ever!


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Monday, May 28, 2012

Memorial Day

Today is Memorial Day. It is the day to remember the men and women who have died serving our great country.

In today's society it seems like for most people it is just another holiday, not to work or go to school.  For retailers it is a reason for a big memorial sale. Government offices are closed as well as other businesses.

For what? I've gone to Memorial Services and there were very little attendance. Those businesses that are opened, the employees cannot attend because, well they are working. The ones who are not working, I would bet most don't even stop and think of the real reason why they are off work today.

How sad is that? How sad that people cannot, for one day, stop their every day lives and think of how many people have given their lives for our freedom?

I have family members and friends who have served and was fortunate enough to come back alive.

But today I request, you just stop and think of those men and women who have given their lives for our freedom, if only for a moment. Think of the families who have lost them. Think of the children who have lost a parent. Think of the parent who lost a child. Think of the spouses who have lost their soul mates. Think of the soldier who lost part of their troop.

Think of the true meaning of what today is about. Remember these awesome people who were doing their job, and died for what they believed in. They knew going in, there was a possibility of going to war and never returning. But they still went. They were willing to die for us.

So why can't we pause for a day to remember these heroes?

I challenge you, when you see present or former servicemen, thank them for their service. Tell them you appreciate the sacrifices they have made.  If you see a family member who lost someone or currently has a loved one serving, thank them and tell them how appreciative you are for the sacrifice their family has made.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Friendships: Lessons Learned

I want to thank all of you for your support and advice you gave me for my last post. I was in a tornado of emotions and had been for a few days.

My friend read the post and responded. They apologized and we both owned up to our share of responsibility.

I don't think neither one of us had any idea what kind of toll it brought to the other.   It is a good possibility we never will. But there is sort of truce between us.

However, the dynamics of the friendship has changed drastically. I can only say how I feel and see it.

It saddens me and it continues to weigh on my heart. I am sure the weight will lift in time.

I believe every conflict teaches a lesson. And believe me, I have learned a few.

Never ever volunteer advice about their other friends no matter how much they rant about them. When they do ask, be positive.

Choose your words carefully in whatever you say. When you are frustrated, it is the perfect time to NOT say anything at all, no matter how badly you have the need to say it. Because if you do, it will come back and kick you in the butt eventually.

What you see as a clear solution may not be theirs.

Although it seems like the two of you have many similarities, realize you have just as many differences.  Hence you react differently.

Keep your relationship separate from other friendships.

When it feels like you are going in circles and you keep repeating yourself, back off. Come to the realization that they are exactly where they want to be and obviously not ready or willing to change their situation. And it is okay if you need to remove yourself from it at some point for your own sanity.

LISTEN to what they are saying, literally. Be there for support only.

Always remember there are two sides to a story and you are only hearing one side. Never assume. And try not to be be misled. Sometimes what it seems may not be what it is.

Remember it is their life and they need to fall just like you have. Be there to help them up.

I feel like I have overanalyzed this far too much. I have thought about this much more than I should. I have read too many articles about friendships. A friendship should not be this hard, I often think. I have used too much energy and stressed myself out too much over this.

What is sorta ironic is when they read my post, they said they thought we were okay. Not sure how they got that out of short curt emails and I dare not assume anything at this point.

I need to do what they often told me. Give it some time. I guess we shall see.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

I have had many friends but only a few I have called Best Friends. My best friends are those who know me and love me for who I am. They are my confidantes. They know they can call me for whatever reason anytime. They cry with me and laugh with me. Sometimes they laugh at me but they are the only ones allowed to do so.  They are the only ones who will give me brutal honesty although it hurts to hear. When they do, I know they do it out of love and caring. They support me in whatever I do.

I try to do the same. I try to be there for them.  I cherish my best friends. I listen to them and give them advice. I love them for who they are. I support them as best as I can. Or so I thought.

I think my downfall is that I care too much at times. I try to help too much. When I see the problem, I tend to be brutally honest telling them what I see and what I would do. I come off as pushy or judgmental, at least to one. I want them to see it and do something about it now so they won't endure further heartache or frustration.

Their best interest is my only concern.

I only hear their side of the story. But I try the best of my ability to help them resolve the issue. But I mainly tell them what I would do or say. I realize they have different approaches than I would in certain circumstances. I realize their time frame is different from my own.

My TRUE best friends know me well enough that I would never intentionally judge them or hurt their feelings.

Recently, one of my friendships have been compromised. I admit it was my fault of it unraveling. There were a couple of things they had ranted about continuously. I was supportive, listened and gave advice for months.

But one bad day,I felt helpless, hopeless and frustrated with that person about the same thing. I am guilty of being bitchy to them but I felt like I was in a vicious circle. I was insensitive by the way it came out. As my mom used to tell me, it's not what you say, its how you say it sometimes.

I suspected they would get mad at me but I just felt like it was unavoidable at that point. I told them exactly how I felt and my views as I have done previously but in more of an impatient bitchy tone.

In addition, I've watched how they interact with others. They have told me when they get upset or hurt they avoid the situation and takes time to come back. They have to put space between themselves and the culprit of the pain and hurt.

Sure enough, it all came crashing down. The expected happened as well as the unexpected. I received an understandably defense reaction which made me realize I really did unintentionally hurt them. I figured it would tick them off but not hurt them as much it did.

I pondered and thought. I looked into myself. I owed them an apology, for not what I said but for how I said it. I had to be a true friend that I felt I was and make it right.

They accepted my apology but said they lost trust in me and it will take time to regain it. They needed space. They said they felt judged and just sometimes wanted  me to listen when they ranted. I apologized several times and backed away as requested.

Correspondence had been curt. I wanted to keep the line of communication opened so I asked through email how they were doing. I wanted them to know regardless I was here for them. I still cared for them. I still loved them.

A couple of days later, they informed me they were still working on their hurt and pain and said their other friendships were compromised by OUR friendship and they had to step back and work on them.

A slew of emotions rushed through my body.  Confusion.  Hurt. Guilt. Frustration. Anger.

Confusion, hurt and frustration  because it seems all I said was thrown back in my face. And to blame me for their problems with their other friendships made me dumbfounded as it seemed to me that I was the only reliable one. They had agreed with my views on several occasions and said they needed to change some things in their own time. I hadn't factored  in the possibility of me being thrown under the bus.

Guilt: I felt like a monster. I feel like the meanest person on earth. I know I hurt them. I just bluntly said what I said and regret the way it came out. I hate hurting anyone, especially this person. Guilty as charged. I am human and not perfect. If it is any consolation, that guilt will be with me for a while.

Anger: Well, lets just say that I have reflected on our friendship. I have thought about their reactions not only to me but to other things that were confided in me. I hate being told I reminded them of someone that hurt them when I am nothing like that person. I guess it can be the same reasons of confusion, hurt and frustration

I don't take kindly to the silent treatment. I have never felt that was an appropriate resolution to anything. I understand that the space may help heal but how do you heal if you don't work it out. I find the silence can become larger as one waits for the other and the space can grow larger until it separates two people forever

It is one of those occasions where "You better watch what you wish for because it may come true" comes to mind.

It is shocking after watching them be hurt by others for months and the one mistake you make, you are blamed for the whole situation and pretty much not important anymore. From what I was told others dished out more than I did more often but who is turned away? The one person they can actually rely on is the first person they turn away from.

I have run the whole situation from start to finish thousands of times in my head. What would I do different? What can I do now?

I think a true friend won't ever turn their back on someone who needs them, even if they are mad at you and rightfully so. But how long is it feasible to sit and wait for them to realize you seriously didn't mean to lose their trust and confidence? How long do you accept the curtness and space?

I need to let them figure out their own issues. Nod more instead of talk. Be there to listen more and when they ask for advice, give minimal. I have done everything I can think of.  I have apologized repetitively and have given them space as requested.

Every day I think, they didn't know me at all. Because if they had, they would know I meant no harm or pain.

A friendship should not be that hard. I understand relationships take work but you can't work in silence or with space.

I made a mistake and owned up to it. But I feel like I will be paying for it indefinitely.

I feel like I have done all I can. I have to move on and hope for the best.

Maybe I am too forgiving in that sorts and expect the same. Maybe its not fair to expect such forgiveness and so fast. Maybe I deserve it. I do not know anymore.

But I do know I can't be hanging like a thread. I don't work my other friendships like that and refuse to do so now.  From their words they pretty much said where they stand. Our friendship was the reason their other friendships suffered. They were taking time out from all but because of ours, the others suffered. That one sentence did it for me. I don't want any friendship to suffer so I honor their request.

They no longer have to worry about me from this day forward. They are on their own. They can give their undivided attention to their other friends. I will not be there to be blamed.

My door will be opened as they can always come in for a visit or if they need anything. It does not mean I do not love them any less or care for them any less. It does not mean that I will not be there for them ever.

But like them, this conflict has made me see things more clearly.

Wish granted. They can have all the space they need.

Ironically,the subject the conflict started with and the subject it ended with were two different things. It started with my concern for their well being and it has ended with a total different issue.

Friday, May 11, 2012

The Finale Las Vegas: Woohoo!

I am so happy to tell you this is the final post strictly about my trip to Vegas which occurred four months ago I know it is way overdue! FOUR months over due.

If you missed any of it and curious enough here are the links. Just click the title and it should take you right to it. If a link should not work please kindly let me know. Thanks!

New Beginnings--It is about the main reason we took the trip, to tie the knot.
Introducing Mr and Mrs: A sorta synopsis after returning home.
Vegas: Transportation-Transportation craziness while in Vegas.
Vegas: This and That:  Our "cultural experience" in Vegas as a favorite fellow blogger, Bouncin' Barb perfectly described it. (If you wanna read a great blog, I highly recommend).
Vegas: Entertainment: Besides marrying, 'adventures"  we did while in Vegas.
Vegas: Think Before You Speak- A perfect example of how ignorance shines brightly!

And here we are....

"DRUMS ROLL!" Finale...

There were other passengers who made me shake my head and wonder, as I have done often lately, "What the the hell is the world coming to?"

The first person was a little old lady. She seemed to be like your ordinary sweet Grandma. She seemed very apprehensive the first sight of her as she entered the waiting area of the airport. (I can't think of the technical word for it and MyAwesomeNewHubby couldn't either so, if you know, be so kind to let me know and I thank you.). She went directly to the employee demanding to get onto the plane first and she wanted the front seat. It was approximately 3 hours before the flight.

The employee, a middle aged fellow I'll call Pedro, just because that's the first name that came into my head. He reassured her that she was going to be one of the first to board.

Throughout the 3+ hour waiting period, she anxiously went to Pedro asking every 15-20 minutes when she was going to board. Patient Pedro repeated as soon as the plane arrived and was ready to board, he would let her know. The plane was late.

After the delayed plane finally arrived it took another 30 minutes before being called to board. We were greeted by 3 flight attendants, one male and two females. I did not catch their names so they will be Byron, Betty and Susie.

As Betty and Susie were making their rounds checking that everyone had their seat belts on and the overhead compartments were closed shut tight before take-off.  Susie noticed Grandma had her packages on her lap (in the first seat) and notified Grandma that she could not hold anything on her lap. Susie explained she would put it in the overhead compartment for her and return it when they were in the air and repeat process upon landing.

Grandma adamantly refused to give up the package. Susie politely and patiently gave her all the reasons why Grandma could not hold them, mainly for her own safety. Grandma did not budge. I give Susie enormous credit for her calm patient approach but you could tell her patience was running, rightfully so.

When Betty walked back up the aisle after checking her side, she saw Susie had been delayed. Susie briefly related the situation to her. Betty attempted to persuade Grandma gently as well but more firmly. Again, Grandma defiantly refused.

Finally, Byron became aware of the situation and saw Betty and Susie were getting nowhere with Grandma.  He simply approached and calmly gave her an ultimatum: either allow them to save the packages in the overhead compartment or get off the plane and get another flight.

A gasp of indignation was her response. Then silence. The three flight attendants stood there.  After a few seconds of reality sinking in, Grandma  reluctantly surrendered her packages. Admirably, Susie showed her where they put her package while Betty and Byron calmly reassured Grandma that her package was going to be safe.

During the flight Grandma apologized repetitively to all the flight attendants and they reassured her that everything was fine reinforcing they were only concerned about her safety. She even gave up her package without incident when we were ready to land.

When the pilot gave us the ETA of 10 minutes, as everyone else, we were gathering our belongings when a whiff of cigarette smoke overloaded my nasal passages. I informed MyAwesomeNewHubby that I smelled smoke. He said he couldn't smell anything and pretty much shrugged it off. I think he responded that way because it was late and it had been a long day. Or maybe he just didn't hear me.

Unless I am congested, I smell cigarette smoke instantly when it is around.

I kept looking around me but didn't see anything. Of course, I am short and the seats were high so I couldn't see where the smoke was coming from. You would think I would see the smoke floating in the air, right?  MyAwesomeNewHubby continued to seem unconcerned as I repeated a couple of times. But he has flown much more than me. He is also the more calmer laid back person than I am.Or maybe he just thought I was the crazy woman he married being her crazy self. HA!

Anyway, finally the plane lands. The airport is small. They couldn't let us off directly to the jet bridge t (I think that's the word, again if it is the wrong terminology, educate me as I have researched and it is the closest) and it was a long walk. (For me anyway)

We were slowly making our way to the jet bridge. There were people older and slower than me in front of us. So I took the opportunity to continue looking for the source of the smoke. It was just bugging me for some reason and I needed to know if my little nose was actually smelling smoke.

Backing up for a moment. There were some Cowboys on our flight coming back from a rodeo. You can tell one of them, I'll call Cowboy, was an immature jerk. Evidently Cowboy annoyed Susie throughout the flight.

As we exited the plane and neared the stairs to get to the jet bridge, I looked back once more as I saw Cowboy exit the plane throwing a cigarette onto the concrete. HAHA! I knew I wasn't crazy.

Susie saw it too and she started yelling at Cowboy who completely ignored her and kept walking. He was laughing and talking to his buddy like he didn't hear her. But I know he did. She was furious!

"Get back here! You just broke the law! Call Security!," she screamed. Out of nowhere or so it seemed, security came and stopped him.

At that time we had finally made it to the jet bridge. As we made our way through the long walk to luggage claim, I was telling MyAwesomeNewHubby what transpired as he had been focused on just getting us from Point A to Point B.

As we were waiting for our luggage to come, Cowboy showed up, laughing but embarrassed. Evidently, they let him off with a warning.

So here is the end of our highlights of our Las Vegas trip. Although it may seem like we were miserable, we weren't. Las Vegas was just not our kind of thing. I sure got some exercise and saw a whole different part of the world.

Thanks for patiently reading this journey. I enjoyed sharing it with you.

Feel free to comment. Tell me your vacation story!


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How to become a Scribe

This is one of the most asked questions I get, after some asks what is a scribe. Just to be clear, this is information on how to become a medical scribe. There is no schooling required in the form of an associates degree or any other post-secondary education. Here in the States, there are multiple scribe companies. If you put in your search engine “medical scribe”, multiple companies will pop up. Finding just the right company for you will be based on geographic region and if the scribe company only does outpatient or only does inpatient.

Scribes are typically 18 years or older (the older the better) and are most likely in college obtaining a degree in a healthcare related field. This is a wonderful way for pre-meds, pre-nursing, pre-PA, students to obtain knowledge on what actually occurs when a physician interacts with a patient. This is more then just shadowing, because the scribe is in the room, at the bedside with the physicians and typically have their eyes to a laptop screen and their fingers are flying away as the physician begins their assessment.

Once you find the right scribe company that appeal to your specific needs, apply. Once you hear back and are invited for the interview, accept it. Most companies have a one step interview process while others may have a multi-step interview process. Once that is completed and you are hired, then you and all the other new hires attend training (most are paid, although I cannot speak for all companies).

This is where you will learn most of the information to help make you the best scribe you can be. Please, take it seriously. You will be taught the basic medical terminology, pharmacology, types of labs, types of imaging, different diagnosis’s and billing information. Attendings and Residents have said that scribes know a lot of what is taught in medical school on the macro-level and just need to fine tune in a mirco-level. You may feel like you are in school which is good, because you should take it just as seriously. To be successful at this job, you have to want to be successful at this job.

After all the formal training, you then move on to floor training. Here is where you put everything you have learned into practice. Kind of like when medical students have been studying didactics for the first two years and then third year, they apply all of their information during their clinicals. This is when you will learn the most, especially if you scribe for at least 1 year. After several  months, you will fine tune writing a patients HPI (History of Present Illness) which is really important for those who want to become physicians of mid-level providers.

All in all, I can say this was one of the best decisions I have made thus far. I’m constantly in an environment that makes me want to do better and be better. I am always looking for teaching opportunities and trying to test my knowledge by asking the physicians a lot of questions during an interesting case. And the difference between scribing and shadowing a physician, is I have a more hands on role with the documentation and you really feel part of the team.

I hope this was helpful to those interested and leave a comment below or email me if you have any questions.

Have a blessed day!


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Scott, Horne: Setting the Pace!

Scott and Horne are setting the pace.

Scott and Horne are setting the pace.

In the above photo are band leader/pianist/singer/actress Hazel Scott (23) and singer/actress Lena Horne (26).  These talented beauties are posing for a quick photo op during the filming of the 1943 musical I Dood It! where they appeared and performed as themselves and not as written characters.  It was Scott’s first film appearance!

These two sirens of song and screen paved the proverbial road for African-American women singers and entertainers in America.

Lena Horne and Hazel Scott were pioneers and standard bearers of Black beauty in the American mainstream.  Their image on stage and under the bright lights was embraced by all and allowed them to ascend beyond Black genre cinema and entertainment during an era of perpetual Jim Crow and segregation . . . as long as they kept quiet about the state of race relations.  However, Scott and Horne were unable to keep quiet.  In there own way, they participated and held significant roles in the struggle for civil rights.  For this, they were shunned and maligned by the very forces that once welcomed them into the arena of mass appeal.

Scott’s career suffered and never regained the heights it once held in the mid-century when she was falsely accused of being a Communist sympathizer.  Meanwhile, Horne’s career stagnated as Hollywood distanced themselves from her as she continuously made alliances with outspoken leaders of the Civil Rights movement.  Her career never soared as high as it should have.

There is much more that you should know about the lives of these two pacesetting women.  If you want to know more on the amazing musical genius of Hazel Scott before she posed for the above photo, her marriage to Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., and later her ‘exiled’ time in Paris, you have to read pianist and biographer Karen Chilton’s book Hazel Scott: The Pioneering Journey of a Jazz Pianist, from Cafe Society to Hollywood to HUAC.  Equally, as well, if you want to know more about Lena Horne’s life, her controversial marriage, her struggle to stay embedded in entertainment, and how she used and resented her beauty, you really need to read James Gavin’s book Stormy Weather: The Life of Lena Horne.

In the end, both Scott and Horne defined the very definition of Black beauty and sophistication in the public as necessary requirements for crossover appeal, which still exist today (See Beyonce, Alicia Keys, and Jennifer Hudson).

Black beauty and Black music telling its story since day one in America!

Enjoy the remaining days of BMM!

Take a look at Scott and Horne’s kick ass scene:

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Travelling in circles.

Life has been travelling in circles for the past couple of weeks. I go to school, I try to look pretty, I make sure that I’m smiling, then I come home, put on my sad face, take off my jeans, grab a baggy t-shirt and sit in front of my computer until my eyes water. Occasionally someone walks in so I have to communicate. Communicating: it feels like I’m so detached and miles apart from the person that’s speaking to me. I can see their lips move, and I can hear them, but I’m not really listening, because I don’t really want to. After a series of yeses and noes they’ll leave and I’ll resume my thoughtful gaze into the world of the internet. Then other times you’ll have some homework to do, like writing an essay that you really don’t want to write, or solving equations for math. So when your parents walk in you pretend to write so they think you’re working, but really all you’re doing is typing this bullshit. They’ll never know because they never understand what it’s like to be in your head. I swear something’s going on, something’s changed and I don’t know what it is.  I can’t recognize it. I can’t recognize me anymore. I look into my reflection and I see this girl, who resembles who I was, but within her lies a girl she doesn’t even know.

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4 thoughts on “Travelling in circles.

  1. clara_w says:

    Really liked this! : )

  2. Katie Renee says:

    I know I’ve had those nights, days, weeks… even months. I grab a good book, listen to music, and basically hide in my room. The only thing I have to do is tell my parents that I love them, but I’m in a horrible mood and would not wish to inflict my temperament on them. haha

    I like the honesty of this post. In fact, I like your entire blog. And instant follow for mentioning baking and Nirvana together in your intro 🙂

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5 New Christmas-Themed Books from ACFW Authors

Looking for a special holiday read? Here are five from ACFW authors Elaine Stock, Tamera Alexander, Liz Johnson, Jodie Bailey, and Laura V. Hilton!*

And You Came Along Elaine Stock (GTG Publishing, December 2017 and currently available in the novella collection: Winter’s Kiss)

All single mom Jacey Tucker wants for Christmas is for her young son to have a home and a smile. What she never expected was an eviction notice from her apartment, or the loss of her job. Now she can’t leave Kindred Lake, Pennsylvania fast enough.

Zander Paxton, wounded on duty while trying to save the life of his partner, needs a new residence for the second half of his recovery. His hometown of Kindred Lake offers promises, but it may be too late to make up for his past.

She heads south. He heads north. In the middle of a blizzard, five days before Christmas, they collide and wreck their vehicles, and nearly each other, on an ice-covered road. The kindness of two strangers provides a cabin for shelter, a place where pain is soothed and hope is renewed . . . until their pasts catch up to their present and threatens a forever separation. Is true love ever mistaken?

Christmas at Carnton: A Novella Tamera Alexander (HarperCollins, October 2017)

Recently widowed, Aletta Prescott struggles to hold life together for herself and her six-year old son. About to be evicted, she sees an advertisement for the Women’s Relief Society auction and applies for a position—only to discover it’s been filled. Then a chance meeting with a wounded soldier offers another opportunity. And friendship. But can she trust him? Is Jake Winston the man he appears to be? Having lost everything once, Aletta is determined to guard not only her own heart, but also her son’s.

Captain Jake Winston, a revered Confederate sharpshooter, suffers a head wound at the Battle of Chickamauga. When doctors deliver their diagnosis, Jake fears losing not only his greatest skill but his very identity. As he heals, Jake is ordered to assist with a local Women’s Relief Society auction. He respectfully objects. Kowtowing to a bunch of “crinolines” isn’t his idea of soldiering. But orders are orders, and he soon discovers this group of ladies—one, in particular—is far more than he bargained for.

Christmas Captive Liz Johnson (Love Inspired/Harlequin, October 2017)

On his cousin’s Christmas cruise wedding, navy SEAL Jordan Somerton anticipated having the typical best man duties—not facing down criminals boarding the ship. But when the luxury liner is infiltrated by men determined to kidnap the flower girl, he’s plunged into an unexpected mission.

Maid of honor and DEA agent Amy Delgado hasn’t forgiven Jordan for a misunderstanding in their pasts. But with her young niece targeted, she must draw on Jordan’s skills as a protector. Signs point to an inside job. With a traitor in their midst, can they ensure that every passenger returns home safely for the holidays…even as they find love amid deepening danger?

Christmas Double Cross Jodie Bailey Love Inspired (Harlequin, November 2017)

Undercover Texas Ranger Colter Blackthorn’s convinced Danielle Segovia is really a wanted criminal—until she’s nearly kidnapped right in front of him. Now Colter must keep her out of the clutches of the notorious drug cartel leader whose traitor sister is a dead ringer for Danielle.

The drug czar wants the drugs he thinks the pretty shop owner stole from him. And with the younger brother Danielle is raising dragged into the crosshairs, Colt has to find a way to protect them both. But a showdown at Christmas—with Danielle as bait—may be the only way to make sure they all survive the holidays.

The Christmas Admirer Laura V. Hilton (Whitaker House, September 2017)

Benaiah Troyer has loved Susanna King for as long as he can remember, but when his parents died in an accident a year ago, he broke up with her—for her own good. After all, he was now the sole caregiver for his three younger sisters. What woman would want to put up with that? Still, against his better judgment, he can’t help leaving her a gift now and then, anonymously addressing her name in big block print, just to catch a smile. Roses one month, maple syrup candy another; and maybe this time, something special for Christmas.

Susanna has never gotten over losing Benaiah, but now the clock is ticking. Her father is selling his glass-blowing business, remarrying in January, and moving to Iowa with his bossy wife-to-be. Angry and frustrated, Susanna realizes she’s left with three options: one, go with Daed to his new home with a new mom; two, stay in Jamesport, Missouri, as an old maid; or, three, the best yet, flush out her mysterious secret admirer. But how could she be with anyone else when her heart is still with Benaiah?

*Click book cover photo to purchase!

2017-11-24T21:11:20+00:00 November 21st, 2017|Literary|2 Comments

  1. Elaine Stock November 22, 2017 at 7:28 am

    Kathy, thanks for featuring And You Came Along alongside these other four fabulous authors. The individual release (separate from the novella collection) will be available on December 2nd.

    May you and your viewers have a lovely Thanksgiving.

    • Kathy Harris November 22, 2017 at 9:54 pm

      Thanks, Elaine! Thanksgiving blessings to you too!

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Thanks for visiting and checking out the No Biz Like Horsebiz blog.

Launched online in March 2010, No Biz Like Horsebiz actually began life back in 2005 as a monthly column in a print publication, helping create awareness of the benefits of using technology with sound marketing practices to improve equine industry results.

In May, 2009, I came up with the name No Biz Like Horsebiz, because for me that’s the best business there is! It also reflects my love of great movies of all kinds, and is based on the ‘there’s no business like show business’ tagline.

For those of you that don’t know me:

I grew up with horses, and returned to the equine industry in 2003 after a long marketing career in corporate America. Currently, I combine two of my loves (marketing and horses) by helping equine related businesses be more successful through improved marketing and public relations (PR) strategies and tactics, including social networking and social media.

My work has received peer and industry recognition:

  • I’m a ‘Twitter Badass‘ and a finalist in the first ever Equestrian Social Media Awards.
  • I’ve received Publicity Club of Chicago (PCC) Silver Trumpet awards in New Media in both 2010 and 2011, and received 2010 and 2011 American Horse Publications awards for equestrian feature and news articles.

And I’m passionate about horses and the horse world, as you probably are if you’re reading this. I also combine that passion with good ethics, a ‘slow & steady’ approach, and an eye on the bottom line.

Here’s why I write this blog….

– When I returned to the horse world in 2003, I found there were lots of wonderful horsewomen and men out there doing great work, but facing challenges when it came to marketing, and I thought ‘I can help here.’

– I’m interested in the ‘big picture’ as well as the person and their business – I feel improved marketing and outreach to current and new customers will help individual equine businesses as well as the overall equestrian industry.

– It’s pretty amazing what we have at our disposal, with technology and social media tools available to every equine business. The variety of tools, and the speed at which they change, are mind-boggling, and putting them together into a cohesive whole that works and doesn’t take up ALL your available time is a challenge.

– It’s also a fascinating time for the horse world, where decisions and actions made now will affect our industry for generations.

The origins of No Biz Like Horsebiz….

Starting in 2005, I began writing a monthly column in a regional equestrian magazine about how to successfully and more easily market and promote equine-related businesses, using sound marketing principles combined with the use of innovative technology, and eventually including social media like YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.

The column continued to grow over the years, bringing online tools & techniques to the attention of horsebiz owners and showing how they could use those frequently low-cost tools to promote the equestrian lifestyle and the benefits of horse ownership, to current horse owners and those that dream of it. The column has led to speaking engagements and other opportunities over the past six years, and by 2010, the equine industry had changed so much that it finally made sense to take things online. And so here we are.

My goal is to help make marketing for the equine industry something that’s interesting, accessible, and hopefully enjoyable. Marketing doesn’t have to be a dreaded task or a four-letter word.

A little bit about my background and what I do at Kemp Equine….

I grew up with horses and always wanted to work in that arena so to speak, but rather than the career as a jockey, veterinarian, or horse trainer that I dreamt of, life took me in other directions as a young adult.

I then had a long corporate career in marketing communications at several top organizations before experiencing a health crisis in 2003 that left me hungering to re-connect with my original passion. Since that time, I’ve done PR & marketing at a top Arabian breeding operation, worked in equine theater, written articles for the equestrian media, and helped clients improve their horsebiz marketing.

Through Kemp Equine, I do writing, marketing, PR, and social media work exclusively for equine industry clients, and this blog.

My other equine writings have appeared in horse publications and on websites such as The HorseThe Equine ChronicleEquine JournalHolistic Horse, American Farriers Journal, Trailblazer, Gypsy Horse Journal, Riding Instructor, Sport Horse MARKETPLACEWomen & Horses, and Blaze, among others.

For the past three years, I’ve been a speaker on marketing topics at the Equestrian Lifestyle Expo & Holiday Market, an event put on by the Horsemen’s Council of Illinois. In August 2011 I taught workshops on social media and marketing at the American Equestrian Trade Association’s (AETA) August tradeshow.

I have experience in integrated marketing communications, branding strategy and implementation, public relations, and social media. Buzzwords, yes, but what they mean is that I can help horsebiz owners and managers identify and communicate what they have to offer to their ideal customers. And a lot more.

My clients and interests cross breed and discipline, so as we go you’ll find things here that might be from areas of the horse world unfamiliar to you. I say that’s all good, since at heart we’re all lovers of the horse, no matter the saddle we ride.


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MAC x Ellie Goulding Review & Swatches!

Hey guys!

Today I finally have my MAC x Ellie Goulding haul for you, complete with lots of swatches!

In case you guys don’t know, I am a massive fan of Ellie Goulding. I have all her albums, and basically listen to them on repeat. So when I found out she was releasing a collaboration with MAC I was counting down the days until I could get my hands on it! And yes… I did basically get the whole collection.

This is a picture heavy post so get ready to feast your eyes 🙂

Halcyon Nights and Halcyon Days.

Halcyon Days.

Halcyon Days features 4 cream colour bases and a blot powder in medium/dark (which surprisingly doesn’t look that dark). The shades inside are (clockwise from top left) Wish I Stayed, Tint, Everytime You Go and Root. All the shades have shimmer except for Everytime You Go which is matte (and gorgeous!). You can use the cream colour bases for just about anything, but personally I’m inclined to use the peachy pink as a cream blush, and the others as eyeshadows/bases.

Halcyon Nights.

Halcyon Nights features 4 eyeshadows in (clockwise from top left) Starry Eyed (frost), You My Everything (matte), Saddle (matte)(permanent shade), Hanging On (satin). It also has a cream colour base in This Love tucked away underneath, which is a shimmery bronze. As you can see, the eyeshadows are gorgeous! I would have to say Halcyon Nights is my favourite out of both palettes.

I’ll Hold My Breath.

Next up is the powder blush in I’ll Hold My Breath, which features a shimmery bronzer and peachy pink toned blush. The blush is such a gorgeous shade, a nice warm peach pink, but I’m a bit scared of that bronzer on my pasty white skin!

Lipsticks in L to R: Without Your Love, Only You.

Both of these are Cremesheen formulas, so they are nice and hydrating on the lips. They aren’t as opaque as mattes, but 2 swipes will give you opaque coverage, and will give your lips a nice sheen!

Patent polish lip pencils in L to R: Innocent, Revved.

I’ve never tried patent polish lip pencils before, so I had no idea what to expect. As you would expect from the name, they have a brilliant sheen to them. As you can see below, Innocent is definitely on the sheer side, and Revved has decent pigmentation.

Top to bottom: Revved, Innocent, Only You, Without Your Love.

Plush glasses in L to R: Explosion, Goodness Gracious.

Top to bottom: Goodness Gracious, Explosion, Lustre Drops in Pink Rebel (repromote).

Explosion is a high shine gloss with gold micro glitter, and no it doesn’t feel gross and gritty when applied! This shade would be perfect for enhancing your lips and making them appear fuller.

Goodness Gracious is another peach toned pink shade, I guess we know Ellie’s favourite shades to wear?! Again, this shade is super high shine, but doesn’t feel sticky.

The MAC x Ellie Goulding collection is still available on both the US website and Australian website.

What do you guys think? Would you try anything from this collection?

Follow me on facebooktwitterinstagrampinterest and bloglovin’ for more!

15 thoughts on “MAC x Ellie Goulding Review & Swatches!

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Video Interview of Khalilah Yasmin for Las Vegas Social Media Show

In this interview I speak with Sam about my move to Las Vegas from Nebraska, the power of Social Media, upcoming projects, and my intrigue with Justin Bieber’s story.

This was A LOT of fun. Thank you Sam Dever and Las Vegas Social Media Show for such a creative interview!

Enjoy! xo, KY

“Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal.” – Earl Nightingale

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Friday, 30 October 2015

Image copyright MARVEL COMICS

I recall having this comic when I was a kid and being amazed
at how detailed the art was compared to JACK KIRBY's early
FF work, which I'd read in the pages of WHAM! comic, a British
weekly published back in the '60s.  Those reprints were in black and
white, so seeing my favourite super group in colour was another eye-
opener, and added a whole new dimension to the amazing quartet's
cataclysmic cosmic capers.  And 'though I didn't mind continued
stories, it was good to read a complete tale in one issue.

Colin Jones said...

Kid, wasn't the image on this cover homaged on a later FF cover - I seem to remember it on the cover of The Complete FF No.22 or thereabouts.

Kid said...

I don't know about a homage, CJ, but the cover was reprinted on FF Pocket Book #7. The story was reprinted in the Panini FF title as well, but I can't recall off the top of my head whether the cover was used as the cover, or just reprinted inside.

baab said...

I am working my way through the Fantastic Four Essentials collections.
I am more familiar with black and white and prefer it sometimes.
There are a couple of points where Jack Kirby just evolves and the leap is obvious.
I would suggest that he was aided in this by the choice of inkers.
Issue 28 when Chic Rosen becomes the inker.
Joe Sinnot takes over from Vince Colletta who is a bit thin on the ff from issue 44 and the
characters take on a more realistic look after about three issues.
And of course it only gets better from there.

Kid said...

That'll be Chic Stone you're thinking of, Baab - Rosen's first name was Sam and he was a fantastic letterer. However, I'm sure you knew that and just got them mixed together at the typing stage - done it myself many a time. Great as Joe Sinnott was (and is), I'd have loved to see Wally Wood ink Kirby's FF.

baab said...

Yep, Even though I pulled the books over to my computer to make sure!
It happens.
I looked to see how I typed that wrong and Sam Rosen did letter issue 44.

Daredevil automatically pops into my head at the mention of Wally Wood.
He might not have inked the ff but he did ink other Kirby pencils,just cant recall at the moment......

Sky Masters and also the Challengers of the Unknown,which I really must buy.

Looking at the Sky Masters stuff gives me a good idea of how splendid the Fantastic Four might have looked with Wally Woods inks.

Kid said...

I think Kirby's FF would've looked even better with Wood inks, Baab. Sinnott, as great an inker (and artist) as he is, still left too many of JK's squiggly lines supposedly denoting musculature, whereas Wood usually inked them in such a way as to render them more realistic-looking.

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Tag Archives: Jason Todd

List o’ the Week: Worst Superhero Parents #5-4

5. Reed and Sue Richards (The Parents of Franklin and Valeria Richards)

Speaking of “bad spaceship rides”, take a ride with sometime with mad skillz scientist Reed Richards; you might come back as:

  • The Human Torch (Johnny Storm): constant burning sensation, and questionable sexual identity (“Flame on!”)
  • The Thing (Ben Grimm): strong like bull! Like an overdose of Cialis, permanently hard and ironically unable to make love to a woman
  • The Invisible Woman (Sue Richards): you thought a woman was invisible in the 1960’s? Well sister, you don’t know invisible until you meet the Invisible Woman

….Reed on the other hand, “tragically” ends up with the power to stretch any part of his body. On what I’m sure is a totally unrelated note, he and Sue Richards soon marry and have two kids: Franklin and going-to-be-a-super-powered-stripper-with-this-name, Valeria.

It’s already hard enough to have parents who escape to outer space and other dimensions when you need help with your pasta-paste project, Reed and Sue are bad parents just for letting their kids live with them in the Baxter Building–headquarters to the Fantastic Four, a building that gets attacked more often than Sarah Palin (who I wish could turn invisible).

Sue: Mm; you taste of algae and soda cans Namor: And you taste of suburban marital displeasure, my dear.

Panel 2: Reed and Sue exchange pained pleasantries about their Atlantean-looking child. In the last panel, Sue shuts her eyes and can only pray for the lie she's about to live.

In addition, even when your mom’s there, she’s not there (on account of the invisibilty); a power that Sue uses to slip out and make-out with Namor, the Sub-Mariner (think Aquaman crossed with the looks of say, Star Trek’s Dr. Spock) who apparently lives right off of Coney Island, because he and Sue Richards see each other all the time it seems. Plus, probably due to Daddy and Mommy Four’s exposure to space herpes, poor firstborn Franklin Richards is curiously struck with what I like to call “Webster’s Disease”–born about 30 years ago (our time) he’s only about 10 years old. Can you imagine that? Your dad can create robots that talk, gadgets that can kill planet-eating gods, create holes in time to travel to other dimensions…….but you’re still hung like a worker ant.

The Search for Reed Richards begins in Namor's trousers....!

This in a world where your parents hang out with hotties like Storm, Spider-Woman and yeah, even She-Hulk if you’re into that sort of thing, and they’re basically your age at this point but no, no, no your parents would rather you dodge lasers from Dr. Doom and each weird shit from other planets like Martian feces because dammit Franklin, it builds character and if you don’t button-up and fly right, we’ll send you to the that Xavier Institute where the kids are like the Lost Boys of Sudan and you don’t want that do you (but you do, yeah you do ’cause you wanna make it rain with Storm)?

This in a world where your mom’s like, “I’ll be right back, I’ve got to run to the Nth Dimension to get some milk” but then, then you see her down at the docks leaning over the pier, sucking face with that mer-man Namor, only it’s really f-cking weird because only her head’s visible–the rest of her body is invisible–so there she is, f-cking Floating Head Mom tongue-searching for the Lost City of Atlantis inside Little Nemo’s mouth and hey, hey, hey Daddy Reed will tell you it’s science baby, it’s all science.

And that is why they’re bad parents.

4. The Flying (?) Graysons (The Parents of Dick Grayson)

Well, they clearly suck for naming you “Dick”. Let’s just get that out of the way right now. Second, the Graysons suck for raising their boy in the circus. The circus! The circus is about the #5 worst place to raise your child, just look:

Yahoo! List of Worst Places to Raise Your Dick

  1.  in church
  2. in school
  3. in court
  4. in West Philadelphia
  5. in a circus

Hard to argue with Yahoo!, isn’t it? So yeah, The Flying Graysons did a high-wire trapeze act, and in a stunt straight outta reality show TV, they got their son involved, too. So there’s their son, getting tossed around in the air, back and forth, back and forth on the trapeze. And there’s those two grinning jackasses–look at them overhead!–tossing their Dick around like he’s nothing.

Dick practices the "trust fall" with his parents

And what happens? I’ll tell you what happens. Dick Grayson gets to watch his parents plummet to their death during one of their trapeze acts. This happens because some mob guys working for, I dunno, let’s say Cirque Du Soleil, show up pre-show and cut the wires just enough for An Accident. So there’s little limp Dick watching his parents complete the Karma Sutra Toss (“remember to reach with your loins, honey! On 3!”) when–oh snap–the wires break, and they fall and crash to the ground like so much Humpty Dumpty, and probably munched on by circus lions and sprayed with Seltzer water by the clowns.

So why’s this important? Because guess who’s watching the show this particular night?

Bruce Wayne!

So there’s Batman there, sitting in the crowd, probably applying some Bat-butter to his popcorn and having Alfred feeding it to him, and he watches Dick lose his parents in the worst America’s Funniest Home Video segment ever.

And what’s he thinking?

“Hm; less butter Alfred.”

Or maybe he says something cool and collected and cliche’ like, “Guess we won’t be seeing the lion swallow Dick tonight”, or, “It would appear that the Flying Graysons have just been grounded”.

But then he’s thinking, man, I know that when I lost MY parents the only thing that comforted me was sitting in a cave and paying Prince to write songs about me–I want to save that boy and play ‘Purple Rain’ for him.

Metaphorical Joker stands in for thousands of comic nerds.

And that’s how Dick Grayson became (the first) Robin, spending several undoubtedly confusing years wearing French-cut panties, a yellow cape and a tuck job, leaping from rooftop to rooftop wondering where it all went wrong.

"Jason? Jay?...Robin? You're just sleeping, right lilttle buddy?"

This eventually wore thin, and so Dick growed up and left the cave, and in his place came Jason Todd, a Robin so despicable not only did DC Comics hold a  fan 1-900 telephone poll deciding whether to kill him or not, but then, when the decision came, Jason Todd Robin was tied to the chair, beaten to a pulp by the Joker with a crowbar, and then blown up inside a building. I’ve seen Chris Brown dates that’ve ended better than that.

And so, it all comes back to the Flying Graysons, and their fateful vanity–they ruined Dick’s life AND when Dick leaves and young Jason Todd tries to fill some weird homoerotic void in Batman’s life, his life too.

Two birds. One stone.

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January 1, 2012 § 4 Comments

Isn’t it a funny word? I find it interesting how many definitions the word resolve has. What fascinates me particularly is how resolve can be synonymous with determination (“He stepped forward with resolve”) yet it also can mean to move from dissonance to consonance – most directly in music, but the idea extends to matters of opinion, problem-solving, working through an issue – ending the tension to reach a resolution. And yet – and yet – the word can also mean to separate. What?

Language is so strange. English, especially.

My conclusion, as I’m inclined towards peacemaking, is that resolutions might be built on this handful of definitions. As we make lists of what we want to do or not do this upcoming year, can we move with determination towards things that will bring us together into pleasing consonance? This doesn’t mean we all have to operate on the exact same opinions, beliefs, and perspectives – we can remain our separate, unique selves, like notes in a chord. And yet as we consider who we are and who others are and who we want to be, perhaps we can learn how to live together in harmony.

On that thought, here is my 2012 resolution list:

1. Be generous. Even when I have little. Generosity needn’t be expressed only by the giving of material things. Time, work, kind words, a small note in the mail – these count, too.

2. Be frugal. Don’t spend on unnecessary things, and get what I owe paid off. (All right, that’s a bit lofty for a year, but make significant advancements in this direction.) Debt creates discord, in one’s spirit as well as in relationships, even purely financial ones.

3. Be healthy. That means being healthy personally as well as promoting health in my environment – physically, ecologically, and economically. If my body is forced to operate on poor fuel and/or my actions contribute to degradation and toxicity around me, that puts me (and others) in a state of disrepair. True, we all age, but let’s age well. And let’s have land and water that go on being clean and fertile beyond our lifespans. Good health tends to foster happiness! And happiness tends to foster harmony.

4. Be optimistic. I must confess I have been a bit of a negative Nancy this year. Part of me wants to defend myself by saying that I feel everything strongly and express it openly so y’all get to go on the ups-and-downs with me. But the truth is that I have caught complaints coming out of my mouth far too often and have gotten into a habit of tampering my eager, rosy hopes with the dim glasses of criticism and self-doubt. (It doesn’t all get on this blog – but my friends and family have heard it more than once.) And the worst part? It drags the people around me down with me. Aiyaiyai. So optimism. Looking for good, holding onto truths, closing the door on regret and shoving aside fear and self-deprecation.

5. Be faithful. For me, this goal directs itself towards two closely related realms. First and foremost I seek to be faithful to my Father God, His saving Son, and the amazingly wildly loving Holy Spirit. Second, I will be faithful to my loved ones. This means to stand up for them. To step in for them. To be there when needed. Even to put them before myself. Because faithfulness is the fruit of the kind of love that is more than just a feeling.

Can I do it? Will I do it? The good thing is that these are not deadline goals. They are lifelong goals. (And I am a lifelong learner! Yay!) The next steps for me are to (a) remain conscious of these goals – maybe put a list on the mirror or refrigerator or nightstand, and (b) map out what changes I might make – big and small – to foster and further these things in my little old life.

I am not one of those who is afraid of resolutions! No, sir. I am resolved. Resolved to resolve.

What are your goals this year? Do you like or dislike New Year’s resolutions? Do you have any suggestions for me regarding mine?

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