Well, I am caving in. After opening and reading the 20th or 30th email asking me to allow comments on my blog I have adjusted those settings. Scroll down to the bottom of an entry and comment away. All comments are welcome...Well only nice, kind and caring comments that are in absolute agreement with everything that I say and feel. Joking...
I have been recuperating for the last 36 hours from my marathon drive back from Portland. Taking care of a great deal of business and to that nasty task of organizing. As good as I am at organizing I can procrastinate like no bodies business when I really have no desire to actually organize anything at all. Right now all I desire is to rest for the next few weeks and have all of the work that I need to get done at my bench just magically appear. (It real is a shame that I had to lay off my bench Gnomes.) I do realize that the chances of finished work magically appearing in my tumbler are ZERO, it would still be nice… no?
Just a short paragraph on this next bit of business and I will be done for the day I promise:
***I am tired beyond tired of all of the grandstanding that is happening in our nations capitol. DUDES….JUST GET IT DONE AND STOP THIS ADOLESCENT BICKERING…Each and every one of you look like a bunch of idiotic fools. Just get your job done and do the right thing OKAY? 'nuf said….Just do your jobs please!***
I am spending the next few days in absolute isolation getting jewelry made for Arizona's Ultimate Women's Expo. The dates for the event are October 17th and 18th in Phoenix at the Convention Center. A few weeks ago the Expo actually got my private cell number (how is a mystery to me) and asked me to participate in the event. After some hemming and hawing I have decided to make a leap and give it a try.
This is an entirely NEW type of event for me and I must admit that I am really rather nervous about it. I really do not believe that I am the typical kind of vendor that they have. To say that I am casual to the extreme is an understatement and I just do not want to feel out of place. The bead show circuit and teaching has been my world for the last 9 years and to cross over into a new circle is always a bit nerve wracking. I will be pacing a great deal and wondering if I have made an egregious error in judgement until after this event ends. Wish me luck and cross your fingers that I have not made a huge mistake here. I am not a big fan of making a fool out of myself.
My semi cool news is that I got an email from an Associate Editor of ThisisDiversity.com. Again, I have no idea of how or when, but they started reading this BLOG and have asked me to become a contributor. I have looked over the site and I have to say that I was rather pleased to be asked. I guess that I now have to be really careful about grammar and syntax and spelling and punctuation and all of that other silly stuff that writers are supposed to be aware of.
I was going to joke around here and spell everything in that last sentence incorrectly but I have no desire of giving my self appointed editor-in-chief an aneurysm with bad spelling and bad grammar. So I will behave for the time being.
Hey the last bit of good news is that I got all of my classes accepted at Bead & Button's 2010 show and I spent some time talking scheduling with one of the organizers. These people have such a huge task on their hands it is unbelievable how they manage to keep it all organized. I am taking a break from my normal class structure this year. I normally teach all three hour classes and I leave Milwaukee a ZOMBIE. So I have decided to take a few of the three hour classes away and teach full day classes on Thursday, Friday & Saturday. I feel that all of the students will get a better experience from me and I will ultimately enjoy a bit of a slower schedule. Keep an eye out for the release of the 2010 classes I am sure that there will be some amazing ones.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Tuesday September 29th
I boxed up my tools, jewelry and loaded up the car and started driving by 4pm. I had every intention of stopping at a hotel and resting for at east 6 hours. But I got so sleepy after 6 hours of driving around 10pm, that I pulled over at a rest stop for a break and woke up 90 minutes later. I started driving again & I still had plans to get a room but once again I pulled over around 2am and slept for another two and a half hours, I repeated this one more time and really started driving again at 6am. I pulled into my driveway 23 hours after my departure from Portland.
I unloaded the car and unpacked every box and crashed on the couch with a beer for the better part of the evening. I got caught up with emails and planned out my next 48 hours and was in bed as soon as possible.
I slept HARD and woke with the sun and 2 grey fuzzy monsters that were very happy to have me back home.
Well, I guess it actually does happen in 3's…right? Today was a strange day and an unsettling one at that. There was a tsunami in Samoa, the Senate denies the public option & much to my personal pain the former governor of Alaska has named her book.
I said my thanks for the warning system that was sounded that perhaps saved thousands of lives, in these small islands. At this time there is little out in the news that I can find about the damage but the number of casualties seems to be in the dozens. This is so very different from the nearly quarter million that perished on the morning of December 26th 2004. My thoughts and prayers are with those people and their recovery.
Why, or I guess I should say, how… could the Senate deny this? It is JUST an option, not a requirement. Are these over stuffed, in the pocket of the insurance company, politicians really going to do ANYTHING that opens up affordable care for lower income people? Oh, I think not, there is just to much back door lobbying of all too powerful companies that do not want to have no desire to provide real health care. They just care about profits.
It really is my firm belief that health care should be Not-for-Profit. There should not be share holders in an insurance company. Any profits that are accumulated should be invested for continued better care. I am a total believer in the American phrase "to make money" I believe in and strive for the American Dream and I work my ass off to get ahead. But I have to say that being an independent artist and a self employed person is not an easy choice at times. These corporations make it almost impossible to succeed and most of us are dancing as fast as we can to make it from year to year.
And finally, this morning I was sadly greeted with a headline that declared the title of the Former Governor of Alaska's new book. The title is going to be "Going Rogue" Well, I actually laughed out loud. It will be released soon and I have no doubt that it will poison more minds. Once again, I feel that this obviously under educated, journalism degreed, person needs to actually open up a dictionary and read the definition of what "rogue" actually means…
rogue |rōg|
noun
1. A dishonest or unprincipled man.
• a person whose behavior one disapproves of.
2. An elephant or other large wild animal driven away or living apart from the herd and having savage or destructive tendencies.
• a person or thing that behaves in an aberrant, faulty, or unpredictable way
• an inferior or defective specimen among many satisfactory ones.
1. A dishonest or unprincipled man.
• a person whose behavior one disapproves of.
2. An elephant or other large wild animal driven away or living apart from the herd and having savage or destructive tendencies.
• a person or thing that behaves in an aberrant, faulty, or unpredictable way
• an inferior or defective specimen among many satisfactory ones.
I do not think that I need to say anything else here. Do I?
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Saturday September 26th
Ah, Portland! & BeadFest...
I know that I promised pictures but I have not even had the 20 minutes to download them from my camera yet. They are forthcoming...
I left Tucson on Wednesday morning at 10am. Can you believe that I did not start driving at 4am like I normally do? I wanted to meet with my friends for our Wednesday morning get together. I had not seen them for a few weeks and I knew that I wanted to at least see them for 45 minutes before I started the 20 plus hour drive up to Portland. I got past Sacramento Wednesday night, found a hotel and slept for 6 hours and was on the road again Thursday morning by 6am.
I have to keep asking myself the same travel question over and over. Why is it, when I see a hotel and I decide that it is a good price & then I start driving the next morning, I find a hotel for 1/2 the price one exit away. It is those kind of small things that while they make me smile at the irony of the situation also make me very irritated as well. All I could say to myself was, "Damn..there went 30 bucks."
I had to cut this trip down to the wire, I needed to cut back on the car rental and the hotel stays. I timed my arrival in Portland down to the hour. Got in at 3pm, got over to the convention center at 4:15 to set up my classroom, and got that done 20 minutes before the Meet the Teachers gathering from 6pm to 8pm.. I crashed SO hard on Thursday night that getting up on Friday to teach was a little hard.
Classes yesterday, while small, were fun and everyone did a fantastic job. I went to an early dinner with my friend Charlene Abrahms and we spent almost 2 hours just talking and getting caught up and sharing stories. I came back to my hotel and sort of vegged out for the evening. I am tired and I needed to relax before I passed out for the night.
I have a class this afternoon and I am looking forward to that.
I am constantly surprised by how changes can sneak up on you. I am finding the shifts in my life over the past 10 months have been eye opening and revealing about my character. What is it that makes a life happy? What choices do we make both professionally as well as personally that fulfill us, make us whole and content in lives and in our own skins? Finding that balance…finding the time to remain creative and productive as well as being contented personally is my new path. I am like everyone else, I want it all and I am trying to find that balance in my world. I know what I want and I am focused on that goal.
There is much that I need to do, much that I need to finish and much that I need to learn how. I am, as always, eternally hopeful that I can discovery and accomplish these goals because I feel that the happiness that I have experienced these past months is all part of the path that I am on.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Monday September 21st.
There is something to be said for the phrase "there's no place like home." I am home for two and a half days before I take off to teach at BeadFest Portland. It is not long enough and yet at the same time it is too long. I took what was in effect, my first true few days off almost 2 years. I had virtually no internet access, limited TV and I had the best and most relaxing time. It was wonderful not to worry about work or about the world for a few days and just enjoy the company of my girlfriend.
So to say that I had the most excellent 5 days in Toronto and taking in films at TIFF.. (The Toronto International Film Festival) is a bit of an understatement. Got to see 2 really excellent movies and 1 so so flick. The first was an Israeli entry "Phobidilia." about a young mans descent into agoraphobia and subsequent attempt to climb out of its grip after the loss of his girlfriend in a car accident. The second movie was a wonderful animated feature "My Dog Tulip." This was the story about an older man's absolute devotion and love for his adopted soul mate, a German Shepherd. The movie was based on the novel by J.R. Ackerley. The third movie was "Tanner Hall," & this movie was a formula coming of age movie set in an all girls prep school. There were some very funny moments and poignant scenes but all in all… formula to the end…
I will upload & post some pictures of our adventures tomorrow…
I got home on Sunday night, had a beer and crashed pretty hard. It was a rather rude awakening on Monday morning, having to jump right back into the grind. I had to get all of the fine details ready for my trip to Portland. I leave on Wednesday. I have the Meet the Teachers on Thursday night I teach Friday, Saturday & Sunday and will start my drive home on Sunday evening. This has to be a very budget conscience trip. The sign-ups for Portland are not so good for many of the instructors. Portland is experiencing an unemployment rate that is higher than the national average and it is taking its toll on sign-ups and attendance I am sure. I am going to head up there and hope for the best….
After I get back to Tucson on Monday, I feel that I am once again going to be drawn away for a few days to Albuquerque. I was separated for almost 5 weeks from someone that I am so deeply fond of that I find that I am unwilling to let that long a span of time pass again. We are going to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta and I am making Terri get up well before dawn to see what they call the Mass Ascension and stay up later in the evening for the Balloon Glow. I am looking forward to another 5 day together before I am required to get back to my tasks in Tucson for several weeks.
I have discovered a very nice handyman "Pete" that has a wife & family to support, he came up to me several months ago and asked for work. I have never met someone that works harder or is sweeter. I have hired him a few times over these past few months to keep my yard groomed. This is a task that I despise SO very much that I am more than pleased to pay this man a very honest wage to take care of my grounds and to prune back my palm trees that have become a bird condominium. I waited till now to prune the trees to make sure that all of the little birds that were hatched have flown the nest. So far so good on that count… and it may cut down on the bird droppings on my walkway.
So to say that I had the most excellent 5 days in Toronto and taking in films at TIFF.. (The Toronto International Film Festival) is a bit of an understatement. Got to see 2 really excellent movies and 1 so so flick. The first was an Israeli entry "Phobidilia." about a young mans descent into agoraphobia and subsequent attempt to climb out of its grip after the loss of his girlfriend in a car accident. The second movie was a wonderful animated feature "My Dog Tulip." This was the story about an older man's absolute devotion and love for his adopted soul mate, a German Shepherd. The movie was based on the novel by J.R. Ackerley. The third movie was "Tanner Hall," & this movie was a formula coming of age movie set in an all girls prep school. There were some very funny moments and poignant scenes but all in all… formula to the end…
I will upload & post some pictures of our adventures tomorrow…
I got home on Sunday night, had a beer and crashed pretty hard. It was a rather rude awakening on Monday morning, having to jump right back into the grind. I had to get all of the fine details ready for my trip to Portland. I leave on Wednesday. I have the Meet the Teachers on Thursday night I teach Friday, Saturday & Sunday and will start my drive home on Sunday evening. This has to be a very budget conscience trip. The sign-ups for Portland are not so good for many of the instructors. Portland is experiencing an unemployment rate that is higher than the national average and it is taking its toll on sign-ups and attendance I am sure. I am going to head up there and hope for the best….
Mass Ascension
Balloon Glow
I have discovered a very nice handyman "Pete" that has a wife & family to support, he came up to me several months ago and asked for work. I have never met someone that works harder or is sweeter. I have hired him a few times over these past few months to keep my yard groomed. This is a task that I despise SO very much that I am more than pleased to pay this man a very honest wage to take care of my grounds and to prune back my palm trees that have become a bird condominium. I waited till now to prune the trees to make sure that all of the little birds that were hatched have flown the nest. So far so good on that count… and it may cut down on the bird droppings on my walkway.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Thursday Sept. 17th
Sorry I have been so slammed this past week. It was a very event filled week indeed. I exhibited at the Best Bead Show's Fall Tucson event & shared a booth with the amazing Margaret Zinser. The weekend's highlight was a glorious event at Sonoran Glass for Beads of Courage on Saturday night.
Beads of Courage is a group that assists kids living and dealing with catastrophic illness' and through the therapy of beads and creating necklaces as each patient goes through each stage of treatment. Terri Caspary Schmidt & I donated a Flying Heart Bead (Terri made that) with a Fine Silver bail and chain. (made that part…) A group of local artists that I am involved with all got together and each of them gave me a handful of charms or glass beads that each had made & wire wrapped them & put them on a fine silver chain as well. Each piece brought in bids that will provide funds for this AMAZING Charity.
Donate please… it is a worthy cause.
Monday was crazy busy with packing for my trip to Toronto. I am actually taking 4 days away and I am not gonna work all that much. I am tired and need a break. Terri & I are going to take in a few films at the Toronto International Film Fest and do some serious shopping and antiquing. This is a much needed break and I am looking forward to these few days immensely.
I stopped for a number of minutes & took in Sept 11th this year and looked at all that has happened in our world since that day. Our country is almost completely unrecognizable to me, it just does not seem like it is even remotely the same place. Why are we angrier and meaner as a nation? Where has our civility gone? I remember the 60 to 90 days right after that awful day and people driving were courteous, kind, away and I had never heard so many pleases, thank you's, excuse me's, pardon me's or kind responses in return. Doors were opened for others, seats were relinquished for others and if the person behind you in line at the grocery store had one item in comparison to your cartfull you let them check out before of you.
It takes nothing to be kind, smile, say a nice word to a stranger. These things are easy, these things make you and the other person feel good but more importantly, these acts are contagious. Kindness begets kindness and a smile begets a smile. It is my humble opinion, but I feel that the general uncivil nature that we have witnessed of late, (especially during our Presidents address to Congress..) is a direct and fearful reaction to a man that epitomizes civility, grace and an understanding that these are necessary requirements for our nation to maintain our stature. We have lost this understanding during the last administration and we are struggling to understand why we no longer have the respect that we once engendered. We, as a nation, cannot expect the respect of the world if we do not offer these niceties to our own citizens or our own leaders.
I have tried to live my life over these past few years by making a conscious choice to be nice to those around me, to the strangers that I encounter and to be a courteous citizen of the world. I have found that a smile, just a simple smile, can disarm and a kind act can be greeted with amazement. I love to see these reactions and I just hope that in return the kindness that was shown can be sent out into the world and spread unchecked.
I am enjoying these few days off and I have, for the first time in years, have very limited access to the internet. It is an interesting phenomenon to wake and not be able to grab my laptop to check out the happenings of the world, check out the long list of blogs that I follow or to interact with my FaceBook world.
In closing… please remember that silly little thing call the Golden Rule... The Ethic of Reciprocity... Do unto others....can we all try to remember what it means to be nice to others, to be kind and to occasionally open a door for a stranger. You will feel better for it and who knows… it just may catch on…that would not suck at all.
Beads of Courage is a group that assists kids living and dealing with catastrophic illness' and through the therapy of beads and creating necklaces as each patient goes through each stage of treatment. Terri Caspary Schmidt & I donated a Flying Heart Bead (Terri made that) with a Fine Silver bail and chain. (made that part…) A group of local artists that I am involved with all got together and each of them gave me a handful of charms or glass beads that each had made & wire wrapped them & put them on a fine silver chain as well. Each piece brought in bids that will provide funds for this AMAZING Charity.
Donate please… it is a worthy cause.
Monday was crazy busy with packing for my trip to Toronto. I am actually taking 4 days away and I am not gonna work all that much. I am tired and need a break. Terri & I are going to take in a few films at the Toronto International Film Fest and do some serious shopping and antiquing. This is a much needed break and I am looking forward to these few days immensely.
I stopped for a number of minutes & took in Sept 11th this year and looked at all that has happened in our world since that day. Our country is almost completely unrecognizable to me, it just does not seem like it is even remotely the same place. Why are we angrier and meaner as a nation? Where has our civility gone? I remember the 60 to 90 days right after that awful day and people driving were courteous, kind, away and I had never heard so many pleases, thank you's, excuse me's, pardon me's or kind responses in return. Doors were opened for others, seats were relinquished for others and if the person behind you in line at the grocery store had one item in comparison to your cartfull you let them check out before of you.
It takes nothing to be kind, smile, say a nice word to a stranger. These things are easy, these things make you and the other person feel good but more importantly, these acts are contagious. Kindness begets kindness and a smile begets a smile. It is my humble opinion, but I feel that the general uncivil nature that we have witnessed of late, (especially during our Presidents address to Congress..) is a direct and fearful reaction to a man that epitomizes civility, grace and an understanding that these are necessary requirements for our nation to maintain our stature. We have lost this understanding during the last administration and we are struggling to understand why we no longer have the respect that we once engendered. We, as a nation, cannot expect the respect of the world if we do not offer these niceties to our own citizens or our own leaders.
I have tried to live my life over these past few years by making a conscious choice to be nice to those around me, to the strangers that I encounter and to be a courteous citizen of the world. I have found that a smile, just a simple smile, can disarm and a kind act can be greeted with amazement. I love to see these reactions and I just hope that in return the kindness that was shown can be sent out into the world and spread unchecked.
I am enjoying these few days off and I have, for the first time in years, have very limited access to the internet. It is an interesting phenomenon to wake and not be able to grab my laptop to check out the happenings of the world, check out the long list of blogs that I follow or to interact with my FaceBook world.
In closing… please remember that silly little thing call the Golden Rule... The Ethic of Reciprocity... Do unto others....can we all try to remember what it means to be nice to others, to be kind and to occasionally open a door for a stranger. You will feel better for it and who knows… it just may catch on…that would not suck at all.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Wednesday September 9th.
Why is it that there are days that we know we should remember and we just can't seem to get the Rolodex of the brain to find the correct index card to recall these days. Then there are days that we would love to forget and no matter what, it plays over and over again in our minds and even comes to us in our dreams. I am tired of those sort of memories and it is one of the reasons that I have decided to keep this Blog and a private journal as well. I have discovered that there are just some very simply things that have happened to me lately that I truly desire to remember.
I went to London in December of 2001 and I kept a daily detailed journal of that trip and to this day I think that it was one of my better ideas. I can remember meals and taxi rides that were funny, special small moments that I knew that I would not want to forget. I have realized that in these past few months there are things that I have experienced that I will always desire to recall with clarity. I highly recommend the keeping of a journal to collect your thoughts and to have a collection of stories to have at hand, ready to share.
NASA has released some of the newest images that the Hubble Telescope has captured. These are amazing images and they never fail to capture my imagination or to make me catch my breath in awe and wonder. I am so pleased that NASA decided to send that last repair mission to the aging telescope to give it more years of exploration and discovery. Take a look at these images and see for yourself.
For me, the best thing that I got to view today is this YouTube movie of Al Franken actually drawing (correctly I might add) out all of the states of our country. I would love to sit all of our Senators and Congressman down in a room and see if they can actually write out all 50 states and their capitols. I think that I would not be surprised to see how many of them actually fail this test.
Tonight was the President's speech to congress about his health care initiative. I did not watch it live but caught it about an hour later. I am glad that he is taking the reins of this and I hope that he does not back down and he holds those accountable who spread the lies and misinformation that causes the public to be hesitant in accepting what it is that we must do as a nation.
Barbara Boxer had a very good point this evening on the Rachel Maddow Show. She stated quite clearly that if there are senators or congressman that do not want to vote for the pubic option, that do not want a government run system, she suggests that these individuals give up the amazing government run health care that they receive as one of the perks of their positions. I have to say that I actually agree with Barbara right now. If our representatives choose to vote against this option for us then why are they allowed to keep it for themselves?
And finally, I have one other point for the evening… a friend of mine posted this in her FaceBook wall and I also agree with this.. it is an absurd idea, but in it's absurdity there is a bit of logic behind it.
"All Members of Congress should be compelled to wear uniforms just like NASCAR drivers, so we could identify their corporate sponsors..." re-re-posted from a friend, cause damn it's true.
Just think about it...
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Sunday September 6th
This is an article I read in the Huffington Post this morning.
Crimes Against America
By Caroline Myss
There is such a thing as a crime against the soul of a nation. A person or a political party can deliberately incite actions that diminish the strength, the integrity, and the overall well-being of a nation's inner core. America's soul is in a fragile state. It has suffered severe violations over the course of this past decade and to lesser degrees, in previous decades. Through the years, the essential integrity of America has been eroded for various reasons but never was it so violated as during the Bush administration. The endless lies, the deceitful years of propaganda that flowed from the West Wing that fed the media, the bogus reasons for setting the Middle East on fire, and converting this country into a corporate state for personal gain are crimes that shattered the soul of this nation more deeply than we have even begun to realize -- if we ever will. The consequences of puncturing the soul of a nation are witnessed in countless ways. For example, there is a decline in the integrity of leadership and a growing apathy on the part of the public to care about keeping watch over its leaders. The nation ceases to produce statesmen or stateswomen. The best the public can do is to send semi-qualified individuals to Washington whose capacity to hold to their promises collapse within minutes of unpacking in their new offices. As for the old guard, they are worn out good old boys mixed in with a few new and not-so-new women on the block, who continue to fall into their same old patterns of deal making and breaking. But nothing of great significance ever happens unless motivated by a catastrophe. Any truly positive ideas for change baffle the Congress. What could this be, they wonder? But of all the crimes covertly and overtly committed by the Bush administration against the soul of America, none is as vile as the deliberate efforts they poured into turning American against American. We see that in the near hatred between the Republicans and Democrats, between liberals and conservatives, between free-thinkers and evangelicals that continues to fester. This crime was a strategic one, a well thought out plan to fragment the people of this nation in a type of contemporary replay of the Civil War. And sadly, the Republicans succeeded. Thank you, Karl Rove. The result is that the soul of America is exhausted, wounded, mistrusting, suspicious, fearful -- and compromised. This is not a soul that can rebuild a country, not if you know anything about the laws of nature and the fundamentals of healing.
So let's apply this to the Republicans present attack on Obama and his plan to address the children in the classrooms of our schools. First, a comment on how education is respected in general by our Congress -- it isn't. And this crime against the soul of America is a travesty for which both Republicans and Democrats should hang their heads in shame. Consider, for example, how the education system through the years has corroded into little more than a mindless competition for grades. And the "No Child Left Behind" program (which should be left far, far behind) is nothing more than an insult to a true educational system that holds in high regard the passing on of knowledge and wisdom and not just technical skills and information. But such a program is in keeping with the insidious goal of the "dumbing down" of America plan that was consciously set in motion under the Reagan Administration (check out The Deliberate Dumbing Down of America by Charlotte Thomson Iserbyt). Aside from all the many travesties that have resulted and continue to result from the covert dismantling of America's educational system, let us consider the equally significant if not more tragic consequence of the clever removal of courses that provide students with the essential language required in order to learn how to navigate through the deep and profound matters of the soul. And note that my use of the word "soul" refers to that part of a human being that is more than matter, more than blood and bones. I am not using the word "soul" within the context associated with the politics of right-winged religious fanatics. Rather, I am referring to the essence of what makes a human being truly human, the inherent part of us that is more than meets the eye.
Students on a path toward becoming high functioning human beings must be guided in matters of their soul, namely, how to recognize and respond to a moral crisis; how to formulate a personal ethical code and to withstand challenges to that code within a society that thrives on predator instincts; and how to form and maintain an honor code within a society in which any sense of honor is now held together by legal contracts rather than the integrity of a person's word. Giving our students a common ground for discussions of their fears and insecurities concerning emerging into adult life and how to cope with those difficulties is as much a part of their education as is math and the liberal arts (remember those?). If this is not the role of the classroom, then what is? Should they take their forums into the streets so as not to upset the righteous Right? Should they continue to leave their souls at the doorway of their school buildings, sending in only their bodies and minds to attend their classes? Where should they warehouse their consciences? Where should they store their moral crises that strike with such force during the teen-age years? Perhaps this is the comfort they find in drugs.
It is through discussions such as these that skills of introspection are awakened and a foundation is put in place for the wisdom arts: personal reflection and accountability, discernment, personal virtue, and stamina of spirit. Is it any wonder that as a result of the horrendous decision of the American Congress to "dumb down" our educational system, we now have a public that cannot discern lies from truth? Are we really surprised that we are now living in a society in which the news media saturates us with entertainment instead of actual news and that most of America was too asleep at the wheel to even notice? Should we really have to wonder for more than three seconds as to why so many media reporters have turned into nothing more than gossip mongers and paparazzi, lacking all courage to do actual hard core news, substituting their own hysterical opinions for informed reporting? I'm not surprised at all.
A conscious effort to "dumb down" the education of this nation qualifies as a crime against the soul of America. And dare I say this? If there was something as grievous as a mortal sin committed by a group against its own people, then the Republicans -- with Reagan at the helm -- and all the Democrats who stood by, or worse, backed this catastrophe -- committed that sin when they choreographed how they would dismantle the intellectual power and potential of our own children. (You should check your age -- you could be a product of this crime.)
So is it really any wonder why the Republicans would stage this outlandish outcry over President Obama addressing the schoolchildren of America? You would think that everyone would support the President's desire to inspire our children to want an education. Who would not want to see their children enthusiastic about an education? Hum ... Well, could it be that education intimidates them? I mean, given their history with education and their experience with their recent president as well as their recent candidate for vice-president, you can appreciate that the education of President Obama would engender a bit of jealousy. Consider that when Bush showed up in a classroom, they gave him My Pet Goat to read to the students. Why was that, ya think? Perhaps his team feared a more sophisticated book would be a bit too much for him. Or maybe he was providing students with an example of how "dumbing down" works. Or maybe, just maybe, given Bush's overall success and reputation for brain-power, Republicans fear Obama would inspire students instead of generating the jokes and comedic responses Bush did every time he opened his mouth.
I can't begin to count the number of times I listened to Bush joke about his own lack of intelligence before an audience. The audience members that included some now former as well as present members of the Congress and Senate, actually laughed as he made these comments. Whether they were laughing with him or at him, I couldn't tell. I know I was laughing at him, but I was also embarrassed and ashamed that this man was leading our country. How could he possibly joke about his lack of intelligence before a State Dinner? How could he laugh about his inability to comprehend matters of great importance? Why would he think that the public would find that funny? And if the public did find that funny, shame on them.
The vice-presidential candidate that the Republicans ran in the past election against Obama was of equal educational quality. We all know who I mean, Miss Lipstick-on-a-Pig. Even her humor is low-class, in keeping with her intelligence. One has to ask, "So this was the candidate Republicans believed could handle the cosmic-sized dilemmas we now have facing this nation?" Sarah Palin? Are they nuts? Listening to those Republicans lie about their support of her in the face of the crises facing this nation was a crime against the soul of America. Why? Because they did not believe a word of what they were saying and that was obvious. Most of them could barely cough up their contrived words of support. How they could possibly live with themselves is beyond me. But that is the blessing, I suppose, of having no conscience whatsoever. You're free to say whatever is required in the moment. But if you want to talk about an educational violation, Palin is the poster child. She is a perfect example of the success of the "dumbing down of America" program. No wonder she is a Republican. Birds of a feather, as the saying goes. But you have to give credit where credit is due, yes? So no wonder they fear Obama coming near the classroom. Republicans have little experience with a refined intellect. (They probably are wondering how Obama escaped the, "dumbing down" system. They certainly didn't. Check out Eric Cantor. There's a "dumbing down" success story if I've ever met one.)
I don't blame them for being upset, really. They actually owe America an apology for their actions and for their choices of candidates and for their overall quality control when it comes to who they believe qualifies for leadership positions. Truth is, the Republicans are embarrassed by their own actions and they are poor losers, not to mention unethical and immoral opponents. We just have to get them to own that, right? We have to hold all Democrats to the same standard as well. If a Democrat is unethical or immoral -- burn them at the stake. (That will probably clear out most of the Congress, but in the end, we'll all be better off.)
There comes a time when we have to just stand up to these carnies (slang for carnival barkers) and tell them to stop polluting the soul of America with their constant and endless transmission of psychic free radicals in the form of lies, negative press, ridiculous criticism, overall lack of intelligent ideas and comments, and complete absence of creative thought. We should just blast them with emails and tell them to stop polluting the soul of our nation. Just stop it. We've had enough. I know I have. And I deeply believe the soul of our nation can't take much more of their strategy of deliberate division against the people of their own nation. That is a true crime -- and perhaps their greatest crime -- against the soul of this great nation.
Crimes Against America
By Caroline Myss
There is such a thing as a crime against the soul of a nation. A person or a political party can deliberately incite actions that diminish the strength, the integrity, and the overall well-being of a nation's inner core. America's soul is in a fragile state. It has suffered severe violations over the course of this past decade and to lesser degrees, in previous decades. Through the years, the essential integrity of America has been eroded for various reasons but never was it so violated as during the Bush administration. The endless lies, the deceitful years of propaganda that flowed from the West Wing that fed the media, the bogus reasons for setting the Middle East on fire, and converting this country into a corporate state for personal gain are crimes that shattered the soul of this nation more deeply than we have even begun to realize -- if we ever will. The consequences of puncturing the soul of a nation are witnessed in countless ways. For example, there is a decline in the integrity of leadership and a growing apathy on the part of the public to care about keeping watch over its leaders. The nation ceases to produce statesmen or stateswomen. The best the public can do is to send semi-qualified individuals to Washington whose capacity to hold to their promises collapse within minutes of unpacking in their new offices. As for the old guard, they are worn out good old boys mixed in with a few new and not-so-new women on the block, who continue to fall into their same old patterns of deal making and breaking. But nothing of great significance ever happens unless motivated by a catastrophe. Any truly positive ideas for change baffle the Congress. What could this be, they wonder? But of all the crimes covertly and overtly committed by the Bush administration against the soul of America, none is as vile as the deliberate efforts they poured into turning American against American. We see that in the near hatred between the Republicans and Democrats, between liberals and conservatives, between free-thinkers and evangelicals that continues to fester. This crime was a strategic one, a well thought out plan to fragment the people of this nation in a type of contemporary replay of the Civil War. And sadly, the Republicans succeeded. Thank you, Karl Rove. The result is that the soul of America is exhausted, wounded, mistrusting, suspicious, fearful -- and compromised. This is not a soul that can rebuild a country, not if you know anything about the laws of nature and the fundamentals of healing.
So let's apply this to the Republicans present attack on Obama and his plan to address the children in the classrooms of our schools. First, a comment on how education is respected in general by our Congress -- it isn't. And this crime against the soul of America is a travesty for which both Republicans and Democrats should hang their heads in shame. Consider, for example, how the education system through the years has corroded into little more than a mindless competition for grades. And the "No Child Left Behind" program (which should be left far, far behind) is nothing more than an insult to a true educational system that holds in high regard the passing on of knowledge and wisdom and not just technical skills and information. But such a program is in keeping with the insidious goal of the "dumbing down" of America plan that was consciously set in motion under the Reagan Administration (check out The Deliberate Dumbing Down of America by Charlotte Thomson Iserbyt). Aside from all the many travesties that have resulted and continue to result from the covert dismantling of America's educational system, let us consider the equally significant if not more tragic consequence of the clever removal of courses that provide students with the essential language required in order to learn how to navigate through the deep and profound matters of the soul. And note that my use of the word "soul" refers to that part of a human being that is more than matter, more than blood and bones. I am not using the word "soul" within the context associated with the politics of right-winged religious fanatics. Rather, I am referring to the essence of what makes a human being truly human, the inherent part of us that is more than meets the eye.
Students on a path toward becoming high functioning human beings must be guided in matters of their soul, namely, how to recognize and respond to a moral crisis; how to formulate a personal ethical code and to withstand challenges to that code within a society that thrives on predator instincts; and how to form and maintain an honor code within a society in which any sense of honor is now held together by legal contracts rather than the integrity of a person's word. Giving our students a common ground for discussions of their fears and insecurities concerning emerging into adult life and how to cope with those difficulties is as much a part of their education as is math and the liberal arts (remember those?). If this is not the role of the classroom, then what is? Should they take their forums into the streets so as not to upset the righteous Right? Should they continue to leave their souls at the doorway of their school buildings, sending in only their bodies and minds to attend their classes? Where should they warehouse their consciences? Where should they store their moral crises that strike with such force during the teen-age years? Perhaps this is the comfort they find in drugs.
It is through discussions such as these that skills of introspection are awakened and a foundation is put in place for the wisdom arts: personal reflection and accountability, discernment, personal virtue, and stamina of spirit. Is it any wonder that as a result of the horrendous decision of the American Congress to "dumb down" our educational system, we now have a public that cannot discern lies from truth? Are we really surprised that we are now living in a society in which the news media saturates us with entertainment instead of actual news and that most of America was too asleep at the wheel to even notice? Should we really have to wonder for more than three seconds as to why so many media reporters have turned into nothing more than gossip mongers and paparazzi, lacking all courage to do actual hard core news, substituting their own hysterical opinions for informed reporting? I'm not surprised at all.
A conscious effort to "dumb down" the education of this nation qualifies as a crime against the soul of America. And dare I say this? If there was something as grievous as a mortal sin committed by a group against its own people, then the Republicans -- with Reagan at the helm -- and all the Democrats who stood by, or worse, backed this catastrophe -- committed that sin when they choreographed how they would dismantle the intellectual power and potential of our own children. (You should check your age -- you could be a product of this crime.)
So is it really any wonder why the Republicans would stage this outlandish outcry over President Obama addressing the schoolchildren of America? You would think that everyone would support the President's desire to inspire our children to want an education. Who would not want to see their children enthusiastic about an education? Hum ... Well, could it be that education intimidates them? I mean, given their history with education and their experience with their recent president as well as their recent candidate for vice-president, you can appreciate that the education of President Obama would engender a bit of jealousy. Consider that when Bush showed up in a classroom, they gave him My Pet Goat to read to the students. Why was that, ya think? Perhaps his team feared a more sophisticated book would be a bit too much for him. Or maybe he was providing students with an example of how "dumbing down" works. Or maybe, just maybe, given Bush's overall success and reputation for brain-power, Republicans fear Obama would inspire students instead of generating the jokes and comedic responses Bush did every time he opened his mouth.
I can't begin to count the number of times I listened to Bush joke about his own lack of intelligence before an audience. The audience members that included some now former as well as present members of the Congress and Senate, actually laughed as he made these comments. Whether they were laughing with him or at him, I couldn't tell. I know I was laughing at him, but I was also embarrassed and ashamed that this man was leading our country. How could he possibly joke about his lack of intelligence before a State Dinner? How could he laugh about his inability to comprehend matters of great importance? Why would he think that the public would find that funny? And if the public did find that funny, shame on them.
The vice-presidential candidate that the Republicans ran in the past election against Obama was of equal educational quality. We all know who I mean, Miss Lipstick-on-a-Pig. Even her humor is low-class, in keeping with her intelligence. One has to ask, "So this was the candidate Republicans believed could handle the cosmic-sized dilemmas we now have facing this nation?" Sarah Palin? Are they nuts? Listening to those Republicans lie about their support of her in the face of the crises facing this nation was a crime against the soul of America. Why? Because they did not believe a word of what they were saying and that was obvious. Most of them could barely cough up their contrived words of support. How they could possibly live with themselves is beyond me. But that is the blessing, I suppose, of having no conscience whatsoever. You're free to say whatever is required in the moment. But if you want to talk about an educational violation, Palin is the poster child. She is a perfect example of the success of the "dumbing down of America" program. No wonder she is a Republican. Birds of a feather, as the saying goes. But you have to give credit where credit is due, yes? So no wonder they fear Obama coming near the classroom. Republicans have little experience with a refined intellect. (They probably are wondering how Obama escaped the, "dumbing down" system. They certainly didn't. Check out Eric Cantor. There's a "dumbing down" success story if I've ever met one.)
I don't blame them for being upset, really. They actually owe America an apology for their actions and for their choices of candidates and for their overall quality control when it comes to who they believe qualifies for leadership positions. Truth is, the Republicans are embarrassed by their own actions and they are poor losers, not to mention unethical and immoral opponents. We just have to get them to own that, right? We have to hold all Democrats to the same standard as well. If a Democrat is unethical or immoral -- burn them at the stake. (That will probably clear out most of the Congress, but in the end, we'll all be better off.)
There comes a time when we have to just stand up to these carnies (slang for carnival barkers) and tell them to stop polluting the soul of America with their constant and endless transmission of psychic free radicals in the form of lies, negative press, ridiculous criticism, overall lack of intelligent ideas and comments, and complete absence of creative thought. We should just blast them with emails and tell them to stop polluting the soul of our nation. Just stop it. We've had enough. I know I have. And I deeply believe the soul of our nation can't take much more of their strategy of deliberate division against the people of their own nation. That is a true crime -- and perhaps their greatest crime -- against the soul of this great nation.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Thursday Sept. 3rd
No one should die because they cannot afford health care, and no one should go broke because they get sick. If you agree, please pass this on or post it on face book as your status for the rest of the day.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Wednesday Sept. 2nd
If there was a day that states quite clearly "what ever can go wrong will go wrong." today was that day for me. I had a wonderful breakfast get together with a group of friends for a chat and catch up session. Then the afternoon went into a downward spiral quickly.Well that is not really the case, just sort of, I installed 4 gigs of memory for my MacBook Pro and that went fine and but then I started to install the new Snow Leopard operating system. Then to say that all hell broke loose is the understatement of the new millennium. The install failed and then my whole computer started to crash & it was like watching a dam slowly break apart as the water seeps through.
I spent over an hour on the phone with Apple Care and when I finally figured out that the man on the line had NO IDEA of what was actually happening I pretty much asked him to email me a case file & I hung up on him and RAN to the nearest Apple Store, storming the Genius Bar. I was put on a 45 to 60 minute waiting list and I started pacing. About 10 minutes later an appointment did not show up and I was assigned to the lead tech. Keegan is the man of the century this evening, he worked magic and saved most, if not all of my data. I do not think that I have ever been more scared, I do save me work but have not done so for over a month or two. This dude is a code magician and managed to get my data onto my external hard drive. I sat for over an hour and could actually watch each file, each image, each document be saved and transferred.
At the end of this most terrifying 90 minutes I was told that I would lose all of my applications even though we have saved the data. I have no idea of how, where, or when I installed Dreamweaver 2004 MX for my web site, I know that I have will have lost my entire Adobe Creative Suite but I do still have my Microsoft Office Suite...Tomorrow will start the task of finding the minutia that I have become so dependent upon.
I can not recall the last time I felt so absolutely helpless. I just sat there and watched as my HD was failing and I was totally helpless to do anything about it. My man Keegan explained that HD's will fail, sometime they will fail in a year sometimes they will fail in 5 years.. but they will fail. He said that my HD was already failing but that trying to install such a major systems program just opened up the flood gates and there was nothing that could be done to stop it.
So my day rather stank.. I am not saying that there were not some excellent things that happened and I am grateful for each one bit I am just a bit worn out right now and this is NOT how I needed to spend a better part of my afternoon.
I will have a better day tomorrow and for now I have my handy dandy 13" PowerBook G4. Cute as hell and not as BadAss fast but hey there is some work that I can get done and I guess that I need to be grateful for the fact that so much of my data was retrieved.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Tuesday Sept. 1st.
Early this moring...like 5am early, I was sitting at my gate at the Dayton International Airport and sitting across the way from me, in a very SPARKLY Short cocktail dress, SPARKY strapless shoes and done up to the nines, sash and all, was Mrs. Ohio International. She had to have gotten up way way way to early to look like that at 5am. I really have to ask why was it necessary for her to actually wear the sash...I mean WOW!
Well I am posting this from the Denver airport. I have been away for just over 3 weeks and all I have to say is that I am ready to not be living out of a suitcase for a few weeks. I had a very good trip but no matter what, it is a good thing to get back to my own bed and I am very much looking forward to snuggling with my kittens.
Not only have I taught 10 classes during this trip, I have also gotten some significant work done on my moms house. It really is a matter of constant vigilance, as soon as we think that we are getting some good things taken care and making progress, another project crops up. We started looking at having her shower stall re-tiled and a new shower pan installed. Finding an individual that can handle the job and not try to take advantage of my mom is always in the back of my head.
Mom had a guy come over to give her a price for a fiberglass shower insert and was told that there was surely water damage to the green board behind the tiles and added on costs for repairs and then tried to make her chose in a matter of days. I thought that the tactics were heavy handed and were playing to fears and inexperience. I was not pleased at all when I started to see what was happening. I think we are doing a pretty good job of getting these tasks done in an easy and timely manner so that when she is ready to move the list of things that have to happen will not be overwhelming.
So... I am on my way home & needless to say, I have a very set way of travel. I will do everything I can to get really early flights whether I am flying east or west. If I am heading east I get in with a few hours before the dinner hour and I have time to acclimate to the time change. On this trip I will have flown from Dayton to Tucson and get home before 10am. Traveling this way I will have the entire day to start to recuperate for the entire day and I should not have any problems adjusting back to my own time zone.
As I have already posted I had a very fun time at the BeadFest Philly. The classes were fun and I actually do have a good time there. I also had a great time teaching at The Place to Bead in Naperville this past weekend and I also got to experience a very wonderful one day show that they put together. The Suburban Bead Encounter really is an excellent show. The venue at the Holiday Inn is intimate and the selection of vendors offers a very good selection and wide variety. Each of the 4 classes that I taught had students that were so excited to learn about fine silver and everyone did such a fantastic job and made huge strides in fine tuning their techniques.
I have a very full plate ahead of me till the end of the year, check out the updates on my website. I am hopeful that each of the shows that I am teaching at and exhibiting at will follow the encouraging trend that all of us are starting to see. It is hard to have to double the amount of time that I am away in order to keep things going but it is the way that is is and I am grateful for all of the support that my students and customers are giving.
My next show is BeadFest Portland, I have 3 different classes that I am teaching and am teaching 2 of those 3 classes twice. Check out the show and come take some classes. You can fine tune your fusing and metal working skills or dive into an brand new experience.
Well I am posting this from the Denver airport. I have been away for just over 3 weeks and all I have to say is that I am ready to not be living out of a suitcase for a few weeks. I had a very good trip but no matter what, it is a good thing to get back to my own bed and I am very much looking forward to snuggling with my kittens.
Not only have I taught 10 classes during this trip, I have also gotten some significant work done on my moms house. It really is a matter of constant vigilance, as soon as we think that we are getting some good things taken care and making progress, another project crops up. We started looking at having her shower stall re-tiled and a new shower pan installed. Finding an individual that can handle the job and not try to take advantage of my mom is always in the back of my head.
Mom had a guy come over to give her a price for a fiberglass shower insert and was told that there was surely water damage to the green board behind the tiles and added on costs for repairs and then tried to make her chose in a matter of days. I thought that the tactics were heavy handed and were playing to fears and inexperience. I was not pleased at all when I started to see what was happening. I think we are doing a pretty good job of getting these tasks done in an easy and timely manner so that when she is ready to move the list of things that have to happen will not be overwhelming.
So... I am on my way home & needless to say, I have a very set way of travel. I will do everything I can to get really early flights whether I am flying east or west. If I am heading east I get in with a few hours before the dinner hour and I have time to acclimate to the time change. On this trip I will have flown from Dayton to Tucson and get home before 10am. Traveling this way I will have the entire day to start to recuperate for the entire day and I should not have any problems adjusting back to my own time zone.
As I have already posted I had a very fun time at the BeadFest Philly. The classes were fun and I actually do have a good time there. I also had a great time teaching at The Place to Bead in Naperville this past weekend and I also got to experience a very wonderful one day show that they put together. The Suburban Bead Encounter really is an excellent show. The venue at the Holiday Inn is intimate and the selection of vendors offers a very good selection and wide variety. Each of the 4 classes that I taught had students that were so excited to learn about fine silver and everyone did such a fantastic job and made huge strides in fine tuning their techniques.
I have a very full plate ahead of me till the end of the year, check out the updates on my website. I am hopeful that each of the shows that I am teaching at and exhibiting at will follow the encouraging trend that all of us are starting to see. It is hard to have to double the amount of time that I am away in order to keep things going but it is the way that is is and I am grateful for all of the support that my students and customers are giving.
My next show is BeadFest Portland, I have 3 different classes that I am teaching and am teaching 2 of those 3 classes twice. Check out the show and come take some classes. You can fine tune your fusing and metal working skills or dive into an brand new experience.
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